Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-14
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL.

for the unusual, for the picturesque,
for the genuinely touching, set down
his impressions in q book called Mem
cries and Vagaries" It was o poor
title; 1t is still poor title. =
No one, evidently. read it, because no
one purchased it, and certainly no one
remembered 1t. Yet the prose in 1t
was IS good then as it is now. Here
Is sorry state of affairs.
The good Is published, but it is not
recognized. The magic touch of large
sales must come before the world goes
back and sees that what was written by
the young man was just as fine as that
which is written by the old man.
Our purpose here today Is not to re-
view either of these books. The flrst
has been reviewed until readers are
tired Of reading such praises. The
volume stands on its own merits Tor
what 1t Is, and henceforth through the
ages will appeal to all men and women
of good will who are not ashamed TO
admit the possession of hearts. 1t VIII
appeal to all those, likewise, who know
good writing when they read 1t. It will
appeal. furthermore. to those who ap-
preciate the ability Of tnfusing into
words something of the glory OF life,
with its love, its stress, It's humor. It's
sadness, its glorious moments OF hap
man knows.
The second book to become known to
American readers (but in reality first
published in England 80 years ago.
should be read after THE Story OF San
Michele" It will remain, not only as
an admirable supplement. but as sort
of monument to the stupidity OF readers
and publishers. It was as fine then as
now-but nobody knew 1t!
The world always has had suspicion
that many rose was born 10 plusn
unseen and waste its fragrance on the
desert air, as the poet said. Here Is q
perfect example. How few there must
have been who recognized the worth OF
the early book when 1t was put on the
market. How many there will be today
who will greet more Munthe" with
rapture!
Yet mankind has another pet belief,
too. that merit will work its way 10
RECOGNITION at last, in some way or other,
through some hook CT crook, by reason
of innate ability. worth or what not.
This, too, is exemplif1ed by these
Memories"
Here is a book which no amount Of
non-recognition has been able to keep
under. Submerged beneath the mighty
and everlasting flow of books, books oy
the thousands, the millions, good BOOKS,
bad books, Indifferent books, weighty
books, frivolous books
Kept prisoner on the stalls OF second
hand dealers, hidden away waiting Tor
the flash of recognition. the touch OF
an appreciative hand, Memories" bided
its time until a freak of publishing per-
mitted 1t to find its audience already
waiting
Those who read Memories" now,
after "The story of San Michele" will
have a strange feeling that they are
meeting the young DR.. Munthe after
they have met the elderly one. They
viii not be amazed to discover that they
are one man. The old Is young, and
the young was then old. 1t Is, again,
the mystery of human character, which
changes, but which never changes. The
man who loves birds and dogs and little
children, loved them all thirty, forty,
fifty years ago.
The man who wonders today over the
mystery of death, infnsing into his
writing about it deep note Of pathos.
yet Of infinite bravery is the same young
man who faced death In hospitals many.
many years ago, and wondered about 1t
then. The man who until this year was
unknown to all except travelled Ameri-
cans, today has entered into the hearts
of thousands Of US. This Is q strange
immortality.