Ottawa Journal/May 16, 1922/Literary Notes
LITERARY NOTES.
Several New Books Come Forth This Month—Tributes to the Late Marjorie Pickthall—South Seas Supplanted by China Sea.
The meeting of the Canadian Authors' Association in Ottawa recently brought many literary lights of the Dominion from all quarters. Prominent among the well-known writers at the convention was Mr. Hopkins Moorehouse, author of the latest Canadian mystery novel, "The Gauntlet of Alceste." It is an interesting fact that this novel made its appearance first in Canada and has only since the third of this month been placed for sale on the stands in the United States, Mr. Moorehouse is making a trip to New York, following the convention, to conclude negotiations with the Famous Players-Laskey Company in connection with the filming of "The Gauntlet of Alceste" and his previous Canadian novel, "Every Man for Himself."
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Canada's Own Counterparts.
At last Canada is to have her own "Huck Finn" and Tom Brown." Counterparts of both characters have been discovered in a Canadian school story called "The Avenging Terrors," laid about the Lakefield Preparatory School, Ontario, by Gordon Hill Grahame. It will be published next spring by Messrs. Hodder & Stoughton, Limited. Mr. Grahame is well known to Canadians as one of the outstanding heroes of the World War, an some astounding athletic feats during his pre-war days. During the period of his life when he held the position of Junior Master at Lakefield Preparatory, he absorbed material for this Canadian Juvenile, which is believed will be the "rage" of the season. The entire attendance and alumni of Lakefield, as well as Grahame's colleagues at Trinity College, Port Hope, are reported as "on their toes" awaiting this chronicle of school life.
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To Marjorie Pickthall.
The passing of Miss Marjorie Pickthall, the Canadian authoress, whose death on April 19 cut short one of the most brilliant careersm is mourned in all corners of the Dominion. A few of the appreciations in verse and prose which have appeared in her memory are reproduced below.
The following poem, signed Alfred Gordon, was attached to the wreath of white flowers sent by the Montreal branch of the Canadian Authors' Association, in memory of Miss Marjorie Pickthall:
Out of the snows of the north,
Over the frozen streams,
A voice from the south sprang forth
Filled full of music and dreams.
With calm not of langour and sighing,
From passion drained dry to the lees,
But so as a brid in its flying
Takes rest on the breast of the seas.
Though the songs sing of peace like charmed water,
Through they cling onto love like a vine,
Yet the southland had not thee for daughter,
But half her portion is thine.
Only her flowers hast thou taken,
Her breeze and her whispering streams,
Till the ears of the northland awakened
To music, her eyes into dreams.
Her heart with the songs thou hast broken,
With quiet and peace she is dressed,
Austere, yet she sets for a token
A rose on the snows of her breast.
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Marjorie L. C. Pickthall.
Sweet bard, of finished touch and fluting song,
Thou go'st the thrall of sunsets, ruby twined,
With draping clouds, a homing place to find
Amid the skies which beckon thee along
To peaceful mansions in their stellar throng,
Death's "Drift of Pinions" through the tidal dawn
Of stars dost strum thy lyre with songs love-drawn
Of souls long brok'n apart as snaps a thong.
Fond mother with thy music in her hand,
Doth meet thee now upon a star-beamed strand;
Thy sister poet, mystic choir of kings
Doth croon thy trail with "Song her Paddle Sings;"
Thy duneful "Bega" high o'er spiral mist,
Aye greets thee "wreathed in rose and amethyst."
Wilmot B. Lane
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Rupert Hughes' Picture.
What Rupert Hughes, the novelist, has found out about true conditions in Hollywood is chartered for public consumption when his latest book, "Souls For Sale," will be placed on the stands, Hughes has been loving for the past number of years among the confirmed "movie" circles in connection with the filming of his own work, and has amassed some interesting information on the "inside."
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Advent of Parallel.
One of the most important book announcements of hte year, outside of fiction, is made by Messrs. Hodder & Stoughton, the publishers of religious books. This fall they will bring out a Parallel New Testament, giving the authorized version in a left hand column, and James Moffatt's translation at the right. This modern English translation, running side by side with the literal version is a splendid innovation.
At the beginning of St. Mark, for instance, in place of the old: "And He said unto them, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you' . . ." we find if we choose, Moffatt's interpretation; "I tel you truly," he said unto them." This is a noteworthy change of Biblical form and will be eagerly welcomed by thousands of Canadian Bible students.
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Sount Seas Supplanted.
The spell of the South Seas seem to have been transferred. This year's tropical book sensation is a novel called "Coomer Ali," by one S. B. Hurst, who will admit no further information concerning his personality than that he was "born a combination of pirate and philosopher"—and that now he has settled down at forty-six to contemplate it all, "the pirate is dead."
At eighteen he was the second mate of a five thousand ton ship—and had circled the globe several times—when he decided to leave the sea to be near a library! But at Yokahama, he took opium in the little toy-like house of Okiko San, and woke up to find himself shanghaied and on the way to Seattle, Washington. So he was forced to sea again, and we are grateful to Okiko San for sending him there—for this book of his is a remarkable reflection of that vivid colorful world which he has traversed so often—the water-ways between Calcutta and Shanghai. The publishers announce "Coomer Ali" as the first in a series to follow by the same author. (Hodder & Stoughton, Limited.)
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New Novel by Baroness Orczy.
Lovers of the inimitable romances from the pen of the creator of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" will welcome the announcement that another novel of the eighteenth century, "Nicolette" will be published this spring in Canada by Messrs. Hodder & Stoughton.