4 THE BOOK TABLE (Continued) parlor Socialists; they are Little Groups of Serious Thinkers, who pride themselves on being open-minded, not having discovered the inconvenience of having minds open at both ends. The Imaginary Invalid to-day is a morbid student of psychoanalysis making a Freudulent collection of his own complexes. And Tartuffe? Well, our Tartuffes do not masquerade as religious bigots; rather are they moral reformers, damning the sins they have no mind to, reformers for revenue only, as dangerous to the public welfare to-day as was Tartuffe in his time. What is Scapin but a "proof before letters" of the chief figure in our crook plays? What is the unscrupulous valet who befools Monsieur de Pourceaugnac but the first edition of our confidence operator, our bunco-steerer-if I may venture to employ these unsavory neologisms? My sole excuse for this lapse from linguistic propriety is that I want to emphasize the fact that Molière is our contemporary, after all-that he is quite up to date two centuries and a half after his death. Molière is important to us here in America, not only because of the pleasure and the profit we can find in the performance of his plays and in their perusal if we are denied the benefit of seeing them acted, he is important to us not only because he is the master of modern comedy, but also because he is the chief figure in French literature, because he united in himself certain of the chief characteristics of that literature, its dramatic ingenuity and its abhorrence of affectation, its relish for the te concrete and its social instinct. It is good for us to see these characteristics in action; and the lesson Molière has for us transcends the limitations of &literature. While there may be a more soaring imagination, a more easily released energy, in English literature in both its branches, British and American, 2 than there is in French literature, there is a far less persistent application of the reasoning powers, a less free play of the intelligence, less sobriety and less sanity, more extravagance and more exuberance. The French inherited from the classics a sense of form, a desire for dunity of tone, for harmony of color, for "logic in structure, and for lucidity in style. If Carlyle and Ruskin and Whitman had sat at the feet of the masters of French literature, they would have been less impatient of authority, less flagrantly individualistic, less rhetorically riotous. Though they might have lost a little, they would have gained much. Nisard knew his countrymen when he asserted that in France "reason, which is the common bond of all men, is more highly esteemed than imagination, which disperses them and isolates them." Here in America we are not likely Never to forget the indebtedness we are N under to France for coming to our rescue in our hour of reed nearly a century and a half ago; that debt is a debt of honor, and it is not outlawed by time.. Nor can we fail to remember that it BICYCLES Happy, restful days (THE BOOK TABLE-Continued) was a Frenchman, Rousseau, who inspired the superb eloquence of the Declaration of Independence, and that it was another Frenchman, Montesquieu, whose political sagacity guided the makers of our Constitution. The tie that binds us to France is twisted of many strands of many colors, but we have reason to believe that it is strong enough to withstand any strain that may be put upon it. Do away with costly insect pests- Kornilov, Kolchak, Denikin-all those Why not write to Mr. Dodson? He will gladly tell you how to rid your grounds of costly insect pests by attracting the birds. Years of loving study have perfected Dodson Bird Houses. A regard for little details, even ventilation, determines whether birds will occupy a house. And amid the modern devastation of nature, the little birds need homes made for them. Hang one of these quaint houses from a limb, tack one to a tree, put one up on a post! They will attract the birds. JOSEPH H. DODSON 756 Harrison Avenue Kankakee, Illinois who tried to prevent or crush the Revolution-impaled on the long lance of a Red Army horseman. The jacket appropriately covers a lurid book, for the lurid story is illustrated by lurid poster reproductions in color as well as by The author went many photographs. "through the Russian Revolution" as correspondent and participant. We see the vivid drama through his wide-open eyes, though we are totally unable to agree with his pro-Soviet prejudices. It is nevertheless interesting and instructive to note his summary of the results of the Revolution; among them are the following: "It has destroyed the apparatus of Czarism. [The author omits to state that it has but replaced one Czarism by another and more terrible kind.] "It has transferred the great estates of the crown, the