Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-30
other Fiction.

Even under gift of tongues, descriptions are
futile. cold and feeble. A piece Of beauty ITSELF
never so small, homes swiftly and certainly
Here 1t is-serenity, peace, distance aboveness
The opening picture Of Hector Bolitho's poem
OF the Middle Ages. Not novel, though it is
called that Novels are not as a rule. at any
rate set to music and this tale of miracle and
wonder. Of sin and saintliness, of repentance
and reward, is long chant of far-off, forgotten
things. AS 1T is also a clear enchantment Of
beauty.
Many will follow the story and call it good
one. 1t is. The story Of the rise and fall of a
holy house the monastery of Ethrdova, founded
there because Of the fame, sacred, blazing ever
on the mountain top. Today short shrift would
be given the phenomenon under the crisp label,
volcano active" But those were better days
than these. Demons were more outfaring much
more picturesque; Satan looked and acted his
part. He came out as the devil should, for
face-to-face encounter So monks were ever
fighting evil, usually in the world round about,
sometimes within themselves. And wicked over
lords made no end of trouble with their riotings
and ravishings In this particular tale beau
tfful, hah-witted boy becomes finally saint.
ceremo:. ally set up such. Poor little lad.
A heart-breaking childl However I'm not try
ing to tell you the story. I'm only feeling my
way toward the beauty and tenderness and
actual etf1ereality Of tale made out Of super
stition and robust action cruelty-under it all
the irrepressible and inevitable reach for some
sort of succor in q terribly frightened world
The theme, you see is constant one. Hector
Bolitho has merely moved it back where little
room and feeling for beauty can give it a
chance to shine and beckon.
HIGH SPOTS OF SICILY BY Arnold Wood
New York: Sears Publishing Co. Inc.
4 AR. WOOD connoisseur Of what's good IL
urt,ak
done-in High Spots Of siciIy'-what few
have done before him-aamely to put things
in a nutshell. Without benefit Of the blue
frocked Baedeker, without long lifting lists Of
hotels, pensions, wines, beers and other gen.
eral sustenances at hand, without that fright
ening aspect of seeming to know too much, and
yet knowing very much indeed, he has pre-
pared this small volume Of Siciliana with evil
dent relish and a happy sense Of the artist
blended In with the scholar.
taste Of this and one Is conscious of hav-
ing had pleasing appetizer. One is imbued,
In fact, with the notion that the authors choice
Of things corresponds commensurately with
ones own And 80, being at one with the
guiding hand, settling back for q half hour or
50 Of idyllic mental raMbleg through this rO-
mantle island one finds-if one has not been
there already-that one should like to get
there in a great hurry Just 30 IS to be able to
say: WeI,now-about that Doric temple-yeS,
think so tool'
The average run of mankind, harassed daily
by the Vaccinations of the ONCE, has scarcely
time to dip and dig and dabble in the intrica-
cieS of the past. Unless one gives up ones life
to travel one is not likely ever to get anywhere
anywhere being everywhere. But, it, for in
stance, more short and pithy treatises could
be fashioned after Mr.. Woods fashioning-
on would have time to be little harassed 20
dabble little and then go" and get some
thing out Of 1t. Too much print about places
in general tends to duh their inherent interest
Incidentally, did you know that the Greeks,
the Byzantines, the Arabs, the Normans the
Svevians and AragoneSe all had hand in the
molding Of this small kingdom? Or that "the
disseminated are a small class, usually those
who have at some time visited the United
States?" If you didn't, Mr.. Wood tells you
so-and also much else that is well worth the
telling. T. de S. NJ
ALL ALoNGSHoRE BY Joseph c. Lincoln.
New York: Coward-NdcCann, Inc.
ONLY book of short stories. Gleanings, at
that. from scattered magazine printings
OF the past 10 years. Sounds a bit skimping-
doesn't tt-as reading 1ureP Nothing Of the
kind, however. A long way from that For
these are Cape Cod tales of pure Lincoln brand,
gathered IN from their wanderings and given
to safe and convenient harborage OF the book.
Everybody knows the Lincoln stories Everybody
likes them. Well, almost every one. Perfect
unsnimity Of opinion on any subject is hardly
possible. certainly not desirable.
Let's talk about Joseph Lincoln himself for
minute Wise man, who found out Just about
what he able to do with an ensemble like
this: Yankee, a sandy cape thrown OF a hands
breath into the Atlantic, fun collection OF sea
weathers, q cranberry patch, q handful Of CLAIMS
neatly assorted as true clans" and "quahogs"-
mind! II you care for the respect Of the native
ND that way do not confuse these two just