The Observer from London, Greater London, England • 6

THE OBSERVER, SUNDAY, 6 avoc! eryH BEVERLEY NICHOLS paraacuta and betray, not by malloe or folly, but by the Rood they paaitonatelr with tbair fellow men that energy of whloh Bt. John speaks, sweet at honey la the month, bitter to tha belly. The Bpilofroa shows Heaven detested be cause divided against iteelf. Ono personage needs explanation, the who embodies this Jbhannea ot the first atory. St.

Esprit, the Grand Master, of the second, Mr. Sop-with of tha third. He-she la the false prophet of Revelation, who deceived with mlraoles aU thoas having the mark of tbe beast on which the woman rode. There may be those who flatter themselves that that last sentence exolains MR. WALPOLE AND OTHERS.

the title but let them try to understand the stories! The scene of the first is Goa, in 1579: of the second, France, in 17S9 (1 have read this twice with care, but without being able to grasp why situation Is Indeed excessively irritating and, to my mind, unconvincing. We are asked tp believe that here are two young people, healthy, desirous, full of blood and dreams, who love each other with their whole hearts but, for reasons of mere pretence and self-absorption, put off marriage until It becomes impossible. Such things, 1 venture to believe, do not and cannot happen In life: the emotion of love, when It exists (and admittedly it is not common) is more decisive than that. However, with the conventional frustrations, everything goes wrong. Benjie allows himself to be tricked into marriage with an unattractive siren who alleges she is with child by and Vanessa marries Ellis out of pity.

This is much the least convincing part of the story. The only other criticism I have to make Is that, after she has left her lunatic husband and lived happily with her lover for years, she abandons the latter and goes back to live with the former because he has become madder than ever and so needs her. These two episodes apart, the tale rings entirely true, and no brief notice can give any Idea of the richness of detail or beauty of style. 1 do not know where to look In contemporary literature for a more effortless brilliance of phrase. Right at the beginning, when one reads: Frost was sharpening, the air.

The house stood behind them like a lighted ship," one realises one is dealing with a master; and some of the descriptions especially of Mr. Walpole's beloved Cumberland: but they are never dragged in; they are alwoyB an essential part of the narrative are of a perfect beauty. What 1 believe to be 'I predict (hat the world wilJ listen to him. His wit is barbed with passion and sincerity, and he expresses the mind of the younger generation in a compelling FRANCIS YEATS BROWN in the Daily Ttlefraph '1 regard this book as of immense importance because it is the work not of a politician or a pedant, but of a playwright whose seriousness is a matter not of profession but of James agate in the Exprat 17 thousand 7s. 6tL net Brazilian Adventure PETER FLEMING 'Certainly one of the cleverest, best written and most amusing books of the last few years' GEORGE" GORDON, President of MAGDALEN COLLEGE, OXFORD This is an extraordinarily good book.

Mr. Fleming uses the language well; he is romantic; he has humour; and he faces facts' SIR JOHN SQUIRE in the Sunday Timet I I REGINALD 1 i GREAT, JUNOLE 1 I NOVEL 1 I Vanaaaa." By Hum Walpola, (Macmll. Ian. 10- ad.) Tha Waman en tha Baaat." By Halan Slmpaon. (Halnamann.

(a. Id.) Tha Raah Act." By Ford Madox Ford. (Capi. 7i. Tha Qowk Storm." By N.

Bryaaon Msrrl-sn. (Oolllria. 7a. Tha Pantomlma Man." By Rlohard Mlddlalon. Edltad with a Foreword by John Gamworth.

Introduction by Lord Alfrad Douglas. (Riah and damn. 7a. ad.) Thay Brought Thalr Woman." By Cdna Farbar. (Halnamann.

7a. 6d.) "Tha Blua Lagoon Omnibua." By H. da Vara Staopoola. (Hutohlnaon. 7.

(By GERALD GOULD.) With Vanessa Is her very name meant to suggest evanescence? the gigantic chronicle of the Ilerries family comes to an end. At least, that is not strictly true; for the present volume goes on for a long time after Vanessa has died; but ber life summarises the later Victorian era and the Edwardian even the beginning of the Georgian; and when we arrive at page 851 of this fourth volume, we are left marvelling at tho vilality which has hodied forth, in comparatively few years, so immense a pageant, and the historical sense which has seemed as much at home in any generation as in any other. It is as tf thnre were nothing in the life of the last two hundred years in England that Mr. Wulpolc didn't know: he is under no nr-i-essily to drag in his facts or parade his knowledge; the whole thing is easy ami splendid. Vanessa herself was born anything happens as it does); of the third, Australia, in 1999 when, we are to gather, a queer automatic religion has been inflicted on the rest' of the globe, a Mrs.