landlords, and the monastic orders into the hands of the people. "It has nationalized the basic industries and begun the electrification of Russia. "It has fenced off Russia from the unlimited exploitation of freebooting capitalists. "It has brought into the Soviets a million workers and peasants and given them direct experience in government. "It has organized eight million workers into trade unions. "It has taught forty million peasants to read and write." WITH THE RUSSIAN ARMY. By MajorGeneral Sir Alfred Knox. Illustrated. In two vols. E. P. Dutton & Co., New York. $15. These volumes are valuable to those who wish to read in detail of the recent war on the Russian front. Certainly the author enjoyed large opportunity for observation. Previous to the war he was military attaché at Petrograd, and was at the front for three and a half years. Especial interest attaches to his description of the fighting in 1916, the text containing many hitherto unpublished details of Brusilov's offensive. The author also describes the political unrest preceding the Revolution, and gives an eye-witness's account of the Revolution itself. HISTORY AND POLITICAL ECONOMY An Harcourt, Tested by quantitative analysis, this is a great book. It is two inches thick; it contains five hundred and seventyseven pages; and it is written, not by one, but by thirty authors. Qualitative analysis leaves a trifling residuum. These thirty writers, mostly of what Don Marquis happily calls the younger group of serious thinkers, are no doubt sincere and earnest in their opinion that American Art, Music, Literature, Law, Education, Economics, etc., etc., etc., are hopelessly vulgar and that civilization in this country is "grotesque, starved, and spiritually povertystricken;" but is American civilization greatly in need of new opinions just now? Henry Ford is chock-full of opinions, so is Edison, so is Senator Borah, so is William Jennings Bryan. Our own notion is that what American civilization needs most to-day is, not opinions, but coal and coats, potatoes and housing. We venture to add this economic thought to the symposium of these thirty young American thinkers. Let them stop-at least temporarily-thinking up opinions to write about, and turn their attention to producing food and clothing. It will do them good to work with their hands, and will give their anxious minds a rest. Moreover, they may produce something that the public will buy. It is not likely to buy their book. Plan your vacation on Everywhere West-to America's Vacation You will like Burlington service, considerate Vacation costs are down Your vacation money this year will buy much Your local agent will tell you about Burling- Burlington The National Park Line P. S. EUSTIS YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK A HANDFUL OF STARS By F. W. Boreham The author appropriates the title of this book from Caliban, who cries out, "O God, if you wish for our love, fling us a handful of stars." And these "stars" are gathered together to make a companion to his volume entitled "A Bunch of Everlastings." Price, net, $1.75, postpaid. THE OPEN FIRE By William Valentine Kelley This group of charming and gripping essays constitutes one of the rich and scholarly contributions of William Valentine Kelley to some of the vital discussions of this generation. Price, net, $2.00, postpaid. RELIGION AS EXPERIENCE By John Wright Buckham The chapters that make up this group of addresses and articles have their rootage in one central theme, that of religion as a personal experience. They are an expansion and explanation of the declaration of the author that "the deeper thought of our time is turning away from religion as a dogma, as sentiment, as theory, as ethics, to religion as experience." Price, net, $1.00, postpaid. WITH EARTH AND SKY By Bishop William A. Quayle These essays are full of the mystery of the recurring seasons, and of the ineffable glory of flower and field, of mountain, meadow, river and prairie, of star and sun and cloud. Price, net, $1.25, postpaid. FUNDAMENTALS OF FAITH IN THE LIGHT OF MODERN THOUGHT By Horace Blake Williams As for the main message of these pages,-how much it is needed today! The world is noisy; we need to hear the Still Small Voice. The eternal in times precisely the sense that the heart of the fussy world needs; and, like a refrain that is at once major and minor, that note sounds in this volume.