12 Pages Srpr-- YHAR 85. OUR LITERARY YEAR THE WRITERS OF/CANADA PUB- LISHED MANY BOOKS. NO, 35 Although the Poets Were the Most industrious of the Literary Men, a Number of Novels and Several Interesting War Books Were Also Published in the Dominion. HE writers of Canada have been by Ho means idle dur- ing 1917, It is'true that no novel Has been "which makes one feel that Canadian literature is hastening time when it will demand the recog towards the nition of the world, but at least our | writers of fiction are busy, and there ave signs that some of them feel am bitious to do big things @s usual, been to writers of verse and not to writers of prose that the re- viewers have been able to apply su perlatives, 'and the book which at- was "A Bern tracted the most attention Caogadian Twilight," by Lieut ard Freeman Trotter, shortly before Christmas. @ tragic Interest centred in slender because Lieut, Trot killed in France last May. With the young poet life was only beginning, and his remarkable poetic gift had only just commenced blossom. There were only a few poems in the book that represented his mature powers, and A marked by nobility of sentiment and exquisite beadty of utterance. Even the poems written Lieut. Trotter displayed his poetic instinet, and one feels that Canadian literature Buffered a very genuine loss when the young man's life was sacrificed in the great game of war, Practically all our poets are sing- ing of the war, and a good deal of their verse is not the sort that en- dures. Patriotic poetry, with its commendable but trite sentiment, can be written so easily that versi- flers toss it off and make the mistake of thinking that rapidity indicates inspiration. Robert J. C. Stead, of Calgary, wrote one inspiring poem in this volume ter was to 1916, after the death of Lord Kitch- Tar well. ener, and he has published it in a volume entitled "Kitchener and Other Poems," but the other poems are hardly worthy of the one that brought Mr, Stead his reputation. Another poet, Mr. A. C. Stewart, wrote a stirring bit of verse entitled + "The Shell!' 'whieli ~ also. gave the " name to a"book, though here agdin one get of verses made the volume [worth While, The Book of War poe try most even in quality throughout "was "In the Battle Silences,'" by Canon Frederick George Scott, of Quebec, who went to France as senior chaplain of the first Canadian Divi- sion. = Other: poets have also heen busy writing and publishing war verse, two more volumes issued this year being 'Marching Men," by Helena Coleman, and "The New Joan," by Katherine Hale. One cf our poets who possesses a striking lyrical gift Is Robert Norwood, and in searching for subjects he has kept almost entirely away from the war. Hig most ambitious effort of the twelvemonth was drama, 1'"'The Witeh of Endor," though , obably "The Piper and the Reed" did more for his permanent reputation among Canadian poets. A new volume by Dr. A, D. Watson, to which he gave the poetic though not highly original title "In the Heart of the Hills" might be added to the list of the best Canadian pogtry, Per- haps "Songs of a Young Man's Yand," by Sir Clive Phillips-Wolley, should also be mentioned, although: the poet is still an Englishman: be- fore all else, and only a Canadian be- * cause he is an lmperialist, in spite of his long life in the Dominion. His name and title alone stamp him as something different from our own native poets. : An even dozen novels by Cana- dlans have been nuntished during the C Toh. 3 written. of they were | in e¢hildhood by | his blank - verse" : it as YOUR cereal KINGSTON, ONTARIO, MONDAY, ti i i Still it has, | published There was | : a | A scene from | Wednesday, Feb. 13th. mm cn ns year, unless ona can Lt Basil King as a Canadian As this author has been living in the United | States and writing about Americans | ever since he made his reputation, | perhaps it is just as well not to lay | claim to "The Lifted Veil" and "The { High Heart." Of the Canadian novels written here in the Dominion, our preférence was for "Up the Hill and Over," by Isabel Ecclestone Mackay, This story of life in an Ontarfo vil. lage is unpretentious and delightful. The plot is thoroughly feminine, but Mrs. Mackay has handled her mater-1 Rev. H. A. Cody is another of our novelists whose literary work- manship is good. Sometimes his count is practically always safe to recom- mend them as good samples of Cana- dian