Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-07
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
I. G.. NJ.

| at the top of the list of historical
novels on the United States until the
| other day. when 1t was joined by
| Marching On" the new romance by
| this author.
The surprising quality of these two
novels derives from certain sources OF
| deep interest and prime Importance.
Both are founded upon pivotal and eX-
elusive events in the history of this
country. Drums" is based upon the
colonial period with it's vital issue of
a declared independence and the Sc
quence of the Revolution. Marching
| On" fronts upon the Civil War in a
| testing out of the expedient of SeCes-
sion. Together these constitute the
| essence of American history-inde-
| pendence and self-government upon
| the one hand, an unbroken Union
| upon the other. In so far as the
| United States is concerned, two broad
err or more basic ideas do not exist.
Having chosen in so grand a man
| ner, the next step of the author must
have been the selection of a vehicle
That would in every way prove ade-
quate for subjects of such significance.
Now, in history, the way of the world
has been to advance by marching
armies. Yet this is not, in the main,
is the climax of both of these novels,
just as it was also the breaking point
of the periods represented by them.
Nevertheless, reading here, one soon
faces squarely upon the fact that the
author aims above all else to bring
back in rounded body of effect the
full life of these periods. And war is
not life in any complete sense
Rather is it an interruption of normal
life, an obstacle to regular function
ing. War is an external malignant
growth that fastens itself upon peo-
pies and nations. Therefore Mr.. Boyd
rejects the common view and stereo-
type plan of historians who record
history in q tally of the defeats and
victories of battle. Moreover, as mere
instrument, war is too rigid a thing,
too automatic and unhuman, too ar
tificial to serve the fluid movements
of common men in average and ordi-
nary times. Therefore, while both
novels rise finally to the cultivated
hatreds and actual cruelties of our
two greatest wars, the main body of
each is concerned definitely and de-
signedly with the various preoccupa-
tons of peace that constitute the bulk
of common existence.
Another count for the excellence of
these novels is that they are home
grown, springing from the soil of
southern North Carolina, where the
authors own roots are set. This fact
induces, naturally, an intimacy of de-
tail, familiarity of contact, q vivid
ness of effect in respect to the men
and women figuring here. Here are
people who for more than a century
have been nodded by the soil and sun
of North Carolina, by the occupations
derived from these natural forces and
the modes of thought set by the sum
of daily local life, just as the people of
every other State have been similarly
shaped and inclined. And Mr.. Boyd
knows these men and women because
he is of them. In clear simplicity of
manner he makes readers know them
also.
1t is a piece of good luck for these
novels and their readers that James
Boyd is of the South. The colonial
South was much nearer to England
than was the North of the same
period. The great plantations, the
rigid class systematic whole indus.
trial and economic life of the South
was closer to that of England than the
North was. BY virtue of this there
was closer sympathy and a better I'M
derstanding and greater reluctance
on the part of the South to draw def
initely away by means of war from
the mother country than could be ex-
pected to exist or than did exist
among the Northern colonies. 1t Is
this phase of the situation that
Drums" makes so important and so
Illuminating and so beneficial as a
true picture of colonial sentiment in
it's approach to the Revolution. Again,
Marching On" presents the life of
the South as this led slowly to the
Civil War. And much of this story
goes into innumerable little pictures
of that life-the great plantation and
its suave overload, the Southern gen.
tleman"; obedient and devoted slaves,
a pleasing ceremonial of existence,
somewhat patriarchal in character and
certainly ariStocratic in feeling. Pic
lures of the small farmer and of the
poor whites are set off against the
romantic colors of the leisurely pleas
uring days of the gentry. So far as
one can see there is no exaggeratio3
here on the part of the artist, sketch
ing in these points of a happy mode
of life. One feels the affection for it
that is so manifest, feels it and par
takes of it as well. And Marching
On" grows in large part by way of
the dawning, secretly guarded love of
James Fraser, the small farmers son,
for the proud planters daughter. Not
quite so heinouS as it looks, this up
looking of James Fraser, for back in
the Revolution the Frasers, too, were
of the greatness of family and heroic
lighting for the cause of the new
country against the old beloved Eng
land. However, new times, new men,
and in this nearing Civil War day
young Fraser is clearly below grade.
And into the story come references to
the Yankee" smiling al
lus1ons of confident superiors. And the
tranquil days go by, growing q shade
less tranquil as the ''black abolition
lists" refuse to abate their ardors to-
ward freedom for the slaves.
And then-the war. And it is with
these last war chapters that the
surprising triumph Of Marching On"
stands clear. Look where you will in
all war literature, however famous
this may be, and you will not find
the stark, outstanding hideousness of
war more effectively terrible than it
is here. No armies, north and south,
drawn up against one another. None
of the blazonry of battle that lifts the
spirit into a hypnotized courage, or
the semblance of courage. No music,
no marching, no dazzling officers. no
beautiful horses and superb horseman-
ship, no gallant charges, no smashing !
victories. Nothing of all this-but |
war, the obscence, bestial, unhuman |
tearing. crawling thing that it truly |
is. Enemy groups come upon one |
another. Fear is among them. Des-
peration takes hold of them. They |
shoot one another, they drive them
selves into excuses of action to cover |
their agonies of fright. And why |
shouldn't they be afraid They should |
be, and they are. They desert, run
back away from the firing, to be met |
by one stationed to prevent just that |
thing. "Show bloodp' is what the |
guard says, standing ready to shoot |
the man down if he in fright is run
ming away. "And one took his hand |