Evening star., 1948-02-29

ironic chronicle of four generations
Although Mr.. Boyd, who is himself
an Australian, studies Lucinda with
meticulous care and traces her
evolution from sensitive colonial to
cultivated woman of the world, he
is in general more concerned with
individuals as members of society
and their changing attitude toward
social usage. He places each char
acter in his proper setting, and
every interior, from the ostentatious
Melbourne mansion Of Lucinda's
parents to the exquisite confines OF
her husbands ancestral home, Crit
tenden, is exhaustively observed
Conversation is often about trif1es
and Mr.. Boyd, writing with the
reserve which his background calls
for, skirts strong" scenes. Only In
the last quarter of the book, which
deals with Lucinda's vulnerable, ILL
fated son Stephen, does he forsake
his dispassionate tone for one OF
deep feeling.
LHX1dnu anu Auo0I nhas
Lucinda, the flower OF an i'm
migrant family grown rich in ranch.
ing, crowns her mothers sociaI
aspirations with her marriage to
fortune hunting peers son. Hel
removal to England, where she
responds to the drug" of tradition
of beauty and grace, gives the
author a chance to contrast English
and Australian customs. He debates
pretension with considerable relish
He remarks of a reigning London
hostess that "she did not mind
salacious scandals, but she was
genuinely shocked at Lucinda's leav-
ing before a viscountess." And
Lucinda's sister, irritated by the
effete elegance of Crittenden urges
Lucinda to return to Australia
promising her plenty of sunshine
and parties and no cranky degen-
crates" Lucinda's experience of love
after a youthful idyll with a gentle
neighbor are disappointing. Hel
husband Hugo is a correct, empty
omcer-gentleman type, who deceives
her; while her lover, her husbands
friend is equally chill. AS a measure
of his feeling, it might be reported
that to Lucinda's ardent invitation
for a holiday in the south Of France
he responds plaintively, I'D miss
the partridge shooting"
Through the encroachment of ar
Australian publisher of sensational.
newspapers who has bought himself
a title, Mr.. Boyd shows the intiltra-
ton of synthetic gentlemen" into 6
declining society. 1t is Paul.
reputation of this scoundrel ano
Lucinda's defense of her dead sor
who was good and honorable though
unequal to life that constitute Mr.
Boyds criticism of a materialistit
world.
In its grave, unhurried, unaccentee
fashion, Lucinda Brayford" is ar
excellent portrait of woman
against a cavalcade of world events
HARP IN THE SOUTH
BY Ruth Park. (Houghton, Nit
film Co.,; $3)
In complete contrast. another
Australian author, Ruth Park pour!
forth emotion like an organ-grindel
in the spring. The melodies of hel
story are familiar, but they are gen.
uine and they catch at the heart.
Miss Park, a New zealander whose
novel won the Sydney Morning Her.
aid Prize, loves the poor Irish slun
dwellers she writes about and if hel
excess of feeling leads her to ar
occasional outburst of unashamec
sentiment, no harm is done, for thu
susceptible reader will be with hel
all the way, between tears ane
laughter.
Outwardly, Miss Park is writing
about the unspeakably squalid lives
of the Darcy family and the sordit
excitements which break up the
even misery of their days. Actually
though, she Is writing about love. Ir
their wretched bug-ridden tene.
ment, love f1ourishes like the tree
in Brooklyn. Every shade of devo.
ton from neighborly tolerance tx
passionate tenderness is represented
The heart of the family Is
Mumma, whom years Of want anc