I
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
-SUNDAY,JANUARY 7, 193
- SUNDA'Y -JANUARY. 7, 1923
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
PAGE
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77 1 .,. C-s .. .,. _ mw ....... .. ,_ _. .. _ _ .-r...
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discordant image, brought, about'by
means of the:.coinotation- of bare, ug-
ly, disagreeable words.
"The Three Soldiers,"- his-first pub-
lished work, was an ugly 'book, the
shriek of an agonized mind, represent--
ing the revolt of a sensitive person-
ality against the horrors and injusticeI
of war.. "Rosinante to the Road
Again" was made up of charming, ide-
_
NADAME DE STAELs HER TRIALS such a woman might do to gain the
-AND TRIUMPHS, by Andrew C. P. power she possessed. Her life was
Haggard. George H. Doran. $5.0. full of struggles and vicissitudes, of:
passionate loves and encuring friend-t
Dispassionately and clearly, fairly, ships, of trials and triumphs, and
and for the most part,in a. carefully what can speak for her better thant
discriminating fashion are we here the truthful and simple account of
presented with an accurate and inter.- those brimming years, It is this sortt
eating account of the characteristics, of telling that makes the book worthy ,
loves, and dealings in political in- I of a name and place in the literature
trigue which went to make up the re- of that great period of French history.t
markable life of that most fascinatingTVTl
and wondrful woman, Germaine, Ba- 1
ronne de Stael-Holstein, whose influ- DOWN THE RIVER, by Roscoe W.
ence during her lifetime was greater Brink. Henry Holt & Co. $1.9.
than that of any other woman n Eu- A novel in verse-which is the thing
rope, and greater than that of many that "Down the River" is-is a skittish
noted men... thing to handle. For this reason: It
As the writer himself says in his tigt ade o hsrao:I
As te wrter imsef sas m iis usually difficult enough to decide
foreword, the book deals mainly with at ua drisct enugh to decen
the rea enmty hic exitedfori what an artist is trying to do, even
the great enmityr which existed for hnhemlyausamdimfr
}ears beween twhenohen employsnga usual medium for
years between this woman of glowing his expression; it is doubly so when
personality and Napoleon Bonaparte, his medium and his thoughts are not
the only man, of her time who failed nutually consistent,
to bow to her will and intellectual' ecnhrdyko hehrRs
u evi h he nwe can hardly kow whethe Ros
genius, and hence came under the!
abuse which she was only too readyj co Brink was trying to write a good i
to give with, her facile pen and even( character sketch, or whether he was
moregfacilethtongrefacForye asdthes trying to write good verse. Perhaps!
more facile tongue. For years, these hewstyn od bt.H uce-
two-ho mght ave een reathe was trying to do .both. He succeed-
two-who might have been great ed in one of them. Which one doesn't
friends-were open enemies; she matter.. If the verse is good, then the+
pouring our her venom unscrupulous- character sketch is rotten: and on the
ly throughout Europe, in her hatred
y theorsigcat Ehro, serey woried other hand, if the verse. is merely to
ofy ther dorins i on e, s, e r ingy orrie - be .taken as one ;takes. he concertby h r d in ac o s, f r ng t , r nd h t Al ed C r t p a ss u n,
knowledge her power by openly pun- grand that Afed t ay un
fishing her. It is indeed a thrilling then dthnwe character eemerthatme is a a peach.
