s
Books and the Book World of The Sun, October 5, 1919.
"The Wings of Desire"
"A World of Windows"
She has written a novel, "The Wings of Desire."
Hergesheimer like it.
IT GEOWS more and more difficult :w
rar novelists increase in artistry, -to
decide whether they are seriously at
tempting vivisections of Life Itself or
basely considering the demands of' their
market Rita Wellruan's The Wings of
Desire is a case in point In the good old
days of Roderick Random and Tom Jones
desire had no need of winps. But Roger
Betton, Miss Wellman's hero, is brought
by his mother to the ripe age of twenty
ve without a single boyish impulse or
masculine experience, and needs them
badly. At that age he is a "soul" thrilling
a1 every touch of the Beautiful (highly
Capitalized), and revolted by the first
obviously ma'e man he meets, though a
perverse BUruu.on to this Kennard drags
Roger behind his bete noir to New York.
Then and there the fat was precipitated
into tho fire. Roger almost suffocated in
the subway from disgust, he despised all
"New York with perfect contemning. But
he meets Zeta in time to prevent him from
returning to the rarefied atmosphere of his
mother's home, where no story could have
been brought to blossom throngh total ab
sence of sunlight and oxygen.
Left in the crude metropolitan environ
ment, the talc develops many blossoms,
YELLOWLEAF
By Sccha Gregory
An Artistic Novel by a
well known Author
writing under a nom
dc plume.
An unusual work of fiction, with
memorable characters and a
rare setting of modern London
social life. This novel, which
shows culture and wide experi
ence of the world, upholds the
finest traditions of the Gals-worthy-Bennett-Walpole
school
of modern English novelists.
Yellowleaf, the London home of
the Dampicrre family, is the
beautiful setting. A famous
musician, Aghassy, brings storm
and tragedy into the life of the
widowed Lily, daughter-in-law of
wise old Lady Mary, but the
lattcr's brave strategy brings hap
piness out of chaos.
S1.50 Xet.
AT ALL BOOKSTORES
J. B. LIPPINCOTT CO.
A CLERGYMAN'S opiniop of Wells's
fictional discovery of God is al
ways interesting, and particularly so when
the clergyman is Dr. S. Parkcs Cadinan.
Of The Undying Fire (Macmillan) he '
mys: "It should be read by those who de
fire a closer acquaintance with the prob
lems which have engaged the Best minds
from tho first I especially commend it to
ministers and students of religious and
' ethical questions. There is in it the stuff
of a thousand . homilies and none needs
to be trite or commonplace."
CHARLES HANSON TOWNE is a
bit' tcary round the lashes as ho
tudics A "World of Windows behind his
comfortable home. His publisher invites
us to a view of every day life through a
poet's eyes. There is no doubt aboutJJr.
Tonne's eyes being satisfactory in this
regard. Who but a poet could find tima
and tender inclination, to watch for "a
whole long night" a thinly clad girl weep
ing above a faded photograph?
Many of the poems deal with war topics
and these especially arc familiar to maga
zine readers, but the standard inspiration
of April hungers and heart breaking
loveliness h not lacking, and in these ways
of beauty Mr. Towne moves with natural
and accustomed grace. His insight into
emotions, elemental and complex, is re
vealed with simple comprehensiveness in
poems with themes as generally applicable
as this sketch of The Messenger Boy:
"When he goes -whistling down the street
His eyes are young and young his feet
He does not know the words that stand
Like rows of flame within his hand.
He casually rings the bell
Of 42 where all is well,
And waits there in the vestibule,
Whcro it is hushed and clean and cool;
A careless lad who does not ucsa
The words he brings bring emptiness,
Bring sorrow and engulfing tears,
And change the smooth march of the
years.
Tho door is opened. Nevermore
Will one pass through that friendly door.
. White fingers tear the envelope,
White fingers through the message grope.
There is a cry, a sound of feet .
A boy goes whistling down the street"
Hear, too, how finely the diapason is
handled in A Prayer for the Old Courage.
"Btave soldier of the spirit, guard ye well
Mountain and fort and massive citadel;
But keep yo white forever keep ye whole
The battlements of dreams within ttha
soull"
A WORLD OF WINDOWS. By Ciiamjm
Hanson Towxe. George H. Doran Company.
IN his book Artcraft Evan John David,
editor of Flying, winds up by sug
gesting: "With tho coming of rapid air
intercommunication it is conceivable that
foggy and damp countries like the British
Islc3 may bo abandoned save by tho
workers of minerals as living and manu
facturing places for more beautiful and
delightful climates, such as' France and
Spain. Indeed, the pleasantly located
gardens and plateaus of the' world like
the one in Mexico, for instance may bo
tho favorite dwelling places of the peo
ples of tho world when all the fruits and
goods of the earth can bo aerially trans-
ported to such places in a matter of
hours."