fiction: His annual novel is en titled 'Under Sealed Orders," and Jdealy with a power development. s puny, a theme with more rola possibilities than a person might think at first glance, Door" Alan Sullivan made an earn- est endeavor to present a study of the problem of capital and labor, but the subject proved too big for him and he failed to make his story convine- ing. No author in fanada possesses a more finished style than' Mr. Sulli- van, Perhaps his English is a little too highly decorated, though it is polished and easy, but Mr. Sullivan fas yet to find the secret of creating and presenting character.. He writes well, but he writes about puppets. The series of novels that I. M. Montgomery began with "Anne of Green Gables," has now reacted "Anne's House of-Dreams." These gentle and wholesome little stories are much beloved by a great number of women who like pretty fiction, and this authoress maintains her stand- ard. Another writer who has his special public is Ralph Connor, They know exactly what to expect and he 'never varies from type. Th "The Major," Ralph Connor has written a, tharacteristic novel of Canada mov- ng Into the war. In our abinion, it Is distinctly above his "average. A rather disappointing, though not un- interesting novel, was "Kleath," by Madge Macbeth, Ottawals best known literary woman. The story bas a melodramatic plot elaborately con= trived--a tale of mystery and 're. has been used hundreds of times in the movies. Althovgh entertaining Over 10% by weight of this famous food with the barley by which Grape-Nuts is © made. « wi in handy, wax-sealed packets licensed by the bud : Govt. : of id y Canadian stories are just a trifle stodgy, but-it- In "The nner" venge, seduction and crime suchas' "Which One Shall I Marry," at the Grand on Bargdin matinee and night. AAA ct A AAA for an oud halt-ho t terly uninrportant an more d pointing 3 "The Mag pie's Nest," by Isabel Patterzop. The first novel by this Western authore s confained promise, but "The Mag ples' Nest' proved to be merely the sordid and ugly setting forth of the career of a very unpleasant and com- mon young woman, Miss Patterson has made the mistake of thinking that cheap sophistication is realism. . Those who were expecting Isabel Patterson to develop put down her second novel and sighed. A piece of fiction that got some favorable attention was "Old Man Savarin Stories," by E. W. Thomson, Fghose contributions to the Boston anscript on Canadian polities for many years have helped to make the intellectual people of New England, who 'ste . their minds in the Trap- 7 nd SWAT all virtue;in Can- ada was to be found with the Lib- Srals, and, thatithey had a battle against entrenched reactionaries, though of late they have learned that the dividing:line between the shes; and the goats cannot be drawn more easily in this country than where. Frank L. Packard, a novel: ist for recreation, has written an ad- venture story, "The Sin That Was His," and the same description fits "Nogthern Diamonds," by: Frank Lilllé Pollock, a former member of the Toronto Mail and Empire staff. "Carmen's Messenger," by Harold Bindloss, has been classed as a Can- adian novel, though we have yet t6 see a copy of this book. Perhaps it is hardly correct to class "Next in Kin," by Nellie L. McClung, as fle- tion, If Mrs. McClung was as skil- ful as a writer as she is at securing publicity, one would have to devote a column to everything published by her, "Next in Kin" consists of lit- tle sketches, such as well-trained newspaper women turn out daily, de- scribing timely events and inel- dents. : All the war books by Canadian fighting men have been readable. If "On the Right of the British Line," by Captain Gilbert Nobbs, is the most interesting of them all, the rea- son can be found in Captain Nobbs' exceptional adventures." This young Englishman, who formerly lived in Toronto, was blinded in battle and captured by Germans, who sent him back to England later, He describes Klean' literature, 18 [till his adventures vividly. but without ~~ C4 t 4 5 BX. a7 _ "Private Peat," by Har- old R. Peat, is a fresh 'and breezy story of a First Cofitingent boy, who 'went through the first terrible year | and rounded out h ! finding an English Wife. Two doc- tors have described the war as seen by men ¢lose behind the lines, Dr. George G. Nasmith calling his book "On the Fringe of toe Great Fight," and Prof. William Boyd