Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-09
THE LIFE AND LETTERS or JOSEPH PEN
NELL BY Elizabeth Robins PenneH. Dos
ton: Little, Brown & Co.

written all are compact of their passing value.
Yet, these are more illuminating of personality
thansbhe formal document, the cereInoniouS
letter. More revealing even than the auto
biography written to the world and shaped for
so formal an audience. More telling even than
the diary which is, invariably, written up to the
daristS conception of what ne thinks he is or
would like to be. Perhaps the diary Is the
most subtle form of self-nattery that exists
To get back to the letter-the friendly letter to
family or fFiend-as the best of written means
of coming close to the reality of the writer
himself. And, as I have already said. these
two volumes Of Pennell letters bear out the
assumption I'm q very rich manner To be sure,
there Is added here some running comment
the life Of Mr.. PennelI. but this serves its
rightful purpose Of connecting the letters, OF
giving them place and circumstance I'm the full
body Of the book. To me Joseph Pennen IS the
great artist Of an industrial age. Not that his
subjects are given over wholly to subjects Illus
trative Of this idea. But, certain 1t is that
this great man could draw beauty fierce.
demanding, austere beauty-say from lighted
factory at night its chimneys spOating black.
Or from an engine-pushing, painting, conquer
ing, achieving, force gIOrined or. from a
bare seaffold beside some construction work
just q scaffold alone, yet TO the eye Of mind
and. heart, II was sWarming with tOiIerS, plod-
ding, doing the work of the world
Joseph PenneIl more than another it seems
TO me. has brought out 10 us the beauty of that
teriaI" day. And so it is, material But it is
great and inspiring well. And in large
meaSufe it is this man who has shown the
inspiration Of the city skylineS Of bridge build
ing, Of flaming oil wells, of q thousand signs
of the beauty-the harsh and defiant beauty
sometimes-of this amazing mechanistic age
How fine worki How much finer than to sit,
Imply etching in the soft things of q regretted
past. But that past has had its day. This is
new time and speaking as great artist can
speak, Joseph Penneii has done much to show
the grandeur. the artistic grandeur, OF this great
present. Well, this book is packed with Joseph
Pennell. OF Pennell working in America and in
Europe. There is much free speaking here
about all manner of things. reticent man
would not be this one. And 50 he writes about
one and another about whistler, about
Howells Ono end Of . swell" HowellS) and
about hundreds of others. After all. 1t 10 the
Penneilism Of the letters. revealing himself
active, nervous. impatient. OufspOken-that
takes charge here to the delight of readers
and to their distinct enlightenment as weIl on
the subject Of art in general. Of hts own art in
particular and upon wide environment Of the
art life in which he was engr0ssed. very
great contribution TO the general subject in
which this man had so exalted a particular
place. and 3 great addition. besides, to the
growing usefulness OF biography in the field
Of letters
NEW WORLDS TO CONQUER BY Richard
Halliburton Illustrated. Indianapolis. The
Bobbs-M Co.
s. A OVERTURE is nothing but making ones
dreams come true" once stated Richard
Halliburton. youthful Princeton graduate au-
thor OF The Royal Road to Romance" THE
Glorious Adventure" and now Of a third
electrifying volume. New Worlds to Conquer"
And cynical periodical recently added And
OF making the publishers come through" It
Is fact that publishers for this young mans
varied and vivid dongS have come through and
1t must be because the public likes to sit by It's
hreside, toast its toes and read of his always
fascinating and occasionally incredible adyen-
lures. To be frank aSperSions have been cast
In various quarters on the strict accuracy II
MT Halltburton's "reminiscences as to Just what
M did do on some Of his extensive jaunts
Nevertheless. the fact remains that he has for
young fellow done a lot; written lot about
tt and made his readers like it. He has enjoyed
@n enthusiastic following since the days when
ns Etcies, such as those telling Of his
HeEeSPontine swim and his modern Marathon
race, first appeared i'm the Princeton Alumni
Weekly. They may be termed Halliburton
fans" His latest effort deals with an extensive
South and Central American tour and treats
Of such choice exploits an unheralded
T0-foOt jump into the sacred Pool Of the
MAtdens at Chichen TIA; two asoentS of
POpOcatapetl, and a self imposed cave-dwelling
exile on the Island Of Tobago during which he
lived and even dressed like Robinson Crusoe.
Both his pet goat and parrot however, had to
be hired from amiable natives, while his man,
Thursday" worked for him and dressed the
part for consideration. Halliburtons physical
energy seems mexfaustible for, at least, he
certainly visits all the places he says he does.
His sense Of hnuoF, even at his own expense,
seems an active and a sincere one and, when
he finished the Marathon run in Greek
taxieab, adds noticeably 10 the worlds merri-
meuk The way to enjoy Halliburton is TO
assume artless faith in his claims and with
q "haelieYe it or not. this is going to nroye an