Evening star., 1932-08-20
THE LIBRARY TABLE
BY SARAH C.. BOWERMAN.

Journals are always self reveatory
unless the writer's are deliberately
objective and on guard against personal
confession. Sometimes when a journal
reveals too much kindly editor acts as
censor. If the writer of journal has
his inner eye on publication, then the
revelations may be consciously directed
to make him appear the kind of man
he wishes to be considered by the
public. "The Journal Of Arnold
Bennett" of which the first of three
volumes has recently been published,
has been literally edited by elimination,
because of the mass Of material, we are
told. 1t Is also true that Arnold
Bennett had in mind the publication OF
his journal. He had extracts from 1t
printed in booklets which he gave to
friends as Christmas presents. So 1t
is perhaps not safe to look for ingenu-
Gus, unconscious self revelation in this
volume. Yet we feel sure that from 1t
we secure certain definite impressions
, about the kind of man Arnold Bennett
was, even If we do not have a complete
Characterization. In the first place, he
was something of neurasthenic. There
are perhaps more entries about his
| health than about any other subject,
except his writing. He seems to have
been at least an ordinarily healthy
man; he lived to be "a and died of
| typhoid fever, an infectious disease.
This first volume Of the journal takes
| him from his thirtieth through his
| forty-third year. He complains to his
| journal about his insomnia, usually
| after overeating or overworking; about
frequent bilious attacks" accompanied
| by headaches; about attacks of influ-
enza. some Of which happened and some
of which he feared would happen. He
worried over tremors IN his hands and
unpleasant symptoms in his eyes, almost
always after very concentrated and pro-
| longed writing. His most persistent
thorn in the flesh" was his Stammer-
ing, for which he took several cures and
which was finally much reduced. To
| counteract his various ailments, most
of them apparently nervous, he adopted
a regular mode of life, which provided
alienation of work and recreation. He
was devoted to vigorous exercise and
walked and bicycled for long distances
At one time he renounced hearty night
dinners, which he liked, and supped on
simple bread and milk. He conf1ded
his resolve in its 1ncipiency to his
| journal: II was In bed all day on Tues
day with a migraine; it sounds nicer
than bilious attack. All due to eating
fricot on Monday night. This almost
made me resolve to take nothing but
bread and milk in the evenings"
Whether or not concerned about his
health, Arnold Bennett had a great
| capacity for work, both creative and
/ - fnrr Nr
shorter periods nearly every day and
at the end of each year summed up In
his journal the years production. He
had a normal interest in his financial
returns, though he reflects: II find that
am much less interested in money
than Phillpotts and Wells" Aside from
his writing, he was vesatile in his in
terests. He made conscious efforts fol
culture. He studied French and strovt
to improve his accent and vocabulary
He studied Italian. He read Voraciously
bought many books, and was something
Of collector of rare editions. Russian
and French fiction he read with pur'
pose, to improve his own style. HI
sketched and painted water colorS dur
ing his long walks along the Seine ol
in the forest OF Fontainebleau. He at
tended all the good concerts and operas
in Paris or London, and was an amateur
musician, for his pleasure. At the enc
of long bout of writing, or returning
to his apartment after dinner In
Paris restaurant, he would play Bacf
preludes or Beethoven sonatas, fol
mental refreshment and restoration
Many journal entries testify to his lovt
of his reading, music and painting
Much tempted to throw up my Italiar
and my piano. on account Of stress Of
work, but still stick to both Of them.
Arrival Of four books today. ordered
from the 'Mercure de France nicely
half-bound I don't buy hall
enough books" 1.-THE views Of the
Seine as I came up to Paris were ex-
ceedingly romantic. I came without
sketchbook and my first desire was tc
sketch. So I had to buy a book
To-day I finished and mounted another
water colour, Of Arbonne-one OF my
least rotten"
The approach CT a birthday evident
ly depressed Arnold Bennett as 1t doe!
most people past youth. Two days be-
fore his forty-f1rst birthday he made
long entry in his journal, the mos
introspective and revealing of tht
whole volume. Il have gradually go
my brain far better under control thar
most people. Always haunted by dis
satisfaction at the discrepancy between
reason and conduct. No reason VIII.
conduct should not conform to th'
ideas Of reason, except inefficient con-
troll of the brain. This that I am al
ways preaching, and with success o
popular interest, too, cannot perfectl!
practice It is the clumsiness Of m.
living that disgusts me. The rough
carpentry instead of fine cabinetry
The unnecessary friction The constan
slight inattention to my own rules. j.
could be a marvel to others and II
myself If only I practiced more sin
cerely. Half an hour in the morning
in complete concentration on tn,
living through of the day. and shoult
work wondersl But this all-importan
concentration is continually interrupted
interruptions which weaken 1t
sometimes deliberately abandoned TO
concentration on matters of admitted.
inferior Importance! Strange! ON
that I cannot get through one singh
day without wounding or slightly abrad
ing the sensibility of others, withou
wasting time and brain-pOwer OF
thoughts that do not desire to think
without yielding to appetites that I de
spise! I am so wrapped up in mysel
that I, If any one, ought to succeed II
relative protection. I aim at 1
as much from love Of perfection ant
scorn of inefficiency as for my owl
happiness honestly think I car
quite as much for other peoples hap
piness as for my own, and that Is no
saying much for my love Of my owl
happiness. Love of justice, more thar
outraged sensibility at the spectacle o
suffering and cruelty, prompts me t.
support social reforms"
Rafael Sabatini has gone to the Yves
Indies of the late seventeenth centur.
for the setting of the latest of hi
many romances, "The Black Swan
Tom Leach, in command of the pirat
ship Black Swan. captures the shil
on which are as passengers the heroine