The guide to supernatural fiction

lrIID® @llilDcQl® t1@ ~ illl ~ ® If IID [ill It llilIr [ill II If fi ~lt fi @ IID A full description of 1,775 books from 1750 to 1960, including ghost stories, weird fiction, stories of supernatural horror, fantasy, Gothic novels, occult fiction, and similar literature. With author, title, and motif indexes

by Everett F. Bleiler

THE KENT STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS

Copyright © 1983 by Everett F. Bleiler All rights reserved Published by The Kent State University Press, Kent, Ohio 44242 Manufactured in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Bleiler, Everett Franklin, 1920The guide to supernatural fiction. Bibliography: p. Includes indexes. 1. Supernatural in literature. 2. English fiction-Stories, plots, etc. 3. American fiction--Stories, plots, etc. I. Title. PN56.S8B57 1983 809.3'937 82-25477 ISBN 087338-228-9

Preface

vii

Book and story descriptions

1

The phenomenology of contranatural fiction Index of motifs and story types Index of authors

613

Index of titles

673

Bibliography

723

559

553

The present volume is a survey of a single subject matter, the supernatural, but a subject matter that traditionally has been used in many different ways and for many different purposes. It has been used in a primary way as a source of thrills or for the inherent interest of supernatural motifs taken literally. It has also been used in a secondary way as a vehicle for something else: satire, analysis of social relations, probing of guilt and conscience, a search for justice, and on a tertiary level, as a symbolization of something otherwise perhaps on the edge of ineffability. It is the story of a monstrosity, as in H. P. Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror," that gobbles up those who evoke it, and as in Bulwer Lytton's A Strange Story it is a similar monster that consciously symbolizes the evil portion of our psyches. It is a takedown of managerial politics and bureaucracy, as in Neil Gunn's The Green Isle of the Great Deep and a sentimental heaven of unexceptional piety in Mrs. Oliphant's Little Pilgrim stories. It is an excuse for a pageant of medieval life, as in Ann Radcliffe's Gaston de Blondeville, and it is an expressionist document showing how the supernatural past (Napoleonic in this case) has relevance to the present, as in Paul Busson's The Fire-Spirits. It is a dualistic interpretation of God and matter (like the Saivasiddhanta) in the guise of strange beings and stranger lands, as in David Lindsay's A Voyage to Arcturus, and it is a stubborn and wicked Egyptian mummy that refuses to lie down and behave itself. As Eternal Woman H. Rider Haggard's She may pop in and out of her showerbath in the Flame of Life, and as modern woman feminists, allied with the spirits of the dead may set up a utopia twenty years in the future from 1855, as in Lucy Boston. In F. Anstey's Vice Versa, when a pompous businessman of the City is transformed into a boy and sent to a hellish boarding school, it is a story of maturation, while in Henry Kuttner's "A Gnome There Was" another transformation is simply black humor. E. M. Forster's "The Celestial Omnibus" is an attack, in a snobbish way, on philistinism, but Amelia B. Edwards's "The Death Coach" fictionalizes, on a literal level, an element of Northern British folklore. What do all these various motifs have in common? Beneath their diversity, under their mani-

festations lies a common concept. This is traditionally called the "supernatural," a term that was perhaps fitting 150 years ago, but today would be better termed the "contranatural," since it is a consistent, often studied reversal of a mechanistic universe. This concept is developed in more detail in the chapter "The Phenomenology of the Contranatural," in a later portion of this volume. It is probably generally acceptable that thrill-stories about vampires and hostile ghosts and werewolves, for example, fit together in a common grouping, but it may not be so obvious that stories with secondary or tertiary levels of meaning should be grouped with single-level stories. Satires, symbolic works, expositional works, individuation stories are, of course, different from simple adventure stories. But they may be built out of the same motifs. On the level of story or narrative they may share much. Traditionally, Henry James's "The Turn of the Screw" is considered a ghost story, no matter how one interprets it, along with the simple, scholarly stories of Montague Rhodes James. In addition to the questions of story and motifs, the boundaries between second-level stories and literal stories are by no means permanent or impassable. One century's allegory may be another century's thriller. Indeed, as Jacob Grimm demonstrated in 1835 such change or evolution is by no means a matter of chance, but often a matter of law. As narrative and theme take separate paths in history, stories may change in meaning and level. Although the words of a story may not alter, their point may be lost. Interpretations may drop away, and what was once pointed may now be read as a simple story. When social context is no longer familiar, satire may lose its focus, and when cultural milieu changes, symbolism may be completely lost. It may take much close study to retrieve the original statement. A good example of such skeletonization is to be found in Swift's Gulliver's Travels, which started life as an attack on church and state, or religious groups and political parties. By the early middle 19th century it had changed to an adult adventure story, and was reprinted in series along with the works of Charles Lever, Captain Marryat, and Dumas pere. Today, it is

vii

PREFACE

viii

primarily a children's book, and is generally included in collections of children's classics, often unexpurgated. Topical allusions are ignored. In supernatural fiction, a similar example is to be found in Bulwer Lytton's Zanoni. In the l840s this was a fictionalization of an occult message, with a roman clef element that personified qualities of mind. It was even printed with a table in the rear of the book explaining the characters. Today, it is an occult thriller and romance, and if anyone seeks out the conscious allegory, he will find it difficult even to understand the psychology behind it. Yet in both the l840s and the 1980s Zanoni is lexically the same, and is assembled out of the same super~ natural motifs. The main territory of contranatural fiction is obvious enough, but the exact boundaries are not always definite. There are borderline books that must be judged and deceptive books that must be unmasked. It would seem that the supernatural is the supernatural, but there are times when it is not. Many is the detective story, for example, that sets up a mood of the uncanny, establishes a crime that is seemingly beyond rational analysis, provides chills along the route, and then explains everything away as a matter of tricks and time tables, lies and lunacy, mirrors and phosphorescent balloons. Is such a story, that in word count is perhaps 95% supernatural, really to be included here? Or, what should one do about the 19th century stories that spoiled everything by revealing at the end of the story that it was all a dream? Or about stories of hoaxes and criminal frauds, faked supernaturalism? My decision, in general, has been not to include detective stories in which everything is rationalized; to treat frauds as individual cases; and to include dream stories. The intention of the author has often been the deciding factor. A rationalized detective story was intended to be primarily a detective story. A dream story, on the other hand, was intended to be supernatural, but (as a rule) the author was too timid to leave matters with the ghosts, or begged off for other reasons. When I began the final reading and carding for this volume, another problem arose: time limits. Where should the book begin, chronologically, and where should it end? Eventually, I settled on two terminal dates, 1800 and 1960. Material before 1800 was sparse and sometimes alien, and 1960 is a watershed year in publishing. During the 1960s there occurred a flood of mass market paperbacks, best sellers, would-be best sellers, television and motion picture spin offs, all using the motifs of supernatural horror, usually on a literal level. This phenomenon deserved study in itself, not just appendageship to the older material. Similarly, in fantastic fiction in general, a new generation of authors began to replace the older men and women from the circumbellum years. Their work, too, deserves a separate study. But, exceptions had to be made to the dates

a

PREFACE 1800 and 1960. Important writers like Horace Walpole, William Beckford, Ann Radcliffe, and M. G. Lewis could not be omitted, while 1960 was not without problems. One such problem was the time gap between periodical publication and book publication, for much supernatural fiction and science-fiction has not been gathered into book form until decades after its first appearance in periodicals. To omit fiction written before 1960 but not printed in book form until the 1970s would have distorted the coverage. Therefore, 1960 has been qualified to include stories that were first published in any form before 1961, no matter what the date of book publication. Similarly, anthologies published after 1960 have been included if they contain significant material that is earlier and is not described elsewhere. But this leeway created a new problem, for such anthologies sometimes also contain stories written after 1960, and it would have been absurd to ignore such stories. Fortunately, this last case is not common. ii In describing books I have used the technique of offering fairly detailed plot summaries. In other words, stress has been placed on narrative or story. I am aware that this is not the method that is generally used in modern reference works, where general comments are usually considered adequate-- although this practice makes faking very easy and sometimes causes a reader to wonder whether the book in question has really been read thoroughly. But I feel that a good case can be made for returning to the older method of SUlM,lary, supplemented by information about form, purpose, and quality. A student of literature or a librarian often needs concrete information that (in the absence of the text itself) can be provided only by a precise, detailed description of a story. Why, for example, was the monkey's paw in W. W. Jacobs's story "The Monkey's Paw" activated? The point is important, since it lifts the story out of horror to an examination of life. Or, did anyone but the governess, perhaps Mrs. Grose, in "The Turn of the Screw" see the ghosts? Does the governess have anything to say about this? Story texts may not be handy, and there should be a place to which an inquirer may resort. Most of the books in this study, too, are not books commonly met. Many of them are very rare. Despite their possible literary interest or historical importance, there is probably no library (public or private) in the world that contains every book that is described here. I would speculate that one could count on one's fingers the special collections that contain even a sizeable portion of them. These books were seldom reviewed when they appeared, since the journals used to frown on non-realistic literature, and the sole written record for many of them is a bare listing of publication in one of the yearly compilations, like Whitaker's or the English Catalogue.

PREFACE The books themselves are often endangered, for libraries, cramped for space, often are forced to discard older fiction. And it is probable that most of the books covered in this volume will never be reprinted. Without a survey of this sort, many of these books are likely to be, for all practical purposes, lost. In presenting the book descriptions, I have arranged them alphabetically by author (and chronologically within the author), even though my haunting preference would have been a cultural-historical framework. But I was forced to recognize that popular literature does not always parallel the time divisions of mainstream culture, and that time groupings would have been artificial and inconvenient. In popular fiction there are surprising innovations and conservatisms. Authors of genre fiction are sometimes long-lived, and may retain writing modes that they picked up in their apprentice days, even though such older styles have elsewhere gone out of fashion. A classification by date would have distorted matters more than "it would have clarified them. This distortion would be especially powerful in anthologies, which are plentiful, and sometimes amount to historical catch-alls. Dorothy Sayers, in the 1930s, could reprint in her excellent omnibus volumes, stories that had been written by R. H. Barham in the l840s, along with recent work. Complete alphabetization by author thus seems the most suitable approach. It is the easiest system for the reference reader, the fairest system for individual authors (whose work might otherwise be broken up unnecessarily), and the system least mined with interpretative traps. A word must be added about personal opinions that I have expressed in the copy. I recognize that some editors hold that such expressions are improper, while other editors make their living from them. My feeling is that although a book may be many things-- a gloat-object for a collector, a source of social information for a historian, an example of form for a theorist, a hidden autobiography for a psychohistorian, a statement of values for an axiologist, etc.-- it is still, ultimately, inescapably, paramountly, an object -for pleasure. A reader has reactions to it, and should be allowed to express these reactions. Or, to make the point stronger, a reader or critic must answer the question, no matter how

ix subjectively, that everyone has asked since the days of the Greeks: "Is it worth reading?" I have not hesitated to make critical judgments, and I have tried to be consistent. On the one hand, I have tried to be sympathetic to the special purposes of different sorts of fiction. If I have damned an occasional adventure story or horror story or allegory, it is not because it is an adventure story or horror story or allegory, but because it is a poor specimen of its sort. On the other hand, I have tried to bear in mind mainstream technical desiderata like symmetry, population, detail, and style. I hope that readers agree with me. Let me close this preface by saying that in the 7,200 or so stories considered here, I have not made use of other persons' plot summaries or "talk-arounds," but have read each of the books described. This has been done over a period of about 25 years, with a recent rereading of many books that required more attention or closer study. Sometimes this was a chore, but more often it was a pleasure. iii

I must express gratitude to the many libraries whose facilities I have used in preparing this project. These include The British Museum (The British Library), the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, the Elmer H. Bobst Library of New York University, Harvard College Library, The Columbia University Libraries, and Yale University Libraries. The following private libraries have also been most useful: The Mechanics Library of New York, the Society Library of New York, and especially The Mercantile Library of New York. I must also thank several local libraries: the Glen Rock Public Library, the Fair Lawn Public Library, the Teaneck Public Library, the Englewood Public Library, the Hackensack Public Library, and especially the Ridgewood Public Library, whose staff and trustees have been most helpful. Special gratitude is also due to Neil Barron, for many acts of kindness and many most helpful suggestions. I must also thank my wife and family, particularly my son Richard, who spent much time tracking down odd books for me at various conventions, and helped with the processing of some 40,000 filing cards. His knowledge of the recent literature caught several of my errors. Everett F. Bleiler

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Information book and story descriptions Authors are arranged alphabetically. Within each author's production, books are arranged chronologically. Collaborations are placed directly after the work of the s~nior author. I.e., a book by August Derleth and Mark Schorer Hill inunediately follow the books by Derleth alone. Anonymous Horks and anthologies of anonymous editorship are usually placed alphabetically by title within the main listing. This principle has not bee.n followed rigorously in the cllse of well-known works by famous autl:!.ors. It has seemed better to be a little inconsistent than to carry the works of Sir Walter Scott as anonymous books simply because the first editions were not published under his name.

are no changes between editions, later printings have been used. In perhaps a score of genre bocks, where first: editions l~ere not obtainable, later editions were used; this fact hilS always been indicated in the descriptions. To avoid duplicating entries, each story if) described only or:ce, usually in the place·of first publi.cation. SOIT'.€ exceptionR have been made for storit2.s in seri,=s, where context is important; such stori.es have been described together. These exceptions have been indicated in the copy. The connnents "described elsewhere" and "described elsewhere for context" indicate that you should check the Author Index for locus of description.

The remaining bibliographic procedure also follows, by and large, the method used by the British Museum Catalogue, which method seems to me the most convenient for the general reader. The essence of this method is that publishers are given in short entry, and that books are carried under the name the author used in publication. Thus, Mark Twain is to be found as Mark Twain, not as Samuel L. Clemens.

Please note the important term "including." It is used only in collections of mixed fiction. It indicates that there are other stories in the book that are not supernatural and thus are not described. To list or describe such non-supernatural stories would have cluttered the present volume enormously and would have served no uS,eful purpose. But the reader need not worry that supernatural stories have been omitted. In all cases, every supernatural story ;n every volume has been described.

The editions cited are, as far as can be determined, first editions. In almost all cases these were the editions that were read. In perhaps a half dozen instances, in mainstream authors like Robert Louis Stevenson, where there

Abbreviations: alt., alternate. EQMM, ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE. MFSF, MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION. UNK, UNKNOWN or UNKNOWN WORlDS magazine. WT, WEIRD TALES magazine.

ABDULLAH, ACHMED (ACHMED ABDULLAH NADIR KIIAN ALDU.~NI AL-IDRISSIYEH; Moslem name of Ro~anowski, Alexander) (1881-1945) Soldier, intelligence operative in India, playwright, fiction writer, translater. Son of Russian nobleman and Afghan princess. Born Yalta, resident in U.S.A. for most of writing period. Frequent contributor to Amarican periodicals with sentimental and adventure fiction, mostly negligible except for occasional ethnographic fiction like ALIEN SOULS (1922) Most important work LUTE ANO SCIMITAR (1928), translation of Central Asiatic poetry •. Good autobiography, THE CAT HAD NINE LIVES (1933). 1. WINGS TALES OF THE PSYCHIC James A. McCann; New York 1920 Connercial periodical fiction including [a] WINGS. Told as a mystery story. The rajah suddenly dies in England, and Thorneycroft follows the sound of invisible wings. In India he learns that the rajah, unwilling to lose caste by leaving India, had travelled to England by astral body, but died because he overstayed his time. As a result his co~ponents are separated, perhaps for eternity. [b) DISAPPOINTMENT. Prince N~rodkine in Paris behaves strangely. It is revealed that the basis for his actions is a morbid fear of death. But his corpse, shortly after his death says, "Is that all?" [c) TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR. World War I. A French remittance man, expelled from his regiment for cheating at cards, makes restitution by rushing to the front in astral body, where he assumes command at a time of cr~s~s. He is killed, though his physical body is in New York. [d) RENUNCIATION. The woman that he loved married another man for money. When his transport is ready to leave for France, she comes to him. It is her ghost. [e) THAT HAUNTING THING. Diana Manning, nasty golddigger who has wrecked several lives, is suddenly haunted by a horrible thing that laughs at the wrong times. It is the projection of her evil. When she kills it, she, too, dies, but seems redeemed. [f) FEAR. Africa. McGregor and Hutchison raid the Bakoto juju shrine, but are captured. One must die. They deal cards. McGregor cheats and lives, but years later an African drum with Hutchison's skin on it comes into his possession. In it is a poisonous snake. [g) LIGHT. He sees his own

deathbed. After-death experiences. * While [e) is vivid, the remainder of the book is trivial and in no way comparable to Abdullah's serious work. 2. THE THIEF OF BAGDAD BASED ON DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS' FANTASY OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS H. K. Fly; New York [1924] A scenario novel that closely follows the historically important silent motion picture. The original film script was prepared by Elton Thomas, and the short version, by Lotta Woods. Abdullah was probably assigned to provide a verisimilitude that the motion picture lacked. * Ah~ed el-Bagdadi, remarkable thief, while burglarizing the caliph's palace, sees and falls in love with Zobeid, the caliph's beautiful and nubile daughter. To win her he is willing to repent of his wicked past and undertake a long semiallegorica1 journey to conquer his evil potentialities. Rival princes from India, Persia, and China (the Mongols) sue for Zobeid's hand. Ahmed joins them in the role of Prince of the Isles and of the Seven Palaces. It is decided that whoever brings the most remarkable gift will get Zobeid. Props then include the flying carpet, the fruit of life and death, an allseeing idol's eye, the cloak of invisibility, a magic rope, and a magic casket of wishes. Ahmed returns from his journey in time to defeat the treacherous Mongols. * At the end of the book is a brief publicity statement by Arthur J. Zellner on the technical aspects of the motion picture. * The motion picture, while interminable, had good trick photography and Fairbanks's ebullient personality. The novel is a strange mixture of naive narrative and flashes of scholarly Orientalia. ADELER, MAX (pseud. of Clark, Charles Heber) (1847 - 1915) Philadelphia journalist, humorist, political lobbyist for high tariffs. Best-known work was OUT OF THE HURLY-BURLY (1874). Work might be briefly categorized as similar to that of Mark Twain, but with no great talent. 3. RANDOM SHOTS J. W. Lovell; New York [1878] Short stories, including [a] MR. SKINNER'S NIGHT IN THE UNDERWORLD. Mr. Bartholomew Skinner of Squan, N.J., while travelling in Germany decided to visit Tanhauser's underworld. If

ADELER, MAX Tanhauser could enter, reasons Skinner, why cannot 17 He is admitted by a ghost and taken to Aphrodite, but offends the spirits by carping and perpetually making commercial suggestions. When he starts to sing a hymn, he is ignominiously expelled. * An early version of the worldly, ugly American. Amusing. Many illustrations by A. B. Frost. 4. THE FORTUNATE ISLAND AND OTHER STORIES Lee and Shepard; Boston 1882 Short stories, including [a1 AN OLD FOGY. Ephraim Batterby, an elderly_man who is always praising the glories of the past, as against the present, suddenly finds himself back in the world of his childhood. He is mistaken for his own father, and when he is ridiculed for comments about daily newspapers, Chicago, and the telegraph, decides that the past may not have

been so wonderful as he thought. All a dream. * Also present is the excellent lost-race science-fiction story "The F9rtunate Island," which offers a foretaste of Mark Twain's A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT. A light-hearted, amusing tale. AINSWORTH, WILLIAM HARRISON (1802-1882) British novelist, editor, publisher. Often critized during his early career for his Newgate novels (ROOKWOOD, JACK SHEPPARD), which romanticized the'underworld and glamorized famous criminals of the past. His later work was mostly romantic historical fiction in the mode of later Scott. Although not a great novelist, he could visualize scenes vividly and convey excitement. As editor of BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY and other periodicals he was a central figure in the mid-Victorian literary world. In his fantastic fiction, the supernatural, which is usually folkloristic, tends to be secondary to other elements. For a good study, see WILLIAM HARRISON AINSWORTH AND HIS FRIENDS by S. M. Ellis. 5. ROOKWOOD A ROMANCE Richard Bentley; London 1834 3 vol. (published anonymously) ROOKWOOD, Ainsworth's first important work, established him as one of the most popular authors in Great Britain. According to the preface in the 1849 edition, it was consciously written to reestablish the older romances of Walpole, Lewis, Radcliffe, and Maturin. It is thus more Gothic than his later work. * The story consists of two main substructures: a Gothic alienation plot, in which Alan Rookwood, a dispossessed heir, plots a complicated but unsuccessful revenge, and secondly, the exploits of Dick Turpin, the famous highwayman. The Gothic plot is too complex to summarize; in any case, it is not particularly interesting, but the sections concerning Turpin took the public fancy and Ainsworth's songs in thieves' cant became extremely popular. It is in this novel that Turpin's famous (but probably imaginary) ride on the great mare, Black Bess, took place. The supernatural elements are to be found in the Gothic sections, and include a powerful ancestral curse that stipulates, in part, that all Rookwoods shall murder their wives; a lime tree that drops a gigantic limb

2

AINSWORTH, W. H. whenever a death in the family is near; and a ghost. * Turpin's ride is still worth reading. AN HISTORICAL ROMANCE 6. WINDSOR CASTLE Henry Colburn; London 1843 3 vol. Romantic historical novel, 1529-1536, ranging from just before Henry VIII's divorce from Katherine of Aragon to the execution of Anne Boleyn. Historical accuracy, of course, is not absolute, and the author deliberately strays away from history for characters, incidents, and conversations, although the major lines of history are recognized. The supernatural enters strongly in Herne the Hunter, who permeates the novel and is to be found behind many closed doors and under many trees, either tempting someone or performing some daring deed. Herne, according to the more believable legend related, had lived about one hundred and fifty years earlier, and had sold his soul to the Devil in order to win a wife. Herne then committed suicide and the Devil turned him into a wood spirit, immortal, invulnerable, and armed with certain supernatural powers. One of his functions is to assemble a band of living or recently dead men to ride with him through the wood at night. While his bands are periodically wiped out, Herne always remains. In WINDSOR CASTLE Herne tempts Surrey and Wyat, sets himself against Henry, causes the downfall of Anne Boleyn, and creates a great deal of activity. Captures, escapes, imprisonments, secret passages, disguises, discoveries, hidden caverns all abound. Herne, of course, is the great prototype of similar characters in the 19th century boys' thrillers (iibloods"). Today, however, he is interesting from a folkloristic point of view, both as a survival of pagan Germanic belief and as a parallel to the witch cult. * Although Ainsworth has a not undeservedly bad critical reputation, WINDSOR CASTLE is very readable and enjoyable. * The edition read was the superior Routledge 1889 edition, which contains both Cruikshank plates and many woodcuts by W. A. Delamotte showing the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, and their environs. 7. THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES [Printed for private circulation, London 18491. [First trade edition, Henry Colburn; London 1849 3 vol.1 A long historical romance based loosely on historical witch trials in Northern England during the reign of King James I. * A prelude introduces the situation. The last Abbot of Whalley has been trapped in an abortive revolt against Henry VIII. While he stands in peril, he is approached by Nicholas Demdike, a notorious witch, who offers the abbot safety if he will baptize Demdike's child. The abbot, who has already excommunicated the Demdikes, refuses, and is executed shortly thereafter. Before he dies, he places a curse on Demdike's infant daughter. * Approximately seventyfive years later, during the reign of King James I, witches hold sway over the large area known as Pendle Forest. Although they quarrel and intrigue among themselves, they recognize the Devil as their common master, attend co-

AINSWORTH, W. H. vens together, and retain power as long as each witch sacrifices one person a year to the Devil. The most powerful of the witches, prima inter pares, is Mistress Nutter, one of the local gentry. Just below her in power are Mother Demdike, whom the abbot cursed as a child, and Mother Chattox, both heads of witch families. The witches harry the lands, taking toll of all. * Several subplots run concurrently. There is a lawsuit between Mistress Nutter and Squire Nowell about boundaries, in which Nowell's attorney is a rascally Londoner, Thomas Potts. To gain her suit Mistress Nutter changes the entire landscape magically, altering the terrain and moving permanent landmarks. In a second subplot, Potts, to gain favor with the king, is determined to investigate and accuse the various witches of the area. He and Nowell proceed by force against Mistress Nutter. As a romantic subplot, young Richard Assheton, a member of thp gentry, falls in love with Alizon Device, who has been thought to be Mother Demdike's granddaughter, but is realty Mistress Nutter's daughter. Richard attempts to protect Alizon against the general accusations of witchcraft that are circulating. Alizon, despite her environment, is kind and virtuous. But once Alizon's true identity is revealed, Mother Demdike plans to sacrifice her to the Devil, partly to spite Mistress Nutter, and partly to gain her yearly renewal. Mistress Nutter, discovers that her witchery will not work against true religion, and also urged by maternal feelings, repents and tries to save her daughter. Eventually Demdike and Chattox forfeit their bonds; Mistress Nutter is hauled before the king; and the witch cult is wiped out. Alizon is killed by her foster-sister, the last of the witches, and Richard Assheton dies. * There is a considerable amount of supernaturalism in the story, but it is not primarily Gothic, but Romantic. Motifs include appearances of the Devil; familiars; covens; flight through the air on brooms; doppelgangers; a picture that comes to life; ghosts, notably the frequent appearance of the Abbot of Whalley, who comes to see his curse being fulfilled; doll magic; and animal magnetism. There is a fair amount of dialect, which tends to be bothersome. * Included in the body of the novel is the short piece [a] THE LEGEND OF MALKIN TOWER. In the days of King Henry VI the female anchorite Isole de Heton lives a riotous life and is carried off by her spouse, the Devil. * Despite period characteristics, one of the major English novels about witchcraft. 8. AURIOL FRAGMENT OF A ROMANCE [In AINSWORTH'S WORK, Vol. XII Chapman and Hall; London 1850 This is first book appearance of this item, although it has appeared separately several times since. It was first published in AINSWORTH'S MAGAZINE, 1844-5, but was never completed. * Historical novel derivative in idea from Maturin's MELMOTH THE WANDERER. * Dr. Lamb, in early 17th century England, has discovered the elixir of life, but dies too soon to use it. His grandson Auriol and his laboratory assistant

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ALARCON, PEDRO DE Flapdragon drink it with good result. Flapdragon survives as Old Parr, while Auriol retains eternal youth. The story shifts to 1830, where Auriol is under the domination of Rougemont, a Rosicrucian, who is in league with the Devil. Every ten years, Auriol, if he is to retain his extended life, must submit a woman for sacrifice. He has found several such women in the past, without problems of conscience, but he rebels when he learns that the next sacrifice is to be the woman he loves. He is outwitted and the woman is sacrificed. Auriol then reawakens back in the 17th century and learns that his experiences have been delirium from a wound. * Not one of Ainsworth's better works. A rather uneven first draft ALAN, A. J. (pseud of LAMBERT, LESLIE H.) (1883-1940) British civil servant, pioneer radio narrator. Said by Kenelm Ross to have originated the BBC accent, a "class-conscious mincing travesty of correct diction." 9. GOOD EVENING. EVERYONE! Hutchinson; London [1928 ] Radio monologues and narratives told by Mr. Alan. Including [a] MY ADVENTURE IN JERMYN STREET. Alan mysteriously receives a theatre ticket, then is taken to a deserted house by a beautiful woman. He never learns the reason for the incident, though there may be a supernatural explanation. [b] THE DREAM. A repeated dream with consistent symbolism: whoever is seen on the speaker's platform will soon die. [c] COINCIDENCE. Light and shadow cause the illusion of a body lying on the road. Prophetic. [d] THE HAIR. A brass box contains a quantity of human hair. The hair, if placed on photographs, either injures or kills its victims. A good material-horror story spoiled by a jaunty ending. [e] THE DIVER. Premonitions of death. [f] THE VOICE. A radio set tunes in on a phantom singer. Also possession. [g] THE PHOTOGRAPH. Spirit photography. [h] MY ADVENTURE IN NORFOLK. Alan sees a roadside motor accident and discovers a murder. But it all had happened years before. * It is possible that a skilled narrator might make these stories come to life, but as read, they are undeveloped, and the penchant for a trick ending is annoying. * A more accessible collection is THE BEST OF A. J. ALAN (Richards Press, London, 1954), edited by Kenelm Foss. ALARCON, PEDRO ANTONIO DE (1833-1891) Spanish poet, journalist, novelist, playwright. Much of his work is romantic and regionalistic, and presented in a rhetorical maneer. Bestknown in the English-speaking world for the short novel THE THREE CORNERED HAT (EL SOMBRERO DE TRES PICOS, 1874), subject of ballet by Manuel de Falla. 10. THE STRANGE FRIEND OF TITO GIL A. Lovell; New York [1890] Translated from Spanish by Mrs. Francis J. A. Darr. * A sentimentally developed version of two folkloristic motifs, Death's godson and the Spanish magician. * Early 18th century

ALARCON, PEDRO DE Spain. Tito Gil, illegitimate son of a Spanish grandee, falls on hard times when his father dies. He is cast out of the house by his stepmother and scorned by all his former acquaintances. He also loses the woman he loves. He is about to commit suicide when Death appears to him. Death tells Gil that he has taken a fancy to him and offers to aid him to fortune and marriage to Elena. Gil simply has to watch where and how Death comports himself in the sick chamber and he will be considered a matchless physician. Gil receives royal favor and marries Elena, as well as gaining his father's estate. Death then calls him away and takes him to the palace of ice at the North Pole. Death reveals that Tito's experiences have all been illusion. Tito really did commit suicide, and Elena died on the same day. But thanks to Elena's prayers in heaven, Tito was given a second chance. It is now the year 2316 and the end of the world is near. The world explodes and presumably Tito and Elena go to Paradise. * Sentimental and quaint. ALDEN, W[ILLIAM] L. (1837-1908) American educator, lawyer, journalist (NEW YORK TIMES), editor. Sometime resident in England. Now remembered mostly for his work in popularizing canoeing as a sport. 11. A LOST SOUL BEING THE CONFESSION AND DEFENCE OF CHARLES LINDSAY A ROMANCE Ghat to and Windus; London 1892 Early borderline science-fiction. * Italy, near Venice. The narrator, Dr. Lindsay, is currently in a madhouse. He has committed a murder and admits the fact, but his story is so strange that he is considered insane. * Independently wealthy, he has been educated as a physician, but is currently enthusiastic about geology. While observing a glacier in Northern Italy, he sees a body in the ice. He extracts a beautiful woman, and revives her by injections and artificial respiration. She is the Countess della Torre, born a Contarini, who has been frozen for over 300 years. She adjusts well enough to modern times, but there is always an unmoral aspect to her violent personality. The doctor falls in love with her and she becomes his mistress. But when she takes one of his friends as a lover, Lindsay becomes madly jealous. He decides that the countess has no soul. While her body was revived, her soul did not return to the body. He thereupon murders her. * Despite a somewhat cluttered beginning, economically told and not especially dated in narration. ALEXANDER, S[IGMUND] B. (fl. 1880-1915) American writer of fiction on occult topics, children's plays. 12 • TEN OF US ORIGINAL STORIES AND SKETCHES Laughton, Macdonald; Boston [1887] Short stories, including [a] THE MODERN MEPHISTOPHELES. An American buys Faust's old castle and finds Faust's chambers and paraphernalia intact. He invokes Mephistopheles, who is aged and feeble because of centuries of human disbelief in him. [b] A DUAL LIFE. Abnormal psychology with suggestion of imaginary personalities.

4

ALLEN, GRANT The narrator has built a dream world of great substantiality. When he marries the wrong woman, he continually projects the dream personality on her and finally murders her. Borderline supernatural. [c] THE LIVING DEAD. An insufficient quantity of the elixir of life, drunk in the early 18th century, prolongs life but not youth or bodily function. [d] THE TALISMAN. Allegory in fairy tale terms. The talisman of great power is the U.S. silver dollar. [e] THE MYSTERY OF DEATH. Mesmeric contact permits sharing the experience of death. * Another story, "Out of the Sea," not supernatural, deals with the finding of the ruins of Atlantis on recently elevated land. * Short, undeveloped, amateurish. ALLEN, GRANT (full name ALLEN, CHARLES GRANT BLAIRFINDIE) (1848-1899). British author of Canadian birth, sometime resident in Jamaica as an educator. Important popularizer of science, social novelist. His scientific and historical works PHYSIOLOGICAL AESTHETICS (1877) and THE EVOLUTION OF THE IDEA OF GOD (1897) were highly regarded, although some considered the latter blasphemous. Also produced important work in early sciencefiction and the mystery story. Remembered today mostly for THE WOMAN WHO DID (1895), in which the protagonist decided that free love was less degrading than the bondage of marriage, and for THE BRITISH BARBARIANS (1895), in which British cultural patterns were provocatively dissected in terms of anthropology. His supernatural fiction is less important than the works here cited, being journalistic or over-rationalistic. Nothing is known of May Cotes. 13. STRANGE STORIES Ghatto and Windus; London 1884. Short stories, including three somewhat humorous supernatural tales. [a] NEW YEAR'S EVE AMON} THE MUMMIES. Egypt. The narrator stumbles on the secret underground vault in the Great Pyramid on the night, once every thousand years, when the mummies come to life. He and a princess are attracted to one another, and he is willing to be mummified in order to join her. He awakens, and is told that his experience has been delirium, but there are material proofs. Amusing intentional anachronisms. [b] THE MYSTERIOUS OCCURRENCE IN PICCADILLY. A young man caught in an embarrassing situation pretends to be a phantasm of the living. A take-off on British psychical research. [c] OUR SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATIONS ON A GHOST. A ghost appears to a pair of medical students and obligingly permits itself to be felt, weighed, and analyzed chemically and spectrographically. Vivisection is a problem, since the ghost consists of a head and clothing. Again topical references to contemporary psychical research. * Also present are the two well-known science-fiction stories "Pausodyne" and "A Child of the Phalanstery." Frontispiece by George du Maurier. * [b] and [c] have some small interest as cultural history and are amusing.

ALLEN, GRANT 14. THE DESIRE OF THE EYES Digby, Long; London [1895 J Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [aJ NEW YEAR'S EVE AMONG THE MUMMIES. [bj THE MYSTERIOUS OCCURRENCE IN PICCADILLY. 15. TWELVE TALES WITH A HEADPIECE, A TAILPIECE, AND AN INTERMEZZO BEING SELECT STORIES Grant Richards; London 1899. Allen's selection of his best stories, largely reprinted from earlier volumes. Including [aJ WOLVERDEN TOWER. When Maisie visits the Wests, the tower of Wolverden Church has just been rebuilt. According to an old hag, the tower must be "fastedH thrice to be secure. Later that evening, at the hall dance, Maisie becomes acquainted with two young women who induce her to enter the vault beneath the church. They are the ancient dead, the previous human sacrifices, and also present is the entire local realm of the dead. They persuade Maisie to become the third human sacrifice necessary to protect the tower. But she is saved. * Also present is "A Child of the Phalanstery." *. [aJ represents Allen's anthropological and folkloristic interests. With COTES, MAY: 16. KALEE'S SHRINE J.W. Arrowsmith, Bristol and Simpkin, Marshall, London 1886. Libration between Indian supernaturalism and modern psychopathology. * Olga Trevelyan, daughter of a British official in India, is devoted to the goddess Kali by her ayah and a priest of Thuggee. The priest makes two small cuts to paralyze her eye muscles. According to theory, Olga will be a normal Anglo-Indian girl during her waking state, but while asleep she will be possessed by the terrible Kali. Years later in England, the results of all this become apparent. Olga is seemingly possessed by the goddess and tries to strangle one of her friends with the traditional neckerchief of the Thug; it is also quite possible that in the past she murdered her little brother. But modern science is more than a match for Kali and the priest. A medical man declares that she is a hysterical somnambulist, mesmerizes Kali away, and restores function to Olga's eyelids by means of a simple operation. * The decision between supernaturalism and science is never completely resolved, but Allen and Cotes seem to favor science. * The ideas are interesting and sophisticated, but the treatment is cheaply sensational and not up to Allen's better work elsewhere. While the British edition is accredited to Allen and Cotes, American reprints often cite Allen as sole author. ANDERSON, POUL (1926 ) Important modern American science-fiction author. Much of his work is characterized by elitist attitude toward problems of culture and psychology, with strong yearning for early Scandinavian lifeways. Fantasies are often based on the same point of view, which is presented with narrative skill and tolerance. 17. THE BROKEN SWORD Abelard-Schuman; New York 1954. Fantastic adventure, with an attempt to create

ANDERSON, POUL

5

the cultural background of the Icelandic sagas. England, mostly, with the lands of Faerie adjacent to and interpenetrating it, circa 900 A.D. In this world the Norse gods still hold sway, although the evil Jotuns withstand them. Christianity is assuming a magical power that will later destroy the lands of Faerie. There are several minor races of supernatural beings, including the humanoid Elves, who cannot touch iron, and their enemies, the evil Trolls, monstrous beings. There is more than a suspicion that all that is happening is a concealed conflict, one step removed, between gods and Jotuns, good and evil. * Into this world a son is born to the humans Orm and Aelfrida. The Elf earl Imric happens to be riding past when he hears the news from a witch, and he immediately performs the magical rites to acquire a changeling. The Elves like foster children, since humans can handle iron weapons. Imric makes off with the baby, leaving in its place an Elf-Troll changeling. The human baby in Elfheim is to be the heroic Skafloc, while the changeling in England is to be the demonic berserker Valgard. * During Skafloc's name-feast in Elfheim, a sinister note is sounded: a god rides in and casts down a broken iron sword as a gift for Skafloc, to be used in time of need. * Years pass. Two subplots now mature. The Elves learn that the Trolls are planning war, and the champion Skafloc leads a reconnaissance raid into Finland. Valgard has fallen under the sway of the witch, who has a feud against Orm's family, and through her working murders his brothers and father. Valgard has learned of his non-human or~g~n, and decides to throw his lot in with the Trolls in Finland. He takes along as presents to the lustful Troll king his two human foster-sisters. The forces of Skafloc and Valgard clash in Finland, and Skafloc rescues Freda, one of his blood sisters and takes her as his lover. Neither knows of their blood relationship. The war breaks out and the Trolls, with powerful allies, beat the Elves badly. Skafloc is the Elf champion, while Valgard is the troll champion. The two meet in combat, but always indecisively. Skafloc, advised by one of the gods, learns that the broken sword is Elfdom's only hope and seeks to have it reforged. By evoking the dead he learns how to do this, but also learns that Freda is his sister. This is the first weird against Skafloc, for Freda leaves him and he is wild with despair. He and a member of the Irish Sidhe travel to Jotunheim and trick a giant into reforging the sword, but Skafloc learns that the s·word is evil. While it is irresistible (the Sword of Victory of Norse legend?), it will eventually kill its wielder. In the final battle the Elves win, but both Skafloc and Valgard are killed by the sword. Evil has been defeated, but at high cost. * The first portion of this novel is perhaps the finest American heroic fantasy, with good characterizations, excellent surface detail, good plotting, and an admirable recreation of. the mood of the Old Norse literature. But the

*

ANDERSON, POUL story ends in a mad scramble and unconvincing slaughter. * The text read was not the first edition cited above, but the Ballantine (New York, 1971) edition, which is somewhat revised. 18. THREE HEARTS AND THREE LIONS Doubleday; Garden City, New York 1961. Fantastic adventure. A shorter version appeared previously in MFSF 1953. The scene is an alternate world where magic is potent and scientific law weak. This second world is linked to ours, perhaps by union of opposites, and spiritual crises in one are paralleled in the other. In our world the crisis is World War II; in the other world it is the threatened outburst of supernatural peoples, supporting chaos, against humans, who support the rule of law. The subject matter draws on medieval romances of chivalry, Norse mythology, and general folklore. * Holger Carlsen, young Danish-American, is hit by a bullet in World War II and awakens in the other world, which is more or less medieval. His quest first takes the form of wishing to be returned to our world, but it leads him through a series of fantastic adventures: a narrow escape from fairies, pursuit by a dragon, a riddling contest with a giant, detection of a werewolf, and other perils. In his quest he is accompanied by a dwarf and a swan-maiden, a human woman who can transform herself into a swan by means of a magic garment. After a time, however, Holger realizes that his presence in the other world is not accidental, and that very powerful forces are trying to prevent his accorr'plishing some unknown purpose. After episodes with Morgan Ie Fay (leader of his enemies) and a helpful wizard, he learns that he is to becorroe the Defender of humanity against the impending invasion by the wagical forces of Middleworld. He is Ogier the Dane, friend and paladin of Charlemagne, returned to save humanity. * Well sustained until the ending, at which time there are problems. ANDOl
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ANDREZEL, PIERRE Topical humor, with two short novelS, originally published separately in periodicals, unsuccessfully joined. In la] TP£ MAGIC BOWL a pair of boaters find a Persian bowl in a mudflat. The bowl has a jinni who fulfills wishes, but is also dangerous, since he applies illegal means and whenever the bowl changes hands, kills the former owner. Many farcical wishes and many mowents of peril occur. The two friends become rulers of Russia, which they turn into a utopia, but eventuall~ they wish they had never found the bowl. [b] THE BLUE-STONE RING. This is also concerned with a wish-fulfilling jinni. There are humorous escapades, personality exchanges, processions of elephants in London, and so on, until the ring is finally lost. * Rather weak work, obviously derivative from F. Anstey, who did it better. ANDREZEL, PIERRE (pseud of Blixen, Baroness Karen). (See DINESEN, ISAK for biographical statement.) 21. THE ANGELIC AVENGERS Random House; New York {1946] First published in Denmark during the German occupation, this was apparently read as a figurative statement of Denma.rk's plight, although it is difficult to see how this interpretation can be supported. It is best considered one of Baroness Blixen's profound short stories expanded not entirely successfully to novel length. * When Lucan Bellenden's father dies, she is left penniless and has to take a position as a governess. But because of her beauty and charm she is persecuted by her employer. She seeks protection with a girlhood friend, Zosine Ta.bbernor, a wealthy young woman. Zosine accepts her with delight, but misfortune strikes again. Zosine's father goes bankrupt, and the two young women must find situations. At an employment agency in London" they are approached by the Rev. Dr. Penhallow, a retired clergyman, and his wife. In memory of a dead daughter, Penhallow states, he wishes to take the two young women, educate them for a year, and befit them for life. The girls accompany Penhallow to France, where they are tutored and treated kindly. But suspicions arise. The local magistrate interrogates Penhallow on the accusation that he is a white slaver. Penhallow refutes the accusation, but the young women soon realize that it is true and that they are in danger. They learn that Penhallow's associates have already murdered one girl who had proved recalcitrant. A dual situation arises: they live in fear of death, yet must stay to avenge the murdered girl. On the evening that Penhallow plans to murder them, the climax occurs: he reveals his wickedness, but dies when Zosine indicates that she pardons him. It seems that Penhallow had made a diabolic bond and is nearly immortal. He is almost a saint of evil. His supernatural powers protect him until pity from a purehearted woman cancels his bond. As a further supernatural element, Zosine's old Black ser-

ANDREZEL, PIERRE vant, Olympia, was a voodoo priestess, had certain supernatural powers, and had served under Penhallow fifty years earlier, when he was a voodoo priest. * A curious book that at times seems to offer a straight confrontation, in period settings, between virtue and evil, and at other times seems almost a parody. The gradual unmasking of Penhallow is well handled, but the novel as a whole seems lumpy and ill segmented, less successful than the fine short stories by Izak Dinesen. ANNESLEY, MAUDE (marriage name BROWNLOW) (fl. 1907 - 1923?) British author of popular fiction. 22. SHADOW-SHAPES John Lane; London 1911 Shopgirl romance dealing with a triangle. Hypnotism is considered as a supernatural force. * Cuthbert Brocklehurst has hypnotized his wife Grace so that she will die when he does. He is obviously aware that a potential lover is lurking around the bungalow. But when Brocklehurst lies on his deathbed and Grace is dying sympathetically, he relents and releases her from the hypnotic bond. * Little to recommend in it. ANSTEY, F. (pseud. of GUTHRIE, THOMAS ANSTEY) (1856 - 1934) British humorist, satirist, table-member of PUNCH. His pseudonym, sometimes mistakenly considered an alteration of the word "fantasy" was originally a printer's error for T. Anstey. Educated at Cambridge and called to the bar, Anstey adopted instead a literqry career and became one of the more popular authors of his day. VOCES POPULI, his column in PUNCH, consisted of transmuted conversation fragments heard about London and elsewhere, in which current events, personality types, and intellectual movements were ironically mirrored from a conservative point of view. They are still very amusing and socially significant. While Anstey wrote some mainstream fiction, this was not his forte, and his importance is as the preeminent 19th century writer of humorous fantasy. His work is usually fully Victorian in development, dramatic in construction (and indeed was often adapted to the stage), gently satirical on personality foibles, occult moveinents, C.ockneys, artists, stiff parents, and young lovers. His first important work, VICE VERSA, remains one of the great Victorian school stories. While his better novels are still worth reading, his shorter fiction as a rule is much less successful. With the exception of VICE VERSA, Anstey's work never became popular in the United States. Annotated editions of VOCES POPULI, however, were sometimes used on the Continent for teaching English. Anstey's autobiography, A LONG RETROSPECT (1936) is somewhat disappointing. 23. VICE VERSA; OR, A LESSON TO FATHERS Smith, Elder; London 1882 In the Dickensian tradition, apparently partly autobiographical in personalities and situations described. While it is partly a situation comedy, it also satirizes heavy fathers,

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ANSTEY, F. ineffectual teachers, and hot-tempered, flagellating schoolmasters. * The story is built around the Garuda stone, an Oriental souvenir which grants a single wish to each person who holds it. It is now in the possession of the Bultitude family, as a relic from an Anglo-Indian relative. Bultitude, Sr., a City man, uses an unfortunate figure of speech while touching the stone. Scolding his errant schoolboy son, Paul, he wishes he could be a schoolboy again. He is transformed, and Paul completes the exchange of roles by wishing himself an adult. The older Bultitude, in the form of a boy, is sent off to the temporary hell of ~ boarding school, while Paul, in adult form, mismanages his father's business and personal life. After many ingenious situations, the exchange is reversed, and several of the characters have learned their lessons: Bultitude,. Sr., will not be quite so heavy, and Paul will be less wild. There are several fine characterizations, such as Dr. Grimstone, the choleric schoolmaster; Cousin Paradine, a '''inning scoundrel; and a Cockney cook who mistakes her employer's fondness for doughtnuts for love. * Long, fully-developed, with, of course, a period flavor, this is one of the great fantasy classics. 24. THE BLACK POODLE AND OTHER TALES Longmans; London 1884 Short stories, presumably assembled to capitalize on the success of VICE VERSA. Including [a] THE WRAITH OF BARNJUM. (TEMPLE BAR, 1879). Bunting pushed Barnjum, a horrible bore, over a cliff in Wales, and is thereafter beset by Barnjum's ghost, which he vainly tries to commercialize. But then Barnjum is discovered to be alive, and there is an extra ghost. [b] THE SIREN. A sentimental story about a siren who falls in love with a sailor. She decides to release him from the bonds of her song, knowing that she must die in his stead. [c] THE CURSE OF THE CATAFALQUES. Just as [a] parodies the contemporary ghost story, this apes the heavy horror story of the day. The narrator, ta~ing the place of an acquaintance, gees to visit the Catafalque family. He believes that the purpose of his visit is to weo the beautiful daughter of the house, but actually he is supposed to lay the family monster. He may well lose his life in the attempt. The monster appears in the Grey Room on Christmas Eve, and checks the family accounts. The narrator is an amusing ccward. * [c] has some light-hearted moments, but the rest of the volume is immature work and largely negligible. 25. THE TINTED VENUS A FARCICAL ROMANCE J. W. Arrowsmith, Bristol; Simpkin, Marshall, London 1885 A take-off on ccntewporary society novels and an amusing picture of Cockney life and values. * Leander TWeddle, a young Londcn hairdresser, places a ring on the finger of a statue of Aphrodite in an entertainment park. The statue, which had ceen placed there among the props of the garden by thieves who stole it from an art collection, thereupon ccrr.es to life and pursues Leander amorously. She insists that

they set off to Cyprus together, and her magical powers are great and terrible enough that Leander is in great danger. Mcre complications arise when the art thieves and the police enter tne

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of Apnrodite, and tne violence of tne criminals, Leander has a difficult time. * Good period humor, imaginative, with gentle satire on the "lower orders," tho1..·.gh perhaps a little too long. 26. A FALLEN IDOL Smith, Elder; Londcn 1886 Irony on the life of a society artist in Londcn and a spoof on the Theosophists. 1, A prelude in India describes in tongue-in-cheek fashion the life and after-death supernatural powers of the Jain Chalanka. Worshipped as a living incarnation during life, he manifests awesome powers after death through his idol. He is far from being benevolent. * The scene then shifts to England, some years later, where Campion, a young portrait painter, has been given the idcl of Chalanka by his fiancee. From that time on, he lives in an unbroken concatenation of trouble. He sees his artwork spoiled and his romance broken. There is no controlling the malicious idol and no way of getting rid of it. It always comes back, even when he throws it into the Thames. On that occasion it transformed itself into a crying baby, and Campion was in real trouble for a time. Finally, a modern student of occultism, Nebelsen, with the aid of soreewhat nebulous Masters in the Himalayas, more or less accidentally drives Chalanka away. * Amusing, with many good. touches and types. 27. TOURMALIN'S TIME CHEOUES (A FARCICAL EXTRAVAGANCE) J. W. Arrowsmith; Bristol L1891] Reprinted as THE TIME BARGAIN. A short fantasy novel, one of the earliest to deal with disrupted time sequences. * Tourmalin, who is badly browbeaten by his domineering fiancee, invests in a time bank. That is to say, he receives a checkbook for time, slips from which may be cashed at any clock, just as checks may be cashed at a bank. Tourmalin cashes several of his checks, and most of them give him a respite from his fiancee, on a sea voyage. But there is one disadvantage: the checks are not in proper sequence, and Tourmalin is perpetually in a contretemps, trying to determine what has happened and what he is expected to do. He finds himself with two fiancees and several slandered fellow passengers, all of ,.hom want physical revenge. The low point comes when he discovers that his domineering fiancee has a similar checkbook and has been spying on him during the voyage. The only solution to the various problems is to reveal-- that it was all a dream. Too bad. * Amusing, but sentimental, more cliched in personalities and situations than most of Anstey's fantasies, and without the usual "small people." 28. THE TALKING HORSE AND OTHER TALES Smith, Elder; London 1892 Short stories, some of which are adult super~atural fiction, others of which are semijuvenile, moral, allegorical fables. Including La] THE TALKING HORSE. A talking horse with

a will of its own upsets its owner's romance and is in general a social nuisance. Irony on London uppercrust life, Gibson-girl milieu. All delirium. Lb] TOMMY'S HERO. Tommy is of£e:re.u a

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to nave the clown visit his home. It was a bad choice, as he discovers when he is tormented in situations that he thought funny on the stage. A rather cruel maturation theme. Lc] THE GOOD LITTLE GIRL. As a result of a fairy gift, a pious, priggish little girl drools jewels at each word of goodness and wisdom that she utters. But the jewels are not genuine, since her goodness is false. [d] MARJORY. Schoolboy feuds, puppy love, death, and the ghost of a girl. It saves the narrator. * The fables are mildly interesting for the unusual cynical note, but the volume as a whole is minor. 29. THE STATEMENT OF STELLA MABERLEY, WRITTEN BY HERSELF T. Fisher Unwin; London 1896 (published anonymously) A psychological novel, schizophrenia treated as a supernatural manifestation. The story is told by Stella, a young woman who has had severe mental problems since she was a little child. She is in love with Hugh Dallas, although she is too inhibited and self-tormented to show her love. She also mistakenly believes that her friend Evelyn Heseltine is in love with Hugh. She manipulates situations so that Evelyn, who has a weak heart, will take a fatal dose of chloral. But when she finds Evelyn dead, she is overcome by remorse and prays so movingly that Evelyn comes back to life. In a short time, however, Stella realizes that a different personality inhabits Evelyn's body. On one occasion Evelyn admits that she is an earthbound sprit who slipped into Evelyn's body while the true Evelyn was dead. Evelyn, now a cynical, soulless being, sets out to win Hugh, which she does easily enough. Stella, horrified at the thought of Hugh's marrying a demon, first tries to forbid the bans, but no heed is paid to her, since she is considered insane. After the wedding, when she realizes that Hugh is unhappy, she strangles the weakly Evelyn. The circumstances then reveal that not only was Stella mad, but that she misinterpreted much of the situation around her. * This is probably the best of a small flurry of novels dealing with abnormal psychology that were published around the turn of the century. While the book was published anonymously, the attribution to Anstey seems unquestioned. 30. THE BRASS BOTTLE Smith, Elder; London 1900 Wish-fulfillment, Gibson-girl types, and irony on British folkways and institutions. * Horace Ventimore, a struggling young architect, wishes to please crotchety, irascible Professor Futvoye, the father of the woman he loves, and attends an auction of Oriental artifacts. He buys a very ,old brass jug, which when opened emits a very grateful jinni. The jinni, named Fakrash-el-Aamash, though a very nasty individual, wishes to reward Ventimore, and tries to help him with architectural commissions. But a certain Oriental extravagance and unpro-

ANSTEY, F. gressiveness always spoils the jinni's efforts, and Ventimore is perpetually skidding close to disaster. The jinni plans a splendid marriage for Ventimore. When Ventimore does not agree, the jinni turns vicious and Ventimore is fortunate to escape. Eventually everything is returned to its condition before Ventimore found the bottle. * Amusing, with many good scenic episodes. THE BRASS BOTTLE was turned into a popular stage production, with magical effects by the Maskelynes, and is still occasionally revived. The motion picture THE BRASS BOTTLE, starring Burl Ives, is by no means as amusing as the book. 31. SALTED ALMONDS Smith, Elder; London 1906 Mostly humorous short stories, including [a] WHY I HAVE GIVEN UP WRITING NOVELS. The experiences of an author of third-rate sensation novels, whose characters literally come to life. Also a parody of the eccentric detective of fiction. [b] MRS. BRASSINGTON-CLAYPOTT's CHILDREN'S PARTY. A stupid and snobbish society matron inadvertently hires a supernatural magician for her children's party and gets her just deserts. [c] THE MAGIC H'S. A modern version of DER FREISCHUrZ. A young Briton, who is ostracized because he cannot pronounce the letter h in the proper Situations, makes a treaty with a demon for a supply of magical h's. But six of his h's will be wrong 'uns. His guardian fairy gives him a talisman that will help a little. [d] CAVEAT EMPTOR! A shop offers fantastic bargains to an antique and art collecting tourist. But it cannot be found a second time. Ie] AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE. A London society blade, after an accident, is temporarily incarnated as an organ-grinder's monkey. Delirium. If] THE GULL. A despairing lover who beli.eves that his love is reincarnated as a sea gull, is mistaken. A rather pathetic story. [g] A BOHEMIAN BAG. A travelling bag that likes to travel on its own. [h] THE ADVENTURE OF THE SNOWING GLOBE. A stodgy, cowardly solicitor enters the world of a snowing globe, where he finds himself cast as a dragonslayer. * This is Anstey's best collection of short stories. Most still stand up today. 32. IN BRIEF AUTHORITY Smith, Elder; London 1915. This 400-page novel is Anstey's last considerable work. of fantasy. Written just before the outbreak of World War I and slightly updated at the end to make it topical, it is an enormously overextended jeu d'esprit. * To Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, snobbish, crude, and socially ambitious London matron, comes an embassy from Marchenland, to take her back as hereditary ruler. The ambassador makes a mistake, however, for he identifies Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson as queen by her wearing a certain pendant, which had been taken out of Marchenland by a prince in exile. He does not know that the pendant had just been bought by Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson from Daphne Heritage, a young governess. The Wibberley-Stimpsons and Daphne are transported to Marchenland, which is a somewhat rationalized country inhabited by the descendants of characters from Grimm's fairy tales. While

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ARKWRIGHT, WILLIAM magic is illegal, the court astrologer makes magical devices and the Court Fairy Godmother, though ancient, can still work potent spells. The Wibberley'-Stimpsons, what with their vulgarity and greed, soon make a botch of things, and it is a relief when Daphne is recognized as the true queen. She marries the crown prince of the neighboring land of French fairytales. Unfortunately, the ending is reached by very complicated plotting and intricate development. There are also a young ogre, a dragon, and transformations. * A disaster which the young Anstey might have handled amusingly as a nouvelle. 33. HUMOUR AND FANTASY VICE VERSA THE TINTED VENUS A FALLEN IDOL THE TALKING HORSE SALTED ALMONDS THE BRASS BOTTLE John Murray; London [1931] A large (1174pp.) omnibus volume containing the material listed in the subtitle. SALTED ALMONJS refers to the whole book of that title, but THE TALKING HORSE is just the short story. * Including [a] VICE VERSA. [b] THE TINTED VENUS. [c] A FALLEN IDOL. [d] THE TALKING HORSE. [e] WHY I HAVE GIVEN UP WRITING NOVELS. If] MRS. BRASSINGTON-CLAYPOTT'S CHILDREN PARTY. [g] THE MAGIC H'S. [h] CAVEAT EMPTOR! Ii] AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE. [j] THE GULL. [k] A BOHEMIAN BAG. [1] THE ADVENTURE OF THE SNOWING GLOBE. [m] THE BRASS BOTTLE. [Anonymous] 34. ARCHIMAGO; OR, THE NEW ZEALANDER ON THE RUINS OF LONDON BRIDGE Ward, Lock; London; D. H. Wilson, Newcastle-on-Tyne [1864?] Social commentary and prophecy via a supernatural vehicle. * The book· is narrated by Jno. of the Tribe of Smeythies, from New Zealand, around the year 1964. Western civilization has been destroyed and London lies in ruins. Jno. reminisces about the period before the destruction. When he came to London, years before, it was the metropolis of the world, with horseless carriages, flying carriages, and similar marvels. But it was amazingly corrupt. Shortly after the death of a friend from drink and brain fever, Jno. noticed a peculiar sensation, which ended in the appearance of a spirit. This spirit in turn caused the appearance of Archimago, the lord of all spirits, who takes Jno. around London, where he reveals to him the depravities of civilization. Jno. sees the corruption of the press, business ethics, social scandal, gambling, and even Spiritualism. Civil war has apparently broken out, and while Jno. does not spell out the reason for the collapse of civilization, there are hints. * A curiosity, consciously in the tradition of LeSage. Halkett and Laing attribute this to Francis Carr, a lumber merchant. ARKWRIGHT, WILLIAM (1857-1925) British occasional writer, authority on hunting dogs. 35. UTINAM; A GLIMMERING OF GODDESSES John Lane; London 1917 Episodic novel, irony on women. * A dryad named Utinam (Latin for I wish • • .) is never

ARKWRIGHT, WILLIAM satisfied. She prays to the gods and becomes successively a peacock, a woman, and an owl. She is dissatisfied with each of her transformations. She is finally turned into a suffragette, but is rescued by Pan and turned back into a tree. * Colored illustrations by Glyn Philpot fit well into the feeble story. ARLEN, MICHAEL (name changed from Kouyoumdjian, Dikran) (1895-1956) Born in Bulgaria of Armenian ancestry, later resident in Hollywood, U.S.A., a popular British writer of the 1920's and 30's. Now remembered mostly for THE GREEN HAT (1924), a story of decadent high life. His supernatural fiction harks back to fin de siecle models, imitating the epigrams of Wilde and the jaunty, Baghdadian London of Stevenson. Arlen is not up to his models, but his stories are brashly amusing and the epigrams are often successful. Most of his earlier fiction is centered on a fashionable set who meet fairly traditional supernatural effects with an idiosyncratic, upper-crust aplomb. A good period piece. 36. THESE CHARMING PEOPLE. BEING A TAPESTRY OF THE FORTUNES. FOLLIES, ADVENTURES, GALLANTRIES AND GENERAL ACTIVITIES OF SHERLMERDENE (THAT LOVELY LADY), LORD TARLYON, MR. MICHAEL WAGSTAFFE, MR. RALPH WYNDHAM TREVOR AND SOME O'IEERS OF THEIR FRIENDS OF THE LIGHTER SORT [etc.j Collins; London [1923] Short stories, including [a] THE ANCIENT SIN. Lord Tarlyon and Wyndham Trevor are driving in the countryside when they are stopped by an old woman who asks for help. They follow her up a path, and come upon an old man who is beating his son. He informs them, when they interfere, that the son has committed the unpardonable sin. While their attention is diverted, the son strikes the old man with a shovel and kills him. Tarlyon and Trevor go to the police, but when they return, after difficulties in finding the spot, see only ruins. But the constable whom they brought along is curiously involved in the tragedy. [b] THE LOQUACIOUS LADY OF LANSDOWNE PASSAGE. Tarlyon refuses ever to enter the passage, because of an experience he had there. He had escorted a rather timid prostitute through the passage, and she told him of her murder-- then disappeared. * The contrast between the classical themes and the modernistic, heavily ironic setting is sometimes piquant. 37. MAY FAIR Collins; London [1925] Short stories built around the same clique as in 36. Including [a] THE BATTLE OF BERKELEY SQUARE. Tarlyon, incapacitated by a pain in his Side, is taken to hospital for observation. It is appendicitis, and Tarlyon dies on the operating table. His soul migrates to the body of his sister, who happens to be in labor. But it is all delirium from anaesthesia. [b] THE PRINCE OF THE JEWS. The Admiral makes an enemy of Julian Raphael, a vicious swell criminal, and as a result of their melees, Julian's mistress is accidentally killed by a knife Julian has thrown. Julian marks the Admiral for death, which is supernaturally accomplished at the mo-

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ARLEN, MICHAEL ment that Julian dies in Paris. Julian, the Admiral, and the woman go off together. [c] THE REVOLTING DOOM OF A GENTLEMAN WHO WOULD NOT DANCE WITH HIS WIFE. Vest has been told by a soothsayer in Piccadilly Circus that he will prosper until a certain moment: he will perish by the owl on the statue of Eros. It comes true. His wife announces that Lord Vest has committed a murder, but she is the victim. [d] THE GENTLEMAN FROM AMERICA. A bet, spending a night alone in a haunted house. Puce, the American, takes the bet, and while waiting reads a horrible intercalated tale about an animated corpse that tries to warn her sister of a homicidal maniac. When the haunt comes, Puce discovers that his bullets are of no use. Rationalized. Madness is the result. le] TO LAMOIR. A rather vague story about supernatural sympathies and a swarth. [f] FAREWELL, THESE CHARMING PEOPLE. A banquet, thirteen at the table, a Presence-- and Satan, who exchanges badinage with the guests. Rather pointless, except as an epilogue. * Good atmosphere of the Roaring Twenties. 38. GHOST STORIES Collins; London [1927] Short stories from previous volumes, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE PRINCE OF THE JEWS. [b] TO LAMOIR. [c] THE ANCIENT SIN. [d] THE LOQUACIOUS LADY OF LANSDOWNE PASSAGE. [e] THE GENTLEMAN FROM AMERICA. * One of the two remaining stories, "The Ghoul of Golder's Green," deals with a hoax of a sort, while the other, "The Sm~ll in the Library," is concerned with a tenuous falsified supernaturalism. 39. HELL~ SAID THE DUCHESS A BED-TIME STORY Heinemann; London [1934] Heavy social satire, burlesque of detective stories. * In London of the near future, when England has gone Fascist, the police seek Jane the Ripper, a female sex criminal whose penchant is decapitation and mutilation of her victimes. The beautiful and virtuous Mary, Duchess of Dove, is under suspicion, since she has been seen near the crimes and her raucous behavior has attracted attention. While Henry James Fancy, the detective in charge of the case, who delights in polysyllaby, would like to arrest Lady Dove, the Commissioner overrules him. It is conceivable that Lady Dove could have murdered these members of the lower classes, but that she could have had sexual congress with them is unthinkable. Other clues lead to Dr. Xanthis Axaloe, a convict stricken off the medical register. An amateur detective unmasks him. Axaloe has the ability to transform himself into a beautiful woman, and has committed the crimes in the guise of Lady Dove. His purpose is to stir up social revolution, what with the obvious police protection of Lady Dove as a member of the ruling class~ /\xaloe reveals hiTIl.self as an immortal demon, but dies whf!TI shot, dissolving into slime, and leaving a bad smell behind. * An amusing" parody, with nice period dialogue. There are, of course, reminiscences of Arthur Machen and G. K. Chesterton, but the story is most likely to appeal to mystery buffs"

ARMOUR, FRANCES J. ARMOUR, FRANCES J. British writer. 40. THE BROTHERHOOD OF WISDOM Brown, Langham and Co.; London 1908 Occult novel, with romance. * The Brotherhood of Wisdom is a secret organi~ation that not only preserves the hidden wisdom of the past, but has made great advances of its own. It is not evil, and it has no plans for disturbing the world, but it is single-minded and ruthless in its pursuit of knowledge. * Professor Jackson invents a device that liberates the astral body, and the invention interests the Brotherhood, since previously they could liberate astral bodies only by occult means. Hermion Vivian. a beautiful young woman, persuades Jackson to experiment with her, but her astral body is captured by the Brotherhood and taken to their secret temple, where it is used for purposes of divination. Her physical body lies in a trance in England. Enter Dane Mottram, soldier ot fortune. He, too, is sent out by Jackson; he sees Hermion's capture," and tries to rescue her; but the Brotherhood is too strong for him; and his astral body is fortunate to escape. Eventually an occultist marginally associated with the Brotherhood suggests that Miss Vivian may be released if her physical body is brought to her astral body. Under such conditions physical ties will operate, and she will merge. After much adventure and derringdo, this is done. Cumbersome in its mixture of romance and occultism, not entirely convincing in plot. ARMOUR, MARGARET (marriage name perhaps MAC1943) DOUGALL) (? British occasional writer, scholar, translator of work by Richard Wagner and Heinrich Heine. AS EDITOR: 41 THE EERIE BOOK J. Shiells; London 1898 An anthology, partly folklore, partly fiction. Including, described elsewhere, [a1 THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, E. A. Poe. lb1 SIR HULDBRAND'S WIFE, F. de la Motte Fouque. A fragment from UNDINE. lc1 THE IRON COFFIN, G. W. M. Reynolds. A fragment from FAUST. * Also [d 1 THE MOTHER AND THE DEAD CHILD, Hans Andersen. Translated from Danish. Sentimental fable. Death as the gardener who tends the plants of human lives. le1 THE DUTCH OFFICER'S STORY, Catherine Crowe. Low Lands around 1830. Associated with the 20th, friendly to the enlisted men, is the ghost of a Newfoundland dog. It warns sleeping sentries when danger approaches. An officer, despite warnings, shoots at the dog and great misfortune befalls him. lf1 EARL BEARDIE'S GAME AT CARDS, Anonymous •. Earl Beardie of Glamis plays cards with the Devil on Sunday. 191 THE GARDE CHASSE, Catherine Crowe. France. A greedy young man, who has the right to gather the dead wood in the seigneur's forest, rips up an old wooden cross. The man buried beneath the cross resents the outrage bitterly and follows the young man home. [h1 A DREAM OF DEATH, Anonymous. Translation from Danish. A death vision. Seemingly a fragment from a longer,

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ARMSTRONG, MARTIN unidentified work. li1 THE BLIND BEGGAR OF ODESSA, Catherine Crowe. A little girl who has been associated with the dead beggar reveals to the police the circumstances of the beggar's death. Does his spirit visit her, as she says, or is she clairvoyant? * Other material includes a 30-page abridgment of FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelley; factual material from Hunt's POPULAR ROMANCES OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND, Savile's APPARITIONS, and Chambers's TRADITIONS OF EDINBURGH. * There are also 15 illustrations by W. B. Macdougall in the mode of Aubrey Beardsley. * The three stories by Mrs. Crowe, le1, 191, li1, come from her GHOSTS AND FAMILY LEGENDS (1858), which is almost impossible to find. ARMSTRONG, ANTHONY (pseud. of WILLIS, GEORGE A.) (1897 - 1976) British playwright, author of mysteries, humorous fiction, fantasy. Editor of TEE EMM during World War II. O.B.E., M.C. 42. THE STRANGE CASE OF MR. PELHAM Methuen; London 1957 Although this has been promoted and reviewed as a mystery story, it is really supernatural. * The story opens at Monte Carlo, where British tourists observe the great contrast between the appearance of Mr. Pelham, which is that of a conservative bookkeeper, and his reputation and activities over the past year or so. A recapitulation explains the situation. * Pelham, a small businessman, first notices something odd when friends say that they have seen and met him at places where he has not been. At first he is inclined to interpret this as mistaken identity, but he is gradually forced to recognize that someone who resembles him greatly is deliberately impersonating him. Pelham soon finds himself helpless, for his double knows his most secret plans, forges his changed signature perfectly, and even has his new house key. When the double intrudes in his apartment and his business, Pelham becomes desperate and finally succeeds in confronting the double. It turns out to be his undoing, for the double takes over his life completely, and Pelham is taken to the madhouse. The double, who is a fiend in human form, seduces Pelham's secretary, puts her fiance in jail, and embarks on a highly successful but shady business expansion. Vacationing at Monte Carlo he is also doing very well in causing the spiritual downfall of British tourists. * Entertaining, but episodic and disconnected in presentation. ARMSTRONG, MARTIN (1882 - 1974) British mainstream author, educated at Charterhouse and Cambridge. Well regarded during the 1930's for finely crafted traditional novels and short stories. Now undeservedly forgotten. 43. THE BAZAAR AND OTHER STORIES Jonathan Cape; London [19241 Short stories, including la1 MRS. BARBER'S CHRISTMAS. Old Mrs. Barber, who falls asleep in church, has a vision of Jesus and Heaven,

ARMSTRONG, MARTIN with very material marvels. But the vicar is not interested. Ib] HELM HALL. Richmond, seeking shelter for the night, takes refuge with an ancient madman who sees the ghosts of those who have died in the house. Perhaps the old man helped them to change their sphere of existence? [c) A DOG'S LIFE. Tweed takes a sip of a '68 port, praises it, and then discourses on the superiority of dogs to men. As the owner says, that wine will loosen any tongue. * [b) is a good chiller. 44. GENERAL BUNTOP' S MIRACLE AND OTHER STORIES Gollancz; London 1934 Short stories, including [a] PRESENCE OF MIND. Humor. Mr. Pellett, a solicitor, commits a trespass to reach his office a little earlier, and discovers that his ready lie to excuse his offence has created a fantasy world that threatens to engulf him. Is it possible that there is a Z. Q. Muggleton Spoffin or a Mr. Palimpsest of Calceolaria Groves? And what has this to do with a Presto gas-propelled lawn mower? [b) THE PIPE- SMOKER. Re"fuge from the rain with a mad clergyman who believes that he is a reflection that has assumed reality and taken over the body of the reflector. Possibly true; more likely madness. * Both excellent. Ia] may be the best humorous British fantasy of its decade. ARNOLD, EDWIN LESTER (1857-1935) Son of Sir Edwin Arnold, noted writer of bowdlerized Orientalia, but much less gifted. Unsuccessful farmer in Canada, India; naturalist; occasional author and journalist. Today considered historically important for offering the type-situation of time-travel via reincarnation, but otherwise of no great interest. 45. THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF PHRA THE PHOENICIAN Chatto and Windus; London 1891 3 vol. Introduction by Sir Edwin Arnold. * A long, pretentious, sentimental adventure romance. Great Britain from the period of Julius Caesar on through Elizabethan times. * Phra, a Phoenician trader, buys Blodwen, a beautiful British witch-princess, from pirates, marries her, and settles down in Britain. He is disliked by the natives, however, and when the Romans invade Britain, Phra is accused of being a spy and is sacrificed by the Druids. He awakens four hundred years later, during the Saxon period, and discovers that Blodwen has tattooed him with a magical serpent that will (as is later shown) take him through time. He now lives through key periods of British history, in each period performing deeds of heroism, marrying women that are reminiscent of Blodwen, and relapsing into his trance again. He is present at the Norman Conquest, where his sympathies are with the Saxons; during the French Wars around 1400; and in late Tudor times. Blodwen occasionally appears to him, sometimes in ghostly form, sometimes by possessing his latest wife. In his last "incarnation," however, he commits suicide by poison and expects to join Blodwen away from life. * Phra, despite his Near Eastern origin, is essentially a midVictorian blusterer, whose adventures are chron-

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ARTHUR, ROBERT icled in a style reminiscent of Haggard's worst. A lower-level period piece, much inferior to the better historical novels of the day. It is sometimes reprinted (especially in America) under the short title PHRA THE PHOENICIAN. It is not clear whether the New York (Harper) 1890 edition or the British edition cited above, issued late in 1890, is the true first edition. 46. LEPlDUS THE CENTURION A ROMAN OF TO-DAY Cassell; London 1901 An odd combination of adventure, romance, society novel and psychological semi-allegory, told in a breezy fashion. * Louis Allanby, a frustrated young Englishman, comes upon an ancient Roman tomb that has been uncovered by an uprooted tree. In the tomb he finds the corpse of a Roman-- and to his surprise he sees that the corpse is still living. After initial shock and retreat, he revives the Roman, who is Lepidus, the nephew of the Emperor Vespasian. Lepidus, who speaks English, is in many ways a handsome, heightened, less inhibited version of Louis (despite Roman memories), and the two clash over a young woman. After an attempt at a duel, they decide to let the woman choose between them. When she chooses Louis, Lepidus commits suicide, according to an agreement that Louis apparently meant only half seriously. Allanby is now left with some of the heightened personality that was Lepidus. * A curiosity only, although the attempt to render dissociated personality fragments is unusual for the level and the period. 47. LIEUT. GULLIVAR JONES HIS VACATION S.C. Brown, Langham and Co.; London 1905 Semijuvenile episodic adventure, fairy tale-like science-fiction. * Lt. Jones, U.S.N., finds a magic carpet, which conveys him to Mars. On Mars are to be found humanoid insect people; a sage whose will power can repel javelins; a globe of destiny which reveals the future in moralistic terms; apemen; man-eating flowers; a comet which threatens to collide with Mars; and a beautiful princess. Jones finally wishes himself back on earth. * A minor oddity only. ARTHUR, ROBERT (pseud. of Feder, Robert Arthur) (1909-1969) American writer, editor, radio and television figure. Accredited with editing some of the anthologies published under the name of Alfred Hitchcock. AS EDITOR: 48. MONSTER MIX 13 THRILLING TALES Dell; New York [1968] paperbound Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] MRS. AMWORTH, E. F. Benson. [b) DANIEL WEBSTER AND THE SEA SERPENT, S. V. Benet. [c) THE MANNIKIN, Robert Bloch. [d) THE WENDIGO, Algernon Blackwood. [e) 0 UGLY BIRD~ Manly Wade Wellman. [f) THE HOARD OF THE GIBBELINS, Lord Dunsany. * Also [g) MIMIC, Donald Wollheim. (ASTONISHING STORIES 1942). Borderline science-fiction. Protective m~m~cry. The monstrous human turns out to be perhaps a superinsect. Interesting concept. [h) FOOTSTEPS INVISIBLE, Robert Arthur (new). The blind newsie

ARTHUR, ROBERT recognizes Sir Andrew, the famous explorer, who confides in him. An invisible demon from Egypt is following Sir Andrew, and the newsie should listen for its footsteps. ASBURY, HERBERT (1891-1963) American author, journalist, renowned for colorful, nicely researched studies of shady aspects of American life: THE GANGS OF NEW YORK (1928), THE BARBARY COAST (1933), THE FRENCH QUARTER (1936). 49. THE DEVIL OF PEl-LING Macy-Masius; New York 1927 British title, THE CRIMSON ROPE. * A detectivemystery situation, based on material supernatural horrors. A series of mysterious crimes is being investigated by the narrator (a medical man) and Detective Conroy. The crimes involve a supernatural rope-like manifestation that hangs its victims in mid air, gouts of blood everywhere, an awful stench, and toads as large as cats. Among other motifs are a young lady who is periodically possessed by the spirit of a dead magician, the Black Mass, a horrible Oriental cult involving human sacrifice, and a saintly stigmatic. After some rushing back and forth, it is revealed that the personality behind the evil is one Silvio, who had been executed for murder. Silvio, who was powerful enough magically to get up after he was hanged and vow vengeance "on his judges, has been murdering persons connected with his trial. Silvio is also a devotee of the Kuei of Pei-Ling, a brass idol, which he is able to animate and commit murders with. Material, rational defences are powerless against the dead Silvio, but the stigmatic is more than a match for him, the rope, and the idol. * Asbury was a very capable, sophisticated writer, and it is not probable that he was serious when he wrote this horror. AS EDITOR: 50. NOT AT NIGHT~ Macy-Masius; The Vanguard Press; New York 1928 A curious example of bringing coals to Ne'-1castle. The British NOT AT NIGHT series was considered successful enough to justify an American counterpart, 25 stories taken from early volumes. According to the publisher's note the stories carne from WEIRD TALES, a British magazine! * [a] BAT'S BELFRY, August Derleth. (WT 192b) Derleth's first story in WT. Journal fragments. Bats, bloodless corpse, vampirism. [b] THE SEATHING, Frank Belknap Long. (WT 1925) Sea monster. Described elsewhere, [c] THE HORROR AT RED HOOK, H. P. Lovecraft. Lovecraft's first book appearance in American commercial publishing. [d] THE TORTOISE-SHELL CAT, Greye La Spina. [e] THE PARASITIC HAND, R. Anthony. [f] DEATH-WATERS, Frank Belknap Long. [g] FOUR WOODEN STAKES, Victor Rowan. [h] THE DEVIL BED, Gerald Dean. [i] THE BEAST, Paul Benton. [j] THE LIFE SERUM, Paul S. Powers. [k] THE GIRDLE, Joseph McCord. * Other stories are primitive s-f or crude contes cruels. Asbury contributes a curiously imperceptive introduction.

*

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ASHTON, FRANCIS ASHBY, R[UBIE] C[ONSTANCE] (1899- 7) Educated at Oxford. British occasional author of detective stories, other fiction. 51. OUT WENT THE TAPER Hodder and Stoughton; London 1934 A mystery story with strong fantastic elements. * When Tal Winyatt, American Rhodes scholar, visits the Cory family at Cwrn Wyddfa in Wales, he becomes enmeshed in a tangled complex of crime and the supernatural. The ghost of a murdered salesman; a visionary experience in a long-sealed subterranean chamber of horrors; poltergeistic activity around the rectory are integrated with the doings of professional criminals. The supernaturalism is strong and much of it is not rationalized. A good mystery * Ashby's other weird-detective story, HE ARRIVED AT DUSK (1933), is completely rationalized. ASHTON, FRANCIS [LESLIE] (1904 - 7) British author. 52. THE BREAKING OF THE SEALS Andrew Dakers; London [1946] Prehistoric adventure based ultimately on the pseudo-psychoanalytical theory that archetypes in the mind of modern man are literally memories of past experiences of our ancestors. The story opens with the discovery of remains of a fairly high civilization from about 250,000 B.C., before the existence of Chellean man. Among the artifacts found is a sword. Harry agrees to permit Kurdt, a psychologist, to experiment in restoring the archaic memories that must have gone along with the sword. The body of the novel is Harry's memory of life in the lost land of Mahbahste. At this time (in which motif the author follows Hoerbiger's theory of multiple moons) the earth was circled by Bahste, an earlier moon which was approaching Roche's Limit and was about to break up. Much of the religion of Mahbahste is based on propitiating the moon by human sacrifices. The plot of the novel is concerned with intrigues, initiatory experiences, civil war, and invasion from neighboring sun-worshippers. Bahste reaches the critical limit, collapses, and rains of ash and mud overwhelm the land, along with seismic disturbances and flood. Almost all the human race is destroyed. * After a rather tedious opening, the story turns into a competent adventure novel, much like a superior work by E.R. Burroughs. The integration of ideas from crank science, psychology, occultism and ethnography is interesting. 53. ALAS, THAT GREAT CITY Andrew Dakers; London [1948] Sequel of a sort to 52, describing another of the lunar catastrophes postulated by the Hoerbiger-Bellamy theory. * Atlantis. Jonathan Grant, who rents out his yacht, is hired to sail out into the Atlantic with a young woman and catch the memories of lost Atlantis. According to the theory of his employer, these memories recur in cycles and may be picked up by properly sensitive persons at such times. Grant is completely sceptical, but during a storm, at the proper point in the memory cycle

ASHTON, FRANCIS he relives the life of Larentzal, a nobleman of wicked Atlantis, just before the destruction of the continent. Larentzal is a member of a revolutionary cabal against the corrupt government of Queen Nethali, but is seduced by the queen. Eventually he escapes from her with Cleoli, his true love, and is drowned in the submergence of Atlantis. Back in the present Grant accepts his previous life and decides to undo some of his evil karma by marrying the young woman who is with him. She turns out to be a reincarnation of Cleoli. * Sometimes melodramatic, but all in all a capable thriller if one overlooks the vapid romance. ASQUITH, LADY CYNTHIA (nee Charteris) (1887-1960) Daughter of Lord Elcho. British social figure, occasional writer of fiction, author of reminiscences, anthologist. Sometime secretary to J. M. Barrie, and his biographer and heiress. For our purposes a very important editor. While British publishing was disfigured by such crudities as the NOT AT NIGHT and CREEPS series, Lady Cynthia alone was editing new collections of superior new supernatural fiction. As a writer, however, she is less important, her work being derivative and sometimes a little clumsy in form. 54. THIS MDRTAL COIL Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1947 Several of these stories appeared previously elsewhere, notably in Asquith's anthologies, but are described here for context. Including [a] IN A NUTSHELL. Questionable as supernatural. Selfish, childish FeliCity Creswell \vas responsible for her husband's death. She broke his capsule of amyl nitrate too soon, and he died of a heart attack. It seems to have been accidental, but she has suffered from various psychological aftereffects. In a somnambulistic state she recapitulates her action with her son, who also has a heart condition. It is possible that her action was supernaturally motivated, by her husband's spirit. [b] THE WHITE MOTH. The narrator, who is a publisher's girl Friday, is aSSigned to cover Evelyn Dawn, the new poetic sensation. Dawn, however, is a cloddish oaf. The explanation for the poetry is to be found in a young woman who had died fifty years earlier and was the real poet. Her spirit has apparently dictated the verse to the unwilling girl. [c] THE CORNER SHOP. The narrator comes upon a pleasant antique shop, and on one occasion buys a very valuable piece of Chinese jade for a pittance from the elderly caretaker. But it is revealed that the caretaker was really the ghost of the former owner, who is expiating several sharp deals that he perpetrated during his lifetime. He will be redeemed when he finds three honest customers. [d] "GOD GRANTE THAT SHE LYE STILLE." When the young doctor becomes acquainted with Miss Margaret Clewer, he also notices the epitaph on the grave of another Miss Clewer: God grante that she lye stille. Margaret feels that she has no central core of personality, and is soon possessed by the spirit of the 16th century woman. Ie] THE PLAYFELLOW. Laura Halyard, husband,

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ASQUITH, CYNTHIA and child take over Lichen Hall on the death of Halyard's older brother. Some years before, the brother's only child had died in a fire. Laura's child Hyacinth soon associates with an imaginary playmate, who (it is obvious to the reader) is the ghost of the dead child, Daphne. Somewhat less expected is that Daphne, when another fire breaks out, assumes the form of the living child, to deceive rescuers, and ca~ses the death of Hyacinth. Now they can play together in eternity. If] THE NURSE NEVER TOLD. Premonitory dreams; based on Dunne's AN EXPERIMENT WITH TIME. The patient, a brilliant young Australian, has long had horror dreams; the surgeon, unexpectedly called in, also an Australian, has had comparable dreams. The result is idiocy for the patient and suicide for the surgeon. [g] THE FIRST NIGHT. The play is about to be performed. It had been written twenty years earlier, but the author (and leading part) had died of a lung hemorrhage before it could be put on. After a successful first night it is learned that the current leading man has been hospitalized, and that his part was presumably played by the dead author. [h] THE FOLLOWER. The woman in hospital tells the visiting specialist of a horror sight that she has had on several occasions. It is obviously Death personified. The doctor has a mask. * Literate, but somewhat overdone. The best touch is the ending of Ie]. AS EDITOR: 55. THE GHOST BOOK Hutchinson; London [1926] Short stories. [a] THE VILLA DESIREE, May Sinclair. Mildred, against the disapproval of her friends, plans to marry Louis Carson. She spends the night in the Villa Desiree, where Carson's previous wife had died of fright, and is visited by something horrible. It is presumably Carson's astral body, or true personality. [b] CHEMICAL, Algernon Blackwood. The new roomer sees the bearded stranger, watches him snooping about, and finds him unspeakably repellant. It is almost a chemical reaction. The ghost of the Warley Parricide, recapitulating his crime. [c] THE DUENNA, Mrs. Marie Belloc Lowndes. Laura, about to commit adultery, is almost caught by her husband-- despite the fact that her would-be lover has just died. She is saved by a ghost, perhaps that of an 18th century French dancer, perhaps that of a woman in her husband's past. [d] A VISITOR FROM DOWN UNDER, L. P. Hartley. The stranger comes for Mr. Rumboldt. Very fine atmosphere, verbal ambiguities add to the thematic horror. Ie] THE LOST TRAGEDY, Denis Mackail. The narrator tells of great interest in an auction lot of old books. In the lot is a hitherto unknown play, "The Tragedie of Alexander the Great," by William Shakespeare. But it is a very bad play, so bad that the ghosts of Shakespeare and Ben Jonson must suppress it. If] SPINSTER'S REST, Clemence Dane (pseud. of Winifred Ashton). Described elsewhere for context. [g] MRS. LUNT, Hugh Walpole. The narrator visits Lunt the novelist, in Cornwall, and sees a very nasty looking old woman. It gradually becomes clear that Lunt had murdered his wife. The ghost of the wife

ASQUITH, CYNTHIA reciprocates and murders Lunt. Or conscience? [h] MUNITIONS OF WAR, Arthur Machen. World War I. Noisy loading of munitions, accomplished in part by the ghosts of Nelson's sailors. [i] THE ROCKING HORSE WINNER, D. H. Lawrence. Paul, a little boy, can tell which horses will win the r"aces. Knowing the name of the winner, he mounts his hobby horse, and rides it to victory. He builds a small fortune by betting (with the help of his uncle and a friendly gardener) but the process destroys him. Really a moving story of human relationships. [j] "A RECLUSE," Walter de la Mare. Described elsewere for context. [k] THE CORNER SHOP, C. L. Ray (pseud. of Cynthia Asquith). Described elsewhere for context. [1] TWO TRIFLES, Oliver Onions. Two short stories as follows: [m] THE ETHER-HOGS. Humorous fantasy. In the world of the dead great disturbances are caused by radio broa.dcasts from earth. The ghost of a Scottish engineer is sent back to earth to stop the broadcasting, but the ghost discovers that he is unwilling to fulfill h~s mission. Work conscience is too strong. [n] THE MORTAL. Sir Egbert the Dauntless, to preserve his pride, decides on the perilous gesture of manifesting himself to a mortal. He faces the danger of exorcism and solidification. [0] TWELVE O'CLOCK, Charles Wbibley. Perhaps a fictional version of a "historical" incident. The wicked Lord Lyttelton has received a supernatural warning from a ghostly woman. He will die at a certain time. Setting the clocks ahead does not help. [p] THE AMOROUS GHOST, Enid Bagnold. Mr. Templeton is not surprised when the servants give notice. They found a woman's nightgowns on the floor, and he himself saw a female ghost. His wife is coming home soon. [q] MR. TALLENT'S GHOST, Mary Webb. Pseudo-supernatural humor. The narrator, a critic and editor, becomes acquainted with Mr. Tallent, a would-be novelist of remarkable energy and lack of talent. Tallent leaves him his money, on condition that the narrator publish Tallent's manuscripts. The author's heirs complain; Tallent's ghost appears and bores them; and the narrator, too, is haunted. There is an unexpected explanation. [r] PARGITON AND HARBY, Desmond MCCarthy. Harby's estranged friend Pargiton has a questionable episode in his past. He feels indirectly responsible for his brother's death. At the moment Pargiton is engaged in battling a doppelganger who may be his evil component or just conscience. * An excellent collection. 56. THE BLACK CAP NEW STORIES OF MURDER AND MYSTERY Hutchinson; London (1927) A collection of prestigious authors, most of whom contribute mystery or crime material. * Including [a] THE TARN, Hugh Walpole. Fenwick, a misanthropic failure, has come to dislike his friend Foster heartily. He pushes Foster into the local tarn. That night a revenant comes to Foster, tarn along with him. Effective. [b] AN UNRECORDED INSTANCE, Mrs. Marie Belloc Lowndes. Hetty Mingle, plain, rather stupid former spinster, almost becomes a victim of her new husband's penchant for bathtub

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ASQUITH, CYNTHIA murders. She is saved by the voice of her dead mother-- or unconscious processes? * Also present, but not supernatural, are "The Killing Bottle" by L. P. Bartley and "The Lovely Lady" by D. H. Lawrence. 57 • SHUDDERS A COLLECTION OF NEW NIGHTMARE TALES Hutchinson; London 11929) First book appearances, but described elsewhere for context in some caseg. * Including [a] THE PLAYFELLOW, Cynthia Asquith. [b] THE HANGING OF ALFRED WADHAM, E.F. Benson. [c] THE SNOW, Hugh Walpole. [d] CREWE, Walter de la Mare. [e] RATS, M.R~ James. [f] THE STRANGER, Algernon Blackwood~ [g] THOSE WHOM THE GODS LOVE, Hilda Hughes. Wales. Blodwyn, who is married to David, is jealous because David still loves the beautiful Deirdre. Overcome by hatred, she prays passIonately for Deirdre's death, and is successful-- but at a price. [h] THE CAT JUMPS, Elizabeth Bowen. POSSibly a haunted house. Atmosphere overpowers effete intellectuals in a house where a particularly brutal murder had taken place. ("He put her heart in her hat-box. He said it belonged there.") Perhaps momentary possession. Black humor. [i] DISPOSSESSION, C. H. B. Kitchin. A rather confused story, which may be possession, personality interchange, telepathy, or madness. [j] THE LORD-IN-WAITING, Shane Leslie. The early 19th century Lord Mbuntstable was an electrical genius, far ahead of his time. Following a medieval manuscript he attempted a personality exchange. His experimental activities were not successful, but his charged spirit is still about the house, trying to possess others. Borderline science-fiction. [k] THE END OF THE FLIGHT, W. Somerset Maugham. Indonesia. The Dutchman, pursued by the vengeful Achinese, is gradually cracking up. One morning the resident finds him dead, no wound, but a kriss laid across his throat. Supernaturalism is not spelled out, but within the terms of the story a ghost seems a reasonable assumption. * Of the described material [h] is excellent. 58 • WHEN CHURCHYARDS YAWN FIFTEEN NEW GHOST STORIES Hutchinson; London [1931] Short stories. [a] THE APPLE TREE, Elizabeth Bowen. Myra Wing, when at boarding school, saw her friend hang herself on an apple tree. She has been afflicted by the memory, which has assumed the status of a real haunting. Others have the sense of a tree and of apples falling. [b] A LITTLE GHOST, Hugh Walpole. The narrator, who has just lost a friend, is comforted by the ghost of a little girl, in an 18th century house, and in turn comforts the ghost. [c] THE COTILLON, L. P. Hartley. Described elsewhere for context. [d] A THREEFOLD CORD • • • Algernon Blackwood. Described elsewhere for context. [e] THE BUICK SALOON, Ann Bridge. China. Mrs. Bowlby, whose husband is stationed in Peking, buys a secondhand Buick. She hears supernatural voices in it, and, following leads, comes upon the memory of an affair she wishes she had not discovered. [f] OPENING THE DOOR, Arthur Machen. Described elsewhere for context. [g] THE BIRTHRIGHT,

ASQUITH, CYNTHIA Hilda Hughes. Martin Drake, as a child, had previsions of deaths, an ability which caused his father to hate him. When Drake, Sr. dies and leaves nothing to Martin, Martin forges a new will and "discovers" it through a dream. But his father's ghost appears and objects violently. [h) BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, C. H. B. Kitchin. A modernized version of the fairy tale. When Miriam Lentworth goes to the Riviera as a paid companion~ she manages to lose all her money gambling, arid offends her employer. But she is accosted by an elderly man who gives her a commission to perform. By following instructions she meets a very handsome young man, unfortunately mute, with whom she has an affair. When he leaves her for a time, she believes herself abandoned and marries a wealthy family friend. On her wedding night a tiger appears at her bedroom door and attacks her husband, who kills it. Miriam does not thrive after this, and after a time is found dead, mauled, beneath the tiger's skin. Theriomorphy, nicely handled with· a metaphoric touch. [i) AS IN A GLASS DIMLY, Shane Leslie. Two anecdotes about supernatural phenomena associated with photography. An Egyptian artifact with the Book of the Dead painted on it does not wish to be photographed and destroys negatives. The other, a stained glass window in a church, shows a figure which sticks out its tongue as if strangling. It was modelled on a photo of a criminal who had been hanged. [j) THE HORNS OF THE BULL, W.S. Morrison, M.P. Premodern Scotland. Folkloristic, narrated by an old native. A wizard father and two brothers who hate one another desperately. When the father lies dying, he puts geases on them not to fight and promises defeat for the aggressor. When Orm, the wickeder of the two, tries to bypass the wording of the geas, he is destroyed. His plan was to attack his brother's island by setting his own island adrift magically. Much folklore. [k) THE MAN WHO CAME BACK, William Gerhardi. The old French scholar, deeply devoted to his library, is seen by the narrator using books after his death. (1) THE UNBOLTED DOOR, Mrs. Marie Belloc Lowndes. An only son missing in World War I; the father's refusal to admit that the son is dead; estrangement between the parents. The son's ghost effects a reconciliation. [m) "JOHN GLADWYN SAYS • • ." Oliver Onions. Death, in the form of a golden car, comes for Gladwyn. On the first meeting Death misses and Gladwyn, in the side paths of his life, relives old memories of dead wife, dead sonS. On their second meeting Death does not miss. [n) OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS, Philip MacDonald. A young Cockney couple on a drive wander into a place secret and sacred to the birds. They die without knowing their fault. [01 "GOD GRANTE THAT SHE LYE STILLE," Cynthia Asquith. Described elsewhere for context. * A fine collection with much good material. Outstanding among described material are [a), [h), [j), [m). * This collection is rare, but the reader will find all its stories except [d) reprinted in A CENTURY OF CREEPY STORIES, which is by no means so difficult to acquire.