giving his | the title "With a Field Ambulance | at Ypres." The lelters of Lieut, Wells, of Montreal, who was killed at | Vimy Ridge, have been published under the title "From Montreal to Vimy Ridge and Beyond," and an- | other collection of lefters by the Sunny Subaltern, Lieut. Billy Gray, are entitled "More Letters from Billy," *'Best o'r Luck" records the adventures of an Amerfean who join- ed the Canadian forces, and "Crugaps" Is the work of Louis Keene, a Montreal newspaper artist | who saw active service in a machine | gun corps. Though the sword is | mightier than the pen at the present moment, some of the Canadian fight- ers are still wielding the lesser im- plement. The books of the year have in- cluded several volumes written to mark the jubilee of Confederation, ! such as "Confederationand Its Lead 'ers," by M. O. Hammond, "The New Era of Canada" and 'The Federation of Canada' Last of all, it is pro- bably necessary to mention "The North American Idea," by Dr. J. A. Macdonald, a book that might lead a stranger to think that Canada is a poor relation that has to flatter a rich and prosperous lncle who lives next door, even though in doing so slights are cast upon the virtues and achievements of other worthy rela- tives and friends,.--The Mail and Empire. Tr | Marching Men, Miss Helena Coleman, of Toronto, has issued, under the title "Marching Men," a little book of war verses which is praiseworthy. Her delight in the out-of-doors, "where orchards feeced with. spring go climbing up to crown the radiant hills," is ex- pressed in langage which breathes the spirit of true poetry. She pays beautiful tribute to the gallant dead --who are not dead: "Say, rather, with youth's larger trust Into the featureless far unknown, Challenging love's integrity, They spring. from earth's dust." Their death has inevitably altered those who loved them; "not even you mg4y of us ask that we be as before": "Leave us our tears, love's heritage, Cloud-mists that blur your captur- ed height; Leave us our griefs, the lamp of age, The altar-flame of night" Many readers will consider recoiling ' experiences by. "mt France's Flowered Fields" the finest of this collection. Lik other poems, it is a »ssed to the many of the! heroic dead, "dwelling in silences so | vast no thought to that high tower may climb." Of these she writes: Frates. when coming springs shall T In fodm of bloom to hide thy scars, And flowers of human kindness make An end of agenies and wars. "Forget not these our sons who came At that first wild, bewildered cry, < With their young -British hearts afla 2 me, Upon thy tragic hills to die. "And since upon thy heart lies now The richest ransom ever paid-- . White roses torn from England's brow Beside thy broken lilies laid. "Be thou our friend forevermore, In ties of common anguish bound, That we may know the sons we bore Lie not in unregarded ground." -------------- ban Halifax Horror is Historic, Not only does fhe Halifax muni- tions explesion rank as one of the Breatest disasters im the history of the Domimdon, but it will be recorded as one of the most appalling and tremendous in human history up to this time. i The Halifax disaster is the most terrible explosion in the number of lives lost, in the last quarter century, Indeed, few catastrophes of any na- ture exceed if in the number of dead. Among them 'are the Messina earth- quake, in 1908, when approximately 200,000 lives were lost; the Mant . Pelee volcanic eruption on the Island of Martinique, in 1902, when 40,000 persons lost their lives, and an earth- "quake in the interior of Italy, in 1915, when 35,000 dead was the toll. The Iroquois theatre fire in Chi- cago, in 1903, claimed 6575 lives, while the sinking of the excursion steamship General Slocum, in the East river, New York, in 1904, left a death list of about 1,400. In 1906 the earthquake and fire in San Fran- cisco took the lives of approximately 1,000 persons, while the loss of the steamship Titanic, in collision with an iceberg, in 1912, resulted in a tol] of 1,503 dead. Pp Eastland, ia siver, In 1915, with vespectively of 1,198 and 812. Ox last year it bio ; | | | { i { : ers' Associatiof emphasized Here is Reliable Fuel Day In and Day Out The shortage and high price of coal and other fuels mean no great discomfort to homes equipped for heating, cooking and lightihg with Royalite Coal Oil. 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