Sopwilh is a sort of universal prophet, and even Oxford is forbidden to read Scarcely easier to understand is Mr. Ford. He seems to be persuaded that the human mind works by flts and starts, backwards and forwards, without scheme or progression. Even if this were true (which it isn't), and even if he could live up to his theory (which he almost does), it would remain the function of art to impart order to chaos. Mr.

Ford, however, is, at his best, a writer ot astonishing brilliance; and though there is little of his best in The Rash Act," a gleam or two of the brilliance breaks through here and there. The plot, which seems quite without point. Is mainly concerned with a young American who, ruined by th stump, proposes to commit suicide, but, stumbling on the corpse of a rich young Englishman whom he improbably 1 stick to the improbably," despite explanations) resembles, thinks better of it. The local colour South of France is full and rich. Mr.

Ford's knowledge is immense. But one of his purposes here seems to be to puzzle his readers. I think he will succeed. A delirate, simple, sensitive story like The (owk Storm comes as a relief Illustrated THE VERY NEWEST NOVELS t2s. 6d.

net 4th impression the central passage, however, is this: 1 looked out of the window aa the world grew dark and knew that there are two worlds, that they are linked together, and that it is God's purpose that we should find the connection. All tieauiy is for that. I zuust have courage, honesty, and I must rid myself of my Hlmil Man's Hood, my egotism. No doubt Mr. Walpole would say that, if I had rightly understood that passage, it would interpret to me what seem to me the frantic and futile after Ihe elaborations and pretensions of the two books iuBt reviewed.

It con 51 Ordinary cerns the feelings and fortunes of three girls, daughters of a Scottish manse: II 3pn nothing happens to them more exciting in 1iC9, and was fifty-three when she died; she had seen the e.xpansion of Vic-inrian living, the Oscar Wilde scandal and tin- Boer War, the clamour of the suffrage agitation and the beginning of the war-shadows darkpning over hut ilimih Mr. Wnljpole con-si1 i i 1 i ni is 1 introduces us to the famous In- Iheir names, and describes the social si'cne with inexhaustible knowledge and itu'nmparahle vivacity, it is In the per-siiikiI and family events that his interest ours is mainly centred. The family of Ilerries Is a real, significant find impressive thing; arid Vanessa, though a sport in the hiological as well the. srhoolhoy sense, has its by FRANCIS BEEDING. "It unMtiaU mdrdMrva a star of merit from the eannoiaaenr of crime.

"Mary Crocbie in Observer. TfSnat I than is always happening to people in life disappointment, heartache, misunderstanding; but they live, and their feelings are described in a pure, limpid and unpretentious prose. I recommend this book heartily. Little or nothing will be added to the reputation of the late Itirhani Middleton by the publication of The Pantomime i abnegations of his heroine's life. I can only say, wllh humility, that it doesn't.

Kut this is a grand book full of life, movement, colour and zest. i i Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to praise Miss Simpson's new hook if only I could understand it. I have enjoyed and admired, in varying degrees, If I re-I member right, everything she has previously written: certainly her last book, Boomerang," seemed to me almost too 1 good to be true. Rut of The Woman i on the lieast 1 run make nothing. No I doubt the fault is mine; but there it is! The tille seems to me nonsense, despite 1 Kiiiid and tradition in hfr veins 1 Man." It contains a journal such as 1 hi sli'TL I tin ll'rrifs wf-rp rvrrvwtlprf.

by ALICE HEGAN RICE. We introduced yon to Mrs. Wlggi, now we Invite yon to moot Mr. Fete. 7 ad tnotisands oi egoistic youths must have kept, and most of the sketches and essays in it are slight.

Nevertheless I cannot help thinking that it was well worth publishing, for Middleton was so 1 amines E.ARNOT ROBERTSON 'Full of rich comedy this witty and extraordinarily entertaining the times 'The art is beautifully sure. I he irony which ripples the surface of the book's deep emotional current heightens the charm of the observer 'A splendid book without a slipshod thought or a slipshod piece of writing anywhere' EVENING STANDARD 1 5 thousand Book Society choice 7s. 6d. net JONATHAN CAPE BEDFORD SQUARE LONDON interesting a personality that anything annotations which endeavour to give it 3 wnicn neips to interpret mm to the public should be welcomed. sense.

i ne prologue to the prologue runs like this (I quote the entire page): PROLOGUE I doubt whether Miss Edna Ferber is by CAMERON BLAKE. Meet the six aaventnrers, all sum swap pittgr yarns la the saloon of tha as. 'Condor. 7e at her best in the short story. I think she needs space for the creation of atmosphere.

