Faksimile

Text

Wechenahnerncheh manganechacen
the business—well, if the ending be cynically
abrupt, it is wholly artistic. Miss Naomi
Royde-Smith is rather more conventional with
her psychic affair, but the editress herself is
disconcertingly unusual. Mr. William Ger¬
nandi has a curious sketch of a dving woman,
Mr. L. P. Hartley is ghostly, Mr. L. A. G.
Strong charmingly domestic (in the modern
way), and Mr. Evelyn Waugh exceedingly
droll.
The fare, indeed, is good—more
cavaire, of course, than roast beef—and may
be read at a sitting.
Schnitzler has achieved an international
reputation, but I confess that I have rarely
found him very much tolmp-taste. There is,
I admit, a fine and authentic line to his por¬
traits, but they are so seldom likeable por¬
traits. I am sure that his psychology
will
satisfy the experts, but it is so often the kind
which belongs properly to the medical
manuals. At the same time, he can devise
the most subtle drama, and has made one or
two technical experiments of very great
interest.
nthis sumpinously produced translation
of one of his shorter stories—very well trans¬
lated by F. H. Lyon and Eric Sutton—he is,
I suppose, to be seen at his best.—The story
itself is dismat— pretty girl is asked to
stave off her father’s ruin in the usual way.
4 rich and titled art dealer will provide-the
necessary money
1f—
And Schnitzler
—.
shows us Else’s thoughts as she is trying to
make up her mind to do what is required of
her. The poor girl works herself up into a
state of hysteria and finally poisons herself,
and it says much for the author’s ingenuity
that the reader can put the book down with¬
out being hopelessly depressed.
The book is expensive; but it is issued in a
limited edition.
It is also illustrated by
Donia Nachshen, who has her own ideas as to
what an illustration should be. I should have
preferred these weird drawings in mono¬
chrome, but it may be that I am no judge of
such things.
*
The anonymous author of“ Ex-Wife“ is
certainly outspoken. Twenty-five years ago
her account of a wife who, on being“ de¬
serted?’ by her husband, sets about drowning
her sorrows by having what is knawn as a
good time would have caused a sensation.
This Patricia of New York follows an old
masculine precedent, becomes the rather wild
bachelor girl, has her good time, is called
on to pay some sort of price when she falls in
love for the second time, and finally settles
down in what scems to be comparative peace.
The book is no piece of literature, but it is
really interesting. It reads like a slice of
genuine autobiography. Also it embraces a
moving story. Its portraits are clear-cut. The
opening is a little confused, but soon enough
sthe w#ter is in her stride. Iread it with
considfräble enjovment, more particularly the
later chapters. Tie ice is thin, but it beurs.
The language of course is American, but with
almost every einema playing Berlitz these
dayäthat hardly matters.
*
*
Mr. Ford is also occupied with a girl who
has everv intention of enjoying a good time.
He might well have devised a pleasanter
story. If the American Patricia is a good
sort, the English and slum-begotten Marv
French thinks onlv of herself.
She
18
adopted'' zuccessfully by a Knightsbridge
tradesman and an elderly doctor with too
much money, a passion for drink, and one of
those ostensibly devoted but in reality schem¬
ing valets who sc often and so unacconnt¬
ably manage to be mentioned most advan
tageously in their masters’ wills. And Mary’s
whole career is drab, about as drab as it very
well could be. In her case, too,“ once in
Mayfair“ does not mean“ always in May¬
fair.“ She drifts out of it in much the same
way as she entered its comfortable portals.
A depressing story, then, but told in a
commendably direct if old-fashioned way.
Mr. Ford would probably do better to allow
a little more satire to creep into his work.
He has a shrewd and unsentimental mind, and
he can use his eyes.
Tperr-OF GIANTs.
###eminds and Philip Francis.“, By
1
Vi
t
7
a
31. Fraeulein Else
box 5/3
W
NOVELS AND STORIES BY
ARTIICR SCIINTTZLER
A writer for the civilised“

The attempt to present fairly to the British publicthe deft, sophisti¬
cated work of a man who is not only the mouthpiece of centuries of
Viennese culture, but one of the greatest masters of style and charac¬
terisation now alive, has made a certain progress.
There are now published two editions de luge with illustrations, and
two volumes in ordinary novel form. More will follow.
S
FRAULEIN ELSE
With illustrations in colour by
Donia Nachshen
Limited to 1,000 copies.
31s. Od. net
Fräulein Eise can only be deseribed as
dramatie soliloquy.
a
t tells in her
own words the spiritual tragedy of a
voung girl of good family whose father is
suddenly in trouble for frand, and can
only be saved bythe immediate obtaining
of thirty thousand gulden.
Eise 18 staying in a large summer hotel
in the mountains. Can she sell herself to
one or other of her rich, but casual
admirers? The emotions, miseries and
excitements of a voung girl caught in the
most cruel of dilemmas supply Arthur
Schnitzler with perfect material for the
exercise of his shrewd, well-mannered
genius.
The illustrations of this edition all carry
twoor more colours, have been designed in
erfect proportion to thetext, and go to
more beautiful.
RHAPSODY
With illustrations in colour and in black-and-white by
Donia Nachshen
Limited to 1,000 copies. 258. net
Nem Statesman: Rhapsody is a symbolic rather than an allegoric tale: and Miss
Nachshen's illustrations convey with skill. delicacy and an occasional rather sur¬
prising power the charm of the story. The book is beautifully produced.
Illustrated London Neis: There are touches of eroticism in Khapsody. Nor is
the erotic element neglected in the drawings.
There is a quality about the
* * *
writing which denotes mastery of style and tersely vivid narrative.
RHAPSODY was one ofthe Fifty Most Beautilul Books of the
*
Tear’ chosen bythe Committee ofthe First Edition Club and
exhibited during the summer of 1020.