A-.
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 1923 SUNDAY, JANUARY,28, 1923
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
PAGE.S
W"
COMMENT -The Editor jIThe Better Magazines
THE TTAT
at the normial scho ls; .the girls who!
go. there, fo rever giggling and saying, -
"Gee kids, lets start a club! "; the din-
,ig room of a country hotel between f
opens in the harsh analytical mood of
the young moderns, frankly realistic,
detailistic-what you might expect of
a restrainied Babit. The surprising]
deaco'ns tall, fair son Falcon, his
neglected daughter Joan, the lonely,
stliid: and- insignificant Mrs. Brandon,
and the town gossips. .-
BETTER MAGAZIN
(Continued from Page Two
r............w.
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t
James Branch Cabell is .one of the persons who has had the experience
of being persecuted' for something that he did not do. When the good.
New York people dumped a cartload of "Jurgen" into the East river they
believed that the books would contaminate the greasy waters of hegriver.
But Gabell 'wrote nothing objectionable, it was the fever of imagination
-conjecture-that pussyfoot traitor of th-omni-innocent mind that con-
demned Jurgen".H e is a ismple, reclusive fellow who does not sees ife
as it is. H is not practical, he is chldiessly ignorant of the world, so in
his writings he creates his own images. He writes of beautiful things in a
truly beautiful fashion. James Branch Cabell has had the peculiar ex-
perience of being condemned for what he did not write.
H. L. Menchen is one of those writers who, consciously or otherwise,
spoke Dr. Coue's little verse for several years. Mencken has improved
markedly .with each attempt. Even since his recent viterpuous spleen-
venting upon the head of Professor Rankin, we note a tendency, in the
critic, to cease his playfulness and trifling.
Just how much he has improved may be judged by re-reading "A Little
Book in C. Major" one of his early labors-a cheap attempt to be cynical, a
Kresge edition of damp after dinner puns. A glance at "Predjudices;
Second Series" one of his latest books, shows that his experimenting with
the reading public bore some fruit.
George H. Doran and Co., have had the initiative to do some pioneering
in the publishing line aside from the usual backing of new books. This is
the scheme: Owing to remarks of literary critics and reviewers concerning
the questionable ethics of having the outside paper cover of each new
novel plastered with the exalted blurbs of the publishers, the above firm has
eschewed the lurid and laundatory adjectives and have confined themselves
to an unimaginative statement of facts, namely the title of the book, the
price, the author and the publishers. It is thus claimed that the public
will not be unduly influenced by the literary "line fit in front and back, all.
voolings" urging of the sponsors of the novel.
.1.LIE, .1J 11"11
NEWELL BEBOUT
The remarkable fact about The Dial cosmopolitan enough and maintains
is that it almost achieves the promise a standard of excellence fine enough
of its name. It truly is a page on to be regarded as one of the foremost,
which the signs of the times in the if not the foremost,- literary magazine
literary world are pointed out regular- of the day. It has gone mad on un-
ly and with consistent exactitude. That conventionality, to be sure, but that
it is a somewhat lopsided dial and too 1is a much better thing to go mad about,
frequently points its shadow in the than °some other things which are in-
same direction is not sufficient con-{cluded in modern publications. From
demnation to rule it out of the list of ! an unbiased and intelleotual point of
"the better magazines"; for 'all -just view modern n:agazines are quite vul-
readers of American periodicals admit gar indeed. One has only to contemp-
that a lopsided Dial is better than no late the geosipy stuff of The Book-
Dial at all and that no other monthly man, the fudge of The Atlantic Month-
can quite replace it. ly, the tiresome quips "in defense of
In the January number the editors !ionen" of The Smeart Set, and the
have re-stated their purpose and have supererogation of The Century i n
tried to elucidate the fundamental order to believe this. Personally, 1
I principles for which theystand. "We buy Vanity Fair for its "Hall of Fame"
still propose," they say, "to publish Just as I purchase Shadowland. for its
the best work we can discover without "art". We have, in truth, no highly
considering those external items--the selective paper which does not run .
age of the artist or his school or the to some prejudice or eccentricity. If
precise degree in which his form coin- you are a writer, you have already
cider with contem-poraryn tions of learned not to write for "a magazine",
what is rightt-which seem to us who- but to write specifically for The At-
hy irrelevant." slantic Monthly or The Century.