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ASQUITH, CYNTHIA 59. ~ GRIMMEST NIGHTMARE Allen and Unwin; London [1935] A collection of stories, mostly supernatural, originally broadcast over the B.B.C. (Daventry) as the program NIGHTMARES. It is not clear whether the stories were read in the present form or dramatized. * Including [a] THE FOLLOlvER, Cynthia Asquith. Described in 50 for context. [b) TO BE LET UNFURNISHED, Gabrielle Vallings. She is viewing a house and is being shown around by the agent's young man, when a chandelier falls. She barely escapes injury. Actually, it happened during World War I, as a result of an air raid, and she is dead, as is the young man. [c) THUNDERBOLT, Miranda Stuart. The narrator assures the seedy-looking man that the bridge is safe-- but it isn't. The accident happened back in 1905; a ghost. [d) BY WATER, Algernon Blackwood. The fortune teller told him that he would die by drowning. Was it possible on the Egyptian desert? [e] JUNGLE NIGHTS, R.A. Monson. Africa. A were-hyena. [f) IN THE JOTUNHEIM MOUNTAINS, J. B. Morton. Norway. Help is needed and gigantic figures provide a boat. Supernatural giants. [g] INCUBUS, Marjorie Bowen. In a dream she goes into an old church and sees a stone man on a funerary monument. The man is starting to awaken when she rushes out. She wakes up in bed and says, "It was all a dream." But the stone man, who is there, asks, "Whose?" [h] SERENADE FOR BABOONS, Noel Langley. Hoareb, a brutal South African, struck his wife and killed her. A Zulu witchdoctor sets t:.J1e baboons on him. [i] SIX MONTHS AGO, James Laver. The Italian woman prophecies that he \"ill die six months after he carries a corpse in his car. [j] SPLIT SECOND, Ann Knox. Vision of the futuLe. Borderline as fantasy. [k] THE BLACKMAILERS, Algernon Blackwood. A little man is being blackmailed, but the blackmailer is a sympathetic person, not a scoundrel. The ghost of the blackmailer helps out. [1] ROOM 2000 CALLING, Theodora Benson. A phone message from a man obviously murdered before the call. * Weaker than previous collections, perhaps because of the radio needs. [g) is worth reading. 60. THE SECOND GHOST BOOK J. Barrie; London 1952 American title, A BOOK OF MODERN GHOSTS. ~: Introduction by Elizabeth Bowen, making the point that most contemporary ghost stories are concerned with obsession. * Including [a] CAPTAIN DALGETY RETURNS, Laurence Whistler. After death experiences. The captain, a choleric, hard man, unable to achieve understanding with his child, goes for a walk and is smitten by a gigantic gray hand from the sky-- which is presumably not meant literally. He does not recognize his new state of existence. Sensitive, but somewhat overwritten. [b] CHRISTMAS MEETING, Rosemary Timperley. Very short but effective. A middle-aged woman, alone in a room on a Christmas visit, talks to a young man who enters the room but disappears when she is about to offer him coffee. She later reads an 1852 diary of a young man who had a

ASQUITH, CYNTHIA heart attack after a ghostly visitation. [c] DANSE MACABRE, L.A.G. Strong. Flanagan, at a Red Cross dance, sees a beautiful girl in a fine yellow dress. She acts peculiarly. He dances with her, and takes her home-- near the cemetery. An old theme, but nicely told. [d] THE MEMOIRS OF A GHOST, G.W. Stonier. After death experiences. The ghost must create his own world, from the store of his experiences. The result is entropy. This is not the same work as the novel of the same title by the same author. Ie] THE BEWILDERMENT OF SNAKE McKOY, Nancy Spain. An American author of hardboiled detective stories settles with family in England, in a Victorian house. He finds his writing changed to a gushy Victorian style, and coincidentally becomes acquainted with Miss Bellwood, an elderly lady who lives in the top floor. He does not recognize that she is a ghost until it is too late. If] A STORY OF DON JUAN, V. S. Pritchett. Don Juan visits a widower, Quintero, who becomes annoyed with the Don's boasting and puts him into the room haunted by the icy ghostly revenant of Quintero's dead wife. Quintero expects the Don to emerge next morning chastened and subdued, but learns to his dismay that the Don has brought heat to the dead. [g] THE GUARDIAN, Walter de la Mare. Borderline fantasy. Night visions of horror are the beginnings of love. [h] WHITEWASH, Rose Macaulay. At Capri a tourist, who is about to be eaten by a shark, is saved by the ghost of Tiberius. The dead are not so bad as they are said to be. Ii] THE CHELSEA CAT, C.H.-B. Kitchin. The earthenware cat is almost unique, certainly the finest specimen of its kind. Mellowbourne rejoices when he buys it at auction. But he soon learns that death and horror accompany it and his progress downhill is rapid. [j] W.S., L. P. Hartley. Author William Streeter created the character William Stainsforth, about whom he had nothing good to say. W.S. comes into existence, sends letters indicating that he is getting closer, and finally has his revenge. [k] THE AMETHYST CROSS, Mary Fitt. A haunted cottage, murder in the past, and ghosts that seem living. Spoiled by a weak ending. [1] BOMBERS' NIGHT, Evelyn Fabyan. World War II. The protagonist's wife is killed in an air raid and he marries another woman. Another bombing rips up the cemetery where his wife is buried, and she returns. Excellent for its pointlessness, apart from the varieties of love. [m] SPOONER, Eleanor Farjeon. When Miss Shearn takes over the cottage of her deceased cousin, a fanatical cricketer, she sees supernatural manifestations that are related to cricket. Perhaps there is a point that Americans are not likely to see? In] A RESTLESS REST-HOUSE, Jonathan Curling. Africa. A native burglar is shot and killed. His ghost returns. There are background adumbrations that this is a recurrent phenomenon, but the concept is not developed. [0] BACK TO THE BEGINNING, John Connell. He sold his soul to the Devil to be rid of persecution, and finds that Hell is ruled by a childhood school bully. [p] POSSESSION ON COMPLETION, Collin Brooks.

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ASQUITH, CYNTHIA Told by a murderer, who fantasizes that his wife is still present in the house. Borderline supernatural. [q] HAND IN GLOVE, Elizabeth Bowen. In the south of Ireland, an old AngloIndian aunt lives with Ethel and Elsie. The horror of family relations among nasty people is followed by the horror of an avenging ghost, in a pair of gloves. [r] THE LASS WITH THE DELICATE AIR, Eileen Bigland. Scotland. The protagonist, in Scotland for recuperation after an operation, hears a strange whistling and at every new moon sees a beautiful young woman's ghost. He learns her story, which involves sordid sexuality, and sets out to release her, bearing magical rowan berries. Is] ONE GRAVE TOO FEW, Cynthia Asquith. A crime in the past-- an unwed pregnant daughter was allowed to die-- and ghostly recapitulation in the present. * Well-mannered, craftsmanlike stories. Best are [b], [c], [f]. 61. THE THIRD GHOST BOOK J. Barrie; London 1955 Introduction by L. P. Hartley. * [a] THE TELEPHONE, Mary Treadgold. A deceased wife gets in the way of a new marriage, and the telephone is the means of communication. Guilt. [b] THE CLAIMANT, Elizabeth Bowen. The narrator and her husband buy a house from the estate of a man who died apparently without heirs or testament. A claimant turns up from Australia. He is killed on the way to England and then proceeds to haunt the place in the hope of driving out the living inhabitants'. The narrator's husband is desperate for a confrontation with the ghost, but can do it only at the cost of his life. [c] NAPOLEON'S HAT, Evelyn Fabyan. France. A German governess, obnoxious and disliked by the children, is killed by lightning. Her ghost is seen after her death. Possibly metaphoric? [d] THE BULL, Rachel Hartfield. A child from London hears the bellowing of a man-killing bull that had been shot generations earlier. When a storm destroys the possible source of the manifestations, murder is revealed. Ie] THE HOUSE THAT WOULDN'T KEEP STILL, L. A. G. Strong. A somewhat unclear story of mysterious events connected with a house that disappears whenever one wants to find it. It is not clear whether the story involves hyperbole or genuine supernaturalism. If] THE DOCTOR, Mary Fitt. MS. Hornwinder wants to rent a country cottage and accepts hospitality for an evening at Mrs. Zachariah's stately home. The house is ablaze with candles and kerosene lanterns, and MS. Hornwinder fears fire. There is a fire, but it was twenty years ago, and, as the vanishing doctor reveals, murder. [g] ON NO ACCOUNT, ~ LOVE, Elizabeth Jenkins. The narrator visits the home of her great-grandmother, a notedly strict schoolmistress. Automatic writing delivers an elliptic message. Subtle. [h] THE GHOST OF THE VALLEY, Lord Dunsany. The tall, grey ghost of the'valley does not like progress, but it can do nothing but drift with the winds. Metaphoric. [i] THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL, Margaret Lane. The little girl can

ASQUITH, CYNTHIA hear the voices that come when there is a death in the family. [j] TAKE YOUR PARTNERS, Ronald Blythe. Grandfather reminisces about a ball that he attended when he was a young man. He danced one waltz with a very beautiful girl, but his family was outraged with him for prancing around the floor alone. [k] SOMEONE IN THE LIFT, L. P. Hartley. A six-year old boy sees a shadowy passenger in the lift. It is a presage of death for the boy's father. [1] RINGING THE CHANGES, Robert Aickman. At the small sea resort of Holihaven, the bells are rung once a year, enough to wake the dead. A pair of hone~nooners, caught up in the ringing, react strongly. The husband fights the experience; the woman surrenders to it. A modern classic. [m] THE TOWER, Marghanita Laski. Italy. The tower is 470 steps high. It was not torn down during the many wars of the Renaissance, because there was something unnatural about it. Suggestions of black magic in the 16th century, but the present story is only borderline supernatural. Fear. [n] I BECAME BULWINKLE, Jonathan Curling. Bulwinkle, a sleazy little fraud, changes bodies with a friend by means of West African magic. When the two quarrel and one is killed, the one in the wrong body must suffer. [0] MRS. SMlFF, Collin Brooks. Rustic talk of witches, a woman without a shadow, a white body seen lying on a gravestone. [p'] SOMEBODY CALLS, James Laver. The ghost that Lady Caroline saw was easily explained away, but who rang the bell for a servant? [q] HARRY, Rosemary Timperley. A little adopted girl has an imaginary playmate, her dead brother Harry. When the girl is not happy, Harry takes her away. [r] THE SHADES OF SLEEPE, Ursula Codrington. Separated lovers, one in England, one in India. A death portent, and a second death. [s] THE WOMAN IN BLACK, Daniel George, A debased literary lecturer, who delivers Housman for the Housewife, perceives sinister aspects in his audience, including a woman in black. Written in the style of an overripe lecturer. [t] A LAUGH ON THE PROFESSOR, Shane Leslie. The Professor tipped three servants in the Irish castle, but there are only two •. The third was a footman who had been drowned quite a while before. [u] POOR GIRL, Elizabeth Taylor. A rather subtle story of personality alteration, with hints of future actions affecting ·the present, and possession. The governess, a quiet, refined chaste young woman, suddenly emerges sexually to the lecherous father of the house. But it is not really the governess, but an art de co flapper. Dissociated personality. [v] THE HOUSE IN THE GLEN, John Connell. Scotland. The traveller receives hospitality at a house which has been in ruins, everyone dead, for years. [w] THE KING OF SPADES, Nancy Spain. The young man has two girl friends, between whom he has difficulty choosing: Janice, athletic, and Doreen, a Janice is found dead, and the sad home body. young man marries Doreen-- who is soon possessed by Janice. Murder. [x] THE UNINVITED FACE, Michael Asquith. A young scientist is haunted supernaturally by an evil face. Was it his

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ASTOR, WILLIAM WALDORF father's "last and closest companion"? Hints of the Devil. [y] ANIMALS OR HUMAN, Angus Wilson. Did the German girl in Wales perceive nasty children as animals, or were they really rats that killed their mistress? Borderline fantasy. [z] REMEMBERING LEE, Eileen Bigland. Lee, a killer, died of starvation in the old keep. His spirit is still causing problems. faa] WHO IS SYLVIA, Cynthia Asquith. The wicked but demure Sylvia gains control of stupid Susan. Suicide. *. The best of the post-war collections' by Asquith. Outstanding stories are [b], [g], [j], [u], and especially [1]. It is regrettable that more of Aickman's fiction does not fall in the time span of this book. ASTOR, WILLIAM WALDORF (1848-1919) American bUSinessman, millionaire, publisher, occasional writer. Grandson of John Jacob Astor. Active in New York politics; ambassador to Italy. Moved to England. Publisher of London PALL MALL GAZETTE and OBSERVER. First Viscount Astor. 62. PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER AND OTHER STORIES Macmillan; London 1900 Short stories, including [a] PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER. Minor supernaturalism as an Egyptian princess, unhappy in love, finds some consolation in the infant Moses. [b] THE GHOSTS OF AUSTERLITZ. A CHRISTMAS STORY. 1890. Captain Blythe, in dream, visits the field of Austerlitz, where his value is at once appreciated by the Czar, who asks his advice. The captain, however, cannot make use of his knowledge and the battle goes as in history. The Czar in a rage orders Blythe executed, and Blythe awakens, to die of a heart attack. [c] MONSIEUR DE NERON. Italy and France. The memoirs of a French antiquary. He has become acquainted with a M. de Neron, who is a mine of knowledge about Classical Rome, but a ruthless scoundrel. Neron reveals that he is probably Nero reincarnated. [d] THE RED DWARF OF RABENSTEIN. Borderline supernatural. The dwarf, a modern caretaker, receives a hint where treasure is buried. Perhaps chance. Borderline supernatural. [e] BRABANTIO'S LOVE. After the departure and death of Othello and Desdemona, Brabantio is driven by the desire to bed with a mermaid. With the assistance of the alchemist-magician Almadoro, he captures a local Siren, but she escapes. [f] FORZA DEL DESTINO. A sequel to Shakespeare's THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. When Bassanio suddenly turns cold to Portia and takes up with the "page" Pipistrello, the magician Almadoro is involved. And a dagger. A little supernaturalism. [g] THE CONFESSION OF RUI, THE PRIEST. An Egyptian papyrus of 1725 B.C. He is the brother of Potiphar and sees the whole Joseph affair and takes a part in it. Perhaps his astral body strangles Potiphar's wife. * Also a couple of stories told in annoying pseudo-archaic English about Buckingham and the Somerset affair, with mention of a ghost. * OccaSionally interesting ideas, period detail, but routine development. [c] is best.

ATHERTON, GERTRUDE ATHERTON, GERTRUDE (nee Horn) (1857-1948) Prolific California novelist, biographer, folklorist, historian; well-regarded during her lifetime for mainstream novels based on Edwardian aesthetics, often with regional interest. Her most noted works were SENATOR NORTH (1900), THE CONQUEROR (1902), the last being based on the life of Alexander Hmnilton, whose letters she later edited. Her later reminiscences MY SAN FRANCISCO (1947) are of interest. Her supernatural fiction might be briefly characterized as in the manner of Henry James but more relaxed. 63. THE BELL IN THE FOG AND OrrlER STORIES Harper; New York and London 1905 Short stories. Including [a] THE BELL IN THE FO~. Immersion in the past, with strange results. Orth, a wealthy American author, buys a British stately home and becomes interested in its antiquities. He is fascinated by the portrait of a young girl, Blanche, who, he is told, died in childhood. He broods over it and writes a novel about her. He then -learns that his information was wrong. Blanche had committed suicide as a young woman, after a love affair with a tenant. Orth then meets, living nearby, a little girl, also called Blanche, who is the image of the portrait. He fastens upon her emotionally, falling in love with the projection of her as a future adult. She dies. No explanation is-given for the situation, and the ambiguity is on the same order as Henry James's, perhaps chance and psychopathology, perhaps reincarnation and fate. [b] THE STRIDING PLACE (1896). Is Gifford dead? The soul may linger in the body for some time after death, and the astral body may wander. Weigall pulls a corpse out of the Strid, a stream, and finds (although he knows that the corpse is Gifford) that it is faceless. Presumably astral wanderings. [c] THE DEAD AND THE COUNTESS. A French countess is buried alive. The local cure, who is very old, hears the spirits of the dead, who have been awakened by a train, and also the struggles of the countess in her coffin. Senile dementia? [d] DEATH AND THE WOMAN (1892). A wife, beside her dying husband, hears the iron footsteps of Death and flings herself into her husband's arms. She is taken away. * Excellent stories. [a] and [d] are best. 64. THE FOGHORN Houghton Mifflin; Boston and New York 1934 Short stories, including [a] THE ETERNAL NOW. Interest in the past, dissolution of time, and calculated ambiguities in the manner of Henry James. * Simon de Brienne, an American millionaire, is fascinated with 14th century France, particularly with the life of a collateral ancestor, another Simon de Brienne, who is said to have been boiled in oil. The present Brienne's estate is almost a replica of the 14th century Louvre. He organizes a very elaborate costume ball, in which the guests appear as historical personages of the year 1358. As the ball progresses, Simon feels himself sliding away from the present and soon finds himself completely in the past, caught up in the in-

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AUBREY, FRANK trigues around the Dauphin (the future Charles V) and his enemies. He is on the wrong side, though, is taken, and boiled in oil. As the story ends, he thinks of a future Simon de Brienne, in a 20th century milieu, and Mrs. Atherton leaves open the question whether his psyche returns to the present or dies. [b] THE STRIDING PLACE. Described in 63. * The time glissades are nicely handled in [a], although the story is somewhat lushly and emptily sentimental. ATKEY, BERTRAM (1880-1952) British writer, fairly frequent contributor to American pulp magazines. Well-known in the 1920's for the Smiler Bunn crime stories, lowbrow fiction centered on a somewhat shady Cockney. 65. THE ESCAPES OF MR. HONEY AN ENrERTAINMENT COMPRISING THE CURIOUS ADVENTURES OF AN ENGLISH AUTHOR IN THE GULF OF BYGONE Macdonald; London 1944 Linked stories published in part in BLUE BOOK magazine in the early 1930's. * Hobart Honey saved the life of a Tibetan lama. He receives as a reward a bottle of pills that enable him to experience previous lives. These include a harem eunuch, a drunken Saxon archer, a prehistoric man, Friar Tuck, an ancient Roman, etc. Adventure and humor. Lower level commercial fiction. On the same order is Atkey's HERCULES-- SPORTSMAN (1922), jauntily modernized versions of the traditional stories. [Anonymous anthology] 66. ATLANTIC TALES A COLLECTION OF STORIES FROM THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY Ticknor and Fields; Boston 1866 Short stories, including [a] THE DIAMOND LENS, Fitz-James O'Brien. First book appearance of this classic. The narrator, a fanatic microscopist who wishes to create the perfect microscope, receives instructions from Leeuwenhoek's spirit via a mediu~; murders a friend to obtain a diamond; prepares a lens from it; and discovers an incredible world, including the beautiful and wonderful Animula. [b] THE QUEEN OF THE RED CHESSMEN, Lucretia P. Hale. The red queen emerges from the board and takes part in human life, until beset by pieces from the other side, who also assume life. A pretty story, by the author of THE PETERKIN PAPERS. [c] THE DENSLOW PALACE, J. D. Whelpley. At a marvelous, incredibly lush ball in the palace of millionaire Denslow, in New York, the Duke of Rosecouleur, together with demonic valet, appears. He is obviously a more exalted supernatural personage. A dream. Told in a remarkable baroque manner, reminiscent of Poe at his most extreme. Certainly worth looking at as a curiosity. AUBREY, FRANK (pseud. of Atkins, Francis H.) (1840?- 1927) British author born in South Wales. Fairly prolific author of boys' books, contributor to Sexton Blake detective stories. Other known pseudonym Fenton Ash. Currently a fad author among collectors, but of little merit.

AUBREY, FRANK

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AUSTIN, WILLIAM

67. KING OF THE DEAD A WEIRD ROMANCE John Macqueen; London 1903 Lost race novel with some supernaturalism. An outgrowth, like the author's THE DEVIL TREE OF EL DORADO (1897), of contemporary boundary disputes between Venezuela and British Guiana. * The story begins in London where a mysterious charismatic person known as Don Lorenzo captivates society. He invites young Arnold Neville to accompany him back to Brazil and shows him many superscientific marvels. He also demonstrates great mesmeric power. Arnold refuses, whereupon Lorenzo kidnaps Beryl, Arnold's fiancee, and leaves instructions for Arnold to follow them to South America. * Arnold and his friend Leslie follow the trail and are soon in the jungle. They corne upon a strange white man and his daughter (Manzoni and Rhelma) and learn that not too far away is a lost City, the last surviving remnant of Myrvonia, a white empire with superscience which had once ruled South America. Manzoni also demonstrates the red ray, a device which increases vitality. Lorenzo, it is revealed, is really Lyostrah, the Chief Priest and de facto ruler of the city, while Manzoni, his kinsman, is the King, living in voluntary exile. The two men had quarreled years earlier. The travellers proceed to Myrvonia, where they are welcomed, but problems arise. Lyostrah is infatuated with the beautiful Chief Priestess Alloyah, who worships the Spirit of Evil (which exists as an entity), and they plan world conquest by reviving the mummified dead of the land. Alloyah already has such revived dead in her service. She kidnaps Beryl and Rhelma in order to sacrifice them to the Spirit of Evil. This opens Lyostrah's eyes and he and Manzoni perform a magical ceremony. They invoke an angel from another planet, who in turn intercedes with the supreme spirit for them. They are told that the evil can be destroyed with the red ray, but that the wielder must die. Lyostrah makes the sacrifice. * Weak imitation of H. Rider Haggard.

war. [d] THROUGH THE GATES OF HORN. While Jack is lying unconscious after an accident, he has visions of his life in ten year intervals up to 1972. Some inventions -- TV-- but basically psychological in interest. [e] THE WHITE DOG. The old gentlemen is persecuted by a secret society, one of whose emissaries is a white dog. Murders. Madness. [f] THE LOVERS. A crystal ball offers visions of many past incarnations, each of which ended tragically. Perhaps love can settle matters here and now. [g] SHE WHO CAME BACK. A runaway wife returns after years, and husband and wife are reconciled. But she has just died. [h] FROM THE DEPTHS. Ghosts of drowned persons summon and drag down the submarine captain responsible for their death during the War. [i] YELLOW MAGIC. Southeast Asia. The native magician shows Captain Strong scenes from the past: love, theft, death. * A couple of other stories are too questionable as fantasy to include. * Competent commercial work. 69. THIRTEEN Doubleday, Page; Garden City, N.Y. 1925 Adulatory introduction by Coulson Kernahan. Thirteen short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] THROUGH THE GATES OF HORN. [bJ SHE WHO CAME BACK. [c] A PROBLEM IN REPRISALS. * Also [d] UNDER THE LENS. A semiphilosophical discussion at the club about the ultimate motivation for actions. A story is told. Warburton, who has been trying to help a friend escape from the clutches of a crooked gambler, murders the gambler. The immediate cause: the gambler was whipping his wife. The ultimate cause: they were all descended from personalities around the Reign of Terror. When Warburton saw red, he also saw, without recognizing the implications, the image of a guillotine. The supernaturalism is not developed strongly. * It is possible that THIRTEEN is the same book as UNDER THE LENS (London, 1924), which has not been available for examination.

AUSTIN, F[REDERICK] BRITTEN (1885-1941) British author, playwright. Popular during period after World War I for propaganda stories, Frequent contributor to periodicals. 68. ON THE BORDERLAND Hurst and Blackett; London 1922 Short stories, mostly World War I in orientation. Including [a] BURIED TREASURE. Playing with parlor occultism aboard a yacht in the Caribbean, a message from the dead about buried pirate treasure, and a fiasco. Reincarnation and a vengeful ghost. [b] A PROBLEM IN REPRISALS. When the French medical officer in Occupied Germany discovers his household possessions in the house in which he is billeted, he hypnotizes the housewife into clairvoyance about them. A crime is revealed, but the larger question is what to do about it. [c] SECRET SERVICE. The ghost of the notorious German spy Karl Wertheimer snoops into Allied secrets on the astral plane and tells the Germans about them. When his astral body is shot, the medium projecting him dies, and the Allies can continue to win the

AUSTIN, WILLIAM (1788-1841) American lawyer, political figure, occasional writer in Boston area. Remembered mostly for "Peter Rugg, the Missing Man," which has often been anthologized. His best work is anticipatory of Nathaniel Hawthorne's in mingling abstraction, surface realism, moralization, and regionalism. "Peter Rugg, the Missing Man," however, is probably an outgrowth of the German Romantic tradition, particularly PETER SCHLEMIHL. 70. PETER RUGG, THE MISSING MAN F. P. Rice; Worcester, Mass. 1882 50 copy edition This is the first separate book publication of this famous story, which originally appeared in the NEW ENGLAND GALAXY in 1824 and was reprinted in THE LITERARY GEM for 1827. * A local version of the Flying Dutchman motif. * An old-fashioned chaise, containing a man and a little girl, are often seen about the roads of the East Coast, slightly ahead of a storm which seems to follow them. The man always asks how far it is to Boston, and (seemingly under

AUSTIN, WILLIAM some sort of glamour) will not recognize that he is usually going the wrong way and is far from Boston. His story is that in a fit of hybris, during a trip from Concord, he vowed to reach Boston that evening or never-- and it is never. In the second part, however, Rugg finally makes his way back to his old horne, just as it is being auctioned by the state. He recognizes the changes that have taken place, but is told by a mysterious voice from the crowd that while the tempest that he defied has subsided, he is now a being out of time, who will never have another horne. * There is a comic sequel by an unknown hand which is occasionally printed along with Austin's story. Hawthorne used the character Rugg in "A Virtuoso's Collection," where he is in the employ of the Wandering Jew. * The edition cited above has not been seen; the text in 71 has been read. 71. LITERARY PAPERS OF WILLIAM AUSTIN, WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH BY HIS SON JAMES W. AUSTIN Little, Brown; Boston 1890 250 copy edition A biographical sketch of Austin together with [a] PETER RUGG, THE MISSING MAN. [b] MARTHA GARDNER, OR MORAL REACTION (1837). This is mostly a story of a woman who is persecuted by a giant corporation, the Charles River Bridge Corporation, but it includes a supernatural episode. Missing deeds are found through a dream. [c] THE MAN WITH THE CLOAKS (1836). After the protagonist refuses warmth to a cold wanderer, he is punished by a supernatural feeling of cold. He must wear two hundred cloaks to keep warm. Each time he does a good deed he finds one cloak less necessary. * [b] is trivial, but [a] and [c] are worth reading. [c] could easily be taken for a minor work of Hawthorne's. * The above edition may be inaccessible because of rarity. The same stories are to be found in WILLIAM AUSTIN, THE CREATOR OF PETER RUGG, BEING A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF WILLIAM AUSTIN, TOGETHER WITH THE BEST OF HIS SHORT STORIES, by Walter Austin (Marshall Jones, Boston, 1925). [Anonymous anthology] 72. AVON GHOST READER Avon Book Co.; New York 1946 paperbound Introduction by H[erbert] W[illiarns], editor. * Not all supernatural fiction, despite the title. Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE DUNWICH HORROR, H. P. Lovecraft. Ib] THE PANELLED ROOM, August Derleth. [c] THE FIREPLACE, H. S. Whitehead. [d] THE HAUNTED DOLL'S HOUSE, M. R. James. Ie] THROUGH THE DRAGON GLASS, A. Merritt. If] NAKED LADY, Mindret Lord. [g] THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, F. Scott Fitzgerald. [h] THE [sic] BOTTLE PARTY, John Collier. * Also Ii] THE SALAMANDER, William Seabrook. Madness, told as supernaturalism. Arthur is desperate 'to see a Rosicrucian salamander, and finally sees a beautiful woman in the flames. The house is on fire.

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BABCOCK, WILLIAM HENRY

BABCOCK, GEORGE American occult writer. 73. YEZAD A ROMANCE OF THE UNKNOWN Co-operative Pub. Co.; Bridgeport, Conn. and New York [1922 or 1923] A long eccentric novel, didactic in aim, with a glossary of terms at the end of the book. The work begins by expounding the theories of Dr. Peter Klouse. These are that man is of divine origin; that reincarnation is a mechanism for spiritual evolution; that each of us is composed of two parts, one good and one evil; and that the stages of spiritual evolution are interplanetary. According to the story line, which is hidden amid both regional dialect and occult theory, Dr. Klouse's ghost returns to earth. John Bacon, an aviator, is killed in a crash. His good part flies to a planet near Vega, where reincarnation is administered for earth. There he is instructed in spiritual matters and learns the history of the human race from a sage named Marcomet. Man first came to the solar system from Alphacent, a planet revolving about Alpha Centauri, settling first on Mars, then on Luna, and finally on earth. Bacon had been a Martian in a previous incarnation and had had a romance with a woman who is presently incarnated. Many odd inventions exist on Mars and the Vegan planet. * No comment necessary. BABCOCK, WILLIAM HENRY (1849-1922) American occasional writer, folklorist, historian; fields of interest pre-Columbian Norse contacts with America, geographical folklore. Best known for LEGENDARY ISLANDS OF THE ATLANTIC (1922). 74. KENT FORT MANOR Henry T. Coates; Philadelphia 1902 Semi-historical novel set during the Civil War and post-bellum years. * The Claiborne family has Northern and Southern branches, with different but strongly felt political sympathies. The ancestral seat is at Kent Fort Manor in Tidewater Maryland. Captain Ithaca Claiborne of the Federal army comes into contact with Roderick Claiborne, the family head, and the other Southern Claibornes. The motive force behind the story is the disappearance of Ithaca's companion, Lieutenant Tompkins, who is generally believed to have been murdered by Roderick. A Spiritualist medium confirms this crime, but it is later revealed that Tompkins had simply deserted. Some time later during the war Ithaca is wounded in the head and suffers a personality change. He is now a driven man, with both hypermneSia of his own life and strong memories from the lives of his ancestors. He has an ancestral memory of burying something valuable on the Claiborne estate

BABCOCK, WILLIAM HENRY and returns to Kent Fort Manor to find it. He is taken to be a madman, which is not far from the truth, and is put under restraint. He dies, but after his death the other Claibornes find the treasure as he had remembered it. It now consists only of rotten documents. * Overlong, very badly told, confusing in presentation. There is no incentive to read CYPRESS BEACH, Babcock's other fantasy. BACHELLER, IRVING (1859-1950) New York journalist, novelist. Best-known for EBEN HOLDEN (1900), a regionalistic novel. 75. THE MASTER OF SILENCE A ROMANCE Cramer, Aikens and Cramer; Milwaukee 1891 Spiritual development, sensationalism, regionalism and a little Stevenson. * Young Kendric Lane, shopboy in Liverpool, follows an invitation and advice to visit his long lost uncle Revis Lane in Upstate New York. There he finds his uncle living in utter seclusion, attended by deaf mutes, surrounded by a wall within which stalk lions and crawl snakes. His uncle, it is revealed, is a metaphysician of a sort and has abandoned oral language to develop an "interior language for which speech is an imperfect medium." Revis has developed this interior language in his son Rayel, who is a Jesus-like figure with incredible paranormal powers of character analysis, thought reading, and great artistlc ability. The uncle soon dies, and Kendric and Rayel enter the world of everyday life. Rayel confounds and alienates society with his penetrating but inappropriate comments (since he knows only utter honesty and has no concept of tact), and there seems to be a plot to assassinate Kendric. Kendric finds a wife (who has a Dickensian flavor) and Rayel meets death. * All rather pointless and a bit puzzling for an author who later showed capability. BAKER, FRANK (1908 ) British mUSician, novelist, playwright. His supernatural fiction is usually fluent, light fantasy, often with mild semiallegorical elements, sometimes with a note of pain and sexual anguish in the baCkground. His technical ability is excellent. His later work, unfortunately, has not been published in the United States and is inexplicably difficult to find. Insights into his own work and reminiscences of other authors, notably Mary Butts, are to be found in his autobiography, I FOLLOW BUT MYSELF (1968). 76. THE BIRDS Peter Davies; London [1936] Metaphysical fantasy. Reminiscences of an old man in the future. * One day a flock of birds appeared near the Bank of England. An old woman started to feed them, but the birds turned on her, chased her into a tube entrance, and caused her death by shock. The birds then begin to appear elsewhere, bringing with them death and foulness. There seems to be no defence against them, for traps, guns, and gas are equally useless. The problem is soon worldwide, and as time passes the birds become larger, more aggressive, and varied in

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BAKER, FRANK color. It is finally realized that they are supernatural, and civilization collapses. The narrator, who lives in a tawdry apartment with his mother, who is a selfish and exploitative person, sees the birds drive others to death. He finally understands the situation. He must look his special bird in the face and recognize it as part of him. Then the birds ~vill have no more power over him. Few persons, however, are able to follow his example. * The birds obviously symbolize sins or the evil potential within each individual. There is also satirical matter on our culture and comment on social matters. Somewhat overlong, but still good. 77. MISS HARGREAVES A FANTASY Eyre and Spottiswoode; London [1940] Creative thought creates, worked into a humorous story about the personal adjustments of a young man. * Norman Huntley, son of the eccentric bookseller who plays a small part in SWEET CHARIOT, is unfortunate in a lark. While visiting in Ireland, he and a friend pull the leg of a sexton in an ugly modern church by pretending acquaintance with a Miss Hargreaves, an imaginary friend of one of the church celebrities. Miss Hargreaves hereupon assumes existence, and when Huntley returns to his native town, he meets her. She is an octagenarian poet, with all the pathetic eccentricities imagined by Huntley and his friend. She makes life difficult for Huntley and his family, for although amiable, she is demanding. Huntley finally dispels her by returning to Ireland and recapitulating the situation that first called her into existence, but on this occasion denying her. She disappears. * An excellent light fantasy, with the amusing characterizations that are among the author's strengths, and good nonsense verse written by Miss Hargreaves. A play version was successful on the London stage in 1953, with Margaret Rutherford as Miss Hargreaves. To my knowledge the dramatic version has never been published. This is probably Baker's best work. 78. SWEET CHARIOT A ROMANCE Eyre and Spot tiswoode; London 1942 Dissociation of personality supernaturally conceived, together with mild satire on personality types in Baker's usual small cathedral town. The setting is a small boarding school, in which George Spillett is a master. A whimsical literalist, an agnostic, a player with words, but a man with much repressed passion, he is in love with the matron of the school, but has done little about it. While hunting for remains of paleolithic man in Cornwall, he manages to trap Melchior, his guardian angel, and induces Melchior to exchange places with him for a month. The angel, although inherently good, is as spontaneous a simpleton as Spillett is an inhibited intellectual. Both fail in their new roles. Spillett, intoxicated with pride, soars higher and higher, and tries to storm heaven with his new power of flight. He is dashed to earth in moral collapse. Melchior is broken by earthly passions, and ends by setting fire to the school. The

BAKER, FRANK best that each can then do is to retreat to his original role. Melchior is allowed to return to Heaven, and Spillett, who is blamed for Melchior's actions, marries, but must leave the school. * A good, literate surface texture, but somewhat namby pamby and oddly proportioned. The pessimistic ending is unusual for an individuation story of this sort. 79. MR. ALLENBY LOSES THE WAY Coward-McCann; New York [1945] Symbolic fantasy. * Sergius Wilfred Allenby, a middle-aged stationer in London, believes in fairies. When an old man who claims to be a fairy approaches him and offers him five wishes, Allenby accepts the offer. He wants information about his parents (since he had been an orphan), a child for his wife, a meeting with his father, and the reexperiencing of a part of his past. All the wishes come true. But there is a catch. Berin, the supposed emissary of the fairies, is a disreputable, eccentric psychologist who takes sadistic pleasure in elaborate cruel jokes and plots, and it had been Berin himself who had seduced and abandoned Allenby's mother. * Smoothly written, with good minor characters, but the interpretation is not wholly clear. At one point Berin says that the fairies work through man without his knowing it, and it is possible that Berin is unaware of being controlled by the fairies (the driving power of justice). On the other hand, the power of faith may be so strong that it can break through the traps of fraud and achieve its desires. Possibly not intended to be supernatural. 80. BEFORE I GO HENCE FANTASIA ON A NOVEL Andrew Dakers; London [1946] Essentially a treatment of loneliness of various sorts, as experienced by persons of very different personality types, with a supernatural twist. * The story is centered around Allways, a house near a small village in the West Country. In the year 1930 it was inhabited by the Rev. Fenner Doble, a very old man, and his family: his daughter Ellen, who cares for him, and Arthur, a half-witted son. As the old man ponders life, human love, and loneliness, and speculates about future inhabitants of the house after his death, the long unhappy situation changes. Robert, a run-away son who is a homosexual, comes home and sets in motion events that lead to Arthur's death. The exact circumstances of Arthur's death are not clear for a time, and the old man wonders if he himself murdered Arthur. * In the year 1943, the author Maurice Hilliar and his wife, staying nearby, roam through the deserted Allways, and speculate about its now almost forgotten past inhabitants. The old house, its atmosphere, and its memories make a great impression on Maurice, who sees it as a center point for a novel. He gradually reconstructs a history not too far removed from that of the DobIes, but the experience is destructive to him and his wife. In some fashion the mind of the old Reverend Doble reaches into the future to influence Maurice, while Maurice, in turn, haunts

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BALDWIN, MRS. ALFRED the old man in the past. There are other, unexpected personal links with the events of 1930. No real resolution emerges to the problems that are revealed or evoked, except that Maurice finally realizes that the sordid past must be forgotten. BAKER, GEORGE A[UGUSTUS] (1849-1918) New York lawyer, poet, playwright, occasional novelist. Well regarded in his day for POINT LACE AND DIAMONDS (poetry) and THE BAD HABITS OF GOOD SOCIETY (social matters), both of which went through several editions. His comedy WEST POINT was also popular. Now all period pieces. 81. MRS. HEPHAESTUS AND OTHER SHORT STORIES TOGETHER WITH WEST POINT, A COMEDY IN THREE ACTS White, Stokes and Allen; New York 1887 Including [a] MRS. HEPHAESTUS. In a jeu d'esprit Graves, the narrator, invites a bronze statue of Venus to a ball. Shortly thereafter it is observed that the statue is missing, and a remarkably beautiful woman, Mrs. Hephaestus, strikes up an acquaintance with the Graves family. She interferes in Graves's sister's romance and finally seduces the stuffy Graves. After causing a supernatural vision, she leaves, and Graves is long in recovering from her memory. While there is a materialistic twist at the end of the story, the situation is ultimately supernatural. [b] THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE. The narrator, a crotchety old householder in Manhattan, has decided to sell his property, which he has maintained in the manner of earlier years. The Dutch king of the fairies visits him and scolds him for betraying idealS, but the narrator can only comment on necessity and the Spirit of the Age. A compromise is reached: the property shall be sold, but the fairies shall remove to Central Park. Probably based on a local situation. [c] THE MERMAN. Norway. The fisherman harpoons a seal, which is revealed to be a seal man, who thereupon persecutes the fisherman and destroys his family. Perhaps based on Norwegian folklore, since it is essentially the same story as "The Fisherman and the Draug" by Jonas Lie. [d] THE INVASION OF KLEINDORF. Allegorical fairy tale. The great magician Surnmurnbonum goes to Kleindorf, which used to be a happy place, and removes the pleasure and charm from everything. The plant komoncence, conveyed by his granddaughter, restores things. * [a] is mildly amusing. BALDWIN, MRS. ALFRED (LOUISA) (1845-1925) British novelist, poet, anthologist. 82 • THE SHADOW ON THE BLIND AND OTHER GHOST STORIES Dent; London 1895 Fairly conventional, commercial Victorian ghost stories. * [a] THE SHADOW ON THE BLIND. When Stackpoole, who rents houses, furnishes them, and then compulsively moves away, takes over Harbledon Hall, he is warned that it is haunted, but pays no heed. The haunting breaks out during a costume ball, when an ancient murder is reenacted supernaturally. It is seen through the window. A pleasant touch

BALDWIN, MRS. ALFRED at the very end. [b] THE WEIRD OF THE WALFORDS. Squire Walford inherits a 300-year old bed in which his ancestors have been born and have died. He has it destroyed, since it arouses morbid feelings, but allows a carpenter to keep the carved panels. When he marries, his wife sees the ghost of the ancient bed in its room; when she has 8. child, the child is put unknowingly in a cradle made from the bed panels, and both wife and child die. [c] THE UNCANNY BAIRN (A STORY OF THE SECOND SIGHT). A Scottish child has the second sight and sees the death of various relatives, but outgrows the inconvenient ability. [d] MANY WATERS CANNOT QUENCH LOVE. When Horton rents quarters in the country, for a rest, he stumbles on death portents and leaves hurriedly. [e] HOW HE LEFT THE HOTEL. An elevator attendant tells of a ghost that left the hotel, just as did the living man in earlier days. [f] THE REAL AND THE COUNTERFEIT. A house with a dormant Cistercian ghost. For a lark Armitage masquerades as the ghost, meets the real ghost, and dies. [g] MY NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOUR. A Breton dying in hospital is visited by the ghost of his dead sweetheart, who tells him when he will die. [h] THE EMPTY PICTURE FRAME. A Van Dyke picture of Joceline Swinford, a beautiful young woman who died at an early age. In the present, Mi~s Katherine Swinford sends an invitation to her (hitherto unseen) cousin Joceline Swinford to visit for a time. An ancient carriage appears, and Miss Joceline and her maid emerge. It is soon observed that Miss Joceline has a familiarity with the house-- but as it had been over two hundred years earlier. It is also observed that the picture is missing from its frame. [i] SIR NIGEL OTTERBURNE'S CASE. Miss Otterburne has death premonitions. She sees the dead of the cemetery welcome the newly deceased with ghastly camaraderie. * Correct, conventional stories, except for [h], which has touches that lift it above the other stories. BALZAC, HONORE DE (1799-1850) Important French mainstream author, renowned for La Com~die humaine, an enormous fictional world of independent but sometimes interlocking stories depicting French life, mores, ideal movements, and personalities. In his youth Balzac wrote much sensational fiction, mostly untranslated, while in later years he maintained a strong interest in matters occult. The bibliography of his translated work is very complex and largely unstudied. The set cited is obviously not a first edition for individual items, but is a convenient work, accessible in most large libraries, in one publishing variant or another. 83. THE FIRST COMPLETE TRANSLATION INTO ENGLISH HONORE DE BALZAC IN TWENTY-FIVE VOLUMES P. F. Collier and Son; New York (c. 1905) VOLUME TWENTY-ONE. This consists of THE WILD ASS'S SKIN (La Peau de Chagrin, 1831, in a slightly different version). * Balzac's version of the bottle imp motif. Paris, c. 1830.

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BALZAC, HONORE DE Raphael, a young law student, has so planned his life that all his debts and obligations will fall due at the same time. He will then commit suicide and be free of everything, without previous worry. He loses his last few francs in a gambling salon, and while passing time before the appointed hour of his death, wanders into a remarkable antique shop. During conversation the owner tells him of the "peau de chagrin" (a pun on shagreen, onager skin, skin of sorrow), and offers it to him. It fulfills all wishes, but with each granted wish it shrinks. When it has shrunk to nothing, its owner dies. Raphael seizes the skin with eagerness and makes a series of wishes, each of which is promptly fulfilled, though by a natural order of events. But the skin shrinks. This puts him into a panic, and he sets up his household (for he is now fabulously wealthy) so that he has no need to wish for anything. He also tries various scientific means for stretching the skin. But the skin keeps shrinking, and before a few months have passed, it is tiny, and then gone. Raphael dies. * There is also a very long flashback explaining how Raphael reached his predicament, before acquiring the skin. This flashback is often omitted in reprint translations. * Filled with solid detail, in the manner of the later works in La Com~die humaine, this is one of Balzac's first mature works. While Raphael's narrative is overlong, the remainder of the work is fascinating, particularly the antique shop sequence, the orgy, and the journalistic conversations. * Alternate titles are LUCK AND LEATHER, THE MAGIC SKIN, THE FATAL SKIN. 84. VOLUME TWENTY-TWO. Short fiction including [a] CHRIST IN FLANDERS (Jesus-Christ en Flandre, 1831). An old Flemish legend is used as a 19th century anticipation of THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY. Various personality types are confronted with death during a violent storm at sea. Jesus, who is present in the boat in human disguise, walks away over the water, and those who have faith follow him. The savant, the miser, and others perish. This is followed by a numinous dream which the narrator has in a cathedral. The total work is a combination of earlier works. [b] MELMOTH RECONCILED. (Melmoth reconcilie, 1835). Based on MELMOTH JHE WANDERER by Charles R. Maturin. Maturin's demonic Melmoth had difficulty in finding others to take over his fate, but in France there are many men who are willing to assume a diabolic bond in exchange for worldly safety or worldly wealth. * M. Castanier, who holds a position of trust in a bank, turns embezzler and is about to run off with a fortune. He is approached by a mysterious Irishman, who seemingly can read his thoughts. This is Melmoth, who by supernatural means shows Castanier that his theft has been discovered and that his mistress has been unfaithful to him. Castanier makes little objection to taking over Melmoth's fate and is delighted to acquire his supernatural powers. But he becomes bored and passes the bond on. Eventually, worn thin, it vanishes when its holder

BALZAC, HONORE DE is in a drunken stupor. Perhaps a fanciful statement of obligation, financial or otherwise. [c) THE ELIXIR OF LIFE (L'E1ixir de longue vie, 1830). 16th century Spain. Don Juan Be1videro, a vicious and profligate young man, receives word that his father is dying. The old man asks Don Juan to rub his corpse with a certain vital oil, whereupon he will resume life. Don Juan tries a little of the oil, and seeing that it is effective in restoring life, lets his father die and keeps the oil for himself. He continues in his old ways, with the understanding that he will have a second chance and a second life in which to repent. When he is dying, he is cleverer than his father had been. He tells his son that the oil is simply an oil that has been blessed. The son anoints Don Juan's head and arm, which assume a life of their own. This is taken to be a miracle, and a special mass is celebrated for it. But at the mass, the Don's head, rejecting the concept of God, attacks and kills the officiating priest. * Interesting characterizations, as always with Balzac, but otherwise minor work. 85. VOLUME TWENTY-FIVE. Part of the "philosophical works," including [a) SERAPH ITA (Seraphita, 1835). A romance based on notions that Balzac attributes to Swedenborg. The story itself is thin, and about half the work is devoted to a rhapsodic exposition of an occult theology, theosophy, and philosophy. Set in an isolated part of Norway, the story vehicle is a restatement of the life of Jesus in terms of modern spiritualism, with a passion, temptation, crucifixion, and resurrection. Four persons, possibly to be taken semiallegorically, must come to terms with the being variously known as Seraphita or Seraphitus. These are a middle-aged man (Balzac?), a young woman, a rationalistic preacher who studies magic, and a faithful old servant. Seraph ita/ Seraphitus is perceived as a woman by men and as a man by women, thereby qualifying as the occult hermaphrodite. Physically, she/he is the child of an associate and follower of Swedenborg's, and was conceived in the holiest way, but she/he is obviously more than just a mortal. An imprisoned or incarnated spirit, perhaps an angel, she/he awaits death (or birth), which takes place during a theophany. After her passing, humans can resume life. * SERAPHITA has been variously regarded, some considering it a masterpiece of poetic prose, others regarding it as hastily-written rubbish, largely cribbed from Balzac's occult reading. To me it seems of some small interest as showing at its most extreme Balzac's "mystical" component, but otherwise, only a curious, very minor work by a great author. BANGS, J[OHN) K[ENDRICK) (1862-1922) New York author and editor. Educated at Columbia University, editor of various magazines-HARPER'S MONTHLY, LIFE, PUCK. A fairly prolific writer in many areas: humor, plays, poetry, children's books, miscellaneous fiction. His work seems to have been highly regarded in its

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BANGS, J. K. day, although one wonders whether this estimation may not have been backscratching due to his editorial positions. His work now seems very flimsy. Bangs's most noteworthy achievement was a contribution to literary typology: the so-called Bangsian story, in which important literary and historical personalities serve humorously as characters in a slender plot line. Bangs did not invent this subgenre, but his work gave it publicity and literary status. 86. ROGER CAMERDEN A STRANGE STORY George J. Coombes; New York 1887 (published anonymously) Nouvelle. At the banquet of the Saint George Society, which is devoted to slaying the dragon of ignorance, the story of Roger Camerden is told. According to the first narrator, an old college friend, Camerden's father had died under very mysterious circumstances. A man named Marvi11e seems to have been involved. Camerden tries to solve the mystery of his father's death, but fails. Instead, he falls in love with Marvi1le's daughter Hester. He goes to Marvi11e's residence, which happens to be a haunted house, to ask for Hester's hand, and is presumably assaulted and murdered by Marvi11e. Another member of the club has a different story; Marvil1e was completely innocent of all wrong doing. He had no daughter, and Camerden had been taken in by an adventuress. A third solution is offered by Camerden's doctor, who believes that Camerden was mad, and that the whole sequence of events was projection on Camerden's part. In any case, the Camerden incident finished the Saint George Society. * Possibly supernatural by imp licat ion. 87. TOPPLETON'S CLIENT, OR A SPIRIT IN EXILE Charles L. Webster; New York 1893 A supernatural novel, with an odd mixture of heavy-handed humor and horror motifs. * Hopkins Topp1eton, a rather foolish young member of a New York law firm, is sent to London as a remittance man, to prevent his doing too much damage to the business. There he happens to rent a haunted room with an invisible ghost that sighs and whistles. The spirit communicates with Topp1eton, and asks Topp1eton to act as its attorney. About thirty years earlier, Chatford, the ghost, had come to an arrangement with another ghost, whereby the other possessed Chatford's body at times and managed Chatford's career. The other ghost (Calderwood) eventually usurped the body completely and has now become Lord Barncast1e. Topp1eton undertakes to act for Chatford and visits Barncast1e. He soon learns that the ghost's story is true. He believes that he can manipulate Barncast1e into relinquishing Chatford's body, but he is outwitted. He awakens to find himself in Barncast1e's old body, while Calderwood goes happily off in a new, young physique. * Overlong and empty. 88. THE WATER GHOST AND OTHERS Harper; New York 1894 Short stories, including [a) THE WATER GHOST OF HARROWBY HALL. Semiparodic humor. Each

BANGS,

J. K.

Christmas eve a ghost appears to the head of the family, if a certain chamber is untenanted, and deluges him and his surroundings with water. It is a frightful nuisance, much worse than other hauntings. The present head of the family is ingenious: he takes the ghost out into the cold, where it freezes solid. He then has it carted off to an icehouse. [b] THE SPECTRE COOK OF BANGLETOP. Reminiscent in setting of Wilde's THE CANTERVILLE GHOST. The ghost of a cook haunts the castle and will not withdraw until her back wages (something like sixty million pounds, including compound interest) have been paid. The Yankee tenant appeals to her vengefulness and snobbery to be rid of her. [c] A MIDNIGHT VISITOR. The Devil, in the guise of a magician, visits and annoys a clubman. [d] A QUICKSILVER CASSANDRA. Jingleberry's mirror shows his rejection in a lovesuit, but he is convinced that mirrors reflect opposites. He is right. [e] A PSYCHICAL PRANK. Gibson-girl romance disappointed. The members of the Boston Theosophical Society save carfare by travelling invisibly in astral form on streetcars. [f] THE LITERARY REMAINS OF THOMAS BRAGDON. Two friends who make imaginary journeys together discover that the bond between them can survive death. Or is it the powerful wish of the survivor. Less superficial than Bangs's usual story, but unrealized. [g] THE GHOST CLUB; AN UNFORTUNATE EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF NO. 5010. A Bangsian club for the great dead, and fraudulent supernaturalism. No. 5010, in prison for stealing silver spoons, claims that he attended the Ghost Club, where they were given to him by the shade of King Ferdinand of Spain. * Another story, "The Speck on the Lens," is science-fiction of a sort. * Stories [a] and [e] are amusing; the other stories are just as well forgotten. Illustrations by A. B. Frost. 89. A HOUSE-BOAT ON THE STYX BEING SOME ACCOUNT OF THE DIVERS DOINGS OF THE ASSOCIATED SHADES Harper; New York 1895 90. THE PURSUIT OF THE HOUSE-BOAT BEING SOME FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE DIVERS DOINGS OF THE ASSOCIATED SHADES, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, ESQ. Harper; New York 1897 Two short ironic jeux d' esprit. '1< The ghosts of the world's great men own a house-boat on the Styx, and maintain a small, exclusive social club. Among the members are Shakespeare, Samuel Johnson, Sir Walter Raleigh, and many others. On one occasion the men all go off to watch a prize fight between Hercules and Samson, and the ladies, militant feminists who want to integrate the club, invade the boat. At just this time Captain Kidd pirates the boat away. The shades ask the help of Sherlock Holmes in tracking down the boat. By the time the boat is found, the shrewish women have turned the tables on Kidd. * These two books, which form one narrative, are probably the best examples of Bangs's work in this peculiar form. They were extremely popular in their day, but today they seem primitive and naive when compared to the work of Bangs's contemporaries in England. Illustrations by Peter

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BANGS, J. K. Newell in both volumes. 91. GHOSTS I HAVE MET AND SOME OTHERS Harper; New York 1898 Mostly humorous, told by a single narrator. Short stories, including [a] GHOSTS I HAVE MET. Christmas eve. The narrator tells of his encounters with the supernatural. One ghost was a snobbish English ghost, whom the narrator oULslurred; the other made off with the silverware. [b] THE MYSTERY OF GRANDMOTHER'S HAIR SOFA. Christmas eve. It turned white with shock. [c] THE MYSTERY OF BARNEY O'ROURKE. When the narrator's cigars are all missing, he asks Barney about them. Barney says that the ghosts smoked them-- and that is no foolisher a story than the one about the hair sofa that turned white. [d] THE EXORCISM THAT FAILED. In the crush at a public appearance of Queen Victoria, the narrator jostles and squashes a vengeful Cockney ghost, who follows him back to America and makes life miserable for him. The only exorcism that works is a giant electric fan. [e] THURLOW'S CHRISTMAS STORY. A trick story. The narrator is entrusted with the manuscript of a modern classic, but his doppelganger persuades him to steal it. [f] THE DAMPMERE MYSTERY. A haunted house, where hair stands up on end, even that in a mattress. [g] CARLETON BARKER, FIRST AND SECOND. Doppelgangers. When the doppelg~nger is hanged, the other potentiality dies. o{,' Slight and somewhat dated stories. Illustrations by Peter Newell, A. B. Frost, and R.T. Richards. 92. THE ENCHANTED TYPE-WRITER Harper; New York 1899 A sequel to THE PURSUIT OF THE HOUSE-BOAT. * The narrator finds an old typewriter, which he repairs-- to find that it types communications from Hades. Boswell, the editor of the STYGIAN GAZETTE, now has a direct line to him. He hears gossip about the various great men and women of the past who are in Hades; reads an account of Baron Munchausen's previous incarnations as Adam on up; converses with Xanthippe; and hears of a new adventure of Sherlock Holmes. Holmes is approached by a mysterious woman who wants to know the true identity of her husband. He is Lohengrin. The story ends with a game of golf. * Unremarkable. 93. OVER THE PLUM-PUDDING Harper; New York 1901 Christmas stories, including [a] BILLS, M.D. Borderline fantasy, inflation handled in slightly supernatural terms. A ghostly figure shows the narrator how to live beyond his means. [b] THE FLUNKING OF WATKINS'S GHOST. Parley, a student at Blue Haven is offered assistance in exams by a ghostly alumnus of a century before. The offer is better than the result, for education has progressed since the ghos t 's day. [c] THE AMALGAMATED BROTHERHOOD OF SPOOKS. A LETTER TO THE EDITOR. The author has to write a ghost story, but he has offended the ghosts' union and has no more material. His offence was lying to the walking delegate at the Uffizi. * The three following stories are concerned with one Hans Pumpernickel, in

BANGS, J.K. a cartoon-strip Germany. [d] HANS PUMPERNICKEL'S VIGIL. Hans must support an ancestral uncle, who is centuries old and still a baby. He cries continually, then suddenly shoots up into manhood. [e] THE AFFLICrrON OF BARON HUMPFELH]MMEL. A curse. Two generations cannot laugh, but the third must make up for all the times the others have missed. [f] HOW FRITz BECAME A WIZARD. The life history of a folkloristic wizard. Also a great diamond that emits light. [g] THE LOSS OF THE "GRETCHEN B." The ship has been sold and its name changed, when the ghost of a pirate appears to the new captain and demands the ship back. It had previously been a pirate ship. The ghost persuades an Irish carpenter to cut a hole in the bottom of the ship in order to reach treasure on the sea bottom. * Also present is "A Glance Ahead," a science-fiction story set in 3568 A.D., where poverty has been abolished by constitutional amendment and bodies are bought and sold like suits. * Apart from "A Glance Ahead," which is amusing, weak materi-

al. 94. OLYMPIAN NIGHTS Harper; New York 1902 Topical fantastic humor. * The narrator, while travelling in Greece, spends the night near Mount Olympus. He attracts the favorable notice of Jupiter-Jove-Zeus, who is wandering past, and receives a card of entry to Olympia from the god. The narrator is taken up to Olympus by Cupid, who runs a modern elevator, and wanders about, seeing various classical situations that have been recast in terms of modern institutions and commerce. Adonis and Narcissus are valets de chambre; Memnon runs a restaurant; Jupiter-Jove-Zeus dresses and acts like a Populist politician. Golf, especially on an interplanetary level, is a favorite sport. The narrator happens to examine the futuroscope, which reveals what is to come. His action enrages Jupiter, and he is forcibly expelled. * Possibly of some slight interest to the social historian, as a measure for current topics. BARCLAY, FLORENCE L. (1862-1921) British author of floridly sentimental shopgirl romances. Her best-known work, formerly very common on 10¢ stands in second-hand bookshops, is THE ROSARY (1909). 95. RETURNED EMPTY Putnam; London and New York 1920 Eternal love. * Luke Sparrow (whose names may have a Biblical connotation), also known as the Lonely Man, is wandering about on a walking trip, peering into windows, as he frankly admits is his habit, and observing people. By the shore he comes upon a beautiful estate, which he investigates. He is seen through the window, invited in, and informed by the lady of the house, Miriam Tintagel, that he is the reincarnation of her deceased husband, Sir Nigel, who was drowned thirty years earlier. Luke, despite pleas on the part of Miriam, can remember nothing of a previous incarnation and leaves hurriedly. While swimming, however, he suddenly regains the memories of Sir Nigel, and

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BARING-GOULD, S. rushes back to his wife. But she has had a heart attack and does not live through the day. He still has only partial memory of his previous life, but accepts his former identity and waits for the release of death. It comes to him in World War I, where he is killed. * Pretentious, inflated twaddle. BARING, MAURICE (1874-1945) O.B.E., F.R.S.L. British diplomat, foreign corr~spondent, writer, authority on Russian culture and history. Educated at Cambridge. A remarkable linguist. His work includes travel books, areal studies, translations, history, children's stories, plays, poetry, novels. Highly regarded in the 1920's and '30's for his fine mainstream novels C (1924) and CAT'S CRADLE (1925), but now undeservedly forgotten. His .supernatural fiction, unfortunately, is not quite on the same level. 96. HALF A MINUTE'S SILENCE AND OTHER STORIES Heinemann; London [1925] Short stories, including [a] A LUNCHEON PARTY. Mr. Nicholas L. Satan makes an offer to Mrs. Bergmann: he will make her party the envy of all her friends by supplying any guest she wishes. She names Shakespeare. [b] THE ISLAND. On the sea road to Teneriffe, a strange, deserted island, with Classical buildings. The protagonist lies down and has a vision of a veiled woman who offers his companion a cup of liquid. The next morning the companion acts as if possessed by a wild beast. Circe. [c] THE SHADOW OF A MIDNIGHT. Germany. The narrator, in a viSion, sees his friend Braun murdered by a band of Russian thieves. It comes true. [d] VENUS. John Fletcher, during moments of seeming abstraction, finds himself in a strange landscape, which is identified as the planet Venus. He apparently travels in his astral body. But a peril there keeps approaching nearer, and he finally succumbs. [e] DR. FAUST'S LAST DAY. Italy. Faust, now almost a rationalist, does not quite believe what had happened to him in the past. But his term is up. [f] THE IKON. Ferrol collects things: a Chinese god, an Egyptian idol, an old oil, and an ikon. He is finally blinded by a falling picture. The causation is not clear, although supernatural. * Also included are the fine "Habent Sua Fata Libelli," about the modern destruction of the great Library of Alexandria, and "The Alternative," a very clear statement of alternate worlds. BARING-GOULD, S[ABINE] (1834-1924) British clergyman, miscellaneous writer, educated at Cambridge. A very prolific and versatile author whose work ranged from constructive theology, geographical and folkloristic studies of the West Country and France, to fiction of various sorts. Author of the hymn "Onward, Christian Soldiers. 1t Most important works, in modern estimation, are A BOOK OF THE WEST and A BOOK OF DARTMOOR, local studies. Probably best-known in his lifetime for CURIOUS MYTHS OF THE MIDDLE AGES (1866-8), long the standard popular retelling of medieval legends

BARING-GOUlD, S. and folktales. His fiction is commercial, and far less important than his regional studies, which often deserve renewed attention. 97. A BOOK OF GHOSTS Methuen; London 1904 According to the author's preface some of the stories had previously appeared in periodicals ranging from 1853 to the near past. * [a] JEAN BOUGHON. France. The ghost of a stupid, dishonest waiter steals the tips. He can be released only by whitewashing his memory and erecting untruthful monuments. [b] POMPS AND VANITIES. Letice, reared by an over-strict aunt, dies young, bewailing the fact that she had had so little experience of life. Years later, when her sister Betty becomes engaged, Betty has fugues, and does not remember what has happened. She had been possessed by Letice, who was still avid for sensation. [c] McALLISTER. At Bayonne, the ghost of a Scot killed during the Napoleonic Wars complains that his body has been violated. Half has been sent to Scotland, the other half, by mistake, buried under the wrong name. The ghost is suitably truncated. [d] THE LEADEN RING. Julia is a heartless jilt; Hatters1ey shoots himself because of her. Julia is thereupon haunted by the sound of violent explosions whenever the topic of Hatters1ey comes up. [e] THE MOTHER OF PANSIES. Germany. Anna Voss, unwilling to bear children, goes to a witch who works magic to make her sterile. When her husband is accidentally killed, some time later, she has elaborate visions of the fates of the seven children she might have borne, had she not consulted the witch. [f] THE REDHAIRED GIRL. She is a servant.gir1, perpetually in the way, peering around corners, but a ghost. [g] A PROFESSIONAL SECRET. Leveridge, a budding author, puts the people around him into his literary work, including the girl he admires. When the book is published, they all complain of loss of ego, since he has used them up. To restore them, he must create a group of imaginary characters and blend them with the exhausted persons. [h] H. P. An English amateur archeologist, temporarily trapped in a grave with the skeleton of a neolithic man, finds that the skeleton regards him with great hostility. [i] GLAMR. Iceland. A fictional version of an episode from the GRETTIRSAGA. The appearance of the demon herdsman G1amr; the hauntings; and the conflict with Grettir. [j] COLONEL HALIFAX'S GHOST STORY. The ghost of a poacher, accidentally killed by the master of the hall, haunts the corridors. [k] THE MEREWIGS. First an Indian ghost story, secondly, an absurd tale about the Merewigs in London: beings who have failed to evolve in their first incarnation, and now haunt the British Museum and Library in search of cultural background that will permit them to rise to a higher level. [1] THE "BOLD VENTURE." Old Betty, who is close to her grand~chi1d, makes him a model sailing vessel, the "Bold Venture." But the boy's mother spitefully buys the boy a handsomer (but unsound) model boat. After the boy's death the "Bold Venture" assaults the commercial model and de-

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BARR, ROBERT stroys it. [m] MUSTAPHA. Mustapha, a young Egyptian, after lapsing from the faith of his fathers, returns to Islam, vowing to kill himself if he relapses. A crude Englishman lures Mustapha into sinning. Mustapha commits suicide and thereupon haunts the Englishman to death. [n] LITTLE JOE GANDER. The village halfwit, with a desperately pathetic life, sees his mother's ghost. [0] A DEAD FINGER. It appeared first as an embodied finger, then as an arm, finally a whole body, and it assaults the narrator vampirica11y. [p] BLACK RAM. The sins (from a rigid clerical sense) of the local populace are seen in the chapel at midnight. Black ram is the local term for a rock deposit that acts as a soil pollutant. [q] A HAPPY RELEASE. Woolfie1d's deceased wife was a Plymouth Sister. She haunts him, determined that he shall have no further pleasure from women. Another ghost releases him from the problem. [r] THE 9:30 UP-TRAIN. (1853). A haunted compartment and a supernatural event occurring along the roadway when the train stops. [s] ON THE LEADS. A rented manor house, a white figure that capers along the leads, and no material cause. A ghost. [t] AUNT JOANNA. When the Hockinses, neighbors of dead Aunt Joanna, make free with her effects, her ghost takes a hand and forces them to return what they have taken. [u] THE WHITE FLAG. Propaganda for the Boer War. Jacob, a nasty old Boer, makes a practice of pretending to be wounded. He waves a white flag and then shoots helpful British officers-seventeen in all. The mother of one of them, in Wales, works magic by means of a sacred well and causes Jacob's death. But she must also beg supernatural forgiveness, for her son would have turned out badly and committed suicide. * A rather dreary collection. Some stories present supernaturalism of a crude sort; others are too smugly clerical. BARNETT, ADA British writer. 98. THE JOYOUS ADVENTURER Allen and Unwin; London 1923 Long fantasy novel, reminiscent of Blackwood's LeVa110n stories, describing the reactions of a "natural man" to civilization and its ways. * "Copper Top," a foundling, is reared by an eccentric philosopher who allows him to run wild. As a result, Copper Top preserves a native intimacy with nature,a passionate spontaneity and verve that sweep everything before them. Almost everything, for when disappointed in love, Copper Top decides to return to his Home, a higher state of being from which he had been incarnated as a human. The concluding statement is that it was remarkable that he stayed on earth as long as he did. * Without Blackwood's charm or intellectual power. Some readers may find it merely silly. BARR, ROBERT (1850-1912) Author, editor of Scottish birth, resident variously in Canada, United States, Great Britain. Editor with Jerome K. Jerome of THE IDLER

BARR, ROBERT magazine. Often wrote under pseudonym Luke Sharp. Fairly prolific author of commercial, topical fiction in many categories. Much his best work is the series of detective stories, THE TRIUMPHS OF EUGENE VALMONT (1906), which are excellent. 99. IN A STEAMER CHAIR AND OTHER SHIPBOARD STORIES Chatto and Windus; London 1892 Short stories, mostly frothy society material connected in one way or another with social life for tourists aboard ship. * Including [a] SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE. Hard10ck murders his friend and conveys the body on board ship, planning to toss it into the sea. His dead friend, however, has other plans. [b] THE MAN WHO WAS NOT ON THE PASSENGER LIST. Mr. Keeling is accidentally killed aboard ship, through company negligence. But his ghost will not suffer the company to swindle his widow, and he appears on succeeding trips and goes through the same accident. * Competent commercial work. 100. FROM WHOSE BOURNE Chatto and Windus; London 1893. Written 1888. A short novel, essentially a routine sentimental detective story, to which the supernatural has been added to create variety. * William Brenton, prosperous resident of Cincinnati, awakens to find himself dead and his corpse rigid in a chair. He becomes acquainted with various persons in the spirit world who offer advice. While he cannot communicate with the living, he can move about, see, and listen. He learns that his wife is being charged with murdering him, since traces of morphine were found in his corpse. Enlisting the aid of the great ghost detective, Monsieur Lecocq of Paris, he is told that a stranger was responsible. Meanwhile, on the living plane, the crime reporter George Stratton investigates the case. He falls in love with Brenton's widow, and settles on a would-be beau of hers as the murderer. Eventually the true solution is discovered, and Mrs. Brenton goes free. * Undistinguished. 101. THE FACE AND THE MASK Hutchinson; London 1894 Brief short stories, including [a] THE WOMAN OF STONE. Paris. A sentimental crime story, told as an erotic situation. When the woman's lover is taken by the police as a dangerous anarchist, she sees the expression on the face of the statue change from a smile to an image of death. Whoever sees only the smiling side of life sees only part of life. [b} CRANDALL'S CHOICE. A slender modern version of the Judgment of Paris. In Crandall's vision two beautiful women ask him to choose between them. They are health and wealth. He makes the wrong choice. * These two stories are among Barr's weakest work, but the volume also includes "The Doom of London," a well-imagined sciencefiction story and liThe Great Pegram Mystery," a good parody of Sherlock Holmes. 102. REVENGE~ Chatto and Windus; London 1896 Short stories including [a] THE VENGEANCE OF THE DEAD. When old Squire Heaton dies, he leaves his estate to David Allen, since it is believed

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BATES, ARLO that the squire's estranged son, Bernard, is dead. When Bernard returns to England and tries to compromise with Allen, Allen, who is stupid, greedy, and vengeful, refuses. Tn court Allen is demolished, and he dies shortly thereafter. Bernard, in the meanwhile, has been experimenting with releasing his astral body. On the astral plane he comes upon Allen, who reiterates his hatred, but then reanimates Bernard's body before Bernard can return to it. A11en-in-Bernard then murders Bernard's lawyer. He plans to leave Bernard's body, so that Bernard-in-Bernard will have to stand trial and be executed. * There are also several crime stories. BARRY, WILLIAM FRANCIS (1849-1930) D.D. British.Roman Catholic writer on Church topfcs, particularly the medieval Papacyo· 103. THE PLACE OF DREAMS FOUR STORIES Catholic Truth Society; London 1893 Four supernatural stories with religious backgrounds. Ia} THE HOUSE OF SHADOWS. Ghosts. Indian material. A jealous husband has caused the death of his wife and child. [b} LOST ARTIE. A LEGEND OF CANDLEMASS. Artie, who has been abandoned by his mother, is taken on the "wings of praye:r" to God. [c} THE MYSTERY OF DREREWATER. Mallison, an Englishman, descends to the depths of Tantric and Ka1i worship in India. He returns to England to work his evil magic, but is defeated by an exorcism. [d} ST. ANTHONY'S FLASK. A FRESH READING IN HOFFMANN. A modernized, bowdlerized, sentimentalized, abridged version of THE DEVIL'S ELIXIRS by E. T. A. Hoffmann. * Undistinguished. BASHFORD, [SIR} H[ENRY} H. (1880-1961) British physician and surgeon, civil servant, occasional writer. M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. 104. THE HAPPY GHOST AND OTHER STORIES, Heinemann; London [1925} Short stories, including [a} THE HAPPY GHOST. It is suggested that life is the dream world and that death is the real world. [b] BEFORE DINNER. Paul has memories of another life as an Italian nobleman. Is it a lie? [c} GOD AND THE BUD OPENERS. Labor has standardized everything, including the forces of nature, and the bud openers go on strike. On hearing of this, God dissolves the whole universe into a tear. An anti-labor fable. * Undistinguished. BATES, ARLO (1850-1918) American novelist, poet, Professor of English Literature at M. I. T. Author of several standard textbooks on grammar and. 1 iterature. 105. THE INTOXICATED GHOST AND OTHER STORIES Houghton Mifflin; Boston and New York 1908 Short stories, some regionalistic, including [a} THE INTOXICATED GHOST. Amusing but slight. Major McHugh, around the time of the Revolutionary War, hid the family jewels and they have never been found. His ghost appears with perpetually refilled wine glass, but he wants to keep the jewels in order to retain his social prestige in the other world. A young woman tricks him out of the secret. [b} A PROBLEM IN

BATES, ARLO PORTRAITURE. An artist, painting the portrait of his rival in a love affair, discovers that he can affect the personality of the sitter by changing the painting. Or, that seems to be a possible explanation of matters. [c] A MEETING OF THE PSYCHICAL CLUB. A young society gentleman believes that the local society for psychical research is on the wrong track and gives the members a marvelous demonstration of occult phenomena: illusions, dimensional matters, magical growth and disintegration, levitation, te1eportation, and mind control. [d] MISS GAYLOR AND JENNY. The subliminal self, split personalities, with fantastic overtones. Borderline supernatural. * Capable. Also present is the powerful "The Knitters in the Sun," murder in a decadent New England village. BEAGLE, PETER S. (1939) Contemporary American novelist, film script writer. 106. A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE A NOVEL Viking Press; New York 1960 Fantastic life styles and ethnic humor. * In Yorkchester Cemetery in the Bronx, Jonathan Rebeck has taken up his abode in a tomb, mostly because he is disgusted with life in the outside world. He is served by a talking raven (a 1a Elisha) who not only converses with him, but brings him food, newspapers, and other living materials. Rebeck is able to see and converse with ghosts, and he strikes up an acquaintance with the ghosts of young Michael Morgan, who says that his wife murdered him, and Laura, a young woman. He also becomes very friendly with a personable widow, Mrs. Klapper, who eventually leads him out of the graveyard back into life. Before he leaves, however, he indulges in a little shady matchmaking. Michael, it is revealed, really committed suicide, and his body must be removed from consecrated ground. Rebeck, Mrs. Klapper and a friendly guard remove Laura's remains so that she can be with Michael during the short time that the spirits of the dead retain memory and desire for earthly things. * Lots of local folkways and patois, overwritten, but amusing at times, and imaginative. Beagle's later work is more disciplined. Beale, Charles Willing (1845-1932) American businessman, rancher, resort hotel owner and occasional writer. A very interesting personality. For biographical information, see FIVE VICTORIAN GHOST NOVELS, edited by E.F. Bleiler. 107. THE GHOST OF GUIR HOUSE The Editor Publishing Co.; Cincinnati 1897 Supernatural novel with strong elements from B1avatsky's Theosophy. * Paul Henley, in New York, receives a letter seemingly addressed to a different Paul Henley. It is an invitation to visit Guir House in Virginia. On an im~ pulse he decides to go and explain the situation. Guir House turns out to be an ancient mansion in the deserted backwoods, inhabited by Dorothy, a beautiful young woman, and Ah Ben, her ancient grandfather. Paul falls in

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BEAUCLERK, HELEN love with Dorothy and becomes engaged to her. Ah Ben then reveals that everything that Paul sees is illusion. He (Ah Ben) and Dorothy have long been dead; the house is a ruin disguised by glamour; and Paul has been deliberately summoned for Dorothy's sake. Ah Ben, who is an adept, has done it all by the power of his thought. He also shows Paul a wonderful utopia in the future. Paul still wishes to marry Dorothy, but she decides that she cannot drag Paul into her ow~ half-life. Paul awakens in a decaying ruin. * Nicely told with a certain antique charm. In story outline it is somewhat suggestive of DRACULA, but the mood is entirely different. BEAU CLERK, HELEN (1892-1969) British novelist, translator, long resident in France. Popular in the 1930's for skillfully handled rorr~ntic novels. 108. THE GREEN LACQUER PAVILION Collins; London [1926] Romantic fantasy. England, c. 1710, China, India, Oceania. * A party assembles in the house of Lord and Lady Taveridge. Included are Lord Bed10w, an ineffectua1,'stupid, pompous politician; Lady Taveridge, a 10vestarved young woman married to a cold, older man; Clare, a sentimental, romantic young gentleman; and Gi1vry, a would-be philosopher. Among the furnishings of the very pleasant house is a gold and green Chinese lacquer screen, which inexplicably assumes three-dimensiona1rea1ity and offers access to a green pavilion. This proves to be an entry point into levels of experience suited to the personalities of the individuals. In the other world Lord Bed10w and Lady Taveridge are captured by the pirate Scarcabomba, who eventually drops them off at Zapangore. Bed10w, through the action of a magical snuff, temporarily assumes the identity of a very effective vizier of the land, while Lady Taveridge is almost married to a handsome young Moslem nobleman, whom she loves deeply. Others carried off by Scarcabomba come to the island of Patakoko, where they are almost eaten by very polite cannibals, but are saved by Gi1vry's magic. Clare, however, enters Imperial China, where the young Empress Amarantha takes a fancy to him and he becomes her lover. He is spiritually untrue to her; she dies; and he is forced to escape. Adventures worked out, all find themselves back in the pavilion, and then back into reality. It has all been accomplished by directing the Will. * Very well handled period English (though to me it reads more like late 18th century English than that of Queen Anne's time), told with rococo delicacy and charm. 109. THE LOVE OF THE FOOLISH ANGEL Collins London 1929 Sentimental romance in the manner of Anatole France. * Tamae1 is an angel who was unjustly expelled from Heaven during Lucifer's revolt. He was not rebellious, but he loved Lucifer too well. He is unhappy in Hell, and Lucifer sends him to earth to mislead mankind. ae a-

BEAU CLERK, HELEN lights in early Christian Antioch, perhaps in the third century A.D. He falls in love with Basilea, a beautiful young Christian woman, but is conjured into obedience by Arnaphas, a magician, and ordered to seduce Basilea. He outwits the magician and saves the girl, after which he is released from his servitude by Cyriacus, a local saint. Tamael then proceeds eastward, to Ctesiphon, where he sees Shamyris, a Persian princess, performing an inept conjuration. Out of pity and courtesy he agrees to serve her. Basilea and Cyriacus enter the story again, and Tamael is transformed into a human being so that he can marry Basilea. * Skillfully handled in the manner of 18th century French Oriental tales, but perhaps a little precious. BEAUMONT, CHARLES (pseud. of Nutt, Charles) (1929-1967) American author of fantasies, thrillers, film scripts. 110. THE HUNGER AND OTHER STORIES Putnam; New York 1957 Short stories, including [a] THE VANISHING AMERICAN. (MFSF 1955). Mr. Monche11 awakens to find himself in the position of the fictional dead man whom no one can see or hear. It is a horrible experience. But he yields for a moment to the ecstasy of life and gets another chance. The assUmption is that he will now live with more zest. Or is it all imaginary? [b] FREE DIRT. (MFSF 1957) Mr. Aorta, petty thief, moocher beyond compare, steals dirt from a graveyard in order to establish a vegetable garden. He gets a supernatural comeuppance. [c] DARK MUSIC (PLAYBOY 1956). Miss Maple, repressed but beautiful spinster teacher, does much harm in her battle against sex education in the schools. But she is attracted to the dark music in the grove, yields to her impulses, and has an affair with Pan. She has to leave town when she discovers that she has a craving to eat grass. * Derivative from Bradbury to a large extent, but slick, psychologically oriented, and nicely done. * The other stories are hard-boiled modern sensationalism. Present is the good psychological horror story "Miss Gentilbe11e." 111. YONDER STORIES OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION· Bantam Books; New York paperbound Short stories, including [a] PLACE OF MEETING (ORBIT 1953). The last people on earth assemble, after global catastrophe. There are only a handful of them, and they are vampires. [b] THE JUNGLE (IF 1954). The city of Mbarara was set up in Kenya despite the wishes of the natives. It then became the scene of a battle between native magic and modern science. Magic wins. Austin's wife is dying and he is the victim of mind-confusing doll magic. [c] HAIR OF THE DOG (ORBIT 1954). Mr. Gissing makes a diabolic pact in the manner of a modern business deal. He will be immortal as long as he submits one hair from his head per month in payment. He is soon bald and accidentally submits an improper hair. [d] TRAUMERE I (INFINITY S F 1955). A solipsistic

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BECK, L. ADAMS universe. The present world is the dream, and when the dreamer awakens, it will disappear. With complications. * Most of the other stories are science-fiction. Stories, on the whole, inferior to those in THE HUNGER. 112. NIGHT RIDE AND OTHER JOURNEYS Bantam Books; New York 1960 paperbound Short stories, including [a] PERCHANCE TO DREAM (PLAYBOY 1958). A repetitive, continued dream of a mysterious smiling young woman, a Ferris wheel high in the air, and death. But there is another level of experience behind it. [b] THE HOWLING MAN (new). The young man has caught pneumonia and is recuperating in a monastery in Cermany. He hears a perpetual howling and eludes the brothers long enough to see a naked man in a cell. The abbot tells him that Schwartzhof used to be the center of the world's wickedness and that the man in the cell, who is not really a man, is Satan. The American releases him and hears of him later, around 1932. * [a] is good, but the crime stories here are superior to the fantasies. BECK, CALVIN (1930American editor, collector, fan. AS EDITOR: 113. THE FRANKENSTEIN READER Ballantine Books; New York 1962 paperbound. Anthology, components all described elsewhere. [a] THE MIDDLE TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT, Ambrose Bierce. [b] THE FOUR-FIFTEEN EXPRESS, Amelia B. Edwards. [c] PASSEUR, Robert W. Chambers. [d] THE ISLE OF VOICES, R. L. Stevenson. [e] THE GHOST OF FEAR, H. G. Wells. [f] THE TRIAL FOR MURDER, Charles Dickens. [g] THE DEAD VALLEY, R.A. Cram. [h] THE THING IN THE HALL, E.F. Benson. [i] A PAIR OF HANDS, Arthur Quiller-Couch. [j] THE GHOST SHIP, Richard Middleton. [k] ON THE STAIRCASE, K. F. Gerould. * The title is fanCiful, for there is no connection with FRANKENSTEIN here. BECK, L[ILY] ADAMS (nee Moresby) (? - 1931) British writer, daughter of Admiral John Moresby, eponym of Port Moresby. Travelled and resident in the Orient, long domiciled in British Columbia. Secretive about biographical data, but apparently born around 1870. Author of popular costume romances under pseudonym E. Barrington and adventure stories under pseudonym Louis Moresby (which s~). Greatly interested in Buddhism and perhaps a convert. Author of popular works explaining Oriental thought. Occult fiction is based on a sanitized, Theosophized Mahayana Buddhism. A capable commercial writer at her best. Best known work THE DIVINE LADY (1924) as E. Barrington. 114 • THE NINTH VIBRATION AND OTHER STORIES Dodd; Mead; New York 1922 Occult orientalia. Short stories, plus two nouvelles, including [a] THE NINTH VIBRATION. India, near Simla. Ormond, lost at night in the forests, comes upon the Hall of Pleasure, a ruined pleasure house built centuries earlier by a Rajput ruler. He has an occult experience there, seeing the ruined building as re-