Dut every one of the tales in They Brought Their Women hns point, and, if the writing is sometimes BETWEEN EARTH AND HEAVEN i Bv creat discord, the Trumpet shall sound, Agreement broken, lifting the head to i Heaven, A bloody mouth A nnoUition i words anrl senee are plain, and I ean- 1 not believe that there is any great mystery I hidden under their words. That, I confess it, is my own difficulty. I cannot believe that there is any great manneren ana sentimental, the general level of interest is none the less hiirh. evwv rurnrr of txindon life thfy drove flrf rrpiinpif of oimmnn M-mf. Plnlin, virh a lis 1 1 1 it-ft.

h-vl foniinuii sfliE.J. was al tli" of worlil, wn a of jinE.Tjjil Mii-iH? triumph thnt 'XJirtly fililfd tl'f ilerries i liHr.lci. r. Nn liiemlier of fiinnlv i'Vfv hoaitcft or woiuiererl or ex-plnme-l. dimply went everywhere, tnlo (lie Rf.irmnsrer house in Portland plflee, into Ihe ibpalri'S an.

I restaurants, inio the rhurrhea nrl teccure-haijg, into the Keti. rlr.iwlnKrooina, iiim the Ctly, lruo ill1 slum' mid their cjnoil wnrlt. No lTrrri's waf tlio tnp of aiivtliinp. No Herrie (with ttie rxrrption of EIUs actntit later fre.it weallh. for pro.

jieriy. rloni inaleM polities or lh Arls or the hureh tr the Arrnv. Thev htrnpily were everywhere anil iiiltiienrrd everything. Ami the extranril inn rv tiling is lh.it Mr. WnliwMe not mprrly tells us this about them: lie makes us feel and realise il as a concrete fact.

I feel as if I had been at Magdalen with a Herries! But and it is this combination of the wild willi the usual that makes Mr. Walpole's double eminence as a novelisl just as the family is typical, so individual members of it are eccentric. ICllis, whom Vanessa marries, is in the strict sense mad; but Henjie, whom she loves, is almost as far removed (Ihongh this, I am bound to confess, don't think Mr. Walpole realises) frnm the norm. The opening There is a preface which seems to foretell a revival in the popularity of the mode: and indeed it is Lard lo say why it ever hrWk: PUtU NG.

Meet the anr- abandon King Charles to hla fate. avs mystery inuaen under Miss Simpson words. I think that, if she had anything of importance to say, she is quite intelligent enough to say it. Indeed, her erudition and eloquence are immense and intimidating: but her stories are perilously like rubhish. I cive ihe bulk lost na crtarrn.

i ne snort story, crowded into a handful of words, may be the form which has most truly caught the kaleidoscopic picture nf our genera-lion." No: I think it needs the long, full novel to do that; hut brevity should assuredly have its place The Blue Lagoon had considerable literary qualities, as well as a tremendous popular appeal. It is now reprinted, together with four similar novels by the same author, for the price of onel Over a thousand pages what a bargain! of her Foreword, for fairness' sake: This hook tries la interpret a tion, that the most hateful actions are, as sons. In the Protopne a Divine promise is marie anrl, for (rood cause, broken. The three stories that follow have only Ihia same idea in common, that men are driven to Has an uncommon beauty truly poetic creative vision haunting and memorable1 Times Literary Supplement "Unusually moving a work of art." Bonamy Dobree in the Spectator "An exquisite hooWBecbbqfer Roberts "One cannot but think of the Brontes." New Statesman "Beautifully written." Nen-s Chronicle "A little masterpiece." Scotsman "I warmly recommend it. Ralph Straus 1 WILLIAM 1 THE 1 CONQUEROR BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

himself, are three more vital figures in a very readable hook. On the same date, Hodder's publish another book of travel by Alain Gerbault. It is seven years since we first heard of the Firecrest," Sometimes, as In his memoir of Lowes Dickinson or On Reading Maps," they are fully I auu ncroauii lonciv voyaging round trie Tk- 1 1 .1 1 wind beautifully developed, echoing Tatar TIbe bSCrver, Saturday. There is no drought in bonks. That is plain from the reason's lipts.

Novels are as plentiful as usual no are biography and travel. Le.ia usual the abundance of verse. Two L1'-. BUrleV' a me" 1 to Brest in 1931. But in "The Gospel theorist.

