Evening star., 1936-02-15

the merely contemporary reader 1t viii
set forth q history Of Mr.. Cabell's
career as a writer, giving with great
explicitness the dates and places ex-
ternally concerned with the compost
ton of each of the 20 volumes which
together make up the Biography Of
the Life Of Manuel" It also will fur
nish this reader with an account Of
the authors various experiences with
publishers as these experiences tram
Spired in the time of his youth and in
the years In which he failed of recog-
milton. It states with rnembarrassed
plainness who were young MIR. Cabell's
friends and who were his enemies.
Readers merely contemporary will find
this book more frankly personal than
any other Of MIR. Cabel's works.
To those of us, however. who date
our acquaintance with this mans
writing to an earlier time, to, let us
say. the beginning years Of that "lit-
erary movement" which he AYERS came
to an end in 1929, preface to the
Past" will be more than personal
history. For it tells, as If in loving
and amused reminiscence, Of the
genesis in the authors mind Of each
of the characters who figured in the
Biography" and of the course Of
their relationships through the years
which elapsed between the times when
Manuel rode west with Grandfather
Death and Felix Kennaston re-en-
tered Poictesme. To us it will be no
revelation, but a confirming rather of
perceptions long formed and under
standings (according to our fashions)
honorably cherished. This aspect Of
the new book cannot be treated in the
space allowed brief review.
Suffice it to say, then, that Preface
to the Past" is made up of the COM
mentaries which were included in the
Storisende edition of the Biography"
as authors notes. And that the mel
low magnificence of the style of this
First Gentleman of American Letters
remains unchallenged by any of his
contemporaries.
TOSCANINI. BY Paul Stefan. With a
foreword by Stefan Zweig. Trans
lated by Eden and Cedar Paul.
With three camera portraits and
f1fty-two action photographs. New
York: The Viking Press.
THIS is a sensitively done biography
of the man whom, the author
says, is one of the greatest conductors
that the world has yet known. It is
essentially an Interpretation Of It's
subject, although it also gives the out
line of his life In some detail. It's
spirit is one of almost reverent ad-
miration, which naturally precludes
critical analysis, but the book has
nothing Of the fulsome in it, being
remarkable rather for its delicacy and
taste. 1t is music lovers book rath-
er than one for the general reader, but
to music lovers it should bring salts
faction Of q rare and pleasurable de-
gree.
THE LIFE OF THE REVEREND
BENJAMIN BAUSMAN, DID,,
LID. BY Rev. Henry H. Ranck,
DID. Chicago: Eden Publishing
House.
THE author of this work, the pres
ent pastor Of Grace Reformed
Church, has been one of Washington's
ministers for % years, having been,
in the course Of this time, the pastor
of one of the Observation-Disclosures
Roosevelt. His book Is the biography
of one of the great pioneers of the
Reformed Church in this country.
The work is recommended by
church leaders as excellently setting
forth the position occupied by DR..
Bausman In church affairs in his
day. It also must have o certain
appeal for those who are interested
in early Americana, In the light that
it throws on the position occupied
by minister in earlier times; DR..
Bausnan began his pastoral career,
it should be said, In 1853. He lived
and worked In Pennsylvania, that
State which Is so rich In pioneer
tradition, occupying pulpits In Lewis
burg, Chambersburg and Reading. DR..
Ranck's work is not wholly q theol-
ogical study, but devotes good meas
ure of its attention to the human
side OF a pastors work and contains
some picturesque detail.
The book, It should be said, Is Q
revised edition Of an. original which
appeared several years ago. Happen
incg which have come To light since