BECK, L. ADAMS stored. In a v~s~on he meets a young woman in the realm of the "ninth vibration." ·He later meets her physically. There is no question of love, however, He is to continue to the mountains to develop, and she, to the plains. Their paths will cross again. [b] THE INTERPRETER, A ROMANCE OF THE EAST. India, near Srinagar. Clifden, an artist who would like to empathize with the East, but cannot penetrate below the surface of phenomenality, meets Vanna Loring, who has the empathy that he lacks. He falls in love with her, but she will do no more than accompany him platonically for two months to open his spiritual eyes. She is obviously more advanced than he, can remember past incarnations, and can envision gods and spirits. During his association with her on a house-boat near Srinagar, Clifden evolves, but learns that she is not for him. She is the reincarnation of a dancing girl who tempted an abbot centuries earlier and must resolve her romance with the abbot. * [b] carries a conviction that none of Mrs. Beck's other works carries, perhaps because of the details of Indian life. 115. THE TREASURE OF HO A ROMANCE Collins; London [1923] Oriental romance and adventure, with supernatural incidents. China during the Boxer·Rebellion. * John Mallerdean, whose family has lived in China for generations, is trying to find a long lost treasure that had been entrusted to a collateral ancestor. He would also like to rescue a cousin, a court lady, the last descendant of the original treasure-holder. He is forced to match wits with the Dowager Empress, and in disguise to serve as a disciple to the Blind Man of Hupei, a famous clairvoyant. The treasure is found and Mallerdean and Sie, his cousin, escape. Supernaturalisms include scrying, clairvoyance, and visions of the past. * A detailed and convincing background, with much empathy for Chinese culture, keep this from being romantic tripe. 116. THE WAY OF STARS A ROMANCE OF REINCARNATION Dodd, Mead; New York 1925 Egyptological romance, black magic, the Communist peril, future war and Asiatic mysticism all worked in together. * After World War I Seton and Conway, following hints given in the notebook of a French soldier friend· killed in battle, find the tomb of Nefert, a predynastic queen of Egypt. According to the inscriptions she was of Atlantean origin and very evil; she had been entombed with supernatural safeguards to prevent her reemergence. A prophecy adds that when she reemerges, the world shall suffer for four years from a Northern power. Seton and Conway enter the tomb, thereby releasing her, and find a magical ring, which Seton takes. Political problems threaten to hamper the excavation and Seton comes down with "tomb fever," presumably of supernatural origin. * ~ A new sequence now begins. Seton becomes acquainted with two American women, with one of whom, Venetia, he falls in love. He also meets a mysterious Eurasian who goes under the name of Revel. Revel is in some way connected with

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BECK, L. ADAMS Nefert, since he owns a ring matching Seton's. He also wields certain magical powers. Using the power of the ring he controls Seton's will to gain possession of a papyrus from the tomb and he shows Seton visions. * The scene now shifts to a native state in India, where all the important actors assemble for their own reasons. Unrest is at hand, for an adventurer has seized power in Russia and obviously plans to invade India. Associated with him is a beautiful woman whom Seton recognizes as Nefert, hieroglyphic jewelry and all. Events move rapidly. Revel is revealed to be the Russian leader and the mysterious woman is his sister Shirin. Revel and Shirin seize the native state and eventually, with Russian soldiery, almost conquer all India. Resistance is organized and the tables are turned. Revel is killed and Shirin commits suicide. Seton plays a part in the secret service skulduggery which leads to the Russian debacle, but recognizing that the supersensual is more important than the material, goes into yogistic retreat. * The author is deliberately ambivalent about Revel and Shirin, whether they are opportunists who seized a strange situation or whether, in some odd way of the stars, they are reincarnations of ancient wicked ones from predynastic Egypt. * In summary this sounds like a ragbag, but the disparate elements are united capably and the suspense of the story is well maintained, although the ending is weak. 117. THE HOUSE OF FULFILLMENT THE ROMANCE OF A SOUL T. Fisher Unwin; London 1927 Mystical orientalia, romance, and self-fulfillment, a sequel to the story THE NINTH VIBRATION. * Cardonald, a British artist, has come to Northern India for scenic material. He stays with the Duncans, a wealthy Buddhist couple who maintain an establishment for research into the history of Buddhism. At the moment they are on the track of contemporary documents concerning the visit of the Chinese monk Hsien Tsang to India in the 7th century. They have hints that such documents may exist in the monastery of the Manis, farther north, in Ladakh. Cardonald, at first repelled by Eastern occultism, is gradually attracted to it, especially through Brynhild Ingmar, who is fairly advanced in spiritual development, and the monk Haridas. With their help he attains to a certain mystical apprehension of reality, enough that he knows that he needs more. Cardonald, Brynhild, the Duncans all travel to the monastery of the Manis, where each attains what he wishes. The Duncans find manuscripts, while Cardonald is accepted as a chela by a mysterious figure known as Illuminated Pearl, who has ~ny supernatural powers: prev.ision, mind-reading, levitation, etc. Cardonald, though, is tormented by conscience because of a crime he committed in England: adultery with the wife of a friend, and he must live this down before he can make any real progress. This friend turns out to be Ormond, and the situation is resolved. The story comes to a sensational end when Brynhild is captured by local tribesmen and held for ransom. Following the teachings of Illuminated

BECK, L. ADAMS Pearl, Cardonald goes to Brynhild in astral body and releases her. It is later revealed that Illuminated Pearl is not only a legendary teacher, Diamond Sceptre, but also Ananda, the favorite disciple of the Buddha. * The ancient wisdom of the East seems as open to every Western dilettante as the Grand Hotel. 118. THE OPENERS OF THE GATE STORIES OF THE OCCULT Cosmopolitan; New York 1930 Short stories either narrated by or concerning Dr. James Livingstone, a specialist in nervous disorders, who is very close to being an occult detective. The stories share a common background of occultism and spiritualism, in which the spirits of the dead are perceptible to the living and to a certain degree take part in life. There is also a glib, sentimentalized Oriental ism. * [a] THE OPENERS OF THE GATE. A neurotic cousin of the narrator's lives only for her dogs. When her dogs die, they return and show her after-death survival. [b) LORD KILLARY. A triangle. When Roper is asked to help his friend Lord Killary, whose mistress is pregnant, Roper angrily refuses. Killary thereupon commits suicide, but his ghost is close by and perceptible to the sensitive. [c) HOW FELICITY CAME HOME. Bereaved parents return from India to England and set up a domestic establishment such as their dead child would have wished. Their child comes to them and they all live together in a transcendence of life and death. [d] WASTE MANOR. Not pious sentimentality, like the previous stories, but a horror story. The descendants of the de Tracy who assisted in the murder of Thomas A Becket have a curse on them and shall never prosper. Wendover, wandering over the decayed estate and ruins of distant collaterals, finds himself caught up in an ancient evil that still survives. [e) THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. Dr. Livingstone meets his most difficult case, Joyeuse, a highly intelligent but disturbed girl who projects her astral body and leads men to suicide. A drug is also involved. [f) MANY WATERS CANNOT QUENCH LOVE. Ceylon. Young Temple comes as assistant overseer to a most unpleasant· plantation. The manager is an ineffectual, surly drunkard, and the plantation is run very efficiently by the psychic power of the overseer's mistress, Lilavati. When Lilavati dies, her ghost returns and controls the overseer, effecting some improvement of character. [g] THE HOROSCOPE. Livingstone is consulted by Sir Francis Bethune, a county baronet 'and member of the hunt. Bethune has had the equivalent of a breakdown. He is suddenly obsessively antagonistic to fox hunting, blood sports, and meat eating. The new personality, which is uncontrollable, is spoiling his life. Influence from a previous incarnation as a Hindu ruler. Lean back and enjoy it. [h) THE THUG. When Hampton went to India, he was immediately accepted as the reincarnation of a Thug of great renown. The personality of the dead Thug possesses him at times, and together with other Thugs he goes onto the road and commits religious murders. Back in England, he does not know what to do,

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BECKFORD, WILLIAM He fears that if he returns to India, the Thug personality will control him again. Livingstone suggests a practical way out of the dilemma. [i] HELL. The narrator, presumably Livingstone, while walking along the Serpentine in London, meets a strange, dowdy woman, a spirit, who is living in her own purgatory: a horrible rooming house in Kensington. She will be trapped there until she evolves. [j) THE MAN WHO SAW. India. Armytage has the power to see the spiritual essence of things. He has also seen and conversed with Nourmahal as they wandered over the Taj Mahal together. * Smoothly told, but sometimes a little mawkish and with a tendency to belabor the spiritual side. [d), [f), [i] are best. BECKFORD, WILLIAM (1760-1844) English multimillionaire, dilettante, collector, writer; son of the Whig politician and Lord Mayor of London William Beckford. Noted during his lifetime for his wealth (the richest man in England), sensational extravagances (Fonthill Abbey, and sexual scandals. A gifted, very interesting, but most unpleasant personality, the subject of several good biographical studies. Apart from VATHEK his only significant work is the fine travel and psychological account, ITALY, WITH SKETCHES OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL (1834). FROM AN UNPUBLISHED MANU119. AN ARABIAN TALE SCRIPT WITH NOTES CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY J. Johnson; London 1786 (published anonymously) VATHEK has had a very curious history. It was written in French, translated into English, yet paradoxically, although William Beckford was its author, he did not write either the French or English versions that we know. Beckford originally composed his romance in French, presumably because of historical prototypes in French literature. He employed Samuel Henley, a broken-down scholar, to edit his works, and Henley translated Beckford's French manuscript into English. He then published it against Beckford's wishes, in a somewhat equivocal manner, as above. Beckford was furious at this breach of faith and determined to put the French text into print, but the manuscript had been lost or destroyed. Beckford then hired a French scholar to retranslate Henley's English back into French, and this-- with a later revision by Beckford in the early 19th century-has remained the basic text. All this was an unnecessary carousel, for Beckford was a fine English stylist. * The Caliph Vathe~, grandson of the great Haroun aI-Rashid, i~ the ruler of the Islamic world. But spoiled and enervated by a life of sensuality, prodded on by his witch-mother Carathis (a strange combination of ruthlessness, ambition, hedonism and maternal love), he yearns for the fabulous powers and treasures of the pre-Adite kings. When a supernatural being comes to his court in the guise of a mendicant from India, Vathek welcomes him and renounces Islam. He institutes a series of orgies and slaughters, finding a fitting partner in crime in the stupid, cor-

BECKFORD, vJILLIA."1 rupt, sensual Nouronihar. The pair m~ke final terms with the giaour and descend into Hell to receive Vathek's supernat\tra1 kingdom. They meet Ib1is, but soon realize that they have been trapped. Riches and power are theirs, but not for long. Vathek summons his mother to Hell, and her insolence brings punishment down on all three mortals: they are petrified in Hell, their hearts perpetually consumed by fire. * VATHEK is a many layered work. It is probably the finest of the Enlightenment Oriental tales derived from the Arabian Nights, and it is also a good Gothic statement of the color and richness of Islamic lore. It contains allegorical elements (though not obtrusively), and as Beckford's contemporaries recognized, it is a jesting statement of his own life situation. Beckford shared much with Vathek. Nouronihar was the wife of Beckford's cousin, whom Beckford had seduced; and Carathis pictured Beckford's mother. Written tongue in cheek in a light, ironic manner which contrasts nicely with the horrors described, endowed with a wealth of Islamic lore, well-paced, it is a fine novel. * There have been many editions of VATHEK, most of which have been titled VATHEK or THE HISTORY OF THE CALIPH VATHEK. A modern edition with biographical and critical material is to be found in THREE GOTHIC NOVELS. 120. THE EPISODES OF VATHEK Stephen Swift; London 1912 Translated from French by Sir Frank T. Marzia1s. Introduction by Lewis Melville. * Beckford planned to include four intercalated tales within VATHEK and wanted to defer publication of the whole work until the tales were finished. Samuel Henley, however, arranged for publication of VATHEK before the tales were ready, and Beckford seems to have lost interest in completing them. [c] was never finished; [a] and [b] were probably not in final form before the early 19th century; while the fourth tale was possibly never begun. Although it was generally known immediately after the publication of VATHEK that Beckford was working on the episodes, he was very secretive about them and after a time it came to be believed that they did not exist. Around the turn of the present century, however, the manuscripts (in French) were found in a document chest in the possession of the Duke of Hamilton, a collateral descendant of Beckford's. * The episodes are stories told by other damned princes whom Vathek meets in Hell. * [a] THE STORY OF PRINCE ALASI AND THE PRINCESS FIROUZKAH. The princess is a devil-worshipping Zoroastrian, and she misleads the weak Alasi away from the True Religion. He massacres the holy men and razes the mosques. After a rebellion breaks out A1asi and Firouzkah use magic to open the stairs to Hell and descend. They meet Ib1is and learn their fate. [b] THE STORY OF PRINCE BARKIAROKH. The prince, who is an even greater scoundrel than Vathek, has committed almost every crime possible, from incest to usurpation of a throne. He had been married to a good peri, Homaiouna (Conscience?), who tried to reform him, but he in turn attempted to mur-

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BELL, NEIL der her. He, too, ends up in Hell. There are interesting subepisodes. [c] THE STORY OF THE PRINCESS ZULKAIS AND THE PRINCE KALILAH. A semi-apostate ruler of Egypt wishes to regain the knowledge of the ancient pharaohs and spends most of his time trying to decipher the hieroglyphs, often with magical aids. He introduces his children to black magic. His daughter Zu1kais makes a bond with the jinni of the Great Pyramid, but he betrays her, and she and her brother Ka1i1ah are trapped in Hell. The episode is unfinished, but Clark Ashton Smith attempted a conclusion, which does not fit the original too well. * Read individually, the episodes, which display vices, are entertaining, but they lack the nice color, the tongue-in-cheek irony, the delightful displays of Orienta1ia, and much of the bizarreness of the basic novel. BEERBOHM, lSIR HENRY} MAXlIMILIAN} (1872-1956) Renowned English humorist, caricaturist, essayist, novelist. Educated at Oxford. Knighted 1939. Almost the "official" pictorial deflater of fin de siec1e London. His caricatures are still highly regarded, but his writing is held in less esteem than it used to be. Best-known work ZULElKA DOBSON (1911). 121. SEVEN MEN Heinemann; London 1919 Short stories, including [a] ENOCH SOAMES. A sleazy Devil purchases Soames's soul for a strange price: five hours in the reading room of the British Museum one hundred years in the future. Soames's trip, however, was not worth the price paid, for he discovers that he was a nobody. Heavily ironic. [b] HILARY MALTBY AND STEPHEN BRAXTON. Rival literary men. Maltby does Braxton a bad turn when he makes a remark that excludes Braxton from a literary weekend among the most influential people. But Braxton comes in astral body, invisible to all except Maltby, and turns the weekend into a clownish debacle. [c] A. V. LAIDER. Laider can read palms perfectly, but he has a character flaw. When he sees that all the persons in his train compartment have death blocks for the approximate present, he is too weak to pull the emergency cord. The worst happens. But it is rationalized. * Elegant, mannered, leisurely, amusing, occasionally sharp in their irony, but overdone. What Beerbohm takes five paragraphs to say, John Collier could have said in five lines. * Other works by Beerbohm that are sometimes listed in bibliographies are just over the borderline: THE HAPPY HYPOCRITE (1897) and ZULElKA DOBSON (1911). BELL, NEIL (pseud. of Critten, Stephen H.) (1887-1964) Prolific British popular writer, author of children's books, fantasies, mysteries. Artist and art teacher. Has also written under the pseudonyms Stephen Southwold, "Miles," S. H. Lambert, and Paul Martens. 122. PRECIOUS PORCELAIN Go11ancz; London 1931 The supernatural part of this novel is concerned with strange doings in the small cathed-

BELL, NEIL ra1 town of Welling. Not long after Dr. David Hart1ey-- a remarkable genius who had been successivly a great doctor, jurist, and a bishop in the Church of England-- settled there, strange things began to happen. An unknown man interrupted a sermon and disappeared mysteriously. An incredibly beautiful young woman appeared at a boarding house, proceeded to seduce all the men, then disappeared. The doctor's nephew, Roy Hartley, accepted a position as precentor at the cathedral, and then impregnated all too many girls and matrons. And a series of brutal sex crimes took place. After much fumbling by the police, a solution is reached. Dr. Hartley had discovered a means of isolating the various personality fragments within himself and projecting them as living beings. The murders were committed by his ape-man component, who eventually "kills Dr. Hartley and thereby himself perishes. * A disorganized collection of fragments of many forms, without any central point: naturalistic slum life in London; maturation experiences; regionalism; and a Stevensonian mystery thriller. BELLAMY, EDWARD (1850-1898) American journalist, novelist, social theorist. His mildly socialistic utopia LOOKING BACKWARD, 2000-1887 was extremely important in late 19th and early 20th century American social thought and practice. The idea10gica1 success of his discursive utopias has obscured the fact that he was a very competent writer. Studied in many critical articles. 123. MISS LUDINGTON'S SISTER A ROMANCE OF IMMORTALITY James R. Osgood; Boston 1884 A romantic novel based on Spiritualism, which was of great current interest. * Miss Ida Ludington has become disfigured as a result of severe illness and has withdrawn from life. She lives much in the past, and being extremely wealthy, she builds a replica of the small town in which she spent her youth. There she lives with her nephew Paul de Riemer. Among her effects is a portrait of herself before her illness. Young Paul falls in love with the picture and works out a metaphysical theory: each person is not a single soul, but a series of atomistic moments in a lifetime. Each of these moments must have its own soul. To put his theory to the test, he and Miss Ludington, on the advice of a recently discovered childhood friend of Miss Ludington's, consult a materializing medium. Seances are successful, and a beautiful young woman, the image of the portrait, materializes. After several seances, the medium dies during the materialization and the young woman remains on earth. Old Miss Ludington accepts the materialized girl, who is now called Ida, as her alter ego, and Paul falls violently in love with her. An engagement is announced, but then Ida disappears, leaving behind her a confession. It was all a fraud to gain the Ludington money. But she cannot carry the crooked scheme through. Miss Ludington and Paul find it easy to forgive her and reaccept her, since such guilt as she had was due to another person in her series of sou1s-- and thus they remain

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BENET, STEPHEN VINCENT consistent in their Zeno-1ike theories. * An amusing jeu d'esprit. 124. THE BLINDMAN'S WORLD AND OTHER STORIES Houghton Mifflin; Boston 1898 Introduction by William Dean Howells. Short stories, including [a] THE BLINDMAN'S WORLD. Professor Larrabee visits Mars in a dream. The Martials [sic] are much like us physically, but they have perfect prevision and no sense of the past. * Borderline science-fiction, the relativity of time experience. [b] AN ECHO OF ANTIETAM. When Phil King leaves his sweetheart Grace to go off to the Civil War, the parting is pathetic. Grace knows supernaturally when Philip is killed at Antietam. Long, sentimental, purple. [c] AT PINNEY'S RANCH. John Lansing, who is wrongly sought for trial as a murderer, is forced to abandon his wife and family and flee to the West. He is thought to be dead. About three years later he learns that his wife, for the sake of their children, is planning to remarry. By intense concentration he is able to compel her to refuse consent during the ceremony. Or is it just coincidence? The question is not decided. [d] TO WHOM THIS MAY COME. A traveller comes to an island in the Indian Ocean where descendants of the Magi from ancient Persia live. They are so skilled at mind reading that speech has died out. * Minor work on the whole, but [a] has an interesting concept. BENET, STEPHEN VINCENT (1898-1943) Prominent American poet, . journalist, writer of fiction. Educated at Yale. Pulitzer Prize, 1929, for poem JOHN BROWN'S BODY. Highly regarded during his lifetime as a writer of short stories based on American folklore and folkways. Now undeserved1y neglected due to changes in literary tastes. 125. THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER Farrar and Rinehart; New York [1937] Separate publication of a short story. * Jabez Stone sells his soul to the Devil for seven years of prosperity. When his bond is due, he calls on Daniel Webster for help, and Webster must outwit the Prince of Lawyers. After legal argument, Webster and the Devil agree on a jury trial, but the Devil packs the jury with the worst renegades and monsters in American history. Webster suddenly realizes that he must win his case, or he, too, will be lost. * The presence of good even in evil. * This excellent story has been turned into an opera, THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER by Douglas Moore (1939), and a motion picture, ALL THAT MONEY CAN BUY (1941). ~ 126. THIRTEEN O'CLOCK STORIES OF SEVERAL WORLDS Farrar and Rinehart; New York [1937] Short stories, including [a] THE KING OF THE CATS. An amusing fictionalization of an old folktale. Tommy is jealous of the great conductor M. Tibau1t, a feline and faSCinating figure who conducts his orchestra with his tail. The ultimate cause of Tommy's jealousy is the beautiful Princess Vivrakanarda from Siam. A friend suggests that Tommy tell the old folktale of the King of the Cats in Tibau1t's presence. The

BENET, STEPHEN VINCENT result is as anticipated, but the Princess, too, disappears. The names, of course, are a give-away, and place the story in the same category as Tieck's DER GESrIEFELTE KATER. * [b] THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER. Described in 125. [c] DANIEL WEBSTER AND THE SEA SERPENT. Since Webster is the greatest man of his day, it is only natural that Samanthy the sea serpent should fall in love with him. Webster uses the serpent to frighten the British into signing the Webster-Ashburton Treaty and commissions Samanthy as a 44-gun frigate in the U.S. Navy. Amusing. * Also present, though not supernatural, is "By the Waters of Babylon," perhaps the best single short story of future primitivism after the collapse of civilization. 127. JOHNNY PYE AND THE FOOL-KILLER The Countryman Press; Weston, Vt. [1938] 750 copy edition Folkloristic approach to a philosophy of life. * Johnny Pye has been treated harshly as a child by his foster parents. He is perpetually threatened with the fool-killer (Death) and accused of folly. He runs away from home and as a young man is associated with a quack patent medicine man, an inventor of perpetual motion, a merchant and other value sources. But whenever he encounters folly or hypocrisy, he hears the steps of the fool-killer and runs away. He marries, settles down, and raises a family. In later life Death comes to him and propounds a riddle, offering to spare Johnny if he can answer it. The riddle is: How can a man stop being a fool? Johnny's answer is, Only by being dead. Death accepts this as a solution, but Johnny refuses to live any longer without rejuvenation. * Nicely handled statement of values and of hopelessness of life, presented in the mixed fable, narrative, allegory that Benet handled so well. 128. TALES BEFORE MIDNIGHT Farrar and Rinehart; New'York [1939] Short stories, including [a] JOHNNY PYE AND THE FOOL-KILLER. Described as 127. [b] O'HALLORAN'S LUCK. 19th century. O'Halloran, an Irish immigrant working on the railroad in the Far West, meets a leprechaun who is in sore straits. O'Halloran, a kindly man, befriends the leprechaun, who in turn gives him luck and the advantage of foreknowledge. O'Halloran rises in the world, marries happiily, and the leprechaun also attains release from a geas that had been put upon him. [c] DOC MELlliORN AND THE PEARLY GATES. When the old doctor dies, he is welcomed in Heaven; but he is unhappy there because his patients, who have been calling for him, are elsewhere. He leaves Heaven and descends into Hell, where he treats the damned But he is subverting the morale and economy of Hell and is expelled. He is admitted into a very different Heaven. * Good stories. * This volume and THIRTEEN O'CLOCK have been combined under the title TWENTY-FIVE SHORT STORIES. 129. THE LAST CIRCLE STORIES AND POEMS Farrar and Strauss; New York 1946 A posthumous collection, including [a] THE

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BENNETT, ARNOLD MINISTER'S BOOKS. (1942). The wicked black magic books of Jacobus van Clootz reach out to corrupt Minister Hugh McRidden. The irony seems to be that evil of the past can affect those who are lacking in virtue. [b] THE ANGEL WAS A YANKEE (1940) Yankee folkways. p. T. Barnum and the angel that is being held captive by a farmer. The angel, who was once a Yankee sea captain, is on coast guard patrol and has no information to give Barnum. Nor will it remain to be an exhibit in Barnum's circus. [c] WILLIAM RILEY AND THE FATES (1941). Riley, a young newspaper cub, attends the outing of the United Sons and Daughters of Destiny in Snapper's Grove. He sees many strange sights and has a future awarded to him. When he writes his experiences for his newspaper, it is all taken as a joke. [d] THE DANGER OF SHADOWS (1941). Harbison is bothered by his shadow, which has developed an evil aspect. He is running away. [e] THE GOLD DRESS (1942). Louella Weedon, deceased, cannot rest until she has worn the gold dress that she bought in life but never wore. When she returns to the land of the dead, she takes the dress along with her. [f] THE LAND WHERE THERE IS NO DEATH (1942). Old John is looking for the land of no death and discovers that it can be reached only with living and dying. Mostly without the little humorous touches that are usually characteristic of Benet. BENNETT, [ENOCH] ARNOLD (1867-1931) Major English naturalistic writer; editor. Has been called the chronicler of the lower middleclass Midlands; especially concerned with the potteries of Staffordshire. Major works are THE OLD WOMAN'S TALE (1902), ANNA OF THE FIVE TOWNS (1902). 130. THE GHOST A FANTASIA ON MODERN TIMES Chatto and Windus; London 1907 In his earlier career Bennett wrote considerable sensational material, including the present work. This first appeared in periodical form as FOR LOVE AND LIFE, before 1900. Bennett considered it inferior work and tried to prevent its book publication, but was unsuccessful. * Mystery and romance, with supernatural trimmings. * Carl Foster, recent graduate in medicine from Edinburgh, gains entry to the world of opera through his cousin, an influential composer for the music halls. While at a performance of Lohengrin, which is being sung by Alresca and Rosa, he sees Alresca collapse on the stage, and attends him. This chance meeting leads to friendship and to Foster's becoming Alresca's personal, private physician. Foster also meets Rosetta Rosa, with whom he falls in love. Alresca recovers physically, but it is obvious that he is greatly troubled. As the story proceeds, it is revealed that he is in love with Rosetta, yet has been pursued by misfortune because of her. When Rosa unexpectedly visits him, Alresca suddenly dies. After the singer's death Foster is accepted as a friend by Rosetta, and even as potential lover, but he, too, finds that misfortunes are besetting him. He survives a train wreck, a shipwreck,

BENNETT, ARNOLD and an attempted murder. On each occasion he sees the same sinister man. After a time he and Rosa solve the mystery. Behind the persecution of A1resca and Foster and misdeeds not mentioned in this resume is the ghost of the late Lord C1arenceux, a passionate, selfish, possessive man who wants no other man to have Rosa. Foster confronts the ghost, but fails to dispel it. But Rosa appeals to the ghost's former love for her, and Lord C1arenceux recedes and disappears. * A synthetic hero, melodramatic moments, and a silly plot, but told with vivacity and verve. The opera lovers can decide whether the names conceal Jean de Reske and Rosa Raisa. 131. THE GLIMPSE AN ADVENTURE OF THE SOUL Chapman and Hall; London 1909 Character study; detailed analysis of levels of egotism in terms of after-death experiences. * Morrice Loring, noted music critic, while intelligent and amiable, is an extremely selfish person emotionally. He married Inez beCause of her beauty and 1ight-heartedness, but after a few years, their marriage has fallen apart. Morrice is tired of her superficiality, while she cannot tolerate his indifference to her and his devotion to his work. A crisis comes when Morrice overhears a conversation revealing that Inez is in love with his best friend. They quarrel bitterly, and Inez flaunts her unfaithfu1ness-- although it does not happen to be true. Morrice has a heart attack and dies. After death he undergoes a wide, closely described range of experiences that are reminiscent of the various Buddhist heavens and hells. He first remains in the spirit and sees his earth-soul emerge; then finds his senses remarkably sharpened, offering new ranges of knowledge, including the ability to see thoughts; then enters various wish-fulfillment states with the perfect woman and perfect library; relives his life several times; and ultimately, recognizing that his experiences have been Hell, approaches a union with the Divine. But he is called back into his body and reawakens. In the meanwhile Inez is overcome by remorse, thinking that she has killed Morrice, and commits suicide. Morrice, thanks to his own experience, knows what Inez is undergoing and has attained a broader tolerance and a less selfish way of looking at things. (But does it help Inez?) * The unsympathetic, possessive character is well drawn; Edwardian life is nicely shown; and the Hells are brilliantly described. BENNETT, KEM[YS] D. (1919 ) British writer, translator from French. 132. THE WINK Rupert Hart-Davis; London 1951 American title, THE FABULOUS WINK. Humorous fantasy based on French "types." * The Reverend William Anker, who is vacationing briefly at Mousseron in Normandy, is present when a miracle occurs: the statue of Saint Philibert in the church winks. This causes an uproar, some considering it a divine miracle, others, notably the local bishop, considering it the work of the Devil. The bishop decides

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BENSEN, D. R. to exorcise the church, but when the exorcist arrives, it is discovered that the statue has disappeared. Father Fougasse, the exorcist, is convinced that Anker is responsible for the whole situation and that he is possessed. He thereupon kidnaps Anker and proceeds to exorcise him very painfully. The situation is resolved when a Hindu, who is the guru of one of Anker's friends, reveals that he has been in communication with the saint in heaven and has removed the statue to another plane of existence. He proves his statements by performing the rope trick and restoring the lost image. * Forced flippancy and over-development of what should have been a short story. BENSEN, D[ONALD] R. (1927 ) American editor, publishing executive. Sponsor of many fantasy books. AS EDITOR: 133. THE UNKNOWN 11 STORIES BY THEODORE STURGEON [etc.] Pyramid Books; New York 1963 paperbound Foreword by Isaac Asimov. * A collection of stories from UNKNOWN (UNKNOWN WORLDS). [a] THE MISGUIDED HALO, Henry Kuttner. (1939). A juvenile work. An angel awards a halo, with all its implications, to an average man, who must live up to it. [b] PRESCIENCE, Nelson Bond. (1941). Dr. Barton's patient, Mrs. Williams, in her dreams has genuine foreknowledge of the future. The doctor, in a moment of pique, uses hypnotic suggestion that causes her death. [c] YESTERDAY WAS MONDAY, Theodore Sturgeon. (1941) The universe is a stage which is set day by day. Harry, a mechanic, finds himself trapped in the worlds of tomorrow, where the sets are being prepared, and yesterday, which is Limbo. A hard-hat philosophy of life is his salvation. [d] THE BLEAK SHORE, Fritz Leiber. Described elsewhere. [e] TROUBLE WITH WATER, H. L. Gold. Described elsewhere. [f] DOUBLED AND REDOUBLED, Malcolm Jameson. (1941) For Childers June 14th repeats itself with small variations. No matter what he does, the basic pattern is reenacted. He finds a supernatural way out of his dilemma. [g] WHEN IT WAS MOONLIGHT, Manly Wade Wellman. (1940). Edgar A. Poe, seeking story material, stumbles on a remarkable case of vampirism. Nicely handled. [h] MR. JINX, Robert Arthur (pseud. of Robert A. Feder). (1941). A supernatural magician tries co muscle in on the world of gambling and organized betting. His specialty is removing people to limbo. li] SNULBUG, Anthony Boucher. Described elsewhere. lj] ARMAGEDDON, Fredric Brown. Described elsewhere. * The eleventh story, "The Gnarly Man" by L. Sprague de Camp is science-fiction. * Outstanding stories are ld] and 19]. 134. THE UNKNOWN FIVE STORIES OF FANTASY BY ISAAC ASIMOV letc.] Pyramid Books; New York [1964] paperbound Stories selected from or associated with UNKNOWN (UNKNOWN WORLDS) magazine. [a] AUTHOR~ AUTHOR~, Isaac Asimov. Graham Dorn is an author, and his characters come to life. At the moment his suave, debonnaire hero,

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BENSEN, D.R. Reginald de Meister is present in the flesh and is making life miserable for him. Dorn must find a way to circumvent him. * This is first publication of this story, which had been accepted by UNKNOWN, but was not printed when the magazine suspended publication. Not up to Asimov's standard of later years. [b] THE BARGAIN, Cleve Cartmill (1942). Death is faced with a problem. The professor has discovered the secret of perpetual life. He was supposed to have died before he found it. Death must retrieve the situation. Unusual for the author who was one of the leading hard sciencefiction authors of the day. [c] THE HAG SELEEN, Theodore Sturgeon. (1942). The narrator, his wife, and their small daughter are staying in the bayou country. They trespass on the territory that Seleen, a wildly vicious old witch, considers her own. Seleen works magic against them, including doll magic and animating a floating tree stump that is like a gigantic spider-being. [d] HELL IS FOREVER, Alfred Bester. (1942). Short novel. A supernatural house party. Several people attend Lady Sutton's house party. A false demonic appearance that is a trick for murdering Lady Sutton is followed by a true manifestation, in which each of the guests is permitted to penetrate beyond the veil of phenomenality and to enter his/her own heaven. An artist creates his own universe, but discovers that it is foul because he himself is foul. An adulterous wife creates a world in which she can murder her husband, and so on. Eventually it is revealed that all is illusion. * Some fine touches, as always with Bester, but somewhat immature and with too much Cabell. [e] THE CREST OF THE WAVE, Jane Rice. (1941). Semihardboiled treatment of a gangster revenant. BENSON, A[RTHUR] C[HRISTOPHER] (1862-1925) English educator and writer. Older brother to E.F. Benson. Educated at Eton and Cambridge. House master at Eton and Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge. A modernist in education and apparently very influential. Said by the D.N.B. to have been "perhaps the strongest cultural influence at Cambridge during the twenty years before his death." Prolific but rather weak author, popular writer of essays. 135. THE HILL OF TROUBLE AND OTHER STORIES- Isbister; London 1903 Rather syrupy short stories written for the boys at Eton during the 1890's. Most of the stories are vaguely medieval in setting, while the language has affinities on a lower level with that of the prose romances of William Morris. * Including [a] THE HILL OF TROUBLE. An ancient pre-Christian stone circle on a hilltop is shunned; it is haunted by the ghost of a pagan priest. Gilbert, a gentle scholar, ventures to the hilltop and is shown three visions of the future. He later breaks ~the curse by offering to pray for the ghost. [b] THE GRAY CAT. Roderick, a boy who wanders near a forbidden pool, is deluded by a demon which assumes the form of a cat. The cat comes home with him and Roderick is saved only by

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BENSON, A.C. priestly intervention and a heavenly woman (Mary?). At one stage his soul emerges as a bird. [c] THE RED CAMP. Walter searches for and finds gold in a mound which may be the remains of a Roman encampment. But he is haunted by the ghost who once owned the gold and is compelled to vow the treasure to the church to acquire peace. [d] THE LIGHT OF THE BODY. After a mishap the protagonist discovers that he can see character as a strange illumination. But along with this goes an indifference to sin or virtue. The gift disappears when the percipient sees a soul purified by suffering. [e] THE SNAKE, THE LEPER, AND THE GREY FROST. Ralph, who has inherited an estate, wants to find the treasure that is said to be in the tower. The wise man tells him that he must avoid the snake, the leper, and the frost. He wins through, but it was a horrible experience. [f] THE CLOSED WINDOW. At the Tower of Nort, a window looks out on a horrible landscape, with a sinister figure down below. Mark1s friend Roland ventures into the land and perishes. Mark sees the monster. [g] THE BROTHERS. One brother vows his life to God to save the other. [h] THE TEMPLE OF DEATH. Paull inus , an Early Christian, becomes acquainted with the priest of a temple reminiscent of Nemi. The pagan priest spares Paullinus, and Paullinus kills the Hound of Death. * There are also three vague, sentimental stories set in the Roman Empire, with incidental supernaturalism in each: [i] THE TOMB OF HEIRI, [j] CERDA, and [k] LINUS. * [e] and [f] are the best stories in the book, being less cloying and didactic than the others, as well as more vividly imagined. * THE HILL OF TROUBLE is a very scarce book, but all the stories in it have been reprinted in PAUL THE MINSTREL (1911), which is not uncommon. 136. BASIL NETHERBY Hutchinson; London [1926] Two short novels found among Benson's papers after his death. Edited by E. F. Benson, they are really hypertrophied short stories. [a] BASIL NETHERBY. Leonard, the narrator, receives a very peculiar invitation to visit his old friend Netherby, who is a musician. Leonard knows that Netherby must have undergone some change, since the music that he now writes is "filthy, evil stuff." He finds Netherby living in a house whose previous owner, now buried in a tomb on the estate, had been a student of black magic. Netherby has obviously been possessed by the spirit of the dead magician, not completely, but enough to warp his personality. The narrator sees visions of a dark cliff and of horrible spirits who chase Netherby and are responsible for his death. He later hears that the housekeeper has exorcised the spirit with love. [b ] THE UTTERMOST FARTHING. Hobden Hill in Sussex is a beautiful Georgian house, Hartley diSCovers, but there is a mysterious haunting associated with it. On a visit to his friend Bendyshe, he sees the ghosts and learns the story of the house. It had previously been inhabited by a retired soldier who practiced black magic in a serious and consistent way. Be.ndyshe and Hartley localize the evil and

BENSON, A.C.

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recognize that the haunting is tied in with a manuscript hidden in the lofts. The two men fight their way through"supernatural perils and gain the manuscript. At this point, the question arises what to do with it: should it be destroyed unread or should its hard-won hidden lore be kept. * Some interesting moments in [b], but otherwise unremarkable. BENSON, E[DWARD] F[REDERIC] (1867-1940) British writer. Son of (later) Archbishop of Canterbury. Educated at Cambridge. First interest archeology, spending three years (18921895) in Greece and Egypt. Entered literature after resounding commercial success of his first book, DODO (1893), which was partly reworked and edited by Henry James and Lucas Malet. Author of many light society novels, especially the popular "Lucia" series, which are said to have been partly ironic romans A clef. Later biographer for British royal family. Important Edwardian author of supernatural fiction, not quite first rank, but capable and skillful~ Most important work of supernatural fiction, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE (1923). 137. THE LUCK OF THE VAILS Heinemann; London 1901. Murder mystery with supernatural elements. The Luck of the Vail family brings misfortune to its owner by Hfire and frost and rain," but it also brings financial success. After having been lost for some time, the Luck, an ancient jewel-encrusted golden goblet; is found and the curse begins to work-- but with some human help. I shall not reveal the solution beyond saying that good prevails; the human evil, which had linked itself to the supernatural, is foiled; the Luck is destroyed. * A fairly good mystery, surprisingly modern in tone. The supernatural elements are not as strong as in some of Benson's later work. 138. THE IMAGE IN THE SAND Heinemann; London 1905 Occult novel in societal setting. * In Egypt Sir Henry Jervis and his daughter Ida make the acquaintance of Henderson. All parties are interested in the occult. Sir Henry uses Abdul, an Egyptian medium, to converse spiritualistically with his dead wife, while Henderson is edging over into black magic. One day Henderson buys an amulet in the bazaar and discovers that it is a token for restraining the evil ka of Set-nekht, an Ancient Egyptian. Henderson decides to break the amulet and release Set-nekht, thereby offering Sir Henry more efficient communication with the dead. A conjuration ceremony takes place in the desert at Set-nekht's tomb. Unfortunately, Ida wanders along at the wrong moment and is partly possessed by Set-nekht before the control can be broken. Sir Henry dies as an aftermath of the evocation, and Ida returns to England, where with Abdul she continues her communication with the dead. Henderson also returns and is lionized for his African experiences. He offers Ida stronger channels of communication and even materializations, since Set-nekht serves him.

BENSON, E.F. His moral position is that there is no black magic or white magic per se, but that all magic is legitimate if understood. He falls in love with Ida, and after attempts to control her with hypnosis fail, invokes Set-nekht to capture her. This almost succeeds, but Abdul, who is aware of Henderson's evil nature, kills him and the danger is over. * The supernatural plot is fairly strong and sensational, despite some concessions to stylish romance, but it is swamped by an enormously overdeveloped novel of manners. 139. THE ROOM IN THE TOWER AND OTHER STORIES Mills and Boon; London [1912] Short stories~ [a] THE ROOM IN THE TOWER. A dream house, visited over the years in sequential dreams, with horrors at the end of each. The narrator finally visits the house, is assigned a room in the tower, and is approached by a vampire, who tells him that it has been waiting. Material horror. [b] GAVON'S EVE. Scotland, with folkloristic magic. Catrine Gordon has disappeared, and on the night of the devil festival, the local witch sets out to call up Catrine's corpse. She does so, but the result is tragic for all. [c] THE DUST-CLOUD. A wild driver, a fatal aCCident, and a phantom automobile haunts the road, reenacting the tragedy. [d] THEOONFESSION OF CHARLES LINKWORTH. Linkworth, who murdered his mother, is executed, refusing to confess. His unquiet spirit communicates with the prison doctor. He needs"absolution. [e] AT ABDUL ALI'S GRAVE. Egyptian folk magic (scrying) frustrates a black magician who is raising the dead to locate lost money. [f] THE SHOOTINGS OF ACHNALEISH. A savage Scottish village, where one does not shoot hares. The inhabitants apparently transform themselves and wander about as hares. [g] HOW FEAR DEPARTED FROM THE LONG GALLERY. Two child ghosts, murdered in 1602, haunt the Long Gallery. Those who see them die a horrible death. But Madge meets them and her pity and love dissolve the curse. [h] CATERPILLARS. The psychic narrator, staying at a villa in Italy, sees hordes of giant caterpillars and recognizes the horror that they symbolize: cancer. For a time he is threatened, but the ghostly insects finally select another victim. [i] THE CAT. Al ingham, an artist, has had a psychic shock that has turned him into a painter of new perceptions and genius. He agrees to do the portrait of a former fiancee who had jilted him for a richer man, and is perpetually impressed with her cat-like nature. After several brushes with cats, he is found with his throat torn out by a cat. Theriomorphy. [j] THE BUS-CONDUCTOR. A prophetic vision of a hearse and "Room for one more inside, sir." The basis for the episode in the motion picture DEAD OF NIGHT. [k] THE MAN WHO WENT TOO FAR. Frank Halton has regained life and vitality by nature mysticism, finding bonds between himself and nature. He is drawing close to the ultimate experience, or Pan. But this comes as pain and death, for he had avoided the painful side of life. Later expanded and redirected

BENSON, E. F. into THE ANGEL OF PAIN. [1] BETWEEN THE LIGHTS. The narrator has a premonitory vision of horrible, ancient life, presumably Neolithic. On a hunting trip in Scotland he stumbles upon the scene of his dream, and there is a tiny troglodyte, with supernatural powers, stealing toward him. [m] OUTSIDE THE DOOR. An early 17th century murder still has supernatural echoes. Ghost. [n] THE OTHER BED. Twin beds at a Swiss hotel. One is haunted by the ghost of an alcoholic who had cut his throat. It persistently orders whiskey and eventually shows itself. [0] THE THING IN THE HALL. Louis Fielder plays about with the occult, trying to summon something; he makes a contact, an evil, slug-like elemental, which eventually kills him and the narrator. [p] THE HOUSE" WITH THE BRICK-KILN. Francis Adam, artist, murdered his wife and disposed of her body in the brick-kiln. He reenacts the crime as a ghost. Most annoying if one has rented the house. * Conventional stories, traditional horrors, leaner development, less social and psychological concern than the other collections of supernatural short stories. [a], [f], [g], [h] are best. * The edition read was the Knopf (New York, 1929) reprint. The Mills and Boon edition Cited, which has not been avatlable to me, contains an additional story, [q] THE TERROR BY NIGHT. 140. ACROSS THE STREAM John Murray; London 1919 A cautionary novel against Spiritualism and alcohol. * As a small boy, Archie Morris, son of Lord Davistow (later Tintagel) receives occa~ional communications from his dead brother Martin. These communications usually "come through automatic writing and are unquestionably supernatural. As Archie matures, the communications become less frequent and then stop. But when Archie falls in love with Helena, an attractive, but cold, selfish, and mercenary woman, Martin makes himself evident again, now mostly through dreams. Archie is perfectly willing to accept Martin as his dead brother, but Helena's more amiable sister Jessie finds the situation evil and tries to shunt Archie away from it. When Helena breaks her engagement with Archie and marries a richer man, Archie degenerates and displays the family disease, alcoholism. He is no longer a pleasant young man, and, indeed, even becomes a slacker in the war. A climax comes when Jessie sees Martin materialize and she recognizes the evil that Archie cannot see. She does battle with Martin psychically and dispels him. Martin, it is to be assumed, was a demon who took the form of Archie's brother, although the story is not wholly consistent. * The childhood environment is nicely handled, but the novel soon degenerates along with Archie. 141. THE COUNTESS OF LOWNDES SQUARE AND OTHER STORIES Cassell; London [1920] Stories placed in categories, after a brief preface attacking the American short story. * Including, [a] THE CASE OF FRANK HAMPDEN. Young Frank, under anesthesia while a broken limb is being set, is possessed by the spirit of a sadistic murderer. A medium and drugs banish

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BENSON, E. F. the evil spirit. [b] MRS. ANDREWS'S CONTROL. A sentimental couple dabble in various kinds of parlor-occultism, finally settling on automatic writing, at which Mrs. Andrews is proficient. Her control talks to her about the war, but it is all trivial and stupid, as is Mrs. Andrews. The pointlessness of it all. [c] THE APE. Hugh Marsham comes into possession of an ancient Egyptian talisman that gives him power over the ape kingdom. When he is treated shabbily by a coquette, he invokes the apes (really monkeys) and plans a revenge. But he is unable to go through with it. In the mode of Blackwood. [d] "THROUGH." A fraudulent medium becomes the "source for a genuine phenomenon. World War I. * [c] is excellent, but the other stories are on the trivial side. 142. VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE Hutchinson; London [1923]

Probably Benson's most famous collection. * Short stories, including [a] "AND THE DEAD SPOKE • • ." An invention reads the molecules of the brain and reveals its secrets. Psychological horror and borderline science-fiction. [b] THE OUTCAST. Bertha Acres is a pleasant enough woman, but no one can stand her presence. When she unexpectedly dies at sea, the sea rejects her corpse and casts it up on land, and the land heaves up her coffin. The explanation is to be found in a rather notorious figure who hanged himself about 1900 years earlier. Reincarnation. [c] MACHAON. Seemingly the only cure for"a cancer is surgery, but the spirit of Machaon, son of Asklepios, speaking through a medium not only describes life in ancient Athens, but suggests an alternative treatment. [d] NEGOTIUM PERAMBULANS • Cornwall. Carved on the screen is the figure of a priest with a cross confronting a horrible, sluglike monstrosity. The monster, an elemental like a giant leech, which drains its victims, attacks sinners. [e] AT THE FARMHOUSE. John Aylsford, who married the beautiful fishergirl from a witch family, was miserable for years when she took to drink. Murder comes easy, but witch people can take revenge. [f] INSCRUTABLE DECREES. Lady Rorke is a classical sadist; she delights in witnessing pain. She also happens to be a remarkable materializing medium. During a sitting she materializes a young woman who reveals that Lady Rorke sat and watched her drown. [g] THE GARDENER. Margaret Grainger works with the planchette and gets mysterious messages from the "gardener." He says that he cannot enter, yet that he is looking for someone. A ghostly figure is seen and heard. The gardener, years before, had murdered his wife. This seems to be his punishment. [h] MR. TILLY'S SEANCE. Tilly is run over by a steamroller and then proceeds to a seance which he had promised to attend. The medium announces his presence, and he watches her tricks and deceptions. She can perceive him, for she is not entirely fraudulent. He agrees to work with her. Ironic. [i] MRS. AMWORTH. Three hundred years ago there had been an outbreak of vampirism at Maxley, and a few years ago, there had been a similar outbreak in India, near where

BENSON, E. F. Mrs. Amworth was stationed with her husband. She is a traditional vampire and is removed in the traditional way. Crude material horror; not Benson's usual story. [j] IN THE TUBE. The narrator, in the tube (British for subway), sees a phantasm of the living: Sir Henry Payne, committing suicide. The event takes place some time later, but Sir Henry returns to ask"the narrator a favor. [k] RODERICK'S STORY. Roderick waits for Margaret's return from the dead. * A twelfth story, THE HORROR-HORN, is not supernatural, but deals with creatures like Abominable Snowmen, in the Alps. * Full Edwardian development, with good characterizations and "background detail. 143. COLIN A NOVEL Hutchinson; London [1923] 144. COLIN II Hutchinson; London [1925] Despite publication as two books, this is really a single long novel. It is psychological and metaphysical in bent. * The first Lord Stanier in the time of Queen Elizabeth I sold his soul to the Devil for worldly power. The bargain was an unusual one in that it included each succeeding male heir, except for individuals who renounced the pact. The family thrives through the ages, but is loveless and evil. In the present generation, Colin, one of the most despicable characters in modern literature, is the younger of twins in line for inheritance. In him the original situation with the Devil is recapitulated on a less literal level. The first volume, which has no direct supernaturalism beyond the narration of the legend, tells how Colin swindled and murdered his way into the family title. In the second volume he is under almost a compulsion to reenact the experiences of the first Lord Stanier and institutes a Black Mass at the family residence. It is unsuccessful because the acolyte dies of seeing, apparently, a divine vision. Colin wishes the bargain with the Devil to continue, but finds that his son is too wholesome to accept the pact. Temptation does not work. Instead, Colin, despite his evil nature, is momentarily captured by Love when he saves his son's life. In the final chapter Colin is confronted by a supernatural force that wrings from him an acknowledgment of his crimes, together with the admission that he has yielded to Love and forfeited his bond with the Devil. His accuser, however, is Love. * Overlong, not entirely convincing in characterizations, but often quite interesting in surface detail, especially the recounting of Colin's spiritual evil. It should be noted that evil here differs from the evil in Benson's short stories. Here it is a matter of conscious choice and may be presented symbolically. 145. SPOOK STORIES Hutchinson; London 11928] Ghost and horror stories. * [a] RECONCILIATION. Garth place is haunted by the ghost of Francis Garth from the early 18th century. He was presumably swindled out of the property. The haunting and the ghost's curse are broken when a direct descendant, who is perhaps a reincarnation of the original Garth moves in. A marriage completes the reconciliation. [b] THE FACE. Hester Ward has a repetitive horror dream

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BENSON, E. F. in which she sees an eroded sea coast, ruins, a grave about to be washed into the sea-- and a horrible face. She is told that it will come for her. It does, and she is seen no more. [c] SPINACH. Sylvia and Ludovic, who play with spiritualism, find a control named Spinach, who asks their help, In life he murdered his uncle, but was struck by lightning and now, in the spirit world, is haunted by his uncle's corpse. He does not remember where the corpse is and asks that the living find it and release him. They do, whereupon Spinach degenerates into a conveyor of platitudes. Humorous. [d] BAGNELL TERRACE. The narrator has a passion for acquiring one of the houses in his neighborhood, a house that is in some way connected with Egyptian magic. The result is a haunting and an attack by a cat-headed god or demon, who is represented on another level by a figurine which the narrator owns. Also suggestions of theriomorphy. Much is left unexplained. [e] A TALE OF AN EMPTY HOUSE. It is haunted by a lame ghost that tries to strangle trespassers. It is the relic of a crime committed by a halfwit years before. If] NABOTH'S VINEYARD. Hatchard is unscrupulous in obtaining a house that he wishes to own, but he does not enjoy it long. The ghost of the man whom he blackmailed into selling the house comes around. {g1 EXPIATION. Cornwall. Very mysterious circumstances around the rented house: a phantom rope and then a phantom suicide. It is repeated" each year. Perhaps emotion may make [h] HOME, SWEET a record, perhaps expiation. HOME. A murder and a ghost; nicely handled by indirection. [i] "AND NO BIRD SINGS." A wood is haunted by an evil presence; no animal will venture into it. Perhaps an elemental that takes the material form of a slug-like creature. [j] THE CORNER HOUSE, Strange happenings. Odd appearances and disappearances around the Corner House. A ghost and murder revealed. [k] CORSTOPHINE. Previsions of a deserted town cause a traveller to change his plans and save his life. A railroad accident, a tombstone with his name on it, and speculation what it all means and how it could have happened. [1] THE TEMPLE. Cornwall. The house has been built within a stone circle, with the stone of sacrifice incorporated in the basement. At certain times ancient evil is activated, and persons nearby cut their throats on the stone. * A competent, well-handled collection. 146. THE INHERITOR Hutchinson; London [1930] The spiritualization of a hereditary curse. * According to the family curse-- which is supported by a graveyard full of misshapen monsters-- the heir of the house of Gervase is born with horns and hoofs. Indeed, Steven Gervase, the current heir, remembers an uncle who was physically a faun. With the "apparent end of the direct family line and the normal physical appearance of Steven, it seems as if the curse is at an end. But it has only taken another, more inward form. Steven is spiritually a pan; he is soulless and cannot love. He cannot form any relationship with others, is alien,

BENSON, E. F. unmoral, and destructive to almost everyone who tries to love him. When the' curse is resumed physically, with a misshapen, prematurely born son, Steven decides to end the curse once and for all in the only way that it can be ended. * The vehicle is for the most part college life at Cambridge, with adumbrations of homosexuality. Handled with technical skill, but anemic. Hutchinson; London 147. MORE SPOOK STORIES [1934] Short stories. [a] THE STEP. Alexandria, Egypt. A horrible fate for the real estate speculator who dispossessed a widow. While dying, she cursed him. Invisible footsteps, and then • • • [b] THE BED BY THE WINDOW. Speculations with a philosophical friend about the nature of time. A vision of a murder in the past, disguised as burglary. [c] JAMES LAMP. When his wife seemed to have run off, the neighbors were sympathetic. But her murdered corpse comes out of the pond for him. Cd] THE DANCE. Like a spider, the crippled husband plots. He encourages his wife and secretary to fall in love, then fires the secretary. Afterdeath revenge. [e] THE HANGING OF ALFRED WADHAM. Wadham is about to be hanged for murder when Kennion confesses to the priest. Not out of a sense of guilt, but just to cause trouble. The priest cannot viola te confessional,. and Wadham is hanged. His ghost haunts. [f] THE WISHING-WELL. Cornish folkloristic magic. Judith, frustrated in love, puts a paper in the wishing-well, and the young man sickens. But his mother knows magic, too. [g] THE BATH-CHAIR. A symbol of death and punishment. Occult power. [h] PIRATES. Cornwall. Peter, wealthy, middleaged, but with a bad heart, has an urge to live again in his childhood home, the scene of happy memories. It is deserted, perhaps haunted. He buys it, restores it, moves in-and one evening hears his childhood friends calling him to a game of pirates. The next morning he is found dead. [i] MONKEYS. The pathologist operated cruelly on a crippled monkey, which died. On a later occasion, he violated the mummy of a monkey. He is found, torn to bits, as if by a giant ape, but there are no apes in London. [j] CHRISTOPHER CAME.BACK •. Christopher, who is editing a minor Renaissance poet, is dying. His wife, who is in love with the doctor, poisons Christopher. But he returns to edit proofs. [k] THE SANCTUARY. In the past, Black Masses and death through swarms of flies. The chapel is now haunted. [1] THURSDAY EVENINGS. Mrs. Wallace, conservative Victorian lady, haunts her former residence and new inhabitants are subjected to ladies' novels and "The Lost Chord." She becomes an effective poltergeist. en] THE PSYCHICAL MALLARDS. Before marriage, Tim was gifted with all sorts of paranormal abilities, and Miriam was a fine medium. But their gifts cancel each other out. Their child, however, inherits everything. * The best stories are [e], [f], and [h]. [k] has a nice range of effects, but is undeveloped.

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BENSON, R. H. BENSON, R[OBERT] H[UGH] (1871-1914) Younger brother of E.F. Benson, educated at Eton and Cambridge. Ordained priest in Church of England. 1903 converted to Catholicism. 1911 private chamberlain to Pope Pius X. Prolific writer. Works include religious fiction (often slightly fantastic), sermons, apologetics, biography, popular journalism. 148. THE LIGHT INVISIBLE Isbister; London 1903 Brief short stories, religious in orientation, with considerable spiritual exposition, told through the personality of a (some\vhat heretical?) old Roman Catholic priest. It is stated here. and there that the frame situation is factual, but there is no reason to accept this. * [a) THE GREEN ROBE. A mystical vision of the.green robe of God brought home to the young man the true aspect of Divinity as natura naturans. [b] THE WATCHER. The old priest tells another incident in his spiritual awakening: he had gone hunting and, annoyed hecause he had shot nothing, killed a thrush. He then had a vision of a diabolic, gloating, cat-like head in the bushes. [c] THE BLOOD-EAGLE. The old priest, when young, and a friend stumble on evidences of surviving pagan Scandjnavian worship, and a vision of a Valkyrie-like being. [d] OVER THE GATEWAY. The priest takes news of a death to the relict and sees a vision of a person in ecstasy hovering in the air. [e] POENA DAMNI. A visiting priest converses \vith a man who serves Satan and sees the poena damni shining in his eyes. Punishment of the damned. if] "CONSOLATRIX AFFLICTORUM." The ghost of a dead woman occasionally visits her child. When she cannot come, the Virgin does. [g] THE BRIDGE OVER THE STREAM. The old priest claims that death is not evil. He once saw God push a little boy under a cart wheel! [h] IN THE CONVENT CHAPEL. The old priest learned humility when he visited a convent. He felt contempt for an unlettered nun. But he saw emanating from her, while at prayer, a tie with the infinite. [i] UNDER WHICH KING? A priest, visiting vici.ous Lord B •• asks him to forego a suit that he is presenting. The priest unwittingly speaks words that bring Lord B. to his knees. God? Devil? Telepathic transfer? [j] WITH DYED GARMENTS. Successive coincidental injuries to others recapitulate the Passion and convert a sinner. [k] UNTO BABES. God reveals himself to the village idiot. [1] THE TRAVELLER. The ghost of one of Thomas a Becket's murderers comes to confess on the anniversary 'of the crime. * In [m] THE SORROWS OF THE WORLD, in] IN THE MORNING, and [0] THE EXPECTED GUEST the old priest slowly dies, to the accompaniment of visions and intense spirituality. * On the whole nicely written, but very doctrinary and sentimental. 149. A MIRROR OF SHAWTT COMPOSED OF TALES TOLD AT A SYMPOSIUM Pitman; London 1907 Fourteen n.arratives, mostly brief, told at a meeting of Catholic priests at Rome. The background is intensely religious. [a] MONSIGNOR MAXWELL'S TALE. Mystical substitution, taking on the temptations of another, ending in a state muc.h like possession. [b] FATHER JENK'S TALE. The house has a bad name, after many deaths.

BE~SO~,

R. H.

The former chapel is being used irreverently, and it see~s (though this is only hinted) that the Archangel Michael afflicts the offenders. [c] FATHER MEURON'S TALE. West Indies. Wolf howls and a spectacular exorcism. [d] FATtiER BRENT'S TALE. A visionary experience, phantom ships? Ie] FATI1ER E~~CHI'S TALE. Italy. The coming of Mithras in a church. [f] FATHER STEIN'S TALE. Religious experience, a gh0stly sister. [g] MR. BOSANQUET'S TALE. Bosanquet, the only non-Catholic present, had been legally dead for a short time, but recovered. He tells of his after-death experiences, mostly by analogy. [h] THE FATHER RECTOR'S TALE. A man sustained only by the force of evil. When he reforms, he collapses and dies. Ii] FATHER GIRDLESTONE'S TALE. Longer than the other stories in the book. A psychic invasion during meditation. [j] FATHER MARTIN'S TALE. A ghostly figure tries, for the sake of evil, to prevent a priest from attending a dying woman. [k] FATHER MACCLESFIELD'S TALE. A nasty old man dies. The priest sees him as a conventional ghost, a hare, and a swirl of leaves. [1] MR. PERCIVAL'S TALE. Wales. Ghosts in a mine, or perhaps emotional residue? [m] FATHER MADDOX'S TALE. Either creative power of the mind or intuitive psychic perception. In] MY OWN TALE. France. A haunted chamber in which no one can live. No explanation. * The American edition (Benziger, St. Louis, 1907) omits [m]. * Smoothly written, smugly religious, naive. It is curious that Father Benson should have taken the motifs of the ghost story of his day to provide little homilies. Was it an attempt to create a sectarian version of the ghost story? 150. THE NECROMANCERS Hutchinson; London 1909 Ultimately a religious novel concerned about the spread of Spiritualism. Benson considers Spiritualism not wholly fraudulent and certainly not desirable, but a form of demonolatry, potentially dangerous to the participant. * Laurie Baxter, British college student, has converted to Roman Catholicism. He has just suffered a bereavement. His fiancee has died, but as his family points out, the match had not been suitable and it is for the best, since she ~vas the daughter of a shopkeeper. Laurie thereupon encounters Spiritualism through a very potent medium. He also discovers that he, too, has mediu:nistic abilities. He can perform automatic writing, can drop off into a trance, and he is subject to control. Friends warn him that his activities are dangerous, but he refuses to listen. He considers the Spiritualistic demonstration of survival as parallel to Church teachings of immortality, indeed, as a practical application of theory. He also likes the possibility of communicating with his fiancee, even though it is soon obvious that his love for her was not very profound. During a sitting where a medium materializes the girl, he is possessed by an entity of some sort. His foster-sister manages to exorcise the entity, but it is a difficult, dangerous task. * The author speculates on the rationale of Spiritualism, whether it is emergence of odd human components or demonic, and seems to prefer the latter explanation. *

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BERESFORD, J. D. Quite competent novelistically and much superior to Benson's short stories, despite the undertone of hysteria. BENSON, STELLA (Mrs. John O. Anderson) (1892 1933) English educator, novelist, resident in China the last ten years of her life. No relation to the other Bensons discussed in this volume. Gifted, original writer; best-known work TOBIT TRANSPLANTED (American title THE FAR-AWAY BRIDE) (1930) • 151. LIVING ALONE Macmillan; London 1919 Fantasy; everyday events during World War I transmuted by "magic," told in an idiosyncratic way. * Sarah Brown, who works on the War Savings committee as an assistant, becomes acquainted with a witch who lives at Mitten Island in the Thames. There the witch keeps an establishment that might be called a cross between a rooming house and a monastic institution, where strange folk gather and have magical adventures. Sarah learns·of the sorrows of Peony, a Cockney woman who has been led astray by an imp who has been pestering her to be born. She also meets Richard Higgins, son of one of her superiors, who is also a magician and owns a fairy farm where a dragon is foreman. During a German air raid, a borrill strikes in a churchyard and awakens some of the dead, who arise, thinking it is the Last Judgment. There is also an excellent aerial battle between· the British witch and a German witch. Richard is discovered to be Peony's lover, and Sarah and the witch sail for America. * Su~nary, unfortunately, does not convey the spirit of the work, which is wilfully colored transmutation of life (including some autobiographical material) into fantasy. Within the allegorical framework, Sarah and Peony are different aspects of woman; the Mitten Island is the middle of life; the witch is ecstasy or unrestrained vital force. The ultimate theme, not entirely clear, may be that beauty and love are foreign to Sarah and that death is her only answer. * Very interesting. BERESFORD, J[OHN] D[AVYS] (1873-1947) English writer. Architect by training; journalist on a provincial newspaper; publisher's reader for Collins. Sometimes in political difficulties for his pacifistic views. Fairly prolific writer. Most famous work during early period was JACOB STAHL (1911), detailed social realism in the mode of H. G. Wells. In later life his interests turned more toward fantasy and the occult. Has written a fair amount of science-fiction, including THE HAMPDENSHIRE WONDER (American title THE WONDER) (1911), generally considered a classic and the first significant novel about a true superman. His short supernatural fiction here considered is quite different in its fabular approach from the social material of his mainstream fiction, though there are common psychological interests. 152. NINETEEN IMPRESSIONS Sidgwick and Jackson; London 1918 Symbolic short stories, often told as parabolic

BERESFORD, J. D. sketches, often anticipitations of later absurdist literature. * The dates offered are those of the author, but it is not clear wheththey are dates of writing or of publication. * Including [a) THE CRIMINAL. (1912) Semiallegorical. A most horrible criminal is at the dock, but various persons see him in different appearances. The camera, however, reveals an empty dock. Projection of one's own evil? [b) FLAWS IN THE TIME SCHEME. (1912) The three following stories: [c) AN EFFECT OF REINCARNATION. Tommy discovers that he had been a Renaissance Catholic martyr, and the discovery forces him into becoming a missionary. After all, he reasons, the situation is not likely to repeat. [d) A CASE OF PREVISION. Cornwall. Jessop, on walks about the countryside with his friends, has a persistent hallucination that there is a precipice where others see firm rock. A later landslide, killing Jessop, proves him to have been right. [e) THE LATE OCCUPIER. Cryptic and difficult to interpret, but presumably a clairvoyant dream. [f) THE LITTLE TOWN. (1912) Cornwall. St. Erth is a microcosm of the earth, with a stupid god who manipulates a puppet show. [g) THE LOST SUBURB. The narrator dreams of an old house in the suburbs. The house is no longer there, and there are only the vaguest memories of what once happened there, but his dream was veridical. [h) THE ESCAPE. (1912) A detail~ridden perfectionist has a cosmic vision and sees the futility of his ways. A dream. [i) FORCE MAJEURE. (1913) When Coleman's mistress Muriel dies, he inherits her dog. But every time that the dog barks-- which is too often-- he hears her voice quieting the dog. But when he kills the dog by pushing it out a window, a real haunting starts. [j) THE EMPTY THEATRE. (1914) Life seen as a play in a theatre. [k) THE MISANTHROPE. (1914) He has a peculiar sort of vision when he looks over his shoulder; he sees the horrible, bestial side of those whom he looks at. It affects his life. [1) POWERS OF THE AIR. (1915) Fear. The narrator lives in dread and fear of the powers in the black time and will not venture out into the winds. But a braver, stronger person goes out and experiences them, and is exhilarated [m) THE MAN IN THE MACHINE. (1915) A Kafkalike allegory of a man who finds himself encased and imprisoned in a mechanical device. Delirium under anesthesia. [n) LOST IN THE FOG. (1916). On the wrong railroad line, the narrator comes to a little village that is a microcosm of Europe. He sees World War I as village feuds and quarrels. (0) THE INSTRUMENT OF DESTINY. A casual sexual encounter in the bushes of Richmond Park; a moment's mystical experience, death; and destiny provides for a new minor savior. * While the ideas are often traditional, the philosophical note lifts these stories to a higher level and makes them thought-provoking and interesting. 153. SIGNS AND WONDERS Golden Cockerel Press; Waltham Saint Lawrence, Berks.; 1921 Short stories, sometimes experimental in approach. Including [a) PROLOGUE. The end of

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BERNERS, LORD the universe, in a playlet of a page and a half. [b) THE CAGE. The narrator has a vision of_primitive man and tries to communicate to him the wonders of the present. The result is disastrous for both men. [c) THE HIDDEN BEAST. A fierce wild animal seems to be caged in the house, and from the noise it makes, it must be abused. But the phenomenon occurs only un evenings. Symbolic interpretations. [d) THE MIRACLE. Paul, a victim of World War I, lies in perpetual coma. Suddenly, he states, "I am dead." His wife, in a modern version of the Orpheus legend, descends to the Land of the Dead, and by her love reclaims his soul and restores him to life. Ie) YOUNG STRICKLAND'S CAREER. Strickland, Sr., eager to learn about his young child's future life, consults many psychics but without being satisfied. He then buys a crystal ball. He sees in it a vision of a living scarecrow digging in the earth. The vision is fulfilled in a horrible way during the War. [f) THE NIGHT OF CREATION. At Harrison's house party Vernon and Harrison argue pedantically about psychic phenomena, Vernon believing in the more scientific aspects of research, while Harrison is the ultimate rationalist. A white figure is seen in the garden, a beautiful woman. It makes its escape, however, and cannot be found. The argument now continues: was it a materialization, and if so, from whom? The decision is negative, but later is changed. * Stories [b) through [e) are brief narratives that combine aspects of parables, essays, and the close narration of early science-fiction. The last story is more developed and more intellectual in content. [d) is probably best. BERNERS, LORD (TYRWHITT-WILSON, GERALD HUGH, 14th BARON BERNERS) (1883-1950) English diplomat, musician, artist, writer. Best known as composer of ballet music, including THE TRIUMPH OF NEPTUNE written for Diaghilev. Also skilled painter, capable writer in satirical vein. 154. THE CAMEL A TALE Constable; London 1936 Fantasy novel; horrors told in a light, ironic manner. * One winter morning, the Rev. Aloysius Hussey, Vicar of Slumbermere, and his wife Antonia are awakened by a peal from the doorbell. Outside they find a camel. It seems to be without an owner, and since Antonia had lived in the Near East and ridden camels, she decides to keep it as a mount. It becomes part of life at the vicarage, and the villagers accept it. It is soon noted by the reader, if not by the Husseys, that the camel has a supernatural aspect, since it fulfills Antonia's wishes, and usually in an evil way. Should Antonia momentarily envy the fur coat of Lady Bugle, the camel breaks into the Bugle establishment and steals the coat. The camel is also responsible for a tragic misunderstanding. Hussey happens to be an extremely hot-tempered man, and when the camel brings to the house a volume of verse written by the church organist, Mr. Scrimgeour, Hussey assumes that the lover referred to is Antonia.

BERNERS, LORD In this he is mistaken. In a moment of passion he kills the organist and buries his body. The camel, however, provides a sinister conclusion to the incident. When at a party Antonia in all innocence says, "I wish that Mr. Scrirngeour were here," the camel stalks in with the organist's corpse, which it had dug up. The vicar commits suicide and Antonia rides away on the camel. * Since Lord Berners does not commit the error of identifying the camel, one can choose among interpretations: a demon, evil wishes hypostatized, mischance. * One of the better descendants of LADY INTO FOX. Berners also contributes three good illustrations. BESANT, [Sir] WALTER (1836-1901) English author, educator, local historian, social ame1iorator. Educated at Cambridge. Taught at Royal College, Mauritius. Secretary to the Palestine Exploration Fund. Founder and chairman of the Society of Authors. Knighted in 1895. Instrumental in slum improvement projects in London, particularly the People's Palace in East End. Author of biographies, local studies of London. Popular in his lifetime for solid, comfortable novels, often in collaboration with James Rice. Best known work READYMONEY MORTIBOY (with Rice) (1872). More important as an influence than as an author. 155. THE DOUBTS OF DIVES J.W. Arrowsmith; Bristol 1889 . Social and psychological novel. * Dennis Stirling, a wealthy young man, and Kit Cottere1, impoverished wastrel writer of light verse, happen to be college chums. Neither is happy with his lot. Stirling feels that he is wasting his talents, while Cottere1 is trapped by weaknesses and lack of money. By a fortunate chance Dennis has a flask of magical mesmeric fluid, and they agree to exchange bodies for three months. In a very short time Dennis-in-Kit has established a reputation for himself as a serious journalist and political thinker, while Kitin-Dennis has held perpetual revelry with Dennis's money. There are personal complications. Kit's fiancee finds the new Kit not to her taste, while Kit-in-Dennis is still in love with her. Other complications emerge. By the time that the three-month exchange date arrives, both men recognize that their lives must continue and that return is impossible. They break the bottle of magnetic f1uid-- and are confirmed in new form, but with old identities. * There are other threads in this fairly long novel. Competent and entertaining, if not great. WITH JAMES RICE (1843-1882) English writer, editor. Educated at Cambridge. Proprietor, editor of ONCE A WEEK. Journalist, historian of turf. Unsuccessful as an author by himself, but an excellent collaborator. 156. THE CASE OF MR. LUCRAFT AND OTHER TALES Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington; London 1876 2 vol. (published anonymously but preface initialed) Short stories, including [a] THE CASE OF MR. LUCRAFT. Long, fully developed short story, transitional between Dickensian humor and that

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THE BEST GHOST STORIES of F. Anstey. Lucas Lucraft, a young man with ambitions to go on the stage, is penniless and out of work. His only "asset" is an enormous appetite. He is approached by a Mr. Grumbe1ow, who offers to buy his appetite from him for a suitable pension. Lucraft accepts, and then begins to pine away, suffering greatly from vicarious alcoholism as Grumbe10w feasts and drinks. Previous men who had contracted similarly with Grumbe10w had not lasted more than a few months each, and Lucraft is told that he will soon die, but is saved when Grumbe10w has his deserved stroke or heart attack. The Devil, in the form of a Black servant, is also involved. [b] THE MYSTERY OF JOE MORGAN. The protagonist is haunted by the ghost of a pirate, who drops hints of past crimes and future vengeance. But it is a mistake. [c] AN OLD, OLD STORY. Pleasant young lady ghosts appear to the narrator and ask him to destroy love letters they had hidden 150 years earlier. [d] LADY KITTY. A young woman ghost takes a fancy to the protagonist and helps him to get a good job. Ie] THE OLD FOUR-POSTER. Once a year the echo of death is heard. Bringing in a drowned man. [f] MY OWN EXPERIENCE. Medical school. The ghost of a skeleton clears the reputation of its former owner. [g] TITANIA'S FAREWELL. A long pastiche against modern education, told in fantastic terms. Oberon's court is leaving for Africa. * Fresh and amusing, still lively, except for [g] which is both topical and dull. * Later editions of this book are often attributed to the authors. BESSAND-MASSENET, PIERRE (1899 - ? French historian specializing in the French Revolution and the Terror. Editor of poetry. The present seems to be his only work of fiction. 157. AMOROUS GHOST Abelard-Schumann; New York 1957 French edition MARIE ROSE (1955). Translated by Hugh Shelley. * Gallic Thorne Smith. * panouche, young would-be litterateur, spends a few nights in the offices of M. Felix, his cousin, who is currently away. The office building used to be the old Pa1ais Royal, the habitation of many fine courtesans. It is suitably haunted. Rosette, one of the ghosts, takes a fancy to Panouche and becomes his mistress. Other ghosts also establish relations, sexual and conversational. Among Panouche's living friends is Annik, a young woman who is in love with him. To break the power of the ghosts (who are amiable and charming), she obtains an elixir of forgetfulness from an old occultist, spirits off the memory1ess Panouche and marries him. There are other story strands of less importance. * Disorganized and somewhat pointless. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 158. THE BEST GHOST STORIES Boni and Liveright; New York [1919] Introductory essay by Arthur B. Reeve, writer of Craig Kennedy detective stories: [a] THE FASCINATION OF THE GHOST STORY. * Including

THE BEST GHOST STORIES

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[b] THE APPARITION OF MRS. VEAL, Daniel Defoe. [c] CANON ALBERIC'S SCRAPBOOK, M.R. James. [d] THE HAUNTED AND THE HAUNTERS, E. Bulwer Lytton. [e] THE MAN WHO WANT TOO FAR, E.F. Benson. if] THE WOMAN'S GHOST STORY, Algernon Blackwood. [g] THE PHANTOM 'RICKSHAW, Rudyard Kipling. [h] THE RIVAL GHOSTS, Brander Matthews~ [i] THE DAMNED THING, Ambrose Bierce. [j] "DEY AIN'T NO GHOSTS," Ellis parker Butler. * There is also factual occult material. * Editorship is generally accredited to Joseph Lewis French. BESTER, ALFRED (1913 ) Outstanding American science-fiction writer, advertising executive, television executive. Unfortunately, Bester has not written much supernatural fiction, and most of this is borderline. 159 STARBURST New American Library, New York [1958] paperbound Mostly science-fiction, including [a] STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT. (MFSF 1953). Mr. Warbeck, desperately trying to find a certain family, teams up with racketeers. The purpose of his quest is unusual. As an educator, he has stumbled upon a nest of incredible child geniuses whose achievements already dwarf those of the rest of the human race. The basic story is borderline science-fiction, but the ending is supernatural. [d] ODDY AND 10. (ASTOUNDING 1950) Fantasy fiction accepts accident prones as a supernaturally valid concept. Here the author describes a good fortune prone whose remarkable abilities and lack of control over them change the fate of the universe. [c] THE STARCOMBER. (MFSF 1954). Mr. Solon Aquila, possessor of strange abilities and strange devices, is an interstellar remittance man. On earth he is unwittingly responsible for the breakdown of an artist whose work he likes. He works a cure involving wish fulfillment. Aquila is possibly simply an alien, but, more likely, a fallen angel. Also titled 5,271,009. * The collection also contains the classic science-fiction stories "Adam and No Eve" and "Fondly Fahrenheit." * Original ideas and development, with one of the most brilliant surface textures in the modern genre. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 160. BEYOND BY RAY BRADBURY FRED ERIK PORL JEROME BIXBY ALGIS BUDRYS JAMES E. GUNN WINSTON MARKS WYMAN GUIN FREDRIC BROWN THEODORE STURGEON Berkley Pub. Corp.; New York 1963 paperbound BEYOND FANTASY FICTION, a digest size pulp magazine specializing in supernatural fiction, was published between 1953 and 1955 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. The sister magazine to the superior GALAXY, it was modelled more or less after UNKNOWN and the MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION. * Short stories, including [a] THE GHOST MAKER, Frederik Pohle (1954) Ehrlich, an anthropologist, wants revenge because his theory that magic is more than just superstition has been ridiculed. He tracks

BIBIENA, JEAN GALLI DE down a mag~c~an via the subscription list of a magic periodical and acquires a device that evokes ghosts from the remains of once animate objects. It backfires. [b] CAN SUCH BEAUTY BE, Jerome Bixby. (1953). When wealthy American Peter Trumbull_seduces and abandons Mary, a rather silly young Cockney, she evokes the Devil and demands that Peter be forced to marry her. Trumbull, however, is dead, and the solution to the problem involves time travel. The whole situation has large implications for the fate of the universe. [c] THE REAL PEOPLE, Algys Budrys. (1953) Fairly long. The protagonist discovers that he has the power of creating reality around himself. But what started as a lark becomes perilous when he is sentenced to death for a murder he simply imagined. Modified solipsism. [d] THE BEAUTIFUL BREW, James E. Gunn. (1954) Trouble in a brewery. Out of the foam emerges a beautiful woman, who had been the Barley Bride when the grain was reaped. She must be carefully maintained. [e] I'D GIVE A DOLLAR, Winston Marks. (1954) A version of the diabolic bond. In this case it is done by cash payment for each wish. if] THE ROOT AND THE RING, Wyman Guin. (1954) The magical ring has passed through the hands of the world's greatest mathematical innovators and has been responsible for their contributions. It is given to the narrator by his wife. When it is lost in the soil around a newly planted apple tree, the fruit has peculiar properties. [g] DOUBLE WHAMMY~ Fredric Brown. Described elselvhere: [h] NATURALLY, [i] VOODOO, both short-shorts. [j] TALENT, Theodore Sturgeon. Described elsewhere. * Also included is "The Watchful Poker Chip of H. Matisse" by Ray Bradbury, which is not fantastic. * A somewhat disappointing collection. * According to Cole this was edited by Thomas A. Dardis. BIBIENA, JEAN GALLI DE (c. 1710- c. 1780) Often listed as Galli de Bibiena, Jean •. Member of famous Italian family connected with the stage, mostly as designers. Resident in France. Wrote several rococo novels, plays, not translated. 161. THE·FAIRY DOLL (LA POUPEE) Chapman and Hall; London 1925 1000 copy edition Translated from French by H.B.V., identity unknown. Introduction by Shane Leslie. * Galanterie plus a little occultism. Reprint of translation of 1744. * A young abbe tells of his experiences. After being treated cruelly by a young lady in the woods, the abbe enters a doll shop. He sees a most beautiful doll, which he decides that he must have. He pays a high price for, takes it home, and then discovers that it is living. It is a sylphid-one of the air elementals described in the COMTE DE GABALIS. She has been hiding from her husband. The sylphid, whose name is Zamire, sees that the abbe has charms, despite certain asininities and decides to help him. She first tells him of a former protege, also an abbe, whom she helped, and reveals secrets of how to

BIBIENA, JEAN GALLI DE be successful with women: dress sanely, stop using heavy face make-up, and importune in certain ways. Typical of the instructions are those offered when a young man comes upon a sleeping woman: do not rape her as a matter of course, but first see if she is only pretending sleep, in which case go ahead. * Lightly erotic, deftly narrated, with some moments of humor, but the satire strikes values so alien as to be almost incomprehensible. * A modern reprint has been retitled AMOROUS PHILANDRE (Avon; New York 1948). BIERCE, AMBROSE [GWINNETT] (1842-1914?) American journalist, fiction writer, satirical humorist. Born in Indiana, but resident mostly in Northern California during productive period. Served in Civil War; twice wounded. After the war, removed to San Francisco, where was occupied with local journalism. After a brief residence in England, returned to San Francisco area and joined Hearst newspapers with syndicated column, PRATTLE. Renowned in his lifetime for violently combattive, abusive journalism, but a very fine satirist within limits of contemporary, local form. Author of THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY, excellent collection of mordantly ironic definitions attacking cant, hypocrisy on all 1eve1s-- though perhaps too broadly. Author of finest Civil War stories written by a combatant. Author of many highly personal, brief, sometimes cryptic supernatural short stories, ranging from extravagant local subgenre of black absurdity to psychological horror far ahead of its time. Had difficulty in publishing fiction until late in life, with the result that chronology is uncertain in much of his work. Has never been adequately studied as a literary phenomenon, although life has been fairly well analyzed. Received enormous publicity when set out for Mexico to join Pancho Villa as a war correspondent in 1913 and disappeared. Circumstances of death still not known. * The following descriptions do not cover all reprint editions of his works, which are multitudinous, but describe only original editions and important recent collections. 162. TALES OF SOLDIERS AND CIVILIANS E.L.G. Steele; San Francisco 1891 Short stories, including [a] AN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE. Civil War. Peyton Farquhar, Alabama planter, is about to be hanged on the bridge for attempted sabotage. The rope breaks and he swims to safety. He makes his way, in ever increasing pain and inner turmoil, to his home. But when he reaches it, he is recalled from his flight of fantasy to find himself hanged and dead. A powerful story, brilliantly told. [b] A TOUGH TUSSLE. Civil War. Lt. Byring is a brave and competent soldier, but subject to necrophobia. At his post at picket guard, he happens to be close by a dead Confederate soldier. He fantasizes that the corpse moves, and ~rows more 'and more disturbed. When his relief comes, Byring is found dead, slashed, as is the corpse. But the corpse had been dead

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BIERCE, AMBROSE for days. Bierce has left the interpretation open. Excellent. [c] THE MAN AND THE SNAKE. Borderline supernatural. Harker Brayton, after reading an ancient description of the fascinating power of a snake, sees a snake under his bed. He fights its fascination as well as he can. His corpse is later found. But the snake was stuffed. [d] A WATCHER BY THE DEAD. Madness and horror against false supernaturalism. Drs. He1berson and Harper bet their friend Mancher that he cannot remain alone all night in the dark with a corpse. The corpse, however, is a fake, a friend who happens to look much like Mancher. He is to rise up at the proper time. What happened is not made clear, but either Mancher or the friend died of horror, and years later, He1berson and Harper have deteriorated into professional gamblers. They meet a madman who may be either Mancher or the friend. One of the better te11ings of the fraudulent confrontation followed by madness. [e] THE SUITABLE SURROUNDINGS. Not properly supernatural, but about supernaturalism. Colston, a writer, insists that if one of his horror stories is read in the proper surroundings, it will overwhelm the reader with terror. Marsh is doubtful and agrees to read Colston's "Ghost Story" in a deserted house by candlelight. Marsh does not know that Colston plans to commit suicide and has written about it in his manuscript. When Marsh reads the passage and looks up to see a face at the window (a wandering boy's) he dies of fright. The irony is that Colston is unsuccessful in his suicide attempt. [f] AN INHABITANT OF CARCOSA. The narrator finds himself on a bleak, desolate plain, on which are a few weathered stones. He seeks the great city of Carcosa, but is forced to recognize that Carcosa has long been in ruins, and that he has risen from the dead. He finds his own gravestone. Probably one of the most influential stories in the history of supernatural fiction, this has set off a whole graveyard school of supernatural horror. [g] THE BOARDED WINDOW. Perhaps not intended to be supernatural. The wife of Mur10ck, a pioneer, dies of illness, and he prepares her body for burial, tying the limbs in the traditional manner. After it becomes dark, he hears a turmoil and shoots. By the flash of his gun he sees a panther dragging away his wife's corpse. He later finds that the corpse has broken its death bonds and bitten the panther's ear. Implications of catalepsy, revival of the dead, or chance? Not explained. [h] THE MIDDLE TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT. Local men force a quarrel on Grossmith, a "stranger"~ so that a duel is called for. Actually, they have recognized him as a local man who murdered his wife years earlier. One of the men had been in love with the wife before her marriage. Grossmith and the others go to an empty house, and after noise and uproar in the dark • • • The next morning Grossmith's corpse is found and by it is the footprint of the murdered wife, recognizable by a missing toe. The house had been the place of the murder. [i] HAlTA THE

BIERCE, AMBROSE SHEPHERD. Allegorical. Haita encounters a beautiful maiden, but is unable to prolong his acquaintance with her. She is Happiness, as the old hermit explains. * This same collection of stories was reprinted by Ghatto and Windus (London, 1892) under the title IN THE MIDST OF LIFE. The Putnam (New York! 1908) edition of IN THE MIDST OF LIFE contains the supernatural stories listed above (though it differs in other respects) and adds two stories. [j] THE DAMNED THING. An inquest on the death of Hugh Morgan, whose corpse has been chewed and lacerated as if by some monstrous animal. The journalist who was present when Morgan died tells of Morgan's belief that an invisible monster existed outside his cabin. He describes the circumstances of Morgan's death, struggling with the monster. The jury does not believe him and ascribes the death to a puma. Morgan's diary vindicates the journalist, however. [k] THE EYES OF THE PANTHER. An intricate story told by indirection. The import of the story is that Irene Marlowe is a were-puma, and that her condition was caused by prenatal marking of her pregnant mother, who was attacked by a puma. * Best stories are [a], [b], [d], if], [i], U], and [k]. 163. CAN SUCH THINGS BE? Cassell; New York 1893 Short stories, including [a] THE DEATH OF HALPIN FRAYSER. One of Bierce's most thought-provoking stories. Segments of fate, horror dreams, revenants all combine to work the death of Halpin Frayser, presumably at the hands of his dead mother. [b] AN ADVENTURE AT BROWNVILLE. Written in collaboration with Ina Lillian Peterson. It is assumed that Bierce only revised Peterson's story, since much of the writing is looser and more sentimental than is usual with Bierce. The narrator witnesses the psychic murder of a young woman. Some sort of mesmeric power. [c] THE FAMOUS GILSON BEQUEST. Gilson, Western petty thief, golddust robber, horse rustler, was hanged for his many crimes. His will left his estate to his executor, if within five years no one could prove that Gilson had stolen dust. The estate proved to be enormous. Five years later, his executor, a broken man (what with all the litigation), sees Gilson's ghost in the cemetery, stealing dust from the neighboring graves. [d] THE SECRET OF MACARGER'S GULCH. Macabre irony. The narrator witnesses a ghostly recreation of a murder among pioneers. Nicely set in a frame. [e] A PSYCHOLOGICAL SHIPWRECK. Supernatural empathy between the narrator and a young woman on another ship reveals the foundering of the other ship and the death of the young woman. if] THE NIGHT-DOINGS AT "DEADMAN'S." A STORY THAT IS UNTRUE. Macabre irony. The psychopathology of love, abuse of Chinese immigrants, a ghost, and death personified. [g] JOHN BARTINE'S WATCH. Bartine's ancestor, during the Revolutionary War, was a Tory. He was taken away by a band of patriots, and nothing more was heard of him. Some days later his watch was returned. In the present the watch commemorates the time

