Evening star., 1928-05-22
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
I. C.. M.
EDWARD VII. A Biography. Sir Sid
ney Lee. The Macmillan Co.


EDWARD VII. A Biography. Sir Sid
ney Lee. The Macmillan Co.
This. the second and last volume of
Sir Sidney Lees biography of Edward
VII, covers the reign OF that monarch.
The nine years making this period,
l901-1at0. front at only a short dis
tance away upon the World War It.
self bespeaking for 1t many vital ques-
tions both domestic and foreign. Yet,
in less than a decade Of sovereignty In
such advancing world crisis. Edward
VII established himself, definitely and
permanently. as statesman OF inter-
national vision. ~ a royal peacemaker
among competing European nations, ss
a constitutional ruler sincerely en-
crossed In the well-being OF all classes
among the English people and in the
support OF all branches OF the great
| imperial domain. Both domestic and
! foreign concerns were at the time
momentous and urgent. The final
events of the Boer War we're at hand
with the ultimate Union of South
Africa impending Reforms in both
army and navy we're pressing. Indus
trial affairs within England itself were
nearing a crisis, fiscal emergencies were
| imminent. Upon the continent the
Balkans were In their perennial ferment
with interested national outsiders draw
| ing nearer. Norway and Sweden, with
| In this period. parted company, each
setting up for itself Alliances were
made here and there by the British
King In the interest OF prolonged peace
| and amicable settlements. Relations
with Germany were defined and cleared,
also with Russia and with France. The
famous and useful Entente Cordiale
was established. Hardly has another
ruler at any time faced so delicate and
so dangerous a world complication as
that which, In sum, called for the good
Offices of friendly and powerful
nation. These are the great matters
by way OF which Sir Sidney Lee pre-
sents the character and the service Of
King Edward Via service that
reached far past his own domain in a
contribution to the safety and well-be-
ing Of the world itself.
The theme is one OF great scope. ems
bracing at that particular juncture
pretty much the whole world Of current
history in addition TO the special i'm
portance OF the central figure as the
| ruler of q great kingdom. Therefore,
an enormous amount of material would
| flow in upon the subject by its own
motion. Here the problem Of the biog-
rapher is to make the best use OF such
excess Of material. And II is at this
point that the art Of Sir Sidney Lee
stands triumphant. 1t is the high and
exclusive art OF inspired selection that
dominates and directs this biographer,
So. in effect. the study sums. not as a
record of events alone. Rather does IL
give the impression of q personality a
great one. around whom nfomentois af-
fairs gather. II Is as II the reader,
standing by watches this King as he
weighs and decides, always under the
good intent Of serving not only his own
people. but the world itself. And the
reader Is seized with passionate in
terest. not in the mere run of events,
not in bare history devitalized as 1t so
often is. Rather IL the reader possessed
OF deep concern for this man, this
world dimensions Here is an absorb
ing story Here Is also a great period
of history presented through human
medium OF power and distinction. Yet
this Edward VII Is at no time shown
apart from his human qualities. These
sometimes lead him In the wrong direc-
tion. but. happily. they usually lead him
back again into the good way OF COM
mon service. Past middle life when his
reign began and up to that time held
rigidly away from any public respon-
sibility and power by the Queen, his
mother he. upon the death OF Victoria.
became instantly the King in the full
est sense OF that title. Prior 10 this
time he gives to one a sense OF belated
opportunity. OF early powers turned to
inconsiderable uses And this through
no fault OF his own. II Ia his swift
recognition OF himself when occasion
| arrives, 1t is his prompt acceptance OF
kingly office and responsibility, that
| makes the reader his immediate cham
| pion and advocate. The iifeIfke quality
Of this great biography gives Il i'm
mense value both as history and as the
| vital portraiture of Edward VII. An
other point Of high worth is that 1t az
| fords the reader = partaking share In
most important period.
LIFE AND /: An autobiography of
Humanity. damaliei Bradford.
Houghton. Mifnin Co.
This book Is. In effect, an invitation
! for everybody 10 sit down to the read
| ing OF hts own life. Looks like A large
order 10 fill, and so II would be for
most writer's, But 5y interest and train
| ing and deep association Gamaliel
Bradford has come to terms of pretty
good understanding with the human
More than one biography by this dis
| tinguished author compels respectful
admiration from both critic and scholar,
and these command as well the enthusI-
astic reading of large numbers OF gen.
eral readers. II seems that while prob
ing into the inner lives OF his human
themes Mr.. Bradford has arrived at a
generalization which stands him In
good stead now-~one that permits him
10 include us all In a single study. The
bonds OF identity and kinShip that make
study like this possible are few In
number. These few may be gathered
into single urge. that OF human hum
ger. There Is the hunger for love and
companionship, for beauty and the de-
light of the eye There Ia the hunger
for power for intellectual or material
power. and then that even deeper and
larger outreaching toward things be-
yond unseen, but none the less real
Spiritual hunger. we call this; the de-
sire TO become one with-~prohahly God
Just these and no more are all of the
human hunRers, beyond the merely
physical ones for food aud drink with
which there Is no concern here, IL Is
with each OF these ends OF desire~~love,
beauty, power, thought~~-that Mr., Brad
ford tallies the universal human In this
Autobiography of Humanity" Only
one condition Is set for q free meeting
OF writer and reader In this book That
Is that both may be diveSted of every
thing but perfect honesty And hard
condition this Is, since the general pre-
occupation OF the human Is To fool him.
self. In no time at all you will see that
this writer has reached this necessary
plane. You know II by your own shiv-
ering away from some OF the truths that
he No frankly declares,
But, II you are honest, you shiver
right back again 10 The most engrossinR
topic in the whole world, your own
secret and deeply hidden heart. And
the cold plunge taken YOU become even