-Bishop Edwin Holt Hughes. Price, net, $1.25, postpaid. BEYOND SHANGHAI By Harold Speakman This exceedingly charming "look in" upon China is unique because it is "different." The account of Mr. Speakman's unique experiences in that country is embellished by eight illustrations in color from paintings made on the spot by the author. Price, net, $2.50, postpaid. Floats over the Uneven Ground as a ship rides the Waves One unit may be climbing a knoll, another skimming the level and another paring a hollow. Not an assembly of tractor and mowers but a single, compact machine like an automobile with 3, 4 or 5 cutting units. Driven by a 17 H.P. four-cylinder, water-cooled, gasoline motor of great power and quality with Splitdorf Dixie Aero Magneto, a wonderful radiator, sliding gear transmission, two speeds forward and reverse, etc. Can also be drawn by horse, the motor being removed or converted into a powerful tractor by detaching the cutting units. Can back up or turn a complete circle in double its width. Can stop in six inches-it has a powerful brake-the only one that has. This is vital. It has not a single cog wheel in its cutting units, but few elsewhere. and those few very strong. The cutting units are controlled from the driver's seat. Throw them in gear, throw them out, raise them, lower them-all with a tiny lever at your right. Do we guarantee it? Write your own. Send for catalogue illustrating all types of Townsend Mowers. S. P. TOWNSEND & CO., 262 GLENWOOD AVE., BLOOMFIELD, N. J. LETTING GEORGE DO IT T HUS I read in The Outlook: "One energetic worker will stimulate a whole gang to a greater effort." And I then indulged in retrospection, looking backward to events which are still fresh in my memory. It has not been long since I was among that blessed fraternity of workers whose praise is dwelt upon so often by writers and ministers. As they tell me, I did not appreciate my noble position, and when slack times threw me out of employment I really did wish I had my job back. Still, from my lowly and humble sphere of life, I feel that I am justified in doubting that quotation. I do not mean to call it insincere or reckless, but I wondered that workers in the writer's day of hard labor were so radically different from those whom I have worked with. I worked several years in the openhearth department of a steel mill, and I had a wonderful opportunity to observe the habits of my fellow-workers. I did observe them, and I felt when the mill ceased operations that I was very well acquainted with their eccentricities and customs. I worked in the pouring pits, where the hot steel is poured into molds. There were six of us on that gang-as fine a gang of fellows as I would ever want to meet. There was seldom any. friction between us; we all understood what we were to do, and if one of us found himself behind with his work, he always could depend on the ready aid of the other five to help him out. Perhaps the danger brought us closer together, for molten steel is a touchy and vindictive thing to work with and we were always running chances of being severely burned if not permanently disabled or killed. All of us could show scars where flying chunks of steel had burned us. What I wish to make clear is that we were a typical gang of workers and that we held a certain regard and respect for one another which was never expressed in mere words. It was there and we knew it, and that was all that was necessary. us. Among us was a worker who was a little more energetic than the rest of He often would finish his prescribed amount of work and hustle around and help some laggard out. Never was he at rest. If he could find nothing more to do, he would not, like the rest of us, find a hiding-place and loaf until the next heat tapped, but would go to his locker and wash and mend his clothes. We wore out many clothes, for they were continually catching afire, and, while the rest of us threw our ragged clothes away, he mended and patched his until they were nothing else but patches. We never ridiculed him or laughed at him for it; we envied him and wished we ourselves had the ambition to do likewise. So I believe we were a typical gangnone of us real loafers, but all of us intensely human. This most energetic one must have seen that he was spoiling the rest of us, but still he continued shouldering more than his share of the work. We all worked together at cleaning scrap-steel that has spilled and frozen-from the tracks. Our energetic one would always buckle into it, and how he would work! Sledge, bar, and fork, he wielded them all arduously. The rest of us languidly worked along, and unconsciously lessened our efforts, for we knew that the energetic one would do it all if we only permitted him to, for, as I said, we were merely human and not natural-born loafers. If some one had accused us of shoving the work on the energetic one, we would have been indignant and would have quickly denied it, but still it was so. His vigorous efforts far from stimulated us to follow his example; rather, we eased up and contentedly watched the work progressing without our aid. But this habit was not confined to our