A SMALL BOY IN THE 'SIXTIES. BY GEORGE STURT. With an Introduction by Arnold Bennett. Cambridge University Press. 10s. 6d. net. "By trade he was a wheelwright . . . by profession he was an author," writes Mr. Bennett of the late George Sturt, the Farnham man whose memories of childhood in that pleasant Surrey town are here recorded. Sturt published several books in his life-time, the best-known being "The Wheelwright's Shop," in which he dealt with his own trade. Mr. Bennett was his friend for many years, and tells us that all George Sturt's letters to him were "mainly about the craft of putting things into words-for print." In these memories of his early youth there is often to be seen the literary instinct, and his prose is always distinguished and right. All that a boy might see in a Victorian countrytown, he saw and remembered with unusual accuracy, and he had the gift of putting things into the right words that many a better-known writer might envy. These memories of country-fairs, of hop-picking, of the family shop and dwelling house, and his father brewing ale in the copper-hole," all are recounted in the proportions in which an alert small boy would see them, and they make enthralling reading. 66 By ENGLISH BOOKS: A Signpost for Collectors, 1475-1900. CHARLES J. SAWYER and F. J. HARVEY DARTON. THESE Volumes will fascinate all book collectors, both because of the amount of information as to the present values of various books and because of the learned commentaries they contain on why certain books are sought after. The two experts who have prepared them have done a great service to collectors by producing such a comprehensive work of reference to all manner of books worth collecting. They have also done a service to literature by their appraisal of certain authors for other than their commercial value. Many title pages of rare books are reproduced, and the whole work is invaluable for reference. CONQUISTADOR: American Fantasia. By PHILIP GUEDALLA. Benn. Ios. 6d. net. As a "Flying Dutchman of contemporary education," Mr. Philip Guedalla has been "hustled " through a three months' lecture tour in the United States of America, and this volume gives the impressions he stored up during his rapid progress. The impressions being Mr. Guedalla's are of course witty and penetrating, and it would seem that three months gave him a pretty good idea of American life. He set out as a "conquistador," a romantic adventurer, under the protection of a passport which, in a flourish of armorial bearings of the late Lord Curzon, assured him of access to the romantic shores of America, and it is in the romantic spirit that he sees America and the Americans. His criticism is kindly; his appreciation sincere, and not even "Big Bill Thompson" could ask more of any English writer. BROTHER SCOTS. By DONALD CARSWELL. Constable. 12s, net. IN some of the representative Scottish figures at the end of last century whom Mr. Carswell is here considering, the salt humour of the Scot was lacking, and notably so in Keir Hardie. It is doubtful however whether the irony of the author of these studies gives quite a fair picture of that passionate, romantic figure. But in considering such personalities as Robertson Nicoll, Henry Drummond, and Robertson Smith of Aberdeen, the author's touch is very sure, and his study of Sir William Robertson Nicoll is probably the most penetrating analysis yet published of that shrewd Scot's character. NAPOLEON THE MAN. By R. MCNAIR WILSON. With Illustrations. John Murray. 21s. net. FOLLOWING close on the heels of Herr Ludwig's brilliant study of Napoleon, the author of this volume presents a view of Napoleon which is distinctly original. To him Napoleon was essentially "the Man of the Revolution," with ideals of Democracy and Peace, but driven by the obstinate opposition of England to war and conquest in the spirit of the revolution. Dr. McNair Wilson finds that the "Spirit of the Revolution" has at last triumphed, as a result of the Great War, and that King Edward VII was following in the footsteps of the Emperor in basing his conception of kingship on the sovereignty of the people. It is an intensely interesting idea, as the author pursues it; and whether it be true or not, it is always useful to study another point of view of Napoleon, about whom probably we shall never reach definite conclusions. MEMORIES OF THE OLD COLLEGE OF GLASGOW : Some Chapters in the History of the University. By DAVID MURRAY, M.A., LL.D. Glasgow: Jackson, Wylie & Co. (Publishers to the University). 