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BIERCE, AMBROSE of the ancestor's death and also influences the present owner's circumstances of death. [h] THE REALM OF THE UNREAL. The narrator scoffed at the doings of Indian magicians. Dr. Dorrimore, from Calcutta, shows him the error of his beliefs and sets him into a series of delusions. The hypnotic effects can last for years and the question of what is reality arises. [i] A BABY TRAMP. It is supernaturally guided to the grave of its parents. [j] SOME HAUNTED HOUSES. Three short pieces as follows; [k] "THE ISLE OF PINES." Old Mr. Deluse, who is rumored to have been a pirate, dies. Not only is his ghost heard walking about, but there are shrieks of women, cannon bursts, and clashing of swords in his house. [1] A FRUITLESS ASSIGNMENT. Henry Saylor, newspaperman, is sent to investigate a haunted house. He undergoes the most spectacular demonstrations, but nothing disturbs his sang froid. He reports to his chief that his evening was uneventful. [m] THE THING AT NOLAN. Young Nolan killed his father and would have been hanged, except that his father had been seen some distance away at the time he was supposed to have been murdered. But the corpse was found at the place of the murder. * in] THE BODIES OF THE DEAD. Six short pieces. [0] THAT OF GRANNY MAGONE. As she is lying dead, the cat attacks her and her corpse responds. [p] A LIGHT SLEEPER. The corpse of Mrs. Hoskin shifts position, in the way that a sleeper does during the night. [q] THE MYSTERY OF CHARLES FARQUHARSON. A corpse turns up in a hotel room, but it is that of a man who has just died in India. Later, when the grave is checked, it is empty. [r] DEAD AND "GONE." A corpse disappears from a locked room, and its clothing holds the form of the body. is] A COLD NIGHT. Civil War. A blanket conceals a corpse during a bitterly cold night. The next morning the corpse is seen to have assumed a fetal position during the night, as if it had been cold. it] A CREATURE OF HABIT. A hanged man, though his neck is broken, runs about quite excitedly. of( [u] "MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCES." Three short pieces, as follows: [v] THE DIFFICULTY OF CROSSING A FIELD. In Alabama Mr. Williamson sets out across the field and just disappears. [w] AN UNFINISHED RACE. James Worson undertakes to run a long distance on a wager. But he suddenly disappears from the middle of the road. [x] CHARLES ASHMORE'S TRAIL. The boy's footprints in the snow suddenly stopped. He is never seen again, although his mother claims to have heard his voice nearby. * In all three stories-- which are set up to be inexplicable-- the disappearance seems to be a figurative statement of death, with its" attendant mystery. of( Best stories are [a], [d], if], [k], [1], [r], [v], and [x]. 164. THE COLLECTED WORKS OF AMBROSE BIERCE, VOLUME III, CAN SUCH THINGS BE Walter Neale; Washington 1909 While Volume I of this set has no supernatural material and Volume II, IN THE MIDST OF LIFE, contains the same stories as the Putnam 1908 edition, Volume III has much new material. *

BIERCE, AMBROSE Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE DEATH OF HALPIN FRAYSER, [b] AN ADVENTURE AT BROWNVILLE. [c] THE FAMOUS GILSON BEQUEST. [d] THE SECRET OF MACARGER'S GULCH. [e] A PSYCHOLOGICAL SHIPWRECK. [f] THE NIGHT-DOINGS AT ''DEADMAN'S.'' [g] JOHN BARTlNE'S WATCH. [h] THE REALM OF THE UNREAL. [ i] A BABY TRAMP. [j] SOME HAUNTED HOUSES, as follows: [k] "THE ISLE OF PINES." [I] A FRUITLESS ASSIGNMENT. [m] THE THING AT NOLAN. Also present as new members of SOME HAUNTED HOUSES are four short pieces: In] A VINE ON A HOUSE. The strange vine shivers and shakes. When investigators dig around its roots, they discover that the roots have formed the likeness of a human body, that of a woman who was supposed to have left to visit relatives and was really murdered. [0] AT OLD MAN ECKERT'S. He simply disappears. Another man disappears later. [p] THE SPOOK HOUSE. Two politicians stop at.a deserted house for shelter during a storm. They find an inner room filled with green light, strewn with corpses. Veigh enters the room; the heavy door is slammed shut; and Veigh is never seen again. [q] THE OTHER LODGERS. When Col. Levering stops at the old hotel in Atlanta, he sees corpses in his room. When he complains to the night clerk, the clerk, too, shows evidences of not being alive. The room had been used as a hospital during the Civil War. * Ir] MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCES. Three old components, with a new one: Is] THE DIFFICULTY OF CROSSING A FIELD. It] AN UNFINISHED RACE. [u] CHARLES ASHMORE'S TRAIL. And Iv] SCIENCE TO THE FRONT. Bierce offers an explanation of the disappearances in terms of holes in space. * [w] A DIAGNOSIS OF DEATH. Dr. Mannering has. the ability to make long-term prognoses and to determine the exact future date of his patient's death. Hawver says that he met Mannering, who made a peculiar gesture. Is it a death signal? Mannering has been dead for years. Hawver does not live long. [x] MOXON'S MASTER. Borderline science-fiction. Moxon has created a chessplaying automaton that is passionate, aggressive, and vindictive. When Moxon beats it at chess, the automaton assaults him and kills him. Or, that is the story told by the narrator. As years have passed, he has come to doubt what he thought he saw. [y] A JUG OF SIRUP. Silas Deemer, the storekeeper, has died, but his busy ghost keeps the store open at night and sells to certain customers. [z] STALEY FLEMING'S HALLUCINATION. He is haunted by the ghost of a black Newfoundland dog with a white mark. The dog belonged to Atwell Barton, who had been found mysteriously stabbed three years earlier. [aa] BEYOND THE WALL. Morbid love. Dampier, who falls in love with a pleasant young woman but is too shy to make her acquaintance, discovers that she lives in the next house, on the other side of his bedroom wall. They communicate by tapping, but in a fit of pique (after she has been silent for a time) on an occasion he refuses to answer her signals. He later learns that she died that night. Her ghost now summons him by tapping. [bb] THE STRANGER. Western setting. An explo-

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BIERCE, AMBROSE ration party is visited by a man from the darkness, who tells of four prospectors who had been murdered by Indians. Three of the four stand in the distance, the fourth tells the story. * [cc]·THE WAYS OF GHOSTS. Four very short stories, as follows: [dd] PRESENT AT A HANGING. The Rev. Cummings sees the ghost of a peddler, who points suggestively down the valley. At that moment the murderer was hanging himself. [eel A COLD GREETING. A vow to communicate after death is kept. [ff] A WIRELESS MESSAGE. The protagonist sees his wife in the sky, surrounded by a red glow. She has just died in a fire~ [gg] AN ARREST. Brower, escaped murderer, is turned back in his flight by the figure of his jailer-- whom he had killed while escaping. * [hhj SOLDIER FOLK. Four very short stories set during the Civil War, as follows: [ii] A MAN WITH TWO LIVES. Duck returns to his old haunts, but he had been killed and buried during the War. How can it be explained? [jj] THREE AND ONE ARE ONE. The soldier returns home, but his parents and sister snub him completely. He leaves, thinking that it is rancor because he fought on the wrong side during the war. He later learns that they ·nad been killed and the house destroyed. [kk] A BAFFLED AMBUSCADE. A soldier warns his friends of trouble ahead. But he has been dead for some time. [11] TWO MILITARY EXECUTIONS. The enlisted man is shot for striking an officer, though the officer had been his good friend in civilian life. But his ghost answers the roll call and a bullet, presumably guided by the ghost, kills the officer. Justice. * [mm] THE MOONLIT ROAD. Beautifully told in three narratives that overlap and zero in on the story. Murder, a ghost, and a series of horrible supernatural misunderstandings. * Best new stories are [n], [p], [x], [aa], [bbj, [U], and [mm]. 165. THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF AMBROSE BIERCE Citadel; New York 1946 Edited, with introduction, by Clifton Fadiman. Despite the title, this is only a selection of Bierce's work. Including, all described elsewhere, [a] AN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE. [b) AN ADVENTURE AT BROWNVILLE. [c] THE FAMOUS GILSON BEQUEST. [d) A WATCHER BY THE DEAD. Ie] THE MAN AND THE SNAKE. If] THE SUITABLE SURROUNDINGS. [g] THE BOARDED WINDOW. [h] THE EYES OF THE PANTHER. [i] THE DEATH OF HALPIN FRAYSER. [j] THE SECRET OF MACARGER'S GULCH. [k] A DIAGNOSIS OF DEATH. [1] MOXON'S MASTER. [m] A TOUCH TUSSLE. [n] A JUG OF SIRUP. [0] STALEY FLEMING'S HALLUCINATION. [p] A BABY TRAMP. [q] THE NIGHT-DOINGS AT "DEADMAN'S." [r] BEYOND THE WALL. Is] A PSYCHOLOGICAL SHIPWRECK. It] THE MIDDLE TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT. [u] THE REALM OF THE UNREAL. [v] JOHN BARTlNE'S WATCH. [w] THE DAMNED THING. [x] HAlTA THE SHEPHERD. [y] AN INHABITANT OF CARCOSA. [z] THE STRANGER. raa] THE MOONLIT ROAD. 166. GHOST AND HORROR STORIES OF AMBROSE BIERCE Dover Publications; New York 1964 Edited, with introduction, by E.F. Bleiler. * Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE DEATH OF HALPIN FRAYSER. [b] MOXON'S MASTER. [c]

BIERCE, AMBROSE BEYOND THE WALL. [d] THE DAMNED THING. Ie] A WATCHER BY THE DEAD. If] AN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE. * [g] THE WAYS OF GHOSTS. Four stories as follows: [h] PRESENT AT A HANGING. Ii] A COLD GREETING. [j] A WIRELESS MESSage. [k] AN ARREST. * [1] SOME HAUNTED HOUSES. Seven stories, as follows: [m] "THE ISLE OF PINES." In] A FRUITLESS ASSIGNMENT. [0] A VINE ON A HOUSE. [p] AT OLD MAN ECKERT'S. [q] THE SPOOK HOUSE. [r] THE OTHER LODGERS. Is] THE THING AT NOLAN. * [t] "MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCES." Four items as follows: [u] THE DIFFICULTY OF CROSSING A FIELD. [v] AN UNFINISHED RACE. [w] CHARLES ASHMORE'S TRAIL. [x] SCIENCE TO THE FRONT. * [y] THE MAN AND THE SNAKE. [z] THE SUITABLE SURROUNDINGS. faa] THE EYES OF THE PANTHER. [bb] THE FAMOUS GILSON BEQUEST. Icc] AN ADVENTURE AT BROWNVILLE. [dd] AN INHABITANT OF CARCOSA. [eel THE SECRET OF MACARGER'S GULCH. Iff] THE MOONLIT ROAD. [gg] A JUG OF SIRUP. [hh] THE NIGHT-DOINGS AT "DEADMAN'S." [ ii] THE MIDDLE TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT. [j j] JOHN BARTINE' SWATCH. [Kk] THE STRANGER. * Also [11] VISIONS OF THE NIGHT. An essay in which Bierce describes some of his dreams. The similiarity to his stories is striking and undoubtedly significant. BILL, ALFRED H[OYT] (1879-1964) American popular historian, historical novelist. 167. THE WOLF IN THE GARDEN Longmans, Green; New York and Toronto 1931 Costume romance with melodramatisms and supernaturalisms. * The Hudson Valley, not long after the French Revolution. Into the town of New Dordrecht comes the ci-devant Comte de Saint Loup, who wishes to settle in the area. He is not a pleasant person, and he soon makes an enemy of Farrier, the hero. When Felicity, Farrier's cousin, moves to New Dordrecht, there are complications, for both Farrier and Saint Loup wish to marry her. Since Saint Loup is a rich man, able to help Felicity's mercenary uncle, Saint Loup has the advantage. Meanwhile, the town is terrorized by a giant wolf who, strangely enough, attacks the count's enemies. The local minister, whose hobby is the study of historical magic, suspects the count of being a werewolf, as does Vashti, Felicity's Haitian maid, who prepares folk charms. Farrier and his associates decide to ambush the count while he is in wolf form, but he proves harder to kill than they thought. * Cliched lowbrow material about a generation behind the times. BIRKMAIER, ELIZABETH G. (? ? ) American author with occult leanings. Nothing known, but presumably resident in California. 168. POSEIDON'S PARADISE THE ROMANCE OF ATLANTIS Clemens Pub. Co.; San Francisco 1892 A long romance based on Ignatius Donnelly's ATLANTIS, THE ANTEDILUVIAN WORLD. Atlantis is advanced scientifically and has such weapons as projectors of sleep gas, but it is decadent and steeped in magic. King Atlano mounts an attack on Greece. His war is unsuc-

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BISHOP, ZEALIA BROWN cessful, but he captures the children of Deucalion, King of Greece. Atlano and his priests plan to use the children in experiments to find an elixir of life. Deucalion penetrates the Atlantean priesthood in disguise, and using hypnotic powers rescues his children and other prisoners. He escapes along with Atlana, the good queen of Atlantis, and Atlantis, as a result of divine displeasure, sinks beneath the waves. * Highly stylized Characters, pseudoBiblical language. A curiosity only. BIRNSTINGL, EDGAR MAGNUS Precocious British schoolboy. 169. DESTVR MOBED AND OTHER STORIES (Privately printed) Oxford 1915 A memorial volume; the author died at age 16. Short fiction, including [a] DESTUR MOBED. A talisman which acts much like W.W. Jacobs's monkey's paw. [b] DIARY OF A FIRE WORSHIPER. A fire spirit from an opal. A couple of other stories are concerned with the same talisman as [a]. BISHOP, W[ILLIAM] H[ENRY] (1847-1928) American novelist, frequent contributor to periodicals, poet, educator at Yale University. 170. CHOY SUSAN AND OTHER STORIES Houghton Mifflin; Boston and New York [1885] Fairly long short stories, including [a] ONE OF THE THIRTY PIECES. McNab and Barwood converse on the longevity of coins, and Barwood determines to track down the thirty pieces of silver paid to Judas. He spends much time researching the trail of the silver-- which is fatal to those who hold it-- and discovers, by chance, that one of the coins is in the possession of the father of the woman he loves. But the woman does not love him, and he commits suicide. It is decided that he was insane. * Mostly romance, with supernaturalism not strongly developed. BISHOP, ZEALIA BROWN (REED) (? ? ) Middle Western (Missouri) writer, client of Lovecraft's freelance editing business. Also wrote true confessions material. 171. THE CURSE OF YIG Arkham House; Sauk City, Wise. 1953 Three stories revised and rewritten in varying degree by H. P. Lovecraft. All three were first published in book form in BEYOND THE WALL OF SLEEP and MARGINALIA by H. P. Lovecraft, but are described here for context. The stories differ from most Lovecraft collaborations in being concerned more with elements of Southwestern or Southern folklore than with beings from Outside or necrophobia. * [a] THE CURSE OF YIG. (WT 1929) Walker Davis, young Mountain White, has a morbid fear of snakes. He and his wife are on their way to the West. When they reach the desert country, Davis is terrified by stories that he hears of Yig, the local Indian snake god. His pregnant wife comes to share his feelings. When she sees Yig invading their sleeping quarters, she attacks it, but kills Walker (whom the god had presumably possessed). Her baby

BISHOP, ZEALIA BROWN (the one that survived) is an ophidian monstrosity that is kept in a zoo. Prenatal marking? [b] THE MOUND. (abridged, WT, 1940) The most ambitious and most imaginative of the various collaborations with Lovecraft. It describes a haunted mound in the Southwest. Two ghosts are to be seen at various times on the mound, an Indian-like figure (though of no identifiable modern group) and a headless woman surrounded by blue flames. When intrepid investigators visit the mound, the figures are not seen, but the investigators usually come to a bad end. The narrator, an archeologist, decides to dig the mound, despite local warnings. He comes upon a buried staircase on the mound, and discovers a long manuscript written in archaic Spanish. Most of the story is devoted to the narrative of Panfilo de Zamacona, one of Coronadois men, who entered the mound and the underworld beyond it and witnessed marvelous events. The underworld is inhabited by a very ancient, highly civilized people who permit Zamacona to live, because he can tell them about the outside world. His persistent attempts to escape cause his doom: death and reanimation as a guardian of the mound. [cl MEDUSA'S COIL. (WT 1939) When young de Russy brings home to Louisiana a beautiful young Parisian wife, trouble begins. It is gradually learned that she had been connected, in a lewd way, with a French diabolic cult. She also has a remarkable head of hair, which seems almost as if alive. After she is murdered by her husband for unfaithfulness, the hair attains separate life. A racist ending. * There are also two essays, H. P. LOVECRAFT, A PUPIL'S VIEW and A WISCONSIN BALZAC. A PROFILE OF AUGUST DERLETH. * [a] and [bl are said to be almost wholly Lovecraft's work, being based on ideas by Mrs. Reed. [b] is worth reading. BISS, GERALD (fl. 1907-1920) British writer of mystery fiction. 172. THE DOOR OF THE UNREAL Eveleigh Nash; London [19l9l Mystery novel with supernatural elements, told largely in terms of documents and narratives. On the Brighton Road in Sussex mysterious disappearances connected with automobile accidents have taken place. Lincoln Osgood, an American resident in England, decides that the crimes are connected with Professor Wolff, a nasty German botanist and entomologist. The professor, who lives with Anna, a servant, and a beautiful and charming young daughter (later revealed to be a stepdaughter), is obviously a werewolf. Osgood and a criminal lawyer who acts as a detective (Fitzroy Manders). set a trap for the professor. They kill him and Anna, both in wolf form. The daughter has also been transformed, but since it is her first shapechanging, and that involuntary, it proves easy to dispel the elemental that caused the lycanthropy. * Routine mystery, ending sloughed off rather hastily, without much thought. * The American edition is the same as the British, except that it has a new foreword by the author welcoming American readers.

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BlACKWOOD, ALGERNON BLACK, LAD BROKE (1877-1940) British journalist, newspaper editor, political figure, fairly important writer of boys' fiction. Also used pseudonyms Lionel Day and Paul Urquhart. 173. THE GORGON'S HEAD Sampson Low, Marston; London [1932l Fantasy. Professor Crane finds the legendary Gorgon's head and is turned into stone. Some friends of the professor's daughter come into possession of the head. By a succession of accidents they freeze several persons into stone, whom they dispose of as sculpture. Eventually the stone people come back to life and the young men have a difficult time explaining. Routine. BLACK, WILLIAM (1841-1898) Scottish novelist, well-known in his day for THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF A PHAETON (1872) and A PRINCESS OF THULE (1874). 174. THE MAGIC INK AND OTHER STORIES Sampson Low, Marston; London 1892 Short stories, including tal THE MAGIC INK. Arthur Hughes happens to jostle a sinister Asiatic, who thereupon gives him a bottle of ink. The ink has the property of writing down thoughts instead of· words. Arthur, who serves as a bank messenger, has also managed to lose L7,000 he was carrying for his employers. The ink, meant maliciously, serves to save him. [b] A HALLOWEEN WRAITH. Scotland, with some dialect. A swarth indicates the illness of the girl Hector MacIntyre loves. * Rather feeble. BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON [HENRY} (1869-1951) O.B.E. English author, the leading British writer of supernatural fiction during the Edwardian and Georgian periods. Father, Sir Stevenson Arthur Blackwood, financial secretary to the Post Office; mother, dowager Duchess of Manchester. Educated by Moravian Brethren, Black Forest, and at Edinburgh University. Apparently a dreamy, yet highly self-motivated young man in youth. Enthusiastic mountain climber, traveller, camper; strongly saturated with personal nature mysticism. Rebelled against fanatical religiosity of family (Plymouth Brethren) and became convert .to Buddhism of an occult sort. Remittance man in Canada and the United States, painful experiences, including newspaper work, described in somewhat impersonal autobiography EPISODES BEFORE THIRTY (1923). Prolific author of supernatural fiction, writing in almost all aspects of genre, whimsical to serious, horror to personal mystical. Historically important in enlarging the scope of the genre to include adult consideration of odd psychological states, occultism, and true mysticism. No one else has come closer to expressing the ineffable, perhaps because (alone of major 20th century authors of supernatural fiction) he believed in and had sometimes experienced ,.,hat he wrote about. At his best an excelent writer, although there is a tendency to diffuseness in some of his work. In the post-

BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON war years he became a very successful radio and televisio~ personality. * Blackwood has never received adequate critical study, and it is unlikely that he ever will. He had strong feelings of privacy and recorded few of his subjective experiences. * The following listing does not include all his children's fantasies, plays, or the many reprint editions that sort his stories into various comainations. 175. THE EMPTY HOUSE AND OTHER GHOST STORIES Eveleigh Nash; London 1906 Short stories, including [a] THE EMPTY HOUSE. Plentiful supernatural effects as the narrator spends an evening in a house haunted by the ghost of a murderer. This is Blackwood's first viable story. While a couple of earlier stories appeared in periodicals, Blackwood did not consider them worthy of being reprinted-a decision with which I would agree. [b] A HAUNTED ISLAND. Canadian woods. At evening the narrator sees tW0 Indians paddle around the island on which he is stopping, and then land. Terrified, he seizes his gun, but is unable to move. The Indians, surrounded by a glow, enter his bedroom, then emerge dragging a scalped body behind them. The face of the corpse is the narrator's. Told as suspense. No explanation offered. [c] A CASE OF EAVESDROPPING. A rooming house is haunted by the memories of a murder. Ghosts quarrel in German, commit murder, and blood flows. [d] KEEPING HIS PROMISE. Scotland. A student is unexpectedly visited by a friend whom he has not seen for years. A ghost. While the ghost is not always visible, the sound of its breathing is audible. One of the best treatments of this common motif. [e] WITH INTENT TO STEAL. The ghost of a dead magician haunts an old barn, enticing those who enter to hang themselves. [f] THE WOOD OF THE DEAD. A traveller in the West Country finds, seated before an old inn, a very pleasant old man who invites him to visit the Wood of the Dead. The traveller learns that the man is a ghost, but keeps the rendezvous and sees a death-calling. [g] SMITH: AN EPISODE IN A LODGING HOUSE. Scotland. Reminiscences of a doctor. As a student he lived in the same house as Smith, who practiced ceremonial magic. Smith's conjurations were too successful, and the doctor encountered elementals and demons. [h] A SUSPICIOUS GIFT. A dream story, supernatural in implication, of a clever murder "frame." The story is of interest because it is thinly disguised autobiography in places, from Blackwood's New York period. * Best stories are [b], [d], [e]. 176. THE LISTENER AND OTHER STORIES Eveleigh Nash; London 1907 Short stories, including [a] THE LISTENER. The nervous author with a history of insanity in his family is exposed to a range of horrible phenomena, perhaps subjective-- things are seen, invisible presences are in his room, and the Listener is on the other side of the door. The ghost of a leper. [b] THE WILLOWS. The Swede and the narrator are temporarily trapped by a flood on a small island in the Danube.

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BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON The island is in some way a gate to another frame of existence, with hostile beings that are looking for the men, to destroy them. Strange sounds, gong-like or humming, funnels strangely cut into the sand, odd things seen blurrily in the air, and impending doom, until another sacrifice happens to be chosen. [c] THE INSANITY OF JONES. 400 years ago Jones was the victim; the manager was the torturer and murderer; and Thorpe was the friend whom Jones was shielding. In this life Jones takes violent revenge. Madness? The inexplicable nature of psychological processes? [d] THE DANCE OF DEATH. Who is the pretty girl whom no one seems able to see, under the balcony? Death. [e] THE OLD MAN OF VISIONS. Almost a prose poem. If one tries to explain, examine, or pass dreams on to others, the dreams are destroyed. [f] MAY DAY EVE. The scientist encounters elementals, projections of himself as a bestial thing and a beautiful woman. [g] MISS SLUMBUBBLE-- AND CLAUSTROPHOBIA. A character study of an old maid, and a train compartment that is haunted by a mood. A suicide had taken place in it, and others are impelled to leap out the window. [h] THE WOMAN'S GHOST STORY. A ghost and a strong-minded woman. Love. * Also present is the excellent crime story "Max Hensig." of< An uneven collection. [b] is one of the classics of supernatural fiction; in the opinion of some it is the finest single short story. But some of the other stories are trivial. 177. JOHN SILENCE PHYSICIAN EXTRAORDINARY Eveleigh Nash; London 1908 The exploits of an occult detective. Silence is a neurologist who is also profoundly learned in occult and magical matters. * [a] A PSYCHICAL INVASION. Silence is consulted by a humorist who can now write only horrible material. The humorist lowered his psychic barrie~s with hashish, and now suffers a psychic invasion from a horrible woman ghost. Silence undertakes psychic battle with the evil personality and defeats it. It was an early 19th century magician of great malignity who was finally executed at Newgate. Excellent descriptions of drug hallucinations. [b] ANCIENT SORCERIES. Vezin tells Silence of an experience he had in France. In a small cathedral town he observes that the natives seem to have a secret inner life. It is a witch cult, whereby they turn into cats and flying monsters to attend the sabbath. Vezin is almost absorbed. Silence interprets it as partly psychic memory, partly reincarnation. [c] THE NEMESIS OF FIRE. The house of Colonel Wragge is bothered by a sensation of psychic heat and by fires. Silence discovers that a fire elemental is responsible, and that it is associated with an Ancient Egyptian mummy that the colonel's brother had brought to England. [d] SECRET WORSHIP. Germany. The British traveller revisits the lonely religious school that he attended as a boy in the Black Forest, and finds it unchanged-- too unchanged. Black magic and a convincing appearance of the Devil. Silence saves the traveller. [e] THE CAMP OF THE DOG.

BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON Sweden. A camping party, one member of which is a werewolf. * Long, fully developed stories. Probably the best single volume of 20th century cases of an occult detective. While Silence is somewhat colorless, the events that he meets are well imagined. See also l89k. 178. JIMBO A FANTASY Macmillan; London 1909 Ultimately, this seems to be a parabolic warning against telling horror stories to children to frighten them into obedience. * Jimbo (James Stone), a small boy, is terrified of a certain empty house near where he lives. When he is tossed by a bull and unconscious with concussion, he finds himself in the house (of death?) where he, and other children, are held captive by Fright. He discovers, however, that his former governess, Miss Lake, is also present in the house, captive there until she can rescue him. Jimbo grows wings and is prepared to flyaway from the terrible house, which is beset by monstrosities, but on his escape flight he is both being drawn away from earth by the moon (death) and pursued by Fright. He is saved by Miss Lake, who sacrifices herself to save him and is caught by the monster of her own creation. * When Jimbo is in the soulworld, at times he transcends his child-personality, to assume his ideal nature. There is also something about the spiritual essence of trees, nature mysticism, and pantheism. * Jimbo is one of the best of Blackwood's studies of the peculiar horrors and ecstasies of childhood. 179. THE HUMAN CHORD Macmillan; London 1910 A mystical novel based on Pythagorean and cabalistic theories of sound, and the power of the Name. * Spinrobin, who is abnormally sensitive to vibration, joins Skale, a retired clergyman, in a series of experiments to control the universe by means of sound. Skale can already work miracles on animate and inanimate nature by means of vocal sound, and even has some of the great creative sounds imprisoned. For his ultimate purpose, god-like power, Skale needs a certain chord, but Spinrobin balks at the attempt to imprison God himself. While Skale is trying to achieve "the Name that Rusheth through the Universe," he makes a mistake in sound and dies. But Spinrobin and his friend Miriam are awakened to life by the new creativity that has been released. * Highly original, unusual, brilliantly executed. 180. THE LOST VALLEY AND OTHER STORIES Eveleigh Nash; London 1910 Long short stories, including [a] THE LOST VALLEY. A pair of twins, very close to another. Both fall in love with the same woman, and one commits suicide. Against this background is the legend of the Lost Valley where those who have committed suicide or died a violent death find peace denied them by their religion. Stephen comes upon the Lost Valley in the Juras and meets Mark, not knowing that he is dead. [b] THE WENDIGO. Canada. A camping tour, the wendigo (the Call of the Wild in embodied form), and the fate of Defago, one of the guides. According to legend the wendigo takes its victims up high, burns their feet, and ultimately de-

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BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON stroys them. Was the strange being that came into the camp Defago or the wendigo? [c] OLD CLOTHES. Aileen has memories and impressions of a life centuries earlier, when she was immured and her lover tortured and mutilated. Proof is found. Reincarnation. [d] PERSPECTIVE. Alps. The minister sees a panentheistic manifestation and recognizes its message. He must heal a romance that was about to break. [e] THE TERROR OF THE TWINS. Twins whose father died insane. He swore to return and fuse them into one person. [f] THE MAN FROM THE "GODS." LeMaistre, moderately successful composer, falls asleep in the theatre and awakens when it is empty. But there is another person present, a man in the gods. He sets up a supernatural performance, showing LeMaistre what his music should have been. At the end LeMaistre sees that the man is a heightened potence of himself. When he awakens, for it was a dream, he knows what to do. [g] THE MAN WHO PLAYED UPON THE LEAF. France. Borderline fantasy, abnormal psychology. A worshipper of Pan with an affinity to nature. [h] CARLTON'S DRIVE. He tells the driver of the cab to take him to the usual place and discovers that he is on his way to hell. A psychic experience after a stroke, with the usual moral message in such a motif. [i] THE ECCENTRICITY OF SIMON PARNACUTE. Parnacute, a professor of political economy, pities caged birds and releases them. As a reward he is released painlessly from his own corporeal cage by a World Policeman. Before his death, while ill in hospital, he flies about the world like a bird. * Several of the stories embody Blackwood's nature mysticism, which is difficult to summarize. * [b] is excellent. 181. THE CENTAUR Macmillan; London 1911 Panentheism, based on the ideas of Fechner and William James. The earth-soul, the universal consciousness, and mystical experience. * Two men are offered a mystical experience, which amounts to surrender of the ego but life (after death) on a different level of spiritual advancement in the original valley of creation in the Caucasus. Terence O'Malley submits with sensitivity, while Dr. Stahl, who knows more, is held back by his intellectualizing. * The first portion of the novel takes place (as told in flashback) on a cruise vessel proceeding from Marseilles to the Caucasus. On the ship O'Malley becomes acquainted with a strange Russian, who is obviously not entirely human. The Russian, as Stahl explains, is possessed by a pre-modern mystical consciousness and is an Urmensch-- a fragment of the Soul of the World. O'Malley is invited to share the experience, but holds back. The later parts of the novel take place in the Caucasus, where O'Malley meets the Russian again. There is a rushing of wind, one day, and the Russian comes as a centaur. O'Malley's spirit joins him, and together they gallop in ecstasy to the lost valley. But O'Malley must return to life. He then learns that his experience had lasted only a moment or two, and that the Russian had died at that time. Returning to London, O'Malley

BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON tells his story, then dies. He joins the giant e1ementa1s, the survivals of an earlier and happier state of consciousness on earth. He has heard the Pipes of Pan. * One of the most effective of mystical novels, deeply felt, very nicely imagined. The centaur, as a classical symbol, is the union of chthonic and uranic forces. On the personal level the novel is built on a theme common in Blackwood's works, dissatisfaction with the material world and desire for escape, with certain sexual elements. 182. PAN'S GARDEN A VOLUME OF NATURE STORIES Macmillan; London 1912 Nouvelles and short stories, including [a] THE MAN WHOM THE TREES LOVED. Nouvelle. Consciousness in plants, the divine principle as is found in trees. Mr. Bittacy, who has an intuitive bond with nature, can experience the life of trees. In his sleep his spirit wanders with them. Mrs. Bittacy, who rejects all this, wastes away. Madness involved, too? [b] THE GLAMOUR OF THE SNOW. Switzerland. Hibbert, on vacation, meets, one night, a beautiful woman with whom he skates. The next evening they ski far up the Alps and he learns that she is an ice sprite, intent on his death. [c] THE SEA FIT. Erricson's theory is that the old gods manifest themselves only where there is deep emotion and that worship must end with selfsacrifice. For Erricson, modern viking, the sea is a god. [d] THE ATTIC. The earthbound spirit of a dead miser. Released by the prayers of a Child, also dead. Ie] THE HEATH FIRE. Fire from within the earth rises to meet fire from the sun. O'Hara, a sensitive, is witness to this mystically, and dies of fever. [f] THE MESSENGER. Ecstasy, union with higher powers, mystical apprehension of reality. [g] SAND. A nouvelle. Egypt. Henriot on vacation is approached by Vance and Lady Statham who ask his help in performing a magical evocation. Lady Statham is a powerful magician and knows the technique of bringing down to earthly form those great powers otherwise too vast for embodiment. Henriot witnesses the formation of such a being from sand-- by implication in the form of an ancient Egyptian god. He later realizes that he has been an accessory to murder. [h] THE TRANSFER. A bloated capitalist is drained of his energy, which he has taken parasitically from others; the wasteland, which has taken his life force, flourishes. Ii] THE DESTRUCTION OF SMITH. A death-fetch of_a city, which destroys its own maker. [j] THE TEMPTATION OF THE CLAY. Long short story. Eliot and the young woman Manya have an empathy with Nature and the place in which they live. When they find a bed of potter's clay on their land, they are not permitted (supernaturally) to use it. The point seems tO,be that empathy and profiteering do not go together. [k] CLAIRVOYANCE. The secret sorrow felt by a childless woman in a room haunted by an infinite number of unborn children. [1] SPECIAL DELIVERY. Switzerland. A supernatural warning to quit a chalet just before a rock fall. [m] THE GOLDEN FLY. A mystical conversion experience. [n] THE RETURN. There is someone unseen in

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BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON the room. A vow to visit one another at death. Ie], [g]-- though somewhat overlong-- and [h] .are best. 183. A PRISONER IN FAIRYLAND (THE BOOK THAT_ "UNCLE PAUL" WROTE) Macmillan; London 1913 A long novel describing the awakening of life in a man who has been psychically moribund. * Henry Rogers, wealthy man of business, as a child had an ecstatic comprehension of the universe, with a consistent private mythology. But as he grew older, he lost this child-like feeling of wonder. On retirement, he feels stirrings of the old world within himself. He visits cousins in Switzerland, where the ~hildren have much the same ability to enter supersensual worlds that he used to have. His dormant faculties gradually awaken again. Soon, he, too, in dream sees the Star Cave, where one can gather starlight; rides on the Starlight Express; watches the lamplighter put out the stars; and flies freely in the night. Although there are some side issues, the result of his reawaking is that he meets, first in dreams, then in life, the woman who first created his private mythology. He has learned that the true fairyland is not a matter of dragons and princesses, but is sympathy, love, and gentleness, and that we are all prisoners in God's fairyland. * The more interesting part of the book comes near the end, but I doubt if many readers will stay with the book long enough to reach the end. Overlong and dull. 184. INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES Macmillan; London 1914 Three nouvelles and two short stories. * [a] THE REGENERATION OF LORD ERNIE. Nouvelle. Hendricks is bearleading, accompanying young Lord Ernie, son of the Marquess of Oakham, around the world. Ernie, though intelligent, is strangely lacking in psychic vitality. In French Switzerland Hendricks and Ernie are close to the area where nature-worshipping peasants hold their fire dances and rites, and Ernie is psychically compelled to join them. Participation involves one with the great elementals of fire and air, and Ernie is remarkably "regenerated." His political rise, back in England, is rapid, and his brilliance is incredible. But he is burned out at an early age. [b] THE SACRIFICE. Limasson, in French Switzerland, is in some ways a religious man who has never found his god or his purpose in life. With a strange priest who strikes up acquaintance with him (a third party drops out along the way), he is to climb the Tour de Neant. His ascent becomes a symbolic journey and a spiritual awakening. The priest is an aspect of himself. [c] THE DAMNED. Frances and Bill, sister and brother, accept a live-in arrangement with the wealthy widow, Mrs. Franklyn, in her country estate. But it is soon discovered by both that the house is intolerable. Mrs. Franklyn, who is aware of the fact, is using them as sensory organs to discover what is wrong. The house is impregnated with a horrible atmosphere, and strange noises, as of great gates closing, are heard at night.

*

BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON The solution seems to be that a succession of intolerant, hellfire and brimstone owners had impregnated the house with their concepts of Hell. The latest was Mr. Franklyn. [d] A DESCENT INTO EGYPT. George Isley is alive and physically well, but in some strange way soulless. The narrator explains the situation. In Egypt they encountered a scholar who had reconstructed an Egyptian sacred chant, and by working magically, could retreat into Ancient Egypt. Isley yielded to the power of Egypt and went back, but the narrator fought off the attraction. [e] WAYFARERS. Reincarnation, told in layers of experience. Frustrated lov~rs in the present, who must wait for new lives; lovers, one of whom dies, in the Napoleonic period. * [c] and [d] have excellent moments, particularly in the climax in Egypt in [d], but excessive length and a word-choked development are likely to repel many readers. 185. TEN MINUTE STORIES John Murray; London 1914 Short stories, usually fairly brief, sometimes little more than sketches. * Including, [a] ACCESSORY BEFORE THE FACT. Martin has a psychic experience. He fancies himself accosted by a tramp, then robbed and murdered. A short time later he sees the murderers and their true victim, but does nothing about it. [b] THE DEFERRED APPOINTMENT. Jenkyn the photographer expects Wilson, who is the soul of honor about appointments, to come for a sitting. Wilson comes, but the plate shows only a flasp of glory, and Wilson disappears. He had, of course, died a little while before. [c] THE PRAYER. O'Malley and Jones take a strange drug obtained from a Hindu. It opens their spiritual perception so that they see a prayer move a crook. They follow a golden thread back to its source and find the crook's bedridden father. [d] STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF A BARONET. Sir Timothy, about to lose his title and possessions to a claimant, shrinks and eventually disappears, for without his possessions he is nothing. It is all a dream. [e] THE GOBLIN'S COLLECTION. The house guest misses his shirt stud and soon learns that there is a goblin who collects small, bright things. It followed a serving boy over from Ireland. [f] IMAGINATION. Mystical experience symbolized as a centaur. [g] ANCIENT LIGHTS. A surveyor's clerk trespasses in a fairy wood, where trespassers will be prosecuted. And he is. [h] DREAM TRESPASS. France. A vision of the past, with a wonderful chateau and a beautiful countryside. [i] ENTRANCE AND EXIT. There are holes in space, Higher Space, into which one may stumble and be contained for months, or perhaps forever. [j] YOU MAY TELEPHONE FROM HERE. Her husband promised to call from Paris. During the night she receives a call-- but her cousin who is present hears no bell and the line has not been used. The spirit of her husband, while he is unconscious. [k] THE WHISPERERS. The room is filled with invisible whisperers, the spirits of books. [1] THE SECOND GENERATION. Smith returns to England to visit his divorced wife. He meets her, under somewhat peculiar circumstances, but she is dead. [m] THE HOUSE OF THE

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BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON PAST. A dream leads into the House of the Past, where lie sleeping bodies of various past states of the dreamer. [n] IF THE CAP FITS. Psychometry. Wearing another person's cap conveys all sorts of weird sensations, later explained by learning that the owner of the cap had suffered from melancholy and had tried to commit suicide. * Best stories are [a], [d], [e], [g]. Many of the other stories are somewhat routine and less successful than the more developed stories elsewhere. Blackwood apparently needed room to expand his themes. 186. THE EXTRA DAY Macmillan; London 1915 Essentially another of Blackwood's children's books for adults, the idea being that children have a mystical closeness to Reality that is no longer present in most adults. Blackwood tries to recreate this alien mode of thought (which, of course, found theoretical justification in the work of anthropologists of his day) without indulging in the patronizing baby talk that certain Victorian authors, like George MacDonald, often employed. * The "story," for there is no real plot in the usual sense of the word, describes the experiences af three children-- Tim, Judy, and Maria-and their Uncle Felix (who is visiting) in a transcendence of the events of everyday life and nature. They perceive the inner poetic essences, and under the symbolic leadership of a transfigured tramp, seek out signs for the Hidden One behind phenomenality. During their culminating search-- which occurs when the clocks are suddenly stopped-- they cause a temporary awaking in several sleeping souls. * Overlong, formless, with excellent private mythology, if one can tolerate such an ultimately sentimental universe. 187. JULIUS LEVALLON AN EPISODE Cassell; London 1916 An occult novel, ultimately concerned with magic on a high level. * Great Britain and Switzerland. * John Mason tells the story of his association with Julius LeVallon, first as schoolboys, then in Edinburgh University, then in the Juras. LeVallon has memories of a past incarnation on another planet, perhaps Mercury, since Wind and Fire were so readily available, thousands of years ago. During this earlier incarnation LeVallon, aided by Mason and a woman, had performed a great experiment, to bring down the elemental powers. But the experiment ended tragically. The powers were supposed to pass through Mason's body, but Mason's personality returned and the experiment "short circuited." LeVallon wishes to repeat the experiment in order to restore the original balance of powers. He and Mason, during their boyhood, practice psychic exercises to awaken Mason's less advanced spiritual development. When the woman from the earlier experiment is found, reincarnated, they determine to try once more, this time using LeVallon's body for the channel. The new attempt takes place in the Juras, since conditions there are better for magic. But once again it is a failure. LeVallon dies, and the powers are channelled through the woman, into her unborn child. The eternal task is still

*

BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON

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ahead of LeVallon. * In largeness of scope and detail of development Blackwood's most ambitious novel. It ranks high in its field. For the sequel, see 191. 188. tHE WAVE AN EGYPTIAN AFTERMATH Macmillan; London 1916 A long novel. The supernatural germ of the work is given in a brief narrative set in Ancient Egypt. The Syrian slave of an Egyptian general develops a passion for the general's wife. The wife has only maternal feelings for the slave, but the general does not believe this, and has the slave tortured to death and thrown into the Nile. The general's wife leaps into the "wave" after him. * In the present, Tom Kelverdon has a youthful passion for Lettice Ay mer, but she marries a Polish prince and seems lost to him. Tom also has a repetitive nightmare and day vision of a wave that hangs over him, about to break. The vision is usually accompanied by the smell of Ancient Egyptian spices. In later life, Tom meets Lettice again, and the ancient situation is repeated to a certain extent, although upon a more spiritualized level. In this life Tom gets Lettice. * Although part of the novel is a detailed representation of life among the pre-Titanic jet set and has some social interest, the novel as a whole is extremely dull. It is easily Blackwood's weakest work. 189. DAY AND NIGHT STORIES Cassell; London 1917 Short stories, including [a] THE TRYST. Personality study of an emigrant who returns to England after fifteen years, expecting his former sweetheart to be waiting for him. She is, but in the tomb. [b] THE TOUCH OF PAN. Two "natural" humans, a la LeVallon, renounce a sterile, cor~ rupt clique and go off to experience life as spirits conversant with Pan. [c] THE WINGS OF HORUS. Egypt. A half-mad Russian, taking the cure, worships Horus and curses Horus. During a masked ball an amazing display takes place, and the wings of Horus are heard taking away the Russian's soul. [d] INITIATION. Switzerland. The narrator, an Englishman who speaks a strange Yankee dialect, describes a mystical experience he attained through nature in the Alps. It has affected the remainder of his life. [e] A DESERT EPISODE. Life and death in Egypt, among sufferers from tuberculosis, and the Wave of Life. [f] THE OTHER WING. An excellent story of a little boy who lives in a large Elizabethan house, one wing of which is sealed off. He decides that Sleep and her attendant dreams live there. One night he ventures into the wing, braving the terrors of the nightmare passage. There he meets the ghost of his grandfather. A nice adumbration of the marvelous yet terrible world accessible to a child. [g] THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM. Switzerland. A suicide is supernaturally revealed. [h] CAIN'S ATONEMENT. In a past incarnation he permitted his brother to be killed by a savage beast, since he wanted the woman his brother was to marry. Now he can make atonement. [i] BY WATER. The clairvoyante tells Larsen to be careful of water, or he will come to harm from it. He meets his fate on the Egyptian desert.

BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON [j] H.S.H. Switzerland. Delane is visited by a strange monarch, who seeks him as a subject. Obviously the Devil. But Delane does not yield. [k] A VICTIM OF HIGHER SPACE. An adventure of John Silence. Borderline science-fiction. Silence's patient now and then slips off into Higher Space and emerges in totally unexpected places. 11] TRANSITION. John Mudbury, coming home with Christmas presents, does not know that he is dead, run over by a bus. [m] TRADITION. A spectral horse that appears during sickness and death. * Ic] and [f] are excellent. The other stories are uneven. 190. THE PROMISE OF AIR Macmillan; London 1918 A fantasy based on a metaphysical theory of evolution, the emergence of man with an avian spirit. * Joseph Wimble is intoxicated by the spirit of air, birds, and the freedom of flight, and he marries Joan for her compatible bird-like spirit. But with childbirth and married life, her spirit diminishes, and Wimble discovers that he is again psychically alone. But his daughter Joan is full of the spirit that her mother had lost-- the promise of air-- or the revelation of a new age that is to come, when intuition and bird-like. mental soaring will supplant the dull, plodding present mentality. The story is permeated with symbols of birds and air, and there are clear expositions of the occult theory of history that lies behind this story and much of Blackwood's other work. * As' a fiction, however, too great length for too slight a story. 191. THE BRIGHT MESSENGER Cassell; London 1921 Partly an attempt to convey an utterly alien type of mentality, with (mostly) a British social setting; also the moral collapse of the Western world and the future evolution of man. * A sequel to JULIUS LEVALLON. * Julian LeVallon, into whom the elemental evoked by his father's experiment was incarnated, grows up in Switzerland under the care of Mason, the narrator of the previous book. LeVallon is a strange being, with two personalities, a human one and a semi-humanized elemental. The latter is called "N. H.," presumably standing for "not human." The result of the dual personality is that LeVallon cannot function in modern society and must be treated as a mental defective. When Mason dies, LeVallon is transferred to Fillery, a British psychiatrist· who has much the same intuitive understanding of Nature as did Mason and LeVallon, Sr. Fillery's task is to separate the two personalities in Julian and permit the elemental to regain its freedom. * Interesting ideas, some good moments, but on the whole without the charm of its predecessor. Too didactic. 192. TONGUES OF FIRE AND OTHER SKETr.HES Jenkins; London 1924 Short stories, usually fairly brief. Including [a] TONGUES OF FIRE. Supernatural vengeance on a pair of malicious society gossips invests them now and evermore with mouths that shoot out tongues of fire. One of their victims was a man of power. [b] THE PIKESTAFFE CASE. Borderline science-fiction. Mr. Thorley, M. A., a tutor of sorts, works out problems of optics and

BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON higher mathematics in his rooming house quarters. He is able to enter another world, presumably the fourth dimension, through his mirror, from which he has removed the glass. When he and one of his students, Pikestaffe, disappear, they are later seen in the Elsewhere. They seem happy. [c] MALAHIDE AND FORDEN. A visit in time, through another space; a prelude to death. [d] PLAYING CATCH. Thoughts about time and relativity lead to a dream in which Mr. Anthony sees a giant hand playing ball with the moon. Will it miss some time? His dead wife tells him that it has already missed. Has he, too, been tossed? Ie] THE OLIVE. A premonitory dream and the power of Pan attract two young people to one another. If] ALEXANDER ALEXANDER. A child's fantasy, turning a component of her uncle into an imaginary playmate of a sort, later results in a ghost experience. [g] THE LITTLE BEGGAR. A man and his unborn son. A moral story. [h] NEPHELE. Through the sandals and jewelry of a Roman dancing girl, a modern girl is possessed by her spirit and dances as no one has for c~nturies. Ii] S.O.S. Switzerland. A little girl who hears an inaudible voice finds a lost traveller. [j] THE OTHER WOMAN. On his deathbed the artist sees a spiritual soulmate whom he has known all his life. Is it death? [k] A MAN OF EARTH., Some persons have a supernatural empathy with the earth. John Erdlieb is one of them. In a trainwreck he had been saved by a gnome and in the Caucasus he saw an outburst of chthonic beings, though others saw just a landslide. [1] THE MAN WHO WAS MILLIGAN. Milligan lives in a room that has a Chinese picture on the wall. It shows a man in a boat. The boat comes nearer and nearer, and Milligan is spirited away to China. A friend looks at the picture and sees Milligan in the boat. [m] PETERSHIN AND MR. SNIDE. Two men share anxieties that they will be trapped by their feet on a railroad track when a train is approaching. It works out. Borderline supernatural. In] THE WORLD-DREAM OF MR. McCALLISTER. Questionable as fantasy. A repetitive dream before crisis points in his life. It states that everything 1& all right. * Two other stories, PICKING FIR-CONES and THE FALLING GLASS are not fantastic enough to be described. * An uneven collection. [b], [d], [k] are excellent. 193. STRANGE STORIES Heinemann; London 1929 Short stories, all described elsewhere, including, [a] THE MAN WHOM THE TREES LOVED. [b] THE SEA FIT. [c] THE GLAMOUR OF THE SNOW. [d] THE TRYST. Ie] TRANSITION. If] THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM. [g] THE WINGS OF HORUS. [h] BY WATER. Ii] MALAHIDE AND FORDEN. [j] ALEXANDER ALEXANDER. [k] THE MAN WHO WAS MILLIGAN. [1] THE LITTLE BEGGAR. [m] THE PIKESTAFFE CASE. In] ACCESSORY BEFORE THE FACT. [0] THE DEFERRED APPOINTMENT. [p] ANCIENT LIGHTS. [q] YOU MAY TELEPHONE FROM HERE. [r] THE GOBLIN'S COLLECTION. Is] RUNNING WOLF. It] THE VALLEY OF THE BEASTS. [u] THE DECOY. [v] A DESCENT INTO EGYPT. [w] THE DAMNED. [x] THE WILLOWS. [y] ANCIENT SORCERIES. * One of the more easily met early collections.

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BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON 194. DUDLEY AND GILDEROY A NONSENSE Ernest Benn; London 1929 An ironic fantasy of a cat (Gilderoy) and a parrot (Dudley)-- staunch friends despite occasional hungers on Gilderoy's part. They decide to see the world. They escape to London and after adventures in which each shines are recaptured and taken back to Kent. There Dudley, in a pathetic ending, achieves the great destiny which has long been approaching. * The animals are nicely anthropomorphized and there are excellent Cockney characterizations. A moving story, although the tragic ending is disconcerting. Probably intended as an allegory, but it can be read on surface level. 195. FULL CIRCLE Elkin Mathews and Marrot; London 1929 Number Eleven of the Woburn Books. 530 copy edition Short story * Jordan, a British stockbroker, sees a little boy at various times in his life. Sometimes they are crisis points; at other times they are only moments of enhanced feeling. At first he thinks that the boy is only a boy, but as he grows older, he realizes that the boy is himself, both as a past presence and as a future goal. It is, in a sense, the "idea" of himself. When he lies dying, his life has returned full circle to his childhood and he dances off to the stars with the boy. 196. THE FRUIT STONERS Grayson and Grayson; London {1934] A child's flight of fantasy, linked to larger adult questions of existential concern, such as the meaning of life, perception of reality, fear. * Maria, a small girl, lives in a large Tudor house with her widowed father. A wing of the house, the Big House, is sealed off for reasons of economy, and, as might be expected, it is a place of mystery to Maria. One evening, when Maria has been sent to fetch her father's slippers, she passes the door to the Big House and ventures in. She finds herself in a perplexing, anxiety-ridden, sometimes horrible Other World. She must find the Pearl of Great Price-- but she does not know what it is nor where it is to be found. As she wanders about in bewilderment, speculating, she is beset by warnings about the Man Who Wound the Clocks, or Time, who flits through. If she does not fulfill her task before Time finishes striking, she will be lost. With her are the Fruit Stoners, beings emergent from the prune pits that she had been playing with. In some ways archetypal beings' of power, sometimes limited, sometime selfish, sometimes self-sacrificing, they help her on her quest. She becomes entangled with them erotically in fragments of adult anticipation; she takes advice from one of them (Wisdom, the apothecary); and, at the very last moment she finds the Pearl of Great Price and survives. It is her father's slippers: * A strange and brilliant book that has never received the attention it deserves, partly because it strikes eternals through a child, yet is not a child's book. 197. SHOCKS Grayson and Grayson; London 1935 Short stories, including [a] ELSEWHERE AND OTHERWISE. A nouvelle. States of being apart from

BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON our normal existence, multiple times and sp~ces into which certain persons can pass at certain times. Mainwaring disappears in one such higher space for four years, returns, but must repay his time debt. He ages twenty-five years in a moment. Overdeveloped. [b] THE STRANGER. Romance and death personified. [c] FULL CIRCLE. Described in 195. Cd] DR. FELDMAN. A haunted house, whose ghost (a murderer and suicide) compels others to suicide. The narrator mistakes the ghost for his friend Feldman and spends the night with him-- and barely escapes. [e] A THREEFOLD CORD". • • Malcolm meets a strange woman at an Hat home." He is attracted to her, and she to him. He soon discovers that she is trying to drive him to suicide. She is helped by the ghosts of his father and grandfather. She, too, had been a suicide. if] CHEMICAL. Described elsewhere. [g] THE SURVIVORS. Afterdeath experiences; presence in the land of the living. [h] THE ADVENTURE OF TORNADO SMITH. Smith, a dreamer at heart, is escorted to Fairyland for a short time by Chance and L"uck. When he reaches the heart of the land, the most familiar place of all, he finds himself back in his office. [i] THE LAND OF GREEN GINGER. A dream-like story of alternating personalities, mirror-"like exchanges of identity, all caused by an ancient Chinese mirror. Also recapitulation in time. [j] THE COLONEL'S RING. At the colonel's New Year's Eve party, a ghost, revealing a suicide. [k] REVENGE. Alps. An embezzling trustee pushes his nephew over a cliff in order to conceal his embezzlement. But he becomes lost in the mountains and is guided to civilization by the ghost of his victim. [1] THE MAN WHO LIVED BACKWARDS. Professor Zeitt is a master of relativity and space-time. By exerting the proper mental set he enters the past to change the present. Borderline science-fiction. em] ADVENTURES OF MISS DE FONTENOY. De Fontenoy is really a young man who has strange psychic experiences. They culminate in an episode in which witches, in cat form, try to sacrifice him. It is a recapitulation of something that happened in the past. * [e], [f], [i] are best. Blackwood seems to have been obsessed with suicide at this time. 198. THE TALES OF ALGERNON BLACKWOOD Martin Secker; London 1938 This seems to be Blackwood's own selection of his best work. * Including [a] A CASE OF EAVESDROPPING. [b] THE EMPTY HOUSE. [c] THE WILLOWS. Ld] WITH INTENT TO STEAL. eel KEEPING HIS PROMISE. [f] THE WOOD OF THE DEAD. [g] A SUSPICIOUS GIFT. [h] THE LISTENER. [i] THE WENDIGO. U] THE INSANITY OF JONES. [k] THE DANCE OF DEATH. [1] MAY DAY EVE. [m] THE WOMAN'S GHOST STORY. [n] A PSYCHICAL INVASION. [0] ANCIENT SORCERIES. [p] THE NEMESIS OF FIRE. [q] SECRET WORSHIP. [r] THE CAMP OF THE DOG. [s] THE MAN FROM THE "GODS." All are described elsewhere. There is also an excellent autobiographi• cal introduction by Blackwood. 199. THE DOLL AND ONE OTHER Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1946 Two short stories, among Blackwood's last work. [a] THE DOLL. Anglo-Indian revenge. The Polish

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BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON AND WILSON, WILFRED governess for Colonel Masters's daughter sees the horrible actions of the living doll. The doll, it seems had been dropped off at the colonel's establishment by a dark man. The colonel, knowing what it signified, ordered it destroyed. But the cook gave it to the'little girl. The governess tries to protect the girl and the colonel, but ancient evil must be paid for. [b] THE TROD. In rural Essex the whole countryside seems haunted, and doors have crosses carved into them. Especially feared is the Trod, a pathway through the marshes. Along it, at the equinox the Gay People (fairies) progress and attempt to persuade such humans as they meet to join them. The result is eternal life, but loss of soul. Norman, a visitor, tries"to protect Diana, the daughter of the house, from the fairy attraction, but manages to save only her body. * [b] has moments of the old Blackwood. 200. BEST GHOST STORIES OF ALGERNON BLACKWOOD Dover Publications; New York [1973] paperbound Edited with introduction by E.F. Bleiler. * Short stories, including, described elsewhere [a] THE WILLOWS. [b] SECRET WORSHIP. [c] ANCIENT SORCERIES. Cd] THE GLAMOUR OF THE SNOW. eel THE WENDIGO. If] THE OTHER WING. [g] THE TRANSFER. [h] ANCIENT LIGHTS. [i] THE LISTENER. [j] THE EMPTY HOUSE. [k] ACCESSORY BEFORE THE FACT. [1] KEEPING HIS PROMISE. * Also included, not fantastic, is the fine crime story "Max Hensig," based on Blackwood's experiences as a newspaper reporter covering the Carlyle Harris case in New York. Blackwood's introduction from 198 is also present. WITH WILSON, WILFRID According to Blackwood, Wilson, who was the Swede in THE WILLOWS, sometimes suggested story ideas to Blackwood. Nothing else is known of him. 201 THE WOLVES OF GOD AND OTHER FEY TALES Cassell; London 1921 Short stories, including [a] THE WOLVES OF GOD. Jim Peace returns to the Orkneys to retire, after long service in Canada. But he is a haunted man. He is pursued by the Wolves of God, an Indian version of the Furies. During the storm the Wolves come, and Peace's body is found, torn. He had killed a man. Ib] CHINESE MAGIC. More complex internally than is Blackwood's wont~ Dr. Francis is acquainted with Farque, who, in the Orient, has smelled a powder that has supernatural properties. It gives seven years of happiness. And then? Psychopathology, strange mental states, and perhaps doom. Ic] RUNNING WOLF. The camper at Medicine Lake sees the wolf, which neither fears man nor attacks him. It is the spirit of an Indian who broke a totemic rule and was buried as an outcast. Cd] FIRST HATE. The supernatural counterpart of love at first sight is hate at first sight. [e] THE TARN OF SACRIFICE. Megaliths and a linkage of past to present. In Roman Britain the natives had killed a Roman priest and his daughter. Implications of reincarnation and certainly madness, as the ancient situation is almost repeated. [f] THE VALLEY

BLACKWOOD, ALGERNON AND WILSON, WILFRED OF THE BEASTS. Based on an Indian belief in a hidden valley in which all the animals live in harmony, protected by the god Ishtot. Grimwood violates the valley, but learns a lesson that saves his soul. [g] THE CALL. At a house party, Headley suspects an intrigue, but instead has seen the ghost of his best friend and the woman the friend loved. [h] EGYPTIAN SORCERY. Romance mixed with worry about stock shares. A psychic visit to Egypt, where the protagonist's vitality saves the life of a dying woman and awakens love. [i] THE DECOY. A moral situation explored in terms of supernaturalism. Burley, his wife, and her lover agree to spend a night in a haunted house. The essence of the haunting is that the ghost takes the form of the person about to die. Nicely handled. [j] THE MAN WHO FOUND OUT (A NIGHTMARE). Professor Ebor, great scientist and mystic, has a repeated dream about the Tablets of the Gods, which describe the penultimates of existence. He finds them in Mesopotamia, deciphers them, and is a broken man, for the message is too horrible to be endured. His assistant can survive only by having the memory erased by hypnosis. [k] THE EMPTY SLEEVE. The Gilmers own rare violins which they sometimes permit Hyman to play. Hyman invades the premises in the form of a cat-like being. The desire-body of the soul can assume animal form; if it is injured~ the body is similarly injured. [1] WIRELESS CONFUSION. Curious optical phenomena, things growing large or small. They are connected with a brother in the Turkish arena in World War I; captivity and binoculars. [m] THE LANE THAT RAN EAST AND WEST. The land is both life and a lane. A prophetic vision, dreams, redemption, and much sentiment. [n] "VENGEANCE IS MINE." France, World War I; a Red Cross man is caught up in a semisupernatural plan to sacrifice a German POW in revenge for Louvain. He rejects the situation and receives supernatural approval. * An additional story, "Confession," is a crime story, but with atmospheric treatment of mental confusion, feelings of disruption of reality in the London fog. * Best stories are [b], [i], [n]. In this British edition [n] is attributed to Blackwood alone; in the American edition, all stories are accredited to both men. BLAISDELL, ELINORE (1904 - ? American author, editor, anthologist. AS EDITOR: 202. TALES OF THE UNDEAD VAMPIRES AND VISITANTS Crowell; New York 1947 A theme anthology as the title indicates. * Including [a] CARMILLA, J. S. LeFanu. [b] THE METRONOME, August Derleth. [c] THE FEAST IN THE ABBEY, Robert Bloch. [d] AMOUR DURE, Vernon Lee. [e] THE ADVENTURE OF THE GERMAN STUDENT, Washington Irving. [f] THE TOMB, H. P. Lovecraft. [g] CLARIMOND, Theophile Gautier. [h] FOR THE BLOOD IS THE LIFE, F. Marion Crawford. [i] THE STORY OF MING-Y, Lafcadio Hearn. [j] SATAN'S CIRCUS, Eleanor Smith. [k] COUNT MAGNUS, M. R. James. [1] "AND HE SHALL SING . • . " H. R. Wakefield. [m] THE ROOM IN

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BLAVATSKY, H. P. THE TOWER, E. F. Benson. [n] THE SECOND NIGHT OUT, Frank Belknap Long. [0] CLAY-SHUTTERED DOORS, Helen R. Hull. [p] SCHOOL FOR THE UNSPEAKABLE, Manly Wade Wellman. [q] MISS MARY PASK, Edith Wharton. * Also, [r] BROTHER LUCIFER, Chandler W. Whipple. (WT 1936). Druten, reading ancient abbey records, sees references to Brother Lucifer. But the references stop abruptly. Laughingly, he calls on Brother Lucifer, who appears. Possession is the result. [s] UNCANONIZED, Seabury Quinn. (WT 1939). Medieval Germany. Count Otho breaks faith and tries to take Gertruda, young Wolfgang's bride, by droit de seigneur. But she leaps to her death rather than submit. A werewolr thereupon harasses the countryside and kills Otho in the same way that Gertruda had died. Later Gertruda reveals herself to Wolfgang as the werewolf. He is willing to join her in animal form, but a kindly, wise old friar destroys them both. [t] SEPTIMA, Marcel Schwob. Magic and death in Africa. Witchcraft. [u] DOOM OF THE HOUSE OF DURYEA, Earl Peirce (WT 1936). A family curse, vampirism. [v] THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, Vincent Starrett. [WT 1932). Borderline supernaturalism. Irony on life and love in Paris, with suspended animation. * Also present is "The Seed from the Sepulchre" by C. A. Smith, which is really science-fiction. BLAVATSKY, H[ELENA] P[ETROVNA] (nee Hahn) (1831-1891) Russian-born adventuress, occultist, founder of the Theosophical Society. Resident in New York, London, and at end of life, Adyar, India. Operated for a time as a Spiritualist medium, then, renouncing Spiritualism, founded the Theosophical Society, much the most important 19th century occult organization. Author of several tomes of pseudoscience and occultism (ISIS UNVEILED, 1877; THE SECRET DOCTRINE, 1878), which she claimed were dictated telepathically by Masters (Mahatmas) resident in the Himalayas. Skilled at falsifying supernatural phenomena, but discredited after expose by Society for Psychical Research. Very important as a cultural influence and in the history of occultism, but negligible as a writer of fiction. 203. NIGHTMARE TALES Theosophical Publishing Society; London 1892 Fiction gathered posthumously from various sources. * [a] A BEWITCHED LIFE. A German Swiss businessman living in Japan in the 1880's becomes friendly with a Buddhist priest, and through the priest gains entry to various secret circles of Japanese religion, where supernatural phenomena are produced. Unfortunately he is both a sceptic and a very offensive person, and he loses no chance to mock what he sees. When he becomes obsessed with worry about his sister, he consults a Taoist, who shows him a vision. But he rashly refuses to allow the Taoist to restore his psychic self defenses. As a result, he is subject to horrible visions, caused by elementals, and must suffer until his next incarnation. [b]

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THE CAVE OF THE ECHOES. A shaman from Central Asia solves a murder mystery by evoking the ghost of the murdered man. Also reincarnation. [c) THE LUMINOUS SHIELD. Folkloristic magic by dervishes in Constantinople. Revelatory visions. [d) FROM THE POLAR LANDS. An old Russian, gifted with paranormal sympathy with the Arctic. [e) THE EN SOULED VIOLIN. Franz Stenio, violinist, wishes to excel Paganini, and learns that he must string his violin with human gut, obtained by willing self-sacrifice. His teacher commits suicide to provide the strings, and Franz, in public competition, seems fair to beat Paganini. But the personality of the old teacher, pulling in and out '6f the strings, destroys Franz. * These stor~es share little with Madame B1avatsky's pseudoscientific works, but belong in the general Victorian tradition of the ghost story. As fiction they are unremarkable. BLAYRE, CHRISTOPHER (pseud. of Allen, Edward Heron, also known as Heron-Allen, Edward) (1861-1943) A versatile and prolific English sCientist, author, whose works fill several pages in the Catalogue of the British Museum. Known for biological works, instructions on organology, popular fiction. It has been speculated that Allen also wrote under the pseudonyms Dryasdust and M. Y. Ha1idom, but no evidence has ever been offered for this, and it seems very unlikely. 204. THE STRANGE PAPERS OF DR. BLAYRE Philip Allan; London 1932 These are purportedly manuscripts deposited by professors in an imaginary library. Short stories, including [a) THE PURPLE SAPPHIRE. It is unlucky. The museum that holds it is struck by lightning. The char sees a naked Black around it. And the stone can be neutralized only by dropping it into a river at high tide. [b) THE HOUSE ON THE WAY TO HELL. The university librarian, on his death, is made curator (in Hell) of the library of unfinished books, works of art, and scientific projects. [c) MANO PANTEA. Italy. Supernatural protection from a charm in the shape of a hand. [d) THE THING THAT SMELT. A fraudulent medium, a haunted "cat-house," and a cat-like monster. [e) THE MAN. WHO KILLED THE JEW. A quack doctor so incompetent that he killed the Wandering Jew. [f) THE DEMON. A woman who is dying of cancer 'is helped by a quack. Her life is being prolonged by a demon. [g] THE BOOK. A library of black magic books bound as religious books is haunted by the ghost of a monk. * Rather slight, unremarkable stories, better in idea than execution. * According to Tuck the present volume is an enlarged reissue of THE PURPLE SAPPHIRE AND OTHER POSTHUMOUS PAPERS (Philip Allan, London 1921), which has not been available to me. It is said to contain [a), ~ [d), [f], and [g], as well as certain of the non-supernatural stories in this volume.

*

BLEILER, EVERETT F[RANKLIN) AS EDITOR:

(1920-

BLOCH, ROBERT 205. THREE GOTHIC NOVELS Dover Publications, Inc.; New York 1966 Containing, described elsewhere, [a) THE CASTLE OF OTRANTO, Horace Walpole. Text of the second edition, with the later introduction by Sir Walter Scott. [b] VATHEK, William Beckford, together with the appendix notes. [c) THE VAMPYRE, John Polidori. Full text, including the EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO THE EDITOR, and INTRODUCTION. [d] FRAGMENT OF A NOVEL, Lord George Gordon Byron. * Introductions by the editor. 206. FIVE VICTORIAN GHOST NOVELS Dover Publications, Inc.; New York 1971 Introduction by the editor. Described e1sewher e, [a) THE UNINHABITED HOUSE, Mr s. J. H. Riddell. [b) THE AMBER WITCH, Wilhelm Meinhold. Lady Duff Gordon's translation. [c] MONSIEUR MAURICE, Amelia B. Edwards. [d) A, PHANTOM LOVER, Vernon Lee. [e) THE GHOST OF GUIR HOUSE, Charles Willing Beale. 207. THREE SUPERNATURAL NOVELS OF THE VICTORIAN PERIOD Dover Publications, Inc.; New York 1975 Introduction by the editor. Described elsewhere, [a) THE HAUNTED HOTEL, Wilkie Collins. [b) THE LOST STRADIVARIUS, J. Meade Falkner. [c] THE HAUNTED HOUSE AT LATCHFORD, Mrs. H. Riddell. Alternate title for FAIRY WATER. BLOCH, ROBERT (1917 ) Noted American author of horror and crime stories; a member of the Lovecraft circle. Born in Chicago; long resident in Milwaukee, then removed to California, where he has written many film and TV scripts. Celebrity came with Alfred Hitchcock's motion picture PSYCHO, based on Bloch's novel of the same name. Earliest work was derivative from Lovecraft.' s or was rather crude humor; later work tends to be Clever, polished fiction which stresses wordplay and surprise endings, with a personal, brash black humor that is very effective. 208. SEA KISSED Utopian Publications; London [1945] paperbound Collection. [a) LADY IN WAX. Alternate title for WAXWORKS. (WT 1939). France. In the wax museum is a remarkable image of Salome, who holds a head on a salver. The image exerts a supernatural attraction for males, who willingly leave their heads behind with her. The narrator discovers that the figure conceals the skeleton of a witch. [b) BEETLES. (WT 1938). Hartley, an Egyptian excavator, has Come under the curse of the Scarabaeus. It follows him in the form of hordes of scarab beetles and causes his death. Insect powders do not work. [c) THE TOTEM-POLE. (WT 1938). Told by a museum attendant. The totem-pole given to the museum by Bailey is from the Shoshoonack tribe. It has human heads atop one another-- Indians and a white man murdered by Bailey. It takes its revenge. [d) SEA KISSED. Alternate title for THE BLACK KISS.' (WT 1937). Collaboration with Henry Kuttner. Near San. Pedro, California. Dean has been having dreams of sea horrors. Responsible is a sea monstrosity which had possessed the body of Morella Godo1fo, an

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ancestress of Dean's. Morella now plans to occupy his body. If she kisses him twice, he is lost. After the second kiss he finds himself in the body of a sea being, while his own body is about to return to the world. * Elsewhere [d) is attributed to Bloch alone. Bloch revised a story by Kuttner, who considered the result primarily's Bloch's story. * Reissued in Dublin with an additional story, [e) GOPER'S HEAD, Benson Herbert. This edition has not been seen. 209. THE OPENER OF THE WAY Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1945 Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a) THE CLOAK. [bJ BEETLES. [cJ THE MANNIKIN. [d) WAXWORKS. * Also [e) THE OPENER OF THE WAY. (WT 1936) The entrance to the unviolated Egyptian tomb, filled with the hidden secrets of the most powerful ancient magic, is guarded by a statue of Anubis. A human consciousness must animate the statue. [f) THE FIDDLER'S FEE. (WT 1940) Italy. Nicolo meets the great Paganini and learns the price for becoming a supernal musician; a pact with the Devil. Complications when his rival Carlo also approaches the Devil. Music that evokes love or madness. [g) THE SEAL OF THE SATYR. (STRANGE STORIES 1939) When Talquist disturbs the altar sacred to the Greek divinities, he barely escapes being sacrificed. He sees the woodland deities, including an amorous nymph] and gets a shock when he sees himself. [h) THE DARK DEMON. (WT 1936). Gordon, a figuration of H. P. Lovecraft, has persistent dreams about the Dark One that will come and take over his body. But in the meanwhile he turns his dreams into saleable stories. The Dark One, Nyarlathotep, comes, and Gordon is transformed. In the Cthulhu CycJe. [i) YOURS TRULY, JACK THE RIPPER. (WT 1943) Very often anthologized in crime collections, also dramatized, this is a type story about Jack. Modern Chicago. Jack the Ripper, the investigator postulates, is an immortal monster who prolongs his life by human sacrifice to the Devil. He is right. [j) THE FACELESS GOD. (WT 1936). Egypt. The murderous doctor hears of a strange statue in the desert and excavates it. But it is Nyarlathotep, who is even more ruthless than the doctor, and is ~ot quite a statue. Cthulhu Cycle. [k) THE HOUSE OF THE HATCHET. (WT 1941). 1941) The bickering, unhappily married couple stop to see the House of Terror, a tourist attraction based on the late Ivan Kluva's murder of his wife. The haunting is revealed to be a commercial fake, but when the narrator murders his wife, he sets off a real haunting. (1) RETURN TO THE SABBATH. (WT 1938). The actor Karl Jorla does a remarkable performance in horror films. Much of his authenticity comes from membership in horrible cults. His best performance before the camera, however, comes after he has been murdered for revealing secrets. 1m) THE MANDARIN'S CANARIES. (WT 1938) China. More a conte cruel than fantastic, but with a small element of supernaturalism when souls assume bird form. The Mandarin Quong, who attained his position by murdering his father, the previous mandarin, is a specialist in various ingenious tortures. He has a flock

BLOCH, ROBERT of canaries that eat his victims. A juvenile work, forgivable for its ignorance of the Orient. [n) THE FEAST IN THE ABBEY. (WT 1934). A juvenile work. Medieval France •. The weary traveller stops at the strange, evil, epicurean abbey, where he partakes of a feast. The monks are evil ghosts who put on a supernatural show to attract victims. This enables them to prolong their 1 ives. Cannibal ism. [0] SLAVE OF THE FLAMES. (WT 1938). Chicago. 1871. The protagonist,.a half-witted pyromaniac, meets an immortal pair who go through the centuries setting fires: Nero and a Yezidee-Zoroastrian. The evil pair prolong their lives by sacrifice of cities to Melek Taos. The half-wit, who is the reincarnation of an old associate, spoils things. [p) THE SHAMBLER FROM THE STARS. (WT 1935). A.juvenile work in imitation of Lovecraft's. Cthulhu Cycle. The narrator and his companion from Providence (H. P. Lovecraft), using nasty books, evoke a.monstrosity that drains HPL and will return for the narrator. [q] MOTHER OF SERPENTS. (WT 1936) Haiti. Premodern times. Voodoo •. The dictator, son of a witch, quarrels with his mother. The fight is first magical, but the dictator captures her and makes a corpse-candle out of her body fat. The candle strangles him. [r] THE SECRET OF SEBEK. (WT 1937). The narrator, in New Orleans.on.Mardi G+as, meets an occult scholar who has a mummy of a priest of Sebek. The problem is that Sebek protects his priests. Sebek attends in what seems at first to be a costume. [s) THE EYES OF THE MUMMY. (WT 1938) Sequel to . the preceding. The narrator, who has not learned his lesson, persists in meddling with the cult of Sebek. After experiences in Egypt, he loses his body to a spirit from a mummy. The transfer takes place through gems that serve as the mummy's eyes. It] ONE WAY TO MARS. (WT 1945). A broken-down, drunken jazz musician murders his agent and is taken on a ghostly one-way trip to Mars. Perhaps DT's. * An additional story, "The Strange Flight of Richard Clayton," is science-fiction. * Best new stories are [i) and [oj. 210. PLEASANT DREAMS Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1960 Short stories, including Ia) SWEETS TO THE SWEET. (WT 1947). Little Irma Steever, daughter of John, is an abused child. She takes her revenge with doll magic, and a peculiar sort of doll. Ib] THE DREAM MAKERS. Described elsewhere. Ic] I KISS YOUR SHADOW. (MFSF 1956) Joe Elliott tells the narrator, "1 saw your sister last night." But she has been dead for a while. A succubus situation, with a gruesome ending. Id) THE PROPER SPIRIT. (MFSF 1957) Old Ronald Cavendish is not as dotty as his legacy-hungry relatives think, even though he confesses to having conversed with or made love to most of the world's great men and women of the past. He counters accusations and threats with the help of a spirit from Renaissance Italy. [e) THE CHEATERS. (WT 1947). The fate of four persons who wear the glasses made by a dead magician. They permit one to read thoughts and see true natures. The last person, a sui-

BLOCH, ROBERT cide, has looked in the mirror with them on. If] HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY. (FANTASTIC 1958). Solly Vincent, semiretired racketeer, develops a passion for the new neighbor, Helene Esterhazy, both for her physical attractions and for the golden coins with which she bathes and on which she sleeps. Vampire. [g] THE LIGHTHOUSE. (FANTASTIC 1953) A fragment of a story by Edgar Allan Poe, finished by Bloch. Revenants, sea horror and magic, and probably madness. Unremarkable. [h] THE HUNGRY HOUSE. (IMAGINATION 1951). When they take over the old Bellman house, there are no mirrors, except for a locked room filled with them. Then they notice horrible faces staring at them from the mirrors, and more and more powerful manifestations. Ii] SLEEPING BEAUTY. (SWANK 1958). Alternate title, THE SLEEPING REDHEADS. Morgan, disillusioned by modern'New Orleans, is delighted when he meets the little old man who tells him that he maintains a fabulous whore in the luxurious style of the '90's. Morgan enjoys her, but later 4iscovers that he has been rolled. On returning with the police, he finds the bare bones of romance. An old theme, but nicely redirected. [j] SWEET SIXTEEN. (FANTASTIC 1958) Alternate title, SPAWN OF THE DARK ONE. Young motorcycle punks take over the town. A local inhabitant reacts with hostility, but a tolerant anthropologist explains the phenomenon as of demonic origin. Both are caught up in a renewed Black Sabbath. [k] MR. STEINWAY. (FANTASTIC 1954). Leo Winston, concert pianist who studies Solar Science (an occult system) discovers that his Steinway has developed a life and personality of its own. It is very jealous of his girl friend, who tells the story. [1] ENOCH. Described elsewhere. [m] THAT HELLBOUND TRAIN (MFSF 1958) Martin, a train enthusiast whose father was a railroad man, is now little better than a bum. The Devil offers him a bargain: his soul (in terms of a ride on the Hell-Bound Train) in exchange for a watch that Martin can use to stop time whenever he thinks that he is living in complete satisfaction. Martin straightens out his life, but never uses the watch. His final chance comes when he is on the train, with the Devil as conductor. In] CATNIP. (WT 1948) When a teen-aged hoodlum is responsible for the death of an elderly witch, the witch's familiar, a black cat, exacts vengeance. * The fifteenth story, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," is not supernatural. * The Jove paperback of the same title lacks [k], [1], and [m], but adds [0] THE MANDARIN'S CANARIES. [p] RETURN TO THE SABBATH, [q] ONE WAY TO MARS, all three described elsewhere. * Best stories are [a], Ie], Ii], [j], and [m]. 211. BLOOD RUNS COLD Simon and Schuster; New York 1961 Short stories, mostly crime stories, but including [a] DIG THAT CRAZY GRAVE~ (EQMM 1957) " Professor Talmadge is enthusiastic when he learns that JoJo Jones, veteran jazz musician from the 1920's, is going to perform at the Mirror Club. Together with his girl friend Dorothy he attends the concern, to find the musicians, despite their calendar years, strangely

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BLOCH, ROBERT youthful. At first Dorothy is repelled by the men and their music, then suddenly yields, ahandons her obviously cold and pointless relationship with Talmadge, and goes to the drummer, Jones. Talmadge finds her dead. His theory is that the musicians are magicians of some sort, perhaps vampires, who derive spiritual energy from others. The story is ambivalent. The title is probably from a comic book. [b] ALL ON A GOLDEN AFTERNOON. (MFSF 1956). Eve Eden, petulant, stupid, selfish superstar is on the edge of a breakdown. She comes under the care of Professor Laroc, who may be an utter charlatan, as Dr. Prager, the official Hollywood shrink claims, or Laroc may have something to do with Lewis Carroll. For high fees he enables stars to enter the dream worlds of various authors. Eve has entered (psychologically) that of Alice. For a higher fee Laroc can enable a patient to enter the dream world permanently. To prove that Laroc is a charlatan, Prager drinks a bottle labelled "Drink Me," and is turned into a white rabbit while Eve and Laroc enter Alice's world. Nicely told via Prager. [c] THE PIN. (AMAZING 1953-4) Barton Stone, artist, is looking for a studio_10ft. In his building he sees an office piled with directories, in which a small man pricks names with a pin: It is Death; or, rather, the pin is death, for Stone must take over the role. * Stories in Bloch's best mature vein-- deft, intelligently sensational, sardonic. 212. NIGHTMARES Belmont Books; New York 1961 paperbound A selection from the rare PLEASANT DREAMS. Including, described elsewhere, [a] SWEET SIXTEEN. [b] I KISS YOUR SHADOW. [c] MR. STEINWAY. [d] THE PROPER SPIRIT. Ie] CATNIP. If] HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY. [gJ THE LIGHT-HOUSE. [h1 THE HUNGRY HOUSE. [i1 SLEEPING BEAUTY. 213., ATOMS AND EVIL Gold Medal Books, Fawcett Publications; Greenwich, Conn 1962 A mixed collection, including [a] TRY THIS FOR PSIS. (MFSF 1956). Humor. Psychical research. Professor We1k is rigorously against it; Professor Seine is all for'it. Frank is the number one phenomenon, with a host of paranormal abilities, but he is in love with We1k's daughter and cannot afford to alienate We1k. Borderline science-fiction. [b] TALENT. (IF 1960). Andrew Benson, orphan found on someone's doorstep, is a colorless personality, remarkable, however, at mimicking and taking on the characteristics of others. But when he sees his first science-fiction horror film, his true nature is revealed. That was the night when Los Angeles was destroyed. [c1 YOU COULD BE WRONG. (AMAZING 1955). Harry Jessup suddenly realizes that everything around him is false, from advertising up to human relations. Could it be that flying saucers from space destroyed the United States, while he was abroad in the services, and that everything he sees is a false front? * [b] is best. 214. MORE NIGHTMARES Belmont Books; New York [19621 paperbound Stories from the rare collections THE OPENER OF

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THE WAY and PLEASANT DREAMS. * Described elsewhere, [a] THAT HELL-BOUND TRAIN. [b] THE FEAST IN THE ABBEY. [c] SLAVES OF THE FLAMES. [d] ONE WAY TO MARS. [e ] THE CHEATERS. [ f ] THE FIDDLER'S FEE. [g] MOTHER OF SERPENTS. [h] WAXWORKS. [i] THE SEAL OF THE SATYR. [j] THE DARK DEMON. 215. YOURS TRULY, JACK THE RIPPER Belmont Books; New York [1962] paperbound Short stories, described elsewhere, [a] THE DREAM MAKERS. [b] SWEETS TO THE SWEET. [c] YOURS TRULY, JACK THE RIPPER. [d] THE EYE OF THE MUMMY. Ie] THE MANNIKIN. [f] THE HOUSE OF THE HATCHET. [g] THE CLOAK. [h] THE FACELESS GOD. Ii] BEETLES. 216. BOGEY MEN TEN TALES Pyramid Books; New York 1963 paperbound A biographical article, "Psycho"-Logica1 Bloch, by Sam Moskowitz. * Including [a] A MATTER OF LIFE. (KEYHOLE MYSTERY 1960) Borderline fan~ tasy. A little man sells tbe ultimate poison to dissatisfied people, and then the antidote. [b] THE MODEL WIFE. (SWANK 1961) Haiti. Josef has a remedy for a runaway wife. He knows voodoo and is a sculptor. [c] BROOMSTICK RIDE. (SUPERSCIENCE 1957). Borderline science~fic­ tion. On the planet Pyris, science is not developed, but the natives are quite good at witchcraft. The earthmen think that the magic is only a degenerate science kept hidden by the rulers in order 'to control the people. Until a wax model of their space ship is put into operation. [d] THE SKULL OF THE MARQUIS DE SADE. (WT 1945). It has a peculiar appearance. It does not grin, like other skulls. But it has a life of sorts, and after it chews up its victims, it has been known to grin. Ie] THE THINKING CAP. (OTHER WORLDS 1953). Barnaby Codd, uncreative, unsuccessful wrLter, meets a beautiful girl at a party. She gives him a special helmet which she assures him will produce creativity. The helmet works, but he does not have the wit or strength to accept the situation. She is a version of Circe, and her reward is sharing creativity. Codd's end is fit only for a dog. If] THE SHOES. (UNK 1942) The diabolic bond. The little man hQ1ds out for only one thing: he cannot die by disease, accident, murder, and so on as long as he is associated with his talisman, his shoes. [g] THE MAN WHO COLLECTED POE. Described elsewhere. [h] THE GHOST WRITER. (WT 1940) Luther Hawkins, talented author, had helped Steven Ayres, but they quarreled. When Hawkins dies of a heart attack, he leaves Ayres his typewriter. At first Ayres is pleased, since the typewriter writes fine material in the manner of Hawkins. But the typewriter has a life of its own, the soul of Hawkins. 217. THE SKULL OF THE MARQUIS DE SADE Pyramid Books; New York 1965 Short stories, including [a] THE SKULL OF THE MARQUIS DE SADE. Described elsewhere. [b] THE WEIRD TAILOR. (WT 1944) Erik Conrad, unsuccessful, brutal tailor, is approached by a stranger who wants a suit made from a peculiar cloth that he brings with him. The suit must be cut and assembled at certain hours which the stranger

BLOCH, ROBERT indicates. When Conrad delivers the suit, he learns that he has stumbled into magic. The suit, made of the cloth of fate, will animate whatever is wearing it when the stars are right. Conrad's abused wife puts it on the window dummy, with whom she is accustomed to share her troubles. [c] "LIZZIE BORDEN TOOK AN AXE • • • " (WT 1946) When Anita's magician uncle is murdered in peculiar circumstances, Jim immediately thinks of the Borden case. The crimes are somewhat similar, and Jim speculates that something like an incubus might leap into one's mind and force one to commit murder. Anita •• [d] THE DEVIL'S TICKET. (WT 1944) Vane paints portraits_of such skill that the soul is captured in them. A little old man offers Vane a bargain: riches, if Vane pawns his soul for six months. The price of the pawn ticket is a portrait. Vane finds a unique way out of the bargain. Almost. Ie] THE BOGEY MAN WILL GET YOU. (WT 1946) Teen agers. Nancy wonders at Phi1ip,Ames's peculiarities. Is he a vampire? He does show a reflection in a mirror. There is another answer. * A good selection. [b] is quite interesting, with an opulence of imagination that is appealing. 218. THE LIVING DEMONS Belmont Books; New York 1967 paperbound Short stories, including [a] THE INDIAN SPIRIT GUIDE. (WT 1948) Orlando Crown, great ghost buster"attends_two seances. In one, he unmasks the medium, revealing fraud. In the second there is a manifestation, the ghost of the Indian Little HB_tchet. Crown is scalped. [b] "LUCY COMES TO STAY." (WT 1952) Vi is taking the cure for alcoholism when Lucy, her friend, tells her that she will never be released. Her husband is plotting to have her certified. She and Lucy escape. When the husband is found murdered, with Vi's fingerprincs OIl the weapon, Vi knows that Lucy did it. Lucy who is in the mirror. Questionable as supernaturalism. Madness.- [c] THE PLOT IS THE THING. (MFSF 1966) Peggy, who has turned away from reality into the world of the television tube, undergoes a lobotomy. When she recovers, she finds herself in the world of horror motion pictures. She wanders about in fear, since most places have a monster of some sort associated with them. She selects the peaceful Pacific of Jon Hall and Maria Montez. But she forgot about Kong. [d] UNDERGROUND. Alternate title, THE LIVING DEAD. (EQMM 1967) Eric Karon, an actor, plays the part of Count Barsac, a vampire, around Chateau Barsac during World War II. He is collaborating with the Germans, who want secrecy around the establishment. He realizes that he played his part too well when the peasants bring a stake. Not really supernatural. [e] THE BEASTS OF BARSAC. (WT 1944) Barsac, brilliant but perhaps mad scientist, is conducting experiments on transferring parts of his soul to animals. He has succeeded sufficiently to cause bodily changes in the animals concerned. He wants Jerome to assist in the experiments, but Jerome cannot determine where his unpleasant dreams end and reality begins. Nor can the reader. If] PHILTRE TIP. (ROGUE 1961). Mark Thornwa1d lusts

BLOCH, ROBERT for Adrienne, wife of his friend Charles. To gain his desire, he works up a love potion from Ludvig Prinn, which "will transforme ye beloved into a veritable bitche in heate." But Adrienne switches glasses, and Thornwald barks. [g] THE UNSPEAKABLE BETROTHAL. (AVON FANTASY READER 1949) Avis Long, who has a history of somnambulism,becomes entangled in her dreams with beings from Outside-- vaguely attached to the Cthulhu Cycle. They eventually come and take her away bodily. [h] BLACK BARGAIN.(WT 1942) During the Depression the druggist sells Gulther certain poisons and other chemicals. He guesses that Gulther is performing magical experiments. When Gulther evokes a demon and strikes a bargain with the demon, the druggist shares the good fortune for a time. But there is also a hypertrophied shadow. [i] BEAUTY'S BEAST. (WT 1941) Mardu, who operates the wonderful pet shop filled with sacred animals from the Orient, is a priest of Yama. He is using his shop to capture souls, which then are placed into his animals. [j] TELL YOUR FORTUNE. (WT 1950) Big Pete Mosko runs a crooked gambling hall. Working for him is a broken-down physicist and metaphysician named Tarelli, who wants to smuggle his daughter into the United States. Big Pete is unwilling to help Tarelli, who, as inducement, creates a scale that tells true fortunes. It eventually causes many deaths". Tarelli had made a diabolic bond and had incorporated part of his soul in the machine. * Best stories are [d] and lj ].

