Mr. Guedalla's Casual Jottings
IN this volume of essays, in the preface, Mr. Guedalla would have us believe that the essays which he now gives us are accidents—casual jottings in notebooks, only later found suitable for publication. That, he tells us, is how essays are written. Yet in the same breath—for the preface takes the form of a duologue,- delightfully reminiscent of Mr. George Moore—he goes on to protest against the prevalence of one mood among essayists, a mood of " arch modesty." " They always," he complains, " seem to back into the limelight— just like Colonel Lawrence." All this seems to show that lie has, at any rate, expended some thought on the form, a supposition inconsistent with his previous professions. In any case, anybody who has read a word of Mr. Guedalla's would reject such a transparent subterfuge. Whatever he writes he intends, sometimes even with malice—welcome qualities in an age of vagueness and benevolence.
Thus in the first (and longest) essay, which gives its name to the book, we have a pIea for the art of history, together with a witty denunciation of some members of the "scientific' school. Historians, if they are to write history, must know how to write. Stated thus it sounds obvious, but Mr. Gued- alla half convinces us that it has been too much forgotten, in spite of Herr Emil Ludwig and M. Andre Maurois. Are not these the Macaulays of our day, " shouldering their indomit- able way ". through the obstinacy of facts ? They could, at least, use this essay as their defence. Of one thing, however, we do not need to be convinced. Mr. Guedalla is himself thoroughly equipped for his art.
In most of his other pieces he is on less controversial ground ; in fact, almost the only cause for complaint is that the sub- stance of some of them is a little too obvious. It is good to be reminded of " Saki ", for instance, but surely Mr. Winston Churchill has been called a buccaneer often enough, and tbe subject of American heiresses, the American discovery, of Europe, is a very old joke indeed. Perhaps it is too critical to make such objections in dealing with professedly casual writing. The art, however, with which these old favourites are presented makes one wish they had been less familiar. And we are confirmed in this feeling when we read the rest of the book. Such essays as " The Mandarin," " The Experta," or " Registered Luggage," are original in thought, as well as in presentation ; and even some of the more familiar themes, as in " A Russian Fairy Tale," are .almost made to live again.
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