42s. net. THIS Weighty volume is the outcome of a desire that a record should be prepared of the old College building in Glasgow High Street, which has now entirely disappeared. Dr. Murray has been a member of the University for seventy years, and for all that time closely associated with its work, so that he was well qualified to prepare this comprehensive account of the origins of the old College. He deals with each section fully, whilst the numerous illustrations from old prints add to the value of the book. JOSEPH CONRAD: Life and Letters. By G. JEAN-AUBRY. In 2 Vols. With Illustrations. Heinemann. 42s. net. In any work associated with the name of Joseph Conrad the reader demands a very high standard, and it is perhaps inevitable that this "official" Life and Letters should be somewhat disappointing. For in his letters Conrad seems to have relaxed from the strain of expressing in a foreign language "the detached curiosity of a subtle mind, the high tranquillity of a steeled heart," with the result that many of the letters are quite ordinary. At the same time, M. Jean-Aubry, by deliberately denying himself the expression of his own "sentiments or opinions," has produced a Life which is formal, and so fails to evoke that personality which was aristocratic, passionate, detached or austere, but never formal. Even so there are many of these letters which one is glad to read, and some passages in the Life which are undoubtedly illuminating. TRAVELS IN TARTARY. BY ÉVARISTE-RÉGIS HUC (Père Huc.) Edited by H. d'Ardenne de Tizac. Translated from the French by W. Hazlitt. With Illustrations. Knopf. 10s. 6d. net. A FAMOUS travel book is here reprinted in a very pleasant form. The text used is the translation made by W. Hazlitt (son of William Hazlitt, the essayist); but certain sub-editing has been done, according to a new French edition by M. de Tizac. As it stands now, this account by a Jesuit Father of his journey with his colleague Père Gabet, through Mongolia, in order to explore the then recently-created Apostolic See, is a model for all travel books. His vivid descriptions of the Tartars and their lives and customs are full of life and movement, whilst he has all the true traveller's ready acceptance of hardships, and ready eye for the humorous and the quaint. The book is illustrated with woodcuts which were used in the original translation. HENRY HUDSON. John Lane. By LLEWELYN POWYS. With Illustrations. 12s. 6d. net. THIS third volume in "The Golden Hind Series," on the voyages of discovery of Henry Hudson, well maintains the standard set by Mr. E. F. Benson and Mr. Keble Chatterton in the volumes on Drake and John Smith. Besides showing evidence of much research, it is enlivened by a pleasant and sometimes humorous narrative style, as, for example, when Mr. Powys reflects that the existence of porpoises is an enviable To follow whiting with an easy rotary motion from sea to sea!" Hudson had his " Labour troubles "not unlike ours. his seamen they had" wrens' breasts," and his ship's carpenter retorted with the remark that he was no house carpenter." Mr. Powys is no hero-worshipper, and he shows us Hudson with all his faults, which is to say that he makes him live again. one : ་་ He told THE BOOK OF THE CLYDE: Being a Connected Series of Drawings and Observations on the River from its Source to the Firth. By DONALD MAXWELL. Illustrated. John Lane. IOS. 6d. net. THIS is another of the ideal guide-books for which Mr. Maxwell is well known. As he traces the River Clyde in this volume in pleasantly gossipy style, he illustrates in colour and line as he goes, and it is difficult to say whether letterpress or picture is more attractive. In his narrative he makes no pretence to give full historical detail, and the Scot who knows his history will learn little from these pages; but for any ordinary traveller the book will be a pleasant guide, and some of the line-drawings are very attractive. "REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN." BIRRELL.) (General Editor: FRANCIS BIANCA CAPELLO. By CLIFFORD BAX. LADY HESTER STANHOPE. By MARTIN ARMSTRONG. Gerald Howe. 3s. 6d. net per volume. THESE are two volumes in a series of short lives of "representative " Attractively produced, each volume gives a lively picture of its subject. The two women here considered are interesting in juxtaposition; one of them, Bianca, began life with a mistake from which she recovered to become extremely successful, after a fashion; whilst the other, Lady Hester, suffered most of her life from the early extinction of the position and influence she had enjoyed in her youth as William Pitt's hostess, and ended her days in extreme poverty and loneliness in the wilds of Syria. Bianca Capello, daughter of a Venetian noble, had an affaire with the worthless son of a notary of Florence, made a runaway match of it, and appeared to have ruined her prospects. But she attracted the attention of Francesco dei Medici, afterwards Duke of Florence, who was her devoted lover for the rest of his life, showering upon her all the wealth of the Medicis, and allowing her to direct his destiny. Whether these two were " representative women may be questioned; that they were both unusual and interesting women these volumes make clear. A DIARY OF THOMAS DE QUINCEY. 