Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 156, June 18, 1919 by Various
V >>
Various >> Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 156, June 18, 1919
* * * * *
Whenever I finish a book by Mr. S.P.B. MAIS I am left with the feeling
that he has only to enlarge his horizon to write something worth reading
and remembering. If _The Education of a Philanderer_ (GRANT RICHARDS)
had been written, by an unknown man I should have welcomed it as work of
great promise. But the trouble with Mr. MAIS is that he seems to find it
perilously easy to write about young school-masters who fall in and
out of love with facility and who are financially at their wits' end.
_Rupert Blundell_, the philanderer, described here, is a clear and
clever picture of a young man who loved where he listed and listed quite
a lot. As far as he goes he can be visualized perfectly both at Oxford
and as a schoolmaster. But he does not go far enough and he belongs to a
type of which one can easily tire. Mr. MAIS is not so callow as he once
was in his judgement of people mentally distasteful to him, but he still
needs a wider outlook on life and a wider knowledge, and I sincerely
hope that he will take steps to remove the limitations which at present
prevent him from giving entire satisfaction to his admirers.
* * * * *
[Illustration: _Critic (writing a review during a hot spell)._ "TO SPEAK
CANDIDLY, THIS BOOK LEAVES US COLD."]
* * * * *
"THE LOST LEADER."
[In this new play, at the Court Theatre, PARNELL is represented as
having survived his own death.]
_Parnell_ at the Court sings the very same tune
As the sluggard of old--"You have waked me too soon."
* * * * *
"If, out of hand, one were asked who, now living, knows most about
the Brontes in a personal way, the answer would probably be, Lord
Crewe."--_The Book Monthly_.
We understand that on the question being put to the Editor of _The
Sphere_ his answer was Shorter still.