219. DRAGONS AND NIGHTMARES Mirage Press; Baltimore, Md. 1969 Humorous fantasies, indebted to Thorne Smith and, in the first two, Damon Runyon. * [a] A GOOD KNIGHT'S WORK. (UNK 1941). Butch is a retired hoodlum who has turned chicken farmer. On his way to market (and also to pay his local protection money), he encounters a knight from the Arthurian Round Table, who has been sent into the future to regain a sacred table from a local museum. Butch helps the knight and the knight aids Butch against the gangster who is shaking him down. [b] THE EAGER DRAGON. (WT 1943). Sequel to [a]. As a reward for Butch's help to the knight, Merlin sends Butch a dragon's egg. The egg hatches into a firebreathing dragon, which comes in handy when Butch has trouble with the gangsters. [c] NURSEMAID TO NIGHTMARES. (IMAGINATIVE TALES 1955). A combination of two earlier stories, NURSEMAID TO NIGHTMARES (WT 1942) and BLACK BARTER (WT 1943). The unemployed young man takes a job as general all-around man with a collector of supernatural oddities: a vampire, a werewolf, a dryad, a mermaid, and finally something that brings the collection to an end. Also witchcraft, demons, and a courtroom scene. * [a] and [b] are contrived, but [c], in its original form, was rather amusing, with some nice lines. * The edition cited above has not been seen, and story descriptions have been based on magazine texts. 220. HOUSE OF THE HATCHET Panther Books; St. Albans, Herts.; [1976]

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BLOCH, ROBERT A selection of material from THE OPENER OF THE WAY, with a new introduction by Bloch. * [a] THE HOUSE OF THE HATCHET. [b] RETURN TO THE SABBATH. [cl THE MANDARIN'S CANARIES. [d) WAXWORKS. [e) THE FEAST IN THE ABBEY. [f) SLAVE OF THE FLAMES. [g) THE SHAMBLER FROM THE STARS. [h) MOTHER OF SERPENTS. [i) THE SECRET OF SEBEK. [j) THE EYES OF THE MUMMY. [k) ONE WAY TO MARS. * This book should not be confused with reissues of 215, entitled THE HOUSE OF THE HATCHET. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 221. BLOCH AND BRADBURY TEN MASTERPIECES OF SCIENCE FICTION Tower Books; New York 1969 Despite the subtitle, no science-fiction here. Described elsewhere, [aj MANNIKINS OF HORROR, R. Bloch. Alternate title for THE MANNIKIN. [b) FEVER DREAM, R. Bradbury. [c) THE DEAD MAN, R. Bradbury. [d) A QUESTION OF ETIQUETTE, R. Bloch. [e) THE HANDLER, R. Bradbury. * Also [f) THE WATCHERS, R. Bradbury. (WT 1935). Tinsley has found the source of evil: insects. Since he is wrong, the forces of evil do not kill him. But when he learns the right answer-[g) THE SHADOW FROM THE STEEPLE, R. Bloch. (WT 1950). Sequel to THE HAUNTER OF THE DARK by H. P. Lovecraft. Fiske, a friend of Robert Blake, who died mysteriously, is not satisfied with the official explanation. Investigations lead him to Nyarlothotep; this is bad. Told in the manner of Lovecraft, but with much more skill than Bloch's earlier ventures in the style. [hI THE GRI~ING GHOUL, Robert Bloch. (WT ,1936) An early story in the manner of Lovecraft. Underground horrors and ghouls. [i] THE DRUIDIC DOOM, Robert Bloch. (WT 1936). In the manner of Lovecraft. Sir Charles Havoco, newly rich, buys a manor in an isolated area of Great Britain, On his land is a gigantic altar which he finds offensive to the sight. When outsiders remove it-- the local people will not touch it, except for blood sacrifices a passageway and monstrosities are uncovered. [j] THE MAN WHO CRIED WOLF! Robert Bloch. (WT 1945). The vacationer'~ wife is afraid of a werewolf in the neighborhood; the vacationer is having an affair with it. Its bite is worse than its beck. * [j] is competent commercial work; [g] is probably Bloch's most successful story in the manner of Lovecraft. The other new stories are negligible. BLODGETT, MABEL FULLER (1869-1959) New England writer, best known for children's fairy tales. 222. AT THE QUEEN'S MERCY Lamson, Wolffe; Bost'on and New York 1897 African adventure in the manner of H. Rider Haggard. Among the motifs are a map tattooed on the chest of a dead native priest; a lostrace of bronze-colored men; a beautiful, sensual queen (Queen Lah), who falls in love with the narrator; cults of a giant serpent and the moon; human sacrifice; and occasional supernatural visions and minor incidents. As is typical of the form, everything is destroyed at the end of the book. * Of no interest in it-

BLODGETT .. MABEL FULLER self, but a few years ago this book received some attention as a possible source of ideas for the Tarzan stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs, although the name "Lah" is the only real similarity. BOK, HANNES (1914-1964) Noted American fantasy artist, renowned for cover and interior work on genre magazines and books. A student of Maxfield Parrish's. Art is characterized by quasi-sculptural effects, a personal concept of line fluidity, traditional composition. A fine sense of color. Probably the most skilled technically of the genre artists. Bok was also a published writer, but his fiction, much in the manner of A. Merritt, shows imagination but is undisciplined and technically weak. See also Merritt, A. and Bok, H. 223. THE SORCERER'S SHIP Ballantine Books; New York 1969 paperbound Introduction by Lin Carter. * Fantastic adventure. (UNK 1942). * Gene, an unheroic hero who ventured out too far while swimming at Coney Island beach, awakens on a raft in an other-world. He is picked up by the ship carrying the Princess Siwara of Nanich on a diplomatic mission to the rival empire of Koph. As Gene gradually learns, this new world, which is medieval in material culture, contains only two countries, Nanich and Koph, which are usually at war. Koph is "the more powerful, and Siwara's mission amounts to surrender to the more militant state. Political and erotic complications arise, and the mission is deflected from its route to land on an unknown island, where Gene and Siwara meet a friendly, immortal sea man, who invokes for them the god Orcher. Orcher promises to help them against Koph, and gives them a jewel which they should break to summon him. The war goes against Nanich; the crystal is broken; and Orcher defeats Koph by forming gigantic beings out of the battle corpses and laying the land waste. It would seem that matters have been settled, but Gene thinks that he should turn the land into a democracy. As a result Siwara is out of a job and persona non grata. They return to the island of the sea man. * Not too satisfying. 224. B"EYOND THE GOLDEN STAIR Ballantine Books; New York 1970 paperbound Introduction by Lin Carter. This is a much longer version of a short novel, THE BLUE FLAMINGO, originally published in STARTLING STORIES in 1948. * In the manner of A. Merritt. * In the heart of the Everglades is an unknown building. At the top of a flight of stairs is a roof pool, within which is an invisible staircase reaching up into an other-world. Guarding the pool is a blue flamingo, who warns potential visitors telepathically that they should not climb the stairs unless they have a token. The other-~orld at the top of the stairs has peculiar characteristics: sounds are visible as color formations; gravity operates differently, so that one may be walking up walls; and strangers are changed, within a matter of twenty-four hours, to their true selves-- which may be almost anything. Hibbert, who is in jail because

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he was tricked into signing bad checks, is dragged along on a jail break with a brute (Scarlatti), the brute's gun moll (Carlotta), and a cold killer (Burks). Burks finds a semisalvation in taking the place of the original blue flamingo, which he had shot; Scarlatti and Carlotta are suitably transformed; and Hibbert is improved by the scheduled transformation. But Hibbert must leave the land, and he is now trying to find a token so that he can return. A young woman is waiting for him. Superior to THE SORCERER'S SHIP, but still only routine work.

*

BO'LD, PAUL (pseud. of Bousfield, Edward George Paul) (1880 - ?) British physician, author. Editor of St. Barts Hospital Journal, author of books on medicine and psychoanalysis, social theory. 225. THE TEMPLE OF DREAMS W. J. Ham-Smith; London 1912 Semi-eccentric occult romance. * The narrator, wandering around Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, saves a beautiful young woman from drowning. He learns that she and her father are the last survivors of the ancient rulers of Tiahuanaco and guard immense treasures. Lest he should reveal the secret of their existence, he is initiated into their organization. While under drugs, he dreams the major portion of the book. This is a long sentimental novel of political and social intrigue in an exotic setting. The characters sort themselves out into very good and very bad, but almost everyone dies in volcanic eruptions. The people of the ancient empire of Tiahuanaco are "natural Christians" and have telepathic communication. The narrator, back in the present, wonders about reincarnation. * A curiosity, possibly not meant seriously. BOLITHO, [HENRY] HECTOR (1897-1974) M.R.S.A., M.R.S.L. English author of New Zealand birth. Editor of SHAKESPEARE QUARTERLY. Author of fiction and authorized biographical studies of the British royal family. Most noteworthy work the story "The House in Half Moon Street," which has been dramatized for stage and motion picture. 226. THE HOUSE IN HALF MOON STREET AND OTHER STORIES Cobden-Sanderson; London 1935 Short stories, including [a] THE HOUSE IN HALF MOON STREET. (1933) Early Victorian London. Michael Strange occasionally passes the haunted house on Half Moon Street. On his first arrival in London, on Christmas, he saw lights in the house and witnessed the murder of a beautiful young woman. Some years later he meets a woman whom he recognizes as the murder victim and falls in love w"ith her", But he sees the scene in the haunted house again, and on this occasion recognizes himself as the murderer. He does not know that his future father-inlaw has been pla~ning to buy this very house. as a wedding present. [b] THE ALBATROSS. (1931) An excellent story of theriomorphy. The narrator, concerned with ornithology, becomes acquainted with Captain Angermann, a German sea

BOLITHO, HECTOR captain who has an incredible knowledge of sea birds. After World War I he meets the captain again, on a passenger liner which the captain commands. The captain can assume the form of an albatross. [c] THE BOY WHO WAS MAD. (1930) A half-witted boy is kind to a dying, consumptive girl and is visited by her ghost after she dies. [d] TAUREKE'S EYE. (1924) Taureke is a Maori medical student in Great Britain. He seems to go mad, swallowing a quantity of glass eyes. It is learned that an ancestor of his had swallowed the eyes of an Englishman who had insulted him. In both cases it is rejection of cultural contamination. [e] THE CRYING GRATE. (1935). Somewhat in the manner of M. R. James. The sound of a child's voice is associated with a fire grate. It came from an abbey where diabolism was practiced, with human sacrifice. * The dates are those offered by Bolitho. * An uneven collection. [a] and [b] are excellent, but the other stories, particularly the nonsupernatural ones, are much weaker. BOND, NELSON S[LADE] (1908 ) American publicist, philatelist, fiction writer, rare book dealer. Frequent contributor to periodicals circa World War II. Important work, THE POSTAL STATIONERY OF CANADA (1953). Best known for story "Mr. Mergenthwirker's Lobblies," which was turned into radio series and successful play. Best work is characterized by light touch and irony. 227. MR. MERGENTHWIRKER'S LOBBLIES AND OTHER FANTASTIC TALES Coward-McCann; New York [1946 ] Short stories, including [a] MR. MERGENTHWIRKER'S LOBBLIES. (SCRIBNER'S MAGAZINE 1937) A pair of invisible creatures accompany Mr. Mergenthwirker. He feels badly at being unable to provide for them after his death. [b] THE REMARKABLE TALENT OF EGBERT HAW. A talking horse breaks into the motion pictures. [c] THE MASTER OF COTSWOLD. (WT 1944) He releases an ancient monster from a well and lives long enough to regret his action. [d] THE FOUNTAIN. (UNK 1941) The fountain of youth. [e] UNION IN GEHENNA. (FANTASTIC ADVENTURES 1943) A labor organizer organizes Hell and cuts down punishments. Bad results. [f] THE BOOKSHOP. A place where the books that were never written are stored. * A somewhat uneven collection •. The best story in the book, "Conqueror's Isle," is science-fiction. ~ .THE THIRTY-FIRST OF FEBRUARY Gnome Press; New York [1949] Introductory verse by James Branch Cabell. Short stories, including [a] THE MASK OF MEDUSA. Shaner, kidnapper and murderer, takes temporary refuge in a crime gallery, which has images of notorious murderers. In conversation with the owner he learns that the owner is conducting a one-man vendetta against murderers and that the images are really petrified bodies of the criminals. Shaner does not believe that the owner has Medusa's head. [b] THE RING. Once owned by Judas, it gives its possessor power and success, but it also brings him to a bad end. Muller, an American correspondent in Ber-

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BOND, NELSON lin, picks it up at an auction, but it is stolen from him by an Austrian paperhanger who has been working in his apartment. [c] THE GRIPES OF WRAITH. Told in Runyonese. The ghost, a remarkable embezzler in life, is earthbound until he repays what he stole. The protagonist, a grifter, wants the embezzling trick, and, to get it, pays off the debt-- in Confederate money. [d] THE FIVE LIVES OF ROBERT JORDAN. An uncomical Walter Mitty. A watch bought in a strange shop gives Jordan different lives, but each ends in death: big-time gambler, crooked financier, Don Juan playwright, great surgeon, etc. Fate. [e] "TAKE MY DRUM TO ENGLAND • • • If (UNK 1941) Drake's ship appears as a phantom in World War II. [f] THE MAN WHO WALKED THROUGH GLASS. (ESQUIRE 1938) Guimple, whenever he passes through a mirror, is reversed in speech and appearance. There is a marvelous wonderland to be found beyond the mirror; he enters the telescopic mirror lens at Mount Lick. [g] THE ENCHANTED PENCIL. Wilbert, would-be author, usually types rubbish. But when he uses a certain pencil bought from a sidewalk vendor, he writes great literature, But the pencil is soon worn out. [h] THE SPORTSMAN. Borderline fantasy. Margrave, a cripple, is admitted to the Hunt Club since he enjoys the pleasures of the chase vicariously. When he dies, the narrator hears a spectral hunt-although the interpretation is qualified. [i] SAINT MULLIGAN. (FANTASTIC ADVENTURE 1943) Mulligan, a rather coarse New York cop, saves the life of an angel, who is almost run over by a truck. As a reward, Mulligan asks for a promotion. The angel takes this to mean beatitude and confers on him a halo-- which is embarrassing in itself but also conveys miraculous powers. Mulligan, to his everlasting regret, sell s the halo to a Mr. B. L.· Zebub • * The other stories are science-fiction. Light and deft work. [c] and [i] are best. 229. NIGHTMARES AND DAYDREAMS Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1968 Short stories, including [a] THE SONG. (BLUE BOOK 1949). A sentimental story of David Bannerman, songwriter, who dies while trying to write the Song-- which is of a world beyond human audition. [b] PETERSEN'S EYE. (BLUE BOOK 1949). Borderline science-fiction. Petersen has an accident to his eye; the result is that he sees the future. There is fear when he looks at obituaries. [c] BIRD OF PREY. (BLUE BOOK 1949) Irish-American dialect. Lazy, good-for-nothing Uncle Michael proves to be of use when Dennis comes down with influenza around World War I. Michael can see the bird of death that will come for Dennis and can fight it. [d] THE SPINSTERS. (BLUE BOOK 1950) The three Parker sisters come to town (Hattie, Lucy, Chloe), and a little boy becomes friendly with them. He even surreptitiously meddles with the web that they are weaving. The Parcae. [e] THE DEVIL TO PAY. (BLUE BOOK 1951) Squaredeal Sam McGhee agrees to help Barton break his contract with the Devil. The contract holds that Barton must have unfailing good luck, including winning bets. A psychological solution

BOND, NELSON seems easy to McGhee, but the ham actor that he had hired to play the part of the Devil did not appear. The expected happens. [f] AL HADDON'S LAMP. (UNK 1942). AI, who wants to marry the boss's daughter, buys an antique Islamic lamp. It is occupied by a genie who is very helpful and lets Al get his wishes. AI's wife, however, gives the lamp to a junk dealer; its metal becomes part of the space rocket. One of the engineers strokes it and makes a wish. In the magazine version, if I remember correctly, the lamp became part of the war effort. [g] LAST INNING. (BLUE BOOK 1948) Old Tom Ward, superannuated baseball player, has a feeling of vertigo then finds himself playing with the great dead players of the past. [h] THE DARK DOOR. (BLUE BOOK 1952) Parker tells the psychiatrist about his obsession or psychic appearance. At certain crises in his life he sees a dark door, which does not really exist. He saw it when he was caught stealing fruit as a boy, when about to murder a more fortunate lover, when stealing funds from the bank. What does it mean? Parker learns very concretely in a short time. * Best stories are [c] and [d] •

BOOTHBY, GUY (1867-1905) Prolific English author of Australian birth. Noted for sensational fiction in variety magazines around the .turn of the century. Best known works are a series (with slight' sciencefiction elements) based on Dr. Nikola, an un~ scrupulous but highly intelligent mastermind, whose adventures are glamorized. 230. PHAROS, THE EGYPTIAN A ROMANCE Ward, Lock; London 1899 Thriller with romance and some supernaturalism. * Revelations from a manuscript. Cyril Forrester, successful artist, meets a very sinister old man named Pharos, usually called Pharos the Egyptian. Forrester has inherited from his father, who was an Egyptologist, a mummy which Pharos claims is that of his remote ancestor of 3,000 years before. The mummy is that of the magician Ptahmes, who had served the pharaoh during the Exodus. The relationship between Forrester and Pharos is ambivalent, for although Pharos speaks plausibly, he is utterly ruthless, deceptive, and coercive, and his protestations of friendship are unconvincing. Nevertheiess, Forrester falls under his' occult sway. Less ambivalent is Pharos's ward, a beautiful young Hungarian woman whom Pharos uses as a divining medium. She and Forrester fall in love. Forrester goes to Egypt with Pharos in order to return the mummy to'its tomb. There he has supernatural experiences, including visions of Ancient Egypt. On their return to Europe, a virulent plague breaks out, and Forrester learns that he is the carrier, inoculated by Pharos. Eventually Pharos is brought down by the judgment of Ancient Egypt for misuse of power and dies. It is revealed that Pharos was really Ptahmes, who survived through the centuries, with full magical powers. Unfortunately, there are many loose ends in the narrative, including the perplexing question of

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BOUCHER, ANTHONY how Pharos could have survived as Pharos, yet also have been a mummy. * Badly planned, unconvincing sensationalism. 231. THE LADY OF THE ISLAND John Long; London 1904 Short stories, including [a] A PROFESSOR OF EGYPTOLOGY. A rehash of A.C. Doyle's THE RING OF THOTH. Professor Constanides is reincarnated from Ancient Egypt. In the past he had unjustly killed a girl and in this incarnation he must receive her forgiveness. Also visions of the past. [b] THE BLACK LADY OF BRIN TOR. In the narrator's rented house in Devon a strange lady in black is occasionally to be seen. The narrator follows her and when she leaps off a cliff, examines the area below. She is revealing the location of her dead husband's skeleton. [c] A STRANGE GOLDFIELD. Australia. A goldfield that seems to be haunted by the ghosts of dead miners, although the situation is not clearly developed. * Thin commercial fiction of the day. BOUCHER, ANTHONY (pseud. of White, William Anthony Parker) (1911-1968) Noted American (California) editor, critic, scholar, writer. A very gifted man, trained in comparative philology at the University of California. One of world's authorities on early operatic recordings. Founder (with J. Francis McComas) of THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, one of first publications to lift science-fiction away from pulp action or fictionalized engineering, Noteworthy as probably finest modern critic of fantastic fiction and detective fiction. The annual mystery convention, the Bouchercon, named in his honor. Also used pseudonym H. H. HOLMES (after Chicago mass murderer who long held record for multiple killings) for crime fiction. Despite high critical and editorial importance, less significant as a writer of fiction., 232. THE COMPLEAT WEREWOLF AND OTHER TALES OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Simon and Schuster; New York 1969 Two short novels, and short stories. * Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE COMPLEAT WEREWOLF. [b] SNULBUG. * Also, [c] THE PINK CATERPILLAR. (ADVENTURE 1945) An object cannot exist twice in the same time and space. Therefore, to escape an enemy, one can bring his skeleton from the future. This is done magically. [d] MR. LUPESCU. (WT 1945) Lupescu, too obviously a vampire, terrorizes a small boy with threats of the monster Gorgo. When Lupescu shoots the boy's father, and later removes his vampire makeup, he is discovered to be an admirer of the boy's mother. But Gorgo has assumed reality. [e] THEY BITE. (UNK 1943). The inhabitants of the ruins in the Southwest may be the Benders of Victorian criminal fame, but they are mummy-like living corpses-- and very malignant. [f] WE PRINT THE TRUTH. (ASTOUNDING 1943) Wherever Whelan (Wayland) Smith works, he offers, on leaving, one wish to his former boss. In this case a harassed newspaper publisher in a small town wishes that everything the paper prints will be true. And so it

BOUCHER, ANTHONY is. The newspaper'man solves a murder, works out labor problems, ends the war (only where the circulation of the paper reaches), and gets the woman he wants-- but not her love. Eventually the miracles come to have a sour taste. The wish is cancelled by setting up a logical paradox. [g] THE GHOST OF ME. (UNK 1942). What can one do when one's own ghost appears and announces one's imminent death? And then when the ghost is shot and killed with a silver bullet? * if] has amusing moments. AS EDITOR: WITH McCOMAS, J[ESSE] FRANCIS (1911-1978) American writer, editor. Co-editor with Boucher of THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE-FICTION until mid 1954. Co-editor with RAYMOND J. HEALY of science-fiction anthology ADVENTURES IN TIME AND SPACE (1946), one of first important science-fiction collections. 233. THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Little, Brown and Co.; Boston [1952] The first collection built from back issues of MFSF. Many of the stories were reprints. * Including [a] ELEPHAS FRUMENTI, L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt and [b] THE GIFT OF GOD, L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt. Both described elsewhere for context. [c] THE FRIENDLY DEMON, Daniel Defoe. Described elsewhere. [d] THE THREEPENNY PIECE, James Stephens. (from HERE ARE LADIES, 1913) A wild, rollicking fantasy of the after-death experiences of Brien O'Brien, whose threepenny death piece_ was stolen by Cochulain the cherub. [e] DRESS OF WHITE SILK, Richard Matheson. (MFSF 1951) Told by a small girl, by indirection. A subtle story of a little girl who tries on her dead mother's white dress, and then does something horrible. Presumably vampirism in the past, now reemerging. if] THE MATHEMATICAL VOODOO, H. Nearing, Jr. One of the stupidest students in the class is turned into a mathematical genius by means of doll magic. This is one of a series about Professor Ransom, the other members of which are science-fiction. [g] THE HUB, Philip MacDonald. (MFSF 1951). Afterdeath experiences, leading to a horrible solitary confinement. [h] BUILT UP LOGICALLY, Howard Schoenfeld. (RETORT 1949). An absurdist fantasy of the roles of author and character, as H. H. Aspasia has difficulties with his character Frank. Universes are created; roles are interchanged. [i] THE RAT THAT COULD SPEAK, Charles Dickens. Part of NURSE'S TALE, described elsewhere. [j] NARAPOIA, Alan Nelson. Just the opposite of paranoia: expectation of good things. [k] POSTPAID TO PARADISE, Robert Arthur. (ARGOSY 1940) A small fantasy classic about the unrecorded postage stamps that can take one to the wonderful country of El Dorado. [1] JOHN THE REVELATOR, Oliver LaFarge. (MFSF 1951) When John, the new supercomputer, is operative, the clergyman attending the official unveiling asks it an existential question, Can you write the equation for God? Can you solve man's real problem? The computer does write such an equation with three unknowns, and then starts to issue fragments from the New Testament in the original Greek. Other great compu-

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BOUCHER, ANTHONY AND McCOMAS, J. FRANCIS ters follow suit. It is necessary to do the equivalent of a lobotomy. * A good collection, outstanding stories of which are [d], [h], [k], and [1]. 234. THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE-FICTION, SECOND SERIES Little, Brown and Co.; Boston 1953 Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE SHOUT, Robert Graves. [b] STAIR TRICK, Mildred Clingerman. [c] JIZZLE, John Wyndham. [d] THE BLACK BALL, L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt. [e] THE DESRICK ON YANDRO, Manly Wade Wellman. if] THE EARLIER SERVICE, Margaret Irwin. [g] COME ON, WAGON, Zenna Henderson. [h] THE CHEERY SOUL, Elizabeth Bowen. * Also [i] THE THIRD LEVEL, Jack Finney. The narrator, who is unhappy in this modern world, finds the third (lowest) level at Grand Central Station to be an affair of 1894, with possible communication to anywhere else in the world of 1894. Nicely told. [j] THE SOOTHSAYER, Kem Bennett. Welsh ethnic·patterns. When Tom Williams gets a hearing aid, a ghost named Ianto comes along with it. Ianto knows the future and is determined to make Tom a prophet. Tom does not enjoy being a prophet, particularly when he knows his own death date. [k] THE HOLE IN THE MOON, Idris Seabright. (Pseud. of Margaret St. Clair). Borderline science-fiction; the post-catastrophe world. A plague carried by women has almost wiped out the human race. A "last man" projects a dream image, rejects it, and settles for actuality. The plague also acts as an aphrodisiac. [1] UGLY SISTER, Jan Struther. The story of Cinderella, as told by one of her stepsisters. The point of view is different. Not properly fantastic, except in being linked to the fairy tale. * Best new material is [i] and [1]. 235. THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, THIRD SERIES Doubleday; New York 1954 Short stories, all from issues of 1953. * Including, [a] THE UNTIMELY TOPER, L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt. A Gavagan's Bar story. The magician Abaris has put a spell on Pearce's feet, so that he moves back and forth in time. [b] VANDY. VANDY. Manly Wade Wellman. man. A story about John, the wanderir.g ballotsinger. While tracking down the ballad "Vandy, Vandy," John comes upon its place oi origin. Also present is a 270-year old witchman from Salem, who first inspired the ballad. A good conjuration scene. [c] NEW RITUAL, Idris Seabright. (pseud. of Margaret St. Clair). A modern version of the old cauldron of youth theme, but now with an electric freezer. Nicely told from the point of view of a farm wife. [d] DEVLIN, W. B. Ready. A modern version of the ~ied Piper. Smoothly led on by Devlin, a stranger in the area, the parish sets up an Irish marching band, with kilts, bagpipes and all. Devlin, whose name gives an indication of his identity, marches them all to---? Nicely told in a florid way. [e] SNULBUG, Anthony Boucher. A tiny imp, of very limited powers, whose best is hardly adequate for fulfilling wishes. [f] SHEPHERD'S BOY, Richard Middleton.

BOUCHER, ANTHONY AND McCOMAS, J. FRANCIS Described elsewhere. [g) "STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT," Alfred Bester. Described elsewhere for context. * [b), [d), [g) are best. BOUCHER, ANTHONY, ALONE AS EDITOR: 236. THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FIC'I'ION, FOURTH SERIES Doubleday; Garden City, N.Y. 1955. With this volume McComas is no longer co-editor. * Short stories originally published in 1954, including, [a] I NEVER AST NO FAVORS, C. M. Kornbluth. A dead-end kid who narrates like a Damon Runyon character comes into contact with folkloristic magic and evocation of demons in the Pennsylvania Dutch area. Humor. [b) $1.98, Arthur Porges. Once a century the small god Eep must take on the form of a mouse as penalty for cheating at chess. Will saves the god, and will get a reward, but Eep can only manage things up to $1.98. Clever. [c) THE ACCOUNTANT, Robert Sheckley. Morton Dee, born into one of the last few families of witches, refuses to follow the family mode and become a witch. He wants to become an accountant. When his family invoke demons to punish him, he is protected by the Accountant, the demon of crooked finance. [d) MY BOY FRIEND'S NAME IS JELLO, Avram Davidson. Folkloristic magic of children's street games, commenting on life, perhaps making the future. [e) MISADVENTURE, Lord Dunsany. Described elsewhere. [f] THE LITTLE BLACK TRAIN, Manly Wade Wellman. The hill country, told in dialect. John, wandering with his guitar, is invited to make music for a hill party. He learns the history of the area: Donie Carawan, the landlady of the area, has been responsible for a murder. She gets symbolic punishment from the Little Black Train, which seems to be a folkloristic image of death. Its cars are black coffins. * All five new stories are excellent. [f) is the best of the John series. 237. THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, FIFTH SERIES Doubleday; Garden City, N.Y. (1956) Short stories originally published in 1955, including, [a] YOU'RE ANOTHER, Damon Knight. Borderline science-fiction. Johnny Bornish, cloddish Greenwich Village artist, observes that most of his mishaps have been watched or caused by two persons, a man and a woman. He also discovers that a bronze token identifies him to his tormentors. When he induces the man to talk, he learns that he and his entire ambience are parts in a gigantic "livie," a superepic being made in the future. [b) THE VANISHING AMERICAN, Charles Beaumont. Described elsewhere for context. [c) TOO FAR, Fredric Brown. An amusing short-short about theriomorphy. [d) THE LAST PROPHET, Mildred Clingerman. Described elsewhere. [e) NELLTHU, Anthony Boucher. One of the best ways to cheat the Devil: Love. * Good stories. [a) is one of the best behind the scenes of cosmology stories. [e) has a new twist to an old tail. 238. THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, SIXTH SERIES Poubladay; Garden City, N.Y. [1957]

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BOUCHER, ANTHONY Short stories originally published in 1956, including, [a) THE COSMIC EXPENSE ACCOUNT, C. M. Kornbluth. Professor Leuten's functional epistemology is probably a crank pseudo-philosophy to scholars, but when believed and practiced by an old maid in Pennsylvania, it threatens the world. The professor and his publisher's publicity man have to undo the damage. Humor. [b] MR. SAKRISON'S HALT, Mildred Clingerman. Mr. Sakrison disappeared from a train at a pleasant small town, named Brosomething. His fiancee rides the trains for decades thereafter, looking for the station. She eventually finds it. Probably allegorical for brotherhood and tolerance. [c) FINAL CLEARANCE, Rachel Maddux. Tom returns from the dead. Bureaucracy on the other side will not process him until his dossier is correct. [d] THE SHODDY LANDS, C. S. Lewis. A don sees an incredibly shabby, shoddy world when he perceives things through the personality-lens of a student's fiancee. Contrast between this vision and the student's. [e] NO MAN PURSUETH, Ward Moore. The world is suddenly plagued by disappearances-- planes, individuals-- some of whom return. Hermione Hadstone, travelling by automobile across the continent, is pulled in and out of several such space holes. In each case she enters the past, to witness a scene of intolerance. The message is that the balance of good and evil is being upset and nature is making adjustments. [f) ICARUS MONTGOLFIER WRIGHT, Ray Bradbury. Impressionistic exhilaration of th= first man on Mars, awaiting death. Properly science-fiction, but with some weird overtones. * [b] and [f) are best. 239. THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, SEVENTH SERIES Doubleday; Garden City, N.Y. 1958 This volume is mostly science-fiction. Stories originally published in 1957, including [a) ADJUSTMENT, Ward Moore. Robert Squith, completely average philistine, has been selected to be a psychiatric companion to Robert Wais, who is "disturbed." In an unaccountable fashion, Squith wanders into Wais's private world, which is characterized by high sensuality, great but mythical books, ideal but unhistorical sports events-- and he is completely unable to appreciate it. At the end of the story there are glimmerings of readjustment. Amusing [b) THE WILD WOOD, Mildred Clingerman. Described elsewhere. * Both good stories. 240. THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, EIGHTH SERIES Doubleday; Garden City, N.Y. [1959] Short stories originally published in 1958> including, [a] A DESKFUL OF GIRLS, Fritz Leiber. Dr. Emil Slyker, Hollywood psychotherapist and psychical researcher, has discovered the true nature of ectoplasm, a thin layer of skin-like substance. He extracts it from beautiful movie stars and keeps ectoplasmic "ghosts" in great quantity in his desk. Loosely connected with the change-war series. [b] ERIPMAV, Damon Knight. On a planet of the Fomalhaut system there exists a race of cellulose vampires. Short. Humor. [c) THE MEN WHO MURDERED MO-

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HAMMED, Alfred Bester. Time travel paradoxes. When Professor Henry Hassel, great mathematician, comes home unexpectedly, he finds his wife in another man's arms. He builds a time machine and goes into the past to kill his wife's ancestors. He does this, but his wife is still present when he returns. He makes trip after trip, killing ancestors and great men, but discovers that the present remains unchanged. It is the peculiar nature of time. Science-fiction in theme, but supernatural in ultimate explanation, including ghosts. Humor. * For further volumes in this series, see MILLS, ROBERT (editor). BOUSFIELD, H[ENRY] T[HOMAS] W[ISHART] British fiction writer, political writer 241. VINEGAR-- AND CREAM SHORT STORIES John Murray; London 1941 Short stories, usually chatty and colloquial, including [a] DEATH AND THE DUCHESS. The ancient Duchess of Bolton.is 92, but looks decades younger. Her secretaries, however, pine away and die of exhaustion. The Duchess is not an ordinary vampire; her doctor has perfected a new sort of blood transfusion that permits transfer of vitality. Borderline science-fiction. [b) THE IDENTICAL TWIN. A tubercular boy has an imaginary playmate, the ghost of an uncle who died as a child. The boy and the ghost resemble .each other closely. The ghost takes the boy away, but the corpse that is found is the uncle's, uncorrupted. Presented as the reason that a doctor is joining a society for psychical research. [c] THE IMPOSSIBLE ADVENTURE. Greece. A race of centaur-like beings (bottom half horse's legs, top half human) lives in caves beneath Greece. One emerges, is injured during a landslide and earthquake, and is tended by a British traveller. Neither he nor the woman that falls in love with him can survive. [d) THE HAUNTED GHOST. A priest tells of a house that is haunted by the ghost of a woman who drowned her child. She in turn is haunted by the child. * Capably handled, if familiar in theme. BOUTON, JOHN BELL (1830-1902) New Hampshire novelist, writer of travel books, biographer. 242. THE ENCHANTED AN AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT OF THE STRANGE ORIGIN OF THE NEW PSYCHICAL CLUB Cassell; New York [1891) Fantasy novel. * Meldrum and Wadlow, members of the Hailfellows Club, after seeing what others consider a ghost, decide that it is to be explained as projection of mental content. After practice they discover that they have the power to enter certain other-worlds, those strongly felt for literary reasons. They visit the Pickwick Club, Kenilworth at the time of Queen Elizabeth's visit, Grey's world at Stoke Pogis, Byron's on the Jungfrau, Boston of the SCARLET LETTER, and Longfellow's Minehaha Falls. * A curiosity only. BOWEN, ELIZABETH (1899-1973) Noted Anglo-Irish novelist, biographer.

Born

BOWEN, MARJORIE in Dublin; most of life spent in England and on the Continent. Highly regarded for short stories and novels, which are usually narrow in range, but original in treatment and deeply felt. Much of her work is in the "fragment of life school." 243. THE CAT JUMPS AND OTHER STORIES Gollancz; London 1934 Short stories, including [a] THE CAT JUMPS, and [b) THE APPLE TREE, both of which are described in the Asquith anthologies where they first appeared. 244. THE DEMON LOVER AND OTHER STORIES J ona than Cape; London [1945) American title, IVY GRIPPED THE STAIRS. * Short stories based on "the hallucinations [that) are an unconscious, instinctive resort" away from the pain and fear of the wartime years. A couple of the stories are fantastic in our sense; several others, not described, slide into symbolic situations approaching fantasy. Including, [a) THE CHEERY SOUL. The narrator arrives as.a house guest and discovers that his hosts have disappeared. They were presumably disloyal politically in one way or another and have made a run for it. The narrator also finds notes and messages from an eccentric cook who had died a year before. Or it is all imagination. [b) THE DEMON LOVER. A modern version of the.old ballad story. Mrs. Drover, returning to her house in a bombed out area, finds a note from a lover of twenty-five years before. He expects her to keep her promise and to be ready at the time arranged-but she can remember nothing of it. She is whisked away, under horrible circumstances, by taxi, into the deserted streets. [c) THE HAppy AUTUMN FIELDS. Mary, under shock during aerial bombardment, has fugues into a placid, bucolic Victorian world that is somehow connected with her family history. She oscillates back and forth, and there is a possibility that her time experiences may have caused a death in the past. [d) PINK MAY. She reminisces about a ghost in her bedroom, during her first marriage. The ghost, never visible, causes an affair that she has been carrying on to collapse. She then has neither husband nor lover. The ghost is probably a psychological block or conscience. [e) GREEN HOLLY. During the Christmas party for the personnel of an obscure government agency, in an old house in the country, ghosts of earlier Christmases emerge. * Subtle, beautifully told stories with much that does not summarize well. BOWEN, MARJORIE (pseud. of Long, Gabrielle Margaret Vere, nee Campbell) (1886-1952) Prolific English author of historical fiction, popularized history, biography, miscellaneous work. Wrote under pseudonyms Marjorie Bowen, Joseph Shearing (which see), George Preedy, John Winch, Robert Paye, and perhaps others. A somewhat underestimated author who seldom wrote to top capacity. Her supernatural short stories are original in treatment, often with a slight symbolic touch. Her books are rare, and I regret that several were not available to me.

BOWEN, MARJORIE 245. BLACK MAGIC A TALE OF THE RISE AND FALL OF ANTICHRIST Alston Rivers; London 1909 Historical novel with incidental supernaturalism. Medieval Europe, date not precisely determined. Based on the Renaissance legend of Pope Joan. * After black magic, transvestism, and witchcraft, Ursula becomes Pope Michael II (or Pope Joan), and she intends to make her lover Thierry emperor. But Thierry developes scruples and the situation collapses. * Sketchy, uneven, but with a strong sense of the dramatic. An immature work, promising better. 246. DARK ANN AND OTHER STORIES John Lane; London [1927 ] Short stories, including [a] THE ACCIDENT. Very short. Two men, after an automobile accident, realize that they are dead. [b] A PERSISTENT WOMAN. Very short. Marital difficulties are not removed by death. The ghost of a hostile wife hangs on. Memory. [c] FLOWER OF CARNIVAL. Borderline fantasy. In the dream world of the Venetian carnival, reality is surmounted. But after the carnival is over, should one hold the dream or the reality? [d] DARK ANN. The doctor's story. In a small British town the doctor came upon the name of an Ann Marly, who had lived during the time of Charles I. Later, in an antique shop he meets another Ann Marly, with whom he falls in love. When he leaves her to attend a medical convention, he loses her. She had been a ghost or a dream. When he abandoned the dream, he abandoned love. * [a] is a skillful handling of an old theme. [d] is very nicely told, with a good balance of sentiment and restraint. 247. THE BISHOP OF HELL AND OTHER STORIES John Lane, The Bodley Head; London 1949 Introduction by Michael Sadleir. * Short stories, including [a] THE FAIR HAIR OF AMBROISE The Terror, France. A notorious dancer is murdered, and her lover, Claude, dreams that he will be killed by the same person. He acts with caution, but cannot escape fate. [b] THE CROWN DERBY PLATE. Described elsewhere. [c] THE HOUSEKEEPER. Reign of Queen Anne. Beau Selforde, a notorious rake, murders his wife so that he can marry another woman who is presumably wealthy. But the second wife is really poor, and the first wife does not rest quietly. [d] FLORENCE FLANNERY. Early 19th century. An intricate story. Florence Flannery, a 16th century Irish girl who betrayed her lover, is cursed to remain alive, ever young, until he can catch her. He comes as a fish demon. Nicely told. [e] THE BISHOP OF HELL. Late 18th century. Hector Greatrix, defrocked clergyman, leads a dissolute life of riot and lechery, until he is shot and killed by an injured husband. Thereupon he lives up to his nickname, and there is a vision of him as a fiery, tortured being. [f] THE GREY CHAMBER, Anonymous. Bowen's translation of an early 19th century German story. A night in the Grey Chamber,.which is haunted by Lady Gertrude and a skeleton. [g] THE AVENGING OF ANN LEETE. Described elsewhere. [hI KECKSIES. 18th century. The corpse of Crediton's enemy is reanimated by the Devil and violates Crediton's wife. * Well handled pe-

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BOWEN, MARJORIE riod backgrounds, capable development; material horror handled in a sophisticated manner. 248. KECKSIES AND OTHER TWILIGHT TALES Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1976 Preface by the author explaining in general terms the origin of the stories. * A collection of material from earlier volumes. Including, described elsewhere, [a] KECKSIES. [b] THE AVENGING OF ANN LEETE. [c] THE CROWN DERBY PLATE. [d] FLORENCE FLANNERY •. * Also [e] RAW MATERIAL. An unusual twist to murder and its aftermath. When old Ursula Beane suddenly dies-- her hoarded money missing and arsenic in her body-- the Catchpoles fall under suspicion. But there is no evidence and they are not prosecuted. They claim, thereupon, to be in contact with the spirit of their aunt. Some time later the narrator meets the Catchpoles in Venice. They are now wealthy and are enjoying themselves. They are accompanied by supernatural phenomena. Catchpole now admits murdering the old woman, but it turns out that the ghost wants them to enjoy the money and behaves very raucously. [f] THE SIGN-PAINTER AND THE CRYSTAL FISHES. A metaphoric mythical fiction that cannot be summarized well. [g] THE BREAKDOWN. Murdock has half fallen in love with a sketch of an early 19th century woman, Marie Blanchard. When he is on his way to visit the friend who owns the sketch, transportation breaks down and he stops for a time at the Wishing Inn. Those who pass on Christmas Eve are allowed one wish. Murdock wishes for Marie Blanchard and finds himself in the past. But there is also a resolution in the present. [hI ONE REMAINED BEHIND. Premodern Paris. Rudolph, poor and unscrupulous student, acquires a book of Renaissance spells and decides to use it. His spell summons four persons supernaturally, and he acquires luck at cards, fame, and finding hidden treasure. There is a price to be paid. [i] THE HOUSE BY THE POPPY FIELD. Death. When Maitland inherits Bothnal from a distant relative, he,encounters a ghost. The ghost tells him of an ancestor who had evoked the dead, who now remain. The implications are that Maitland, too, will meet death. [j] HALF-PAST TWO. The avenging dead. * Welcome since Bowen's books are otherwise difficult to find. Individual treatment of sometimes original themes; perhaps a little rough, but worth reading. AS EDITOR: 249. GREAT TALES OF HORROR John Lane; London 1935 Including [al SIR DOMINICK SARSFIELD, J. S. LeFanu. [b] THE QUEEN OF SPADES, A. Pushkin. [c] THE GREY CHAMBER, Anonymous. [d] THE WITCH, N. V. Gogol. Alternate title for ST. JOHN'S EVE. [e] THE GHOST OF A HEAD, Anonymous. [f] THE GREAT KEINPLATZ EXPERIMENT, A. C. Doyle. [g] THE WOMAN'S GHOST STORY, Algernon Blackwood. [hI THE DOPPELGANGER, Anonymous. [i] THE DEAD BRIDE, Anonymous. [j] THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER, Sir Walter Scott. [kJ ALMODORO'S CUPID, W. W. Astor. [1] THE MAGIC MIRROR, George MacDonald. The intercalated tale from PHANTASTES. [m] IN LETTERS OF FIRE, Gaston LeRoux. [n] THE SHINING PYRAMID, Arthur Machen. * This collection

BOWEN, MARJORIE is very close in content, both supernatural and non-supernatural, to THE GREAT WEIRD STORIES, edited by Arthur Neale. It is probable that Neale is an unrecognized pseudonym of Bowen's. 25~MORE GREAT TALES OF HORROR BEING A COLLECTION OF STRANGE STORIES OF AMAZEMENT, HORROR AND WONDER John Lane; London [1935] Foreword. Short stories, very largely of Scottish interest, with a fair amount of crime material. Much of the older material has been abridged or edited. * Including,described elsewhere, [a] LAIRD OF CAS SWAY , James Hogg. [b] WICKED CAPTAIN WALSHAWE OF WAULING, J. S. LeFanu. [c] WOODEN WOMAN, Allan Cunningham. Alternate title for THE HAUNTED SHIPS. Cd] THE SEXTON'S ADVENTURE, J. S. LeFanu. [e] LAIRD OF WINEHOLM, James Hogg. [f] SPECTRE LOVERS, J. S. LeFanu. [g] EZRA PEDEN, Allan Cunningham. [h] GHOST WITH THE GOLDEN CASKET, Allan Cunningham. Ii] THE FATAL HOUR, Anonymous. Translated from French (and ultimately from German) by the editor. Very different from the translation in Mrs. Utterson's TALES OF THE DEAD. [j] THE ACCURSED PORTRAIT, Anonymous. Translated by the editor from French (and ultimately from German). Very different from the translation in Mrs. Utterson's TALES OF THE DEAD. * Also [k] THE ROOM WITH THE ARRAS, W. W. Fenn. Victorian skulduggery and psychic murder. Mrs. Glann, housekeeper of Glandallis, is from the left-hand side of the family and can exercise glamour. [1] HAND ON THE LATCH, W. W. Fenn. The narrator follows an unquiet ghost and finds a treasure trove. em] GHOST ON THE CHAIN PIER, W.W. Fenn. The narrator, an insomniac, thrice has a vision of a woman committing suicide. The third time he is present and prevents the act. It is an old sweetheart. Phantasm of the living. This and [k] and [1] are from Fenn's WOVEN IN DARKNESS (Kelly, London, 1885), a very rare book which it has not been possible to consult. The stories are competent Victorian commercial fiction. * en] THE COFFIN-MAKER, Nikolai [siC, really Alexander] Pushkin. In old Russia, a coffin-maker, after a debauch with the neighbors, is visited by the spirits of the dead whom he had fitted. He had invited them to celebrate. Alternate title for THE UNDERTAKER. [0] THE SUTOR OF SELKIRK, Anonymous. Rabbie Heckspeckle, shoemaker, receives a commission to make a pair of shoes for a mysterious stranger. Impelled by curiosity, Rabbie follows the stranger and discovers that he is a resident of the graveyard. Thinking that the dead need no shoes, Rabbie removes them and is himself removed. * Also some folkloristic material. * A resourceful anthology for the day. BOWLES, COLONEL JOHN (1833-1900) American author. 251. THE MASKED PROPHET ONE'S HIDDEN SELF A ROMANCE IN TWO LIVES HERE AND HEREAFTER ~ Caxton Co.; New York [1895] Eccentric occult novel about spiritual development, based eclectically on Theosophy and other less important occult systems of its day. It is more a vehicle for ideas than a story for its

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BOYER, ROBERT H. AND ZAHORSKI, KENNETH J. own sake. Its concepts include reincarnation, atomic multiple souls, Indian initiates, etc. * Two supernatural beings confront Reginald Irving in a Washington park and instruct him in occult matters. He is then taken on an allegorical journey to the Temple, or his head, where he meets Aleita, the female half of his soul. Other visions show all the inhabitants of the mind and a cosmic voyage through the universe. Some years later Aleita is separately incarnated, and Irving woos her, to the accompaniment of further occult instruction. There is a temporary setback, however, when Irving uses his psychic powers to save himself from a fire. He is suspended between life and death in another world for several years. He escapes and returns to Aleita. * This was developed from a shorter version that appeared in COSMOPOLITAN MAGAZINE as itA Romance of an Hour." * Naive, unliterary, but sometimes quite interesting in idea. The events and the system described are much more elaborate than the resume above indicates. BOYER, ROBERT H. (1937 and ZAHORSKI, KENNETH J. (1939 American educators, anthologists. Authors (with Tymn, Marshall B.) of useful reference work FANTASY LITERATURE, A CORE COLLECTION AND REFERENCE GUIDE (Bowker; New York 1979). AS EDITORS: 252. THE FANTASTIC IMAGINATION: AN ANTHOLOGY OF HIGH FANTASY Avon Books; New York 1977 paperbound Introduction and full author story-heads by the editors. Stress is on what the authors call high fantasy which includes, more or less, the older categories of light fantasy, fantastic adventure, and literary fairy tales. * Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE ELVES, J. L. Tieck. Translation by-Thomas Carlyle. [b] THE GROVE OF ASHTAROTH, John Buchan. [c] THE MUSIC FROM BEYOND THE MOON, James Branch Cabell. * Also Cd] RIDDLES IN THE DARK, J. R.R. Tolkien. A fragment from THE HOBBIT. Bilbo's riddling contest with Gollum. [e] THE LOQUACIOUS GOBLIN, Alexander Grin. Translated from Russian. A goblin relates the external incidents of an erotic triangle, but without much understanding. Really only a literary device, and not properly supernatural. [f] THE TALL ONE, Mark Van Doren. (1962) The power of faith. Told in the manner of a fable. The woodcutter prays to the Tall One for protection for his family if he should be disabled. The Tall One insists on a price: a child or a wife. Faith solves everything. [g] THE FOUNDLING, Lloyd Alexander. A fragment from one of the Prydain romances, the finding and early life of Dallben. [h] COME LADY DEATH, Peter S. Beagle. (ATLANTIC MONTHLY, 1963) During the reign of George III, Lady Neville, to make the party to end all parties, invites Death. Death comes, as a beautiful young woman. She makes herself popular, but decides that she would like to become human again. For this someone must take her place. [i] THE RULE OF NAMES, Ursula LeGuin. (NEW

BOYER, ROBERT H. AND ZAHORSKI, KENNETH J. YORKER 1974). When Blackbeard comes to get the treasure of the sealords of Pendor, he relies on a cardinal rule of magic. But his problem is inadequate knowledge. Transformations, dragon. [j] BELIARD, Sylvia Townsend Warner. (NEW YORKER 1974). Magical events in Broceliande. * Also included are stories that are either children's literature or not supernatural in our sense of the word: "The Light Princess," George MacDonald; "The Accommodating Circumstance," Frank Stockton; "The Peach Tree," by H.E. Bates and two fragments from THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER by C.S. Lewis. * Of the new material [h] is best. 253. THE FANTASTIC IMAGINATION II: AN ANTHOLOGY OF HIGH FANTASY Avon Books; New York 1978 paperbound Similar to the first volume in approach. Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE GLASS OF SUPREME MOMENTS, Barry Pain; [b] OLD PIPES AND THE DRYAD, Frank Stockton. [c] THE KITH OF THE ELF FOLK, Lord Dunsany. [d] JlREL MEETS MAGIC, C. L. Moore. eel THE THIRTY A1~ ONE, Dr. D. H. Keller. * Also [f] THE GOLDEN KEY, George MaCDonald. (from DEALINGS WITH FAIRIES, 1867) A semi-allegorical work (death and rebirth) told as a sentimental children's story, filled with an unbelievable wealth of symbolic devices; largely derivative from early German Romanticism. An analysis would take considerable space. Certainly worth reading for the wealth of imagery, if one can tolerate the sickly emotion. [g] RED-PEACHBLOSSOM INLET, Kenneth Morris. (from THE SECRET MOUNTAIN AND OTHER TALES, 1926) China, late Han times. A Taoist fairy tale about misdirected life. The fisherman Wang comes upon the pine-clad island where the Taoist immortals live, and from them, over seven years, he learns wisdom. But he is eager to return to the world and apply what he has learned. On returning, he discovers that he has been away only a day. He rises to the top of the Empire, but comes to realize that life with the Immortals was better. But having abandoned virtue, he cannot return. He paddles about the waters eternally. Morris has become a fad author, but I must confess that I find his material at best second-rate. [h] THE LEGEND OF THE CHRISTMAS ROSE, Selma Lagerlof. Stiffly translated by C.W. Stork. Medieval Sweden. An etiological legend. A Christmas miracle, a summer in mid-winter, which culminates in the finding of the Christmas rose, Helleborus niger. Forgiveness and love. [i] THE ABOMINABLE IMPRECATION, Eric Linklater. (from GOD LIKES THEM PLAIN, 1935) A pleasant tongue-in-cheek modern fairy tale of a young musician who slays a dragon and wins a princess. Complications are offered by the curse of the Shepherd AIken, which changes one's sex. Done with Li~later's usual skill and zest. [j] APRIL IN PARIS, Ursula LeGuin. (FANTASTIC 1962) Loneliness, with a tentative solution through magic. The 15th century alchemist and thinker Jehan Lenoir has one spell that works. It brings to him Professor Pennywither (specialist in Fran~ois Villon); a Gallic slave from Roman days; a small white dog; and a won-

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BRADBURY, RAY derful woman from Altair in the future. All find their emotional needs satisfied together in the Paris'of 1477. Nicely told. [k] A HARP OF FISHBONES, Joan Aiken. (from A HARP OF FISHBONES AND OTHER STORIES, 1972) Little Herryn, curious to know about her parentage, worms information out of old Saroon, and hears that her father was a musician from the frozen city across the forest. She makes herself a harp, like his, but out of the bones of a giant carp, and sets out on a quest for the city. She deactivates the curse on the city, but it has all happened through the will of the goddess. [1] THE SMITH, THE WEAVER, AND THE HARPER, Lloyd Alexander. (from THE FOUNDLING AND OTHER TALES OF PRYDAIN, 1973) Fabular approach. The arts and crafts of the smith and the weaver can be destroyed by death, but song will outlive death. Nicely told as three confrontations between Death personified and the tradesman. [m] FROM "THE THROME OF THE ERRIL OF SHERILL," Patricia A. McKillip. Fragment from the book of the same title, 1973. Part of the quest of the Cnite Caerles. Adult in language and imagery, juvenile in subject matter and values. [n] ELPHENOR AND WEASEL, Sylvia Townsend Warner. (NEW YORKER 1974). Lives, loves, and deaths of the fairies Elphenor (from the Continent) and Weasel (from Britain). A Babes in the Woods situation, with church bells causing death. 10] CRUSADER DAMOSEL, Vera Chapman. (Original) 12th century. Near East. Loves of Adela (sometimes masquerading as a young man, Adal) and Hugo; meetings in the Other Side of the Curtain, the land beyond dream, when asleep; rescue 'with a password thus gleaned supernaturally. Much like Seabury Quinn on a less skilled level. * Best new stories are If]; [1], [l]. An additional story, "Above Ker-Is," by'Evangeline Walton Ensley, an immature work, is not fantastic in our sense. BRADBURY, RAY[MOND] [DOUGLAS] (1920 Notable American writer (born Waukegan, Iii., long resident in California). Author of supernatural fiction, science-fiction, general fiction; poet, essayist, dramatist, scenarist. Possibly only major talent emergent from third period of pulp fantastic fiction. Has been fittingly called the poet of science-fiction; also skilled at evoking poetry, horror in everyday situations. Best work is imaginative, characterized by highly individual lyric style. Also a general cultural influence, symbolic figure for youth culture. Humanistic orientation, often focusing on sentimental nostalgia for premodern General America. Much of his fiction is borderline as supernatural fiction, subject to differences of interpretation. 254. DARK CARNIVAL Arkham House Sauk City, Wisc. 1947 Bradbury's first book, including [a] THE HOMECOMING. (MADEMOISELLE 1946). The Elliott, family, resident in rural America, is a collection of supernormalities-- vampires, werewolves, psychics. flying men, etc.-- but in all the matters that count, normal, loveable human beings.

BRADBURY, RAY At the moment there is a gathering of the extended family, with members from allover the world. There is one sad aspect to the gathering, the boy Timothy, who, unfortunately, is a normal, average child. While there is some sadness at his affliction, he is lapped in love and is not unhappy. He experiences some of the events through his sister Cecy, whose mind can wander. Basically, an inverted story of love, nicely handled. [b] SKELETON. (WT 1945) Harris has miscellaneous aches in his bones, but the doctors can find nothing wrong with him. Eventually, in despair he turns to Mr. Munigant, a sinister, dark little man who is a specialist. His problem is that he has a skeleton concealed in his flesh. Munigant takes care of it for him. [c] THE LAKE. (WT 1944) Memory and nostalgia for lost love. When the narrator was about twelve, his girl playmate Tally was drowned in the lake. Her body was never recovered. She left her sandcastle unfinished. When the narrator is grown and married, he returns to the lake, sees the finding of Tally's remains, and realizes that an aspect of Tally still lives. His present marriage is empty before the memory of Tally. [d] THE EMISSARY. Martin, bedridden, has two entries to the outside world, Dog, who brings him the scents and hair-caught fragments, and Miss Haight. Miss Haight is killed in an automobile accident, and Dog disappears, presumably dead. Martin desperately wants Dog to return. He does, from the dead, followed by the dead Miss Haight. Told by indirection, a very horrible little story. [e] THE TRAVELLER. (WT 1946). The Elliott family of [a]. Cecy is a traveller. She moves from mind to mind, experiencing, and she can also shift other minds from body to body. Cousin John, a renegade of two generatio.ns back, who has sold many of the Elliotts to the stake, appears and frantically demands her help. He fears he is going insane and threatens to report all the Elliotts to the authorities. But Cecy cannot be found, although her body is on her bed. [f] THE SMALL ASSASSIN. (DIME MYSTERY NOVEL 1946) Alice Leiber, who is pregnant, suddenly recognizes that her baby is an evil, hostile being that wants to destroy her. Her feelings are taken to be connected with her pregnancy, but they continue on after the baby is born. When she and her husband are both killed by the baby, the family doctor decides that Alice was really right. [g] THE CROWD. (WT 1943) Mr. Spallner, after his automobile accident, marvels that crowds gather so quickly. Some checking reveals not only that crowds gather around disasters in a matter of seconds, but that the crowds are composed of much the same people. He learns the reason for this when he is killed in his second accident. [hj REUNION. (WT 1944) A lonely boy, and the ghosts that emerge from worn clothing in the attic. Memory. [i] THE HANDLER. (WT 1947) Mr. Benedict, an undertaker with a perverted sense of humor, plays practical jokes on corpses, subjecting them to indignities, defacing them, and destroying them. But the corpses unexpectedly rise, and Mr. Benedict's remains are found.

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BRADBURY, RAY [j] THE SCYTHE. (WT 1943) Dustbowl migration. Erickson and his family, penniless and starving, are heading west, when they come upon the cabin and the wheat field. There is a dead man who has left a will deeding his property to whoever comes and finds it. He also wills an old scythe. Erickson soon learns that he has taken over the job of Death and that the wheat field is human life. The turn of the screw comes when he recognizes individual stalks of wheat and knows that he must cut down his wife and children. [k] UNCLE EINAR. He is the flying man of the Elliott family of [a] and [e]. After the great reunion he flew into a high tension wire and lost his ability to fly by night. Since he cannot take to the air ing the day, for obvious reasons, he seems grounded. He marries a congenial woman, has children, but finds a solution to his depressing problem when his children start to fly kites. [1] THE WIND. (WT 1943) Allin, who has found the valley of the winds in the Himalayas, and knows the secret of the giant wind, is being pursued. The wind absorbs the souls it kills, and it captures and absorbs Allin. [m] THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN. (WT 1944) Aunt Tilly considers Death unreasonable and refuses to accept it, even when Death comes to her and the undertaker's men carry her body out. She wins. [n] THE DEAD MAN. (WT 1945) Old Martin says that he is dead, that he died when the flood hit his farm. But he still walks around, even though he acts strangely. When he and the manicurist fall in love, he comes to life again. There is a possibility that death means being without love. But Martin and his bride move to the cemetery. [0] THE MAN UPSTAIRS. (HARPERS 1947) At the boarding house young Douglas is puzzled by Mr. Koberman. Koberman works evenings, is obviously afraid of silver, uses wooden utensils, and when looked at through colored glass, shows a very different appearance than when seen with the naked eye. There is also an outbreak of vampirism in the neighborhood. Douglas has often watched his mother dissect chickens. [p] THE NIGHT SETS. A solipsistic universe designed to fool one man. * Best stories are [a], [b], [c], [d], [f], [i], [0]. * The British edition of the same title (Hamilton; London 1948) lacks stories [h], U] and [pl. 255. THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES Doubleday; Garden City, N.Y. 1950 Stories which make use of a common symbol, Mars, for the beauty and poetry of life. The stories were originally published as independent pieces, but they are linked here, after a fashion, with transitional interludes, some of which bear the titles of earlier stories by Bradbury. Most of the stories are either clear or borderline science-fiction, and where there is a supernatural element, it is usually secondary. * Including [a] USHER II. (THRILLING WONDER 1950). Censorship. A collector of weird fiction builds on Mars a house which embodies the outlawed themes of supernatural fiction. It is the House of Usher, and its horrors are substantial. Alternate title, CARNIVAL OF MADNESS. * Several

BRADBURY, RAY of the other stories involve paranormal abilities and mental time travel, but these concepts are employed in the manner of science-fiction. 256. THE ILLUSTRATED MAN Doubleday; Garden City, N.Y. 1951 Short stories reprinted from various sources. They are tied together by the Illustrated Man, the tattooed man from the circus, who is covered with perpetually shifting pictures that show the viewer's fate. The stories represent individual pictures. * Including [a] THE VELDT. Borderline supernatural. In the future, television walls are both an unbeatable entertainment device for children and a possible psychological device. In this instance they serve to render physical the hatred and frustrations of the Hadley children. The form chosen is an African veldt, with man-eating lions. Alternate title, THE WORLD THE CHILDREN MADE. (SATURDAY EVENING POST 1950). [b] THE MAN. (THRILLING WONDER 1949). When Captain Hart's rocket lands on Planet Forty-Three in Star System Three, it should be an event, since it is the first interplanetary visit there. But the natives pay no attention. The reasons turns out to be astonishing. Something so important is happening that Hart's visit is trivial. It is the appearance of the Man, or Christ. Hart seeks the Man aggressively, while his associate Martin has more humility. Arrogance does not pay. [c] THE lAST NIGHT OF THE WORLD. (ESQUIRE 1951) It is October 19, 1969 and a dream seems prevalent: the world is due to come to an end. It does. [d] THE EXILES. (MACLEANS MAGAZINE 1949) The rocketship on its way to Mars holds the last tattered copies of books by the great horror writers, Poe, Lovecraft, Machen, and others. All other copies of their books have been destroyed by an ultra-rationalistic, sanitized society. But on Mars the "shades" of the great writers survive and try to prevent the landing of the ship, using supernatural effects. But the ship lands, the captain ceremonially destroys the last books, and a culture is dead. Alternate title, THE MAD WIZARDS OF MARS. [e] THE FIRE BALLOONS. (IMAGINATION 1951) The" Episcopal Fathers are proselytizing on Mars. Father Peregrine wants to work among the non-human fire balloons, but discovers that since they left their bodies, they no longer sin, and have attained to a natural religion that is equal to Christianity. Alternate title, IN THIS SIGN. * [a] and [d] are excellent. 257. FAHRENHEIT 451 Ballantine Books; New York 1953 In addition to the usual trade clothbound and paperbound editions, this appeared in a limited edition of 200 copies printed on asbestos. * This first edition (but not most reprint editions) contained in addition to the science-fiction title novel, the short story [a] THE PLAYGROUND. (ESQUIRE 1953) The horrors, fears, and pain of childhood fantastically expressed. A frequent theme in Bradbury's work. An anxious father, seeing the mayhem that goes on in a playground, wants his son to escape it and takes his place supernaturally. Excellent.

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BRADBURY , RAY 258. THE GOLDEN APPLES OF THE SUN Doubleday; Garden City, N.Y. 1953 Twenty-two short stories, many excellent, but few fantasies. Including [a] THE APRIL WITCH. (SATURDAY EVENING POST 1952). Cecy of the Elliott family in DARK CARNIVAL decides that she wants to experience love. She sets forth on the wings of her mind, finds a nubile young woman, and seats herself in the woman. She experiences strong emotion, but the affair that she wants to take place does not occur, and she can only hope that the man concerned will visit her at some time in the future. Delicately told. [b] EMBROIDERY. (MARVEL SCIENCE FICTION 1951) Three old women tend their embroidery while the world goes up in flames. Human figures must be removed from their web. A modern version of the Fates. * Both excellent. 259. THE OCTOBER COUNTRY Ballantine Books' New York 1955 paperbound ' Short stories, with some new material and a selection from DARK CARNIVAL. Including, all described in 254, [a] THE SKELETON. [b] THE LAKE. [e] THE EMISSARY. [d] THE SMALL ASSASSIN. Ie] THE CROWD. [f] THE SCYTHE. [g] UNCLE EINAR. [h] THE WIND. Ii] THE MAN UPSTAIRS. [j] THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN. [k] HOMECOMING. * According to the preface some of the stories have been rewritten, but on a hasty check I found no examples of revision in the stories 1 is ted above. 260. A MEDICINE FOR MElANCHOLY Doubleday; Garden City, New York 1959 Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] A SCENT OF SARSAPARILLA. [b] DARK THEY WERE, AND GOLDEN-EYED. Alternate title for THE NAMING OF NAMES. [c] ICARUS MONTGOLFIER WRIGHT. [d] THE SHORELINE AT SUNSET. California beachcombers; a mermaid's body washed ashore. Character studies. A shattering and reintegrating experience of the alien. Ie] THE DRAGON. (MFSF 1956) The relativity of experience. Two knights wait in a lonely valley for the dragon. It comes; they charge it, and are killed. Two men in the locomotive cab see the knights charge and die, but know that no remains will be found. If] FEVER DREAM. [WT 1948) Little Charles, ill, gradually loses sensation in and control of his limbs. The doctor diagnoses scarlet fever and a cold. But suppose a germ could grow large and intelligent enough to supplant human personality. [g] THE DAY IT RAINED. FOREVER. (HARPERS 1957) in the Southwestern desert where Smith and Fremley live in the old hotel, it rains only once a year, January 29th. But when the 29th comes, there is no rain and life seems intolerable. But another person joins them, a woman with a harp, and the rain seems to follow her. Surrogate experience. * Very fine stories, but the non-fantastic story "In a Season of Calm Weather" is the best story in the book. 261. THE MACHINERIES OF JOY Simon and Schuster; New York 1964 Short stories, including [a] THE ONE WHO WAITS. (MFSF 1951) Borderline science-fiction. Mars. The shape-changer that lurks in the well de-

BF.ADBURY, FAY stroys an expedition from earth, man by man. Told from the point of view of the shape-changer. [b) THE VACATION. (PLAYBOY 1963) One evening the man and his wife thought, '~ouldn't it be fine if the whole human race were gone tomorrow, and only we and our son were left?" It comes to pass, and they have a glorious vacation over the empty earth. Man was too rotten to reestablish. [c) BOYS, RAISE GIANT MUSHROOMS IN YOUR CELLAR. (Galaxy 1952) Sciencefiction in idea, but fantasy in technique. There is a feeling in the air that things are wrong, and the boys in town receive special delivery packages of mushroom spawn. It is a device for the mushrooms to take over the human race and the earth. Eating the mushrooms leads to absorption. Alternate title COME INTO MY CELLAR. [d) A MIRACLE OF RARE DEVICE. (PLAYBOY 1962) The power of good thoughts. Old Greenhill and Bantlin see the wonderful mirage on the desert. It is a giant city, although curiously enough each viewer sees it as the city of his dreams. When a mean profiteer tries to capitalize on vision or dream, it disappears, but is not permanently lost. [e) AND SO DIED RIABOUCHINSKA. (SAINT MYSTERY MAGAZINE' 1953) A complex story of perverted love. The ventriloquist loses his assistant after a nasty quarrel. He makes a perfect dummy model of her, and the dummy takes on Riabouchinska's personality and life. It later betrays him. Or is it all elaborate projection? [f) DEATH AND THE MAIDEN. (MFSF 1960) Old Mam, over ninety, lives barricaded against Death. But he comes as a handsome 'young man. He offers her twentyfour hours of youth and delights, after which' they will sleep together for eternity. She accepts. * Best stories are [b) and [d). AS EDITOR: 262. TIMELESS STORIES FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW Bantam Books; New York 1952 paperbound As Bradbury states in his introduction, this collection has been made "to locate stories by authors who rarely write fantasy; to find stories heretofore not used in other fantasy anthologies; and, most important of all, to publish stories of quality." The aims are fulfilled, but Bradbury's definition of fantasy includes much material that is not supernatural. * Including [a) THE HOUR AFTER WESTERLY, Robert M. Coates. Described elsewhere. [b) HEARTBURN,Hortense Calisher. (AMERICAN MERCURY 1951) A curious form of supernatural parasitism or mild possession that is passed along from one person to another. The criterion for transfer is disbelief. It has the symptons of nervous debility and heartburn. Symbolic? [c) HOUSING PROBLEM, Henry Kuttner. (CHARM 1944) • The covered cage in Mr. Henchard's room does not contain birds, but a tiny human house, which, as the prying landlords discover, holds some Little People. Their prying disturbs the tenants, who move away. The new tenants are of a lower social class among the Little People, and they bri~g only sloppy luck. [d) NONE BEFORE ME, Sidney Carroll. (COSMOPOLITAN 1949) Gresham, who has an obsession for collecting only the finest things, buys the fabulous dollhouse. It

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BRADBURY, RAY seems to fill an inner need, but Gresham becomes paranoid about it. He thinks of himself as a god, and considers it his world. He punishes and disturbs the dolls and acts like an Old Testament deity. But when he smashes the house he learns that he is a similar doll in a house to a much more powerful deity. [e] MR. DEATH AND THE RED-HEADED WOMAN, Helen Eustis. (SATURDAY EVENING. POST 1950) Alternate title THE RIDER ON THE PALE HORSE. Told in terms of Southwestern folklore. When Billy-be-damn Bangtry, handsome but dissolute young cowhand, lies dying after a low brawl. Maude Applegate seeks out Death to make him stay his hand. She visits with Death, and Death's granny helps her to find out how Billy can be spared. She pays the price, but finds that Billy is a worthless scoundrel and turns back to Death, who is a far superior mate. [f) SAINT KATY THE VIRGIN, John Steinbeck. (from THE LONG VALLEY, 1938) A very amusing absurdist story of a sow that is sanctified. A parody of a hagiography. [g] NIGHT FLIGHT, Josephine W. Johnson. (HARPER'S 1944) The dream of flying, the fulfillment of wishes, wartime loneliness. [h) THE COCOON, John B. L. Goodwin. (STORY 1946) Denny, eleven years old,. is an enthusiastic collector of moths and butterflies. After capturing a seemingly unique giant specimen, he gradually becomes immersed in his hobby until it swallows him. While the mechanism is not entirely clear, his room seems to be turned into the equivalent of a killing jar, and his life is pinned on the wall. [i] THE LAOCOON COHPLEX, J. C. Furnas. (ESQUIRE 1937) Whenever J. H. Simmons takes a bath lying down, a large green snake appears in the bath water. He is apparently doing this by power of unconscious thought. [j] I AM WAITING, Christopher Isherwood. (NEW YORKER 1939) The narrator has occasional involuntary experiences of being in the future. On one occasion he spans five years, but finds himself in a locked room with only a magazine for bird fanciers. He knows no more than before. [k] THE ENORMOUS RADIO, John Cheever. (NEW YORKER 1947) Metaphoric fantasy. The new radio with its noise, vulgarity and foulness, becomes a symbol of the sordid side of life, and life in turn becomes a form of sordid radio. Filth hidden beneath the fair surface. [1] THE EIGHT MIS~ TRESSES, Jean Hrolda. (ESQUIRE 1937) Barca makes a deal with Mr. Satin, the Devil. Barca gets funds until eight mistresses have betrayed him. Then he is the Devil's. Barca finds a way out of the contract. * Many excellent stories, both supernatural and non-supernatural. 263. THE CIRCUS OF DR. LAO AND OTHER IMPROBABLE STORIES Bantam Books; New York 1956 paperbound Bradbury considers all the material in this anthology to be fantasy, but his definition seems to stress the absurdist side rather than the irrational. * Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE CIRCUS OF DR. LAO, Charles G. Finney. [b) THE POND, Nigel Kneale. * Also, [c] THE WISH, Roald Dahl. A small boy, playing imaginatively with the patterns of an oriental carpet,

BRADB URY, RAY fantasizes that parts of it are a fire walk, other parts poisonous snakes-- and falls into the abyss he has created. [d] THE RESTING PLACE, Oliver LaFarge. Old Dr. Hillebrand, an archeologist, has a remarkable ability to find remains of ancient Pueblo culture. This is because of his contact with a long-dead Indian, whom he had excavated and treated with proper respect. The empathy is carried on to another generation. Really a figurative statement of mJtual respect. [e] THRESHOLD, Henry Kuttner. Haggard evokes a demon and strikes a bargain: two wishes granted by the de~n, after which Haggard becomes the demon's prey when he passes through a door of a certain unknown color. Haggard, more intelligent than the demon, uses a word association test to discover the color of the door he must avoid. if] THE LIMITS OF WALTER HORTON, John S" Sharnik. Horton suddenly decides that he can play the piano, seats himself, and reveals that he is one of the great virtuosi. Without music he plays each piece of the world's repertoire only once. Eventually he will exhaust the music of past and present. Will the expected then happen? [g] THE MAN WHO VANISHED, Ropert M. Coates. Charley Ballantine gradually fades away, becoming inaudible, invisible, until he tumbles into a dark world where a new life may open to him because of a past romance. * Not as interesting as Bradbury's previous anthology (262). [f] is best. BRADDON, MARY ELIZABETH (later Mrs. John Maxwell) (1835 - 1915) Foremost English sensation novelist. Renowned for LADY AUDLEY'S SECRET (1862), famous mystery story of the beautiful bigamist who pushed her husband dOT,ffi a well. Long a best-seller and very popular work on stage. A very interesting personality and a more skille d writer than usually accredited. In addition to early sensation material, also wrote mystery and comedy of manners fiction. Wrote prolifically, a great deal pseudonymously or anonymously; exact bibliography unclear. Supernatural fiction is not really her forte. 264. RALPH THE BAILIFF AND OTHER TALES Ward, Lock and Tyler; London [1867] Short stories, including [a] THE COLD EMBRACE. A German student, unfaithful to his true love, is haunted by her ghost after she commits suicide. [b] EVELINE'S VISITANT. Premodern France. The narrator kills his cousin Andre de Brissac in a duel. As Brissac lies dying, he declares that his will to live is strong and that he will repay the narrator. Some time later the narrator learns that his wife is perpetually aware of Andre's ghost, and just before she dies, she confesses that she loves the ghost. [c] HOW I HEARD M'l OWN WILL READ. The narrator, a frivolous young man, though a barrister, reads in the newspaper (of a. town he thinks he has imagined) of his own death. He goes to his home, addresses his widow-- and all consider him simply a friend of the family. But it is all a dream, arising out of a lobster supper behind stage. Vivacious. * [b] is very often anthologized.

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'BRADD ON • MARY E. 265. WEAVERS AND WEFT AND OTHER TALES John Maxwell; London 1877 3 vol. (published as by the author of "Lady Audley's Secret") A short title novel, which is not fantastic, followed by short stories. * Including, [a] JOHN GRANGER. Granger, rejected by the woman he loves, announces his intention of selling out and going to America. As far as anyone can tell, he follows out this program, and letters drawing money continue to arrive at his bank. But his rejected sweetheart, now happily married, sees his ghost and his corpse is found. The obvious party is guilty. An archetypal Victorian situation. [b] HER LAST APPEARANCE. Covent Garden in the 18th century. Mrs. Stowell, great tragic actress, dies on the stage, but makes a spectral appearance to her would-be lover. [c] SIR HANBURY'S BEQUEST. Young Hanbury Hexam, impoverished student, has a dream of an episode in the life of one of his ancestors and finds himself working out the same situation. * Lively in writing, but sometimes novel synopses rather than true short stories. 266. M'l SISTER'S CONFESSION AND OTHER STORIES R. Worthington; New York 1879 This seems to be a collection compiled in America from various British sources. So far as I was able to determine, there is no British counterpart. * Short stories, including [a] AT CHRIGHTON ABBEY. Miss Sarah, poor relation, visits Chrighton Abbey for the Christmas season. Her cousin, young Edward, who is engaged to be married, is an avid hunter. In the dusk of one morning Sarah sees the hunt leave from the unused stableyard. Only there was no hunt; it was a supernatural death portent which ran in the family. [b] THE SCENE-PAINTER'S WIFE. Joe Waylie's wife, whose circus name is Madame Delevanti, is an outrageous flirt and carries on, though innocently, with Captain Jocelyn. Joe sees this, misinterprets it, and commits suicide. On the anniversary of his death, Madame Delevanti sees his ghost and, being startled, is badly clawed by her big cats. * [a] is interesting for its detailed description of a stay at a Victorian country house. 267. GERARD, OR THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL Simpkin, Marshall; London 1891 3 vol. American title, THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL. * Novel of manners and modernized, semi-rationalized version of the Goethean Faust story. * Gerard Hillersdon, written-out young author, is ready to commit suicide. He is poverty-stricken and is also depressed about dancing attendance on Edith Champion, another man's wife. Some years before, he and Edith had been platonic lovers, but she married an older man for his money. * At a house party given by Edith Gerard meets Justin Jermyn, a Pan-like character-reader whose analyses have been flawless and frightening. Justin takes Gerard to his digs and persuades him not to commit suicide, promising a dramatic improvement of his fortunes. Justin also shows Gerard a vision of a beautiful young woman. The next

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BRADDON, MARY E. day Gerard learns that he is sole heir of a wealthy eccentric whose life he had saved. He is now wealthy, but he cannot forget the girl he saw in the VLSLon. He finally identifies her as Hester Davenport, the daughter of a curate whom his father had discharged for drunkenness. He chances to meet her and learns that she works as a seamstress to support her father and herself, and wishes to have nothing to do with him. Meanwhile, two new developments take place. Champion dies, and it is decided that Gerard will marry Edith after her year of mourning. Gerard also learns that his heart is weak. Edith leaves for the continent, and Gerard becomes friendly with Hester. He falls in love with her and offers marriage. She will not accept, but circumstances (and Jermyn's advice) eventually force her to become Gerard's mistress. Gerard becomes tired of her and annoyed with her father. He abandons her and turns to Edith, now to discover that she no longer wants to marry him. When he returns to Hester, he discovers that she has given birth to a child, has tried to commit suicide, and has drowned the child. He marries her, but dies soon after, the Faustian situation complete. * Supernaturalism is not handled consistently. In the first part of the novel Jermyn is almost certainly the Devil or a comparable figure, while at the end of the novel he is unconvincingly portrayed as a cheap semi-swindler, * Interesting in the earlier sections, but much weaker later, when the sentimental archetype is followed. Still, a good example of Miss Braddon's ability to move with the times. 268. THE CONFLICT Simpkin, Marshall; London 1903 Sensational society novel with supernatural elements. * The supernatural subplot, which is buried in a welter of other material, is concerned with revenge. * Walter Arden, a wholesome young man about town, comes into conflict with Konstantin Manville, a wealthy Anglo-Russian scoundrel of great wealth and physical vitality. Manville, among other things, is trying to seduce Arden's married sister. A duel is the result, and Manville is killed. As he lies dying, he declares that his essential portion is not killed but will return for revenge. The situation is comparable to that in EVELINE'S VISITANT. * Some tilne later, Arden is in Alaska prospecting for gold, when one of his friends becomes gravely ill. The friend recovers, but his personality has changed, and even though Miss Braddon does not say so explicitly, it obvious that Manville has usurped the sick man's body. He unsuccessfully tries to kill Arden, but is hilnself killed. The same situation recurs when another friend, Lord St. Just lies dying, and his body is revivified by Manville's spirit. He murders Arden's sister, but even Manville's vitality cannot overcome disease, and with St. Just's death Manville's peril ends. * Inferior to earlier work. BRADFORD, J. S. British author.

No information.

BRANDON, MICHAEL 269. EVEN A WORM Arthur Barker; London 1936 Revolt of the animals, much like Arthur Machen's THE TERROR, but less mystical. Told as a series of situations, rather than as a mystery. * The animals, weary of being man's sport, appeal to Pan, Lord of the Isles of Illusion, to reduce man to his former state of equality with the animals. Pan consents and organizes the animals, who attack man on a given day. Horses attack their riders; foxes drive hunters; rabbits march boldly before beaters; insects cause train wrecks; and a marvelous parrot delivers a lecture to an audience. The animals of the zoo break loose, and the baboon Hamet rapes a woman. As the book ends, man is tottering before the attack. * Capable, but without the strange luminosity that characterizes Machen's work. BRADSHAW, WILLIAM R[ICHARD] (1851-1927) American Author of HISTORY OF WALLPAPER and long editor of THE DECORATER AND FURNISHER magazine. 270. THE GODDESS OF ATVATABAR, BEING A HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE INTERIOR WORLD AND CONQUEST OF ATVATABAR J. Douthitt; New York 1892 Introduction by Julian Hawthorne. * Eccentric occult adventure novel, with some elements of science-fiction. * An American North Polar expedition sails through Symmes's Hole down into the hollow earth, where the Kingdom of Atvatabar is found. Here a civilization much different from ours has developed. Psychic power is under control, and there are airships, individual flying belts, and many other marvels-including the fact that the natives speak English via substitution cipher. Lexington, the hero, falls in love with Lyone, the living goddess of the land, and she reciprocates. This precipitates civil war, for her person is as sacred as that of a Polynesian princess. Lyone and the Americans win the war, but Lyone is murdered. This is not the end, however, for a gigantic living battery formed of the wills of many sorcerers and psychics creates her afresh. The hero marries her and becomes king. ,'< Almost a classic bad novel, sometimes madly humorous in its purple prose and silly ideas, sometimes annoyingly dull. The book is pretentiously illustrated by several semiprimitive artists, at least one of whom, C. Durand Chapman, seems to have been an enthusiast of the architecture of South India. * A curiosity, but a curiosity to be treasured. BRANDON, MICHAEL (c. 1900 - ?) Resources explorer, trouble-shooter for metals, petroleum; development of other natural resources, working for syndicates. Has been suggested to be a pseudonym. 271. NONCE A NOVEL Coward-McCann; New York 1944 Braggadocio, hardboiled supernaturalism in the Deep South. * After years of foreign adventure" explorer and thrill-seeker Borde Kane returns to the family lands on the Alabama coast-- a swamp and the ruins of a house.

BRANDON, MICHAEL His retirement seems partly due to being stony broke and partly due to an overpowering desire to escape the nastiness of life and the "curse of the flesh." He lives happily in primitive isolation for a iime, until Rhoda Thorpe enters his life. She is something of a female counterpart of Kane, also in flight from the foulness of human relations. She tries to seduce him, whereupon he strangles her. She dies, seemingly indifferent. He buries her and time passes. About a year later he goes over to her property, meets and enslaves her Black servant by accusing her of murdering Rhoda. But the woman, Nonce, in addition to having the vitality of an animal, is a voodoo priestess and subject to possession. Kane causes Rhoda to speak through Nonce and for a time they have long conversations. But Kane makes the mistake of allowing his lust for Rhoda to overcome him, and while he is embracing Rhoda, Nonce returns to her body and kills him. Nonce herself dies some time later, taking with her a bestial redneck. But the female principle has" triumphed. * Good local color, some fine Southern yokels, heated, brash writing, but it comes across despite the Weltschmerz of the 1930's. BREBNER, PERCY [JAMES] (1864-1922) British author of historical fiction, detective stories, adventure stories. Also wrote a lostrace novel under the pseudonym Christian Lys. 272. THE IVORY DISC Duffield; New York 1920 Fairly long society novel and romance with sensational elements. * Dr. Brook Oliver, experimental psychologist and alienist, falls in love with Estelle Bocara, the wife of an Egyptian-Indian teacher of languages. It is soon obvious to Oliver that Estelle is undeveloped, a hysterical personality, and he learns that she had been struck on the head in her childhood. A splinter of bone is still pressing on her brain. Oliver also discovers that Bocara, instead of being an innocent linguist, is really assassinating V.I.P.'s in order to attain the independence of India. Bocara is using Estelle, under mesmeric control, to implant a deadly snake poison. Oliver gets Estelle; an operation restores her full personality; Bocara is torn to pieces by a dog that he habitually abused. The moral aspect of the novel is clear by the fact that Estelle was a wife in name only. The title of the book refers to an ivory disc which conveyed the protection of the higher gods. Estelle gives it to Oliver for his protection and it seems to work. * A curious combination of fully. developed Edwardian social material and sensationalism. There does not seem to be a British edition. BRENNAN, JOSEPH PAYNE (1918 ) American poet, fiction writer, librarian at Yale University. 273. NINE HORRORS AND A DREAM Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1958 Short stories, including [a] LEVITATION. The stage demonstrator hypnotizes and levitates a boorish young man from the audience, but he has a heart attack and dies before the act ends.

