In - "Garden Construction," (Odhams Id., 15/-), Mr. T. G. W. Henslow, who has already given us an admirable encyclopedia of the rose, summarizes the best that has previously been written about garden-making. He gives descriptions and advice concerning the rose-garden, bulb-garden, rock-garden, fern-garden, roof-garden, with the intermingled delights of the herbaceous border and the hardy (and other) annuals.- The language is wisely simple and direct.
5 os Miss G. M. Godden, well known as a competent writer upon Italian politics, is just about to issue through Messrs. Burng and Oates a monograph upon the life and policy of Signor Mussolini, based upon unique personal information. It describes the rise of Fascismo, its conflict with the Communists, and the development of its influence in Italy. Signor Mussolini himself supplies a preface.
The 8.P.C.K. recently published a new and striking discussion of the survival of personality after death from the pen of Mr. F. Attficld Fawkes. It is a layman's book writen by a layman, but the Bishop of St. Edmundsbury and_ Ipswich lends his authority to its recommendation.
Much has been written of the obstacles that are placed in the way of the young author by the high cost of paper, printing, and composition. But there are compensations. It is difficult, unquestionably, for an unknown writer to obtain a hearing. But his book when it has been accepted stands a better chance now, because of these very difficult ies than it would have before the war. Not many first novels are published nowadays, but those that are published are usually of a high literary quality otherwise the publisher would not have been prepared to risk his capital on it, and the public have consequently come to regard the announcement of "A first novel" as a proof of quality. Certainly high things are hoped of a first novel entitled "Seed Time and Harvest," -by Arthur Thrush. It is a long book, of very nearly 400 pages. A length calculated to alarm any publisher who had not a firm belief in the story's quality.
Mr. E. S. P. Haynes, the weHknown solicitor, is rapidly winning a large reputation as a didactic writer. He is & prominent advocate of divorce reform, and has written vigorously on personal liberty. His new book, which Grant Richards hag just published, is characteristically entitled "The Enemies of Liberty." Mr. Haynes, as befits his calling, has a strong belief in the rights of property. Property and the consequent privilege of service are in his opinion most salutary bridles on human conduct, and he delivers many shrewd blows at the Communists. His best chapter is perhaps, however, the one on Prohibition, and in an appendix that admirable writer, Mr. A. P. Herbert, writes an account of his experiences in America. ye Mr. W. L. George has made in more than one of his novels a study of the primitive human instincts that underlie the veneer of education and environment. In "The Confession of Ursula Trent'' he showed hhow a well-bred girl of county family became through the influence of vircunmsiwa a demimondaine. In his new novel, "One of the Guilty," which Chapman and Hall announce for the early autumn, he promises to show how a public schoolboy can become criminal. Mr. George has made for this book a special study of the methods and implements of burglary, and his publishers assert that the life of a thief, of a successful thief, has never before been presented so graphically, dramatically, and intimately.
The Oxford University Press has just published two series of choral songs, for choirs and singing classes. The list of composers of modern songs contains the names of Frank Bridge, Sir Charles V. Stanford, Gerrard Williams, Peter Warlock, Armstrong Gibbs, and others, and the whole series is edited by Dr. W. G. Whittaker, of Newcastle-on-Tyne. The series of choral songs from the old masters includes songs by Dowland, Ford, Rosseter, Campion, and others of the English lutanists; a cantata arranged by Dr. Whittaker from airs and duets by Purcell (with new words by Charles Williams); and airs from Handel, for some of which Clifford Bax has written words.
The "Father of Musick," William Byrd, died on July 4, 1623, but there is no book about him and his compositions. Dr. Edmund H. Fellowes has now written a short account of Byrd's life and works, which the Oxford University Press is about to publish.
The lists in this little book, which Dr. Fellows does not claim are complete, show that more than 500 of Byrd's compositions are known to exist.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.