AN ENGLISH TALE OF LON DON AFTER THE WAR

In "Madam" is again demonstrated the truth of the theory that one need have no great system of propaganda in mind before setting out to write a novel, theory which has seemingly fallen into disrepute among the majority of the better present-day writers of this country. "Purpose, purpose. purpose" is engraved in large type across the pages of almost all the novels of note which have appeared since the beginning of the war. To be sure there have been may thousands of books published abroad as well as in this country which had not purpose, but most of them, unfortunately also lacked any pretended at good writing--a thing which seems only minor factory in determining the success of failure of book in the eyes of that august body, the reading public. All of the products of the present school of realism, for example, are plainly stamped either in fact or in effect with whom such statement as: "Come now, reader, take a look at the Middle Class. Here is a problem for you. Something must be done about this." And the reader feels always the weight of a Problem bearing down upon him as he reads.

It is in American chiefly that this overemphasis has been laid upon purpose. Efficiency has made its inroads not only upon business but upon literature as well--art for art's sake has been transferred into art for the solution of problems, are for propaganda's sake, and the like. America likes to think of itself as a hustling, bustling, nation of practical and efficient men who have not time to waste either in the creation or reading of navels which do not more than tell a pleasant story pleasantly. America, with all it boasted sense of humor take life more strenuously, if one is to believe its novelists, than do its stoild cousins of England. If it he British stolidity that shows itself in the light grace of the novels of such writers as William J. Locke and Temple Thurston, then let us hope that American humor may sometime find itself endowed with a touch at least of that admirable vice. "Main Street" and "Ell" present their problem to the rolled excellently well, but "The Beloved Vagabond" and "The City of Beautiful Nonsense" lift the world to alpine where it may galley laugh sees the drudging mortise at their dally tasks.

But to return to "Madam" as may have been surmised for the above, it is a novel which propose to reform neigh the world as a whole nor any particular par of it. The setting of the story is in London, the time the years following immediately after the war. For characters it has many who stand out shapely as individuals, chief among them being Mott Lane, a boy from the English country-side who turns radical and, in theory at least. Revolt against state of society the brought about the war. But the author concerns herself little with his radical tendencies for she is writing tale of love, of lightness, and of whimsically, not a treatise on Bolshevism in war-swept England. The woman in the case Miss Astley Madam is described as a penny plain" person--just a girl who s doctor's assistant, who loves a man and lives. Then, too, there are aristocrats to the number of three, but for the most part, their role is only penny-plains.

"Madam" is cheerful reading. Wellspring and well-written it tell it pleas ant tale pleasantly.