Evening star., 1937-12-29
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
BY MARGARET GERMOND.
THE GARDENER WHO SAW GOD. By
Edward James. New York: Charles


against form Of loneliness from which
there Is no escape save through partici-
patton IN some rare and inexplicable
spiritual experience. Joseph Smith is
the chief character, young man men,
tally at war with the materialistic world
about him, yet strangely at peace in the
restricted sphere of his daily life.
The author is man whose intellectual
capacity and cultural attainments,
coupled with his intimate acquaintance
with superficial as well as genuine hui
man beings, furnish bedrock founda-
ton for the presentation and discussion
OF the subject through the process OF
dissecting the modern trend in social
and cultural development. Mr.. James
was born in Scotland, studied in Switzer-
land and at Eton and served at Oxford
as editor of the weekly journal of the
university. He came to America in 1929
to visit relatives and the following year
was married to Tillie LOsch, who was ap-
pearing in a revue as the dancing part
ner OF Fred Astair. They lived in New
York until the engagement closed, when
Mr.. James went back to Europe and
formed ballet troupe which included
among its members many famous dancers
and composers. After successful appear
ances in Paris and London the COM
pany made ballet history in New York
with It's performance of "Errante" at the
metropolitan Opera House. While he
was devoting his talent and his energies
to the ballet he made the acquaintance of
Salvador Dali, leader of the Surrealist
movement, and many other artists of the
ultra-modern school, eventually becom-
ing himself collector of modern paint
lngs. He is the author of a book of
poems, and "The Gardener Who Saw
God is his first novel
X X
Before reaching the end of the first
chapter the reader realizes that long
and careful study has been given to
the theme and its method of treatment.
Inc conviction persists that other and
perhaps lighter works of fiction might
nave come from the pen of Mr.. James
Wnlle TINS particular novel was brewing,
but that he was too much engrossed in
the more exacting task of bringing to
perfection an idea that remained fixed
Wnlle numerous methods of projecting 1t
undoubtedly were considered and dis
carded
Inc real setting, strangely enough, is
as simple as the soul of the man who
seeks escape from the wilderness of lone
nness IN which life has entrapped him.
IL is nothing more spectacular than
earden, and the man himself is merely
a gardener who is misfit in an era of
erratic ideals and ideologies. joseph
Smith, like most men who live close TO
the SOIL and who witness the eternal
mystery OF the rebirth of plant life, is a
genuinely simple soul who asks little
IN this world beyond spiritual peace.
congenlal companionship and a meager
margin OF security against want. Life
mas treated him rather badly, but he
still has the faith that impels men to
strive onward in search Of that in
tangible, unknown force which guards
the secret of the universe.
Joseph Smith grew up under the
dominant hand of a selfish, malicious
mother who enjoyed poor health and
demanded of family and neighbors that
they enjoy it with her Freedom of ac
ton was something that Joseph knew
nothing about until death relieved him
OF the burden of caring for this nageinp
slave-driving woman. He had four
brothers older than himself who
promptly defrauded him of his share in
their fathers estate He fell an easy
prey to the wiles of girl who expected
MIN to inherit fortune. The alliance
proved to be tempestuous and disap-
pointing experience which ended as soon
as she learned that he was penniless.
Other woes beset him before he fell in
love with a fine and worthy girl who
might have made him happy, but who
died. ''
AS head gardener on the estate of Sir
John Grantly peace seemed for a time
10 De at hand, but Joseph came to realize
tnat life is complex because the humans
VINO 1nhabit this earth make it so. He
discovered that people easily divided into
Two groups, one living on the superficial
plane OF pretended culture which wealth
permits and the other living in the
familiar realm Of dissatisfaction and un-
happiness OF his boyhood associations,
Both classes, he believed, were sinful and
oralnless. He recognized in himself an
oddlty, a round peg in world intended
Tor square pegs only.
Slr Johns pride in his garden was
limited to his demand for a fresh but
ton hole" each day and the display from
ms estate at the annual flower show in
London. 1t was the duty of Joseph
smith to plan and carry out the exhibit
from the Wotton Marlborough garden,
ne tailed to win first prize at the show,
Out ne visited the National Gallery and
eazed upon many famous and beautiful
paintings and he attended a concert at
queens Hall, where he received his ini-
tlatlon In listening to a Beethoven SYM
phony. His passion for beauty, culti-
waited beyond the normal by his love
Tor the flowers which grew and blos-
somed under his skilled care, expanded
toward limitleSs heights under the in
nuence OF these masterpieces of mans
creative genius and laid the foundation
Tor the phenomenal spiritual experience
OF seeing and speaking with God in the
nlght-wrapped solitude of the fantastic
garden which he loved.
Through those who visited the great
house and admired the radiant beauty
OF his garden> Joseph Smith made the
acquaintance of many artists, some of
them famed for their faithfulness to
the familiar ideals of beauty, but most
OF them followers of the new school.
creators or admirers of the monstrosi-
ties that could be conceived only by
warped or diseased brains. The clash
OF these extreme concepts of beauty and
OF spiritual attainment furnishes the
major portion Of the chaos through
which Joseph Smith, the guileless, sin
cere and truth-loving gardener, plods in
search OF his goal, revealing along the
way the futility and superfliciality of
the posers in modern culture and society
and provoking thoughtful study of what