- THE CHRIST OF THE IMAGINATION Figures of the Passion of
Our Lord. By Gabriel Mire. Trans- lated by C. J. Hogarth. (Guy Chapman. 12s. 6d.) AT last English people are ,given the opportunity of reading the excellent work of Gabriel Mire, well known in other parts of Europe. Senor 'Miro has undertaken the supremely difficult task of telling the story of the Passion of the Lord and of making each person in the-tragedy live 'before our eyes. As we read the Gospels a thousand questions throng our minds which any contemporary -of the Lord could have answered, and we are driven to -dry commentaries and prolix German Lives of Jesus to fill in the outline.
'Senor Miro has learning, art, and sustained power of description. His learning is wide, aleep, and accurate. But he never throws it out in undigested lumps. He has the artist's delicate sense of knowing just how much is necessary to enable him to see the -time, circumstance, and background which 'throw into high relief each figure that absorbs his attention. We too often hear preachers group -the officials in the story together with the -other -adversaries of the Lord. Senor Miro makes no such mistake. As in the Oberammergau Play, we see Caiaphas, Armes, Pontius Pilate, 'Nicodemus in their official capacity, and the action of the holy Personality of Jesus working on the priest, the-king, the -deputy-governor and the -respected counsellor. His picture of Herod is a -superb -piece of work which disguises the pains that -went to its prodnetion and-finish. The story is told in a series of complete pictures. Innumerable little touches give colourto the whole. Thus, -among the fish caught by James and John is the ":bold, a fish-which dwells apart from its fellows, and, sinking to 'the bottom ef -the -reeds, lies palpitating like -an ingot of -molten gold." We are shown the shores of Gennesaret 'at sunset. " Herons were gliding on roseate-silver -wings, and white- washed cottages, and boats, -and outstretched nets, and a mooring poSt beside a cottage wall, and masses of pure white apple blossom, and the smoke from a kiln, all were lying mirrored in the Lake's slumbering bosom." Sometimes the descriptions become too luscious for the English reader, and the translator fails to find the right word. Yet we must --congratulate him too for the -many passages -of beautiful wording.
Senor Min; works by means of his pictures to the central scene of the Crucifixion. The touches have told. With dreadful power and too painful realistic detail we are shown Jesus scourged, Jesus carrying His heavy cross, Jesus in torment on the Cross, till we feel as if we were reading the old familiar story for the first time. Yet, horrible as these last scenes are, the book leaves an impression of serenity. The Spring is at hand, and we are reassured by two of His disciples who lived through the dark days that " the Lord, hath risen again, and ascended into Heaven."
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