And when we remember that a piece
narrative, and the author in this case of literature seldom, if ever, lives be-
has done the fullest justice to his sub- cause of itaform, butvalmost, invari-
There is very little of literary criti- ably in spit ofits ,form itbecomes
clam in the volume. It is almost purei pretty evident ' that we . may throw
biography. The writer seems to, have overboard in our consideration of the
1'ad no intention of criticising Madamo. book all ideas about the goodness or
de tae asa lterr-yartstePeraI .badness of the verse. This much we I
d+e Steel.as a literary artist. Perhaps 1caent
he did- not feel -competent- to the task nay for It-and. really, It is the
--t any rate, lie wiseydoonot at highest possible praise-t never for
-atanyrat, h wielydoe no at~nstantintrudes Itself. _
tempt to do so except In a. very slight n the River" is thelife-story
ani general manner, and devoterhim- of a woman. It is a life story which
s-elf to apain and simple narration of leaves out what mot life stories put
te facts. And he presents the facts In-the high spots. It concerns itself-
"i An" Orderly and efective wysY 0otwhteexptoa hapnn,
that the result is a clear and vivid plc- not with the exceptional happenings,
ture of Germaine herself, and ,her but with the vcohmonpae happen-
life as she, with her impetuous pa- lugs. And it gives the lie directto
.p livingany who would .say that there- is n
s ate nad~ture, insisted upon l interestin the commoimlace. For it
It.; Indeed, as she could not help butisitrtng tsvtalItee-
live it, for there is no accounting' for. ry
xe caprices of genhi--hers was ex-- mg. It is moving without ever for
pressed through her wonderful- per- an' instant bcoinig emotional; it is
sonallty, which made her name fam- strong with a strength that is never
Sflambynt; :and if it gives us, as it
ods and .adred throughout all Eu- , a picture' that is mostly drab
and dlincring, it manages some-
The attitude which Haggard takes dull incolo gt
foward. the glowing life he captures how tomake these colors translucent'
and puts down in black and white, is d toshow beneath the soul that is
fundamentally sane, and the product trying to break through.
of clear thinking. It is thoughtful, And it is human, too hHan n
and it lacks any evidences of rash fhow human Almostt s t human -
prejudice which it would be so easy fact; for many times we catcha.our
feel in such a case. It is hard toselves-"Aha-
sfand and look on at occsarns of there is Jim Smith and his wife. That's
great events and fiery natures with- what is the matter with them!"
grt emn rI And here lies its chief fault. It is
ouf becoming carried away by alegm to human. The woman who writes
ance to one side or the other in the t0ookab.uthersefanowsore
contest. It is this element of partisan- the book about herself knows more!
ship that the author carefully tries tow than the woman she is writig about.
avoid, and in the main, he succeeds. I will grant that she may have had
Now and then he tries half-hearted- the dreams and hopes she tells us of-
ly to moralize, and to call Germaine but she would never have realized so
dwn for her many lively affairs of concretely just what these dreams
and hopes were. No-the Belle that'
the heart, but he does not go far, ap- writes the book is nt the Belle who
parently unconsciously, for he doesis
not seem rtto realiz that th actions s insthe book. Ite itrather as if
tin Sem .o ralie tat he ctinsBelle's soul, endowed with wisdom of
called forth by such a nature as her s;sodffarancllyoke
were inevitable to it, and could not be ages, stood off afar and coldly looked
accounted for as in the case of lesser side of Bele and made Belle write;-
Nat'ures. Madame 'de Stael was onesdefBeeadmd Blewte
what the soul had seen. If it could
E: fg those rare personalities that are
entirely individual, and forcefullyso only really happen!
to such a degree that it is not for nth- _ _ _
ers to pass judgment on them. Curb
and their greatness is PUSHCART AT THE CURB, by John
f such natures adtergetes is DsPse..Gog .Dri.$.
lost-they become as the common Dos Passos..George H. Doran. $1.50
herd. fMr. John Dos Passos represents
Perhaps Haggard is wrong in many contemporary literature more per-
-: themtivg''h which i tf ri ht t fectly than any other writer of our
alistic essays, quite unlike and in
sharp contrast to its predecessor. "The
Pushdart at the Curb" is a strange
fusion of the two, printed in poetic
form, but only occasionally rising to
true poetic heights.
In this volume we can easily trace
the evolution, as yet embryonic, of a
writer who may produce real poetry of
merit, for he is now merely a poten-
tial poet, possessing an inherent ca-
pacity for development and great ac-
complishment.
Compton Mackenzie, in 1912, defined
poetry as "the quintessence of life
preserved and, expressed in: a. reli
quary 'of _-batitiPtl "v~rda," . (defini-'
tion in, itself poetic., To apply this to
Mr. IDos Passos's vOluume:would prove
that there is little in it which .may be
called poetry,-although he has much
of the "quintessence of life" and has
drawn very graphic pictures of num-
erous places. In fact but one section
approaches this measure, that portion
of the book which the author has call-
ed "Vagones de Tercera." In these
few pages we find not only true poet-
ic feeling, which is frequent in Mr.