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BRIDGE, ANN The young man floats away. [b) THE CALAMANDER CHEST. (WT 1953). Ernest Maax buys a beautiful chest made of calamander wood, but soon notices that a finger keeps crawling out of it. After a time the finger beckons, and Maax is seen no more. The chest was very heavy, the movers thought. [c] DEATH IN PERU. (MYSTIC MAGAZINE 1954) An American lies dying of witchcraft.. He had taken an Indian girl. His friend finds the doll that is responsible, but this does not remedy the situation. [d] ON THE ELEVATOR. The night clerk at the seaside hotel sees the thing in the raincoat get into the elevator, and later, sees one of his guests, slashed to ribbons, in the same raincoat. There is speculation about it. [e] THE GREEN PARROT. (WT 1952) The narrator helps an old lady who 1s chasing Toby, her parrot. He learns later that they are ghosts. It happened 80 years before, during a blizzard. Another blizzard is on its way. [f] CANAVAN'S BACK YARD. Canavan the bookseller stands staring out into his overgrown back yard and remarks that it seems endless. It is, if one enters it, as the narrator discovers. Canavan is trapped there, perhaps turned into a dog-like being, but at least hopelessly insane. It seems that during the witch persecutions of three centuries earlier, a hunted witch put a curse on the land. [g] THE HUNT. Mr. Oricto is pursued, even hunted, by a weasely stranger who at last traps him. The answer is in animal characteristics. [h] THE MAIL FOR JUNIPER HILL. Ed Hyerson, tough driver of U.S. mail, swears that he will take the mail through the blizzard, or through Hell. He does not make it, but his corpse or spirit is wandering through the snow toward the cemetery. * The other stories are either crime fiction or science-fiction. * [f], which is in the manner of M. R. James, is the best story in the book. BRIDGE, ANN (pseud. of O'Malley, Mary Dolling Saunders) .(1891-1974) English novelist, husband in British diplomatic corps. Long resident in China, Yugoslavia. Birth date uncertain; 1889 is also cited. 274. AND THEN YOU CAME Chatto and Windus; London 1948 The tragic power of beauty, which can reach through time to work evil unintentionally. The ancient theme of the book is the Irish legend of Deirdre of the Sorrows, the incredibly beautiful woman who fled Ireland with her husband and his brothers (the sons of Usna) and took refuge in Scotland. They were lured back to Ireland, where they all died. The modern theme centers around the MacAlpines, Highland Scottish gentry, with their connections, associates, and neighbors. Nora, the daughter of the house, is an enthusiastic amateur archeologist. She uncovers remains of a hitherto unknown vitrified fort. The discovery leads to general interest in the Iron Age, the visit of an archeologist of note (Professor Porlock), and-- as is learned later-- an irruption from the past. A strange yacht appears in the loch, bearing three handsome young men, an incredibly beaut i-

BRIDGE, ANN ful young woman, and an old bearded scholar who enter the lives of the MacAlpines and their associates. It is soon obvious that the woman is Deirdre (who had come to this same area in the legendary past), the young men the sons of Usna, and the old man, Merlin. The meeting is tragic, for when a modern young man falls in love with Deirdre, he is killed by her lover from the past. The climax of the story comes when Merlin works powerful magic, causing deaths and injuries, casting Professor Porlock into the past as a ghost-like figure, where he sees the quarrel between lovers of Deirdre. The past is recapitulated. The strangers sail away mysteriously, and everything is hushed up. It is later heard that they perished on the way to Ireland. * Good background material, though genealogically confusing; nicely written, but overlong and inanimate until the final quarter of the book. BRODIE-INNES, J[OHN] W[ILLIAM] (1848-? Scottish jurist, author of fiction. Author of works comparing English and Scottish law, historical studies of Scottish witchcraft. In later life associated with the Theosophical Society. 275. MORAG THE SEAL Rebman; London 1908 Modern Scottish folklore and mystery. Kingsburgh, a solicitor, is summoned for legal advice. He steps into a welter of folkloristic magic, seal women, supernatural dreams, and artificial induction of sleeping sickness. Morag, the seal woman, is ultimately explained as a telepathic projection. * Interesting, but the author's later work is more significant. 276. FOR THE SOUL OF A WITCH A ROMANCE OF BADENOCH Rebman; London 1910 A historical novel of early 16th century Scotland, with considerable supernaturalism. One subplot concerns the romance of Beatrix Dunbar, who has been betrothed by the Church to Leslie, a man whom she dislikes. She has refused to consummate the marriage. She falls in love with Alasdair Cumming, the local leader of the Cumming clan, bears him a child, and marries him. She is killed in one of the many raids and counterraids. The second subplot, somewhat confusedly attached to the first, is concerned with magic and the supernatural. Elspet Simpson is a dual personality, a Kundry figure. As Cecily Ross she is Beatrix's dearest friend, a Christian mystic, and a saintly visionary. As Elspet Simpson, she has been initiated into devil worship by a mysterious Dr. Finn, is the mistress of the brutal and treacherous Leslie, has supernatural powers, and at times of extreme emotion becomes a werewolf. Also present is Eochain Cumming, the last Druidic priest. He has learned the ancient worship in Asia Minor and has many supernatural abilities. A benevolent old man, he has the commission to fight evil witchcraft and he is greatly concerned with rooting out the evil personality of Elspet/Cecily. * A long, muddled beginning, but a very interesting second portion, with much folklore. The motif of the werewolf is exceptionally well handled.

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BROSTER, D.K. 277. THE DEVIL'S MISTRESS Rider; London 1915 A historical romance with much folkloristic supernaturalism. * Scotland, in the days of the Commonwealth. In the first subplot Isabel Goudie, an intelligent, cultured woman unfortunately married to a surly, boorish farmer, is greatly dissatisfied with her lot. She meets the Devil, who is in the form of a handsome young man, and is easily persuaded to join the local witch cult. She is chosen queen of the coven, and becomes the Devil's mistress. Among her adventures and exploits are riding a magic horse, casting spells on her enemies, shooting either at random or at foes with elfshot (magical stone arrowheads), paying a visit tO,a Celtic fairy hill (where a year and a day passes in what seems to be a very short time), and much else. The second subplot is concerned with the Gordons, friends of Isabel's. Old Sir Robert Gordon has also sold his soul to the Devil and has various magical abilities, but has a sporting chance for freedom. But he is entangled in Royalist conspiracies, and it takes his own and Isabel's magic to extricate him and his associates. At the climax of the story, Gordon, physically paralyzed, but free in the spirit, races with the Devil. Isabel, out of friendship, invokes the Lords of Fate to save Sir Robert, even though this means the end of her own magical abilities and possibly her death. Although she repents of her witchcraft and has a divine vision, she is caught, tried, and burned as a witch. Her choice of this death apparently redeems her. * Somewhat episodic, but intelligent and with much interesting subject matter. BROOKS, [WILLIAM] COLLIN (1893-1959) English, journalist, financial expert, economist, poet, writer of thrillers. London correspondent of BUSINESS WEEK. Most important book THEORY AND PRACTICE OF FINANCE, which has gone through many editions. Also wrote fiction under the pseudonym Barnaby Brook. 278. MAD-DOCTOR MERCIFUL Hutchinson; London 1932 Sensational novel. * Dr. Merciful, who has been trained in the Orient, is a master of Eastern as well as of Western science. He wishes to cure a case of demoniac possession by operating on the patient's pineal gland and releasing the demon. With the assistance of a spirit he operates, but the demon, instead of departing meekly, is prepared to possess the narrator. Merciful, to save his friend, takes the demon into himself and dies. * Little to recommend it. BROSTER, D[OROTHY] K[ATHLEEN] (1877-1950) British writer, mostly of historical fiction. 279. COUCHING AT THE DOOR Heinemann; London 1942 Five short stories. Including [a] COUCHING AT THE DOOR. Augustine Marchant, decadent but brilliant literary man, discovers that he is being haunted by a boa-like fur creature. As the haunting increases, he tries to transfer

BROSTER, D. K.

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it to a young artist who is illustrating his work. It is temporarily removed, but when the artist commits suicide, it returns to Marchant as a gigantic, horrible snake. While the author cleverly avoids giving specifics, it seems that Marchant took part in a devil-worshipping ceremony in Prague and unwittingly evoked a demon something like a familiar. Retribution, with obvious references to Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley. [b] THE PESTERING. A long short story, with considerable background detail. When Evadne Seton and her husband open the Hallows as an inn, they awaken an old haunting: a very solid ghost, of varying appearance, who persistently asks about a chest. The ghost, while not hostile, becomes a nuisance and the Setons search for the chest. In it is a small bronze statue (originally of Diane de Poictiers), with a dagger between its breasts, and a paper _ with magical spells. A Renaissance lover's revenge. [c] FROM THE ABYSS. An automobile accident splits a young woman into two entities, each with a body. One returns to England, while the other wanders around the area of the accident in the Alps. When the two meet, they merge and the woman dies. [d] JUGGERNAUT. Mrs. Birling, an old and inform woman, has been murdered by her attendant, who withheld her amyl nitrate during a heart attack. The chair in which she used to be pushed grows increasingly heavy and finally. avenges the murdered woman. * [a] and [b] are excellent; the other two stories are routine. [a] is often anthologized, sometimes in abridged form. BROUGHTON, RHODA (1840-1920) English Victorian psychologtcal and social novelist. Regarded highly by some for technical excellence; vilified by others for naturalistic approach to emotional situations-- considered improper. Today remembered mostly for NOT TOO WISELY BUT IQO WELL (1867) and BELINDA (1883). Deserves revival. Presently of interest not_ only for psychological analysis of Victorian women but also for vivacity of style-- she usually wrote in the present tense. 280. TALES FOR CHRISTMAS EVE Bentley; London 1873 Five short stories, including [a] THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. Told in a series of letters between a pair of young women. A haunting so terrible that the sight of it either kills or drives the viewer mad. Clever. [b] THE MAN WITH THE NOSE. Elizabeth has had a repetitive, serial dream: a sinister man with a large nose appears to her and summons her to him with mesmeric power. On her honeymoon down the Rhine the dream advances, and in Lucerne Elizabeth disappears from her hotel. She is never seen again. The only evidence is that she had been seen in a carriage, unconscious, with the man with the nose. For the Victorians, probably Death; but for us a classical Freudian sexual situation, nose, mesmerism, and all. [c] POOR PRETTY BOBBY. Premodern wars. A death portent appears to a young woman who has thoughtlessly helped send her lover to his death. [d] BEHOLD IT WAS A DREAM~ Ireland. The young

BROWN, ALICE female narrator tells her friend of a horrible dream: her friend and her friend's husband are murdered, throats cut, by an Irish laborer. The narrator even sees the laborer on the friend's grounds. Unfortunately, they do not listen. * Excellent stories told with brilliance and vivacity. [a] and [b] are best. * Reprinted as TWILIGHT STORIES, most recently by Home and Van ThaI (London, 1947), with an introduction by Herbert Van ThaI. Description based on Van ThaI edition. 281. BETTY'S VISIONS [and UGLY BARRINGTON by The Duchess] Seaside Pocket Library Edition, #862, George Munro; New York 1886 paperbound Containing [a] BETTY'S VISIONS. Betty Brewster, an ordinary little girl in a middle-class household, happens to be psychic. When she is a child, her gift tells her about distant deaths. Her unwelcome ability persists through life, with the final experience at childbed, when it touches her on the heart and she knows that she and her baby must die. Nicely told. The English first edition is BETTY'S VISIONS AND MRS. SMITH OF LONGMAINS (Routledge, London 1886) which has not been available to me.

*

BROUN, HEYWOOD [CAMPBELL] (1888-1939) American journalist, ftction writer, dramatist. Well-known sports writer, syndicated columnist; active in politics and labor, founder of American Newspaper Guild. Apparently more significant for ephemeral writing and personality than for permanent work. 282. GANDLE FOLLOWS HIS NOSE Boni and Liveright; New York 1926 One of the children of Cabell's JURGEN; a modern fairy tale about disillusionment, with possible social and political allegory. * Gandle, a young man in an imaginary land where magic still operates, is unable to distinguish illusion from reality, except by a gnawing dissatisfaction. After rejecting wisdom, which is offered to him by a wizard, he finds a magic lamp, which controls the geni Yom. Gandle fulfills his desires for a time with a palace, a woman, a son, and a dog, but is eventually dissatisfied with them-- since he recognizes their falseness. In a moment of passion he discards the lamp and sets out for new experiences. He comes upon a glass mountain, said to be guarded by dragons and giants who hold beautiful princesses captive. He fails to climb the mountain, but on a later attempt succeeds, to discover that the dragons and giants are all dead, and there has been only one princess, who had loved the giant. Gandle retreats farther and farther into dream, and comes to think of himself as divine. Marriage removes some of his illusions, but pride and egotism cause his death. * Despite the fairy tale motives and a light touch in the writing, sombre, ruthless, and thoughtprovoking. BROWN, ALICE (1857-1948) American novelist, regionalistic short story writer (New Hampshire), playwright. Staff member of YOUTH'S COMPANION. Popular, competent work, but now forgotten.

BROWN, ALICE Macmillan; 283. THE WIND BETWEEN THE WORLDS New York 1920 Romance, with some attempt at psychological depth, plus material on Spiritualism, radioactive elements, and World War I. * There are two story strands. The Harvey family is in mourning for their son Philip, an aviator, who has been killed in the war. Philip's mother has taken to Spiritualism in an effort to contact Philip and maintains a secretary who practices automatic writing for the same purpose. The secretary's ability is half fraudulent; she deceives at times, yet is partly convinced that there is a larger aspect to her accomplishment. The second subplot concerns the Doves. Andrew Dove, now partly senile, has isolated a new element beyond radium, and this element seems to offer communication (via Morse Code) with a range of life that for want of better identification is termed the Dead. Dove needs more money to enlarge his experiments, and his daughter Andrea must help him raise it. By an odd chance she had been a lover to one of the Harvey sons. When the Harveys learn of Dove's experiments, Andrea undertakes a deception. She claims to be the secret wife of the dead Philip, since she believes in error that her lover was the man killed. But when the other Harvey son appears, she realizes her mistake and is trapped in it. The experimental strand now dries up. Old Dove perpetrates a fraud to impress the Harveys; he hides his supply of the new element (olympium); and there is now a question whether Dove ever did have any genuine phenomena. The romance, however, is disentangled. * Literate, but dated and incredible, although one scene-- between old Mrs. Brooke and the scheming secretary-- is well-handled. The author's earlier work is superior. BROWN, FREDRIC (1906-1972) American (Milwaukee and New York) newspaperman, author. Important writer of mystery and detective fiction, less important in science-fiction and supernatural fiction. Good humorist; best period practitioner of whimsical short-short stories. Most important works THE FABULOUS CLIPJOINT (1947); NIGHT OF THE JABBERWOCK (1950), COMPLIMENTS OF A FIEND (1950). 284. ANGELS AND SPACESHIPS Dutton; New York 1954 Short stories, including [a] ETAOIN SHRDLU. (UNK 1942) When an eccentric little man rents a linotype in a small town newspaper plant, so that he can print a secret formula from matrices that he has devised, no one could have anticipated what would happen. The linotype becomes animated. At first it is a very efficient money-making device, since it sets type perfectly and repairs itself, but it gradually develops a personality. When the printer inadvertently has it set some socialist literature, it goes on strike and issues ultimatums; when it sets a sex book, it demands a mate. A solu~ tion is finally reached. [b] ARMAGEDDON. (UNK 1941) When a prayer wheel in Tibet stops rotating, the powers of evil are released and Gerber the Great, stage magician, is revealed to be the

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BROWN, FREDRIC Evil One, ready to take over the world. But only momentarily, for young Herbie Westerman saves the world. [c] THE HAT TRICK. (UNK 1943). Told by indirection. Possibly a being from another science-fictional world, possibly a demon. [d] SEARCH. Peter is in heaven with God. [e] ,THE ANGELIC EARTHWO~. (UNK 1943) An angle worm assumes the form of an angel and flies away; a tael in a locked showcase turns into a teal duck; hate becomes heat; lye turns into a Rumanian coin-- periodically besetting, inconvenient, sometimes disastrous events all find a simple explanation from Brown's background in printing. [f] SOLIpSIST.. Walter B. Jehovah wills the universe out of existence, but cannot remove himself. The voice of the former creator god tells him that he can be released only by creating a new universe. Then another person can evolve who can will him out of existence. Jehovah creates such a universe in seven days. * Among the best pulp humor. [a] and [e] are best. 285. HONEYMOON IN HELL Bantam Books; New York 1958 paperbound Short stories, including [a] TOO FAR. Described elsewhere. [b] MILLENNIUM. (MFSF 1955) Satan receives his come-uppance when a little man makes the Ultimate Wish-- a completely unselfish wish that destroys Satan's empire. [c] BLOOD. Described elsewhere. [d] NATURALLY. (BEYOND 1954) A short-short story. If you are inept at geometry, you should not try to evoke demons in the traditional manner. [e] VOODOO. (BEYOND 1954) Doll magic. A short-short story. [f] A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR. (OTHER WORLD S 1951) Radio programs allover the world are interrupted for a brief message from the sponsor-- the word "fight." It stops various pugnacious activities-- even war-- since people react negatively to the command. But where did the message come from, and who is the sponsor? Supernatural by implication, not statement. [g] RUSTLE OF WINGS. (MFSF 1953) If a travelling salesman bets with you, thirteen silver dollars-pieces of si1ver-- against one dollar that you will not sign a paper selling your soul, what would you do? * [g] is nicely executed. 286. NIGHTMARES AND GEEZENSTACKS 47 STORIES Bantam Books; New York 1961 paperbound These are mostly short-short stories, only a couple of hundred words long, usually fitted with a trick or punning ending. Brown was very skilled at writing them. * Including, [a] NASTY. Described elsewhere. [b] REBOUND. Snell, a small-time crook, suddenly discovers that he has the power to make what he says come true. In his exuberance he shouts to the world, "Drop dead," but has forgotten about echo. [c] NIGHTMARE IN RED. He awakens during the last great earthquake to see in the sky, a sign saying, "Tilt." The reference (for those too young to remember) is to cheating on pinball machines. [d] THE HOUSE. (FANTASTIC ADVENTURES 1960) Presumably after-death experiences in a room symbolic of the narrator's life. [e] RECESSIONAL. (DUDE 1960) The chess pieces comment and philosophize; secondary commentary on the war years. [f] THE RING OF HANS CARVEL. Retold

BROWN, FREDRIC from Rabe1ais. In a dream the Devil gives Carvel a magic ring which will keep other men away from Carvel's wife. Carvel puts his finger into it. [g) ROPE TRICK. Indian magic does not solve the problems of a love life that is down and out. [h) JAYCEE. (MFSF 1955) After the testerosis epidemic, which destroyed the fertility of most males, parthenogenesis produces the first male baby. Unfortunately, he turns out to be a Jaycee-- water into gin, walking on water, etc. The ambiguity in the title (for younger readers) resides in Junior Chamber of Commerce. [i) DEATH ON THE MOUNTAIN. Afterdeath experiences in an imaginary land, and things that can take shape. Not too clear. [j) BEAR POSSIBILITY. Quinby, a magician, a kindly man, has only one power: the ability to change humans into animals. When his wife falls into the bear pit, to protect her life he changes her into a female bear. He is now sweating it out in the obstetrics ward. [k) FISH STORY. Robert Palmer meets a mermaid and falls in love with her. A kindly Triton transforms him into a merman, but he discovers that sea people propagate like fish. [1) MURDER IN TEN EASY LESSONS. The career of a young punk who is turned into a gangster, interspersed with comments from Hell. [m} THE LITTLE LAMB. Wayne Gray, artist, now quite drunk, is looking for his wife. He finds her nude portrait in Wagner's studio and shoots Wagner. The portrait reminds him that he had shot his wife several hours before. Perhaps meant figuratively. [n) THE GEEZENSTACKS. (WT 1943) Uncle Richard finds the dolls in a box on the street. Audrey plays with them. Her father soon notices that whatever happens to the dolls (the Geezenstacks), will soon happen to the family. His solution is to encourage Audrey to play with something else, so that the dolls can be disposed of. But when a witch gets the dolls, the connection still holds. * The other stories are science-fiction, mystery, and mild erotica. * Best are [c], [j), and [m), which last is longer than most of the other stories in this book. 287. PARADOX LOST AND TWELVE OTHER GREAT SCIENCE FICTION STORIES Random House;. New York 1973 A posthumous collection reprinting earlier material. Introduction by Elizabeth Brown, the author's widow. * Including [a) THE LAST TRAIN. (WT 1950) Fate and failure. Haig misses the last train. Supernatural by implication only. [b] IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. (PLAYBOY 1963) Kane has an insight into the universe. When he ran over a girl with his automobile, there was no trace of its having happened. He reasons that this is a solipsistic world, and that when something leaves his mind, it ceases to exist. He is only partly right, as he learns when he shoots the stripteaser. [c] TEN PERCENTER. Down-and-out would-be actor .Bill Weaver finds a wallet with cash and credit cards, and tries to use the cards. By "chance" he meets Roscoe, the owner of the wallet, who makes a deal with him: 10% of everything that Weaver makes, and Roscoe will work behind the scenes for him. Supernaturalism is invoJ.ved, also sharing that Weaver does not like. [d]

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BRUSSOF, VALERY EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK. (MFSF 1965). Written in collaboration with Carl Onspaugh. Dooley Hanks, clarinetist, has spent most of his life looking for the Sound. His most successful attempt comes in Germany. On passing a little wine cellar, he hears a wonderful sound, enters, and finds a strange-looking man playing an archaic musical instrument. Dooley strikes up an acquaintance with the musician (whose command of his instrument is remarkable), but cannot resist taking the instrument, since his own clarinet has been shattered. Otto the musician had used it to summon women, but Hanks, after murdering the piper, discovers that he has summoned something else in Hamelin town. [e) THE NEW ONE. (UNK 1942) World War II patriotism. In the other-world, the demons and forgotten gods live. Darveth the fire elemental is strongest and he has a pet human under his control, a pyromaniac. A fire disaster almost occurs, but a new supernatural figure has been called into existence by belief, and he beats off Darveth. Uncle Sam. [f) DOUBLE STANDARD. (PLAYBOY) 1963) Life as seen by a character.inside the TV box. His thoughts are controlled by censorship, and the outside world seems like a den of iniquity. * Craftsmanlike, good commercial fiction. 288. THE BEST OF FREDRIC BROWN Doubleday; Garden City, N.Y. 1976 Edited, with introduction, A BROWN STUDY, by Robert Bloch. * Short stories, including, all described elsewhere, [a) IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. [b] RECESSIONAL. [c) EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK, with Carl Onspaugh. [d) JAYCEE. [e] ANSWER. [f) THE GEEZENSTACKS. [g} REBOUND. [h) ETAOIN SHRDLU. [i) ARMAGEDDON. * A reasonable selection, with an excellent introduction. BRUCE, MURIEL American author; no information. 289. MUKARA A NOVEL Rae D. Henkle; New York [1930] Lost-race adventure, with occult and sciencefictional elements. * Richard Kirby and his companions seek a lost civilization in the mountains of Brazil. After many perils (including bestial spider-men) they come to the decayed civilization of Mukara. Advanced scientifically in some respects, degenerate in others, Mukara is currently torn between the secular and religious aspects of the culture. Kirby sides with the secular side and is in opposition to the Mudra, the female leader of the priests. Much of the remainder of the book is taken up with his initiation and his defeat of priestly magic. The Mudra calls in savage Indians, and the land is endangered, but the savages are repelled and the Mudra is revealed to be a semisupernatural being who is incarnated occasionally. * Of no great interest. The occult material is developed at the expense of story. BRUSSOF, VALERY (also transliterated as BRYUSOV or BRIUSOV., VALERII YAKOVLEVICH;) (1873-1924) Prominent Russian (Moscow) poet, compiler of folk songs, literary critic, editor, historian;

BRUSSOF, VALERY special range, Pushkin and the early 19th century. Modernist in approach to Russian literature. Prolific writer, but very little of his work translated. His historical romance THE FIERY ANGEL (H. Tou1rnin, London 1930), published as by Valeri Briussov, is worth reading. An excellent, thought-provoking writer. 290, THE REPUBLIC OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS AND OTHER STORIES Constable; London 1918 A translator is not credited. Introduction by Stephen Graham. Apparently early work from the first decade of the century. "[The purpose of this book is] to show in various ways that there is no fixed boundary between the world of reality and that of the imagination, between the dreaming and the waking world, life and fantasy; and that which all call reality is the most dreadful delirium." * Including, [a] IN THE MIRROR. Morbid psychology. A vain woman battles with her reflection in the mirror, is submerged by it, and wonders which is the real personality and which the reflection. [b] PROTECTION. A seducer who is posing as a dead husband is foiled by the husband's ghost. [c] ELULI, SON OF ELULI. A Phoenician. tomb in West Africa is disturbed, activating an ancient curse on one who abandons reality to accept the curse. [d] IN THE TOWER. Dreams of a past life at the time of the Teutonic Knights, or perhaps dreams of the future while living in the past. * The other stories, while not fantastic in our sense, involve a similar balancing and exchange of reality and unreality. The title story is science-fiction. * Sparse, nicely told. BUCHAN, JOHN (1st BARON TWEEDSMUIR) (1875-1940) G.C.M.G. Scottish author, solicitor, civil servant, publisher (part owner of Thomas Nelson), director of Reuter's news service, war correspondent, historian, M.P., Chancellor of Edinburgh University (1938), Governor-General of Canada (1935-1940). Recipient of many honors. Fairly prolific author in many fields, but now remembered mostly for mystery-espionage novels THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS (1915) and GREENMANTLE (1916), the first of which formed the basis for the motion picture of the same name directed by Alfred Hitchcock. 291. THE WATCHER BY THE THRESHOLD AND OTHER TALES Blackwood; Edinburgh and London 1902 Short stories, including [a] THE WATCHER BY THE THRESHOLD. Lad1aw is haunted by a devil that manifests itself as neural agony. When he learns that the Emperor Justinian suffered from the same complaint, he becomes an avid student of Byzantine history. Although others scoff at his theory of the pain as demoniac, it is transferred and finally disappears in a blast of hot air. Possibly of some autobiographical significance, since Buchan apparently suffered greatly from psychosomatic pains. [b] THE OUTGOING OF THE TIDE. Premodern Scotland. If one goes to the Sker sands on Be1tane Eve (April 30th), on the ebb of tide, after midnight, one becomes the property of the Devil. Heriotside and Allie are lovers, and each is urged to go to the sands for a tryst-- Heriotside by a

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BUCHAN, JOHN shadowy demon in human form, Allie by her witch mother. Allie is killed. [c] THE RIME OF TRUE THOMAS. Scottish folklore. A shepherd is engaged in conversation by a curlew and is allowed to hear the music of True Thomas's rime. This means an awakening of dissatisfaction and departure from the land. [d] BASILISSA. Venn, as a boy and as a young mari, has had a repetitive dream of a strange, many-roomed house. As a man, in a boat off a small Greek island, he is asked to save the life of the Basi1issa, whom the local populace regard as a witch. When he enters the house, he recognizes it as the house of his dream, and the beautiful young Basi1issa (queen) recognizes him from matChing dreams. They leave together. * Also included is the science-fiction story "No-man' s Land." * [d] is the best story. 292. THE MOON ENDURETH TALES AND FANCIES Blackwood; Edinburgh and London 1912 Short stories and verse, including [a] A LUCID INTERVAL. Ram Singh, a Behari landlord who feels that he is being badly treated by the Raj, poisons a group of cabinet ministers and high officials with a drug that causes the emergence of true personality. As a result a cautious conservative minister is ready to precipitate a crisis with Germany; a Lowland Scottish hypocrite no longer poses as a liberal; and a proponent of harmony becomes an activist. Singh laughs, until he learns that one result of his drug is a plan to deport Indians to South Africa as slave labor. [b] SPACE. Ho1lond, a mathematician, discovers the nature of space and the laws governing it; he can move about freely in hyperspace while he sleeps. But psychologically the discovery is almost unbearable, because of presences in space. [c] THE GROVE OF ASHTOROTH. South Africa. Along the path of Phoenician exploration is the last shrine to Ishtar: a grove, a tower-like temple, and pigeons. An Englishman of partly Jewish ancestry suffers a reversion to Near Eastern mind-modes, falls under the sway of the shrine, and revives the worship of the goddess. A friend destroys the shrine, though sensing the presence of the goddess and feeling guilt at having driv;en something "10ve1y and adorable from its last refuge." [d] THE GREEN GLEN. A beautiful Scottish glen and stream, the scene of an ancient feud, also recapitulates an ancient situation. [e] THE RIME OF TRUE THOMAS. Described elsewhere. * [e] and two non-fantastic stories are omitted from the American edition (Sturgis Walton, New York 1912). * [a] is amusing, and [b] and [c] are among Buchan's best work. 293. THE DANCING FLOOR Hodder and Stoughton; London [1926] Adventure based on Greek folklore and predestination. Two sUbplots move to a common climax. Vernon Mi1burne has a recurrent dream which drives him to study Greek culture. Kore Arabin, the daughter of an Englishman who has a barony of a sort in Greece, is thought by the natives to be a witch or demon. In a revival of pagan rites, the peasants are about to sacrifice her, when Mi1burne appears, and

BUCHAN, JOHN his classical studies enable him to save her. * Routine. 294. THE RUNAGATES CLUB Hodder and Stoughton; London 1928 Short stories told at a London dining club. * Including [a] THE GREEN WILDEBEEST: SIR RICHARD HANNAY'S STORY. Experiences around 1900 in the Transvaal. Hannay and a companion come upon an isolated tribe that maintains a shrine with a priest, a lush garden, and a green wildebeest-- which symbolizes supernatural forces. When the companion violates the shrine, he is punished supernaturally. Classical theory of holiness. [b] DR. LARTIUS: JOHN PALLISER-YEATES'S STORY. A rationalized version of a motif associated with World War I. Lartius, a Swiss, is mediumistic and is in spiritual contact with the British leaders. He then reveals information to the Germans. A spy. [c] THE WIND IN THE PORTICO: HENRY NIGHTGALE'S STORY. Dubellay has excavated an ancient altar and has found paraphernalia of the old Celtic God Vaunus. Manifestations occur when Dubellay turns his house into a shrine. Vaunus is not a pleasant god. [d] SKULE SKERRY: ANTHONY HURRELL'S STORY. An isolated island in the far north, the home of birds, known since medieval times; and the seat of an abiding feeling of terror. A monster is seen. It is rationalized, but fear remains. [e} TENDEBANT MANUS: -SIR ARTHURWARCLIFF'S STORY. Borderline supernatural. The Souldern brothers: George, the politician; Reggie, the soldier. When Reggie is killed in World War I his personality in some fashion animates the ineffectual but intelligent George. But holding hands with the dead may very well -draw one over the boundary. [f] FULLCIRCLE: MARTIN PECKWETHER'S STORY. The beautiful Georgian house is still held somehow by the 19th century lord. His personality affects those who currently own the house. Not a hostile haunting. * Among Buchan's best work. 295. THE GAP IN THE CURTAIN Hodder and Stoughton; London 1932 A metaphysical novel, with social material, about time and fate. * Professor Moe, noted Swedish savant and Nobel prize winner, has developed a new theory of time: our present time is encapsulated in a higher dimension of time, and then in higher forms. There also kinks and loops. If one can break mentally through the barrier into the higher time sphere, knowledge of the future is possible. Death also results in a similar mental passage to a higher dimension. The guests at Lady Flambard's house party are willing to experiment, and after some mild ascesis they try to see a London Times of a year in the future. They succeed, and each finds his life changed. Tavanger, a big business magnate and manipulator, reads of a "michelite" combine to be formed and tries to corner all the michelite stock. His subterfuges are described in some detail. He is successful, but a new invention makes his schemes profitless. Mayot, a politician, reads the name of the new prime minister and tries to work his way into his confidence. He is not successful,

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BULL, R.C. for "while he knew the winner, he picked the wrong race." Daker sees that he is to go to Yucatan, but he is determined not to go. But he becomes entangled with a young woman whom he wants to drop, and his only way of escaping is to go on an expedition. Goodeve sees his own obituary and dies of fright. Captain Charles Ottery also sees his own obituary, but he does not succumb. He learns, after the date, thac the notice contained several errors and really referred to a distant relative. * Nicely handled. Superior to most of Buchan's adventure thrillers. BULL, R[ANDOLPH] C[ECIL] British anthologist, collector of supernatural fiction. AS EDITOR: 296. PERTURBED SPIRITS A BOOK OF GHOST AND TERROR STORIES Arthur Barker; London [1954] Introduction by Herbert Van ThaI. * Described elsewhere, [a} THE DEMOISELLE D'yS. Robert W. Chambers. [b] THE DEAD VALLEY, Ralph Adams Cram. [c] THE DEATH MASK, Mrs. H. D. Everett. [d] THE MAN WITH THE NOSE, Rhoda Broughton. [e] GHOST OF HONOUR, Pamela Hansford Johnson. [f] THE DERELICT, William Hope Hodgson. [g] THE UNQUIET GRAVE, F. M. Mayor. [h] MORTMAIN John Metcalfe. [i] THE LOST ROOM, Fitz-James O'Brien. [j] THE FIREPLACE, H.S. Whitehead. [k1 THE INVISIBLE EYE, Erckmann-Chatrian. [11 WOLVERDEN TOWER, Grant Allen. * [m] THE CORPSE LIGHT, Dick Donovan. (from TALES OF TERROR> 1899) Dr. Lindsay, on his country rounds, sees a bloody corpse on the road. It disappears, then reappears. The vision is accompanied by a flopping slap on his face. He is led to an old haunted mill, where, later, evidence of murder is found. in] VERA, Jean Villiers de l'Isle Adam. Countess Athol died suddenly on the marital bed, and her husband mourns her deeply. He recreates the atmosphere of life, wills her to come back, and succeeds for a moment. But a casual word prevents her return. Faith and love. [0] THE DEVIL OF THE MARSH, H. B. Marriott-Watson. (from DIOGENES IN LONDON, 1893) Semi-alle~o­ rical tale. The traveller comes to the Great Marsh, sees the beautiful spirit of the marsh, and declares his love. But a previous lover, the Evil Spirit (a rotten thing), protests at her leaving the marsh. The traveller has second thoughts. [p] THE HAUNTED STATION, Hume Nisbet. (from THE HAUNTED STATION AND OTHER STORIES, 1894). The word "station" here is Australian for "fannhouse." The narrator, an English doctor unjustly deported to Australia, escapes. He comes upon a deserted house, in which are several skeletons. While he muses over it, a ghost appears and tells. him the story of the deaths, which it had indirectly caused, and tries to possess him. * A resourceful collection, particularly useful in offering samples from very rare books: [m1. [0], [p1. 297. UPON THE MIDNIGHT AN ANTHOLOGY OF GHOST AND HORROR STORIES Macdonald; London [1957] Introduction. Including, described elsewhere,

BULL, R. C.

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BULWER-LYTTON, EDWARD GEORGE

[a] THE WHITE WOLF OF KOSTOPCHIN, Sir Gilbert Campbell. [b] THE DEMON KING, J. B. Priestley. [c] THE FOUR-FIFTEEN EXPRESS, Amelia B. Edwards. [d] THE MESSENGER, Robert W. Chambers. [e] NIGHTLY SHE SINGS, Clemence Dane~ * Also, [f] THE PARLOUR CAR GHOST, "A Lady." The ghost of a drummer, in Victorian England, sells some cloth to a lady on' a train. Written in the middle of the 19th century. [g] DOG OR DEMON Theo. Gift. From NOT FOR THE ,NIGHT-TIME, 1867. Ireland. Dispossessing a tenant; killing the tenant's dog; a curse; and a ghost dog. [h] A LITTLE PLACE OFF THE EDGWARE ROAD, Graham Greene. All about the murder, but told by the wrong person. [i] DECAY, John Moore. Borderline supernatural. Cotter, aged 73, wanders through his grove of trees and sees increasing amounts of decay, until it is omnipresent. Symbolic of his approaching death. [j] AWAKEASLEEP-AWAKE, J. J. Curle. A complex interweaving of dream, prevision, murder, and afterdeath experience. [k] THE FLAGSTONE, Norman Edwards. Budding psychosis, probably, symbolized supernaturally, when Cotter hears the strange scratching and giggling from under the flagstone in his rented house. * Of the new material [h], [i], [j] are best.

Allegory of maturation and individuation. The boundaries between real life and fantasy waver and become vague as John Godly, bored middleaged businessman, approaches Fairyland. Hoping to have an affair with his secretary Maia, he becomes acquainted with a series of grotesque characters (among whom reality of role shifts), and he finally enters Fairyland. Along the way he sees a double of himself, which retraces his path back to his life. In Fairyland (the unconscious area, the dream area) a revolution is brewing. There has been too much rationalism and the ancient supernatural forces have rebelled and overthrown those who favored human activities, reason, and limitations, Godly realizes that he must come to terms with the forces of magic in order to survive. Back on earth, however, Godly's doppelganger Godelik tries to enter Godly's life, but his infantilism and naivetee cause problems. Eventually when Godly returns, both aspects of the personality may be united and Godly has a chance for a better, happier life. The episodes in Fairyland are very nicely handled, but the overlong preparatory sections are likely to discourage the reader, who may find the character-grotesques unnecessary and pointless.

BULLETT, GERALD [WILLIAM] (1893-1958) British mainstream novelist, short story writer, poet, editor. Author of critical works on George Eliot and G. K. Chesterton. Bestknown work THE JURY (1935). Fiction often has mystical touch, foreshadowing serious later work on English mystical thinkers of the Middle Ages. Highly regarded during the 1930's, but now undeservedly forgotten. 298. THE STREET OF THE EYE AND NINE OTHER TALES John Lane; London 1923 Short stories, including [a] THE STREET OF THE EYE. Paris. Young people argue about the omnipresence and watchfulness of God. Bellingham is convinced that he has been marked by God, and sees symbols of this supervision in material objects and everyday events. He comes to the conclusion that a vengeful deity wishes him to put away his "wife." He refuses, and is thought mad, but the narrator, a priest, sees something inexplicable and terrifying. [b] THE ENCHANTED MOMENT. John Pardoe, middle-aged broker who has dehumanized his life and family, is taken, between the strokes of the clock, to a fairyland of sorts. There he meets a drunken dwarf tailor named Dionysius, who says that he is God and shrinks Mr. Pardoe so that he can enter a tiny dwelling, where the dwarf grows his beard in a flowerpot. When Pardoe returns to this world, he has been changed by his experience. Obviously the germ for MR. GODLY BESIDE HIMSELF. [c] DEARTH'S FARM. Dearth looks like a horse, has empathy with horses, and is daily growing more equine. He is able to transfer his personality to a white horse, in which form he tries to kill his hated wife. * The first story is stiff and overlong, but the other two stories are excellent. 299. MR. GODLY BESIDE HIMSELF John Lane; London 1924

BULWER-LYTTON, EDWARD GEORGE EARLE LYTTON, first BARON LYTTON (1803-1873) Highly important English popular novelist, dramatist, political figure. Born into influential landowning military family; educated at Cambridge. Active as Member of Parliament in Liberal Party in youth, in Conservative Party later in life. Secretary for the Colonies, 1858-9, and influential in establishment of British Columbia and Queensland. Created Baron Lytton of Knebworth, 1866. In literature notable for setting trends or acting as literary barometer. Important novels are PELHAM (1828), fiction of Corinthianism and dandyism; EUGENE ARAM (1832) Newgate novel, or fiction glamorizing criminals; THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (1834), RIENZI (1835), solid historical novels; THE CAXTONS (1850), MY NOVEL (1853), domestic novels; ZANONI (1842), A STRANGE STORY (1861), supernatural fiction; THE COMING RACE (187l)~ utopian science-fiction. Highly competent playwright whose work held the stage until the end of the century, most notable plays being THE LADY OF LYONS (1838) and RICHELIEU (1838). Also wrote poetry, made translations, composed much miscellaneous material, and did editorial work. A rather puzzling figure as a man; cordially hated by minor contemporaries, rancorously pilloried for personal and literary faults. The cause seems to have been mostly jealousy. A very generous and heipful man to other authors. Notorious during his lifetime for the most publicly conducted marital squabble since the days of Lord Byron and his wife. Lady Bulwer seems to have been semi-paranoid. As a writer of fiction seldom highly regarded, despite intelligence, fluency, and good ideas. Is not read much any more, apart from supernatural fiction, and is now remembered most for the line, "The pen is

BULWER-LYTTON, EDWARD GEORGE mightier than the sword." The line arose in a controversy with a blackmailer. In the field of supernatural literature Bulwer is enormously important, for his work, like that of Walpole's in the 18th century and Poe's in Bulwer's lifetime, has been patterning foundation upon which whole chains of development have been buil t. THE HAUNTED AND TIlE HAUNTERS is the first modern haunted house and has been imitated scores of times. A STRANGE STORY stands behind most more recent novels of magic or of personality change, from Stevenson's THE STRANGJr CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE and Hodgson's CARNACKI THE GHOST FINDER TO THE present. Bulwer-Lytton was seriously interested in the occult; studied its literatUre closely; knew most of the important personalities of his day; and apparently took part in Spiritualist seances and ceremonial magical rites. Despite extravagant stories that are told, his attitude seems to have been that of an investigator rather than that of a convert. On his name: He was born Ed~ard George Earle Lytton Bulwer; he became Bulwer-Lytton on his mother's death in 1843; he became Lord Lytton upon elevation. There is no agreement among reference works or libraries as to his alphabetic placement. I have followed the precedent of the Catalogue of the British Library. 300. ASMODEUS AT·LARGE Carey, Lea and Blanchard; Philadelphia 1833 Topical fantasy reprinted from the NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE, which Bulwer edited. An odd medley of satire, commentary on current events and literature, sentimental exploration, and supernaturalism; the vehicle is based ultimately on LeSage's LE DIABLE BOITEUX. There is also an allegorical framework-- satiety, excitement, passion. The narrator, who is suffering greatly from ennui, is about to visit the doctor when he is approached by Asmodeus, who offers him new sensations. There is no question of a diabolical bond; souls are easy enough to come by otherwise. Asmodeus thereupon takes the young man through a wide range of experience-politics, literature, the arts, current events, newspaper policies, and even geology. Eventually this perpetual novelty palls on the narrator and he embarks on a love affair that ends tragically. While Asmodeus is not present in this, it may have been his way of assuring the narrator's damnation. Supernaturalism enters in various ways. The narrator, accompanied by Asmodeus, attends a witches' sabbath, has an amour with a witch, and meets Kosem Kesamim, the greatest wizard of all time. He hears [a] THE TALE OF KOSEM KESAMIM. Kosem Kesamim was born about three thousand years ago, the son of kings. He learned all the empirical knowledge of his day, and even the "sciences that sleep" today. It was within his power to control the weather, awaken the dead, control geni, and much else. But he is Faustian and will not be satisfied with anything less than the ultimate source of knowledge. He evokes a fire being, which is the living principle of the world. This being is ambivalent, at first fearsome, then desirable; but it is

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BULWER-LYTTON, EDWARD GEORGE capable of removing the film from human eyes. The magiCian goes through Death to achieve his purpose. He awakens and sees that everything is nothing but corruption. Is that the real principle, he asks. In this version of the story, corruption is not the real prinCiple, and the story continues for a while. In reprints this continuation is omitted. * To return to the main story: The narrator lives for a time in Cyprolis, an underground city (allegorical for sex?). He travels to the center of the earth and sees a gigantic stone figure with countless strings emerging from it-- presumably Fate. * Most of.ASMODEUS AT LARGE is briskly written and entertaining, in the lively manner that Bulwer sometimes used when not writing of supernatural topics. But it is localized in reference, and many of the allusions would be meaningless except to a close historian of the period. The influence of Goethe's FAUST is obvious. * There is no separate British edition of ASMODEUS AT LARGE. 301. THE PILGRIMS OF THE RHINE Saunders and Otley; London 1834 (published as by the author of PELHAM) Travelogue, local color, and a double narrative with some symbolic intent. * A group of English fairies from the court of Queen Nymphalin are bored and decide to take a trip up the Rhine, visiting supernatural kinfolk along the way. Similarly, a party of humans-Gertrude Vane, her father, and her fiance-are travelling up the Rhine for Gertrude's health. She is dying of tuberculosis. The fairies recognize the situation and do what they can to make her trip more pleasant, and, at the same time, death less horrible for her. At the end Gertrude dies. Intercalated in the narrative are several stories, including [a] THE SOUL IN PURGATORY. The Angel Seralim, one of the sweetist harpists in heaven, is allowed to solace Purgatory. The angel finds there a girl who is very unhappy at the thought that her lover might mourn her too much. The angel releases her to visit the lover, but it is discovered that solace is easily found on earth. [b] TIlE WOOING OF MASTER FOX. An animal fable, probably ultimately suggested by the beast epic of REINEKE FUKS, of the slippery fox who seeks to injure the dog by stealing the dog's fianc~e, the cat, but is in turn well served by the intelligent griffin. [c] THE FALLEN STAR. Set in prehistoric times, when mammoths are still present in Northern Europe. The star Fear, wishing to inspire some human to power, is permitted to go to earth. The star finds there the crippled Morven, whom it inspires to plot successfully until he becomes king. Morven, the author announces, is the first man to use religion as a stepping stone to power. It is then revealed that Lucifer had tempted the star. This seems to be the first story to invoke prehistoric man on an anthropological level, despite the supernatural framework, which is merely allegorical. [d] THE LIFE OF DREAMS. Very short. The narrator didirects his attention to controlling his dreams and creates a dream kingdom with a beautiful

3ULWER-LYTTON, EDWARD GEORGE lover. He lives in this place for a time, since he has made it reality, but his beloved is bitten by a snake and dies. He is now looking for a land beyond even the land of dreams. * Told in the turgid manner Bulwer usually affected with the supernatural. The concepts of [c] and [d] are interesting. 302. THE STUDENT Saunders and Otley; London 1835 2 vol. (published as by the author of EUGENE ARAM) Collected papers and short stories from the NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. Including [a] THE TALE OF KOSEM KESAMIM. Shorter version. Described elsewhere. [b] MONOS AND DAIMOS. A LEGEND. An allegorical fiction. Monos, a morose wanderer who is apart from humanity, is shipwrecked with only one companion, the annoying and low Daimos. Monos cannot tolerate Daimos's company, and Daimos cannot survive without companionship. Even when Daimos is murdered and buried, he remains present. A dissociated personality fragment. [c] MANUSCRIPT FOUND IN A MADHOUSE. A conte cruel with obvious allegorical significance. The narrator, though creative, intellectual, and poetic, is a monster physically. He woos a maiden in the darkness, and she becomes pregnant. He is willing to marry her, but when she sees him by day, she drops dead, and her premature child is also a monster. Possibly with autobiographical hints? * Florid, but interesting material, obviously significant in somewhat later American developments. 303. FALKLAND AND ZICCI Routledge; London [1876] Volume 9 of the Knebworth edition of Bulwer-Lytton's works. For reasons that will become apparent in 304, this volume has been placed here out of chronological sequence. It is the first book appearance of ZICCI, which was published in periodical form in 1841. The tentative first version of ZANONI, it was left unfinished and later cannibalized, extensively rewritten. and reissued as the first part of ZANONI. * 18th century Naples. Glyndon, a young English artist, is enamored of the lovely singer Isabel di Pisani and is in peril, since others also covet her. The prophetic and magical abilities of Zicci, a remarkable young Corsican, preserve Glyndon from the traps set by the Prince di , but Glyndon discovers that he faces a. more formidable rival in love in Zicci. Zicci obviously has supernatural powers. He is ageless, can foresee the future, and can control destiny. Glyndon is disposed for a time to vie with Zicci, but changes his mind and instead takes instruction in the mysteries which Zicci and his senior associate, Mejnour, offer. When the perils from Prince di _______ are over, Zicci leaves with Isabel, but Zicci, because he has accepted love, has lost the ability to protect Isabel by magic. The novel ends abruptly as Glyndon enters Mejnour's hidden castle in the Apennines, where the magician lives, protected by a horde of Neapolitan bandits. * The allegorical framework is discussed under ZANONI. * A curious work, partly in the hyperbolic romantic style of the day, partly in the Silver Fork manner, partly Gothic. Zicci

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BULWER-LYTTON, EDWARD GEORGE is obviously a London Corinthian buck, with all the poses and pretensions of the species. The author's contemporaries found this characterization very irritating. 304. ZANONI Saunders and Otley; London 1842 3 vol (published as by the author NIGHT AND MORNING) Semi-allegorical occult novel. Bulwer quarreled with his associates and did not finish ZICCI, but he reworked the material in it extensively, developing it to more than twice the length of the first version, and finished it as ZANONI. The essential plot is much the same, although the tone of the work is completely different. It is no longer clear Corinthian, but is now murky-mysterious. Zicci has become Zanoni, a Chaldean in origin, and Isabel di Pisani has become Viola Pisani. Their romance has become orthodox wedlock. * To continue: Glyndon undertakes his occult studies with Mejnour in the ancient castle near Naples. He listens to much philosophy, learns the properties of herbs, and is frequently warned that the road to power is difficult. He must renounce the affairs of the world, particularly those of the heart. He is told that the rationale of magic is to open the mind to those hordes of beings that swarm around, some good, some evil; such opening should take place only with the pupil is ready. Mejnour sets Glyndon a simple test, and leaves the castle. But the moment Mejnour leaves, Glyndon succumbs to his lust for a beautiful peasant woman, Fi1lide, and violates Mejnour's prohibitions. He enters a forbidden room and undertakes the first steps in a magical operation. The result is horrible, for he encounters the dread Dweller of the Threshold, a horrific being with blazing eyes, and collapses. Mejnour returns and expels him. Glyndon thereupon wanders about, tormented by the presence of the Dweller. After staying for a time in England, he returns to Italy to pick up Fi11ide. They go to Paris, where the final accounting is to take place. * In the meanwhile, Zanoni and Viola live idyllically for a time. Zanoni has lost much of his supernatural power because of his indulgence in love, and is not able to protect Viola, first from the plague, which they flee, and later, from death in childbirth. Faced with the certainty that Viola and her child (whose sex is never revealed) will die, Zanoni deals with the Dweller for their lives. He has, however, weakened himself further, and the Dweller is now perpetually with the child. Viola can perceive this and in despair abandons Zanoni, fleeing to Paris, where she meets Glyndon and puts herself under his protection. Zanoni tries to find her, but unsuccessfully until the last moments. * The conclusion of the magical drama comes during the last days of the Terror under Robespierre. Glyndon and Viola are betrayed by a false friend. Glyndon, whom Zanoni finds and heals from the Dweller, escapes, but for Viola, again, Zanoni can do nothing. When, however, his emotions reach a certain crisis point, his powers return and he is able to summon Adon-Ai, his good spirit, and defeat the Dweller. He can save Viola only by taking

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her place in the tumbril. He dies. This leaves as the sole survivor of the Cha1dean secret society the 5,000 year old Mejnour, who remains passionless and aloof from life. * ZANONI is prefixed by a famous introduction in which Bu1wer-Lytton tells how he obtained the mss. describing these events from an elderly Englishman, who is probably Glyndon, although the chronology and characterization are a little strained. * At the end of most modern editions of ZANONI is to be found a key, originally prepared by Harriet Martineau, in which Bu1werLytton's allegory is expounded. Bu1wer-Lytton called his process "typing," rather than allegorization, but it all comes to the same thing. Majnour is contemplation of the actual, science, or understanding in the intellectual sense. Zanoni is contemplation of the ideal, imagination. Viola is human instinct (emotion), but not love. Adon-Ai is faith. Glyndon is unsustained aspiration, overawed and inspired by idealism, but unable to attain a goal. The Dweller of the Threshold is fear or horror. The argument is that pursuit of the ideal renders the idealist subject to human passion, and then to fear. But by faith the idealist regains the saving truth which reason cannot see. Self-sacrifice is the true redemption. Thus, the point of the novel is Zanoni's final discovery that not immortality but acceptance of the human lot is the highest privilege. * Long considered one of the classic 19th century supernatural novels, ZANONI is strongly rooted in the contemporary occult and magical traditions. As a novel, however, by present standards it leaves much to be desired. Its multiple origin has resulted in very disharmonic components, and the literary execution-- with pages of fustian in the author's worst metaphysical vein-- is not worthy of the concepts. Strangely enough, the flippant bou1evardism of ZICCI is occasionally more effective than the pretentiousness of "ZANONI. 305. A STRANGE STORY Tauchnitz; Leipzig 1861 2 vol. Semia11egorical supernatural novel with consicierab1e society material. * The story is told by Allen Fenwick, a young physician who is strongly prejudiced against anything that does not agree with his materialistic creed. He meets Lilian, a beautiful but neurotic young woman, to whom he becomes engaged, when the supernatural bursts forth on him. Margrave, a brilliant and charming young stranger, comes to town. He wants Fenwick to collaborate with him in experiments to find the elixir of life, but Fenwick refuses him. Fenwick is attracted to Margrave for his charm, yet is repelled by a sinister, even sadistic vein in him. Fenwick's fears are aroused when Margrave states meaningfully that he can obtain the same results with a pythoness (medium). Fenwick realizes that Margrave is hinting that he will use the neurasthenic Lilian. A new development comes with the arrival of Sir Philip Derva1 from the Near East. Derval, an eccentric local magnate, has been studying white magic with the great Haroun of Aleppo, and is hot in pursuit of Louis Gray1e Grayl~ was a Ithe man who murdered Haroun.

BULWER-LYTTON, EDWARD GEORGE phenomenally wicked old man who had been studying black magic in the East. When Haroun refused Gray1e's demand for the elixir of life, Grayle, says Derva1, murdered Haroun. Derva1 further states that Margrave is Gray1e rejuvenated by elixir stolen from Haroun's corpse. Fenwick is incredulous, but his scepticism receives a blow when Derval easily overcomes him and Margrave by mesmeric magic. * Soon after this Derva1 is found murdered and (to omit minor complications) Fenwick is arrested and held for the crime. While he is in prison, however, he is visited by Margrave's astral body, with which he comes to terms: Margrave will cause Fenwick's release from the charge if Fenwick does not interfere with Margrave's social activities. Fenwick agrees, but he is still not safe from Margrave, for the magician makes several magical attempts upon him. On the final occasion, Fenwick manages to seize Margrave's magic wand and turns the tables on him. He thinks that he is free of Margrave and marries Lilian, but she immediately goes mad. It is obvious (to the reader) that this is Margrave's doing. * It is now time for a change of milieu for Fenwick and Lilian, and together with Faber, Fenwick's medical colleague who acts as a source of paternal wisdom, they emigrate to Australia, hoping to be rid of the vile Margrave. * Some time later, however, a coach stops unexpectedly at Fenwick's station, and Margrave appears, now as an aged, shrunken, exhausted version of the formerly brilliant young man. He tells Fenwick of his adventures in pursuit of the elixir. He now knows how to make it, but needs help, and offers in exchange for such help some of the elixir to restore the dying Lilian. Fenwick agrees and together with Margrave, Ayesha (a mysterious veiled woman), and an Indian thug sets out to perform the operation. Ayesha warns Margrave that the time is not propitious, but he will not listen. He sets up his pentacles and lamps and arranges his magical apparatus. Margrave will be protected by his magic against the horrors that will appear (the Dweller of the Threshold), while Fenwick will be shielded by his materialism. In a wild and thrilling scene, however, the forces of evil that Margrave evokes are too powerful. The pentacle is broken; the powers of evil start a grass fire; and a stampede of animals destroys the magical defences. Margrave dies miserably. Liiian recovers health and sanity, and Fenwick may be somewhat less arrogant in his science. * The question through much of the novel is, Who and what, exactly, is Margrave? Derva1 considered him to be a rejuvenated Gray1e, but without a soul, its place having been taken by an evil spirit. Yet Margrave is intellectually but a weak shadow of Grayle. Margrave, on the other hand, seems sincerely to regard himself as Grayle's son. He claims that he does not work his magic consciously, as Derva1 and Fenwick believe, but that his wishes are carried out while he is asleep by his Will (unconscious mind). The author presents evidence for both interpretations, but the stronger case is for rejuvena-

BULWER-LYTTON, EDWARD GEORGE tion, but with certain mental attributes destroyed by the elixir. * Within the allegorical framework, each of the major characters represents a spiritual imbalance. Fenwick is materialism, with intellect too much in control. Margrave is the animal nature, with soul crushed and silenced. Lilian is hypertrophied spirit, without governing intellect or animal forces. Only Faber seems to be a balanced personality. * Very interesting in concept, but Bu1wer-Lytton lacked the art to bring the novel to life. An insufferably boring introductory society setting, with much irony; long essaylike passages; shallow, unconvincing characterizations, even allowing for the allegory; disproportionate architecture; too many trivia hamper the novel badly. These flaws do not disturb its enormous historical importance. 306. THE HAUNTED AND THE HAUNTERS: OR. THE HOUSE AND THE BRAIN Gowan's International Library; London and Glasgow 1905 A nouvelle, often anthologized in an abridged version. First published in 1859 in BLACKWOOD'S. * A pair of friends undergo terrors in an incredibly haunted house, where the entire gamut of supernatural manifestations is sounded. Later when the focus of horror is torn down, a hidden room is discovered, in which is a saucer of magnetic fluid. By means of this a magician had forced his will on the house and all who entered. * The short version of the story, usually printed as THE HOUSE AND THE BRAIN, ends here, but the original, longer version continues with the appearance of th~ magician, enormously old, but still youthful in appearance. He gains a magical power over the narrator and uses him as a medium for foreseeing the future. * The edition cited above is first separate pub1iccation, but first book appearance is in TALES FROM BLACKWOOD (first series), Volume X~ 1860. A later edition (Simpkin, Marshall; London 1925), edited by Harold Armitage tries to link Bu1wer-Lytton's house with the notoriously haunted house at Willington. * Still one of the two or three best haunted houses. BURDEKIN, KAY (i.e. KATHARINE) British author. No information. 307. THE BURNING RING Thornton Butterworth; London 1927 The supernatural reclamation of a selfish man. * Robert Carling, a self-centered though amiable semi-recluse, receives a magical ring which gives him certain supernatural powers: size control, invisibility, healing ability, etc. The ring also has the power to transport him through time in what must be planned maturation experiences. His first journey takes him to Cornwall, during the Roman occupation of Britain, where he awakens as a halfwit. He saves a Roman soldier from the Celts and in the process learns respect for others. On his second trip Carling is an innkeeper who rises high at court, to become an intimate of Charles II, who respects him for his honesty. Here he learns friendship. On his third trip, to Elizabethan England, he learns love, but this last

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BURKE, THOMAS trip ends unhappily. When he gives his ring to Mary Hugill, the woman he love~, he is brought back into the present. But he is a wiser, more mature man, ready for life. * The ring probably symbolizes pain and its transcendence. Smoothly presented, though perhaps a little too sentimental, particularly in the second episode. The Roman experience is best. BURKE, THOMAS (1886-1945) British author known mostly for fiction set in London's Chinatown; stories range from sentimental to crime and horror, with occasional mild supernaturalism. Best-known work in this area is LIMEHOUSE NIGHTS (1916). We11known in mystery-story circles for the often anthologized story, "The Hands of Mr. Ottermole," about a psychopathic policeman. 308. THE BLOOMSBuRy WONDER Mandrake Press London 1929 Crime fiction with a supernatural twist. * Stephen Trink, as seen through the personality of Mendel, is a rather shy but likeable person who has taken a fancy to the Reece family. One day, however, the whole Reece family (with the exception of a little boy who was upstairs) is found slaughtered. The police believe that a gang must have committed the crime, although no motivation is found. Mendel receives a letter from the Continent, from Trink, in which Trink propounds a theory for such crimes: that there is a floating bundle of karma, nightmare Sins, which comes down through time and cannot die until it is embodied in a terrible crime. Then it disappears. This is Trink's justification. * Much more interesting than the feeble stories about Chinatown or the overrated "The Hands of Mr. Ottermo1e." 309. NIGHT-PIECES EIGHTEEN TALES Constable; London [1935] Short stories, including [a] MIRACLE IN SUBURBIA. The old man pays Joe, a young hoodlum, a very good price to steal the beautiful Chinese jar. As part of the agreement, Joe receives immunity from injury; the old man puts his power on him. As a result, when Joe's victim slashes Joe's throat with a razor, nothing happens. But eight days later the old man is accidentally killed, and Joe's cut throat is a mystery. [b] YESTERDAY STREET. Dominic, no longer young, returns to his old childhood haunts because of a feeling of nostalgia. He enters the past and meets friends, but only three friends. He later learns that his friends had died at that time. [c] UNCLE EZEKIEL'S LONG SIGHT. Ezekiel is somewhat senile, but when he is asleep he has remarkable ability in predicting: races, sports, elections, business deals. A fortune is built on his strange ability, but with the final use of his power Ezekiel takes his revenge on an enemy by delivering a false prophecy. [dJ THE HORRIBLE GOD. Rainwater, who is an avid collector, buys the strange idol of the god Imbro1u. He then hears voices bidding him to return it to its home. If he does not, a terrible vengeance will overtake him. Fraud.

BURKE, THOMAS [e] JOHNSON LOOKED BACK. Told as a monologue delivered to Johnson. Johnson is being pursued and tormented by a horrible figure. It is Johnson's other self, that had been corrupted and befouled by Johnson. [f] THE BLACK COURTYARD. A murderer is haunted by the black courtyard in which he committed his crime. He finds that most entries lead him back into it. A week later he commits the murder, and is thereupon arrested. It is not entirely clear whether the story is about prevision, conscience and a second crime, or repeated patterns. [g] THE GRACIOUS GHOSTS. The ghosts of a pleasant young man and woman who appear and hold hands. A friend of the tenant recognizes them. They are phantasms of the living, of two people whose love was frustrated when they quarreled. The situation is resolved and the ghosts laid when the present couple enter the house. [h] THE MAN WHO LOST HIS HEAD. Peter Smothe, who wants to experience a new mode of life, leaves his comfortable existence and lives in a slum. He strikes up acquaintance with a mysterious person, who slips him a drug. The next morning Peter awakens with the stranger's face. He is arrested for murder, identified, tried, and executed. As Burke says, "When a man wilfully flees from his life, when he wilfully loses his true self-- or his head-- he has lost it forever." [i] THE LONELY INN. Friends, near the newly purchased house,· explore the countryside and find a rather shabby old inn. The hostile, shadowy men in the inn are heard to say about one of the visitors, a Scot, "Tl1at's him." Lat~r the Scot disappears, and no inn is to be found. About two hundred years ago there had been a betrayal by a Scot. [j] EVENTS AT WAYLESS-WAGTAIL. A vision of happenings in a strange place, three months in the future. The place is found, the assault and resulting death are avoided-but on a future anniversary-- under somewhat related circumstances, a death does occur. [k] THE HOLLOW MAN. Gopak unexpectedly arrives at Nameless's place of business. Fifteen years earlier Nameless had killed Gopak in Africa. But Leopard Men revived him and used him as a zombie. He escaped, and must be near Nameless. He wants Nameless to kill him again. Disintegration into dust is the result. * Excellent stories. BURKS, ARTHUR J. (1898-1974) Very prolific pulp writer, one of the fiction machines of the 1930's, stories of whose prowess with a typewriter still circulate. Onetime professional soldier, U.S. Army; stationed after World War I in Caribbean. During World War II head of U.S. Marine training program. Book publication has not picked up his best work, which is in the action pulps. 310. THE GREAT MIRROR G.G. Swan; London [1952] Adventure, with smatterings of science-fiction and supernaturalism. * Howard Davies, photographer with an expedition on the edge of the Gobi Desert, is accosted by a group of Tibetan horsemen, and then is instantaneously transported to a lamasery in Tibet by means of a matter transmitter. He is told by the Incar-

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BURKS, ARTHUR J. nate Buddha Who heads the lamasery that the Tibetans, in addition to having such paranormal abilities as telepathy, levitation, and teleportation, have developed matter transmitters and have sent some to Mars by rocket. The Tibetans on Mars, however, stole a "magical" mirror and shipped it back to Tibet. The Martians are angry at this, and are starting to occupy Tibetan bodies at the lamasery. Although Davies and the Incarnate Buddha and their associates kill all the possessed Tibetan bodies, the situation is not improved. The Martians themselves are coming through the matter transmitters with remarkable ray weapons. The nations of the earth try to help the Tibetans, but the Martians seize their mirror and depart, after devising a punishment for the Tibetans. The mirror has the faculty of showing one anything one wishes, from subatomic phenomena to scenes around the solar system. * Pretty bad. 311. LOOK BEHIND YOU Shroud Publishers; Buffalo, New York 1954 Introduction by Ken J. Krueger. * Short stories, including [a] ALL THE LIGHTS WERE GREEN. Revolution in Venezuela. Ralston is flying in Don Ruymondo de Castro, to help suppress violence. Supernatural green landing lights show them the way in. When Don Ruymondo is unsuccessful and wishes to leave, the lights blaze red. [b] OUR DAILY TUESDAY. Mark Gibney decides that he will remain twenty-one indefinitely. He keeps himself from aging, while the world changes around him. [c] YE IMPYS OF HELLE. The narrator indulges in the hallucinogen ayahuasca, and penetrates the erotic fantasies of his acquaintances. These fantasies are all Hells, including one for himself. Not too clear. [d] LOOK BEHIND YOU! Borderline science-fiction. The narrator has invented a film process, involving sight and sou.nd, with which he can trace back past events. He uses it to check sexual activity, his intention being moral reform. But there are possibilities for blackmail, too. [e] THE CHOSEN OF THE GODS. Baldwin catches a strange fever in Brazil and becomes a heightened half-mad potency of himself. An Indian medicine man destroys all his complexes with magical arrows. He becomes empty, almost divinely empty. * In terms of content and format this is one of the low points in American fan publishing. 312. BLACK MEDICINE Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1966 Short stories, many of which are sensational without being supernatural. Including [a] A BROKEN LAMP CHIMNEY. (WT 1925). Dominican Republic. Andrea murdered her husband by cutting his throat with a broken lamp chimney. When she is executed by a firing squad, the bullets in the wall form the image of a lamp chimney. [b] THE DESERT OF THE DEAD. (WT 1925) Dominican Republic. The narrator sees a ghostly reenactment of a military massacre in a closed valley. [c] FACES. (WT 1927) Dominican Republic. A plane crash. The narrator is helped to safety by the pilot, but the pilot was killed in the crash. [d] THREE COFFINS. Dominican RepUblic. (WT 1928) Carver, an engineering contractor, has the assignment of

BURKS, ARTHUR J. building a new prison on the deserted, haunted island of Beatta. Three coffins are taken along, among the supplies and equipment, and they are filled by what seem to be supernatural means. Walking dead, supernatural horrors. A rational explanation is also offered. [e] WHEN THE GRAVES WERE OPENED. (WT 1925) Harvey has invented a machine that permits the astral body to go into the past and witness past events. The occasion chosen is the Crucifixion, since there is curiosity about what happened to the dead who arose from their graves. [f] VALE OF THE CORBIES. (WT 1925) Dream experiences of a strange valley filled with hostile birds. The narrator has been there in dream many times, and on each occasion the birds became bolder and more hostile. His corpse is found pecked to death. [g] THUS SPAKE THE PROPHETESS. (WT 1924) A voodoo prophetess foretells aspects of the death of the Haitian dictator. [h] BLACK MEDICINE. (WT 1925) Haiti. Chandler, wandering about in the bush, stumbles upon a voodoo cu1tus, which he persistently follows. He sees not only human sacrifice and cannibalism, but supernatural visions of the French defeat in the early 19th century. [i] BELLS OF OCEANA. Described elsewhere. [j] THE GHOSTS OF STEAMBOAT COULEE. (WT 1926) The narrator, a hobo with bad lungs from World War I, asks for food at the farm of P10ne. He is told that he can occupy the deserted cabin in Steamboat Cou1ee-- a fanciful name given to a canyon. nearby. The cabin and its environs turn out to be among the most rambunctiously haunted places in literature. [k] GUATEMOZIN THE VISITANT. (STRANGE TALES 1931) Mexico. The narrator, an archeologist, stumbles upon the tomb of Guatemozin, the last Aztec emperor, and releases the undead ruler into the world. Guatemozin, who has many supernatural powers, intends to take vengeance on the descendants of those who betrayed or conquered Mexico. He moves about with the plague. * A weak collection. The Caribbean stories show racial bias to the point of grotesqueness, and most of the other stories are routine pulp fiction. [d] has points of interest, and [i] is worth reading for a certain baroque, exuberant overkill of horror. BURNETT, WHIT [NEY] EWING (1899-1973) American editor and journalist. One-time editor of Paris edition of New York HERALD TRIBUNE. Long a powerful force in improving American short story. Founder-editor of STORY MAGAZINE, quality fiction magazine of the 1930's. Editorial slant slightly off mainstream into absurdist and experimental work. AS EDITOR: 313. TWO BOTTLES OF RELISH A BOOK OF STRANGE AND UNUSUAL STORIES Dial Press; New York [1943] Foreword by the editor. Fiction selected from STORY MAGAZINE. Including, [a] THE CAMEL, ,. Lord Berners. Described elsewhere. [b] FOOT OF THE GIANT. Robert W. Cochran. Told by a Kentucky Mountain White. The giant landed heavily enough to dent the earth, but could barely crawl into the shack. There it lay, slowly

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BURRAGE, A. M. dying, and shrinking in size until it disappeared. Only a fingernail is left. No explanation. [c] PECOS BILL AND THE WILLFUL COYOTE, William C. White. Folkloristic Southern, semifantasy. [d] MR. SYCAMORE, Robert Ayre. John Gwi1t, a postman, is tired of life. He decides to become a tree. He plants himself and is transformed. Boredom, criticism of life. [e] THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, Michael Fessier. Questionable as fantasy. A high school boy jumps fantastically. [f] THE MAN-FISH OF NORTH CREEK, Tronby Fenstad. Folkloristic, borderline science-fiction. A boy is born with different innards and can stay under water for incredible lengths of time. Life is not easy for the abnormal, and he dies. * Several of the other stories are whimsical and not-realistic, but not supernatural enough to be discussed here. * [b] is worth reading. [d] belabors its point, but has moments of interest. BURRAGE, A[LFRED] M[cCLELLAND] (1889-1956) British author. Wrote boys' fiction, sometimes under pseudonym Frank Le11and. Author of very popular "Tufty" school stories. Also wrote mysteries, general fiction. For our purposes one of the solid, second-rank writers of supernatural fiction (like E.F. Benson and most of H.R. Wakefield) who seldom wrote a poor story. His mode is usually well-told, traditional material, psychological in interest. See also the pseudonym, EX-PRIVATE X. 314. SOME GHOST STORIES· Cecil Palmer; London [1927] Short stories. [a] PLAYMATES. The narrator, a scholarly bachelor, adopts, for reasons that are questionable to himself, the young daughter of a dead friend. He observes that the girl develops a set of companions, centered around a room called the schoolroom. It is soon revealed that they are not imaginary playmates, but ghosts. The spiritually sterile scholar is awakened to a new sense of life. [bJ THE ROOM OVER THE KITCHEN. Mr. Walker is warned by a spectral man not to sleep in the room over the kitchen. Walker hears the story: a falsified supernaturalism that resulted in death from fright. [c] THE GREEN SCARF. An ancient house had been the scene of the murder of a Cavalier by Puritans. The signal had been given by a green scarf. The narrator and his friend find the scarf, which is inadvertently waved, and ancient evils are awakened. [d] THE WRONG STATION. The traveller on the train is persuaded to get off at an unknown station, where he finds the streets thronged with happy children and where he meets a woman with whom he falls in love. But he awakens on the train, having had a heart attack. He may return to the city of the dead. [e] THE GAMBLERS' ROOM. What happened to Paston, who used to be the worst prig at the university and is now a gambling tout? He slept in a haunted room; a friend who was with him saw Paston gambling feverishly with three scruffy ghosts from the past. That is the haunting. [f] THE SUMMER-HOUSE. Oliver, as a child, liked the summer-house because of the two "persons" there, a young man and woman. When the man was

BURRAGE, A. M. absent, the young woman was exceptionally pleasant. Years later Oliver hear the story of the summer-house when the father of the ghostly woman visits him and relents, a generation too late. [g] THE YELLOW CURTAINS. When they grew up, they said, they would have a cottage with yellow curtains. But he was killed in the war. A long-lost friend, who does not know the circumstances, finds them happily married in the cottage. The wife is ill with flu elsewhere. [h] NOBODY'S HOUSE. Mr. Harboys, having spent his time in prison for murder, returns to the haunted house to discover if he really committed the crime. The ghost shows him. [i] BETWEEN THE MINUTE AND THE HOUR. A bad gift to a starving Gipsy receives the following reward or curse: "When night runs to morning, between the minute and the hour is your time." The recipient is precipitated into other eras: the world of the dinosaurs, a fine early 19th century love affair, and death from a pack of wolves. [j] FOOTPRINTS. Hesper, .who has Gipsy blood, can will people to do things. When her lover is refused family permission to marry her, she and her lover suffer great poverty, and their child dies. Hesper sends the child ghost on a mission of revenge. [k] BROWDEAN FARM. A farm house with an ugly history, murder, then hauntings. It seems that the dissolute artist Stryde murdered his mistress. But the ghost, when it receives some sympathy, reveals a different, unsuspected situation. Reenactment. [1] FURZE HOLLOW. Harlow sees the Gipsies encamped at Furze Hollow, but later there is no trace of a camp site. Everyone is disturbed when Hurlow mentions it. Behind it is a curse that results in considerable damage. [m] WRASTLER'S END. Cornwall. The local champion is not only beaten and crippled, but his girl is stolen by the victor. After death he comes out of his grave and wrestles with his enemy. * Capable, nicely developed stories, based on traditional themes, but imaginatively handled. There is interest in the personal quirks that produce hauntings. * Best are [c], [d] , [i], and [k]. 315. SEEKER TO THE DEAD G.G. Swan; London 1942 Supernatural horror thriller. * Dr. Garrow is a black magician of great age, He has a diabolic bond and clairvoyant abilities, but is not satisfied. He wants to practice alchemy and reanimate the dead. He makes several errors, the most significant of which is hiring Moorluck, the hero of this book, as a librarian, for Moorluck has no sympathy with the doctor's experiments. Thrill succeeds thrill until one fateful occasion when Moorluck finds Garrow killed by the reanimated corpse. * Much inferior to Burrage's short stories. BURROUGHS, EDGAR RICE (1875-1950) American author, best-known for Tarzan stories (1912 on) with eponymous feral man who has become part of world culture, what with publicity, motion pictures, and television adaptations. The Tarzan stories are primarily stories of African adventure, with some elements of science-fiction. Also wrote Martian

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BUSSON, PAUL novels, which were of overwhelming importance in history of interplanetary adventure, what with early use of sword-and-raygun concept of cultural decadence. Not particularly important in supernatural fiction. 316. THE ETERNAL LOVER McClurg; Chicago 1925 Romance, adventure, decimation of animals. * Virginia Custer and her brother Barney are visiting Lord Greystoke (alias Tarzan) in Africa. Victoria has two psychological quirks: she is pathologically terrified of earthquakes, and she has dreams of a prehistoric mate so virile and powerful that modern men look puny and worthless to her. An earthquake takes place nearby. Victoria collapses, and from a cave, where he had been hermetically sealed 100,000 years ago, emerges Nu of the Niocene, a chastely heroic cave man who would make even Tarzan look feeble. Nu starts to search for his promised mate, Nat-ul, who is Victoria in this incarnation. After much to-do, Victoria and Nu take off together into the bushes. * A prequel-sequel. Back in the Niocene Nu awakens with vague memories of a future time, as does Nat-u1. Nat-u1 goes through a series of kidnappings by paleolithic lechers, escapes, and animal adventures, while Nu tries to rescue her. When obstacles are finally overcome, Nu enters a cave, the earthquake takes place, and he is sealed in. * Back in the present it is now revealed that the awakening of Nu and Victoria's adventure with him had been only a dream. Nu's skeleton is all that survives. But Victoria remains the reincarnation of Nat-u1. * Originally printed as THE ETERNAL LOVER (ALL-STORY MAGAZINE, 1914) and SWEETHEART PRIMEVAL (ALL-STORY MAGAZINE, 1915). * For the avid Burroughs devotee only. BURROUGHS, JOSEPH B. American author. The Library of Congress identifies this gentleman as Joseph Birkbeck Burroughs, M.D., who contributed papers to the LANCET, journal of the British Medical Association. This seems unlikely. 317. TITAN. SON OF SATURN THE COMING WORLD EMPEROR The Emeth Publishing Co.; Oberlin, Ohio 1905 Religious lunacy in fictional form. Antichrist, in the person of Antiochus, is raised from the tomb by Satan. Antiochus tries to achieve world domination, but is defeated by Christ at Armageddon. Almost unreadable. It is included here as a warning, since this book is sometimes sold as science-fiction or fantastic adventure. BUSSON. PAUL (1873-1924) Austrian newspaper editor (the important NEUES WIENER TAGBLATT), writer of fiction. Professional soldier in youth; war correspondent. Interested in occult matters. A very interesting personality. The only significant Eng1ishlanguage information about him is in the Dover edition of the following book. 318. THE MAN WHO WAS BORN AGAIN Heinemann; London 1927 DIE WIEDERGEBURT DES MELCHIOR DRONTE (1921), translated by Prince Alexander Mirski and

BUSSON, PAUL Thomas Moult. A historical romance, with incidents of a Late Gothic novel treated naturalistically. * 18th century Austria, Germany, France. Melchior, son of Baron von Dronte, is a sensitive boy who fits badly into the household of his father, who is a vicious Enlightenment rake. In his childhood Melchior meets two forms of the supernatural, which are obviously self-projections: Ev1i, a Turkish dervish, who is good, and Fanger1e, the soul-catcher, a minor demon of a sort. Dronte is aware that both ,forces are concerned wi th him and throughout his life he pursues the elusive dervish. After an unhappy childhood Drontegoes off to the university, where he runs wild, kills a fellow student in a duel, and joins the Prussian army to avoid punishment. Unable to face the brutality of war, he deserts and returns to his home, to find himself disinherited and a penniless wanderer. After a period of difficulty his fortunes are supernaturally restored and he settles down. He marries a girl who is the reincarnation of a childhood sweetheart, and on her death once again undertakes the quest for Ev1i. Among his adventures are a witch's flight in a haunted castle; a narrow escape at a murder inn; and occultism in revolutionary France. In Paris, while trying to help a noblewoman against the mob, he is seized, and since he will not abandon his principles is executed. He dies in'the embrace of Ev1i. * This long detailed story, filled with close cultural material, is set in a frame. Dronte's next incarnation is an Austrian bourgeois, and in this short life he achieves final redemption. * This summary does not convey the many details that make the novel interesting nor its curious blend of realism and fantasy. The frame situation, perhaps justifiable in terms of the occult ideas, is a somewhat unnecessary letdown. * The edition cited above, while first English translation, is not complete. Approximately a quarter of the novel was omitted. This material has been newly translated and restored in the Dover (1976) edition: GUSTAV MEYRINK THE GOLEM, PAUL BUSSON THE MAN WHO WAS BORN AGAIN, TWO GERMAN SUPERNATURAL NOVELS, edited with a new introduction by E.F. Bleiler. 319. THE FIRE SPIRITS Heinemann; London 1929 DIE FEUERBUTZE (1923), translated by J. Eg1ington. * Expressionist historical romance with nationalistic implications. * Napoleonic Wars, during Andreas Hofer's rebellion in Tyrol against the Bavarians and the French. * Peter Storck arrives in the Tyrol to take over the inheritance of his uncle, who is presumed to be dead since he disappeared without trace. Storck suspects the fire spirits of having made away with his uncle. The fire-spirits are flames that dance down an unc1imbab1e mountain and are desperately feared by the natives. Gradually, against a detailed historical background, Storck solves the mystery and wins himself a wife. ~ The fire-spirits are really survivals of Mithraic worship, which had been revived by his uncle, who 'considereci himself} rightly or wrongly, the reincarnation of a Roman centurion. Storck finds an archeological paradise and a

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CABELL, JAMES BRANCH hidden valley among the peaks. Fantastic elements include hints of reincarnation, paranormal abilities, including the abiiity to see Death walking about in human form. * A good historical novel in which the suspense about the fire-spirits is well maintained. One can ignore the nationalistic aspects, which are post-Wor1d-War-I revanchism. BYRON, LORD GEORGE GORDON, Sixth BARON BYRON (1788-1824) Famous British poet. Highly important in supernatural fiction as the indirect sponsor of the significant vampire theme in English literature. See also JOHN POLIDORI. 320. MAZEPPA John Murray; London 1819 The events of mid-June 1816, in the outskirts of Geneva, had enormous repercussions in the history of popular literature. Byron, Shelley, Dr. Pc1idori, Mary Shelley, and Claire Clairmont, after social evenings and telling of ghost stories, decided that each person was to write a supernatural tale of his or her own. Shelley and Clairmont did nothing; Mary Shelley started the work that eventually became FRANKENSTEIN; Byron wrote a few pages of a story about a vampire; and Polidori, abandoning his own first effort, took Byron's idea and wrote THE VAMPYRE. This story, which was first attributed to Byron and circulated widelyon the Continent under Byron's name, set off the vampire theme in English literature. Byron was outraged at the misattribution and sent his own fragmentary work to his publisher, John Murray, who printed it as a supplement in Byron's forthcoming book, MAZEPPA. There it has long lain, forgotten. * [a] FRAGMENT OF A NOVEL. The narrator is travelling in Asia Minor with a mysterious personage named Darve11, when Darve11 suddenly predicts his own death and gives the narrator a complicated series of instructions. He is to bury the corpse immediately, throw a ring into a certain place at a certain time, and wait at yet another place. The fragment ends with Darve11's burial, but the plot was to follow much the same lines as Polidori's story took. Darve11 was to come to London and vampirize society. * A very interesting piece. It is unfortunate that it was never finished.

