As one runs to the window at the first sound of a fire alarm, so do my literary legs become active whenever I see an article by “Cyrano” in our daily papers. “Cyrano” always writes interestingly on interesting subjects and in the matter of literary style is many degrees higher than the average newspaper writer. I commenced to cut out and preserve these “Cyrano” articles and regretted I had not done so earlier, and I also regretted for readers in general, that these admirable essays (yes, most of them were really entitled to be called essays) were to be dead and buried in newspaper files. Time came when I discovered who “Cyrano” was—a friendly fellow whom I found wrote poetry (excellent verse too) had had a novel published, a play or two, and was author of an almost famous appreciation of England, called “Home.” Yes, I met Alan Mulgan and appreciated the man as much as his work.

However, these “Cyrano” essays are not destined to be dead and buried. The best of them have now been published by Dent's under the title of “First With the Sun.” Thirty-four essays are included in the book, ranging from the first on the passing of the old Ionic (by no means, however, the best in the book—more of a newspaper article) to one entitled “Smells.” Regarding the latter all will agree with Mulgan that the smell of a burning bit of dead tea-tree will “make your heart strings crack” no matter how far you may wander from New Zealand. Although vastly different in style from an earlier New Zealand collection from Dent's (the difference between a long beer and a cocktail) these “Cyrano” essays will appeal to everybody. I particularly liked the splendid tribute to G.K.C. and the retrospect on the one time popular cult of “Dooleyisms.” There is fact, fun and fancy in the book. About forty line drawings by Olivia Spencer-Bowen illustrate the text.

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Discussing great Australian novels in the February issue I overlooked the greatest of them all, Henry Handel Richardson's trilogy, “The Fortunes of Richard Mahoney.” At the same time I notice that in a lengthy article on the same subject in “The British Annual of Literature,” Edith Fry fails to mention “All That Swagger,” “Landtakers,” “Pageant” and “Tiburon.”

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The art of Russell Clark, whose work I have been lauding for the past decade (some claimed I was over enthusiastic), is given pride of place in the latest number of “Art in New Zealand.”

Russell Clark has taken his place as one of the leading and most interesting artists of the Dominion. In colour plates and black and white reproduc

A bookplate from the Dutch Indies.

tionand an accompanying article by J. Shelley, full justice is paid to his genius. In the same issue of the quarterly is included an article on the art of modern Germany (with a water colour reproduction by Hitler), verse, art notes and other features.

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Several fine reference books have been written on the Dominion's bird life. Buller's massive work is the standard book of reference, and was followed by Hutton & Drummond's book, and in 1930 by W. R. B. Oliver's work. Guthrie-Smith has also contributed valuable information to our bird library. Now we have a popular and beautifully produced account of the bird life of New Zealand in Mona Gordon's “The Children of Tane” (Dent, London). The whole story has been co-ordinated in an unusual way. It is well illustrated, has an index, a glossary, maps, etc. This brief notice is from a “proof copy” of the book.

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I read recently, for the first time, of the poetry and life of Maurice C. Fields, a young Negro who, in August last, was drowned at Long Island. In Maurice Fields, America has lost one of her most promising poets. He was only twenty years of age when he was drowned, and the few verses of his published gave promise of rare genius. He was a brilliant scholar and linguist, and wrote his poems under extreme nervous strain. The foreboding note of death was present in most of his verse. In the poem, “Song At Seventeen,” there is something unforgettably sad in the poet's seeming eagerness, his “impatience to know the truth of God's design”:

I shall tread the pathway to the sun,
And find the vale where the rivers run,
Where the hills rise nimbused in a cloud—
Humbly quiescent — yet perversely proud ….
And I'll not sit with a wheezing breath
Or folded hands to await slow death.
My heart's impatient to know the truth
Of God's design, so I'll spurn my youth.
This petty morsel of life's repast,
I'll bolt it down; then prepare to fast.
Vine-leaves in hair, grape stains on face,
I'll race shocked Death to our trysting place.