gang. It was a characteristic of every =gang in the open hearth. The electricians, the millwrights, the ladlemen, the =pitmen, and the riggers all exhibited the same characteristic. Each gang had its energetic worker too. I have never yet seen a gang of workers that did not boast an energetic member, and never yet have I seen that energetic worker "stimulate the whole gang to a greater effort." It was always the same: if he chose to exert himself, he might do so, I but the rest never emulated him; if he was too energetic, he would make drones of the rest of the gang, and all unconsciously. I noticed one day a dozen electricians on top of a ladle crane. They were changing an armature, and but two were working. The rest were smoking, talking, laughing, and keenly enjoying themselves. So were the two who were working enjoying themselves. It is just a case of what a man enjoys AT last, the struggle which man has undergone since first he walked upright out of the jungle is at an end-thinking man has emerged triumphant-today for the first time it is possible to say with cer tainty man can be master of his own destiny because now he can control ALL his mental faculties. PSYCHO-ANALYSIS has achieved for humanity this new freedom by emancipating the conscious mind from slavery to the unconscious. Most of us have fought life's battles with one-tenth our mental heritage. l'sycho-Analysis gives to us the other nine-tenths. In terms of success, happiness and accomplishment this represents a forward stride of which we can scarcely conceive. Not Theory But Tested Truth To hundreds a message such as you are now reading from the American Institute of Psycho-Aualysis has given new hope-stirred ambition-and been the means within a few short months of turning failure into success-of doubling and tripling earning powers-of attaining advancement and recognition-of making men and women really know themselves and their powers. All this has been accomplished because Psycho-Analysis is not theory or mysticism but tested truth regarding the laws of life and the powers within each one of us. Mail Lecture Course Offers A complete home study course on Psycho-Analysis is now offered. It has been prepared by leading national psychoaualysts, complete in every detail and so carefully gradnated and explained that it can be quickly and easily grasped by anyone-not a book or even a set of books but a definite revelation of Psycho-Analysis as applied to YOU. As offered by the Institute, this course includes: ..30 Carefully Graduated Lectures ..Member of our teaching staff a practicing ..Guidance upon personal problems afforded all ..Discussion Papers and Instructor correspond- n Dept. Free Booklet "The Opening of a New World We have prepared for free distribution to those who would know more of Psycho-Analysis a booklet, "The Opening of a New World." It explains a plan whereby a limited number can get this only complete, comprehensive on Psycho-Analysis at a greatly reduced price. Send coupon or letter TODAY for this great free booklet and start to claim your birthright of mental power. course City. E-5 American Institute of Psycho-Analysis 1301 Kimball Bldg., Chicago, IN. Send me your great free booklet, "The Opening of a New World " exPlaining your easy home study course for complete mastery of Psycho-Analysis. Name.. Address. doing. This man enjoys working hard A daily flood of inquiries and he is the energetic one, and he cares little if the work is shoved on his shoul- at a cost of only 7 cents each in response to a small ders. It rather pleases him. Now this man takes little pleasure in hard work and it don't make a bit of difference how strenuously the energetic one applies himself to his work, the man who doesn't like to work hard is not going to do so if he can get out of it, and what better way has he in getting out of it than permitting the energetic one to do it all? I do not mean to be so presumptuous as to criticise Mr. Lewis Edwin Theiss, for, apart from that one statement, I enjoyed his article, "What Life in the Country Has Taught Me About Religion," very much. were What I would like to know is: Have workers changed so greatly, or they just different where I worked? JOHN COLE. West Middlesex, Pennsylvania. .State.. classified advertisement in The Outlook Compare the following actual cost to a certain mail-order house of inquiries to advertisements in four of the leading American weeklies: If you manufacture or sell some useful article that may be sold through the mail, you too may find your most responsive and economical outlet through The Outlook. The advertising rate in this section is only ten cents per word. Why not employ this valuable method of locating more buyers of your goods? The Outlook Company, 381 Fourth Avenue, New York City |