AN English reviewer recently be
moaned the fact that since Cham
bers's Tlie Younger Set and The Danger
Mark, there were no more stories of New
York society "using the word infts
sporting sense." Alfred A. Knopf liai
come to bat with The Sinister Bevel, by
Lillian Barrett, which he thinks will fill
this void in the English reviewer. What
we want to know is, why should any one
bemoan a cessation of Tottnger Stts and
Danger Market
Both Dreiser ant!
each of a distinct species. Zeta, a sort of
aight blooming cereus; Grecnie, a gay
dandelion; Marion, a shy anemone; Dolly
Crane, primrose; Mary Hill, of the orchid
family, and Mildred Knox, a brilliant yel
low chrysanthemum, comprise Roger's
bouquet, at least the central cluster. There
is no need to mention the smilax and
wrapping paper of the nosegay. Eacli
either is offered Roger's allegiance or
offers hers, and Roger, being a remark
ably catholic florist, is more or less com
plicated with all.
These tributes must be justified some
how and Roger does so by painting a pic
ture which we judge from results, must
have been own sister to Miss September
Morn. He paints other things of lesser
note and has remarkably beautiful eyes
and a tall graceful figure, modeled we
imagine on the lines of The Praying Boy.
The fact that he ended in Japan as con
vert to Shintoism and never could leam to
play or enjoy golf decently will give per
haps a thumbnail impression of his char
acter. There is a certain suggestion in the plot
of the story and its philosophy of Maug-.
ham's Moon and Sixpence. It lacks the
fine drawn austerity of the Strickland
story, but Roger Betton has flashes of
Strickland's ruthless selfishness, the same
fanatical devotion to the need of artistic
self expression. Let nothing that wc
have said give the impression that Un
hook is not interesting. However often
moralists and realists may explode Bohe
mia, it still survives. It is a highly neces
sary playground for the imagination.
THE WINGS OP DESIRE. By Kita Wdj,
hax. Moffat, Yard & Co.
New Poems by Amy Jewell
PICTURES OF THE
FLOATING WORLD
A new collection of highly original and beautiful poems by
one who has already writtea some of the best contemporary
English poetry. Here are short poems done in the manner of
the vivid Japanese hoJcku, love poems, poems of nature and of
war, as well as a brilliant group of fantastic epigrams. It is
a book full of variety and enchantment, revealing the new
spirit in American poetry. ?1.50.
Otlier Books by Amy Lowell
Can Grande's Castle $i.$o Men, Women and Ghosts Si.$o
Swoio Blades and Poppy,Seed $1.50 Tendencies in Modern Ameri-
A Dome of Many-Coloured can Poetrt. Illustrated. $2.50
Glass 1.50 Six FxenciT Poets. Illustrated $2.50
"Not since lie Elizabethans hu such a mastery of words been readied in EngfliV
- THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
Publishers.
NEW YORK
THE
TH
OWNER OF
5 LAZY D.
By William Patterson White
"When cne takes up a Wild West story one wants
adventure, plenty of fitting, a little love making, but
especially the wild, lawless West. Mr. White
understands this and has given his readers the real thing."
"Dal Glmore. although his identity is revealed only
at the end of the story, is as fns a specimen of manly
courage and ncbilily as can be found in the literature of
the West"
"Mr. White has produced the most stirring Wild
West story that has been published for many a year."
Piiladclph'a Pahlic Ledger.
FOURTH PRINTING ALREADY
$1.60 net. At All Booksellers.
LITTLE, BROWN & CO., Publishers, Boston
BEN AMES WILLIAMS, who did a
good strong joh in All the Brothers
Were Valiant, is out with another sea
story, published by Maemillnn, TUe Sea
Bride.
RARE
ROOKS
We have just opened 63 cases of rare books gathered in England
last summer by our representatives. More are on the way. The
Collection includes:
Books in Parts; Poetry; Sporting Books and Relics; Rare
Items in Original Covers; Books on Collecting; Orni
thology; Botany; Cook Books; First Editions, Prominent
Modern Authors; Contemporary Bindings; Library Sets,
A CATALOGUE is being prepared and will be sent on applica
tion. Collectors and owners of private libraries will be fully re
warded for an immediate visit by this display of choice and un
usual items.
BUTTON'S Rare Book Room
681 Fifth Ave.
"Ncu York.