17 APRIL 1926, Page 34

THIS WEEK'S BOOKS

Ma. T. E. LAWRENCE is a born writer. It has been wrongly said that he was made a Prince of Mecca, but we would not deny him a place close to the purple in English prose. In an eleven page introduction to Messrs. Cape's new and com- plete single volume edition of Doughty's Arabia Deserta he says all that can be said of a masterpiece with a rare grace, giving us, incidentally, some judgments of his own about the desert and its men which should—and will—be weighed. For Mr. Lawrence has a knack of arresting the attention of the average man. Can the same be said of Doughty ? Here is a work of genius all complete for 80s. Let us hope that buyers will throng the marts for it. But will they ?

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