Evening star., 1938-10-26
NEW BOOKS AT
RANDOM
By MARGARET GERMOND.

MOUNT VENUS. BY Mary Manning.
Boston: Houghton Miff1in Co.
An ancient, rambling country house
outside Dublin, an eccentric and utterly
futile family group and political cause
OF vague intent constitute the Frame
work of thoroughly entertaining story
told by an author who knows her Anglo
Irish folk and who possesses genuine
gift for narrative and characterization.
Miss Manning, who now lives in Buff
falo, was born in Ireland and gathered
a variety of experiences in her native
land before she came to this country
four years or SO ago. She claims to
have been only slightly educated" when
at sixteen, with little English and less
French" she was obliged by circum-
stances to leave one of those Old World
schools for the daughters of gentle
men" and make her own way in the
world. Her talent for acting caused
her to drift into the Abbey School of
Acting. When, after graduating into the
company, she was assigned to character
parts instead of the ingenue roles she
longed to play she retaliated by writing
fiery and ungrammatical criticisms OF,
motion pictures for the Irish Statesman.
She joined the Gate Theater upon its
arrival in Dublin, and made her.
self useful by adding to her theatrical
work the editorship of the company's
magazine and by writing plays, three of
which were produced by the Gate. Film
work attracted her, and in collaboration
with Denis Johnston she adapted Frank
O'Connors Guest of the Nation" for the
screen, a production for which she and
her partner borrowed the Irish Army
tanks" and all-and very nearly forgot
to return it." A trip to America that
was intended for visit resulted in
marriage and a permanent residence.
Perhaps this brief biographical sketch
is not in the least important as relating
to the merits of Mount Venus" yet it
gives to American readers who are un-
acquainted with Miss Manning's fine
sense of story telling a clue to the tenn
perament and capacity for characteriza-
ton that is reflected in her fascinating
novel.
irresponsible family groups are pretty
much the same the world over, and
many of them are not unlike the Nc
Connells Of Mount Venus who somehow
manage to combine a charming &C.
centricity with an amusing insolvency."
The only oddity about the story in hand
is the unusual charm with which it
has been endowed by its author and
the spirit of fanaticism for a cause
which she has contrived to instill in
her characters without in the least max
ing them grotesque or deprivlng them
of their warmly human qualities. Neither
do they fall far short of the mark in
the art of graceful living, despite their
devotion to revolutionary ideals.
First in Importance is the Dona, mis-
tress of Mount Venus and bone and fiber
of the story. Caroline Crosbie she had
been before her marriage to Miguel
D'AcoSta, Spanish writer of doubtful
merit, from whom she separated soon
after the birth Of their SON. Already
notorious for her noncomformity to con-
ventions she soon became identified with
one cause or another of revolutionary
character, marrying Martin Mcconnell,
Irish labor leader and thenceforWard rail-
lying to any and all movements pur-
porting to be in the interest of freedom.
just what sort of freedom? More often
than not the aims of the immediate
cause was vague, but young Michael
D'Acosta and the Dona's two Mcconnell
children were reared, educated and
dedicated to revolution.
Michael is the editor and publisher of
a revolutionary paper for which he
writes fervid articles eXhorting support
of the Irish Leftists. Both he and his
paper are financed by the personal for
tune of his silly, spoiled and romantic
American wife. Barry Mcconnell is as
ardent a revolutionist as either his
mother or his half brother, but poor
health and a moody disposition has
caused him to devote most of his en-
ergies at the time Of this story to gar
dening. Liza Mcconnell is as much of
a firebrand IN her own line as the others,
but her cause is personal one. Natural
ly lazy and bored by poverty. she de-
votes her energies to searching for a
wealthy man. Then there is Marin,
niece of the Dona, the only stable men,
Der of the family. To her falls the task
of making order out of chaos and of
maintaining some semblance of balance
in the madhouse that is Mount Venus
Also there is Ricky Talbot, an erratic
American newspaperman who falls in
love with Liza; Corney McBey, an artist
of questionable ability who one time
was the Donas lover; Serena, the house
keeper, who manages to hold the in
solvent family in line and who cannot
resist betting on the horses. and Dick
Crosbe. son of the Dona'S brother who
is interested in an airways corporation.
x X =.
Mount Venus is the scene of lively
meetings and many large gatherings OF
variously assorted artistic and fantastic
revolutionary characters, all devoted to
the nebulous cause, and all victims of the
Donas compelling charm. But eventual
ly the cause loses its appeal and Mount
Venus slackens its hold upon the affec-
tions and the loyalty of the D'Acosta-
Mcconnell clan. The Spanish revolution
is the answer to Michael's passion for
fighting for something called freedom.
Two 20 off to China and one to nudist
colony. The Dona, nearing seventy and
still retaining distinctive beauty, dis
covers that she has lost her interest in
revolutions.
All of them frebrands and all of
them engaged in sedition of one sort or
another-except Mairin-yet all of them
charming and fascinating people who love
life and who live fully, If madly.