Evening star., 1926-10-10

less. Men who do things are almost
always called that. The point here.
however. Is to offer him as he is. and
from that reality-so vital and so
immediate--he takes his place as a
human force in one OF the greatest
Of modern enterprises. A wonder
fully outSpread adventure issues
from this starting point Of James Cor
don Bennett. one that includes the
world of important people and mo
mentous events coincident to his own
career An admirable record. where
personal appreciation does not stand
in the way Of fair estimate.
DE PROFUNDIS. BY Oscar Wilde.
New York: The Modern Library.
Nov. % years after the death OF
Oscar Wilde. it comes about that
"De Profundis, written by Wilde while
he was in Jail. takes its place with the
works of other writer's counted as en-
during in literature. The Modern Ii
brary has gone to great pains In criti'
cal selection in order that readers may
be sure of the best in their collection
of books And DE Profundis Is
among them. 1t ought to be. For
here is the laying out. mans soul
when there is nothing left ct his oid
life to induce hypocrisy. 1t is the
naked man that stands out hece--no'
not all the time. for there are mo
ments. even in Jail. when Wide attl'
tudinizes. But these postures are oniy
momentary. and all the rest OF ths
time there is an honest questioning OF
the essence Of life to find out what
Il Is. what it is about, what It's re-
ouirements Of him. To almost every
one there come days or hours OF
nakedness, when one is stripped to his
sheer self. At such times this Dock
hy Oscar Wilde will have sentences.
phrases. maybe only broken words, OF
wonderful beauty. And If. unhappiiy.
YOU never do find yourself naked in
soul. YOU may, nevertheless. find a
sort of intellectual satisfaction IN TINS
mans honest account of himself. I'm
glad that this book is included IN the
Modern Library.
THE BLACK HUNTER. BY James
Oliver Curwood. author OF Ine
Ancient Highway" etc. llustrat-
ed by Herbert NJ. Stoops: New
York: Cosmopolitan Book Corpora
ton.
TN this story Of old Quebec Mr.. Cur.
L wood spreads out a vital period OF
American history wherein England
and France struggled for supremacy
in the New World. So eftectually
does our history begin with the Kew
olutionary War that we forget those
preceding events which might have
made France. and not England, the
leader in America. In this story OF
Quebec. at about 1850. court pat
termed after that Of Louis XIV por
trays the essential weakness
France itself at that time. a weak
ness disguised. however. under tht
showy symbols. Of great power. This
court Of New France takes possession
Of the romance by way OF ready jeal'
ousies and deep intrigues on the part
of rival aspirants to position and
command. Here are elaborate social
| ceremonies where beauty begets
| trouble, where many man is Secret
ly disposed OF for no reason other
than favors from the fair. The city
is a hotbed of hidden strife and politi
cal chicanery. And around Quebec
stretches the great wilderness domain
Of France. menacing the narrow coast
strip of England. In this outlying
region warfare precedes its lorna
declaration. It is here that the Black
Hunter ranged. an authentic chars C.
ter. Peter Joel. man Of mystery. the
terror Of the Indians. While this ro-
nance is named for the Black Hunter
it's real hero is David Rock, young
woodsman. hunter, scout. soldier, low
err. victim of plots against him that
eliminated in his being fayed upon
his bare back through the streets G
Quebec at the tail of an OK cart--a not
unusual form Of punishment at that
time. A most interesting story and 1;
graphic picture which the author ha
striven to make historically correct
every point. And it does, without
question. serve to produce a vivid
panorama of that time and that place
and the events to which these gave
such vital import.
SHORT TALKS WITH THE DEAD
AND OTHERS. BY Hilaire Belloc
New York: Harper & Brothers.
WITH Charles 7. in a short ex
w change of agreeing opinions
| about the character Of Cromwell; with
| Napoleon. bent upon the solution OF
the supreme problem Of mathematics
applied to war; with Byron, concern
ing the causes of his temporary eclipse
and the certainty Of his final enduring
fame; with bewigged and pompous