1803. Here reproduced in replica as well as in print from the original manuscript in the possession of the Reverend C. H. Steel. Edited by HORACE A. EATON, Ph.D., Professor of English at Syracuse University, New York. Noel Douglas. 21s. net. THE period of this hitherto unpublished diary of de Quincey is after the London period described in "The Opium Eater," and before the Welsh tour and his final settling in Cumberland with Wordsworth and his friends. Much of it is chaotic; but it is interesting as showing his fantastic sensitiveness and intellectual speculations. Among other things it contains the drafts of two letters in which de Quincey introduced himself to Wordsworth. The reproduction of the diary is exact, even to the shade of ink used, and Dr. Horace Eaton has provided an introduction and notes which readers will find extremely useful. ENGLISH HYMNS AND BALLADS, and other Studies in Popular Literature. By PETER HAWORTH, M.A., Ph.D., Senior Lecturer in English, Bristol University. Blackwell. 6s. net. In this collection of scholarly essays, Dr. Peter Haworth considers the relation to literature of various forms of writing which are popular for their subjects. "Hymn-Writing in Literature," "The Robin Hood Ballads,' "The Icelandic Tales of Maurice Hewlett," and Webster's Plays are amongst his subjects. His treatment is informed by wide knowledge, and often relieved by a pleasant humour, as when he is considering the fact that too many hymn-writers, seeking a just simplicity of diction, produce merely platitudes clothed in semi-archaic language, as in the hymn beginning " O God, what boots it to sing on.' "It gave," says Dr. Howarth, the devout reader a shock when he scanned the Index of First Lines and discovered the profane ejaculation "O God, what boots." THE BLACK BOOK OF EDGEWORTHSTOWN, and Other Edgeworth Memories, 1585-1817. Edited by HARRIET JESSIE BUTLER and HAROLD EDGEWORTH BUTLER. With Illustrations. Faber & Gwyer. 18s. net. THE family of Edgeworth of Edgeworthstown contained some remarkable people. Maria Edgeworth has been given her due attention; but her very unusual father, Richard Lovell Edgeworth, is little known. The extracts from family records given in this volume show that he was worth knowing for his oddities as well as for his real capacity in several directions. There are also reproduced the letters of that Abbé Edgeworth, who was the intrepid confessor of Louis XVI on the way to the guillotine, and these letters give a picture of Louis, of Madame Elizabeth, and others of the Royal Family which are of historical value. Louis, according to the Abbé, was extraordinarily dignified and composed in his last moments, and it is evident from what the Abbé does not say, rather than from any self-advertisement, that the King was ably supported by his confessor, who in face of a raging mob could produce that fine apostrophe," Fils de Saint Louis, montez au ciel." BURGUNDY, Past and Present. By EVELYN M. HATCH. With 37 Illustrations and a Map. FROM Roman remains, through its medieval greatness, down to its present-day life, all aspects of Burgundy are adequately covered in this moderate-sized volume, which is illustrated by many excellent photographs. It is designed to make known this country of rich and varied interest to English readers, and should do so in a useful way. The photograph of that fairy-town, Semur-en-Auxois, would be of itself almost enough to send the reader off to Burgundy next summer. Miss Hatch gives any amount of other reasons for a visit, not forgetting the good wines, and the cooking of Burgundy-" almost as renowned as its wines." THE BEAUTIFUL MRS. GRAHAM AND THE CATHCART CIRCLE. By E. MAXTONE GRAHAM. Nisbet. 16s. net. THIS is another of those interesting volumes founded on family letters which are very useful to the student of the period covered; in this case from 1750 to 1800. The Cathcart family were more than usually united, and the correspondence between the three sisters CathcartMary, who became Mrs. Graham of Balgowan; Jane, who became Duchess of Atholl; and Louisa, Lady Stormont, afterwards Countess of Mansfield-is full of material for the social historian. |