Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
IDA GILBERT MYERS.

line at that. Beautifully At, there
fore, that one Of these dedicate Q
i fresh literary triumph to the other.
So, in the proper place for this
pious ritual. Ellen Glasgow writers: ITO
James Branch Cabell," with q bow
toward Something About Eve" and q
smiling murmur, this book that COM
memorateS the chivalry of men,"
They STOPPED to Folly" is bent to
the business CT showing that morals,
like everything else, take on new aspects
In changed general conditions. Morals
are not what they used to be-" in q
word. To give concrete value to the
thesis Miss Glasgow makes use of three
generations of gentle folks bred to the
Virginia tradition Of honorable living.
First, there Is poor sister Agatha"
than a ghost, for the reason that on q
night Of June and moon and man so
long ago Sister Agatha stopped to
folly, irremediable. For the neighborly
gentleman already possessed q home, q
lovely wife and children, several shades
OF children. In the next generation
appears pretty Amy Dalrymple. local
siren, who achieved two husbands
think it was two-and several near
husbands-Im sure 1t was several. But
Amy is of the clan, you know, so much
girl of the present. is Milly Burden.
who, gallant, stands by her folly"
claiming the right to steer her own
little craft through the stormy waters
of simply being alive. Milly, Of the
three, forces something Of respect
maybe envy-yet each is Of her own
day. Around these three Is the Vir-
ginia community to which they belong.
You will find here the perfect wife. in
which this locality Specializes. Perfec.
domestic commodities. the husband half
admits as his eye roveS over to the
back porch Of genial Amy Dalrymple,
seated in a screen Of inviting greenery.
And here, too, Is the perfect daughter,
Mary Victoria, who did marvels over
across in war time, winning mentions
and medals and things incidentally.
Mary Victoria kidnapped a young man
and brought him home. a husband to
help out of his shell-shock. or whatever
ran away. crying like child Tor
loneliness" for escape from the house,
hold aura of perfection.
Such, most sketchily, Is the story
itself Its implications. however, are
away beyond naming, as Its manner
also is far and away past describing.
Savage as an iron bludgeon in the hand
of a cave man down at the bottom Is
that manner. But in the hand OF TINS
surprising, ironist it becomes fine steel
that darts and pierces and slithers 70
new points It is the deadly fash OF
lightning that shivers q great tree or
strikes down human. Wit, irresistible,
diving into human life and coming out
with a shred of the human soul. I'M
mistakable and surprisingly concen-
trate. To read the book is a con-
tinuous adventure in exploration. IN
discovery, In acceptance and In sheer
amazement over the power OF TINS
woman to discern, to gather, to project
in the colors and essence OF life itself.
I said at the second page, Il must write
this down." but 1t can't be done. For
every page is a revelation, an expert
ence, an acknowledgment to this VIZ
ginia writer, who is possessed OF the
spirit of comedy in its true power to
set out manmade conventions by way
of an ironic wit bent to human char
acterization, appraisal, Judgment. IN a
quite innocent seeming 1t Is Danlei
brought to judgment by way OF TINS
brilliant achievement that so poltey
promises to commemorate the chivalry
Of men" Beyond price. this!
ALTAI.HIMALAYA: A Travel Diary.
Illustrated with paintings. BY
Nicholas Roerich. New York: Fred
erick A. Stokes Co.
HERE is book that Is unusual IN us
source, Its method, Its qualify. a
hook of uncommon distinction calcu-
lated to be welcomed warmly be ar
fists, by writer's, by all those who are
in pursuit of the Inducements OF lie,
In quest of the common meaning OF
existence wherever men have lived, and
thought deeply. and experienced pro-
foundry. "Altai-Himalaya" Is the story
of a mission, of a seeker after truth:
In form 1t Is diary, gathered here ana
there, bit by bit. much as Nichoias
Roerich, the artist, sketched on scraps
of paper this view or that one to serve
as motive of later expanded paintings.
In the case of the book, however, the
notes aS they were gathered become
the book, which by such plan oders
a vital moving picture OF Asia, partlcu-
larly of the Himalayan region. An IN
PRODUCTION to this unique travel book
by Claude Bragdon gives an apprecia.
ton of the personality and artistry OF
Nicholas Roerich. OF this book, Mr..
Bragdon says, 1T was written In the
saddle more literally than hgurative-
ly." It possesses, therefore, VivioneSs,
y,
reader a sense of actual participation.
giving him also intimate glimpses OF the
workings of the authors mind In the
presence of sublime scenery. new hui
man types. strange manners and Gus
toms" Further along, Mr.. Bragdon
sketches the life and artistic achieve
mentS of the author Of "Altai-Hima-
lava" I'm the history Of the fine arts
certain individuals have appeared from
time to time whose work has unique,
profound and. indeed, . mystical quail
ity." Such we're Leonardo, Rembrandt,
Durer. Such Balzac, Beethoven and
Rodin, whose work shows flashes OF
daenonic and eerie beauty, which Is the
sign whereby they may be identified as
belonging to a mythical mystic brother
hood" OF these is Nicholas Roerich.
"For IS wears Roerich has been going
ND and down the world--Europe, Amer
lea. Asia-absorbing the auras of
diverse people, making pilgrimages to
remote places. and always and every
where scattering wisdom, planting seeds
of beauty, some of which have sprung
up. lowered and scattered seeds of their
own" Merely touch Of quotation,
this. to indicate the distinction Of the
book in hand, to indicate, also, the
promise that it holds out for the artist,
lot IT1e SSIIUuS hdVpiCE, tVE LiG w
plorer In human life-ip its outlook, its
vision, its direction, its goal.
X
THE SpLENDOR OF GOD. BY Honore
Willsie Morrow, author of Forever
Free" etc. New York: william Nor
row Co.
HoNoRE WILLSIE MORROW has
the heart Of pioneer, of a cru
sader, too So when she lets her gift
of story telling and her constructive
power in imaginative literature have
their way, she turns, naturally, to the
pioneer in American history, to the adj
yenturer, In behalf of human equities,
to the outstanding zeal Of the far