Dos Passos, but also poetic diction,
which is rare, comparatively speak-
ing.. The fifth poem, "Virgen de las
6 Angustias," is clearly conceived, al-
beit somewhat crudely handled and
lacking in final polish.. Nothing in
the succeeding pages of the volume
equal this; and in the preceding por-
tions only the poem signed "Toledo-
Madrid"-the ninth division of "Win-
ter in Castile"-give any indication
1 Wood. Dr. Culbertson -contributes an1 Heading the Editorialsin-the Nation and in this issue it helps rc
ong the MS authoritative account of "The Making Ifnr January 3, is one on the uses to. one- of the best balanced C
of Tariffs". Dr. Abbott, of Harvard,! which the.League of Nations is being the Nation in recent weeks.
- M. R. carefully analyses the contemporary put, and another that discusses the must be made of another con
THE IOOKMAN for January, 1923, trend of socialism and radicalism in f country's stand on the question of the to the Lusitania controvers
starts the New Year in a wholly sat- 3 Modern Barbarians". - One of the ; Ku Klux Klan. An extremely inter- appears in this, the three tho
isfying and worthy manner. Johan J. most able of the younger English esting article on the experiences of edition of the Nation. There
Smertenko hold' first place, I think,! writers and critics, J. Middleton Mur- the I. W. W.. mining experiment in a very interesting, if hectic an
for his thoroughly interesting and ry, presents the case of the novel as Russia-Kuzbas-is contributed by a review of Ford's autobiograp
much neded arraignment of the Am-, we know it to-day, tracing rapidly the California girl who went along with man who admits quite frankly
erican Short Story. He not only tells course of its evolution from the early the pioneers in the field of new in- is not "a writing man". His
usicn w ShtaStrH otonbyutesform as exemplified by "Sir Charles dustrialism. Their experiences are wish is for the very thing th
also outlines a system bf remedy Grandison" and "Humphry Clinker", not such, according to this report, as man having the welfare of Ar
which, while it inclines to the Utopian, Dr. Kellogg makes an interesting ex- to encourage any further similar ex- heart would keep us from fall
mnightnevertheless be made practical.' cursion into metaphysics when he dis- peditions for another year or two. He dreams of a "Fordized A
Another interesting feature is a sym- cusses "Science and the Soul". Prof. From Germany, Robert Dell sums up I cannot imagine anything ii
posium under the title of "The Book- MacLeich is rather pessimistic in his the present situation in that country astrous happening, nor a
seller Speaks Out". It ranges from commentary on "The New Age and the in a way that makes one fear still which I would less like to Ii
a serious criticism of contemporary New Writers". The articles of Dr. more lest France carry out her inten- very thing all thinking men a
apsropu s crits o decnteyumorary Redlich and Dr. Macdonald, concern- tions to rule Germany. - ing now is the patterning of
popular taste to a decidedly humorous'.
sketch of a book-clerk's daily grind. ing the situation in eastern Europe, "Bloody Williamson County" - of by "successful", benevolent, i:
"Stella and Her Brooklyn Salon" is are certainly relevant to recent dove- Herrin Massacre fame-is pictured as despots that would make'our
by Thomas Walsh. It is an edifying lopments in that quarter of the globe. 'a quiet, religious, and thoroughly along one shaft.
and at the same time charming article Hanna Astrup Larsen gives us a short American neighborhood by a miner;
on the life and foibles of one who was resume of contemporary Scandiavian who knows that territory. Without
a contemporary of and an influence onliterature, n which much interest hasI touching on the recent unpleasant epis- Rebecca West, whose nov
Edgar Allen Poe. The sketches by been awakened through the popularity ode in that country, this article leaves
F. H. Garkley, hicilstrate it, are of the works of Knut Hamsun. It is the impression that only their deep, Judge," is having a remarka
a thought too cynic 1 f the one of: hWalays a delight to read anyth nalmost religious, faith in the Union and has already passed 10,00
the article. Elsa S:gmaster's story,e which Walter de la Mare writes, con- and its cause could have brought these has arranged with Lee Keedi
"The Dreamer", fail F3 any very a sue of speset As salne people to the barbarity with which lecture tour of the United St
great impression. The con-a source of pleasure. As usual one they ridded themselves of their ene-
tribution to "The Par-d Octline anf 'rea th boo reviews in this mies. On also feels that, after all, a Canada beginning November
L tle of estimable quarterly with the assur- people of the character described in
'Wil Irin, nd hichthrws nw, ntethat they have been written onlyI the article: does not attack so fero- Dorothy Gish will play the
ligt o anoldherineby he ameofafter car eful consideration and due! ciously without provocation and deepdacrLaCveiRchd
Cinderella, is as good as you woulde n d grievance. The appearance of Art
expect, but~ htrdly bett.er. Inally, necessity agree with the reviewer. Young's page of cartoons is always mess' picturization of Joseph
the article on "The Literature of * H. . quite a notable occurrence in itself, heimer's novel "The Bright S
