Evening star., 1923-07-31
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OF
LIFE. Arnold Bennett. George III.
DOran COmOanv

Doran Company.
In outlook and attitude "How to
Make the Best of Life. stands for the
bulk of the later output of Arnold
Bennett literature. The group as a
whole represents a definite stage Of Mr..
Benefits work, and, without doubt.
1t represents as we'll definite stage
in his Individual life.
~
St. John Ervine, in that fair and
entertaining Some Impressions of
My Elders" tells US that Arnold Ben
nett, when only young fellow, used
to write novels "of sorts" That was
IN the days when he earned his liv-
ing in some retail shop of his native
Five Towns. The novel writing. one
takes 1t. stood as easement from this
routine of daily work, indicating, as
the character of recreation and play
always does indicate, the natural bent
or temperament. These novels "of
sorts" were clearly Of the usual youth
full brand, Imagination, uncurbed, in
sole charge. Negligible the restrain
Ing laws that serve to build words
into living drama. Five Towns was a
dull little place. adequate for food
and clothes and lodging. but Of zero
significance to a young writer of
romance.
Then. one day. there came to the
hand of Arnold Bennett a new novel
To his amazement, to his bewilder-
ment, IL was drawn straight out from
Five Towns itself. straight from the
~ In Fhar L. l..
work "a day existence. George Moore
set "A Mummer's Wife" in Five
Towns. And Moore's perfection : of
gift in seizing upon reality, coupled
with an equal perfection. in his me
dunn of transmission. brought the
dead town to life. In fidelity to: no
more than the truth itself, Moore
showed this English hamlet, so drab
and humdrum of externals, to be. as
varied and urgent, as impressive and
as were ever Troy or Babylon: or
Bagdad.
"A Mummer's Wife" so it is said,
opened the mind of Arnold Bennett
1t faced him squarely around upon
an intensive first-hand study of: the
garden variety of human within the
purlieus of Five Towns itself. And
this new homegrown order of talent
brought Mr.. Bennett ultimately into
honor and acclaim as master of
modern realism in English fictior. A
commanding position. this. support
ed and sustained by an impressive
array of novels dealing with the be-
haviors of human nature along, the
levels of everyday doings. And for
thousands of readers Arnold Bennett
has done exactly what George Moere's
novel is said to have done for him
He has revealed the vital essence of
the commonplace, linking it up in a
blood bond with every order of human
motive and conduct the world over.
x*
And now 1t Is obvious that Mr..
Bennett is entering upon another
stage of his career. He is slirping
into a new role-and a natural shift
it is, as one comes to think of it.
All his life--save in that short futile
adventuring into the field of ram-
boyant iction-Mr. Bennett has been
trained, or has trained himself, To an
exact expert practical handling of
facts. Facts as they stand in actual
alignment with life have been his
material from those early days in
the shop of Five Towns, on through
the later years of distinguished sue
cess in the domain of realistic, fic-
ton. Facts have, throughout, been
his goal and his guide. his exclusive
preoccupation. Inevitably, therefore,
his mind has gradually taken on the
cast and color of authority-genial
to be sure, but authority none the
less. Like the school teacher who,
five hours a day. five days week,
from whom there is no appeal. This
does something TO the mind of that
teacher. 1t shapes her bearings and
controls her contacts. 1t does same
mild sense. it is doing the same thing
to Mr.. Bennett. For he is entering
the stage of giving advice: Now
nobody knows better than this man
that no one takes advice, no one He
has demonstrated this thousand
times in his fine and faithful novels
Nevertheless. he is unable to resist
form of self-indulgence that: the
packed contents of his own MING in
duce and practically impose. :Ad-
possibly, Just possibly, come firalfy
to curtail an impressive artistry. The
devoted readers of Mr.. Bennett, under
this late treatment, will gradually
site young Telemachus at the feet of
the benevolent Mentor.
The book in hand needs but word
to show Mr.. Benefits drift into: the
role of counselor and guide. How
to Make the Best of Life" is a solid
block of advice, touching upon Zach
stage from the cradle-not to the
grave, not exactly. but into matri-
mony instead. Since there is bat a
minute for this consideration, let us
begin well along here where Mr.. BEN
nett sits down to tell all about when
and where and how to fall in love.
Now everybody knows, including this
author that a man who can give real
Iy sound advice on this subject is dis
qualified for prescribing either pre-
yention or cure of the consuming
malady. He has forgotten, quite the
force and fervor of the symptoms.
Besides, a "fall' of any sort pre-
cludes the possibility of preparation.
else it is no fall at all. And this par
ticular fall" with which he deal5 so
laboriously is the clearest and sheer
est of accidents. There is no way, in
fact, of changing its precipitancy Of
character. Nevertheless, Mr.. Bennett
goes into a careful preparation for
the threatening calamity. And what
does the young man do when sy.np-
toms appear. Does he HE hiniself
away to the lady? Does he. per-
chance, betake himself to some friend
acting in the capacity of physician?
He does neither of these things, Il he
is following Mr.. Bennett. Instead,
he looks up his bank account. The