Tisr lea. tonp tihe Dial should be read in the light
of the above considerations-it is no
applausand would i ourpr Ibetter and is surely no worse than
nent favor were it not for the obvious,_ _-I- -._: __ :
,
1
meal times. All this smells and tastes thing is that somewhere along toward The character studies of the two
y..w -ll that onle desires to know, of
of what it is meant to be. - Druida her- the last section, i became aware that principlestmake an inte esting cdn-
self suffers a bit at times, owing to the the whole style had changed to the trast and are skilfuilly dort thie; currnt publications. .Oth 'r r
fact that the author .over anxious to .semi-dramatic, sentimental writing' help to brighten up the dull atntos- departments are Henry Mc)
have her appear as a conscientious aiA of the Victorian novel.. Select any phere of endless descr ptions whie [which. keps in touch with cox
consistent heroine. passage at randoi; "How moved he dominate through the 450 oa^e ; orary art, G. S.'s which informs
passge t radom "Ho n~ved ~' what is going on. in .the local ti;
Mf. Frederick's style is direct and is", thought Eugenia seeing his pale, the book. And too, one is apt to lose s
sincere; there is no hint of cheapness shaken look, "but he doesn't dare Walpole's point while wandering ndePau A new depaMuent whi
about thebook and the ending is fax!speak. . He will tomorrow of the day through the fusty old churches. But[is
from strained or forced into an un- afterward". - this atmosphere has its place and ; lecently 'been inaugurated is
happy one..The author is the editor Now, while such a phenomenon could the domination of the cathedral over
f The iland; this is his first book be called neither craftsman-like or its visitors is expressed in the words that it makes interesting ann
and is, I believe, more than a fair artistic, there-is in it something which of the half-mad painter Davray when ments about rare books, the
promise. - bears the gleam of a great hope. It he says, "This place can bide its time. shops, and the publishing hous
T s is the languishing over-sweet beauty Just when yot think that you're its The literary contributions t
cuts by Wilfred Jones. n-of the past reaching out to join hands master, it turns and stamps you out." Dial, while generally depressii
with the ugly materialism of the pre- Walpole has written fearlessly on unrestrained in tone, are exc
sent; it is the first glimmer of com- a theme not often touched in these enough to win for this publicati
ROUGtI-HIEWN, by Dorothy Canfield. nromise to appear on our literary modern times and has given us a book, title "the 100 per cent magazine'
Harcourt Brace and Company, New horizon, and if Dorothy Canfield comes not facinating but engrossing, not im- distinction came about throug
York. as such a- messenger, we are glad to agin-ative, but real. Although you O'Brien's annual short-story a
Rtwelcome "Rough-Hewn". may not get much of a thrill out "The Some of the contributors to Th
Reviewed by Doi otly Sanders. Cathedral" it is a good book. I are: W. B. Yeast, Arthur Schi
Dorothy Canfield's novel, "Rough- -- T. S. Eliot, E. E. Cummings, Ch'e
Hown", derives its title from a quota- THE TLEDRAi, by hugh WaliI. olne'sLittic Theatre for Children ang, Anatole France, Thomas J
tion which prefaces it, "There's a Doran. and Hugo von Hofmannsthal. A
divinity that shapes our ends, Rough- Reviewed by Ronald Halgrim. A "little theatre" for children which sent Thomas Man has just con
hew them how we will." It was an . Hugh Walpole in "The Cathedral" has recently been opened in Moline, a novellete called "Tristan";
unfortunate choice on Dorothy Can- has told an absorbingly dramatic story Illinois, by Mrs. Calvin Nesbit has Sherwood Anderson is running a
field's part because in tone and at- in a masterful way. He uses a great gained the attention of adults every- discussed story entitled "Many
mosphere the book does not come, up amount of detail which is revellant, where who are interested in the de- riages". With all due regard fo
to the quotation. She takes her char- but builds, slowly and inevitablely, the velopment of the young. The theatre Dial's aesthetic tastes in drawin
acters through their mildly interesting atmrphere of the little cathedral town is a remodeled garage and the actors 'in verse, suffice it to say th
lives in a leisurely, old-womanly fash- of Polchester. Walpole was raised unu--are youngsters between six and ten contribitions in these fields at
ion crying loudly of coincidence. der the shadows of a' great cathedral years of age who are virtually given worst lend vigour and variety
There is none of the brooding ma- so is excellently fitted to do the por- free rein in the interpretation o teir atn'osphere andtamuse the eye
-. . traits of life in a cathedral city. off do not charm it.