Quackery", by Robert T. Morris, while
well enough, written, and quite inter-
esting, is out of place in its literary
surroundings. It is as if "The Medical
W horld" hal published a story by Hol-
W. X.R.
- - - - - - - - - -- . - - ---- - - - -- - - - -
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-mo
The DOUBLE DEALER for December
makes an urgent bid for attention -in
a prose composition by Ivan T. Dowell
entitled "Futil-ity". In this the author
throws off all shackles of conventional
writing, pays no attention to transition
or grammatical rule, and, punctuates'
not at all. The reader finds himself
confronted with a closely-printed maser
ofmaterial'*whose- incoherence - sug-
gests'nothing so much as the passage;
of half-sensed -impressions throughl
the mind:of a mental deficient. There
is thought within thought, tale withinj
tale, but nowhere comnpleteness. If i
there-is- a unity,- it- is-so lost in the
r.maze that few readers will find the
patience to dig it out. The- chief In-
terest lies. of course, in the fact that
Mr.; Dowell is trying to launch a new'
form of - writing .-in which technic is
distinguished mainly by the lack of it.
Falure seems inevitable for the rea-
son that people will. not read what
entails so great a strain both to the
mind and to the -eye. Mr. - Dowell's l
contribution, then,- remains a unique
achievement with little permanent
value.
There is nothing remarkable in the
balance of the prose in this issue; ex-
cept in the manner -of presentation.
The tendency seems to be to use tra-
ditional plot-motifs garbed in the
thought-processes of the tenement.
"The Beast" by Edward H. Pfeifer, is
a compelling example of 'realistid psy-
chology. "The Delta Wife" by Walter
McClellan, repeats the triangle motif
worked out in a riverman's shanty.
At the other end of the scale are
"Three Fires" by Margaret Batterham,
and "The Lady Ballamira" by Haniel
Long, bothstrongly symbolic in form
and treatment.
The verse is mainly of the impres-
sionistic type. Mention might be
made, of "Harvest Song" by Jean
Toomer, and "Gayoso girls are golden"
by Walter McClellan. Both contain
real mrit. Mr. Dowell's "Poem" falls
into line ith "Futility" in spite of its
definite idea. -
E. W. S.
THE YALE REVIEW for January is
of interest to many classes of readers.
- The initial article is from the pen of.
one or our most capable essayists,
Agnes Repplier, an article in which
she sgnely and calmly discusses the
present European "complex". Kenneth-
Grahame, whose name is rarely seen
in the table of contents of any maga-
zine, brings back not unpleasant me-'
mories of childhood in his essay which!
he entitles "Ideals and Day-Dreams".
The poets are represented by Elinor
Wyle.. Amy Lowell, and Clement
AFTER
THE SHOW
After the show, after the dance, in the afternoon, - any time that you have
a craving for something deliciously diferent, drop in here and try a
Betsy Ross Sandwich
and Hot -Choceolate
OR A
Hot-Fudge Cream Puff
"THEY HIT THE SPOT"
The next time you go thru the Arcade drop in and try these winter day
specials. One trip will convert" you.
Start the New Year
Right
Now that vacation is over and you.are
back at work again you'll need and
want plenty of vim and strength.
You'll attain this happy state by eating
a good Steak Dinner regularly.
I
I
.
ALWAYS BEST AT
ictions of Madame de Stael, and.
ie man she so bitterly hated, the
t Napoleon, but he can at best'
s at many of them-and' depend.
his knowledge of the woman to
hin whether lie has guessed rightj
o'. In a world overflowing with
cal struggles and hates such as
in which she lived, there would,
ittle accounting..for the things.,
time whose writings have come to the
reviewer's attention, for in his. work
we find this curious, almost paradox-
ical. mixture of idealism and sordid
realism. Not unfrequently are we ex-
alted with the delicate tracery o his
imagery, the poetic heights of his im
agination, and the perfect turn of.his
phrases; anid then d-ropped, squirming
and protesting, into the mire of some I
- ESM'ER'SI
West Huron Street.
Across from' Interurban