Evening star., 1932-10-16

into single novel. Good luck does not account
for it nor any other fair weather aid TO success
Harold Lamb in his earlier pursuit OF Genghls-
Khan and Tamerlane obviously ate and drank
and slept the Great Moguls and their long
period of power in the Orient "Nur Mahal
appears to be but further breathing out OF
that absorption.
The spectacle spread by the romance Is
therefore nothing less than that OF continent
brought to life out Of a vast litter OF 1orgotten
events and episodes glittering historic frag-
ments Here, before us, is Asia IN the prime OF
its power under Mongol princes, conquerors VINO
spread their domain from China to Russia ana
down into the southern tip OF India. Warrlofs'
who having conquered, were able to correlate
their diverse gains, to organize and administer
them Able to promote the arts of peace, as
well, architecture letters painting. Vivid here
too, Is social system, strange to us. wives,
concubines, slaves, the harem. Great palaces
and courts and audience chambers. State cere-
monials, political intrigues, private duplicites
Gorgeous pageantries of moving from point to
point in the vast domain. Elephant caravans
carrying royal burdens, seated upon gilded and
jeweled trappings.
The Great Mogul of this tale is Jahangfr
And now the love story becomes paramount
Within the harem Mihri, a Persian girl. caught
the royal eye. This, the great lover, Nur Mahal
Light Of the Palace" In time, not so long q
time at that, co-ruler with the great Jahangir
himself. OF clearly unusual interest this story
Of love and its rewards. The quality OF the
girls devotion sets the romance high. It IS 50
general as to have become a rule that one in
love is primarily in love with himself, herself
Here in quite opposite fashion this woman
loved the Mogul. Not an admirable man, Ger
tainly not to the eye Of a beautiful young girl
Under the sloth and self Indulgence and sem
suality of Jahangir Nur Mahal felt the quality
Of the man. 1t was to that man that she de-
voted intelligence tact, diplomacy, the rare art
of bringing out the best of him so that in her
presence he felt himself aber man than he
could be apart from her. And in the course Of
time Nur Mahal came to be a partner on the
throne of the Great Mogul. No longer mere
member Of the harem. Half dozen instances
from history, no more than that, correspond,
roughly, with this one, in exaltation OF woman's
power to gain recognition and distinction by
other ways than through the single art of Sc
duction. BY Intellectual acumen, understanding,
self -effacement at the right instant by thou
sand commonly neglected instruments Of sue
cess. Muir Mahal is great woman. Whether
or not one is engrossed in the general action
itself-but he will be-the study of this saga
cious and winning woman as notable figure in
the history Of great period is worth while. As
modern today, this Persian desert girl Of SO
long ago. new the newest woman Of the
moment. Besides. the entertainment Of Harold
Lambs work in his own field Of Oriental nara
tive drawn from history itself. is sure to set q
new mark Of sheer pleasure for hosts of readers.
AKBAR. BY Sir Laurence Binyol- New York:
D. Appleton & Co.
A KBAR, who, in the sixteenth century con-
quered India, was the father Of Jahangir.
Mongolian ruler, hero of Harold Lambs his
torical novel "Nur Mahal" Akbar was the last
Great Mogul. Come down from Genghis-
Khan and Tamerlane, he marks the height Of
this line Beyond him the swift descent begins
with his son Jahangir.
Contemporaneous with Queen Elizabeth Akbar
comes within range Of reliable record, within
reach Of much Of the nature Of documentary
evidence. To such evidence Sir Laurence Bin
yon. keeper Of prints and drawings in the
British Museum, has had fair access, and from
these and other sources he has reproduced the
dramatic figure Of Akbar in the midst of his
conquests In Southern Asia Fitted for both
war and peace, for conquest and subsequent
wise administration Akbar moves in lifelike
and picturesque manner through the period re-
created for him by the keen interest of a deliver
among old days and bygone ways. "Akbar,"
authentic history, and "Nur Mahal," authentic
history embodied in the looser garments Of
romance go together. If one is lucky, reading
the novel means reading the biography imme-
diately. I was lucky
"Akbar" was not my first choice in a survey
Of the Appleton Biographies" so promising
to see so fulfilling in fact. But "Akbar' it was
after "Nur Mahal." couldn't have done better,
remote, at first, as this distant Great Mogul
seemed, quite unknown as he certainly was.
Now, by the good gifts of Sir Laurence Binyon,
I'm in friendly touch with new man, the
conquering Mogul, Akbar the Great.
The Appleton biographies
"St Paul." by Wilfred Knox.
Leonardo da Vinci," by Clifford Bax.
Marlborough" by Sir John Fortescue, LII D.,
d. Lift.
"Voltaire," by Andre Maurois.
Mozart" by Sacheverell Sitwell.
'Lenin," by James Maxton
Caesar" by John Buchan.