Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-27
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
I. G.. NJ.
CAPT. JOHN SMITH. e. Kreble Chat

tertOn. Harper ~ Bros.
You remember, TO be- sure. the story
of the Golden Hind--the strip upon
which Sir Francis Drake rounded the
world something like three centuries
and a half ago. You recall, too, that
for so glorious a triumph Queen Eliza
beth knighted the daring explorer,
making Sir Francis out Of plain Capt.
Drake. More than this. the Queen
ordered that the Golden Hind should be
preserved AS we are doing today
in like circumstance part as
memorial to achievement, N other part
as spur to the ambition and courage OF
youth generally.
The Golden Hind has. very fifty given
name to the Geographic series eolted
by Milton Waldman Here are gathered
from trained and competent writer's the
stories OF great English explorers-Sir
Francis Drake, Capt. John Smith, Slr
Walter Raleigh. Sir John Hawkins, Sir
Martin Frobisher. Sir Richard Crenviile
all gallant and daring seamen. who
added so markedly to the glory OF Eng
land pointing to her speedy supremacy
of the seas, contributing to her already
high place as a power among the ma.
tions, greatly increasing her material
welfare and her intellectual vision.
So far as one is able to judge from
the examples that have come to hand,
the Golden Hind Series promises rich
returns to both student and general
reader. It's writer's are clearly OF the
new geographic dispensation- y doing
strictly to the exactitudes OF history
itself. they have. within such firm set
ting. exercised the art of the noveIst.
By way OF this art the individual pc
comes paramount. 1t Is the man nlm-
self upon whom the keen use OF drama
centers. It is upon him that the spe-
cial character and quality OF his perloo
DEMONSTRATING his mind, directing his
interest and ambition. deciding his nat
ural career. linking him, in return, 10
the large movements around him ana
through these identifying him with the
activities of his country. ms explorer
first one, then another-S nero OF
prime adventure whose metes ano
bounds are identical with the spread
of England in her own high hopes ana
plane and accomplishments.
Capt. John Smith" Is STORY lnat
comes specially close to Americans
II,
sa.lings and landings along our Atlantic
Coast. Smith is as clearly part OF
American colonial history as IS the
stanchest colonial himself. Made Tor
robust and colortul deeds OF daring is
this John Smith. explorer, adventurer
and liar" OF quality TO hold drama
to its highest pitch OF suspense ano
interest whether he Is seeking NE
among the Turks in Eastern Europe or
IL pursuing il along our own coast oea!-
inc with the Indian. organizing ana ao-
mir!stering new settlements, or nosihs
his way into the interior OF virginia
Optimistic and self-confident. he sees 10
IL that his personal heroisms lose no'n-
ing in the telling. This quality Is inc
one. no doubt. that attaches mar 70
his other titles. as 1t has TO many an
other famous man. Imagination tnat
runs to self-laudation Is not conllneo 70
any time and place. 1t Is part OF the
temperament of almost every acn'eve-
;ng person. To dramatize his Attitudes
and action is the instinct oil sucn. Even
his seeming modesty is role projected
IN childish simplicity. We have all
suffered such heroes with as good grace
as friendship requires. Romantic egoist.
this John Smith. Just another one OF
the big Smith family-and not real
liar" at all.
From all manner OF available sources
some new, some old. but all recast 10
truer proportions and deeper signin-
cances-Mr. Chatterton has drawn Tor
this absorbing story of Capt. Jonn
Smith. The material. especially IN the
later part Of the picture. is more or less
familiar. The manner Of the whole.
however. Is quite new. New IN It's CO.
herency. in It's concrete movement, IN
its definitely stated relations 10 the NE
Of the times. in It's sweep ana Color
and heroic gilsto. In the beginning MT
Chatterton gives most impressive pic
ture of the early surroundings OF smith
John Smith was fortunate enough 10
have been born at that time when the
Fiiyahc,han effulgence was not vet dim
med but still increasing" Celebrating
this thought. he sketches the sixteenth
rent,lrv. that age OF adventure.
bursting with zeal TO go forth and DO
something exciting. and from this wild
eagerneSs new attitude 10 NE Was
created" Fishermen were no longer
willing TO dabble in the waters OF the
Cornish Coast when their hearts were
away toward the West Indies. Thus
ambition took the place OF content
ment, expansion was more attractive
than dull routine" In this stir OF air
and sea many an adventurer was
made, many a John Smith. In more
ways than one that outreaching. eN-
panding sixteenth century. influencing
men to adventure. rouSlng nightly the
spirit of that older one. Those earlier
discovery. outfaring. invention. science
in its marvels applied 20 the daily bust
ness Of being alive. And now. as then.
Ia haS saf .
skies, seeking Arctic and Antarctic dis
cover!es. drawing amazing secrets from
the earth plumbing the seas for Its
mysteries and possibilities. Certainly
a new Renaissance is emulaiinS the
spirit OF that olde one. Those earlier
stories, therefore. like this one OF Capt.
John Smith, are. i'll motive power ana
g neral effect the fresh stories that
are being lived today in the marvellous
world of new science, Ii Is by virtue
of such clear kinshtp that these older
tales take on new life. new form. new
meaning. new inspiration.
SKETCHES ON THE OLD ROAD
THROUGH FRANCE TO FLOR
ENCE. Henry w. NevinSon and
Montgomery Carmichael. +. F, Dut-
ton & Co,
Two authors and an artist take part
in this recollection ot travel, And the
artist, certainly. plays an equal part Ia
that of each OF the writers, The three
together illustrate. very completely, that
much Of the JOY Of travelling by the
book route lies IN the mood Of the
travel writer, Here are three distinct
moods, each contributing 10 turn a new
face toward the reader. The fins, writer.
Henry Nevinson. Is n poet As we'll AS
wayfarer. And, reading here, one Is
pretty certain that only poet Sheala
travel about the earth The face NJ
the country. surely, needs such inter-
pretation as the artist alone can gise,
So do the monuments TO civilization
eathedfais. fortreSSeS fnadS, bridges
All of these demand fine poetic feeling
To deliver them over into the det'pe"
appreciation VI the one who travels eH