Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-09-25
INHERITANCE BY Phyllis Bentley. New
York: The Macmillan Co.


from age to age suits to q the giant strides
of modern progress. Achievements are Of
magnitude, right now, to fit centuries Of effort,
rather than the swift hours OF . DAY. Printed
records of any individual career are too mesger,
save with prodigies of genius alone to march
with the sum of modern miracles Genera
tions of locality and tribe and family are need
ed to give satisfying significance to much OF
modern fiction
Following GalsworthyS fine pattern OF the
novel by families and generations, writer's OF
current romance are heeling him close in
race for advantages to be gained by e1-
banded purpose of the novel in certain OF It's
bearings upon modern existence. Up In our
own Northwest, where the Scandnayians set
tied so freely the saga comes to life with Mazo
de Ia Roche. and just now with William Nc
Nally in the deeply fine novel The House OF
Vanished Splendor' And otherwhere, too, its
uses for certain order of fiction are growing
strongly and swiftly.
Back to England, where disciple Of John
Galsworthy steps out into the open, quite into
the open. of general appreciation, with the
story of the Oldroyds of Yorkshire, mill owners,
clothmakers. A story of the descent Of indus
try from father and Not SO diff
ferent in its reactions from the descent OF
realm Of English life.
Masterful men, these Oldroyds. High-handed
fellows in the manufacturing business Of North
England I2O years ago. when this story makes
its way Just at a time when machines were
beginning to push out handwork to cut aborers
loose from their jobs.
Tor minute let us forget the story in a re-
membering Of its author. Where many ro-
mancers sail the seven seas and scout the lands
inlying among them for material and "atmos-
phere" Miss Bentley stays at home in York
Slli It's her
look IS hers. Their modes of daily life are part
of her own habit By virtue OF this advantage
the Oldroyd story is live thing, robust from
minute to minute with actualities of this
writer's personal understanding and familiar
acceptance Such partakng hold upon locality,
upon the character and reactions of these
Yorkshire men, gives a gratifying sense OF
validity to the story as whole. Again, the
point of time chosen to set the saga on its way
moves the matter, in spirit, up to our own pres
ent, acutely concerned over the effect of a
largely mechanized world upon its mass of in
dividual laborers. The story lies a century and
more behind US to be sure, but there is the be-
ginning of the problem, machine against man.
Vividly and admirably productive in more ways
than one, these two technically outside elements
Of the novel itself.
A story of strong men, strong in differing
ways. A story of separating influences, which,
common blood and common action. The Old
royds are dominant in the clothmaking craft
of Yorkshire Progenitors in spirit, of many
hard driving business man in our own United
States. When 3 mechanical invention prom
lsed to speed up the cloth output there was no
hesitation. Put in the machinery. Drive out
the unneeded men. Going on this minute,
multiplied thousand times in this new era.
Prom that act over in Yorkshire rose the Lyd-
he ro1la d
them, just as the masters Of industry today
name banded groups who stand in the way of
progress, for the few So interviewer in q mas
terry sense of issue logically derived and fifty
proportional Inheritance" in allegiance TO its
theme. operates in the social and domestic, in
the industrial and economic aspects of its own
day among the OIdroyds and their neighbor-
hood. More than this the splendid story
reaches in many a ray Of illumination to the
very heart of our own day and its questions
Great is the debt to Phyllis Bentley for this
brilliant drama, for this deeply human story,
for this clear triumph of art in novel writing.
BALLERINA BY Lady Eleanor Smith author
of Flamenco" etc. Indianapolis: The
BobbS-Merrill Co.
THREE novels establish this author as, al
l heart. a member of the nomad tribes The
circus wagon, the gypsy camp, the jugglers
tent, from sources like these emerge characters
and incidents that, in the feeling hands of
Lady Eleanor Smith make dull roadways bloom
like gardens make sleepy villages wake to life
and laughter.
This is the story of a great dancer Born,
away back in 1880, of Cockney actor and a
Jewish dancer, the girl became the great Lima
Varsovina, celebrated Russian ballerine, despair
OF contemporary artists, pattern for those 70
come.
1.-The girl became.'' 1t is the struggle of such
becoming that takes up the pages of this
sympathetic and brilliant story. Something a
shade unhuman about that little girl born in
London slun. shade unhuman in her dis
regard of friendly ties, Of the loose parental
care of a warrant father. Of warmth and food