Evening star., 1933-03-12

are written In the nrSt person, as were many
of the great eighteenth century English novels.
Albert was a boy of the London slums, born in a
wretchedly poor house in Strawberry place. In
the front window of which hung placard indi-
eating his mothers occupation mangling
done here" BY various steps, some most dis
agreeable to him, and by the practice of Vic
torian honesty, thrift and conservatism, he rose
to success in business and reasonable content
ment in domestic life. At the end of the first
volume he was the head Of a publicity business.
after having served an obnoxious apprenticeship
to q butcher and a more acceptable one to
dealer in secondhand books. He was married
TO French woman. Laurette. somewhat his
senior. The World War brought to an end this
first period of his life "Grope Carries On"
begins with the sentence: 1T was August, 1916.
when I was first induced to put my business
experience and abilities at the disposal OF King
and country for the period Of the great war"
Grope did not go to the front. He had just
passed the age limit for the draft He became
a volunteer official in the department OF minor
equipment, and his further adventures" were
those not Of fighting but Ct red tape and dodg-
ing responsibility. Thi5 opportunity for satire
on the bureaucratic conduct Of the war from
the government Offices in London Is, of course.
deliberately created by Mr.. Mann and is used
almost too exhaustvely. Gropes adventures"
were not, however entirely fscal He dr1ted
away from the Victorian propriety Of his earlier
years and became infected with modernity. In
spite Of his wifes habit Of employing only
elderly and unprepossessing servants, his sus-
ceptible nature led him astray. and, of course.
occasions were not lacking. There were young
secretaries in his office. In spite OF some stings
Of conscience. Albert came through his ad-
ventures still SNUG and with thankfulness
and full heart" for all his b,es ings. If we
do not find him quite as appealing in his middle
age as he was in his youth, that may be because
his development is disappointing. but 1t Is more
likely to be because youth Is youth. The style
Of naive self-revelation calls up memories OF
Smollett's Humphrey Clmker," and some Of
the revelations Of Albert Crepe are not so very
different from those Of Matthew Bramble.
ONE MORE SPRING. BY Robert Nathan.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
| IERE Is novel, or fantasy of people
! ] caught In . -depression-any depress ion
and Of the way they mike Of 1t q period Of
freedom, Of poetry, Of frayed romance. Like
Bret Harte's "Outcasts Of Poker Flat" Mr.. Otkar,
bankrupt dealer in antiques; Norris Rosenberg,
unemployed violnist Elizabeth Cheney, woman
Of the street~, and Mr. Sheridan, president of
savings bank and fugitive from the bank
examiners, are not wanted by good society.
In Bret Harte's stcry it is the society Of law
less pioneer, frontier town; in Robert Nathan's
story it is the complex society Of the modern
business world. Through the courtesy Of a
benevolent and hoSpitable street cleaner they
are allowed t. take up their re-idence in tool
shed in the park. There Mr.. Otkar is permit
ted to install his one remaining possession after
the auction OF his antiques bed ornamented
with eighteenth century flower scrolls and
cupids, not the sort of thing to tempt bidders.
IF one has bed he thought, then at least
cne knows where one will slesp at night" The
commissary is also taken ever by Mr.. Otkar,
who discovers that the ZOO barnyard has
hitherto unexploited resources of eggs, chickens
and young pigs. Mr. Ro erberg is able to
supply small packets of sugar and tea and an
occasional bone carrot or handful of beans for
the soup kettle by means Of the coins people
throw into his open violin case when he plays
in the streets
Mr.. Nathan's satiric gift has ample play both
in the main idea and in the details of this
extravaganza Mr.. Ro enberg says sadly to
Mr.. Otkar: Nobody gives me an opportunity
to play concert, but when practice my scales
in the open air they pour money into my violin
case I ask you, What is the sense of that?"
Mr.. Sheridan, the refugee banker, finds Mr..
RoSenberg's few coins tucked under the mat
treSs and removes them, because he believes
that boarding is wrang and that even such a
small amount should be put back in circu,a-
tion. AfteS the strain Of the Winter, with its
food uncertainties, its family quarrels and the
anxieties of Mr.. Sweeny, the street cleaner, and
his good Catholic wife the ethics Of the
situation among their tocl shed proteges, all
welcome the approach of Spring. But the
Winter is over, it l. Spring again, and
the tulips will flower in the grass, and on the
trees the delicate green leaves. Let there
be one more Spring" In de,icacy Of style, and
in its philosophy Of faith, hope and charity, this
is a rather rare book.
THE RASH ACT. BY Ford MADDOX Ford. New
York: Ray Long & Richard r. Smith
NISGUSTED with his "gTiazled boar" of
- father, who has been enriched by ''pisto-
brittle; with the art-infatuated Scandinavian
Wanda, who demanded of him devotion to