CABELL, JAMES BRANCH (1879-1958) American (Virginia) newspaperman, author. Writings were a cause celebre in the 1920's and early 30's because of erotic material in JURGEN, resulting in the famous banning of JURGEN in Boston. Responded to philistines and conservatives in many amusing allegorical episodes in works. Writing, which is mostly ironic or satirical, falls into two major groupings, mannered stories of upper class Virginia

CABELL, JAMES BRANCH life and pseudo-medieval romances, which often contain heavy supernatural components. The pseudo-medieval culture and ,prevailing concept of decadent chivalry are shared with other early Edwardian writers, but the fantastic material is a highly original medley of profound research in obscure sources, spoofing, false references, anagrams, and private mythology. * Cabell's work is very uneven; it is sometimes brilliant stylistically, and at other times coy and word-clogged, with the result that his work usually reads better in excerpt than in totality. Two contemporary comments express Cabell's limitations: Mencken's statement that JURGEN was a product of genius but much too long, and the anonymous quip that Cabell had something to say, but said it too often. In this last context, Cabell was a rallying point for escapists of the 1930's, who seem to have misread him. Today, the sexual element in his work seems mild, especially since it is often symbolic; the perpetual double entendres are very amusing, but there sometimes is a sniggering quality that is annoying; and it is unfortunate that Cabell sometimes seems to have written deliberately to annoy philistines, a practice which is not quite so bad as writing to p lease them. Cabell saw much of his fiction as part of a giant, multivo1umed work, THE BIOGRAPHY OF THE LIFE OF MANUEL. . The unifying factor seems to be the quest for the ideal. The foundation work for the series is FIGURES OF EARTH. For those interested, the story chronology of works cited here is as follows: 323; 326; 325, 329, and the main sequence of 327, overlapping and roughly contemporaneous; 322; 328; 324. The connection is sometimes very tenuous. 321. THE CREAM OF THE JEST A COMEDY OF EVASIONS McBride; New York 1917 Allegorical psychological novel. The following, a transliteration of the Sigi1 of Scoteia (darkness) is Cabell's statement of purpose: "[This is] the story of man's eternally unsatisfied hunger in search of beauty. Ettarre stays inaccessible always and her loveliness is his to look on only in his dreams. All men she must evade at the last and many are the ways of her illusion." * On the narrative level Felix Kennaston is a moderately successful dilettante who plays at being an author. His life is changed when he finds the Sigi1 of Scoteia, a-broken bit of metal covered with strange characters, for it offers him nightly entry, in his dreams, to the riches of time and space. He ranges far and long in search of Ettarre (Beauty). His dreams, which have obvious reference to the problems of an author, are patterned: in the personality of Horvendile (Cabell) he has adventures and romance, but the moment he touches Ettarre in one of her manifestations, the dream ends and he awakes. One cannot touch a dream. He writes down some of his experiences as fiction and also discovers that still ~nother world may be open to him. He has aCCidentally stumbled on passwords and symbols that could admit him to an even more potent magic (worldly power). But he re-

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CABELL, JAMES BRANCH jects this. A short time before his wife's death he finds the second half of the sigi1 among her things and then knows that she has been the Ettarre he has sought. This enriches life for him. He never learns that the sigil is only the broken lid of an overdesigned, modern cosmetic jar. * An odd mixture of pseudo-historical material, suburban satire, and a tender personality study. Worth reading. 322. JURGEN A COMEDY OF JUSTICE McBride; New York 1919 A long semi-allegorical novel, told with much surface eroticism. Under the supernatural adventure lies the story of a man in search of justice and meaning in life. The structure of the romance is analyzed here in some detail, since the charge is often made that JURGEN is only a collection of repetitive inCidents, without plan. * The chief character is Jurgen, a pawnbroker (a handler of valuables) in Poictesme, Cabell's private version of 13th century France. Jurgen thinks of himself as a poet, but his stock of worldly wisdom always reflects on his dreams and destroys them. He also perpetually faces a dilemma: he believes in a Providence, and is shocked each time he hears that there is none, yet he also believes himself superior in wit to Providence or the gods. * In an odd moment, merely as a verbal play, Jurgen defends the existence of evil in the universe. This attracts the attention of Koshchei, the chief god (a demon in Slavic folklore), who offers Jurgen a wish. All tpat Jurgen can think of at the moment is to be rid of his nagging wife, Dame Lisa (worldly cares). Koshchei attends to this, and when Jurgen returns home he finds Lisa gone. She is soon seen walking on Amneran Heath, the local haunted place, and Jurgen is forced by public opinion and conscience to search for her. The major allegory now starts. Jurgen makes three attempts to regain what he lost, though in each case what he lost is interpreted differently. The road each time is through the cave on Amneran Heath. Jurgen first attempts wish fulfilment, or regaining the past. He tricks one of the time goddesses (Sereda, Russian for Wednesday) into restoring his youth and permitting him to relive a day that had been decisive in his life. He also obtains a many-colored garment, the shirt of Nessus, whicl!. is the opposite symbol to Lisa. It combines pain and the transcendent power of imagination. But the past cannot be regained, really, and Jurgen must try other means to achieve his quest. He has not found happiness, justice, or reason. * The second adventure in the lands of symbolism takes up most of the book, and is divided typologically according to the seasons, spring being divided in two to take account of Wa1purgisnacht. He first tries three classical modes of experience, each of which is associated with a place, a woman, and a disrupter. Thus, faith is experienced from May 1 to June 21 in Came1iard with Guenevere; physical desire, from June 22 to September 21, in Cockaigne, with the pagan sex goddess, Analtis; and dream or vision, in Leuke, with Helen of Troy. In each of these

CABELL, JAMES BRANCH CABELL, JAMES BRANCH adventures Jurgen also meets a negative principle that destroys his appetite. In Cameliard he meets the Brown Man (see THE HIGH PLACE), who is realism, the ancient enemy of all gods. The Brown Man demonstrates that the universe is impersonal and utterly unconcerned with Jurgen, who is insignificant, but Jurgen cannot believe him. In Cockaigne he meets the Master Philologist, who convinces him that desire and justice are just words, and in Leuke he meets Horvendile (see THE CREAM OF THE JEST), or Cabell, who tells him that dreams are only illusions that vanish when one tries to touch them. Jurgen had not hesitated to accept faith and desire, but when faced with his dream, in Helen, he is loath to bring her to reality. Here he takes the opposite road from that taken later by Florian in THE HIGH PLACE. * Jurgen's passage through the three lands of wish ends when Philistines conquer the land and Jurgen is judged. The three priests of the Philistines-Ageus (usage), Vel-Tyno (novelty), and Esphras (phrases) refuse to recognize his quest for verity and demand that he be satisfied with conventionalities. When he refuses, he is sent to Hell. * The two latter parts of the second adventure, or Jurgen's progress through Hell and Heaven, might be considered Jurgen's examination of his cultural heritage. Hell, which Jurgen visits from December 21st to March 21st, is an illusion, a realm created for Jurgen's father, Coth (German Koth), who symbolizes pride of the worst sort. And Heaven, which Jurgen stays in from March 22nd to April 30th, is the loving dream of his grandmother Steinvor (Investor). The Christian God himself has been created by Koshchei to quiet Steinvor. (Religion is for fanatics and old women.) All this puzzles Koshchei, who does not experience love or pride, for could the person who created the universe either love it or be proud of it? Jurgen, too, has learned that he has nothing to do with love or pride, and he returns to Amneran tired and disgusted. He resumes his true age and prepares for his third adventure, or meeting Koshchei, ultimate reality. He discovers to his amazement that Koshchei knows nothing of his adventures, and can only evoke the same emptinesses that Jurgen has already experienced. Jurgen, broken and in despair, asks for the return of Dame Lisa, and offers his shirt of Nessus in exchange, as requested by Koshchei. Koshchei cancels the past year and everything is as if it never happened. * JURGEN is much Cabell's finest work, and perhaps his only work that will survive. It is too long, it is too coy at times, and the message is buried too deeply, but it remains a minor masterpiece. * As part of his war against those critics who condemned Jurgen's adventures as being immoral, Cabell -Wrote -a short piece describing Jurgen'strial when captured by the Philistines. Jur, gen is judged by a dung-beetle, who states conservative values pontifically. Jurgen does not accept the beetle's ethos, but admits very handsomely that he recognizes the beetle's sincerity. He then accepts the headsman's axe, before descending into Hell. This is [a] THE

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JUDGING OF JURGEN (Bookfellows, Chicago, 1920). It is printed in most editions of JURGEN published after this date. 323. FIGURES OF EARTH A COMEDY OF APPEARANCES McBride; New York 1921 The life story of Manuel the Redeemer, ostensibly the central figure in Cabell's long cycle. In addition to the story line, which is meandering, there are entertaining diversions on symbolically disguised book reviewers, philistines and their sexual obtusities, and pseudo-mythology. The prevailing genuine mythology is Hindu and Slavic. * Manuel can be seen in two ways: as a sleazy rogue who "reeled blunderingly from mystery to mystery, with pathetic makeshifts, not understanding anything, greedy in all desires, and always honeycombed with poltroonery," or as a great hero who conquered the hill of dreams, redeemed a country from foreign oppression, overcame witchcraft, inculcated virtue in his neighbors, and rescued his wife from Death. Essentially, Manuel's story is an ironic clash between inner and outer essences, of a man who gets what he wants by shabby means and dies in a pretense of self-satisfaction. * Manuel, a towering young swineherd-in Poictesme (Cabell's version of medieval France) is driven to advance himself in the world. He has made a sacrifice to the spirits of Aspiration, and he is under a geas from his mother to make a figure of himself in the world. He takes the geas literally and frequently makes figures of clay, which he then unsuccessfully tries to animate (literary works). His supernatural adventures, as narrated, begins when he is surreptitiously aided by the great magician Miramon Lluagor (dreams) to conquer enchanted Mount Vraidex and rescue a captive princess. But the princess turns out to be a snob and Manuel falls in love, instead, with Niafer, a young woman in boy's garb, who had accompanied him up the mountain. But when he and Niafer are accosted by Death, and one of them must die, Manuel has no hesitation in letting Niafer be sacrificed. This action constitutes the defeat of dream and the rejection of heroism. * Manuel's second set of adventures begins when he sees Princess Alianora of Provence (a swan woman) bathing and secures one of her feathers, thinking that the feather may be of some use to him. But he soon learns that a pretense is just as good as the genuine feather, if he is willing to fill the role that others assign to him. He learns nothing, though good examples are shown to him, and only is concerned with animating his figures of earth. He achieves his desire in part when Queen Fre-ydls of the otherworld of Audela marries him and animates one figure: Sesphras (phrases; or the power of ballyhoo) which causes much misery. Tiring of Freydis, as he has of other women, he longs more and more for Niafer, whom he now misperceives in memory. He undertakes to serve Misery for a time, with the understanding that Misery must grant him a boon when the term of service is over. With the aid of Misery he rescues Niafer's spirit from the pagan underworld and uses it to animate a figure. Niafer

CABELL, JAMES BRANCH is back, but it is questionable whether she resembles the previous Niafer either physically or in personality. Manuel must now think of providing for a family, and assumes the position of Count of Poictesme, which had been awarded to him earlier, After unsuccessful attempts to dislodge the Norsemen by military means, he is helped by Miramon Lluagor, with the understanding that Manuel will be in fief to Horvendile. Land gained, Manuel proves to be an energetic ruler and is remembered as the Redeemer. * As a totality repetitive, nagging, and boring, but with excellent moments. But one should not need 350 pages to say, in a very involved, involuted way, that a politician is an opportunist, no matter how he is valued in future legend. 324. THE HIGH· PLACE A COMEDY OF DISENCHANTMENT McBride; New York 1923 A dream quest heavily laden with fairy tale material; "disenchantment" is to be read as both removal of a spell and disillusionment. * The protagonist, a romantic whose spirit is stronger than his intellect, succeeds in his quest for beauty, finds it inadequate, but continues to pursue the ideal. * The setting is early 18th century France, and the central character is Florian de Puysange, a murderous little perfectionist who cannot realize that only mediocrity is tolerated. While he denies himself no pleasure or crime, he operates carefully on the principle that one should not offend one's peers too much. * Florian has been affected by his childhood reading of Perrault's fairy tales, and human women are intolerable when compared to the beauty of Sleeping Beauty. She is the Princess Melior, sister to Melusine, and she sleeps in the enchanted town of Brunbelois. After murdering his fourth wife, Florian decides to find Melior (better), and comes to an agreement with the Brown Man (Janicot, reality). Janicot gives Florian means to break the enchantment, and in return Florian will have Melior for a year, at the end of which time he must sacrifice their child to Janicot. But there is a problem. Hoprig, the pagan high priest of the enchanted town, has been canonized by error, and he awakens with a halo and miracle-working powers. He is a disreputable old scoundrel, and Florian receives his first major disenchantment when realizes that holiness is a fraud. Hoprig had been his patron saint and was supposed to be working for him in Heaven. The new saint takes a dislike to Florian and decides to protect Melior, for the recording angel has given him, under protest, a true copy of Florian's bargain with Janicot. A year passes, during which Florian is driven to distraction by Melior's stupidity. But when the child is born, he receives an even greater shock, for Hoprig has worked out the best way to circumvent him and he is stuck with Melior. In the resulting brawl among St. Hoprig, Florian, the Archangel Michael, and Janicot, a solution is reached: Hoprig, who has become a nuisance to Heaven, what with scandalous misbehavior and insolent demands on the angels, is dropped back in the

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CABELL, JAMES BRANCH past, along with Melior and the child; Florian is returned to his childhood, and everything has been only a dream. * On the social side, the romance is a horrifying picture of life in a decadent culture; on the narrative side, it is often very amusing. One of the best sections is Florian's meeting with a singing gander, Cabell's caricature of an establishment poet. 325. THE MUSIC FROM BEHIND THE MOON AN EPITOME John Day; New York 1926 A stroke of fancy, told as a romance; tied loosely into the Manuel cycle. * Ettarre was Manuel's third daughter. After a brief marriage and several other episodes, she was captured by the magician Sargatanet and taken to his palace behind the moon. By decree of the Norns her captivity is to last 725 years. * Madoc, an ineffectual musician but a capable poet and dreamer, is attracted by the music from behind the moon (poesy) and finds his way there after a couple of adventures in the manner of JURGEN. Madoc learns of the terms of Ettarre's durance, but subverts the will of the Norns by inserting a decimal point and changing the time to 7.25 years. The result of all this is that history must be reacted and rewritten for almost 600 years. Madoc and Ettarre return to earth, where he dies, an old man, still in quest of the music from behind the moon. * A clever idea, but a slim story. 326. THE SILVER STALLION A COMEDY OF REDEMPTION McBride; New York 1926 Several aims fulfilled: the evolution of the reputation of the late Manuel; the fate of his associates; a collection of weird stories. * Poictesme, middle 13th century. Manuel is dead, and his wife, acting on the advice of the Holy Holmendis, dissolves the Fellowship of the Silver Stallion, or Manuel's equivalent of the Round Table. Horvendile appears and presides at the last meeting of the group, indicating cryptically what the fate of each member will be. [a] Gonfal becomes the lover of Queen Morvyth, but loses his head when the queen discovers that he has been laughing at her. Not supernatural, except in background. [b] Miramon Lluagor returns to his old home on the mountain, bickers with his wife, and regards the black cross with the Bees of Toupan. Before Koshchei created the present universe, there was a previous one ruled by a monster-god named Toupan. He is the leader of the Old Ones, who will return at some time. As each of the bees is brushed off the cross, Toupan's time draws nearer. But Miramon Lluagor acquires a wish with each bee that is released, and reestablishes the status quo. Not long after this, he is killed with the sword Flamberge, as predicted. [c] Coth, Jurgen's father, procedes to the West, in search of Manuel, whom he loves. He cmmes to the land of the Taoltecs, where the god Yaotl (loyalty?) puts three commands on him. Coth becomes emperor for a time, but after allegoric and priapic adventures, is blown back to Poictesme by Yaotl's flatulence. [d] Guivric the Sage, really an empty opportunist and trimmer, discovers that his identity is being

CABELL, JAMES BRANCH taken over by G1aum-without-Bones, a minor demon. He disappears, becoming a wraith. [e) Kerin of Nointe1, whose wife Saraide is much brighter than he is, wanders through underground caverns until he comes to the domain of Sc1aug, where there is a library with all knowledge. Now a learned fool, he helps work out the legend of Manuel. [f) Ninzian accidentally steps in some loose earth and reveals by his bird-like footprint that he is really a demon in disguise. His wife intends to report this to Ho1mendis, who has been conducting a witchhunt against all supernaturalism. Ninzian, attemping an evocation, calls up Lucifer and they discuss old times. [g) Donander of Evre is killed in battle and is accidentally taken to the wrong heaven, one corresponding to Valhalla. He amuses himself and annoys the gods by creating new worlds and people. [h) Jurgen is invited to appraise the jewels on the statue of Manuel. He discovers that they are false, but sets the point of the book by recognizing that the fraud was not intentionally evil, but that it begot much charity, forbearance, and bravery. While some persons in the sphere of Manuel have been disillusioned or (like Miramon L1uagor) never had any illusions about him, the legend of the great hero survives, even though he was only a man who kept up appearances. 327. SOMETHING ABOUT EVE A COMEDY OF FIGLEAVES McBride; New York 1927 The story of a successful failure, told as a symbolic satire. * Gerald Musgrave of Lichfield, a promising young poet who is entangled in a boring love affair, is visited by the demon G1aum of the Haunting Eyes, hitherto known from the Manuel romances. G1aum, who comes from Caer Omn (romance) in the land of Dersam (dreams), offers to take Gerald's place on earth while Gerald explores the lands beyond reality. Gerald accepts and descends into the lands preliminary to Antan (memories of things gone). In line with a prophecy, he calls himself Hoo the Fair-haired, Lord of the Third Truth. The two previous truths had been sex and death; his is poetry or dreams. In a series of symbolic adventures he encounters aspects of the female principle that he left behind in the world of reality, and passes through the lands of Doonham (manhood), Dersam (dreams), Lytreia (reality), and Turoine (routine), or a life cycle. In Turoine he settles down to domestic life with Aesred (erased), also called Maya (eternal illusion). Putting on rose-colored glasses he abandons his principles and leaves the redemption of Antan to others. Gerald's surrender emerges from his weaknesses, as first evidenced in his denial of sexuality. Thirty years later he returns to this world, to find himself a noted scholar of rubbish, which G1aum has written. The dreams are gone. Also present in the narrative are Horvendi1e (Cabell) and the Brown Man. * This is only the main ~ story line. There are other symbolic strands. * Cabell is determined to be naughty in this book, which abounds in sexual symbols and lewd doub1e-entendres, and is somewhat contentious. An outstanding episode is the chapter

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CABELL, JAMES BRANCH "They That Wore Blankets," which is a hilarious take-off on book reviewers. A very amusing book. 328. THE WHITE ROBE A SAINT'S SUMMARY McBride; New York 1928 Very loosely associated with Manuel via Ettarre, who appears briefly in a new incarnation. This is the story of Odo of Va1neres, a powerful churchman of the late Middle Ages. As a shepherd boy Odo meets a mysterious figure who he believes is the Lord of the Forest. This person gives him a wolf skin and a pot of ointment, with the result that Odo runs as a werewolf. When he is captured, he is saved from death by the presumed Lord of the Forest, who is revealed to be a mortal. Odo is put into a monastery for the good of his soul. He rises in the organization, becomes abbot, dies, and rides a pink cloud to a heaven, ~vhere his old master, whom he had betrayed, acts as porter. Odo's connection with Manuel lies in a peasant girl, an incarnation of Ettarre, whom he denounced as a witch. * Not one of Cabell's major works. * This is the third story chronologically of a proposed series of ten about Ettarre, presumably showing various ideals and their fates. Cabell never finished the series. * All three short romances-- THE MUSIC FROM BEHIND THE MOON, THE WAY OF ECBEN, and THE WHITE ROBE-- are printed together as THE WITCH-WOMAN, A TRILOGY ABOUT HER (Farrar, Straus; New York 1948). This has a long preface by Cabell about the cycle; it is partly serious and partly spoof. 329. THE WAY OF ECBEN A COMEDIETTA INVOLVING A GENTLEMAN McBride; New York 1929 Loosely tied into the Manuel cycle. Ultimately a fable about the disastrous results of following one's idea1s-- star, Ettarre. * King A1fgar of Ecben dreams of Ettarre and discovers that he can no longer live as he has. He resigns his kingdom to an enemy and wanders through the world of romance. At each stage of his pilgrimage something is taken away from him, until very little is left. When he meets Ettarre momentarily in the Garden between Dawn and Sunrise, she revivifies him for a moment, but even this goes down before the gods. * A sombre story, the best of the three about Ettarre. 330. SMIRT AN URBANE NIGHTMARE McBride; New York 1934 Published as by Branch Cabell. By using a slightly different name, the author wished to indicate that he was no longer working in the Manuel cycle, but was writing in a different style. This opinion may puzzle a reader, for Cabell is Cabell. * In a fairly long introduction the author states that the present work and its proposed sequels are the first attempt (apart from the Alice books by Lewis Carroll) to develop an adult dream, presented according to the laws of the dream. * To a modern reader, however, once the fantasy level has been by-passed, SMIRT seems to be grousings in the mind of an author, for most of the book is a veiled attack on critics, book reviewers, philistines, pesky admirers, and the world of

CABELL, JAMES BRANCH sensational newspaper trivia. * Smirt, the divine aspect of Smith, sets himself in his dream world the task of rediscovering the lost myth of Arachne, the spider woman. (The reason for love and death, and their linkage.) Under this compulsion he wanders about the land of dream, conversing with the All-Highest (who is proud of having written the Bible and is considering a sequel, but is unfortunately rather stupid), the Devil (whom Smirt trips very nicely), and the Stewards of Heaven. It ends in the abandonment of his hopes. * Presentation is in disconnected flashes, as in dreams, with occasional odd symbolic figurations, but the book is not too different from Cabell's other work, with the usual teasing priapistic circumlocutions. Cabell's greatest fault, unfortunately, was that he could not vary his approach and style. 331. ~ITH A SYLVAN INTERLUDE McBride; New York 1935 Published as Branch Cabell. The second volume of the Smith trilogy. * In this volume Cabell abandons the dream program announced in the first volume, for the story is constructed with traditional regularity. At the end of the first volume Smirt had abandoned his high estate, yielding to woman and her demands, and had .decided to settle down in life. He is now Smith, the tutelary deity of the forest of Branlon, somewhere in Cabell's mythical France, around the time of Charlemagne. The mode is medievalism, as opposed to the timelessness of .the first volume. * A meeting with Charlemagne, in which memory is evoked, is followed by narratives which tell the fate of Smith's four sons. These narratives are semi-alleg~r­ ical and represent reactions to life. On the narrative level they include the story of Volmar, superficially a drunken braggart, but really a man of extreme sensibility; the story of Elair, a song maker and dream, who seeks the key to magic and marries the daughter of Urc Tabaron the magician; Clitandre, a poetic burglar; and Little Smirt, a priggish politician. Mr. Smith reappears at the end with his love Tana and makes a statement of purpose. Cabell has abandoned the fanciful attacks on critics and newspaper vulgarism, and is now concerned with the establishment of four lives (books?). * Occasional striking phrases, but in general too much of the same from before. 332. SMIRE AN ACCEPTANCE IN THE THIRD PERSON Doubleday, Doran; Garden City, N. Y. 1937 The third volume in the Smith trilogy. It continues the downward path of the writer, much as in Grimm's laws of literary devolution, from highest god to minor god to minor poet. The dream aspect is not pursued strongly, but the black dog, as commentator, appears toward the end. A fair amount of the text is taken up with the usual gibes against critics and the reading public. * On the narrative level Smire is now in his third state of being and is wandering through history. As he engages in amorous adventures, he must often abandon his own desires and yield to necessity, though with pride-salving excuses. When he is Queen Dido's

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CABELL, JAMES BRANCH lover, he is cavalierly told to move on, since Aeneas is due to arrive shortly. If he does not leave, Zeus will punish him dreadfully. In his vanity and love of words he even places a curse on himself, which is later literally fulfilled. In Palestine he is forced to leave the young Miriam when the angel Gabriel comes to make an announcement. He is finally sent off en a quest that ends in death. As he reencounters figures and symbols from his past life, he gradually fades. In a return to childhood he reenters his long-sought land of Branlon, but as a ghost. His final experience is crossing the Styx. * The allegory is detailed at times, and the formal plan is complex, but not always clear. There are amusing passages, as always in Cabell, but some monotony. All in all, the Smith trilogy should not be counted among Cabell's more noteworthy works. 333. THERE WERE TWO PIRATES A COMEDY OF DIVISION Farrar, Straus; New York 1946 Published as by James Branch Cabell. Picaresque novel, told mostly in the manner of the earlier form. * Jose Gasparilla, notorious historical Caribbean pirate of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, tells of his life and adventures. Of noble birth, but impoverished, he steals a royal ship and sets out to be a pirate. His purpose is to acquire enough money to marry his love, Isabel. He is a highly successful marauder, but a gentlemanly one: he makes terms with the neighboring authorities and takes only half of what he has seized, if his victims do not resist. (One can gloss over the less pleasant side of his activities.) Seven years later, he captures a ship on which are his former sweetheart, her aged husband, and her five children. Her husband, Don Diego de Arredondo, turns out to be Gasparilla's true father, and he offers Don Jose the chance to relive his dreams. Don Diego, who has a little green stone (see THE DEVIL'S OWN DEAR SON) separates Don Jose from his shadow (reputation? past?). Jose himself goes back to relive his childhood, while the shadow carries on the business of piracy. Nine years pass before Gasparilla returns to this life. He finds that Don Diego is now dead, although Diego's ghost had met him and greeted him politely. He marries Isabel and settles down quietly in St. Augustine. The shadow dies when the· new United States navy attacks the pirate base. * Light and amusing. 334. THE DEVIL'S ·OWN DEAR SON A COMEDY OF THE FATTED CALF Farrar, Straus; New York 1949 A novel of life-acceptance, sequel, after a fashion, to THERE WERE TWO PIRATES. The setting is in part modern St. Augustine, which Cabell treats with amused sarcasm. * Diego de Arredondo Dodd, forty-year old proprietor of a second-rate tourist home, discovers that he is not of mortal origin. He was found in a fireplace, after a gust of flame, clutching a small green stone. He investigates and learns that he must be one of the progeny of Red Samael, the most lecherous of the devils of Hell. Taking his stone as identification, he seeks out Asmodeus, borrows from him a wish horse, and after passing through various dream lands reaches Hell,

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where he meets his father. Hell has changed recently. Long overcrowded, devils and imps overworked, it has expelled the damned and forbidden entry to any more humans, except those of demonic origin. Samael offers Dodd his birthright, but, in addition to a few moments in a dream castle, all Dodd asks for is an oil space heater for his tourist home and 250 gallons of oil. * The message is the same as in many of Cabell's other works, disillusionment. After a try at living fantasy, the protagonist accepts second-rate security. In this book, however, the message is not conveyed with any particular charm, and the mannerisms tend to be obtrusive. CADELL, ELIZABETH (1903 ) English author. Also wrote under pseudonym Harriet Ainsworth. 335. BRIMSTONE IN THE GARDEN William Morrow; New York 1950 Personalities, romance, and supernaturalism in a small village in the West Country. * Assorted relatives, friends, and friends of friends come to the house of Elinor Stirling and eventually pair off. The supernatural enters with Frobisher and Telemachus (two demons) and the ghost of Captain Vandeleur. Frobisher, who takes a job as a gardener, and Telemachus, who is invisible, are waiting for Mark Stirling to arrive, while Captain Vandeleur, who was mur~ dered in the middle of the 19th century, has been trapped in a well and is looking for a uniform. Frobisher causes the death of Mark, who is a scoundrel, and carries away his soul. Vandeleur goes along, and the others find happiness. * Some good characterizations, but sprawling and diffuse, with no real need for the supernatural. * There does not seem to be a British edition. CALDECOTT, SIR ANDREW (1884-l95l) G.C.M.G. British civil servant. Educated at Oxford. Administrative positions in Southeast Asia; Governor of Hong Kong; Governor of Ceylon. Fiction apparently written on a hobby basis. 336. NOT EXACTLY GHOSTS Arnold; London 1947 Ghost stories and whimsies. Several are set in Kongea, a mythical British colony somewhere in Oceania, not quite Polynesian, not quite Malayan. * Including, [a] A ROOM IN A RECTORY. A room with an evil aura-- because of magic worked there in the past-- drives a conservative rector to practice black magic. Dreams. A Kongean exorcism clears the place. [b] BRANCH LINE TO BENCESTON. As the author states, suggested by ,THE BAD LANDS by John Metcalfe. A parallel world, reached by a railroad branch line. Frent murders his hated partner there and is captured by the police. In this world the partner dies of pneumonia at the time of the crime in the other world, while Frent later dies of a broken neck when his counterpart in the other world is hanged. [c] SONATA IN D MINOR. While making a recording, one of the musicians stabbed the other. Playing the record reawakens the mood for murder. [d] AUTOEPIPHANY. An old desk, used around the end of the 18th century by an organist with revolutionary leanings, causes

CALDECOTT, SIR ANDREW modern users to write epitaphs that do not always represent their official opinions. The original owner had written many satirical poems on it. Includes some good, amusing verse. [e] l-llIIFFS OF THE SEA. An old watercolor of a church by the seashore somehow evokes the smell of the sea and bad dreams. The owner and a friend who is a folklorist track down the original situation: the artist, who was also an informer for the customs, had been murdered and his remains hidden in a buoy. [f] THE PUMP IN THORP'S SPINNEY. Questionable as fantasy. As a little boy Falmer heard strange underground noises. As an adult, shell shocked, he has dreams that lead to the uncovering a cistern containing the skeleton of a boy. Falmer had apparently heard the boy shouting for help years before. [g] LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS. In Kongea Lorimer profanes the cave of the Holy Gleam and dies of a skin disorder. He glows in the dark. Radioactivity of some sort? Not explained. [h] DECASTROLAND. Mainbarrow, an artist, is violently jealous of the success of de Castro, another artist. He paints the horrible face that he has seen in dreams, and de Castro suffers and dies along with the image in the picture. Kongea. [i] A VICTIM OF MEDUSA. A Kongean practice is divination by means of the markings on jellyfish. In England such a prediction via jellyfish comes true. [h] FITS OF THE BLUES. A Kongean ceremony involves tossing a sapphire into the sea as a sacrifice to the goddess. Lenbury steals such a sacrificial sapphire and sees everything blue. This particular stone was a "spilling stone," which colored other things. Lenbury is killed by diving into an empty swimming pool, having mistaken the white tile for water. [k] CHRISTMAS REUNION., The legend in a Christmas cracker is misread by the man playing Father Christmas, and he disappears. Murder and a revenant from Australia, although a rational explanation is also offered. [1] IN DUE COURSE. Fraudulent supernaturalism. A murder involving giant insects and wayang figures. * Best stories are [b], [d], [e]. The themes are not original, but the stories are wellhandled, often with a light touch. Excellent verse is often included. 337. FIRES BURN BLUE Arnold; London 1948 Short stories, including [a] AN EXCHANGE OF NOTES. Small-town cliques, an officious clergyman, Spiritualism. One of the singers at the concert insists that the score contains a wrong note. During the performance, though she is not present, all the singers sing the note she advocated. She had just died. [b] CHEAP AND NASTY. Aubrey Roddeck, to make a real-estate commission, plays on fears of the supernatural to give the house a bad name. The trick backfires. [c] QUINTET. Short ghost stories told at a party: a childhood experience of an apparition like a liquor ad; the ghost of a tombstone and a femily feud; animated clothing. [d] AUTHORSHIP DISPUTED. Terrison, according to Amberlake, was a psychological vampire and had drained him dry. Amberlake visits Terrison's grave to see if Terrison was also a conventional

CALDECOTT, SIR ANDREW vampire. [e] FINAL TOUCHES. Two feuding families in an English village, with supernatural "touchings" (beatings), etc. [f] WHAT'S IN A NAME. Ronald A. Transom is nicknamed "Rat" for obvious reasons. He has a pet rat and there is wound-empathy between them. [g] UNDER THE MISTLETOE. Kongea. Feuds among plantation managers and a plot of false supernaturalism. According to Kongean belief, certain trees have flame eyes. A ghost at the end? [h] HIS NAME WAS LEGION. A periodical dictated by spirits offends the local clergyman. Some unpleasant poetry is the result. [i] TALL TALES BUT TRUE. Malaya. Two stories. First, the swarth of a number-one boy who is down with malaria supervises an official reception. Second, Philip is in two places at once. A swarth. [j] A BOOK ENTRY. The visitor's book at Government House, Kongea, shows the name U. Nomi, apparently written at a time when only the governor (who is a cad) could have signed the book. But U. Nomi had been a Ugandan witchdoctor murdered by the governor at a previous post. [k] SEEDS OF REMEMBRANCE. A Kongean plant whose seeds recall memories and awaken conscience. [1] SEATED ONE DAY AT THE ORGAN. The organist collapses during a service. The mirror above the organ had shown a man cutting his throat. The mirror is returned to the shop, but seven years later the suicide takes place. * [f] is' best. Capable fiction, perhaps not quite up to the first volume. CAMPBELL, SIR GILBERT EDWARD (1833-1899) British author of popular fiction, operettas. Wrote adventure fiction, mysteries, detective short stories, supernatural fiction. First British translator of works by Emile Gaboriau, thus introducing the modern detective novel to England. 338. WILD AND WEIRD TALES OF IMAGINATION AND MYSTERY RUSSIAN. ENGLISH·AND ITALIAN Ward, Lock; London 1889 This is really three books in one, each section with separate pagination. The components were also issued separately, probably at the same time as the omnibus: WILD AND WEIRD, OR, REMARKABLE STORIES OF RUSSIAN LIFE. MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN: OR, SUPERNATURAL STORIES OF ENGLISH LIFE. DARK STORIES FROM THE SUNNY SOUTH; OR, LEGENDS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN. All were published by Ward, Lock, in 1889. The Russian Section: [a] NEPIMOFF'S FATHER. Serge Nepimoff, army officer and wastrel,is left with a pittance when his father dies. But he receives a posthumous letter from his father telling him to go to the Ghost Gallery at the full moon. There he learns from the Devil, who appears in the form of a notary, that all the ancestral Nepimoffs had made a diabolical bond for money. Term five years. Nepimoff accepts. Five years later, however, the truth is revealed. Rationized. [b] THE THIEF'S TAPER. Lipetskoff, a painter, has a dream vision of a murder, which he incorporates into a painting, although it does not show the identity of the murderer. He is arrested on suspicion, but is released when a secret society is believed to be responsible.

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CAMPBELL, JOHN W., JR. Under "guidance," however, he finishes the picture and shows the criminal to have been the girl's father, who had wanted her hand and body fat to make a hand of glory. Lipetskoff goes mad. [c] THE WHITE WOLF OF KOSTOPCHIN. A white wolf roams the countryside eating the hearts of its victims. When it is almost trapped, in its piace stands the Lady Ravina. Paul is in love with her, but loses his heart. She is later shot, presumably with a silver bullet. [d] THE MIDNIGHT SKATER. Olga, a Gipsy girl, has a name for sorcery. Many of her suitors have been killed by a demonic bear. The hero woos her, though warned not to, and she reveals herself as the demon. * The English section: [e] THE WARNING OF THE SWORD. Set in Heidelberg, among the students. According to the superstition, if one is accidentally wounded by a weapon, that weapon will later be the cause of one's death. [f] A DAY'S SHOOTING. Squire Stark, a hard, brutal man, is found murdered, and the brother of a poacher is the obvious suspect'. During the trial, however, the squire's ghost interferes outrageously. Several months later the squire's ghost assembles a gun and shoots the real murderer, in what is seemingly an accident. [g] WHAT WAS IT? Children should stay away from the "infernal room," or else the ghost will kill at least one of them. [h] THE GHOST AT THE PROSCENIUM. The ghost of a murdered ballet dancer performs spectacularly on the stage. [i] THE LADY ISOPEL. Whenever there is to be a family catastrophe, the ghost of vicious Lady Isopel appears. [j] 48, FERNVALLEY TERRACE, N. The Chemist's mother has been murdered. Her ghost reveals the unsuspected murderer. * The Italian section: [k] THE EVIL EYE. Edgar Rave1ston, an Englishman travelling and stopping in Italy, suffers much inconvenience, since the natives have decided that he is a jettatore, or caster of the evil eye. They are right. [1] THE MARBLE FAUN. In the 16th century Cardinal Rastelli, before paying a command visit to the Borgias, concealed his treasure by means of magic. It can be recovered only on the Eve of St. Geronimo, by magical means. [m] FROM THE GRAVE. Corsica. Two feuding families. When Bartolo, a rejected suitor, shoots Assunta and her husband while they are in church, vendetta takes a peculiar form. The dead man's avenging brother is guided by the ghost of the murdered woman. [n] THE GREEN STAIRCASE. It leads up to the picture gallery, where the pictures often assume life and are not friendly. * The stories set in Russia are the most successful works in this collection. They are fairly long and the florid treatment fits the folkloristic subject matter. The British stories are literal and crude. CAMPBELL, JOHN W[OOD], JR. (1910-1971) Very important American science-fiction editor; author, anthologist; expositor of popular science. Edi ted the magazine variously known as ASTOUN.DING STORIES, ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION! ANALOG, etc., from 1937 until his death in 1971. Also editor of short-lived sister magazine

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UNKNOWN (later UNKNOWN WORLDS), 1939-1943. This was a fairly high quality pulp magazine specializing in supernatural fiction. It had a peculiar editorial slant, perhaps because of Campbell's engineering approach. It stressed stories in which supernaturalism was presented as a rationality within irrationality and horror was less important than idea fantasy or fantastic adventure on an adult level. Many excellent stories were printed in UNKNOWN, some of them being scattered in anthologies throughout this volume. As a writer of supernatural fiction, however, Campbell was not important, wi th only one weak shor t nove 1 to his credi t. 339. THE MOON IS HELL~ Fantasy Press; Reading, Pa. 1951 Two short novels. The title novel, which is science-fiction, and [a] THE ELDER GODS. (UNK 1939) This was originally published under the pseudonym Don A. Stuart. In the future, perhaps about 3200 A.D. Civilization has collapsed, and mankind has settled into a new medieval material culture. The ultimate story is a clash between two sets of gods, the Elder Gods, hypostatizations of human feelings, who are basically benevolent, and the Invisible Ones, presumably an ultimate development of computers. Both maintain their power by predicting the future, but the Elder Ones give conditional prophecies, while the Invisible Ones give definite answers. Though the Invisible Ones are not exactly malevolent, their priesthood and the values they stand for are evil. Daron, a sailor cast up on the land by the elder god of the sea, takes on the priesthood and the Invisible Ones and destroys them. * Contrived, derivative, and dull. According to legend it was hastily written to fill the gap left when the author to whom the issue had been assigned did not produce his work. AS EDITOR: 340. FROM UNKNOWN WORLDS AN ANTHOLOGY OF MODERN FANTASY FOR GROWNUPS Street and Smith; New York 1948 paperbound A selection of material from the magazine UNKNOWN/UNKNOWN WORLDS. [a] THE ENCHANTED WEEKEND, John MacCormac. (1939). This is said to have been the most popular story to appear in UNKNOWN. James Fielden, a young American scholar, spends a weekend at the stately home of Enniscrow in Cornwall, where he is searching family archives for Arthurian material. According to tradition, the family is descended from Ninian, the woman who enchanted Merlin. Fielden falls in love with the daughter of the house, also called Ninian, and aCCidentally releases Merlin from imprisonment. Fielden is anxious to impress Ninian and asks Merlin for the ability to excel in athletic matters. The weekend turns out to be riotous. Excellent humorous fantasy. [b] NOTHING IN THE RULES, L. Sprague de Camp. (1939) Rival swimming coaches and a meet. First a woman with webbed fingers, then a mermaid. One of de Camp's best stories. [c] THE COMPLEAT WEREWOLF, Anthony Boucher. Wolfe Wolf. becomes a werewolf, although a highly moral one, and helps the authorities round up a spy ring during World War II. Humor.

{:APEK, KAREL Short novel. [d] THE REFUGEE, Jane Rice. (1943) World War II. The young man turns out to be a treacherous and hungry werewolf. What chance does a lone woman have against him, unless her family background happens to be a butcher shop. France. Good. [e] THE CLOAK, Robert Bloch. (1939). It sets one off into crime. [f] YESTERDAY WAS MONDAY, Theodore Sturgeon. (1941) Harry awakens on Wednesday instead of on Tuesday (as the day after Monday) and finds the scenes being prepared for Wednesday's events. Life behind the scenes turns out to be very interesting. [g] TROUBLE WITH WATER, H. L. Gold. (1939). Greenberg, a boardwalk concessionaire, has the folly to insult a water gnome. A curse is placed on him: he cannot approach water. His life is miserable until he placates the gnome. Good ethnic humor, although Gold apparently considered it a serious story. [h] ANYTHING, Philip St. John. (pseud. of Lester del Rey) (1939) A brownie in modern life. [i] ONE MAN'S HARP, Babette Rosmond. (1943) Jordan, a professional gambler, to give a victim another chance, jokingly offers to bet his place in heaven. Jordan wins. When he dies, he discovers that what he has won is a perpetual ski camp. He loathes it; evokes the Devil, demands Hell-and gets it-- a perpetual ski camp. Excellent. [j] THE DEVIL WE KNOW, Henry Kuttner. (1941) A "demon" from another world serves Carnevan, a criminal opportunist, in order to escape from something even worse than a demon in his own universe. An excellent horror story; one of Kuttner's best. [k] THE PSYCHOMORPH, E. A. Grosser. (1940) A shape-changer. [1] THE HEXER, Howard W. Guernsey. (pseud. of Howard Wandrei) (1939) The hexer has a sense of humor which exaggerates the foibles of his victims. A newsman is gifted with an enormously long nose; an egotistical novelist has a head like a barrel; a "cat" is given a tail, etc. All invisible. [m] THE SUMMONS, Don Evans. (1939) Delusions in the mind of an insane murderer as he undergoes insulin shock. [n] THE JESUS SHOES, Allan R. Bosworth. (1942) Wooden shoes transport a man across the sea, because he has faith. * There is also some poetry. * All in all, despite a few weak stories, an excellent collection. Best stories are [a], [b], [d], [g], [i], [j], [1]. tAPEK, KAREL (1890-1938) Important Czech novelist, playwright, journalist, political figure. Introduced the word "robot" (coined by his brother Josef) in the influential play R.U.R. (1921), an Expressionist statement of exploitation and revolt. A prolific author, mostly untranslated, though his WAR WITH THE NEWTS (English translation 1937) is generally available. A very fine writer. 341. THE ABSOLUTE AT LARGE Macmillan; London 1927 Anonymous translation from Czech. Amusing working out of a flight of fantasy, the implications of atom smashing for pantheism. The story is told mostly through Bondy, a cynical capitalist. In 1943 Rudy Marek has invented a machine which utilizes the full energy of the atom. But there

CAPEK, KAREL is an enormous difficulty: when matter is thus broken down, the Absolute is necessarily released and God is manifested. All sorts of religious manifestations occur wherever Marek's Karburators are used. Miracles, levitations, faith-healing, ecstasies, speaking in tongues, spectacular conversions are common. "Wherever a Karburator exists, God builds a chapel." Unfortunately, the manifestations of deity are no more consistent than are present day or past religions, and clashes, culminating in the Greatest War, destroy civilization. As a desperate last measure, all Karburators are to be destroyed, and religious phenomena are outlawed, although occasional miscreants huddle over bootleg machines and savor the experience. * Very nicely handled, and amusing. CAPES, BERNARD [EDWARD JOSEPH1 (c. l870? - 1918) English author. Best-known for historical romances (THE LAKE OF WINE, 1898) and detective stories (THE GREAT SKENE MYSTERY, 1907 and THE SKELETON KEY, 1918). His friend G. K. Chesterton wrote an excellent obituary notice of him in THE SKELETON KEY: a man who wrote sensational fiction with a poetic touch, putting superior craftsmanship into popular fiction. Deserves some attention. 342. AT A WINTER'S FIRE C.A. Pearson; London 1899 Short stories, including [a1 THE VANISHING HOUSE. The narrator's grandfather, a rustic musician who made a living out of waits, plays before a mysterious house that suddenly appears in the snow. He alone of the musical group has the courage to drink from the goblet which the maiden offers him. Nicely handled. [b1 DARK DIGNUM. During the Seven Years War there is a feud between Dark Dignum the smuggler and Exciseman Jones, one being a ferocious killer, and the other an overpunctilious official. Dignum is responsible for Jones's death, but Jones's skeleton evens the score when it is eroded out of the hillside. [c1 WILLIAM TYRWHITT'S "COPY." A ruined house with a nautical room in which a ghost from a previous century holds forth. The journalist learns that the ghost is that of a pirate who murdered the journalist's great grandfather. The room seems to be out at sea. [d1 AN EDDY ON THE FLOOR. Set in D Prison, perhaps Dartmoor. The warden, taking revenge on an enemy, lures him into a cell and keeps him there until he dies, whipping him daily. The cell is now haunted by a dancing thing of power and malice, an eddy on the floor. Excellent horrors once a very slow beginning is past. [e] THE BLACK REAPER. 1665. The Black Reaper goes through the upper field, and each time it sets up a shock, a villager dies. It is stopped by a barricade of children, whom Death will not touch. [f1 A VOICE FROM THE PIT. An English tourist is shown a strange hole in the rocks, which may or may not reach to Hell. Borderline supernatural. * Interesting stories, [a1 and [e] being best. 343. PLOTS Methuen; London 1902 Short stories, including [a1 THE ACCURSED COR-

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CAPES, BERNARD DONNIER. A young man encounters the Wandering Jew. The Jew, Cartophilus, renews his youth every century. The young man is present and assists at the transformation, The Jew, instead of being a pathetic or sympathetic being, as in most other fiction, is a type of the Antichrist. Told in a disjointed, feverish manner. [b] THE DEVIL'S FANTASIA. Music found in a bottle fished out of the sea carries with it a doom. It is only one voice of a duet; the Devil plays the other half. And whoever plays the music cannot stop until death or madness takes him. The curse is broken by the adroit use of a phonograph. [c] THE GREEN BOTTLE. A collection of crime associational material has a bottle with a soul inside it. The criminal blowing the bottle had died suddenly; the molten glass slumped, sealing the blower's breath and soul into the bottle. Cd] PLOTS. An essay, with little narratives included, telling ideas that Capes meant to use in fiction, but never put into print. Some are detective material, others science-fiction, and two supernatural; [e1 THE PLOT OF THE FEARFUL HEAD. It is that of the Earl of Surrey, from the time of Henry VIII, perfectly preserved and animate with evil life. [f1 THE FACE ON THE SHEET. A slide projector reveals murder supernaturally. 344. LOAVES AND FISHES Methuen; London 1906 Short stories, including [a1 A GHOST-CHILD. Tryphena, whose fiance was drowned at sea, is visited by his ghost. Nine months later, on Christmas, a Child, able to speak, appears in physical body. It will stay only for a time, it says, until Tryphena asks the question. The answer to the question is, "1 am to call you mother." [b] THE GHOST-LEECH. Ireland, in part. Ghostly teams play rugger in the graveyards, with skulls and shankbones for equipment. A mortal must keep goal for them. If he survives seven years, he receives the gift of healing sickness by touch. Also present is the concept of the soul as a moth, and a death portent. [c] POOR LUCY RIVERS. Betrayed, she committed suicide by staying out on her roof in the winter. Her spirit seems to haunt her typewriter. [d1 JACK THE SKIPPER. Is it a sea monstrosity in humanoid form that emerges occasionally from the Thames? Rationalized. [e1 THE JADE BUTTON. China, England. The button is inhabited by a powerful spirit that conveys on its master riches, immunity from harm, and, practically speaking, immortality. But the spirit is very sensitive and irascible. * [a] has an excellent macabre touch that is surprising for a work of its period, what with cultural tabus about conception and childbirth. 345. BAG AND BAGGAGE Constable; London 1913 Short stories, some long and sentimental, others fantastic. Including, [a] TONY'S DRUM. A period piece, around 1710. The Captain, returning to England after Malplaquet, brings with him the drum of Tony the Drummerboy, who had been killed in battle. The drum (presumably activated by the dead boy's ghost) offers a supernatural solution to a problem. [b] THE CORNER HOUSE. The narrator relives an experience of a genera-

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tion earlier: the death of his father in an explosion. [c] JOHN FIELD'S RETURN. A failed man commits suicide, but his ghost, beyond the limits of mortality, regains the family fortune by a series of coups. The ghost takes part in life until its corpse is found. [d] THE HAMADRYAD. The protagonist, an enthusiastic lepidopterist, restrains himself from killing a moth, at the plea of a hamadryad. The hamadryad incarnates itself as his daughter (or assumes the daughter's place as a changeling?) until she comes upon his collection. [e] THE VOICE. The voice of a drowned girl comes into the present. [f] THE POISON BOTTLE. A crime story, occasionally anthologized, in which, in a vision, a child sees murder being done. * All in all, probably Capes's best collection. 346. THE FABULISTS Mills and Boon; London 1915 Short stories told by four framework narrators. Including [a] THE PETROLEUSE. A woman trying to fire a house is assisted by a ghost, her suffragette self. Madness. [b] DANSE-MACABRE. A ghost, based on Myers's work on human survival. [c] THE MARBLE HANDS. Horror from the tomb. [d1 THE GLASS BELL. A snowing globe where a death scene is reenacted. [e1 THE QUEER PICTURE. It reenacts a murder. [f1 THE FOOTSTEPS. Phantom footsteps. [g1 THE WHITE HARE. When shot with a silver bullet, it is revealed as the mother of his sweetheart. [h1 THE THING IN THE FOREST. Hungary. Werewolves. [i] SUB SPECIE. Ancestral memories or reincarnation revealed by hypnosis. [j1 THE DARK COMPARTMENT. A ghost scene on a train. [k1 THE BLUE DRAGON. A tiny one. It emerges from a set of chinaware. [11 THE CLOSED DOOR. If you knock long enough at a closed door, the Devil may open it for you. Supernatural reenactment of a crime. * Undeveloped narratives, less effective than Capes's earlier, longer work. CAPOTE, TRUMAN (1924American mainstream fiction writer. Best-known work factual crime novel IN COLD BLOOD (1965). 347. A TREE OF NIGHT AND OTHER STORIES Random House; New York 1949 Short stories, including [a1 MASTER MISERY. A symbolic presentation of disillusionment. Sylvia, small-town woman in New York City, can survive only by selling her dreams to a Mr. Revercornb, who pays her well for them. But she discovers that she has sold the most important part of herself and that nothing is left. [b1 SHUT A FINAL DOOR. Walter, whose neurosis compels him to be treacherous and vicious, discovers that a strange voice follows him wherever he goes, calling him by telephone. It is a concrete symbol of his guilt. [c1 JUG OF SILVER. Set in a small town, not far from New Orleans. The local druggist, as an inducement to sales, sets up a jug of nickels and offers it to who, ever can guess the amount of money in it. Appleseed, a Cracker boy born with a caul, can see things that others cannot, and wins the money. [d1 MIRIAM. Mrs. H. T. Miller suddenly and inexplicably finds herself caught in a

CARLYLE, THOMAS strange relationship to a little girl who parasitically and vampirically drains her will. The situation is much like that of "The Silver Mask" by Hugh Walpole, but is told more grotesquely. Borderline supernatural. * Excellent stories, if a little prissy at times, handling universal human experiences in terms of fantasy. CARLYLE, THOMAS (1795-1881) Scottish essayist, historian, philosopher, cultural influence.. In addition to his original work, which was of international significance, Carlyle was preeminent in introducing German literature and philosophy to the English-speaking world. Although this aspect of his lifework has largely been forgotten, he translated Goethe's WILHELM MEISTER and, in the present volumes, offered a reasoned selection of the best German fiction of his day. His translations were much like his original work, wilful, highly personal, sometimes obtrusively Scottish in locution, but characterized by a remarkable richness of language. Also included are excellent, perceptive essays. AS EDITOR: 348. GERMAN ROMANCE SPECIMENS OF ITS CHIEF AUTHORS WITH BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL NOTICES W. Tait; Edinburgh; 1827 4 vol. A strong selection of material, including, described in previous collections, [a1 DUMB LOVE, J. K. Musaeus. [b] THE FAIR-HAIRED ECKBERT, J. L. Tieck. Alternate title, for ECKBERT THE FAIR-HAIRED. [c] THE TRUSTY ECKHART, J. L. Tieck. Alternate title for LOYAL ECKHART AND TANNHAEUSER. * Also [d] LIBUSSA, J. K. Musaeus. Euhemerization and fictionalization of the legends concerning the founding of the Czech nation. Libussa is the daughter of a woodsman and a dryad. The dryad had given the woodsman supernatural powers of judgment and prev~sLon, with the result that he was highly regarded among his people. When the throne becomes vacant, Libussa is chosen as queen because of her virtue and supernatural wisdom. There is some dissatisfaction about her selection. But she marries a mortal and founds Prague. Sentimentalization in terms of chivalry. [e] THE RUNENBERG, J. L. Tieck. (DER RUNENBERG, 1802) Christian, a young hunter, has left his home and is wandering about the haunted mountains. After meeting a mysterious stranger who tells him of wonders to be found in the Runenberg, Christian enters the ancient ruins and sees a spirit in the form of a fair, nude woman. She gives him a jewelled token. He then makes his way to the lowlands, marries, and prospers. One day, however, the call of the woman of the wood comes to him, and he must leave. After his departure, everything goes wrong, and he is assumed to be dead. He returns many years later, a broken man. The touch of the Other is too much for mortals. [f] THE ELVES, J. L. Tieck. (DIE ELFEN, 1811) Close by the prosperous small farms of the peasants lies a dank fir wood, which the peasants do not enter. They believe that it is dangerous, inhabited by Gipsies and other undesirables.

CARLYLE, THOMAS Little Mary, however, wanders into the woods and finds herself in a wonderful fairyland, inhabited by friendly elves. She stays there for but a short time, whereupon she is told that she must leave. She is also told that she should never reveal what she has experienced, or the result will be tragic for her. When she returns to the outside world, however, years have passed. She obeys the fairy command, grows up, marries, and has children, who in turn play with the fairies. But when, in an argument with her husband, she breaks the prohibition, the fairies leave the land en masse, and the territory, which used to be fruitful, turns into a near desert. Everything collapses. [g] THE GOBLET, J. L. Tieck. (DER POKAL, 1811) Renaissance Germany. Ferdinand, who is madly in love with Francesca, asks the help of the alchemist and mag1c1an Albert. Albert is willing to show the future to Ferdinand, but Ferdinand must remain silent. Ferdinand cannot command himself, and the magical operation fails. Francesca marries another man. Forty years later Ferdinand and Francesca meet again, without recognizing each other at first, until Ferdinand sees the goblet that had played a part in Albert's ritual. He learns that he and Francesca had been separated by parental plots, and that it is too late for anything but minimal happiness together. [h] THE GOLDEN POT, E.T.A. Hoffmann. (DER GOLDENE TOPF, 1814) Hoffmann considered this his finest work, and most authorities agree with this estimation. It is so complex that it does not lend itself well to summary. Superficially it is concerned with the experiences of the young poet and student Anselmus, who copies manuscripts for the Archivist Lindhorst and falls in love with Lindhorst's daughter, a serpent woman. Anselmus's life operates on two planes. In the everyday world he is in love with the beautiful but conventional Veronica and plans to become a Hofrat, while in the magical world of the Archivist (who is a salamander in exile from Atlantis) he is caught up in the magical duel between the Archivist and his old enemy, Liese. Eventually Lindhorst defeats Liese in a magical duel, and Anselmus goes to Atlantis with Serpentina. There are, of course, other levels of meaning in THE GOLDEN POT, with dissociated personality fragments, parallel rosters between Atlantis and Dresden, philosophical implications, mythological narratives, and much else. It is one of the landmarks of supernatural fiction, possibly the greatest fantasy of the 19th century. * Carlyle's translations-- despite linguistic wilfulness and Scottish locutions-- are still the best that have been done for these works. Outstanding stories are [b],

eel, [f], [h]. CARR, JOHN DICKSON (1905-1977) Prominent American writer of mystery and detective fiction, intermittently resident in Great Britain. Also wrote under the pseudonyms Carter Dickson and Roger Fairbairn. Generally considered one of the most important authors, particularly skilled at handling highly intricate pseudo-magical devices for concealing crime or

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misdirecting investigation. The sealed room mystery came to be his forte. In most of his fiction apparent supernaturalism is explained away, as was customary in the detective story of his day, but in the following instances Carr let it stand, unrationalized. 349. THE BURNING COURT Hamish Hamilton; London 1937 Detective mystery, ultimately based on undead beings who are reincarnated with memory over the centuries. * Miles Despard is poisoned, and there are many signs of supernatural activity: the corpse has been seen moving about after death; a ghost has appeared; a witch's ladder has been found, etc. Suspicion shifts from suspect to suspect, until Gaudin Cross is called into the case to work out a complex if slightly confusing explanation. Much historical crime material, particularly from 17th century France, is included. * In the opinion of many this is Carr's best novel, but I prefer others. I do not find the mixture of suburbia, the undead, formula whodunit, and historical crime very convincing. 350. THE DEVIL IN VELVET Harper; New York [1951] Mystery, historical adventure against a supernatural background. * England, c 1675. * In the present, Professor Nicholas Fenton, historian, has discovered records of a mysterious murder in the England of Charles II. The records are incomplete, although it is known that a then Sir Nicholas Fenton was involved. Professor Fenton thereupon sells his soul to the Devil. In exchange he is to be put back into the past, in the body of Sir Nicholas, but with his own personality and knowledge, and no tricks. The Devil agrees, making only one small reservation. Professor Fenton, back in 1675, decides to change history and prevent the murder of his wife. He immerses himself in the violent Sir Nicholas and the dirty, shabby world around him. There are sword-play, lechery, political violence, superstition, plots and complots, and a good period baCkground. Fenton may change history, but the Devil, of course, is the only real winner. * Adventure rather than bafflement, for the solution is entirely obvious from the beginning, but still one of Carr's better novels. The characterizations are handled with more skill than usual. 351. FIRE. BURN! Hamish Hamilton; London 1956 Period adventure and a sealed-room mystery in the London of 1829. * Detective-Superintendent John Cheviot enters a cab in the 1950's, on a case, and is taken to the police offices of 1829. This is the period when the Metropolitan Police (Peelers or Bobbies) were being formed, and Cheviot, in the body of an early 19th century Cheviot, applies for the position of superintendent. He is a young man of some wealth, social position, and notoriety, and his application is at first questioned, but he is accepted and soon embroiled in a raucous world of crime, crooked gambling, brutality, and mysterious events. He is present during a sealed-room murder, and must solve the mystery by contemporary methods. The ending is best not revealed,

*

CARR, JOHN DICKSON but the implications are that Cheviot's experiences were supernatural. A clever mystery, with good local color. CARR, ROBERT SPENSER (1909 ) American writer, biologist; mainstream author. Brother of John Dickson Carr. 352. THE ROOM BEYOND Appleton-Century-Crofts; New York [1948] Long, allegorical quest novel. * Danny Bryce first met Cristina when he was a boy and she a charity nurse in one of the poorer sections of town. He feels an attraction for her that includes but also transcends sexuality, but loses her through his own folly. Throughout the remainder of a partly misspent life Danny tries to find her again, but always discovers that he has just missed her. The settings include New Orleans, a Penitentes settlement in the Southwest, and New York. Years later, Danny is about to be awarded honors for his medical work among the Indians, when Cristina appears again, and Danny discovers her true~ deathless, perhaps even existence-less nature. He learns from her that death is nothing more than another room in a larger existence. He is about to proclaim this truth to the world when Cristina destroys his memories. * The above summary is centered on the supernatural element in the novel. Otherwise, THE ROOM BEYOND is a long, fully developed biographical fic~ion with much naturalistic detail. * Capable slick work, perhaps overlong for some tastes, but an imaginative rendering of the search for death. The succession of exotic locales, however, savors a little too much of Hollywood stage sets. CARTER, LIN[WOOD] [VROMAN] (1930American anthologist. Later, prolific author of fantastic adventure novels. AS EDITOR: 353. DRAGONS, ELVES, AND HEROES Ballantine Books; New York 1919 paperbound Snippets and excerpts, both prose and poetry, from various areas of premodern Western and non-Western literatures, and folkloristic sources. "Story" titles would seem to have been added by the editor. * Including [a] THE OGRE. A fragment from BEOWULF, translated by Norma Lorre Goodrich. [b] THE HIGH HISTORY OF THE SWORD GRAM. A fragment from the VOLSUNGA SAGA, translated by William Morris. [c] MANAWYDDAN SON OF THE BOUNDLESS. A portion of the MABINOGION, adapted by Kenneth Morris. [d] BARROW-WIGHT. A fragment of the GRETTIR SAGA translated by S. Baring-Gould. [e] FINGAL AT THE SIEGE OF CARRIC-THURA, James Macpherson. From THE POEMS OF OSSIAN. Prose. [f] THE SWORD OF AVALON~ Sir Thomas Malory. From LE MORTE D'ARTHUR. [g] THE LAST GIANT OF THE ELDER AGE, Fragment from the KIEV CYCLE, translated by Isabel Florence Hapgood. Better-known as one of the adventures of I1ya Muromets. [h] WONDERFUL THINGS BEYOND CATHAY. A fragment from THE TRAVELS OF JOHN MANDEVILLE. [i] TALES OF THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. Five stories from the GESTA ROMANORUM, Charles Swan translation. [j]

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CARTER, LIN THE MAGICAL PALACE OF DARKNESS. A fragment from the romance of chivalry PALMERIN OF ENGLAND, attributed to Francisco de Moraes. [k] RUSTUM AGAINST THE CITY OF DEMONS. A fragment from the SHAH NAMEH of Firdausi. Translated (from which language is not indicated) by Lin Carter. [1] THE PRINCESS OF BABYLON, Voltaire. * All before our base date. 354. DISCOVERIES IN FANTASY Ballantine Books; New York 1972 . paperbound An introduction by Carter titled LOST WORLDS. * Including [a] THE VISION OF YIN, Ernest Bramah. (pseud of Ernest B. Smith). (from THE WALLET OF KAI LUNG, 1900). Yin, who has made his way to the desolate rock island, finds it covered with skeletons of men who have perished there. He resists fate, and is favored by a vision of the Celestial Emperors and is told that he will aid in a restoration of traditional Chinese empire. [b] THE DRAGON OF CHANG TAO, Ernest Bramah. [from KAI LUNG'S GOLDEN HOURS, 1922) When Chang goes to woo the daughter of Shen, a task is set him. Killing dragons. On meeting a very powerful dragon in human form, still a further task is set: distinguishing exchanged babies (now young women), one human, one of dragon ancestry. [c] THE POET OF PANOPOLIS, Richard Garnett; [d] THE MINIATURE, Eden Phillpotts, both described elsewhere. * [b] has amusing moments, but the ignorance of matters Chinese is distressing. 355. GREAT SHORT NOVELS OF ADULT FANTASY Ballantine Books; New York 1972 paperbound On the cover called GREAT SHORT NOVELS OF ADULT FANTASY 1. Four short novels, including, [a] WALL OF SERPENTS, Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague de Camp. Described elsewhere for context. [b] THE KINGDOM OF THE DWARFS, Anatole France. (pseud. of Jacques Anatole Francois Thibault) Better-known under the title HONEY-BEE. An adult fairy tale. Honey-Bee is stolen away by the dwarfs, whose king wishes to marry her when she grows up. George de Blanchelande is captured by the water nixies, whose queen wishes to rear him as a lover. Good-hearted King Loc of the dwarfs resolves matters. A semi-juvenile, and not one of France's better works. [c] THE MAKER OF MOONS, Robert W. Chambers. Described elsewhere. * The fourth story, ''The Hollow Land," by William Morris, a very early short prose romance, is not supernatural. 356. GREAT SHORT NOVELS OF ADULT FANTASY, VOLUME II Ballantine Books; New York 1973 paperbound Four components, including [a] WOMAN IN THE MIRROR, George MacDonald. The untitled fragment from PHANTASTES usually called THE MAGIC MIRROR. Described elsewhere. [b] T~ LAVENDER DRAGON, Eden Phi1lpotts. Described elsewhere. [c] THE TRANSMUTATION OF LING, Ernest Bramah. (pseud. of Ernest B. Smith) (from THE WALLET OF KAI LUNG, 1900) A story told by Kai Lung, an itinerant Chinese storyteller, when he is held captive by Miao bandits. * The candidate Ling, having taken a high place in the civil service examinations at Canton, is sent as com-

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mander of bowmen to a rebellious area. He rescues the adopted daughter of a magician, who gives him one of her father's magical potions to drink. The result: whatever part of his body is severed from him turns to gold. * Not one of the better Kai Lung stories. * Also included is the science-fiction story "The Repairer of Reputations" by R. W. Chambers. CAVE, HUGH B. (1910 ) Prolific American writer of British birth, contributor to many of the adventure pulps as well as to the slicks. Also war correspondent in World War II, plantation owner in Haiti. 357. MURGUNSTRUMM AND OTHERS Carcosa; Chapel Hill, North Carolina 1977 Short stories and two nouvelles from various pulp sources. * Including [a] MURGUNSTRUMM. (STRANGE STORIES 1933). Nouvelle. At Gray Toad Inn, a run-down establishment on a deserted back road, fiendish doings are done, including classical vampirism and necrophilia. Paul Hill and his fiancee barely escaped from· it once, and were institutionalized when they told of their experiences. Paul has escaped from the asylum, is returning to the inn to clear himself. Crude horror ladled on with gusto. [b] THE WATCHER IN THE GREEN ROOM. (WT 1933) Kolitt, who has murdered his wife and secreted her remains, builds up a thought monster out a dresser. It does ·him in. [c] THE PROPHECY. (BLACK BOOK DETECTIVE MAGAZINE 1934) A slumming visit to a Black spiritualist church meeting, where doom is predicted, ends disastrously. [d] THE STRANGE DEATH OF IVAN GROMLEIGH. (SPICY MYSTERY STORIES 1937) An artist illustrating a horror story (and making clay models to work with) finds that horrors have materialized. [e] THE STRANGE CASE OF NO.7. (GHOST STORIES 1931) Brand invents a machine that releases the soul, so that it can experience death, return to its body, and report. A gorilla is also involved. [f] THE ISLE OF DARK MAGIC. (WT 1934) The Marquesas. Peter Mace, whose girl friend has died, uses black magic to animate a stone statue of her. But her corpse returns. Linked to the Cthulhu cycle of Lovecraft's. [g] THE WHISPERERS, (SPICY MYSTERY STORIES 1942) People who live in the haunted house are transformed into hairy, evil beings. Other worlds may be involved. [h] PREY OF THE NIGHTBORN. (SPICY MYSTERY STORIES 1936). Classical vampires. [i] MAXON'S MISTRESS. (SPICY MYSTERY STORIES 1936) Maxon murdered his wife and dismembered her. Her ghost possesses his body and forces him to commit suicide. [j] DEAD MAN'S BELT.(WT 1933) Depression years. Blacks living in a dump. Murder, ghosts, reanimated corpses, and the dead man's belt. [k] THE CRAWLING CURSE. (WT 1933) East Indies. Native magiC, an animated dead hand. [1] PURR OF A CAT. (SPICY MYSTERY STORIES 1942) A painter in the back woods finds a beautiful girl for a model. Vampirism. [m] TOMORROW IS FOREVER. (ADVENTURE 1943) World War II. A dead German soldier realizes he is dead and bound to Lidice. [n] THE GHOUL GALLERY. (WT 1932) According to the Ramsey family curse, each member strangles himself at age 28.

CAZOTTE, JACQUES A feud in the past. [0] THE CULT OF THE WHITE APE. (WT 1933) Africa and theriomorphy. The local witchdoctor assumes the form of a gigantic white ape. Betts is not simpatico and dies; Varricks is simpatico, sees marvels. and survives. [p] THE BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD. (W1: 1932) Classical vampirism, told from the point of view of one about to become a vampire. [q] THE DOOR OF DOOM. (STRANGE TALES 1932) At the House of the Undead residents are war.ned not to open the iron door. Behind it is the secret of the master. Oriental magic, immortality. lr] THE DEATH WATCH.· (WT 1939) Communication electronically with the deities of outer space. A living corpse is permitted to return. Linked to the Cthulhu cycle of Lovecraft's. [s] THE CAVERNS OF TIME. (SPICY MYSTERY STORIES 1942) Grayson, in response to a telegram, wanders into a perilous cuI tic situation involving flagellation, strange drugs, droit de seigneur, etc. But it must have happened years before, and there was no telegram. [t] MANY HAPPY RETURNS. (EQMM 1966) There are cosmic quotas for survival, on the basis of birthdays. If one can eliminate others with the same birth day, one gains additional time. [u] LADIES IN WAITING. (WHISPERS 1975) Control of a sort, glamour of a sort, and sexual monstrosities. [v] STRAGELLA. (STRANGE TALES 1932) Vampirism off the coast of the Andaman penal settlement. * The other stories are either vaguely sciencefiction or violent horror and adventure. * A curious collection, valuable in illuminating trends in pulp publishing, especially because of the rarity of some of the publications involved. The aesthetic of lewd reanimated corpses, homicidal mania, and unkillable monstrosities anticipates the horror comics of the '40's and early '50's. Cave writes vividly and competently, but the book as a whole is depressing, since he obviously could have done much better work. * Best stories are [b], [j], [v]. CAZOTTE, JACQUES (1719-1792) French civil servant, writer. Very popular in his time for Oriental tales, poetry, novels. Achieved an international reputation with the present volume. In later life turned to occult secret societies and claimed to be able to predict the future. The French writer La Harpe wrote a fictional work in which Cazotte predicted details of the French Revolution. Executed as a counter-revolutionary in 1792. 358. THE DEVIL IN LOVE Hookham and Carpenter; London 1793 Anonymous translation of LE DIABLE AMOUREUX, 1772. Although today Cazotte's short novel is nearly forgotten, it was enormously popular during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in England and Germany, and was taken as a type specimen of supernatural fictio.n. Hoffmann, for example, could call his stories fictions in the manner of Cazotte. * Italy, middle 18th century. The narrator, Alvare, a spirited, vivacious, pleasure-seeking young Spanish officer in the service of the king of Naples, is drawn to the occult. Certain of his fellow officers, who are mildly annoyed at his lack of

CAZOTTE, JACOUES reverence, determine to introduce him to diabolism in a traumatic way. They give him a spell, and tell him to go to certain ruins and perform an evocation, if he wants to have a true supernatural experience. The spell works. First he sees a gigantic, sinister camel's head; then a dog; and finally a beautiful young woman. If unwise, Alvare is brave enough and he does not lose control of the being he has evoked. The woman, Biondetta, serves him willingly and becomes a member of his household. She reveals ·that she is in love with him and does her best to arouse his desires, but he never manages to consummate the act of love with her. When she tells him that she suffered incarnation out of love for him, he agrees to marry her, but being a formalist, insists on obtaining his mother's permission. They set off together toward Spain, but on the way Alvare learns that his mother has died, and that his brother has vowed revenge, since he believes Alvare's misconduct has been the cause of her death. At a certain crisis point, however, Alvare adjures Biondetta in religious terms, and she vanishes. It is now clear that she has been a demon engaged in tempting him; much of what Alvare has experienced, including his mother's death, has been illusion created by her. * A light, engaging narrative, told with much charm. Today of interest for psychological and cuI tural reasons. ·The edition read was the 1925 (Heinemann; London, 1000 copies) reprinting of the 1793 edition listed. THE CENTURIES The CENTURY volumes were one of the results of Depression newspaper wars in Great Britain in the 1930's. Books of enormous size" (often over one thousand pages), they were given as premiums for subscriptions, then taken over by commercial publishing (Hutchinson, mostly). The series included collections of detective stories, humor, adventure, supernatural fiction, love stories, nature stories, and other categories. In some instances editorship was attributed to such popular authors as Chesterton, Walpole, and Wheatley, but this attribution need not be taken too seriously. Who compiled them has not been revealed, but there is a suspicion that Ms. Asquith was occasionally involved. While the CENTURIES contained some lower level contemporary fiction, they also reprinted a wealth of classical material otherwise difficult to find. On the debit side, longer, older fiction is sometimes abridged. In this volume I have included: A CENTURY OF CREEPY STORIES; A CENTURY OF GHOST STORIES; A CENTURY OF THRILLERS; A CENTURY OF THRILLERS, SECOND SERIES; THE EVENING STANDARD BOOK OF STRANGE STORIES; THE EVENING STANDARD SECOND BOOK OF STRANGE STORIES; FIFTY YEARS OF GHOST STORIES; A CENTURY OF HORROR STORIES, as edited by Dennis Wheatley; A SECOND CENTURY OF CREEPY • STORIES as edited by Hugh Walpole. Other CENTURY volumes contain individual supernatural stories, but these are usually sparsely present and are described in sources otherwise covered in this volume.

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A CENTURY OF GHOST STORIES 359. A CENTURY OF CREEPY STORIES Hutchinson London [1934] Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE SNOW, Hugh Walpole. [b] A LITTLE GHOST, Hugh Walpole. [c] MRS. LUNT, Hugh Walpole. [d] OPENING THE DOOR, Arthur Machen. [e] MUNITIONS OF WAR, Arthur Machen. [f] CREWE, Walter de la Mare. [g] A RECLUSE, Walter de la Mare. [g] "JOHN GLADWYN SAYS • • ." Oliver Onions. [1] THE HAUNTED MAN AND THE GHOST'S BARGAIN, Charles Dickens. [j] THE LORD-IN-WAITING, Shane Leslie. [k] AS IN A GLASS DIMLY, Shane Leslie. [1] THE LOVELY VOICE, Cynthia Asquith. [m] "GOD GRANTE THAT SHE LYE STILL," Cynthia Asquith. [n] THE CORNER SHOP, Cynthia ·Asquith.[o] THE ROCKING HORSE WINNER, D. H. Lawrence. [p] RATS, M. R. James. [q] THE RED TURRET, Flavia Richardson. (pseud. of C.C. Thomson) [r] A VISITOR FROM DOWN UNDER, L. P. Hartley. [s] THE COTILLION, L. P. Hartley. [t] THE VILLA DESIREE, May Sinclair. "[u] THE DUENNA, Mrs. Belloc Lowndes.. : [v] THE APPARITION OF MRS. VEAL, Daniel Defoe. [w] THE LOST TRAGEDY, Dennis Mackail. [x] SPINSTER'S REST, Clemence Dane. [y] THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, Edgar Allan Poe. [z] THE BLACK CAT, Edgar Allan Poe. [aa] TWELVE O'CLOCK, Charles Whibley. [bb] THE AMOROUS GHOST, Enid Bagnold. [cc] PARGITON AND HARBY, Desmond McCarthy. [dd] THE SPECTRE BRIDEGROO~, Washington Irving. [eel MR. TALLENT'S GHOST, Mary Webb. [ff] THE STRANGER, Ambrose Bierce. [gg] THE STRANGER, Algernon Blackwood. [hh] MY ADVENTURE IN NORFOLK, A. J. Alan. [ii] THE APPLE TREE, Elizabeth Bowen. [jj] THE HANGING OF ALFRED WAD~~, E.F. Benson. [kk] THE CAT JUMPS, Elizabeth Bowen. [11] DISPOSSESSION, C. H. B. Kitchin. [mm] THOSE WHOM THE GODS LOVE, Hilda Hughes. [nn] THE BIRTHRIGHT, Hilda Hughes. [00] THE UNBOLTED DOOR, Mrs. Be110c Lowndes. [pp] THE BUICK SALOON, Ann Bridge. [qq] TrlE HORNS OF THE BULL, W.S. Morrison. [rr] THE MAN WHO CAME BACK, William Gerhardi. [ss] OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS; Philip Mac-Donald. [ttl THE PLAYFELLOW, Cynthia Asquith. [uu] BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, C. H. B. Kitchin. [vv] THE TARN, Hugh Walpole. [ww] THE YELLOW CAT, Michael Joseph. * Also lxx] WHEN GLISTER WALKED, Oscar Cook. Borneo. According to the native religion, suitable young women marry great jars. Also a ghost. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 360. A CENTURY OF GHOST STORIES Hutchinson; London [1936] Containing [a] THE FAMILIAR, J. S. LeFanu. [b] GREEN TEA, J. S. LeFanu. [c] THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER, Sir Walter Scott, [d] THE OLD NURSE'S TALE, Mrs. Gaskell. [e] THE RESIDENCE AT WHITMINSTER, M.R. James. [f] A WARNING TO THE CURIOUS, M. R. James. [g] THE HAUNTED AND THE HAUNTERS, E. Bulwer-Lytton. Long version. [hl THE GREEN ROOM, Walter de 1a Mare. [i] EVELINE'S VISITANT, Mary E. Braddon. [j] AFTERWARD, Edith Wharton. [k] THE MIDDLE TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT, Ambrose Bierce. [1] MAN OVERBOARD! F. Marion Crawford. [m] DRACULA'S GUEST, Bram Stoker. [nl EXPIATION, E. F. Benson. [0] THE WOMAN'S GHOST STORY, Algernon Blackwood, ""lp] THURNLEY

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ABBEY, Perceval Landon. [q] THE ROSEWOOD DOOR, Oliver Onions. [r] THE VIRGIN OF THE SEVEN DAGGERS, Vernon Lee. Is] THE LIBRARY WINDOW, Margaret Oliphant. It] THE SONG IN THE HOUSE, Ann Bridge. Lu]"PEREZ, W. L. George. [v] THE SPECTRE OF TAPPINGTON, R. H. Barham. [wI THE PHANTOM COACH, Amelia B. Edwards. [x] THE GRAY CHAMPION, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [y] YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [z] THE DREAM WOMAN, Wilkie Collins. [aa] THE WEREWOLF, Captain Marryat. [bb] THE STORY OF THE BAGMAN'S UNCLE, Charles Dickens. Icc] JOHN CHARRINGTON'S WEDDING, Edith Nesbit. [dd] BERENICE, Edgar Allan Poe. [eel THE OPERATION, Violet Hunt. Iff] AS IN A GLASS DIMLY, Shane Leslie. [gg] THE LORD-IN-WAITING, Shane Leslie. [hh] PIRATES, E.F. Benson. Iii] THE SWEEPER, Ex-Private X. (pseud. of A. M. Burrage) [jj] THE RUNNING TIDE, A. M. Burrage. [kk] THE GHOST-SEER, Friedrich von Schiller. [11] THE HAUNTED SHIPS, Allan Cunningham. [mm] THE KLAUSENBURG, Ludwig Tieck. Inn] THE SAINT AND THE VICAR, Cecil Binney. [00] GIBBET LANE, Anthony Gittins. [pp] THE BOTATHEN GHOST, R. S. Hawker. [qq] THE LIFTED VEIL, George Eliot. * A rich selection. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 361. A.CENTURYOF THRILLERS FROM POE TO ARLEN Daily Express; London [1934] Foreword by James· Agate. Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE MORTAL IMMORTAL, Mary Shelley. [b] THE GENTLEMAN FROM AMERICA, Michael Arlen. lc] THE LEECH OF FOLKESTONE, R. H. Barham (Thomas Ingoldsby2. ld] JERRY JARVIS'S WIG, R. H. Barham. Ie] THE SPECTRE OF TAPPINGTON, R. H. Barham. If] SINGULAR PASSAGE IN THE LIFE OF THE LATE HENRY HARRIS, DOCTOR OF DIVINITY, R. H. Barham. 19] THE HAIR, A. J. Alan. [hI BERENICE, Edgar Allan Poe. Ii] WILLIAM WILSON. Edgar Allan Poe. [j] THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, Edgar Allan Poe. [k] ROGER MALVIN'S BURIAL, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [1] DR. HEIDEGGER'S EXPERIMENT, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [m] THE GRAY CHAMPION, Nathaniel Hawthorne. In] WANDERING WILLIE'S TALE, Sir Walter Scott. [0] THE MONKEY'S PAW, W. W. Jacobs. [pI SIR DOMINICK SARSFIELD, J. S. LeFanu. Alternate title for SIR DOMINICK'S BARGAIN. [q] MR. JUSTICE HARBOTTLE, J. S. LeFanu. [r] GREEN TEA, J. S. LeFanu. Is] THE TRIAL FOR MURDER, Charles Dickens. It] THE STORY OF THE BAGMAN'S UNCLE, Charles Dickens. [u] NO.1 BRANCH LINE, THE SIGNAL MAN, Charles Dickens. [v] THE HAUNTED AND THE HAUNTERS, Edward Bulwer-Lytton. Long version. [wI THE WOMAN'S GHOST STORY, Algernon Blackwood. [x] SECRET WORSHIP, Algernon Blackwood. [y] THE OPEN DOOR, Mrs. Margaret Oliphant. [z] THE SUITABLE SURROUNDINGS, Ambrose Bierce. faa] A TOUGH TUSSLE, Ambrose Bierce. ebb] MAD MONKTON, Wilkie Collins. Icc] THE TWO DROVERS, Sir Walter Scott. * A good collection of classical material. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 362. A CENTURY OF THRILLERS, SECOND SERIES Daily Express; London [1935]

CHAMBERS, ROBERT W. Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE TAIPAN, W. S. Maugham. [b] THE LIFTED VEIL, George Eliot. [c] POLLOCK AND THE PORROH MAN, H. G. Wells. [d] MY ADVENTURE IN NORFOLK, A. J. Alan. Ie] TCHERIAPIN, Sax Rohmer. If] THE IVORY GOD, J. S. Fletcher. [g] THE APPARITION OF MRS. VEAL, Daniel Defoe. [hI THE THING IN THE HALL, E.F. Benson. Ii] THE FAMILIAR, J. S. LeFanu. [j} WHO KNOWS? Guy de Maupassant. [k} YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [I} THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, Edgar Allan Poe. [m] THE BLACK CAT, Edgar Allan Poe. In] LIGEIA, Edgar Allan Poe. [0] A PAIR OF HANDS, Arthur Quiller-Couch. [pI THE HAUNTED MAN AND THE GHOST'S BARGAIN, Charles Dickens. [q] THE MIDDLE TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT, Ambrose Bierce. [r] THE DAMNED THING, Ambrose Bierce. [s] THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS, W.F. Harvey. [t] THE UPPER BERTH, F. M. Crawford. [u] MAN OVERBOARD! F. M. Crawford. [v] THE WEREWOLF, Captain Marryat. [wI SCHALKEN THE PAINTER, J. S. LeFanu. [x].CARMILLA, J. S. LeFanu. * [y] TALE OF THE PIPER, Donn Byrne. Into the village of Destiny comes the piper sent by Uncle Valentine. He is highly skilled, but his music stirs up evil, and he cannot play religious music. When old Aunt Jenepher tells him that she will pray for him, he replies that it is too late. Nicely told. * An excellent collection. CERF, BENNETT (1899-1971) American publisher (Random House), anthologist, humorist, publicist. Much in the public eye with television quiz contests and humor column in READER'S DIGEST. AS EDITOR: 363. FAMOUS GHOST STORIES The Modern Library, Random House; New York [1944] Introduction by Cerf. Described elsewhere, [a] THE HAUNTED AND THE HAUNTERS, Edward Bulwer-Lytton. Short version. [b] THE DAMNED THING, Ambrose Bierce. [c] THE MONKEY'S PAW, W.W. Jacobs. [d] THE PHANTOM 'RICKSHAW, Rudyard Kipling. Ie] THE WILLOWS, Algernon Blackwood. If] THE RIVAL GHOSTS, Brander Matthews. [g] THE MAN WHO WENT TOO FAR, E. F. Benson. [hI THE MEZZOTINT, M. R. James. Ii] THE OPEN WINDOW, Saki. [j] THE BECKONING FAIR ONE, Oliver Onions. [k] ON THE BRIGHTON ROAD, Richard Middleton. [1] THE CONSIDERATE HOSTS, Thorp McClusky. [m] AUGUST HEAT, W. F. Harvey. In] THE RETURN OF ANDREW BENTLEY, August Derleth and Mark Schorer. [0] THE SUPPER AT ELSINORE, Isak Dinesen. [pI THE CURRENT CROP OF GHOST STORIES, Bennett Cerf. Seven short anecdotes based on room-for-one-more, haunted houses, dreams, seaweed-on-the-carpet, etc. CHAMBERS, ROBERT W[ILLIAM] 1865-1933 American artist (career abandoned), writer of popular fiction, often on near-best-seller level. Historical fiction, supernatural fiction, shopgirl romances, nature romanticism, etc. Best-known works are CARDIGAN (1901), THE DANGER MARK (1909), THE COMMON LAW (1913). One of creators, along with friend Charles Dana Gibson, of the image of the pre-Titanic jet-set

CHAMBERS,

ROBERT W.

female, the Gibson girl, also sometimes called the Chambers girl. During his lifetime held in low esteem critically, for catering to debased standards, but cheerfully frank about monetary aims in writing. Despite small significance in mainstream, highly important in the development of supernatural fiction, offering the link between Bierce and the moderns. The idea patterns from THE KING IN YELLOW permeated the supernatural fiction of the 30's and 40's in the American pulp magazines, and are still highly relevant. A modern appreciation of Chambers is to be found in the Dover edition of THE KING IN YELLOW 364. THE KING IN YELLOW F. Tennyson Neely; New York and Chicago [1895] Short stories. Running through many of them, though not always immediately relevant, is a consistent mythical pattern involving the Lake of Hali, Carcosa, the mystery of the Hyades, and the King in Yellow, which is a mind-destroying book and also a tattered personage of supernatural power-- all symbolic of Death and the land of lost souls. * Including [a] THE YELLOW SIGN. The narrator, a New York artist, finds himself on the hinterlands of death, strangely threatened by nightmare forces. A living corpse that acts as a watchman for the property next door; the yellow sign, which has been given to him by his model and lover, and is apparently a token; the horrible book; prophetic dreams of a hearse and imprisonment in a coffin-- all build up to a dream-like situation of utmost horror. [b] THE DEMOISELLE D'YS. Britanny. The narrator, a wandering tourist in the unfamiliar marshes, meets a beautiful young woman who is out hawking. He accompanies her to her home, which is maintained in the ancient Breton fashion, and they fall in love. When he leaves, he promises to return, but the vision of her dissolves and he finds himself at her grave. She had died of love for him, in 1573. Since he has been bitten by a viper, it is implied that he will now join her in death, as promised. [c] IN THE COURT OF THE DRAGON. Paris. An artist, entering a small church to find peace of mind, hears strange music and sees a horrifying figure which pursues him out of the church. It traps him in the Court of the Dragon. He awakens back in the church, but realizes that his soul is being hunted and that the hunter is someone whom he destroyed long before. Murder? A component of himself? A vengeful god-- for there is ultimately a religious basis in many of the horrors in this book. * Also inc luded are "The Mask", which is science-fiction of a sort, the petrifying liquid that turns people into statues, and "The Repairer of Reputations," an excellent story of madness in the year 1920, when America is ruled by a military dictatorship. This story, too, invokes the mythology_of Carcosa. * Surprisingly vital stories, undoubtedly the best work that Chambers did. A landmark book in abandoning the ghosts of Victorian literary tradition and concentrating on the nightmare. 365. THE MAKER OF MOONS Putnam; New York 1896 A collection, including [a] THE MAKER OF

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CHAMBERS, ROBERT W. MOONS. Really a skeletal novel; one of three stories in which the author fancifully (and differently) explains how he acquired his wife. Strange happenings in the Cardinal Woods; the Secret Service investigates. The sorcerer Yue-Laou of the Kuen-Yuin, a diabolical secret society, is working black magic there. He is creating monstrous, abnormal life forms and has imported the frightful yith-hounds of the Xin. Manufacture of gold is also involved. * The protagonist, working through the woods, comes upon Ysonde, a beautiful young woman, who explains the situation to him. She is the daughter of a lotus blossom, turned into a woman by Yue-Laou. The Secret Service takes care of matters. Tongue-in-cheek for what was later done more seriously in THE SLAYER OF SOULS. [b] A PLEASANT EVENING. A newspaper artist, possibly modelled on Chambers, becomes entangled in a clairvoyant dream, revenants, and material proof of the supernatural. [c] THE MAN AT THE NEXT TABLE. Antwerp and the U.S.A. Kensett, whose aunt has died, becomes enamored of the daughter of a highly skilled occultist. He learns from the occultist that his aunt's missing jewelry is inside a certain cat, which also happens to contain his aunt's soul. Humor, spoofing psychical research and the Theosophical Society. * [c] is amusing. 366. THE MYSTERY OF CHOICE Appleton; New York 1897 Short stories, including [a] THE MESSENGER. Britanny. Known through history is the Black Priest; he was a renowned sorcerer in the Middle Ages, and he betrayed a garrison in 1760. At his last execution he swore that he would be avenged on the descendants of Trevec. The narrator's Breton wife is a descendent of Trevec, and when the Black Priest's branded skull turns up out of the ground, his revenge begins. It takes the form of a blood-filled skeleton that walks about at night, face masked. Locked into previous stories in the volume. [b] THE WHITE SHADOW. The narrator falls, is unconscious, and spends a year in a wonderful romance with Sweetheart. He regains consciousness a year later. The ending is somewhat vague, and it is not clear what will happen. [c] PASSEUR. Presumably Britanny. The protagonist thinks of Jeanne, the passeur (ferry woman), whom he had loved. She has long been dead, drowned. On an impulse he goes to the shore and calls her, and receives an answer. The small ferry comes through, but it is the ferry of death. [d] THE KEY TO GRIEF. The murderer breaks away'from the lynchers and makes his way to the island of Grief, whence no man returns alive. There he finds solace with an Indian woman and an unspoiled wilderness. But he is returned, and finds himself at the lynching. The ending is not too clear, for Chambers, in this volume, had a penchant for for endings that are only suggestive; but this seems to be an example of the Owl Creek Bridge motif. * Also present is "A Matter of Interest," a biological science-fiction story later reprinted in IN SEARCH OF THE UNKNOWN. [a] is a good material horror story.