I found this in a book of newspaper cuttings under the heading of “With Apologies to Omar”:—

Alas, that hopes should vanish ‘ere the rose,

When Youth with his MS. does not enclose
An envelope with a twopenny stamp,
To return his inspiration whence it flows!

Reviews.

“Chateaubriand,” by André Maurois (Jonathan Cape) is a brilliant biography of the great French Romantic. Maurois has written a number of great biographies but, as might be expected, none with greater zest and understanding than this portrait of his most picturesque countryman. We are taken right into the heart of Chateaubriand to have revealed to us all his greatness and all his pettiness. And in the background move all the stirring events of the Revolution and the giant figures of the age, the popes, the cardinals, the Kings, the statesmen, the revolutionaries—and Bonaparte. Against the roar of guns and the rattle of sabre and the shouts of the mob the pen of Chateaubriand was always at work. Added to the pen and the sword was another terriffic influence, that of the wonderful women of the period. Hearts beat high in those colourful years and many a female heart fell to the charms of Chateaubriand. Truly he was an extraordinary lover, and his final love for Juliette Recamier is one of the most interesting pages in the world's great love stories. Although adored by many women, although stirring the pulse of the Empire with his pen and his personality Chateaubriand appears as a haunted, unhappy man; he yearns for inward peace and it comes only with the grave.

Here indeed are all the ingredients of a great biography. Subject and writer could not have been better mated. We see a great man's soul, we watch the mighty panorama of the period and we learn many lessons.

“The British Annual of Literature” (The British Authors' Press) makes its first appearance in a nicely producedvolume. The publication left me wondering as to why such an imposing title should be representative of just a few writers and some of them not exactly in the front rank of the literary world. We find some of the writers responsible for more than one article or poem and this, in a list of about a dozen contributors. Nevertheless this is an interesting and well-written annual and includes a fine tribute to our Dunedin poet and novelist, C. R. Allen, articles on the Australian novel, on contemporary literature, the literary achievement of Dr. Douglas Hyde and the People's National Theatre. Two great English novelists, Rudyard Kipling and E. M. Forster (and how many in New Zealand are aware of the true greatness of the latter?) are discussed in an article, “English Interpreters of India.” New Zealand writers will be interested in the literary competitions announced in the Annual.

“Early Days in Dunedin,” by Robert Gilkison (Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd.) is something different from the measured historical record the title suggests. The book is more in the nature of a series of highlights from the history of the southern city. For this reason the book will have a wider appeal, particularly to the younger generation. Among some of the purple patches is an account of the Jarvey Murder, a chapter on the Robert Butler episode, the story of Amy Bock, also details of big fires, wrecks, and libel actions, etc., of the period. Much general historical data is also included. The book is written in a quaint, old world style.

“The Sino-Japanese Conflict,” by Tom Walsh (Angus & Robertson, Sydney) claims to be an accurate and unbiassed picture of the relations of China and Japan with the powers, and of those phases of their histories that have led to the present conflict. States Sir Arthur Rickard in the introduction: “From the evidence presented here, it is clear that the long sleep of Asia is ended, and for good or ill the world is certain to be faced with the active participation of both Japan and China in world events.”

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“Shibli” Listens In.

The story of Robin Hyde's adventures in the Far East will be published shortly in book form by Hurst & Blackett.

The appeal of the New Zealand Centre of the P.E.N. for subscriptions to the Jessie Mackay Memorial Fund is meeting with an excellent response. Donations should be sent to the Secretary, Box 965, Wellington.

A rare item for collectors is the Annual Brochure of the N.Z. Ex Libris Society. No. 5 has just been published in a limited edition of 100 copies. This time it contains only foreign plates. Taking my cue from this I will, for a while, leave aside New Zealand plate reproductions for this page, and publish a few foreign bookplates.

James M. Bryan, the New Zealand Rhodes Scholar who has been studying social and political movements in the Far East has written another book entitled “North China Front.” It is to be published shortly.

The late Lord Jellicoe is the subject of a recently published biography by Captain E. Altham.

J. H. E. Schroder's “Remembering Things,” has been warmly praised by the London “Times.” The notice refers to “the humour and quiet charm” of the essays.