Ife looks into Briltat-Savarin and of the Sun he is still s-iilinc her among the I Paciflo islands. There is almost ns much discovers reasons for the decay of home-life. A French railway-porter lightens his bell, and Mr. Burdett findB virtue in the corset. He is also hardy.

Hnw else could the pianola have taught him music 1 The immediate response of every schoolboy to the name of John Hampden is ahip-tnoney." Hampden's refusal lo fill the royal pocket first brought hirn fame. Overnight he hecame Pater Patriae. As rater Ni BRYSSON MORRISON land as water in this tale. I hope," he says in his Foreword, that people will not see in this book a systematic pamphlet against 1 No one will think him systematic. He is essentially infoniifil, happy-go-' lucky, free.

But his attitude to "civilisation," though he hns not the same power of ex pre s-; sion, is as ant-igonistio ns Gaugin's. Steven- son and Loli likewise come tn mind. M. Gerhault is a m-an or childof action, with the cause of the Polynesian isl-anders passionately at heart. His intuitive sympathy with them is the reader's reward.

poelp, the one long established and the other' still in advance tit our own feneration, and even the literary generation after us," publi.h their volumes this, month. I "The Winding Stair" comes from Marmil- Ian on the 19th. Such poetry needa no bush. Twn of Mr. Yeals's pieces, Death and Hlood anrl the Moon," u'cre inspired hy the assasina1 ion ol his frienrt, Kevin O'ltiggins, the finrst intellect in Irish public life." A Dialogue of and Soul was written rinrinK lon illness.

IM-heallh, as Trofesaor Hnnsrnan reeenily is a condition often favotirahle lo the muse. Mr. Ezra round's A Draft ot XXX. i Cantos appeared in a small limited edition three years ago. On Thursday ihe firm of Faher are pulling this provocative volume wiihin ihe rearh of all.

We neither praise, hlarne, n-ir venture an opinion. For us as ye: ro minto Mr. round Ihe words ratlle Patriae "a compound of high principles rather than a man of flesh and blood he has come down to us. Jlr. Hugh Rosa Williamson's Life, due on the 28th, from Hodder's, shows other aspects.

It is Ihe fullest biography of Hampden for a hundred years, i The shipmoney trial assumes ils proper 1 7lace: Hampden the m3n emerges. Round i The camera, in Mr. F. AY, Champion's opinion, is mightier than the gun. Photo graphs are more than trophies.

No one WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS FIRST NOVEL WINTER BLOOM by RICHARD DAWSON AND THESE NEW ROMANCES DELIGHT by PAMELA WYNNE MANNEQUIN by BETTY TRASK him we see domestic seventeenlh-century England: for Hampden was a country gentleman first and last. From a spectacular point of view, his integrity was a failing. In life he was obscured bv Pym, in death by his cousin Cromwell. Eliot, dying heroically in ihe Tower, Ihe fanatical Laud, King Charles acquainted with his earlier book, With a Camera in Tiger-Land' will doubt him. If they do, they must buy The Jungle in Sunlight and Shadow." which Chalto's will have ready on Thursday.

This book is tha longer of the two it contains nearly a hundred plaiffi, is full at information and experiences, absorbing fnr those who know India and those, young and old, who have to bIav at home. shells Riven out hy shells." For a much ci'im-r n.Jr-Ti of IVuiud, "the value of the Cntitos finally, the success ot the THIS WEEK'S DIARY. RLTLAIRE BELLOC 51- Everything he does has that rare quality, both in style and matter, of being individual to himself and challenging to his readers." Clenrull Wilkinson in the Jews-Chronicte. HARUN AL RASHID H. St.

JOHN PHLLBY 5- Mr. St. John Philby has given us the great man's life in all its light and shade." R. H. Bruce Lockftart in the Evening Standard.

THE PLAYERS AT MAESTRINO CHARLES FORREST 7s. 6d. The experienced novel reader will lay it down conviction that he has read an extremely clever book Times Literary Supplement. 1 i Pari. pans.

Vie iimsL add lhat the whole book Is recommended with ext raorii inary enthusiasm by Mr. Krnesi Hemingway, Mr." Ford Madox Fnril, and Mr. Jam's Joyce. Thnse indeed who oaniKit share this enthusiasm mav find themselves "pilierl" hy Mr. Hemingway rnllicr 1 1 1 relinked." A word lo the Fop lilirary aelfr( inns and bu ing lists, oflifr cliio bnoks apuariig this week arc as Hercule Poirot Returns! In his Memoirs of a BnliMi Agent," Mr.