Boni and Liveright announce the adoption of a new custom; issuing an quarrel which it involves: not every- the rest of tne tings we are getting
addition to their Modern Library series on the tenth of every month. Their body will agree that what the editors I from the monthly press. The Dial has
theory is that looking forward to the monthly debut of new records and deem "the best work" really is the one distinctive feature, however, which
magazine has set a preceding worthy of consideration. A new Modern best work. This disagreement becomes should not be denied mention; namely
Library title should prove as welcome as variations of "Hot Lips".-It .especially fervent when the tan cov- its series of critical letters from the
should, but you know that it won't. ers open on pen drawings that re- various art centers of Europe. No
s*ou , y * * I semble snail paths in sand, or dis- other magazine keeps us so closely
Apropos of the "Eat and Grow Thin" publishing house, a new novel ;close poems that read like the care- in touch with the events and ideas of
is announcd by Ludwig Lewisohn. It has not. yet reached the hands of the 'less Impositions of maniacs. We he- the old world as The Dial. Every
publishers and its title is "Hearthstones", in case you wish to remember it. gin to wonder if the method of The month it prints at least two letters
!Dial is not to publish tihe most un 'from such places rs Paris, London,
P The title of Katharine Fullerton I conventional work regardless of how Prague, Germany, and Italy. Ezra
Peer ScGbit serould's new volume of stories, good it is rather than to publish the Furthermore, this magazine is noted
"ValiantDust'' recently published by best work regardless of how uncon- for its splendid criticisms and book
Death is a double fate w.hichb steals VlatDs" eetypbihd1ybs okrgrls fh' reviews. Such eminent thinkers as
D sat unknowntwime sted Charles Scribner's Sons, is drawn ventional it is. We refuse to admit,-
upon man at unknown time cand from "Much Ado About Nothing", , for example, that the signs of the Bertrand Russell, Gilbert Seldes (the
places; and not infrequently its com- j times in the art world always point managing editor), Kenneth Burke, and
ing is a tragic joke which appears to to E. E. Cumming's drawings, or Marianne Moore write reviews of the
be intentionally designed to humiliate If you have not read Jacinto Bena- sound so decadent as his "Seven niwbooks. A department entitled
mortals and to s14y''hem how im- vente's "The Smile of lona Lisa", by Poems" Briefer Mention" gives in fine pint
potent they really are all means get it and read it. ( On the other hand, The Dial is (Continued on Page Seven)
History furnishes us numerous 1
amples of strange deaths, some!o#
which, if it were not for the awful-
doom involved would be'almost hun-
orous.'Pliny the Elder in his famous ;
"Natural History" relates h o w
Aeschylus was killed by the fall of a
tortoise on the paet's bald head while i' TI' Wr" / ~ i i b-0
toltoie was being carried through;1 1I H
the air in the claws of an eagle
Again, we are told that Anacreon, that -
old reveler,. met his end by being ______
chocked on a grapestone. "It is':
ridiculous to suppose that the greu-: -
head of things whatever it be, pays
any regard to human affairs" say, LEXANDER HAMILTON dis more thinany oth-
Pliny. i er single man to establish a sonud basis for the banking -
Ledidus, otherwise k nown as Quin- e}e ft sCuty. ayo s ia~a
tus Aemilius, while going out of.his businesses of this country. Many of his financial
house one day, struck his great toe plans, too far in advafice of his own times, have but recently
ainst the thrshold, and immediath been incorporated as part of our Federal Reserve System.
ered.nonehis focuousdtouknowd
reason of -his forceful and hurried It seems unfortunate that he is not here to view the results
exit.
The story is also told of Louis VI, and benefits of his handiwork. But all great men must build,
that while he was taking his daily ih he he ls illn
jaunt through the town, a pig ran be- in large measure, for atime that they themselves w never see
tween the legs of his horse. cau'sing That is where you and I have it over the geniuses. Through.
the horse to stumble and fall, which
resulted in the king's death. the medium of a savings account we can build or the uture
Perhaps the most bitter and iron- and at' t e same time live to enjoy the fruits of our savings. 2
ical of aill strange deaths, however,!=
was that Chaeas, hswyer. This bank offers to you a service that Hamilton, for all his :.
was that Chalchas, a soothsayer. j
Chalchais predicted the exact hour of genius in inancial matters, could not secure in Colonial times.
his decease; but when that hour pass- gm
ed, he laughed himself to death at 12_2
the thought of having outlived his
fate. .r __
N.B.
The history of a famous family and,=-
its seat, "Knole and the Sackvilles", The Ann Arbor Savings Bank
by V. Sackville-West, is to be followed
by publication of Miss Sackville- 2: "The Bank of Friendly Serkice"
West's "The Heir and Other Stories" 2-
and a novel of quite extraordinary ;.Resources $5,600,000 TwO Offices
interest in view of what is going on
iu greece today. The novel is called
"Challenge". - V. Sackville-West re- =
membered by those who care for flee-: ---
ly artistic work as-.the author of a
hovel, "Heritage", published several o
years ago. I -gg 111 9 1 1{1 1 1 1 1
jesty, the inexor ab.le grimness and the
sweeping statliness of Fate. Any elo-
ment of breathless expectancy, that
color so important to destiny, is lost in
a poorly maintained suspense which
keeps the reader wondering when the
two life paths will meet as they must
since it is a book illustrating the
quotation. The author only begins to
find her stride after about the first fifty
pages; "But look here, Molly, there
- is something in the air, here (France)
by heck, and I wish you'd get it.. I!
mean the way every one in this coun-
try keeps right after what he's doing,j
till he's got it just right". Developing
such a theme, Dorothy Canfield is in
her element and fairly competent to
proceed.
