New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-23

"NHE Hawthornden Prize, founded
four years ago by Miss Alice
Warrender for the best book
Of the year, by an author who
has not yet attained the age Of
forty-one." has once again been awarded
20 a poet, and, as usual, the poet hap
pens TO be contributor 20 Mr.. J. {.
Squire's organ, "The London Mercury"
The member OF the distinguished band
Of literary journals known as "the
"Squiresrchy' who has been chosen,
this year for decoration Is Mr. Edmund
Blunden, author Of "The Shepherd and
Other Poems Of Peace and War" The
committee that decided the award con-
sisted Of Miss Alice Warrender Mr.
Lawrence Bunyon, Mr.. Robert Lynd,
Mr.. Edward Marsh editor OF Georgian
Poetry") and Mr. J. c. Squire. The
prize Is a silver medal and a check
for 800.
The three previous winners OF the
Hawthornden we're Mr. Edward Shanks
assistant editor Of "The London Mcr-
cury"). Mr.. John Freeman, n frequent
contributor % a.. and Miss Romcr Will
son. The award OF the prize 70 Miss
Wilson for her distinguished novel,
"The Death Of Society" was uniycr-
sally Endorsed among literary people;
but how on earth either Mr.. Edward
Shanks or Mr. John Freeman came 20
be singled out for coronation" re-
mains a mystery 20 those outside Mr.
Squire's charmed circle.
Mr.. Shanks is an industrious and
fairly adequate literary journalist who
has read much poetry and written some
verses as the result Of his reading II
he has a personality Of his own and
some original ideas he has yet 70 ex-
press them. They certainly did not
find their way into "The Queen OF
China and Other Poems"
As for Mr.. John Freeman, his various
volumes are saharaS Of pure dullness,
which only a Doughty could have the
endurance 20 explore 70 the end. He
has apparently no selective faculty and
no capacity for self-crlticism. Though
he has written a number Of Tyres
which nearly succeed, he has not writ
ten one which succeeds quite.
Mr.. Blunden is certainly a more in
structive and pleasing vcrsiher than
either Mr. Shanks or Mr.. Freeman. He
prattlcs agreeably In meter about
moons and trees and bees and hours
and flowers, about hedges and bitches
end waggoners and shepherds. No
body could have a word 20 say against
his spotless rural garland II Mr. Squire
and his associates had not labeled It
"the best book Of the year by a writer
under forty-one." This sort Of thing
does no good 20 Mr.. Blunden, while Il
brings ridicule upon the prize, which /
am sure was founded by Miss Warren
der with the best intentions.
To get Messrs. Shanks, Freeman and
Blunden into perspective one mas but
10 think Of the fiery genius Of Mr.
d. II. Lawrence, the realistic ferocity
Of James Joyce, the subtle portraiture
Of Mr.. Lytton Strachey, the originality
and technical dexterity Of Miss Edith
i Sitwells poetry, the knowledge OF the
human heart displayed in Miss Mar
garet Larminie's admirable novel,
search; the wit and audacity o. Mr.
! Aldous Huxlcy's "Crome Yellow" and
Mortal Coils" Names like these oc-
cur 20 one, and then one realizes that
writers Of this SOFT don't get silver
medals and checks for 500. Il Just
doesn't happen like that-in England,
at all events. IL would be better for
us, perhaps, II IL did. What they do
get, though (Which the silver-medaled
poets have been unable as yet 10 OBJ
tain, is a discriminating and appreci-
alive audience.
wonder when that admirable novel
| ist, Mr.. Gerald ODonovan, will be rec
/ ognized az his real value. / see that
! his Vacations" has moved Mr. George
/ Moore 20 one OF his rare outbursts Of
/ enthusiasm for writer younger than
I himself, and / suppose that Father
| Ralph" Is not yet entirely forgotten.
/ But Mr.. O'Donovan's books have never
! yet had the wide sale which they de-
serve. In Ireland, where 10 is not usu-
I ally the custom 20 underpraise Irish
writers, ! heard very much less about
/ Mr. O'Donovan than I did about some
wholly unimportant playwrights and
third-rate versihers.
The Hogarth Press, a small publish
ing firm which is the joint enterprise
Of Mr. L. s. Woolf and Of HIS wife. the
we'll known novelist, Mrs. Virginia
Woolf has just earned the gratitude OF
all who care for good literature By IS
suing some Of Ivan A. Bunin's short
stories, in an admirable translation.
Bunin's "The Gentleman From San
Francisco" must surely rank as one Of
the greatest Russian short stories
which have been made accessible TO
readers Of English. The translation is
the work Of Mr.. S. S. Koteliansky and
M. d. II. Lawrence
Two engagements OF literary interest
have just been announced. Mr. Robert
Nichols, the author OF "Ardours and
Endurances' and. more recently. OF A
four-act play called "Guilty Souls" IL
% Marry Miss Norah Denny on July IL
az the Church Of St. Martin-in-the-
Fields, In Trafalgar Square. And on
August Mr. Hilaire Belloc's daughter.
Miss Eleanor Belloc. is 10 be married 10
NJ. Richard Jebb at Westminster
(Catholie) Cathedral.