Evening star., 1934-10-24
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
Margaret Cermond.

comes to mind that it would be rather
nice to be able to direct to some one
individual a specific word Of gratitude
for the inspiration which resulted in
the naturalization Of library OF
unique character and of incalculable
value to a generation Of readers and
students sadly lacking in knowledge
and familiarity with the types of lit
erature produced by writers of vastly
differing styles and widely separated
eras of history. 1t is likely that pro-
found study and long consideration
was engaged in by q Selective group
before decision to launch upon this
project was reached, but it is quite
certain that the idea was conceived
by one person with a clear vision of q
distinct need, and with the arrival OF
each new volume in the long series
of publications the desire to express
appreciation grows stronger.
1t is less than ten years since the
Modern Library incorporated for the
publication of its own works, though
it was perhaps SO long as fifteen or
sixteen years ago that the production
of the series was begun by the Boni-
Liveright house. Today the collection is
unqueStionably the most outstanding
of books of the better kind in this
| country, and, indeed, in the world,
for its popularity has spread to every
corner of the globe, and the demand
for these attractively bound reprint
ings of the works of famous writer's
is constantly growing.
The main feature contributing to
the success of the Library is the con-
sistency with which it has adhered to
the original plan of selecting only
those works of literature. history,
philosophy or science which have a
permanent value. In the list of well
over two hundred titles there is not
one that is not significant addition
to the collection. For it has been the
ambition Of this publishing organiza-
ton to restore to the readers and stu
dents of new order the literary prod
uctS of masters who often were con-
demned by their own generations and
to preserve for future generations the
books of writers of the present day
which possess distinctive qualities oi
continuous value and worthiness.
All Of the volumes noted below are
not strictly new publications. Several
OF them have been on the shelves fol-
many weeks awaiting more or less ap-
propriate companions for comment
All Of them, save one, are reStorations
and of these only one failed to elicit
at the time of publication a blast OF
criticism. When Eminent Victori-
ans" by Lytton Strachey, appeared in
the early nineteen hundreds the read
ers of Great Britain were quite
frankly amazed but not displeased by
the extraordinary brevity employed in
the handling of subject that ac-
cording to all the rules of the time
should have required the filling OF
several ponderouS tones. The in
clusion of four scholarly. clear-cut
biographical sketches in one volume
was almost an unbelievable accom-
plishment. 1t was the belief of Lyt-
ton Strachey that the art of biogra-
ply should be rescued from its de-
cline into journeyman's task of COM
piling those two fat volumes with
which it is our custom to COM
memorate the dead" and he deplored
the lack in England of "a great bio
graphical tradition" comparable with
the French. He set himself the task
of writing a quartet of biographies in
which a brevity which excluded every
thing that was redundant and moth
ing that was significant should be the
guide, and for his subjects he selected
Cardinal Manning. Florence Night
| ingale, DR.. Arnold and General Cor
don. These graphic sketches of an
/ eccleSiaStic, courageous woman, an
educational authority and man of
; adventure resulted in a regeneration
of the art of biography which has had
a far-reaching influence.
| In reproducing The Good Earth, "
by Pearl S. o''ck. the Modern Library
has assured the preservation of a book
| of knowledge about a subject which
will probably always be a cause for
controversy 1t will be recalled that
Mrs. Bucks work was the object of a
severe attack by Chinese professor
some months ago and that both the
original article and her reply were
printed in the New York Times Book
Review shortly afterward. The pro-
| test against the book was quite nat
ural, for it Is a matter Of tradition
and pride that the Chinese intellec-
tuals do not admit that the majority
of the population of their counry is
representative of the race. Every
author who has had the courage to
write the truth about the Chinese and
the work of foreigners among them
has been the target of criticism and
condemnation. and there Is little
reason to believe that it will ever be
otherwise. Mrs. Buck has lived only
in China except for the several years
of her education in this country. and
the support which has been accorded
her by those who have given studious
and impartial consideration to the
problems Of China is a guarantee Of
the authenticity of her work.
|
In this day it seems incredible that
Jane Eyre" should have received
more than its share Of condemnation
upon its original publication. But the
readers Of Charlotte Bronte's genera
ton did not like the truth about
themselves any more than do the
self-righteous souls of today. The
Brontes were we'll acquainted with the
social and religious world in which
they lived. Life was filled with hard
ships and sorrows, and it is through
these experiences that clarity of spir-
itual understanding and knowledge of
human shams and pretenses are born.
The directness and simplicity with
which "Currer Bell drew the distinc-
tions between religion and self
| righteousness, conventionality and
morality, bigotry and piety, came as a
shocking revelation to straight
laced, uncompromising generation.
The overwhelming popularity of the
story as recently produced on the
screen atteSts to its merit for repro
duction in the Modern Library series.
1t was inevitable that ''Jurgen"
would eventually be revived in this
collection, just as it was inevitable
that it would not survive the prema-
turity of its first publication, for