Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-04

By the BooklOrer.

Gaskell in her Life of Charlotte
Bronte," is somewhat rehabilitated by
May Sinclair in her book, 1.-THE Three
Brontes." She calls him a poor and
unhappy and innocent old man ana
finds that he was better than most
Victorian fathers. The stories OF his
savage temper, egotism, selfishness
and moroseness have all been exag-
gerated, she thinks. The story OF ms
cutting up his wife's silk gown in a nj
of passion resolves itself into his cut
ting out merely the sleeves OF cotton
gown (why, is not explained, aItes
which he walked into kelgnley Itlu !
bought her a new silk gown. Inc
story of his firing pistols to relieve
other fits Of fury is a Islander baseo on
his habit of practicing pistol firlng as
a. snort. That he often went on on
long, solitary walks May Sinclair mas
no sign of moroseness. II he had insist.
ed, ed on accompanying Charlotte ano
Emily and Anne on their walks over
the moors, she says. his conduct woulo
have been censured just the same
II is to his lasting credit that IN an
age when genius in a woman was con
sidered unwomanly, If not altogether
reprehensible, he was profounoly
proud of his daughters genius; there
is no record and no rumor OF any crltl'
cism on his part, of any remonstrance
or amazement." That in ms last
wears, when overcome by blindness
and grief because of his son Bran
wells evil life and early death, ne
sometimes drank more than he should
seems to Miss Sinclair easy to excuse
Charlotte Bronte herself Is also De
Tended by Miss Sinclair against the
statements and implications or SOME
of her critics in the matter OF ner sup
posed passionate attachment 10 1 uei
brussels teacher, NJ. Constantin He
ger. Miss Sinclair admits that Nine
Heger was probably jealous, fooilsniy
CO Of Charlotte Bronte, q plain little
pupil.teacher in the Pensionnat de
Demoiselles in the Rue d1sabelle
She also thinks it probable that M
Heger did not regard Charlotte with
entire Indifference. "He was french
man. and he had his vanity, and nc
doubt the frank admiration of his bril-
liant pupil appealed to 1t vivldly IN
moments of conjugal depression.
But that Charlotte was ever in any
degree. latently or increasingly or VIC
lently, in love with NJ. Heger, she
considers without any proof, a story
resting on gossip and conjecture
That M. .Heger is generally acknowi
edged to be the original of M. Pau
Emanuel in "Villette" proves nothing
Lucy Snowe, the heroine of that mover
is not necessarily Charlotte Bronte
herself, Like all artists, Charlotte
Bronte used the real in characters
and places only as suggestions. Hei
completed work was almost entirely
imaginative and from it no deductions
as to fact may be drawn.
4 X X X
The Chinese Minister, DIR. Sao-ke
Alfred SEE, is an excellent speech
maker, as Washingtonians who nave
heard him know. Five OF his ad
dresses, delivered last Winter at varl
Gus places, have been published In Q
volume with the simple title Ad
dresses" Naturally, the addresses are
all upon the subject of China. Thell
titles are "The Problem of China
1.-THE Causes of China's Discomfort
and How They May Be Removed
international Aspects of the Chinese
Situation" "Extraterritoriality in Chi
na' and "China's Unequal Treaties
In all the addresses DIR. SEE tactfullJ
explains why the Chinese feel thai
they have been unfairly treated by
other nations and how such treatment
NAV be improved. The book will Ger
tainly be widely read by all interested
in international affairs.
X X X X
That drastic measures are needed
to save England from loss of both ne
industrial supremacy and her worlt
empire seems to be the belief OF Johl
GalsWorthy, in his recent novel, "Th'
silver Spoon" England. privileged
among nations, had her silver spooi
and sucked it continuously for man.
generations, but has mo longer TIT
teeth to hold it there, or the will t
part with it," Michael Mont, young
newly returned member of Parlla
ment, may perhaps be considered tn
mouthpiece for Galsworthy's owl
ideas. Bewildered, and skeptical or al
economic remedies, as any thoughtfu
person may be in these postwar days
Michael turns to Foggartism as offer
ing the most probable aid to an Eng
land desperately in need. Sir Jane
Foggart, "a primeval old man In =;
nigh state of-cultivation," who lives il
retirement in the country, read
everything, thinks and writes, ha
| written book called THE Parlou
state of England" Froggartisn
teaches endurance of "a worse preSen
| for the sake of a better future. II
platform includes cooperation with IN
ternational limitation Of armament
If possible: if not, then complete al
defense for England; government all
to farming to the end that England
may produce her own food supply
and the controlled emigration of Brit
ish town children over IA to the col
onies where they will build up a pop
ulation whose demand for British
goods will equal the supply. Michae
is rather skeptical about his own pro
gram. especially after he has tried ;
little practical Foggartism for himself
He moves four down and outs from
a London slum to a piece of unused
land on his fathers estate at Tipping
hall and starts them rat chicken rails
ing, and thereby has brought home t
him that great obstacle to all sal
yation-the human element" One o
the four commits suicide, two leav'
and the fourth sticks and may achiev'
moderate success by 1880. But, a
Michael. or Mr.. Galsworthy. says
"You might be blowing crooked
and by twilight; but better pillow b!
dim light than no light; crooked
furrow than none at ALL
Whats Wrong With China?" b,
Rodney Gilbert, asks question which
every one is asking. Mr.. Gilbert at
tempts to answer it, and, as he ha
spent a large part of his life in China
studying it's affairs. he Is perhaps a
likely as another to know what tn
trouble is. He is not one of those VIII
consider China much abused nation
the victim Of European aggressiOns
His experience has made him believ
that the Chinese are incapable Of ar
preciating generosity from any fol-
eign nation, and that such generosit