The story opens in the early nine-
ties with Neal Crittenden, a healthy,
ball-playing, fighting boy, growing up
in an idyllic home under the watchful
eyes of his mutually devoted Parents-.
Marise Allen is a rather introspective
child whcie shallow litte mother and
large indifferent father have taken
her to grow up in the European cul-
ture of France. Neal goes to Colum-
bia University across the r'ier from
his home, succumbs to nothing dam-
ming, plays football and graduates
into the lumber business. He becomesl
engaged to Martha. It is an intellec-
tual attachment purely. This is re-
cogni-sed in time by the young people,
and they separate. Neal loses his
absorbtion in business and drifts aim-
lessly to a' little pension in Rome.
Here he meets Maise who is studying
music under a great master. Her life
has been one of excellent instruction,
great spiritual loneliness, and a cruel
miscomnception of life which lies aboutj
her in a jumble of disillusionment.
Neal loves her, woos her, re-illusions
her, and they go to dwell in the smallj
New England town where she lived
as a little girl and where he has
inherited a mill. Charming, you see,
and with great possibilities.4
Dorothy Canfield has used these,
too, effectively. On them she hangs
much that is palatable in philosophical
observations, much that is apt in crit-
icism of American institutions, and
much that shows, by way of contrast
how sweet. and broad, and -clean, our
American life really is.
In developing'ber characters, Doro-
thy Canfield is not always consistent
Neal becomes a -quiet, self-contained,
self-mastered an4 masterful young
~.an. He is strong and he "fights to
win". Then all at once he finds het
does not love Martha. He loses her
and out goes all his strength and his
glorious ambition. He takes his say-
ings and drifts-his career ruined be-
cause he hasn't-the woman he did not
want.. The real interest in thisTO
want.
The real interest in' this novel, and
its value, lie in a curious piece of
trickery, consciors or . no, I can not
say, on -the part -of -the -author.- it
both good and ill among the church!IAt the first meeting the children are
pheoples, of the breach 'between laity given their lines and shown their3
and clergy, of people with twisted stage positions, just to give them an
naturys; , l these he hasp ainted in idea of who they are and what theyI
living characters struggling against are to do. From then on the "actors",f
fate, with exquisite word pictures as ;are permitted to develope their char-f
a background. s acters. As far as feasible they chooser
their own plays and their own parts.
The, best character is Archdeacon iThe first play produced, "Puddin'
Brandon, a tall, fair, Viking type of a Lane" cost the theatre but twenty -
man, whose child-like simplicity in its! cents and drew an audience of about
self is only rivaled by his faith in seventy persons.s
God. Walpole says, "lie was not con-1
ceited at all-he simply regarded him-
self as a completely exceptional per- ; Our weekly tips include the -veryv
son. . . . God has seen fit (in a mo- long chapter on travel and sport in the
ment of boredom, -)erha ps, at the first volume of the Earl of Dunraven's
number of misshapen human beings "Past Times and Pastimes."
she was forced to create to. fling into
the world, for once, a truly fine speci-
men, fine in body, fine in soul, fine in
intellect".
The archdeacon is undisputed regent
of the parish until the introduction
of Canon Ronder. Ronder is ambi-
tious, clever in intrigue and a keen
thinker. One misfortune after an- Make yo
other follows Brandon in his struggl!
for supremacy with the ingeneous
Ronder. After his own home is broken,
by tragedy and scandal, through fail--
ure and disappointment, fate gets the Tuttle
better of the man and "Blrandon might
have all his days the odd, muttering, 338 Maynard
eye-wandering figure that he now ap-
peared."
Other characters are the Arch-
With.the January issue, Th
begins its seventh volume and
year as a journal of art and
It doe- not cl-aim to have reache
fection in this brief time; but it
feel proud of the distinction i
holds in its field of work. It h:
been acclaimed by the American
ing public as a whole, perhaps b
it is still regarded as a little to
found and a little too literary.
dame time, it is safe to say tha
is no stronger critical force, no
votary of contemporary excellen
no more daring publisher of th
and thoughtful in our country
than The Dial.
May Be a Habit!
ur Lunches a pleasure
by eating at
's Lunch Room
St. South of Majestic
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Now we ask you
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WHAT COULD BE FINER
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