Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05
TIE GARDEN. BY L. A. G. Strong. Ne
York: The Book League Of America.

ton and incident to draw crowds into the
novel "jNst to see what the hurrah-boys is all
about" Wears its modest and sufficient raj
ment in seemly fashion. Refrains from the
common violence that hales into the open high
way matters designed inviolably for the private
purlieus of boudoir and bed room. Nothing OF
all that here. Nothing planned to fit the cur
rent reading mood. And yet the novel is NOV
ing toward the front in a general recognition
Of its good quality, in a warm appreciation Of
its intimate transfer from writer to reader,
by way Of which one travels back into his own
childhood
The Garden" b just q garden an Irish
garden, q grandmother and a boy These the
heart of the matter around which recollec-
tions play for a vivid recreation of the lad,
Dermot. in his Summers with grandmother and
grandfather on their place not far from Dub
lin. common adventure nowadays for writer's
to go back over themselves. to speak, In
sort of geographic quest of their beginnings.
But this is not that sort of back tracking. Not
a symptom here of corrective intent. At no
point does the author pad that youngster to
a different pattern by virtue Of his own later
VISIONS, by reason of his own not unnatural
desire to give himself a good start in the eyes
of the world. Herein lies the charm of the
book. The boy Dermot lives his Summers in
that magic garden of growing plant beds and
separating paths, Of guarding walls and shad-
ing trees with no sense whatever that he is
being studied and with no care at all save
that which the black monkey and q sportive
kitten impose upon him now and then in fine
good fellowship. And out of such respect for
the boys individuality there grows reality
of effect that is beautiful in its delicately
tistic seizure Of wonderful and rost elusive
thing, a human personality.
Mr.. Strong makes fine use of certain exter-
mails of situation. He has an English father,
an Irish mother. Quite a roomy corner, that.
The Irish landscape Is in effect his own in
fha orciN riOht Of to
love for it. The Irish idiosyncrasy of temper
ament, and temper. serves him WELL because
he knows it so well. But all of this is sub
Servient TO the sensitive and feeling compan-
ionship of this author with himself when he
was the little boy Dermot.
And, moreover, this clear beauty Of work.
manship and this fine delicacy of communion
between man and boy work together for an
even larger issue thap that of the immediate
triumph that Mr.. Strong has so clearly
achieved. And that issue is that the story
becomes truly great in the spread of its re-
creative effect. Everybody's childhood at one
another point becomes immediate before him
through this story The old farm-the garden,
the orchard, the tangle of jungle in a corner
of it-where I as little girl lived in up
State New York" My kindly and indulgent
grandparents. My adventures, my playtime,
the young one that then was. All this comes
stealing back into my heart, by virtue of that
little boy Dermot and the Irish garden that
homed him safely and happily every Sum-
mertime. Comes back by virtue of the feeling
art of the writer of The Garden" And this
last, take 1t, Is the final test of every inven-
ton Of art its power to work potently in many
ways with those who come within its reach
and under its influence.
Time, don't you think, to thank the Book
League of America for THE Garden" as its July
choice for reading? And, back of it, to thank
Alfred A. Knopf for its original publication in
this country.
HENRY C. FOLGER: 1s57-19SO. New Haven:
Privately printed.
THE Folger Shakespeare Memorial now build
! ing in the Capital, and the Freer Art Gal
1ery, well known here, stand together In
concrete evidence Of public spirited munifcence
on the part of two private citizens Of the
United States. Henry c. Folger Of New York.
Charles Freer of Detroit.
Over and over again already has intellectual
and esthetic washington proved the high worth
Of the Freer Gallery, savoring often the deep
delights Of that austerely lovely place In
equal measure Of anticipation is it now wait
ing completion of the Folger Memorial. The
structure itself creation, fitted to fill its
high role Of sanctuary and safe-keeping for
that exclusive and priceless Shakespeareana,
searched out and brought together by the
truly great collector, Henry Folger
But not alone to intellectual and artistic
washington VIII tneSe 8lICS come. EoucaClOn
in general viii profit widely by their presence
In the Capital, where research and study and
reading q prime interest. Definitely also
will these two institutions contribute to the
superb ensemble Of beauty in whose name
George Washington and Maj. Charles LEnfant
dedicated the new Capital Of the new Nation.
More and more will these centers of art at
tract, also, the seasonal caravans that in such
multiplying trains come to rest beside the
Did Indian river, lovely Powtaumack the car
'Ser. The Potomac beside which in its cir
clement of hills rests the beautiful home city
Of every American.