Hruee Lnirkhart described M. Noulcns aa "the only Allied represonlative in Vologda who knew bin own mind." M. Noulens, successively Minister of War, Minister of Finance, and Ambassador to Russia, where ha followed M. Palcologue, is nnw engaged on his rem in i sconces. ITe took up his post in 1917, arui the first volume nf Mon Ambas- nsriAY Tha In(pigent Man's Knview nf Kitro-H To day," by (i.

1). If. and M. Cole (tioJUncii; One Man's India," bv T. Karle Welbv (Lovat, Dicknon) The Foreign Offlcp," by the Kt.

Hon. Sir John Till-v ami Stfpben (iaselee 4 Putnam); A Modern Prelude' hy fluph I' Anson Knussei (Cape); WnUer iilnom," hy Richard Dawson (f iilfans). I s.ide en Kiiiie Snvieiiqti! (Plon, 18 francs) account ni ihe revolu- contains his rst'Tnl Uun. TL-fcMiAY." Alexander (hp bv Arthur! email (Thornton iui terworth) Kws," 1 bv Brirhira Cinolden Chapman and Hall): I A I.aufrhter ot ihe Medici and Oiher Stnriep," hy Donn Byrne (Sampson Low). Another rnet.

Mr. W. IT. has a U.i.k df nrnie due from Cape's on the "My 'I nhifh i of ihe same easy' in" iii.i: i- as rs rerl ecr-ssnr, rlinK" contains a Jjn! verse. is 1 qune ns as ah.ui; flowers, Ihe i i 1 i i irri levnntly, fnr even Mr.

fi.iMfs's is exposed to i Ily the Fparn.H's. is present. There will he drawings hy Hilda Quick. I Whether she has illustrated Mr. Dnvles's em- 1 pha-ic a dandelion, we rlo not yet The suthnr of "The An of Living," duel from Eyre ard Spottiswoode on Fridsv.

con- I lesscs to being a worker, fond of second IhouRhts. His tvjok should he read in in. I -H. Il rtdtlier a i isij :1 5 a Letlres d'une Filic de Napoleon (Fla-marion, 12 francs) is another book with historical interest. Edited by Princesse Marthe Bibesco, these letters were written to her mother rnd her children by Princesse Emilie de Chimay.

cither from the court of Napo- hnida v. 1 Napoleon's Love Story" (Napoleon and Marie Walewska), by R. McNair Wilson (Peter DaviesK Thursday. Victorian Lady Novel by M. L.

Parrish (Constable); "The Jungle in GEJDDGtL70G LORD EDGWARE DIES A very good Poirot adventure he is one of the Sew real detectives. Full marks!" Dorothy Saycrs "An admirably contrived Momirz Post "One 5 Hercule's Sinest efforts." ohsen-tr '3 Sunlight and Shallow," by F. W. Champion i Joms III. or iron, Windsor, where she was the guest of Queen Victoria and the Prince (Eyre and apoitiRwoode) Marie Annan- Consurt.

Vivid and descriptive aey are neite." bv Stefan we iff. and a novel. me Thi dated between 1B5J and 18o8. Farm. bv Louts Bromneld (both from Chesterton (Mcthuen): 11 Tho English Beat Sallsrs.

tjlaw." an anthology of poems chosen by Inevitably, Mr, Ltovd (ieorge'a War t'-rr-iUl Rnllett (Denl): "My Best Thriller." I Memoirs most rn "di-'mand; and other an anthology Df stories chosen by their own Ijnoks neing much asked fur are Mr. authors fFaber. The of Things io fn i 1 1 i tit- f'RTUAY. The llnvfl snd Nights of Birds." Ken won Parlors. Siacepnien, ami liv Freeman of Slain- and Th Brown Book of chtf HllIit U-'ul." being thf Memnird of Fr.TFewnir Terrnr." Th i must popular novrlj of ihe I and a novel, "The Partners," by i v-ek are Hlen Simpson's "The Woman mi Jhn Lovegond (all from The I (he Beast," Hugh Walpole's Art of by Oebert Burdett (Eyre L.

A. G. Strong "Sea Wall," and H. M. and SpnUia i Toinltnsu.i The Snows of Helicon." r.t life.

Fur Mr. a I maps 'I. a ri li I an.l slaunch K'lt rv -i r-- a s. r.f ut hers, niiarit iie silded his own fcnjllish PETER DAVIES LTD io HENRIETTA QTDce-ti "11ViJlJ1 W.C.2 prnjp. metLmM these essays are not much Tcillmg Samuel Builcr..