CHAMBERS, ROBERT W. Harper; New York; 367. IN SEARCH OF THE UNKNOWN 1904 A pseudo-novel composed of several humorous short stories. The narrator for most of the stories is a young naturalist connected with the Bronx Zoo, who is something of an Edwardian Archie Goodwin. Most of the stories, as in the sequel volume POLICE:~~ (Appleton; New York 1915), are science-fiction, but two have supernatural aspects. The individual stories are not titled. * Including [a] [IN QUEST OF THE DINGUE]. In the Hudson Mountains of the far north the narrator, lovely Professor Van Twiller, and hateful Professor Smawl of Barnard are looking for a lost land where otherwise extinct animals survive. The animals are said to include the mammoth and the dingue-- a small, cat-sized beast that makes a bell-like sound. They find the lost land, conveniently lose Professor Smawl and their guide, and see an enormous female figure, the oSpirit of the North, who hurls a gigantic wave after them. [b] [THE MAN AT THE NEXT TABLE]. Described elsewhere. In this story the narrator is not the young naturalist. * Light and frothy, with Gibson-girl attitudes, and successful humorous exchanges. 368. THE SLAYER OF SOULS Doran; New York [1920] A Secret Service thriller, black magic, and attempts at world conquest. Behind the story lies the hid-den, almost unknown land of Black China, or the area where China meets (in fantasy, of course) Kurdistan. Here the Yezidees broadcast from their strange towers emanations that are responsible for much of the world's evil: the German atrocities in World War I, the Bolsheviks, and much else. At the moment the Sheikhs-aI-Jebel, the Yezidee lords, have determined at world conquest and are assaulting the United States magically. Rational measures are not likely to halt them. * Tressa Norne, daughter of a former U.S. consul was reared as a temple girl in Black China, -and knows the Yezidee black arts. She alone can counteract the fiends, but she -fears to use her magic and is content to make a living by performing small table magic by means of genuine magic. She believes that her soul has been killed by one of the Yezidees, Sanang Noiane, a delightfully sleazy Oriental villain. She agrees to help the Secret Service and defeats the Yezidees, her magic being much superior to theirs-- but why this should be so is not explained. She kills Sanang last. By falling in love with one of the Secret Service men she gains a new soul. * Complete ethnographic and geographical nonsense, but a lurid, melodramatic, fast-moving thriller that has many good moments of excitement. 369. THE TALKERS Doran; New York [1923] Vulgar shopgirl romance, in some respects an adaptation of the Trilby theme. * Characters and motifs: Casimir Sadoul, a shabbily sinister mesmerist of remarkable power; Gilda Greenway, beautiful young woman, married to Sadoul in a civil ceremony; Dr. Pockman, ruthless experimenter, who has discovered that the

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CHAMISSO, ADALBERT VON "nyrnphalic gland" is the source of life; Sutton, hero. Gilda rejects Sadoul and leaves him; it is hinted that their marriage has never been consummated. Sadoul, jealously observing that she and Sutton are attracted to each other, murders her at a dance. Pockman reanimates her with a gland transplant. Gilda now has problems with souls: the Other One, a mildly naughty version of her, tries to usurp her body, under Sadoul's will. Gilda and the Other One pop in and out of Gilda's body. Pockman and Sadoul collaborate on experiments: Pockman photographs the departing souls of the dying and Sadoul controls them mesmerically. Sadoul intends harm to both Gilda and Sutton. * After much hysteria and considerable reflection on events by the author, the situations are resolved. Sadoul accidentally dies of snake poisoning: he has been injecting venom into his veins to arrest his tuberculosis. Sutton and Gilda fall into each other's arms. * The only point of interest in this rubbish is Chambers's description of Gilda's library. He notes very approvingly that she had no obscene books. 370. THE KING IN YELLOW AND OTHER HORROR STORIES Dover Publications; New York 1970 Edited with introduction by E. F. Bleiler. * Short stories, including [a] THE YELLOW SIGN. [b] THE DEMOISELLE D'YS. [c] THE MASK. [d] IN THE COURT OF THE DRAGON. [e] THE MAKER OF MOONS. [f] A PLEASANT EVENING. [g] THE MESSENGER. [h] THE KEY TO GRIEF. [i] [IN QUEST OF THE DINGUEj. All described elsewhere. Also included is the science-fiction story "The Repairer of Reputations." CHAMISSO~

ADALBERT VON (also known as CHAMISSO, LOUIS CHARLES ADELAIDE DE) (1781-1838) German poet, writer of fiction, botanist. Born in France. Family aristocrats forced to flee to Germany during Revolution. Settled in Berlin. After brief career as professional soldier turned to letters. Excellent lyric poet; member of Madame de Stael's salon in Switzerland. Official botanist to Russian scientific expedition around the world headed by Kotzebue. Now remembered almost solely for PETER SCHLEMIHL, which had European impact when first published, and is still read with pleasure. 371. PETER SCHLEMIHL FROM THE GERMAN OF LA MOTTE FOUQUE [sic], WITH PLATES BY GEORGE CRUIKSHANK Whittaker; London 1823 One of the classics of German Romantic literature, first published 1813. * Peter Schlemihl sells his shadow to the Devil in exchange for an ever-filling purse of gold, He wanders about Europe, seeing strange sights and having odd experiences. He is often persecuted for his deficiency, for he has been slandered by a disloyal servant. After many brushes with the Devil, who is quite willing to return the shadow in exchange for Peter's soul, Peter throws away the bottomless purse. A second group of adventures follows when he comes into possession of seven-league boots and roams the world with them. * Very amusing period piece. Many interpretations have been offered for the loss of shadow, ranging from impotence to lack of money,

CHAMISSO, ADALBERT VON but Chamisso claimed that there was no symbolic intention, simply an amusing story. * The first English edition, cited above and wrongly attributed to Fouqu~, was prepared by Sir John Bowring, the great early 19th century linguist. There have been several other translations since, none of which is outstanding. CHANDLER, RAYMOND (1888-1959) Prominent American (California) writer of mystery fiction, reared and educated in England. Generally considered one of the two foremost writers of hardboiled mystery stories. Noted for acute analysis of wealthy degenerates and peculiar blend of background verisimilitude and romanticization of connections among crime, society, and politics. 372. THE FINGER MAN AND OTHER STORIES Avon Book Co; New York [1946] paperbound Three stories and the historically important essay THE SIMPLE ART OF MURDER. Only one story is fantastic. [a] THE BRONZE DOOR. (UNK 1939]. London. Mr. Sutton-Cornish, a nasty little man trapped with a most unpleasant wife and her Pekinese, achieves a certain amount of liberty when he buys a bronze door at an auction. Apparently the door had once been used as an exit to a harem: things and persons that go through it disappear. Eventually the police investigate. * Despite some cliches about marital life, well~told with many nice touches. CHANNING, MARK British writer, long resident in India. Factual book INDIAN MOSAIC and several adventure novels with Indian background. Usually with small elements of fantasy. 373. NINE LIVES Harrap; London [1937] Adventure thriller with supernatural motifs. * On India's northern frontier a Mongol madman proclaims himself the heir of Genghis Khan. Against him is Colin Gray, a herculean series hero. After many hair-raising adventures Gray wins through. Fantastic elements in the background include protection from the Egyptian cat goddess (Gray's wife had befriended a cat in Egypt); a lama that transports himself by thought back and forth between Tibet and Egypt. * Fast-moving, but sometimes on the silly side. Talbot Mundy did it better. CHASE, JAMES HADLEY (pseud. of Raymond, Rene) (1906 ) Very prolific British writer of mystery stories. Also writes under pseudonyms Ambrose Grant and James L. Docherty. Work is mostly hardboiled action mystery, stressing abnormal side of life. Most famous work NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDING (1951) • 374. MISS SHUMWAY WAVES A WAND Jarrolds; London [1944] A curious mixture of hardboiled criminal adventure (with sleazy characters) and situation comedy in the manner of Thorne Smith. * Mexico and New York. The basic situation is a journalistic hoax and swindle. Ross Millan, newspaperman, is assigned to find Myra Shumway, the daughter of a famous stage magician. She is sup-

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CHESTERTON, G. K. posed to be held captive by Mexican bandits, who are demanding ransom. (It is all really a publicity stunt to raise the circulation of the paper.) Millan finds Myra easily enough, but it turns out that she is a professional pickpocket. With two other adventurers she and Ross become party to a plot to trick an old Indian nagual (medicine man with supernatural powers) out of a remedy for snakebite. But the Indian dies suddenly and transmits his power to Myra. She can levitate, cause things to vanish, work transformations, and perform other feats of magic. It is also discovered that her personality has become dissociated, her naughty side assuming separate existence and working a swindle on its own. * The adventurers then proceed to New York, where they become entangled with gangsters. The nagual power lasts only a month, after which everything returns to normal. Arym, the shadow side of Myra, is persuaded to return to Myra's body. Supernaturalisms include a talking dog and the transformation of a gigantic Mexican into a sausage. * Occasionally interesting in language, but the device soon palls. Disorganized structure and padding do not help. CHESTERTON, GILBERT KEITH (1874-1936) Prominent British writer with noteworthy work as journalist, poet, essayist, fiction writer, historian, religious polemicist. A brilliant stylist with remarkable ability for creating thought-plays. Along with Shaw the finest whimsical controversialist of his day. Author of many major works: THE NAPOLEON OF NOTTING HILL (1904); THE CLUB OF QUEER TRADES (1905); THE BALL AND THE CROSS (1909); ORTHODOXY (1909); THE INNOCENCE OF FATHER BROWN (1911). Still highly regarded for his Father Brown detective stories, which though repetitive are often brilliant. Wrote surprisingly little fantasy. 375. THE MAN WHO WAS THURSDAY Arrowsmith, Bristol; Simpkin, Marshall; London [1908] A tour de force of paradoxes, both verbal and ideal, expressed in part in the terms of a Stevensonian thriller. * The story begins with two poets, Gabriel Syme, a poet of "law and order," and LUCian Gregory, a poet of "anarchism." Syme, however, is also a police detective investigating Anarchistic movements, while Gregory is a member of a seemingly powerful Anarchist group that plans to assassinate the Czar. Syme attends an Anarchist meeting along with Gregory, and learns to his astonishment that the Anarchists, following the instructions of a figure named Sunday, achieve cover by masquerading as Anarchists. Syme is taken into the order and becomes one of the General Council of the Anarchists of Europe, member Thursday, since the group is organized according to the days of the week. As Syme encounters individual members of the council, however, he learns that they are all police detectives, just as he is, and that Sunday, who has recruited them, is head of both Scotland Yard and the Anarchists. Syme tries to prevent the assassination of the Czar, which had been the purpose of the last meeting, but in the mad chase that results learns that once

CHESTERTON, G. K. again he has things backwards. The final grand pursuit of Sunday changes with dreamlike swiftness first into a masked ball, in which the Grand Council truly symbolize the days of the week and Gregory symbolizes Satan, and finally into a curious mystical experience for Syme, in which he recognizes Sunday as the Peace of God, and God. Syme is forced to recognize the ambivalent nature of man, who strives for both freedom and order. * A very pleasing work with a wealth of verbal brilliancies, although one might carp at the rather weak interrelationship of symbol and exegesis. CHRISTIE, AGATHA (nee MILLER) (1890-1976) Prominent British mystery and detective story writer, creator of characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Generally considered one of the giants in the form. Much less important as a writer of supernatural fiction. 376. THE MYSTERIOUS MR. OUIN Collins; London 1930 Although the Harley Quin stories are conventional detective stories in their concept of crime, its motivations, and its solution, they have an unusual supernatural impetus. In many instances a crime has not been suspected; in others it has not yet been committed, or perhaps it has been misunderstood. Mr. Satterthwaite, an elderly man about town, is usually the detective figure, but he is catalyzed into action by the unexpected appearanc.e of Quin, who often has knowledge of inexplicable provenience. Harley Quin (Harlequin) is apparently Death personified or perhaps, less likely, a supernatural justice figure. The linkage between Quin, who usually leaves with a suggestion of rainbow colors, and Death is provided by the theory that the stage figure Harlequin was ultimately derived from an ancient Celtic death god. * Since the crimes are not supernatural in any way, there is no point in doing more than list story titles. [a] THE COMING OF MR. QUIN. [b] THE SHADOW ON THE GLASS. [c) AT THE BELLS AND MOTLEY. [d] THE SIGN IN THE SKY. [e) THE SOUL OF THE CROUPIER. [f) THE WORLD'S END. [g) THE VOICE IN THE DARK. [h) THE FACE OF HELEN. [i) THE DEAD HARLEQUIN. [j) THE BIRD WITH THE BROKEN WING. [k) THE MAN FROM THE SEA. [1] HARLEQUIN'S LANE. * Good stories. There are a few more stories about Harley Quin scattered amor.g Christie's collections of short stories. 377. .THE HOUND OF DEATH AND OTHER STORIES Odhams Press; London [1933) Short stories, including [a) THE HOUND OF DEATH. A psychic nun has memories of another existence perhaps in Atlantis, when psychic powers were more developed than they are now. She is able to unleash a power of destruction called the Hound of Death. She first releases it on German troops during World War I, then, in Cornwall, after a crime. [b) THE RED SIGNAL., Dermot West has hunches when danger threatens; in this instance it is reinforced by a warning delivered (though vaguely) during a seance. [c] THE FOURTH MAN. A famous case of mUltiple personality, the topic of discussion in a train

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A CLAIRVOYANT corr~artment. The doctor, the lawyer, the clergyman know the superficial situation. The fourth man knows the true explanation: possession by the spirit of a dead woman. [d] THE GIPSY. Prophetic dreams and the second sight. Christie must have dashed this story off hastily. [e) THE LAMP. The house is haunted; that is why it is so cheap. The ghost is that of a boy who is lonely. When the son of the house dies, the ghost has a playmate. [f] THE STRANGE CASE OF SIR ANDREW CARMICHAEL. He seems to have undergone some sort of mental degeneration: he drinks milk like an animal, and acts like a cat. But the ghost of a cat haunts the house. Sir Andrew's stepmother, who has Oriental blood in her, has transferred his soul to a cat's body and poisoned the cat. Motive: inheritance. [g] THE CALL OF WINGS. Hamer, the millionaire, undergoes strange sensations, as if transcending his body and leaving it, to the accompaniment of music. Something seems to be calling him to a higher spiritual state, perhaps on Mars. Reminiscent of Blackwood. [h) THE LAST SEANCE. Ectoplasm is stolen from a materializing medium by a frantic mother, whose dead child had been materialized. [i] S.O.S. Borderline supernatural. When Mortimer finds the letters S.O.S. traced in the dust, he reasons out a clever crime that is about to be committed. The supernatural enters in that the atmosphere of the house is blamed for the criminal intention. * There are also two stories of fraudulent supernaturalism: [j] WIRELESS. Murder by seemingly supernatural voices from the radio and a disguise. [k] THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE JAR. Ghostly voices are faked to gain possession of a very valuable Chinese jar. * Also present is the excellent crime story "Witness for the Prosecution." * All in all, Christie is more satisfactory in the detective story proper. These are routine stories.

A CLAIRVOYANT (pseud. of Horn, Henry J. 1) Nothing is known about the author or authors. 378. STRANGE VISITORS: A SERIES OF ORIGINAL PAPERS. EMBRACING PHILOSOPHY. SCIENCE. GOVERNMENT. RELIGION. POETRY. ART. FICTION. SATIRE. HUMOR. NARRATIVE. AND PROPHECY. BY THE SPIRITS OF IRVING. WILLIS. THACKERAY. BRONTE. RICHTER, BYRON. HUMBOLDT. HAWTHORNE. WESLEY. BROWNING, AND OTHERS NOW DWELLING IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. DICTATED THROUGH A CLAIRVOYANT. WHILE IN AN ABNORMAL OR TRANCE STATE W. Carlton; New York 1869 One of the curious by-products of the Spiritualist Movement in America. * A compendium of miscellaneous material taken down by (written by?) Henry J. Horn, who served as editor. * Including, [a] TO THE NEW YORK PUBLIC, "Henry J. Raymond." After-death experiences. [b] APPARITIONS, "Nathaniel Hawthorne." In the spirit world Hawthorne meets a murderer who recounts his crime and tells of his horrible experiences after death. [c] AGNES REEF-- A \ ,TALE , "Charlotte Bronte." Short novel. A young lady, governess at Bristed Hall, becomes entangled with an homme fatal, who marries her

A CLAIRVOYANT bigamously. Supernaturalism includes a female ghost who appears at intervals. * Most of the other entries are essays or poetry. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 379. CLASSIC GHOST STORIES BY CHARLES DICKENS AND OTHERS Dover Publications; New York 1975 paperbound Short stories. * [a] SIR DOMINICK SARSFIELD, J. Sheridan LeFanu. [b] THE STORY OF THE BAGMAN'S UNCLE, Charles Dickens. [c] NO.1 BRANCH LINE, THE SIGNALMAN, Charles Dickens. [d] THE MONKEY'S PAW, W. W. Jacobs. [e] WANDERING WILLIE'S TALE, Sir Walter Scott. [f] THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER, Sir Walter Scott. [g] THE OPEN DOOR, Margaret Oliphant. [h] THE MORTAL IMMORTAL, Mary Shelley. [i] DR. HEIDEGGER'S EXPERIMENT, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [j] THE PHANTOM COACH, Amelia B. Edwards. [k] THE DREAM WOMAN, Wilkie Collins. [1] THE APPARITION OF MRS. VEAL, Daniel Defoe. [m] THE JUDGE'S HOUSE, Bram Stoker. [n] THE WEREWOLF, Captain Frederick Marryat. [0] THE HORLA, Guy de Maupassant. [p] THE UPPER BERTH, F. Marion Crawford. [q] THE HAUNTED AND THE HAUNTERS, Edward Buhver-Lytton. Long version. * All described elsewhere. Selection made by E.F. Bleiler CLINGERMAN, MILDRED (nee McELROY) (1918 ) American author (born Oklahoma). Occasional contributor to periodicals. 380. A CUPFUL OF SPACE Ballantine Books; New York 1961 paperbound Short stories, including [a] FIRST LESSON. (MFSF 1956) An army wife whose husband is a paratrooper has horrible dreams about her husband's impending death. Her landlady, who knows Southern folklore, offers her advice on working magic and praying. It is successful. [b] STICKENEY AND THE CRITIC. (MFSF 1953) Stickeney is a monstrosity who lives in a well. To no one's regret, he devours a charlatan literary critic. [c] STAIR TRICK. (MFSF 1952) Dick, a bartender, can perform a remarkable imitation of a man going down into a basement from behind his bar. Only there is nothing there but solid floor. The unreal enters when a woman challenges him to go down with her and try the door on the other side of the cellar. [d] THE DAY OF THE GREEN VELVET CLOAK. (MFSF 1958) Mavis O'Hanlon, a young woman with problems originating from an inadequate ego, enters the Book Nook and meets a man from the year 1877. He is fascinated by the New Woman. She lends him her green cloak, and it is returned to her as an antique by the young man's descendant. [e] THE LAST PROPHET. (MFSF 1955) Reggie Pfister's discovery: lulls in conversation are completely a function of time. He learns the reason for this when a voice from the sky makes an announcement. [f] MR. SAKRISON'S HALT (MFSF 1956) Described elsewhere. [g] THE WILD WOOD. (MSFS 1957) Margaret, together with her husband and children, goes to Cravolini's to buy a Christmas tree. She finds that Cravolini has desired her, has made candle magic to win her, and she is translated out of her own body into that of Cravo-

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COATES, ROBERT M. lini's half-witted sister. [h] THE LITTLE WITCH OF ELM STREET. (WOMAN'S HOME COMPANION 1956) An extraordinary, 'bothersome child that must be possessed of a devil. [i] A DAY FOR WAVING. (MFSF 1957) Family problems when an attractive young widow wants to remarry, and her mother does what she can to prevent the marriage. The granddaughter believes that her dead father is coming out of his grave in protest, until • • • [j] A RED HEART AND BLUE ROSES. The middleaged mother, who is currently bearing a child, reflects on Damon Lucas, a young man who conceived a filial passion for her, perpetually grew younger, and obviously is going to be born to her. He is always identified by a tattoo. [k] THE GAY DECEIVER. A pleasant, grandfatherly figure, but he is the Pied Piper and must fulfill his curse against even the descendants of the people of Hamlin. * Occasionally a, little too folksy and sentimental, but often excellent. Best stories are [d], [f], [g]. COATES, ROBERT M[YRON] (1897-1973) American writer on staff of THE NEW YORKER magazine in later years. Mainstream fiction, mysteries, occasional supernatural fiction. Early s-f novel THE EATER OF DARKNESS (1929) is either a spoof or a ludicrou~ly bad effort. 381. THE HOUR AFTER WESTERI,Y AND OTHER STORIES Harcourt, Brace; New York [1957] Short stories reprinted, with some revision, from THE NEW YORKER. They often deal with the inexplicable rather than the supernatural. * Including [a] AN AUTUMN FABLE. David Acton, while out hunting, follows a partridge, which suddenly transforms into a young woman. He discovers that he is lost, although there is a cabin nearby. When he asks for directions, he learns that his coming there had been willed, and that the persons in the cabin are the Olympic gods. The gods approve of him and invite him to join them hunting. It is an important decision for him to make: if he rejects the gods, they will no longer exist, yet he cannot join them. [b] THE HOUR AFTER WESTERLY. Westerly is a town, not a direction. Davis, a travelling salesman, notices a missing hour in his driving schedule and he has no idea how he spent it. He retraces his path as far as memory permits and comes to a small village. He drives past a woman and a house that he halfrecognizes, and is himself half-recognized in a local bar. He leaves the area, but the house is empty and he knows that "it was far too late." Perhaps not intended to be supernatural. [c] THE MAN WHO VANISHED. Charles Ballantine discovers that he can vanish, i.e., become more and more transparent semivoluntarily. The phenomenon usually occurs when he thinks, not of his unhappy marriage, but of a girl in the past. He arrives at the stage where he must exercise his will not to vanish completely. When he does slip into the dark, a hand, presumably the girl's, takes his in guidance. Obvious semiallegory. [d] A PARABLE OF LOVE. Kettrick, a schoolteacher, pretends to read the minds of his schoolboys, partly as a diSCiplinary measure, partly as a semisadistic exercise. When

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he is fired from his job, he develops his ability to the point where he can hear thoughts and interpret them. This serves him well until he falls in love and marries. * Interesting stories, slickly written, without too many of the special mannerisms of the publication represented. COBB, IRVIN S[HREWSBURY] (1876-1944) American (Kentucky) newspaper edito~, journalist, fiction writer, playwright, humorist, war correspondent. Also occasionally played humorous regional character roles in motion pictures. Very popular columnist, fiction writer during lifetime, but now almost forgotten. Work is competent commercial product, reminiscent of work of O. Henry, but less sentimental, and occasionally of higher quality. 382. THE ESCAPE OF MR. TRIM, HIS PLIGHT AND OTHER PLIGHTS Doran; New York [1913] Short stories, including raj FISHHEAD. (CAVALIER 1913) Reelfoot Lake. Regionalistic. Fishhead, a Black who is piscine in appearance and has an affinity with the giant catfish of the area, becomes involved in a quarrel with drunken Crackers. They murder him, but as he dies, he emits a strange call, and the catfish avenge him. * Perhaps Cobb's best story. 383. FROM PLACE TO PLACE Doran; New York [1920] Short stories, including [a] THE GALLOWSMITH. (ALL-STORY 1918) .The professional hangman takes great pride in his work, and the author describes in full detail how he prepares for each event. His work is impeccable until he hangs the Lone-Hand Kid. The Kid is an animal and deserves death, but by a quirk of justice, has been sentenced for a murder he did not commit. The Kid resents this surrogate punishment and heckles the hangman so much that he botches the job. The Kid' dies putting a curse on the hangman. When the hangman returns home that evening, he sees a red glow at his window and a figure strangling on a rope. He dies of shock. Explained. * Neatly handled. 384. SUNDRY ACCOUNTS Doran; New York [1922] Short stories, including [a] MR. LOBEL'S APOPLEXY. A greedy motion picture director damages the reputation of a dead woman in order to make money. The dead woman retaliates by entering the finished film, spoiling a vamp sequence. * Possibly to be explained. The text is not definite. 385. SNAKE DOCTOR AND OTHER STORIES Doran; New York [1923] Short stories, including [a] THE SECOND COMING OF A FIRST HUSBAND. Arthur returns from the spirit world to stop his wife's using him as a paragon in her arguments with her second husband. [b] SNAKE DOCTOR. Tennessee poor whites. Snake Doctor, an eccentric who makes a living by catching snakes, is reputed to have an enormous fortune hidden away. Japhet Morner, a Cracker who raids his cabin, dies of a snake bite from the guardian of the treasure. But the snake is stuffed. Regionalistic approach. 386. ON AN ISLAND THAT COST $24.00 Doran; New York [1926] Short stories, including [a] THE UNBROKEN CHAIN.

COGSWELL, THEODORE R. Racial intolerance in fictional form. Africa, 1819, and the present. A slave-chain is attacked by a maddened rhinoceros, and only one man survives. He is sold as a slave to America. One hundred years later, on Long Island, Brissot's neighbors speculate as to his background. He is a ~;outherner, but since he does not boast of his ancestry there is a possibility that he is a Black masquerading as a White. When his car is struck by a maddened locomotive, he shrieks out the Mbama word for rhinoceros. Ancestral memory. Blood will tell. One drop makes you, etc. 387. THIS MAN'S WORLD Cosmopolitan; New York 1929 Short stories, including [a] FINGER THAT KILLS. A collector of Indian ethnographic material buys a Plains Indian pipe bag with a scalp attached to it. After wearing it to a masquerade, he has vivid dreams of the life of a Blackfoot brave. First known as Buffalo Fat, he is momentarily stunned in a raid against the Gros Ventres and is forced to play dead while an enemy cuts off three of his fingers to get his rings. He repays the debt against the Gro.s Ventres and becomes fairly well-known as Finger That Kills. The narrator, despite suggestions that the bag may be a fake, receives corroboration of the story from Charley Russell, the cowboy artist. * Good Indian lore. 388. FAITH~ HOPE AND CHARITY Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis [1934] Short stories, including [a] FAITH, HOPE AND' CHARITY. New Mexico. Three criminals being transported cross country escape from a train, and through the whim of fate receive the deaths that they fear most. The Frenchman fears the guillotine, and is decapitated by an elevator. The Italian fears solitary confinement, and is trapped by an avalanche in a valley with no exit. The Spaniard murders a sheepherder and takes his place, since the two men resemble each other. He fears the garrote. But when he has himself bound, to escape suspicion, he forgets that rawhide contracts. COGSWELL, THEODORE R. (1918 ) American educator (college English, University of Minnesota, Ball State Teachers College etc.) Contributor to periodicals. 389. THE WALL AROUND THE WORLD Pyramid Books; New York 1962 paperbound Introductions by Anthony Boucher and Frederik Pohle * Short stories, including [a] THE MASTERS. (THRILLING WONDER STORIES 1954) The last earthman greets a visitor from space. Mankind has been almost wiped out by the viSitors, and the visitor (a female android) has been programmed to kill the last man. He is a vampire. [b] WOLFIE. (BEYOND 1954) Dr. Arsoldi's contract permits his clients to commit crimes by supernatural means. Peter Vincent wants to become a werewolf for a short time. [c] THIMGS. [sic] (MFSF 1958) Albert Blotz of World Wide Investigations is a lowlife. While swindling a client, he stumbles on a behindthe scenes arrangement for reediting humans to

COGSWELL, THEODORE R. give them what they deserve. The system turns his lame, spindly assistant into a healthy beauty, but it does not promise much for Blotz, who has a bad heart. To avoid imminent death he forces the editor to splice his life-tape onto that of another person, but the results are unexpected. [d] PRISONER OF LOVE. In a world where magic works on a scientific basis, Halbert Shirey, Private Warlock, poses as a demon. He runs into trouble when his nasty client frames him magically into being in love with her. He must devote himself to keeping her out of Hell. Also involved is a perpetually reanimated corpse. A take-off on private-eye stories. [e] THE WALL AROUND THE WORLD. Described elsewhere. * Nicely told commercial fiction. 390. THE THIRD EYE Belmont Books; New York 1968 paperbound Short stories, mostly science-fiction, but including, [a] MR. HOSKIN'S HEEL. (FANTASTIC UNIVERSE 1954) Alternate title for MR. HOSKIN'S BLASTING ROD. Hoskin, meek instructor in medieval culture at a minor college, becomes entangled with gangsters who want him to change an athlete's grade. Hoskin applies magic. Using a book of spells, he evokes a control and overcomes the criminals. In the UNKNOWN vein. [b] THE CABBAGE PATCH. (MFSF 1957) Borderline science-fiction. An adolescent in a culture· developed by humanoid wasps learns the facts of life. Horrible but effective. [c] DISASSEMBLY LINE. (BEYOND 1954) Officious, censorious Aunt Hester is snatched into a Limbo-like world, where, through pain, she must learn to control her faults. Since nosiness has been her problem, her nose is perpetually pulled off. When she has learned her lesson, she returns to earth, a changed woman. [d] IMPACT WITH THE DEVIL. Described elsewhere. [e] LOVER BOY. (BEYOND 1954) Sheldon sells his soul to be rid of his wife. He also asks for immortality for himself and his new wife, but overlooks an important point. He is swindled. * [a] is weak. [b] and [c] are superior. COLERIDGE, SARA (1802-1852) British poet, translator, writer of children's books. Daughter of poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, whose BIOGRAPHIA LITERARIA she edited. Apparently inherited her father's genius, but did not succeed in applying it. 391. PHANTASMION, PRINCE OF PALMLAND Pickering; London 1837 (published anonymously) A long, adult fantasy romance in some ways reminiscent of Sir Philip Sidney's ARCADIA, in other ways suggestive of 18th century romanticism (Oriental tales, Ossian, etc.). It consists of a long, extremely involved narrative of events in several fairyland kingdoms. The events are too c~mplex to be summarized, and it should be sufficient to say that the story is concerned with young Phantasmion, King of Palmland. He conducts a romance with the fair Iarine and combats the hostile kingdom of Rockland, in particular the powerful General Glandreth. Supernatural elements include the fairy

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COLLIER, JOHN Potentilla, Phantasmion's friend, who helps him with special abilities-- wings, fly-feet; the sea-woman Seshelma, who works potent sorceries upon Phantasmion; .·visions,. transformations, spirits, potions, and prophecies. * While PHANTASMION was highly regarded in the middle 19th century for its "poetic prose," today it seems barely readable, although the poetry which is scattered throughout the work is much superior to the prose. Probably allegorical to some extent, and an influence on George MacDonald. COLES, MANNING (pseud. of Coles, Cyril Henry and Manning, Adelaide) (respectively, 18981965, 1891-1959) Popular British. author of mysteries and spy stories. Coles worked for British intelligence for most of his life. Best-known works are Tommy Hambledon series, particularly DRINK TO YESTERDAY (1940) and A TOAST TO TOMORROW (1940, British title PRAY SiLENCE). 392. BRIEF CANDLES Doubleday; Garden City, New York 1954 The British edition is published as by Francis Gaite (Hodder and Stoughton, 1954). * Humor in the vein of Thorne Smith. * France, 1870 and present. Immediately after the battle of Sedan, two tourists in France, the Latimer couSins, fire upon Prussian troops. They are shot and buried in an unmarked grave. * In the 1950's Sally and Jeremy Latimer, descendant and collateral descendant, are in the same area, and their presence somehow activitates the ghORtS of the two dead Latimers and their pet monkey. The ghosts go through escapades, trapping burglars in a bank vault, aiding a captured forger of passports to escape from the police, depositing criminals in jail, causing phenomena for a group of ghost-hunters, and generally proving puzzling to onlookers. James, one of the ghosts, reveals to Sally the location of the lost family treasure, and the ghosts return to their graves. * Feeble. 393. HAPPY RETURNS Doubleday; Garden City, New York 1955 The British edition is published as A FAMILY MATTER by Francis Gaite (Hodder and Stoughton; London 1956). * Sequel to BRIEF CANDLES. Fantasy with crime motifs. France. Disconnected, episodic adventures of James and Charles Latimer, the ghosts of the previous volume. When their graves are visited by their young relatives, the ghosts acquire enough temporary energy to venture out into the world of the living. Among their experiences are trapping a murderer; purchasing clothing in a department store; buying a used car and learning how to drive; joining a tour; helping to clear the name of an unhappy ghost whom they meet in Andermatt; and continuing down into Italy, where they are of service to the modern Latimers. * As in 392, imitation Wodehouse and Thorne Smith, with incredible dialogue and limping humor. COLLIER, JOHN (1901-1980). British author of fantasies, crime fiction, miscellaneous fiction, film scripts, poetry. Resi-

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dent in United States (mostly California) since World War II. One of the modern masters_of the short story and certainly the preeminent writer of short fantasies. Fine stylist, remarkable wit and ironist, obviously greatly influenced by 18th century models. Although known mostly for shorter work, also wrote TOM'S A COLD (1933), novel of life in 1995 Britain when culture has relapsed to savagery, and DEFY THE FOUL FIEND (1934), realistic psychological novel. 394. HIS MONKEY WIFE. OR MARRIED TO A CHIMP Peter Davies; London 1930 Very amusing irony on shopgirl romances, modern personality types, and Bloomsbury intellectualism. * Mr. Fatigay, an Englishman in Boboma, Africa, is engaged in teaching the natives to speak English. Since there is no one else to talk to, he falls into the habit of haranguing Emily, a young female chimpanzee, whom he obtained from an anthropologist in exchange for a set of antlers. Without Fatigay's knowing it, since Emily is mute, Emily gradually becomes well educated. She also falls in love with Fatigay, who happens to be a foolish and selfish person. Various incidents show Emily's intelligence, sweetness, and unselfishness, as opposed to Fatigay's insensitivity. Fatigay happens to be in love with Amy, a woman back in England, and decides to return to England, taking Emily along with him. Back in England he gives Emily to· Amy as a present, who accepts the ape because she sees that Emily is both intelligent and in love with Fatigay. Her intention is to humiliate the chimpanzee. After incidents with various decadent Bloomsbury types, Amy finally sets a date for marriage, but Emily, realizing Amy's unpleasant personal.ity, arranges for herself to marry Fatigay instead of Emily. She shows Amy a copy of the "Murders in the Rue Morgue," and Amy relinquishes her bridal costume. When Fatigay removes the wedding veil and sees that he is married to a chimp, he is frantic, but the bishop who performs the ceremony tells him that in the Anglican rite marriage between cousins is permitted, and that he has no cause for complaint. Fatigay drives out Emily, takes to drink, and degenerates rapidly. He is saved from a drunkard's grave by Emily, who has now become a fabulously successful novelty dancer. Fatigay finally recognizes the treasure that he has in Emily, and the two sail off to Africa together. * Summary does not convey the wit and verbal felicities. 395. GREEN THOUGHTS William Jackson Books; 550 copies printed London 1932 Introduction by Osbert Sitwell. * Mr. Mannering buys a strange orchid, which, he discovers too late, seizes, absorbs, and reproduces animal life on its branches. He sees the head of his cat peering out at him and looks more closely at it. He awakens as a head-bud on the plant, but with consciousness, memory, and quirks of personality. He had planned to cut off his dissolute nephew, but the nephew does the cutting. * A very amusing little horror story. 396. THE DEVIL AND ALL Nonesuch Press; [London] 1000 copies printed 1934 Short stories. [a] POSSESSION OF ANGELA BRAD-

COLLIER, JOHN SHAW. A hot young poet sees Angela Bradshaw and immediately desires to possess her. He does, but as a spirit possesses a person. Most of the story tells how a satisfactory solution to the situation is reached. [b] THE RIGHT SIDE. A young man, about to commit sui cide by leaping into the river, is approached by the Devil, who offers him a responsible position in Hell, if he will sell his soul. The Devil takes him to that part of Hell which harbors suicides by drowning-- a dancing lounge. But the young man rejects the offer. [c] HALF WAY TO HELL. A young man who commits suicide is accosted by a stupid fiend who has come to take him down to hell. After some jollity at a bar, the fiend is ready to leap with him down an escalator through the stars. [d] THE DEVIL, GEORGE, AND ROSIE. George takes a situation with the Devil, governing a planet which serves as the ladies' annex to Hell. He does well in tormenting the female damned until Rosie appears: she has been brought to Hell in error. [e] AFTER THE BALL. Tazreel, a clumsy and loutish demon, wishes to have a human soul for a football, as is customary in Hell. He thereupon proceeds to tempt a most accomplished hypocrite named Dickinson. [f] HELL HATH NO FURY. When Einstein declared the universe finite, Heaven and Hell became overcrowded, and angels and demons were forced to seek quarters elsewhere. An angel and a demon, both assuming female guise, come to earth, room together in London, and set their caps at a young student of architecture. * One of the great fantasy collections. 397. VARIATION- ON A THEME Grayson and Grayson; London 1935 Irony on life and the literary world in fable form. * A gorilla in a zoo gains the sympathy of a young literary man by pretending to be a fellow author. The literary man helps him to escape and shelters him, but the gorilla responds by trying to seduce his wife. The gorilla also steals his friend's masterpiece, substituting for it his own raw, crude production. But literary criticism being what it is, the gorilla's crude work is lauded, while the thieving animal is visited by a group of fascist thugs whom the literary man had attacked. The literary man never rereads his own work and never learns of the substitution of manuscripts. * Very amusing. 398. PRESENTING MOONSHINE Macmillan; London 1941 Short stories, including revisions of the following stories described elsewhere: [a] GREEN THOUGHTS. [b] VARIATION ON A THEME. [c] HALF WAY TO HELL. [d] THE RIGHT SIDE. [e] THE DEVIL, GEORGE, AND ROSIE. [f] POSSESSION OF ANGELA BRADSHAW. * Also, [g] EVENING PRIMROSE. Mr. Snell, a poor young man, discovers a wonderful way to live without cost: eating and sleeping in Bracey's enormous department store, carefully avoiding the night watchman. But he discovers that others live there, too. Ghosts. He is received amicably, but falls in love with a living girl enslaved by the ghosts. When they try to escape they are turned into dummies by the Dark Men. [h] ROPE ENOUGH_ Henry Fraser used to

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be known as the man who laughed at the Indian rope trick. Until he learns how to perform it. He climbs up into a heaven and finds there, waiting for him, a beautiful houri. His wife has other ideas. [i] THUS I REFUTE BEELZY. Mr. Beelzy, a devil, is very friendly with a little boy, but the boy's crass father considers Beelzy to be only an imaginary playmate. When the father beats the boy, Beelzy intervenes. [j] OLD ACQUAINTANCE. Irony on French eroticism. A Frenchman's dead wife is stolen by a dead friend. Amorous ghosts. [k] BIRD OF PREY. A pet parrot, raped by a strange bird of sinister appearance, lays a single egg, which hatches into a preternaturally wise bird. It quite skilfully manipulates its owner into murder. A demon. [1] BOTTLE PARTY. Frank buys a bottle containing a genie, who brings him the most beautiful women in the world. But the genie is treacherous and Frank finds himself in the bottle. [m] THE INVISIBLE DOVE-DANCER OF STRATHPEEN ISLAND. An American falls in love with an invisible girl. He knows her measurements by the flight of a group of doves around her. [n] THE CHASER. A wicked little old man sells the elixir of love for a small fee, but its antidote (death) for a high price. * A very fine collection. 399. THE TOUCH OF NUTMEG AND MORE UNLIKELY STORIES The Press of the Readers Club; New York [ 1943] Foreword by Clifton Fadiman. Short stories, including [a] EVENING PRIMROSE. [b] ROPE ENOUGH. [c] THE CHASER. [d] THE DEVIL, GEORGE, AND ROSIE. [e] HALF WAY TO HELL. [f] POSSESSION OF ANGELA BRADSHAW. [g] THE RIGHT SIDE. [hI BIRD OF PREY. [i] THUS I REFUTE BEELZY. [j] VARIATION ON A THEME. [k] OLD ACQUAINTANCE. [1] AFTER THE BALL. [m] HELL HATH NO FURY. [n] GREEN THOUGHTS. * Also [0] MIDNIGHT BLUE. An excellent short murder story, including a clairvoyant dream. This seems to be its first publication in book form. 400. FANCIES AND GOODNIGHTS Doubleday; Garden City, New York 1951 Short stories. Most of the older stories have been extensively rewritten, not always for the best. The revisions tend to tone down the language, with some loss of exuberance and zest. * Including, [a] BOTTLE PARTY. [b] EVENING PRIMROSE. [c] HALF-WAY TO HELL. [d] THE CHASER. [e] THE DEVIL, GEORGE, AND ROSIE. [f] MIDNIGHT BLUES. [g] THUS I REFUTE BEELZY. [hI ROPE ENOUGH. [i] GREEN THOUGHTS. [j] BIRD OF PREY. [k] VARIATION ON A THEME. [1] HELL HATH NO FURY. [m] THE INVISIBLE DOVE-DANCER OF STRATHPEEN ISLAND. [n] THE RIGHT SIDE. [0] POSSESSION OF ANGELA BRADSHAW. * Also [pI ARE YOU TOO LATE OR WAS I TOO EARLY. A young man becomes a modern Robinson Crusoe when he sees the wet footprint of a young woman on his bathmat. She is invisible. He overhears a conversation which changes the situation. [q] FALLEN STAR. A devil kidnaps an angel. When she will not yield to him, he incarnates her on earth for seven years. She is taken to a psychoanalyst, who teaches her all that she is presumed to have forgotten and traps the devil into being analyzed and rendered human.

COLLINS, CHARLES M. [r] PICTURES IN THE FIRE. Mahound appears in Hollywood and signs up a famous screen writer. Mahound is obviously the Devil, but he makes a bad slip. [s] THE LADY OF THE GREY. An Irish Circe has her revenge on the piggish Sassenach. [t] INTERPRETATION OF A DREAM. A young man who has a repetitive dream goes to a psychoanalyst. He dreams that he is falling down the side of a skyscraper, and in mid-fall, sees his sweetheart in the arms of a psychoanalyst., True. [u] SPRING FEVER. A ventriloquist's dummy runs away with his maker's girl friend. The maker toys with the idea of making a living young woman, but settles on a dog as less risky. * Of the new stories [r] is best. 401. PICTURES IN THE FIRE Rupert Hart-Davis; London 1958 Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] INTERPRETATION OF A DREAM. [b] ARE YOU TOO LATE OR WAS I TOO EARLY. [c] PICTURES IN THE FIRE. [dJ SPRING FEVER. * Also [e) IN THE CARDS. The Vascal system of telling fortunes by cards is most effective, especially when practiced by Myra. When she reads a gangster's fortune, she discovers that he will inherit an enormous sum of money, but will die of shock soon after. She marries him hastily, but there are problems. The prediction is correct, too literally. COLLINS, CHARLES M. American anthologist. AS EDITOR: 402. FRIGHT Avon Books; New York 1963 paperbound Including [a] THE FOREST WARDEN, E. T. A. Hoffmann. Translated by Haywood P. Norton. An earlier version of IGNAZ DENNER, described elsewhere. [b] SCHALKEN THE PAINTER, J. S. LeFanu. Described elsewhere. [c) GLAMOUR, Seabury Quinn. (WT 1939) Deep_South. Lucinda Lafferty, ancient Witch, will not permit the hunting club to trespass on her property, and tempers flare. Besides killing her chief enemy magically, she exerts glamour to ensnare Harrigan, appearing as a very beautiful and complaisant young woman. Harrigan is saved at the last moment by priestly intervention. [d] CLAY, C. Hall Thompson. (WT 1948) Set in a lunatic asylum. Jeremy, who perpetually raves about being forced to do things by Oliver, and about the Mark of Clay, kills his doctor friend. It is discovered that Jeremy's hands are from an ancestor who was cursed, clay on the hands and all. [e] THE HORROR AT RED HOOK, H. P. Lovecraft. Described elsewhere. * It is good to have the Hoffmann in a modern translation, even though it is not one of his major works. 403. A WALK WITH THE BEAST Avon Books; New York 1969 paperbound Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] PRINCE ALBERIC AND THE SNAKE LADY, Vernon Lee. [b] THE WHITE WOLF OF THE HARTZ MOUNTAINS. Captain Frederick Marryat. Alternate title for THE WEREWOLF. [c) THE MAN AND THE SNAKE, Ambrose Bierce. * [Also [d) THE HEADLESS MILLER OF KOBOLD'S KEEP, Irvin Ashkenasy. (WT 1937). First published under the pseudonym G. Garnet. Hor-

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ribly horrible horrors associated with immortal pre-Columbian Cornish degenerates who have settled in Tennessee and decapitate the narrator. Presumably tongue-in-cheek. Perhaps a version of the Owl Creek Bridge motif. * Also present are "Tiger Cat" by D. H. Keller, one of his better contes cruels '. and "Curious Adventure of Mr. Bond" by Nugent Barker, a fine, horror tale with absurdist leanings, the best story in the book. COLLINS, MABEL (married name COOK) (1851-1927) British writer on occult topics. Associated with the Theosophical Society; founder of antivivisection society. Most of her work is inspirational, sometimes with fictional elements. Best-known work, LIGHT ON THE PATH, went through many editions. Daughter of Mortimer Collins, next. Lovell, Gestefeld; New York 404. SUGGESTION 1892 Sentimental romance with occult trimmings. * Of the two Heriot brothers, Rex is an amiable, very decent young man, while Oliver happens to be a gambler and a cad. Rex loves Marjorie Hawthorn, who reciprocates his love. Oliver, however, in addition to being a bad egg, has remarkable mesmeric powers and has studied occult matters. He brings Marjorie completely under his will, using her for clairvoyance. While on the one hand he undermines Rex, on the other he forces Marjorie to marry Rex. His intention, once Marjorie is married and unites two family fortunes, is to marry Marjorie for her money after Rex is dead. He makes her steal the family jewels and controls every thought that she has, sometimes while he is in the astral body. His downfall comes when he thoughtlessly gets drunk and Marjorie escapes his control. Oliver is booted out, and he dies accidentally. * Of no interest. COLLINS, [EDWARD JAMES] MORTIMER (1827-1876) Popular British novelist, poet, classical scholar, essayist; highly regarded by his contemporaries, but now nearly forgotten. Fiction noteworthy for inclusion of taboo materials and roman a clef elements. Best-known work is partly autobiographical SWEET ANNE PAGE (1868). 405. TRANSMIGRATION Hurst and Blackett; London 1874 3 vol. Novel. * Sir Edward Ellesmere, a Victorian bravo, accidentally kills his best friend in a duel and loses the only woman he ever loved, his friend's sister. He becomes bitter and retires from life, burying himself in philosophy and occultism, as a studious but eccentric old bachelor. When he dies, he is informed that before he can be reincarnated on earth, he must live a life on another planet. He chooses Mars, which is a strange literary utopia based on Collins's hellenophilia, although religious motifs are not lacking. After a lifetime on Mars, he is reincarnated on earth, being born on the same day that he had died. He retains all his memories as Ellesmere and is regarded as a child prodigy. After various experiences in society, he marries; his

COLLINS, V. H. wife was his sweetheart in his previous incarnation. * Vivaciously written, sprightly, whimsical, eccentric, vulgar, intelligent-this fits the personality described in S. M. Ellis's WILKIE COLLINS, LE FANU AND OTHER To answer a frequent question: Mortimer Collins was not related to Wilkie Collins. COLLINS, V[ERE] H[ENRY] British essayist, editor, poet. Also wrote under pseudonym Mark Tellar. Apparently very secretive about his life. AS EDITOR: 406. GHOSTS AND MARVELS A SELECTION OF UNCANNY TALES FROM DANIEL DEFOE TO ALGERNON BLACKWOOD Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press; London 1924 Introduction by M. R. James. * Described elsewhere, [a] MRS. VEAL, Daniel Defoe. [b] WANDERING WILLIE'S TALE, Sir Walter Scott. [c] THE WEREWOLF, Captain Frederick Marryat. [d] THE HAUNTED AND THE HAUNTERS, Edward Bulwer-Lytton. The long version.[e] YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [f] LIGEIA, E.A. Poe. [g] A STRANGE EVENT IN THE LIFE OF SCHALKEN THE PAINTER, J. Sheridan LeFanu. [h] THE OPEN DOOR, Margaret Oliphant. [i] THE MONKEY'S PAW, W. W. Jacobs. [j] ANCIENT SORCERIES, Algernon Blackwood. [k] THE MOON-SLAVE, Barry Pain. [1] CASTING THE RUNES, M. R. James. [m] THE BODY-SNATCHER, R. L. Stevenson. * Also, [n] THE LIFTED VEIL, George Eliot. Domestic story involving the second sight. Latimer, who has been sickly since childhood, has also had flashes of the second sight. He sees faroff places and persons and has even anticipated the future. His sight does not protect him completely against his wife, who is a beautiful but cold and scheming woman. She plans to poison him. He learns of this only when a friend momentarily revives a corpse by means of a blood transfusion. 407. MORE GHOSTS AND MARVELS A SELECTION OF UNCANNY TALES FROM SIR WALTER SCOTT TO MICHAEL ARLEN Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press; London 1927 Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER, Sir Walter Scott. [b] THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF M. VALDEMAR, E. A. Poe. [c] THE OLD NURSE'S STORY, Elizabeth Gaskell. [d] NO.1 BRANCH LINE, THE SIGNALMAN, Charles Dickens. [e] SQUIRE TOBY'S WILL, J. S. LeFanu. [f] THE LADY IN THE MIRROR, George MacDonald. [g] THE CASE OF MR. LUCRAFT, Walter Besant and James Rice. [h] THE GREAT GOOD PLACE, Henry James. [i] THE UPPER BERTH, F. Marion Crawford. [j] THE NOVEL OF THE WHITE POWDER, Arthur Machen. [k] THE DOOR IN THE WALL, H. G. Wells. [1] NEGOTIUM PERAMBULANS, E.F. Benson. [m] RUNNING WOLF, Algernon Blackwood. lni THE BUN."·A.ll o'tCHANGE DE MAUX, Lord Dunsany. [0] NIGHTMARE JACK, John Metcalfe. [p] WHERE THEIR FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED, May Sinclair. [q] THE ANCIENT SIN, Michael Arlen. [r] VENUS, Maurice Baring. [s] LOQUIER'S THIRD ACT, Katharine Fullerton Gerould. [t] THE BOTATHEN GHOST, R. S. Hawker. * This book and its predecessor are excellent collections.

COLLINS, WILKIE COLLINS, [WILLIAM) WILKIE (1824-1889) Important British writer of mysteries, sensation novels, social novels. Collaborator with Charles Dickens. Playwright. Best-known works THE WOMAN IN WHITE (1860) and THE MOONSTONE (1868). Renowned for highly intricate plots. Remarkable technician in creating suspense devices. Most successful at long works, although a little prolix at times. 408. THE QUEEN OF HEARTS Hurst and Blackett; London 1859 3 vol Short stories with narrative connections. Including [a) BROTHER MORGAN'S STORY OF THE DREAM WOMAN. Originally published in somewhat shorter form as THE OSTLER in the Christmas number of HOUSEHOLD WORDS for 1855. The ostler has a frightening premonitory dream: a woman is attacking him with a knife. Some time later he becomes acquainted w~th a woman who reminds him of the dream woman, marries her, and the dream is fulfilled. * This book version of the story, which is the one almost always reprinted, is usually titled ,THE DREAM WOMAN. In 1874 Collins enlarged the story considerably and published it in THE FROZEN DEEP AND OTHER TALES as THE DREAM WOMAN, A MYSTERY IN FOUR NARRATIVES. This version has occasionally been printed in America under the title ALICE WARLOCK. [b) BROTHER GRIFFITH'S STORY OF MAD MONKTON. First published as THE MONKS TONS [sic) OF WINCOT ABBEY in FRASER'S MAGAZINE, 1855. * Alfred Monkton, hearing of his uncle's death in Italy, goes to Italy, and after some difficulties finds his uncle's corpse in the condition anticipated by a family prophecy. It is further revealed that Edward is haunted by his uncle's ghost, which will not release him until the corpse is buried in England. But the coffin is lost at sea. This is usually anthologized as MAD MONKTON. * Excellent stories~ Although Dickens rejected [b) for HOUSEHOLD WORDS, the story has a exuberance that is interesting. The other stories are mystery and domestic. 409. ARMADALE Smith, Elder; London 1866 2 vol. Roughly midway in time between THE WOMAN IN WHITE and THE MOONSTONE, ARMADALE is Collins's third great mystery novel. In the opinion of many critics it is the finest of the three, even though it has never acquired the fame of the other two novels. While it is a novel of criminal conspiracy and attempted murder, it is also supernatural in treating the workings of fate in a most equivocal set of circumstances. Collins, as many of his works show, was obsessed with the notion of fate, and this is his most ambitious treatment of the topic. * The plot of ARMADALE is too complex to summarize. Ultimately, it is based on the fact that there were four persons, cousins, with the name Allan Armadale. ·Armadale One, a swindler, stole the intended wife of Armadale Two, who murdered him. Armadale Three, the son of Armadale Two and a Creole, is a highly intelligent young man who has lived as a Gipsy for a time. He uses the alias Ozias Midwinter. His life, when he was ill, had been saved by

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COLLINS, WILKIE Armadale Four (the son of Armadale One, the swindler), and he feels an intense devotion to Four. It is around Armadale Four that the plots of men and Fate and the questions of identity swirl, and it is Three who is his salvation. * The center of the mystery situation is Miss Lydia Gwilt, a beautiful, highly intelligent but amoral adventuress, who was a party in the original swindle and now wishes a share of the Armadale fortune. She first plans to marry Four, but when this fails, plans to murder him. Then by marrying Three, she will claim to be the widow of Four. She is one of Collins's finest creations. * The supernatural aspect of the novel lies in the fact that it is all the working out of a dream. When Three and Four come upon an ancient derelict, which Fate has caused to be the ship on which Two murdered One, Allan Four has a remarkable prophetic dream, which foreshadows the development of the novel. Allan Three has the wit to understand the dream and save Four. * A very fine novel, not quite as turgid as THE MOONSTONE and superior in organization to THE WOMAN IN WHITE, with excellent characterizations and one of the most ingenious developments in all literature. 410. THE TWO DESTINIES A ROMANCE Chatto and Windus; London 1876 2 vol A fate novel. * Once again Fate is the topic of interest in a novel by Collins. It is essentially the story of a romance that Fate has destined and will force through, despite the waywardness and stupidities of the humans concerned. George and Mary. are childhood sweethearts, but are separated when in their early teens. They communicate by means of dreams, and on one occasion George is compelled by Fate to save Mary's life. But they do not recognize each other; Mary has married and George has taken the name of his stepfather. They continue to bob in and out of each other's life until finally they marry. At this point one of Collins's social interests emerges: Mary had committed a bigamous marriage and as a result suffers ostracism. ~( This is considered to be one of Collins's failures, and I would agree with this estimation. It lacks the wonderful brooding atmosphere and plot complexities of ARMADALE, to say nothing of most of Collins's other virtues. 411. THE HAUNTED HOTEL A MYSTERY OF MODERN VENICE Chatto and Windus; London 1878 Ghost ·story and detective novel. * Lord Montbarry unexpectedly marries the Countess Narona, an obvious adventuress, and the couple depart for Venice. When news of Montbarry's death from pneumonia reaches England, there is some suspicion among his family, but an investigation supports the news. Some time later the Venetian palace in which the Montbarrys lived is opened as a hotel. It offers excellent accommodations for everyone, except for persons associated with Montbarry. Members of his family, his former fiancee, and the Countess are disturbed in varying degree by foul smells, revenants, and finally the appearance of a severed head. Eventually, driven to distraction

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by the manifestations and her conscience, the countess confesses that she murdered her husband. I shall not reveal how the murder was accomplished, but the idea is ingenious. * In many respects this is Collins's last sustained work. The detective element is clever; the story embodies the full development and complexity which were Collins's forte; and the psychology of the countess and her relationship with Fate are excellent. The supernatural aspects, however, are pedestrian. 412. LITTLE NOVELS Chat to and Windus; London 1887 3 vol Short stories, including [a] MRS. ZANT AND THE GHOST. (1879) Alternate title, THE GHOST'S TOUCH. Widowed Mrs. Zant is visited by the ghost of her husband, not visibly, but only as a caress. When her brother-in-law tries to molest her sexually, the ghost protects her. [b] MISS JEROMETTE AND THE CLERGYMAN. (1875) Alternate title, THE CLERGYMAN'S CONFESSION. As a student, the narrator had an affair with Miss Jeromette, a tiny Frenchwoman. Even though she loves him, she frankly tells him that her heart belongs completely to another man who had deserted her. Two years later, the narrator, now a clergyman, sees a pillar of mist which changes into Miss Jeromette. She indicates her murderer. [c] MR. PERCY AND THE PROPHET. (1877) Alternate title, PERCY AND THE PROPHET. Dr. Lagarde, a trance medium, informs two visitors that they will fight a duel, and reveals some details. The men scoff, but the prediction is fulfilled literally, much as is the prophetic dream of ARMADALE. * [b] is interesting, but the other stories are slight and do not represent Collins at his best. COLMORE, G. (pseud.; true name given variously as DUNN, GERTRUDE COLMORE: WEAVER, GERTRUDE RENTON; BAILLIE-WEAVER, GERTRUDE) (1884 - ?) British writer of popular sentimental fiction and poetry. 413. A BROTHER OF THE SHADOW Noel Douglas; London 1926 Sensational society occultism in university circles. * Donnithorne, professor of physiology at the university, is a member of the Brothers of the Shadow, an organization of black magLcLans. Over the years he becomes entangled with the narrator and his fiancee, Jessica, who happens to be the psychic perfect for Donnithorne's purposes. The professor, it seems, wants to know the exact method of sacrificing cats in the Taigheirm rites. He already has powerful magical abilities, and can paralyze, cause visions, and injure enemies. As the story develops, hostility grows between Donnithorne and the narrator's party, but evil is staved off by the presence of John Scott, a member of the White Brotherhood, a benevolent magician. When Donnithorne uses his will to force Jessica to act as a medium for him, Scott rescues her and destroys the professor's evil organization. As a last resort, Donnithorne strikes Jessica dead by magic, and the circumstances of her funeral are those of a dream she had years before. But at the last moment Scott

CONKLIN, GROFF enters and revives Jessica. The evil magician later destroys himself in attacking Scott. * In the vein of Bu1wer-Lytton's A STRANGE STORY, but rubbish. CONKLIN, [EDWARD] GROFF (1904-1968) American writer, editor, publishing aide, anthologist. Well-known for editing the first important science-fiction anthology, THE BEST OF SCIENCE FICTION (1946), followed by many other collections. An anthologist of excellent taste and considerable resource. AS EDITOR: 414. IN THE GRIP OF TERROR Perrnabooks; Garden city, New York 1951 paperbound Short stories, including [a] IN THE VAULT, H. P. Lovecraft. [b] THE TOOL, W. F. Harvey. [c] BIANCA'S HANDS, Theodore Sturgeon. Described elsewhere for context. [d] THE WELL, W.W, Jacobs. [e] THE MOTH, H. G. Wells. * Also [f] NIGHT DRIVE, Will F. Jenkins. (Better known as Murray Leinster, pseud.) (TODAY'S WOMAN 1950) Two women have been killed on the Colchester Road, and the man disguised as a woman, seated beside Madge, talks of lycanthropy. [g] THE ILLUSTRATED MAN, Ray Bradbury. Phelps, enormously fat, alienated from wife and world, is forced to become the circus tattooed man. An old blind woman tattoos his body, but places hidden pictures on his chest, not to be uncovered until specific dates. One shows him killing his wife; the other, his death from a circus mob. Each man bears his fate pictured on him. * Not to be confused with the book of the same title or its frame situation. * [f], [g], excellent. 415. SCIENCE FICTION TERROR TALES Gnome Press; New York 1955 Short stories, including [a] FLIES, Isaac Asimov. (MFSF 1953) Casey is usually surrounded by flies. Is he Beelzebub, Lord of Flies? [b] THEY, Robert A. Heinlein. (UNK 1941) Paranoia, the ultimate reality. Hayward, in an asylum, has learned that the world is an enormous fraud rigged to control him, a being of superrea1ity. He does not remember everything, but his captors are concerned. * [bj is excellent. 416. THE GRAVEYARD READER Ballantine Books; New York [1958] paperbound Stories about graveyards, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE GRAVEYARD RATS, Henry Kuttner. [b] THE OUTSIDER, H. P. Lovecraft. [c] FREE DIRT, Charles Beaumont. * Also, [d] NIGHT COURT, Mary Elizabeth Counselman. (WT 1953) Bob Trask, reckless driver with two deaths on his record, is tried by a ghostly courc in which the personnel are all driving fatalities. His sentence lies in the future, a ghost of things to come: [e] LISTEN, CHILDREN, LISTEN, Wallace West. (FANTASTIC UN.IVERSE 1953) Mountain Whites. A woman who is fey, death, imaginary beings, mirror magic, supernatural death warnings-- or all madness. [f] THE CHILD THAT LOVED A GRAVE, Fitz-James O'Brien. (1861) A fable. A child who tends and cherishes a neglected grave finds it ready at the proper moment. Fate, symbolic overtones.

CONKLIN, GROFF [g] THE GRAVEYARD READER, Theodore Sturgeon. (SCIENCE FANTASY 1958) Difficult to su~narize. Character analysis in terms of learning to read the hidden symbolism of a grave. Nicely told and imaginative. * [f] and [g] are best. 417. BR-R-R-: 10 CHILLING TALES Avon Books; Ne\J York 1959 paperbound Short stories, including [a] IT, Theodore Sturgeon. Described elsewhere. [b] THE HANDLER, Ray Bradbury. Described elsewhere. * [c] WA&~, DARK PLACES, H. L. Gold. (UNK 1940) Presumably an attempt to repeat the success of TROUBLE WITH WATER. Kaplan, operator of a small dry-cleaning business., refuses to teach the trade to Salindrinath, a Tibetan yogi who looks like a bum. Salindrinath puts a curse on Kaplan: Kaplan's pockets, shoes, and similar places seem alive with horrible, gigantic louse-like creatures. * Weak. [d] LEGAL RITES, Isaac Asimov and Frederik Pohl. (WT 1950) The Harley place is haunted by old Hank, a ghost who had been friendly with the late owner. The new heir wants to be rid of the ghost and uses various exorcisms and magical techniques. The ghost takes young Harley to court, claiming squatter's rights and wins the case. Really labored. [e] WHITE GODDESS, Idr1s Seabright. (pseud. of Margaret St. Clair) (MFSF 1955) To the thief she seems like an ordinary old maid, but she has the power to place him in magical worlds, a water color, a snowing globe. Even after she dies, she is active. * Of the new material, only [e] is worth reading. 418. TWISTED Belmont Books; New York 1962 paperbound Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] NIGHT DRIVE, Will F. Jenkins. [b] THE SHUNNED HOUSE, H. P. Lovecraft. [c] THE THING IN THE CELLAR, D. H. Keller. [d] MRS. MANIFOLD, Stephen Grendon (pseud of August Derleth). [e] THE PLAYGROUND, Ray Bradbury. * Also [f] THE OTHER HAND, George Lange1aan. (MFSF 1961) Although the hand is on Manoque, it really belongs to his rotter brother-in-law, and is criminal and murderous. [g] THE LITTLE MAN WHO WASN'T QUITE, William W. Stuart. (GALAXY 1961) A newspaperman who frequents Skid Row becomes acquainted with a little man who is only occasionally and partly visible. The reason is that he has grown away from humanity, because of isolation. This would be all right, except that his condition permits monstrosities from another world to emerge. [h] BRENDA, Margaret St. Clair. (WT 1954) Adolescent problems for a young girl. Told in terms of a horrible, rotten, humanoid monstrosity, which is presumably a projection. * Of the new material, [h] is best. WITH CONKLIN, LUCY 419. THE SUPERNATURAL READER Lippincott; Philadelphia 1953 Short stories, described elsewhere, [a] FOR ,. THE BLOOD IS THE LIFE, F. Mario.n Crawford. [b] MRS. MANIFOLD, Stephen Grendon. (pseud. of August Derleth) [c] SHOTTLE BOP, Theodore Sturgeon. [d] GABRIEL-ERNST, Saki. [e] THE LO.ST ROOM, Fitz-James O'Brien. [f] THE NATURE

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COOK, W. W. OF THE EVIDENCE, May Sinclair. [g] THE SWAP, H. F. Heard. [h] MINUKE, Nigel Kneale. [i] BIRD OF PREY, John Collier. [j] THE THING IN THE CELLAR, David H. Keller. [k] THE STRANGER, Richard Hughes. [1] LOST HEARTS, M. R. James. [m] THIRTEEN AT TABLE, Lord Dunsany. [n] THE MOONLIT ROAD, Ambrose Bierce. [0] PIFFINGCAP, A.E. Coppard. * Also [p] THE ANGEL WITH THE PURPLE HAIR, Herb Paul. (MFSF 1950). Test pilots with a new plane of untried, dangerous design. The angel, who is AWOL from Heaven, is in love with one of them and determines the best way to be with her lover. [q] THE CURATE'S FRIEND, E. M. Forster. (1947) A faun, symbolizing loosening of restraints; told with irony. [r] THE TRAITOR, James S. Hart (MFSF 1950) A brood of vampires in New York. Mr. Lorenzo, medieval Italian, is slowly evolving away from the basic situation and has moments of compassion for mortals. He finds himself at odds with his fellows. [s] ANGUS MacAULIFFE AND THE GOWDEN TOOCH! Charles R. Tanner. (OTHER WORLDS 1951) A deceased uncle who was a magician leaves Angus a geni in a bottle. Angus asks for the gift of Midas, but with a small difference. Scottish dialect. [t] ARE YOU RUN-DOWN, TIRED ---, Babette Rosmond and Leonard M. Lake (UNK 1942) Supernatural aids to health and weight control, appetite arousers, with horrible results. [u] THE PAVILION, E. Nesbit. (1923) Borderline science-fiction. A man-eating vine. [vl THE TREE'S WIFE, Mary E. Counselman. (WT 1950) Mountain Whites. A young husband, shot as a result of a feud, is embodied in a tree, to which his young bride is married. Nicely told from the point of view of a social worker. [w] PICK-UP FOR OLYMPUS, Edgar Pangborn. When old gods, Pan and Demeter, go on their way to Olympus with faded wonders, a garage mechanic sees only their car. [x] THE TOMBLING DAY, Ray Bradbury. When the graves have to be moved because of the new highway that is coming through, old Grandmother Lob1il1y helps to dig out her long-dead lover, Mr. Simmons. He is perfectly preserved, so much so that disillusionment sets in. Reestablishment of self-respect comes when Simmons disintegrates. [y] DEVIL'S HENCHMAN, Will F. Jenkins. (ARGOSY 1952) Mountain Whites. Love magic, personal feuds, willingness to surrender heaven, a ring of power, told in a folksy way. Wellman did it better. [z] LIGHTS, Philip M. Fisher. (ARGOSY 1922) Sea mystery. Phantom lights from a sunken ship cause problems. [aa] THE SILVER HIGHWAY, Harold Lawlor. (WT 1946) An old car in the Museum of Industry, a woman ghost who appears to an old man, a quest for the historical resolution, and a sentimental resolution. * A good collection of traditional and fairly modern material. COOK, W[ILLIAM] W[ALLACE] (1867-1933) Prolific American writer for dime novels, early pulp magazines; undistinguished work in fantastic fiction. Usually writes a mixed form, with elements of science-fiction and the supernatural not completely separated. Best-known works MAROONED IN 1492 (book c. 1925), A ROUND

COOK, W. W. TRIP TO THE YEAR 2000 (book c. 1925), both of which are primitive science-fiction and PLOTTO (1928), a method for creating hack fiction. It has been claimed that Cook was a pseudonym for George C. Jenks, but this seems doubtful. 420. ADRIFT IN THE UNKNOWN Street and Smith; New York [c. 1925] paperbound First published in ARGOSY, 1904-5. Humorous fantasy with elements of science-fiction and social commentary. * In 1900 Professor Quinn travels to Mercury by means of an anti-gravity space ship. His companions are four capitalists and a burglar. After a difficult voyage they reach Mercury, have trying adventures on its baked surface, then descend into the Mercurian underworld, where there are two rival monarchies. The professor and the housebreaker make their way to the friendly land of Baigol, where they are commissioned to recover a sacred jewel from the rival kingdom of Baigadd, where the four wicked capitalists are held as slaves for their crimes on earth. The professor and the burglar are captured, and the king of Baigadd makes plans to invade earth, which he could surely conquer with his superior weaponry. But the sacred jewel changes the situation. When the burglar steals it, he loses the evil components of his personality, as do the four capitalists. The professor outwits the king, and the capitalists and the burglar return to earth. * Long, outrageous, semijuveni1e at times, with ubiquitous bad puns. A curiosity only. COPPARD, A[LFRED] E[DGAR] (1878-1957) Notable British short story writer. Best work is highly individual and outside mainstream, stressing fairy tale motifs and folktale story patterns, with excellent detail. A fine stylist with remarkable ear for lower-class and rustic speech. Now undeserved1y forgotten. 421. ADAM AND EVE AND PINCH ME Golden Cockerel Press; Berkshire 1921 Short stories, including [a] MARCHING TO ZION. A strangely disturbing tale with subliminal attachments to the life of Jesus. Michael, Monk, and Mary are undertaking a mysterious journey in which Christian symbolism keeps emerging casually. [b] PIFFINGCAP. The lead shaving mug has strange properties and is surely associated with evil. I t does odd things with hair. Told through small people in contact with the inexplicable. [c] THE KING OF THE WORLD. Ta1akku, an Assyrian soldier fleeing in the rout of the armies sent against Judah, enters the temple of the god Namu-Sarkkon. The god has the faculty of petrifying his worshippers, releasing them later for momentary life. While Ta1akku is there, a woman is released. She has been waiting for the King of the Wor1d-- death. [d] ADAM AND EVE AND PINCH ME. A dream-like story of a strange state of consciousness in which the narrator moves several years into the future and watches his unborn son playing. Symbolic anticipation. * This first volume shows Coppard at his best, with original themes, remarkable renderings of the speech and thought of rural England, and a bizarre humor. * The

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COPPARD, A. E. 1922 edition (Knopf: New York) adds the contents of CLORINDA WALKS IN HEAVEN, including [e) THE ELIXIR OF YOUTH, [f) CLORINDA WALKS IN n~AVEN, which are described in 422. Golden Cockerel 422. CLORINDA WALKS IN HEAVEN Press; Berkshire 1922 Short stories, including [a) CLORINDA WALKS IN HEAVEN. Clorinda dies, and in heaven meets all the men to whom she had been wife in previous incarnations. But she finds the most empathy with a man who is an embodiment of her unrealized desires as a spinster. Returning to earth, she does not marry in her next incarnation. [b) THE ELIXIR OF YOUTH. Ireland. The fairy girl gives a man the gift of ease-everything comes easy to him. But when he is dissatisfied, he finds that his possessions and his world shrink away to nothing. A second man asks for the elixir of youth. But an acquaintance, to whom he had offered a sip, drinks it all up, grows backward in age, and disappears. * Both excellent stories. 423. THE GOLLAN Printed, not published, for the friends of Earl and Florence Fish, Christmas, 1929 [London?] 75 copy edition A literary folktale in the Irish tradition. * The Go11an, so-called because of his stupidity, is a giant in strength, but a weakling in will. He cannot refuse a request and is often imposed upon. When he releases a leprechaun, he receives as a reward the gift of imperceptibi1ity-- he is invisible except when asleep. But the gift has disadvantages, for the Go11an cannot see others when they cannot see him, and cannot hear others when they cannot hear them. He tries exchanging senses with the animals, and becomes even more dissatisfied. Eventually he wishes himself back the way he was before the fairy gift, but this, too, is no solution. * The pseudo-allegory seems to read that no matter what one does or chooses, it will be wrong. * This edition has not been seen. The story was read in a more recent collection. 424. CROTTY SHINKWIN Golden Cockerel Press; Berkshire [1932) A free fantasy set on the Irish coast, told in language reminiscent of Synge's. * When Crotty and his friend P. J. go out fishing in their boat, they approach the dread island of Inniskalogue. Their anchor is caught, and as they pull away, they turn the island over, so that instead of smooth meadow they see mud and roots, which SWiftly transform themselves into a pleasant countryside, with church, houses, and sheep. The men see that their anchor has caught on the church steeple, and after some hesitation go to fetch it. They see a mysterious grave stone, and discover that they cannot keep' the anchor, since it runs back to the steeple. P. J. is blown away by a breath from the garden of Eden, contained in a bladder in the church, and Crotty must make his way home alone, to be greeted by his shrewish wife. The island rights itself as he leaves. * Like Irish wonder voyages, with haunted island and wish fulfillment motives. Very nicely told. While there are suspicions of a semi-allegory, the basis of the story is probably association fantasy.

COPPARD, A. E. NlNEPENNY FLUTE TWENTY-ONE TALES Macmillan; London 1937 Short stories, including (a] JOVE'S NECTAR. When Paul Latchworth takes over the old house, he finds in the basement a small supply of Chibnall's Celebration Ale, an extinct brand of high quali.ty. He reserves one bottle to drink to the memory of his ancient aunt, on the day of her death. When he receives a beautiful woman, without thinking he serves her the last bottle. He learns a little later that his aunt died at that time. Coppard ends the story with a question: Was the visiting woman a death portent? (b] SPEAKING LIKENESS. A fable-like story, using the pathetic fallacy of animated pictures and plants. (c] JACK THE GIANT KILLER. Described elsewhere. * (a] is excellent. The other two are trivial. 426. YOU NEVER KNOW, DO YOU? AND OTHER TALES Methuen; London 1939 Short stories, including (a] ROCKY AND THE BAILIFF. Rocky, the village halfwit, has' one ability: folk magic. His doings with a toad, a beetle, and a glow worm, to say nothing of messenger mice that emerge from the fire, result in a remedy for the cattle plague. The bailiff (in this case an estate manager) receives the credit. (b] THE FAIR YOUNG WILLOWY TREE. Borderline fantasy. Conversations with a telegraph post. (c] ALE CELESTIAL? Barnaby Barnes receives a recipe for wonderful ale from a troll. When he tries to adulterate it, it tastes foul to others, but good to him. Obvious allegorical implications. 427. FEARFUL PLEASURES Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1946 Short stories, mostly selected from previous volumes, including described elsewhere, (a] CLORINDA WALKS IN HEAVEN. (b] ADAM AND EVE AND PINCH ME. (c] THE ELIXIR OF YOUTH. (d] THE GOLLAN. (e] CROTTY SHINKWIN. (e] ROCKY AND THE BAILIFF. (g] ALE CELESTIAL? (h] THE FAIR YOUNG WILLOWY TREE. * Also, (i] SIMPLE SIMON. (from THE BLACK DOG, 1923) A modern folktale. Old Simon, who has been happy only three times in his life, meets an old scholar who gives him a coat. Simon dies and goes to a heaven that is an idealized version of his previous life, but the old scholar is worried. He left a.budget of sins in the coat. But there are no sins allowed in heaven. (j1 OLD MARTIN. (from FISHMONGER'S FIDDLE, 1925) In Barnover, the last person buried in the cemetery must serve the other dead, until the Last Judgment. Old Martin is greatly disturbed when his niece Monica is buried in the cemetery and there is no room for others. She will have to serve such ghosts as the bestial Stinch. Her ghost pesters him for relief, which comes in an unexpected way. Senility. [k] THE BOGIE MAN. (from THE FIELD OF MUSTARD, 1927) Also spelled THE BOGEY MAN. A modern fairy tale. When Sheila steals the little black box, she assumes a , guilt that must be forgiven. The box is the home of the little imp Shiloh, who is both evil and the other side of things. (Note the similarity of name.) He presses her to take something from him as a gift, so that she can be

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COPPARD, A.E. forgiven. But she knows that she is lost if she does. [1] POLLY MORGAN. (from SILVER CIRCUS, 1928) Polly's aunt Agatha, on a generous impulse, followed a hearse that had no mourners and dropped a flower into the dead man's grave. Her action creates the belief that she had be~n the dead man's mistress, which is not true. But she finds her life altered by the dead man's spirit, or her belief in the dead man's spirit. Young Polly injures this relationship, and when her own romance dies (on the drowning of her fiance at sea), she believes that her action was the cause. She, too, now waits for a spirit lover. [m] THE POST OFFICE AND THE SERPENT. (from NIXEY'S HARLEQUIN, 1931) A mythic narrative. In the small sinister lake on the mountain, the great serpent dwells. It is bound until the day before the Last Judgment. It asks the tourist for the present date. (n] AHOY, SAILOR BOY (from DUNKEY FITLOW, 1933) The sailor on leave finds a·pick-up who talks strangely of herself as a ghost. She says, sadly, that when she was alive, she cared only for clothes, and after death, she fears that when her last outfit is gone, she, too, will disappear. The sailor is delighted when she says that she will take off her clothing, but she disappears. [01 GONE AWAY. The tourists in France observe that their journey is taking on supernatural aspects, odd markers, a racing speedometer, impossible distances, and then vanishments of the three tourists. A puzzle story without solution. [p] FATHER RAVEN. At the gates to Heaven, Father Raven goes bond for his flock of sinners. They are admitted, but Raven, since he lied, is rejected. [q] THE DRUM. Fairy tale with allegorical motifs. Young Kinsella, leaving his uncle's home to seek his fortune, stops with a friendly giant who is keeping Truth, a beautiful young woman, captive. Kinsella releases her, but no one wants to hear her when she beats a drum in public. [r] CHEESE. Eddy Errick travels in cheese. He has made the fortune of his company by swindling a Gipsy out of a recipe for cheese, but refuses to acknowledge the debt. The Gipsies take him and by working magic imprison him much like a mouse in a cage, with a tiger pacing outside. He escapes, but finds himself in the reign of George IV, where he is put into an Asylum for Natural Wonders. [s] THE HOMELESS ONE. An old man in an asylum, mind completely disintegrated, is tutored by a mad cobbler with religious mania. The old man had tried to commit suicide. Is he a form of Judas, reincarnated? Interpretation debatable. [t] THE KISSTRUCK BOGIE. Sometimes spelled THE KISSTRUCK BOGEY. The ghost in Kisstruck's house is a suicide. It is invisible, but nude. It converses with Kisstruck, but a change in the haunting comes when the ghost has an affair with a female ghost living nearby, and they must be married hastily. * A good collection, with stories of various sorts. Of the new material, stories [i], [k], [m], [0], [q] and [s1 are best. Coppard's earliest work, however, is best of all.

CORELLI, MARIE CORELLI, MARIE (pseud. of MILLS, MARY, later MACKAY, MARY) (1855-1924) Popular British author of , near best-seller status in Great Britain and America. Well-known for highly emotional novels, usually on occult or personal religious themes. A competent musician who almost became a concert pianist, but otherwise somewhat pathetic in her complete lack of self-criticism and belief that critics were in a cabal against her. A very vulgar writer. In later years she came to believe that she was a reincarnation of Shakespeare. 428. A ROMANCE OF TWO WORLDS Bentley; London 1886 2 vol. An occult novel. * The narrator, on the edge of a breakdown from overwork, meets Raffaello Cellini, a painter of mystical pictures, who recognizes her condition and gives her a drugged wine, which renders her receptive to a guiding dream. In her dream she meets Heliobas, a masterful figure, who announces that he will help her. Obeying the dream and Cellini's advice, the narrator goes to Paris and receives instruction and medical help from Casimir Heliobas, a mystical figure of great power. Heliobas expounds his theories: each of us has two electricities, an internal divine spark which must be cultivated, and an external system, which is much like an aura. To move higher on the electrical circles of rebirth, one must enlarge the inner spark. * To gain knowledge, the narrator agrees to take a flight into the infinite under Heliobas' s protectio.n. Invoking the spirit Azul, he frees her from her body, and she undertakes a cosmic voyage with various stops: Saturn, a pleasant utopia; Jupiter, home of an electrical civilization; and the central orb of the universe, around which are rings of creation. This is also connected with Christian symbolism and mythology, and an extensive, though very muddled cosmology. On her return she is able to help Heliobas in an approaching disaster. * Other supernatural elements include the abilities of Heliobas to control animals and humans, kill by personal electricity, and provide magical implements. In a subplot, Heliobas's sister, who is on an even higher plane of development than Heliobas, recognizes her impending death by lightning and makes preparations for it. * All very shabby, but immensely popular in its time. In the second and later editions Corelli includes a long apologia and letters from enthusiastic readers. 429. ARDATH. THE STORY OF A DEAD SELF Bentley; London 1889 3 vol. Long, sentimental occult novel, sequel of a sort to A ROMANCE OF TWO WORLDS. * Theos Alwyn, poet, has come to a spiritual crisis and visits Heliobas, who is now a monk at the monastery of Lars in the Caucasus. He wants Heliobas to restore his creativity by mesmerism. Heliobas refuses, but Alwyn falls into a trance and has a vision. He meets a beautiful woman from another sphere, who tells him that her name is Edris and that they will meet again on the field of Ardath. He finds that he has composed a long poem entitled "Nourhalma" while in his trance. Despite the fact that he is a scep-

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CORELLI, MARIE tic, materialist, and scoffer, he goes to Ardath, which is near Babylon. He meets Edris again, and has a long visionary experience. * He awakens in the city of AI-Kyris, a high barbaric culture of about 5,000 B.C., where he immediately becomes associated with the poet Sah-Lurna, who is obviously a potency of himself. Sah-Lurna, although a very selfish sendualist, has also written the poem "Nourhalma." Alwyn meets the local "virgin" high priestess of the sacred snake, a femme fatale named Lysia,who treats her lovers abominably. In Al-Kyris are the following motifs and happenings: there is a prophecy that the city will fall when the high priestess becomes the king's mistress; Lysia demands that Alwyn murder Sah-Luma, for she is tired of the poet; a pre-Christian Christian prophet speaks of the Coming; Alwyn becomes a fervent Christian; and there is a secret science known only to the priests (phonographs, electric telegraphy, etc.). The threads become entangled when Lysia sacrifices a woman who was in love with the ideal Sah-Lurna, but rejected his sensuality. The land collapses in storms and earthquakes. Everyone is killed. Alwyn awakens in the present. * It is not entirely clear whether his experience was a symbolic vision .or a statement of the past. He returns to England to find himself famous because of his poem, and meets Heliobas again. He is now as violent a Christian as he used to be a sceptic. Heliobas tells him that while he cannot ascend to reach Edris, she, though an angel, can come down to him. One day, while he is in church, she descends, incarnates herself, and they go off together. * Strong allegorical aspects. Page after page of turgid rant and overwritten description, fury at book reviewers and critics, annoyance with orthodox science, etc. Perhaps important historically as a major source for imaginary lands of the sort that Dunsany later cultivated. 430. THE SOUL OF LILITH Bentley; London 1892 3 vol. Long occult novel. * EI-R§mi, an Arabian occult scientist, possesses enormous magical and paranormal powers, yet has strong doubts about the existence of the deity and even of the supernatural. Some years earlier, Lilith, a young Syrian girl, came into his hands just as she was dying; he has retained her in suspended animation ever since. He sends out her spirit to wander about the universe for him, compiling enormous tomes of ethnographic research on life on other planets. El-Rami is chidden by the unconscious Lilith, as well as by other parties, for his materialism, and he is advised to release her from her psychic bondage, to eternal bliss. Instead, he falls in love with her and determines to awaken her. The result is disastrous. Lilith collapses into dust, and El-Rami loses his mind. Other elements in the story are El-R&mi's brother Feraz, who has mystical intuitions into Truth; the Supreme Master, a monk from Cyprus who has acquired supernatural knowledge by prayer; Dr. Kremlin, a Russian refugee who works with per-

CORELLI, MARIE petual motion and records strange vibrations on a disk. They are presumably messages from Mars, but he cannot read them. Also present is Irene Vassilius, a spiritually beautiful author, who is much like Corelli's image of herself. * Turgid. 431. THE SORROWS OF SATAN: OR. THE STRANGE EXPERIENCES OF ONE GEOFFREY TEMPEST, MILLIONAIRE A ROMANCE Methuen; London 1895 A long society novel set in the wicked '90's, based largely on the depravity associated with critical success. The story is formed around Tempest, a budding young novelist who yields to his baser impulses and unwittingly makes a pact with the devil (Lucio Rimanez). As his reward Tempest receives worldly success, such as good reviews in the journals and enormous royalties, but he pays spiritually. The empty-headed society woman that he marries tries to cuckold him with the Devil, and when she fails, commits suicide. Satan finally reveals his identity during a personal interview with God, and Geoffrey vows to reform. The Devil, too, is a pathetic being. At the end of the book, Tempest has the satisfaction of cutting the Devil outside the Houses of Parliament. Also present in the novel is Miss Corel Ii, thinly disguised as Mavis Clair, a pure but persecuted author who is hated and feared by malicious book reviewers, but loved by the public, * Moralism and hysteria, but interesting in stating bluntly what many authors have felt, that book reviewers form a secret cabal under direct diabolic inspiration. 432. CAMEOS Hutchinson; London [1896] Short stories, including [a] THE DISTANT VOICE. John Denver, dying of cancer, has a dream vision of heaven, heavenly choir and all. But he wishes to live. When Valitsky (the Devil) offers him the choice between heaven or renewed life, he chooses life. Seven years later he changes his mind. He is told that compared to eternity, seven years is as nothing. [b] THE WITHERING OF A ROSE. Mrs. All ingham is married to a bounder. Her death is signalled to Fane the artist by a white figure which arises out of the haunted lake and gestures toward the Hall. [c] THE LADY WITH THE CARNATIONS. France, First seen at the theatre in Paris, then in Quimperle, the Lady is the ghost of a murdered woman. Her gravestone says, ''Manon perfide." She wants the inscription changed to ''Manon fidele." * Unremarkable, conventional stories. Corelli has occasional supernatural stories scattered in her other collections, but these are not worth separate reporting. 433. ZISKA THE PROBLEM OF A WICKED SOUL Arrowsmith, Bristol; Simpkin, Marshall; London 1897' Occult novel. * Cairo and the Great Pyramid. At a society costume ball in Cairo, the beautiful Countess Ziska creates a sensation. A young Englishman (Murray) and a French artist (Gervase) both fall violently in love with her and become bitter enemies. Gervase agrees to paint her picture, but when the picture is shown, it is not Ziska, but a horrible monster. Gervase cannot account for this, but Dr. Dean,

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a friendly occultist, suggests that a hostile spirit has interfered. * Ziska makes references to an Ancient Egyptian dancing girl, Ziska-Charmazel, Who had been murdered by King Araxes some four thousand years earlier. It is obvious that Ziska is the reincarnation of the dancer, just as Gervase is of Araxes. She leads Gervase on, takes him to hidden rooms beneath the Great Pyramid, and evoking the Araxes facet in Gervase, reveals herself and her desire for revenge. Araxes apologizes, is forgiven, and drops dead. Ziska presumably vanishes. Dr. Dean had known, in a general way, what was going on, but had been powerless to act. * Pretty bad. 434. THE YOUNG DIANA AN EXPERIMENT OF THE FUTURE Hutchinson; London 1918 Weird science, with some feminist interest. Miss Corelli had her own odd interpretation of women's rights and roles. * Switzerland in part. Despite the subtitle, futurity is not involved in the story. * Diana May, fortyyear old, highly intelligent, emotion-starved spinster, replies to an advertisement for an unattached Woman willing to take part in experiments and study "chemistry" for two years. She falsifies her own drowning and, confiding in only one friend, applies to and is accepted by Dr. Feodor Dimitrius. Dimitrius, it seems (since the explanation is vague), is extracting soul force from the universe by means of a gigantic rotor. He hopes to discover an elixir of rejuvenation and immortality. Diana serves as his willing guinea pig, despite some danger, and gradually becomes younger. The decisive experiment calls for her to swallow a cup of the soul fluid. She does so and collapses into suspended animation for a time. When she awakens, she is about eighteen years old and incredibly beautiful, but no longer a woman. She is a superior being composed of ethereal matter, heartless, and unloving. Although Dimitrius has fallen in love with her, she rejects him and returns to London, where her former friends and family refuse to accept her, she is so changed. She lives on, eternally beautiful, but inhuman. The story line above is buried in an enormous wash of words.

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CORLEY, DONALD (1886-1955) American artist, writer. Most of his work is nonsupernatural fantasy of an anemic sort. 435. THE HOUSE OF LOST IDENTITY TALES AND DRAWINGS OF DONALD CORLEY McBride; New York 1927. Introduction by James Branch Cabell. * Short stories, including [a] THE HOUSE OF LOST IDENTITY. A tumbled-down old Georgian house; the Other that faces the protagonist; a game of picquet; and psychological maturation. The ghost symbolizes family relationships and growth. [b] THE MANACLES OF YOUTH. 16th century Italy. A variant of the Spanish magician theme. The Gascon student falls violently in love with a Siennese woman. She sends him on three tasks, the last of which is fetching the elixir of youth. He returns as an old man. But it has all been glamour that she has thrown

CORLEY, DONALD over him. [c) THE TALE THAT THE MING BELL TOLD. The bell is connected with the soul of a mandarin's daughter. Obviously inspired by Lafcadio Hearn. * Mannered, self-conscious, and without much interest. CORNISH, GERALD WARRE (1875-1916) British writer, Biblical scholar. Killed during World War I. 436. BENEATH THE SURFACE AND OTHER STORIES Grant Richards; London [1918) Short stories, including [a) PORTRAIT OF A GENTLEMAN. Experiences immediately after death. Some psychological examination. [b) BENEATH THE SURFACE. A nouvelle that turns archeological strata into fantasy. An explorer is investigating the Euphrates, looking for the Garden of Eden. By means of psychic gifts he pierces back through time and the veil of creation and becomes one with the Tree of Life and with God himself. The description of changing states of consciousness as the traveller moves into the past is well handled, and the concept is unusual. CORY, CHARLES B[ARNEY) (1857-1921) Although negligible as a writer of fiction, a distinguished naturalist with many monographs on birds and mammals of the world. Also wrote poetry, comic opera libretti. 437. MONTEZUMA'S CASTLE AND OTHER WEIRD TALES Author's Edition [Press of Rockwell and Churchill; Boston, Mass.) 1899 Short stories, including [a) THE TRAGEDY OF THE WHITE TANKS. A curiosity dealer tells of a death by suggestion, following the bite of a defanged rattlesnake. [b) AN AZTEC MUMMY. A ghost tells how he salted a ruin with relics for a dude. [c) A LESSON IN CHEMISTRY. The ghost of a chemist demonstrates a superexplosive and tells how to make artificial diamonds. [d) AN INTERESTING GHOST. The ghost of an 18th century doctor pits germs against each other for sport. [e) STORY OF AN INSANE SAILOR. He is haunted by the ghost of a comrade whom he killed in self defence. * Stories [b), [c), [d) are linked by a hallucinogenic juju powder. * A curiosity only. Primitive stories, amateurishly told. COULDREY, OSWALD [JENNINGS) British writer, poet; perhaps a student at Oxford, perhaps resident in South India at one time. 438. THE MISTAKEN FURY AND OTHER LAPSES B. BlaCkwell; Oxford 1914 Mostly mannered and precious short stories and fables, often Classical in subject matter, with much fashionable Hellenophilia. * Including, [a) THE LOVE OFFICE. Conducting the world's romance is too much work for Love alone. An organization with palatial offices has been established. The narrator visits the offices and browses through the museum of dead loves. [b) THE LOCK-KEEPER AND THE WATER NYMPH. Erotic entanglements, including a satyr. [c) LETTERS FROM THE PHAEACIAN CAPITAL. The arrival of Odysseus as seen by the Phaeacians, who have

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COUNSEIMAN, MARY ELIZABETH a brilliant modern culture with electricity and motor boats. [d) THE MISTAKEN FURY. A senile Fury, surviving from ancient Greece, accuses a junior dean of having murdered his father. It is difficult to convince her of her mistake. [e) THE TOWER GARGOYLE. Julian becomes friendly with a gargoyle and takes it into the church. [f) THE STRANGE STORY OF JABEZ EDWARDS. He mayor may not be the incarnation of a sea power. [g) THE STORY OF THE SLEEPING VAGABOND. He mayor may not be Silenus, as tied up by Apollo. [h) LEONIDAS IN HADES, [i) CYCLOPS IN MEDITATION, [j) THE INQUISITIVE SATYR-- three short sketches as the titles indicate. * [d) is a minor classic. The other stories are trivial and overwritten. COUNSELMAN, MARY ELIZABETH (1911American (Alabama) writer, educator. Work is often regionalistic, with ante-Bellum longings. Frequent contributor to WEIRD TALES and other magazines. 439. HALF IN SHADOW Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1978 short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a) THREE MARKED PENNIES. [b) NIGHT COURT. [c) THE TREE'S WIFE. [d] THE UNWANTED. * Also, [e) THE SHOT-TOWER GHOST. (WT 1949) Fraudulent haunting. A crippled Confederate soldier leaped into the river and drowned. His ghost, according to the tall tale, repeats the feat on anniversaries. The wron~ ~host appears. [f) THE MONKEY SPOONS. (WT 1950) Antique spoons with a curse on them. The owners die suddenly, recapitulating the deaths of the original owners. And the spoons acquire mysterious engraving. [g) A DEATH CROWN FOR MR. HAPWORTHY. (WT 1948) Hapworthy is a collector of magical and folkloristic objects. A death crown, according to Mountain White folklore, is a lump of white feathers found in the pillow of a person of exceeding goodness. [h) PARASITE MANSION. (WT 1942) Sadism and psychopathology, not Counselman's usual story. Marcia, injured when her car crashes, after being shot at by the sadistic youth, is held captive by the aberrant Masons. Their problem is a very nasty poltergeist who harasses halfwitted Lollie, but Marcia works out a different solution. [i) THE GREEN WINDOW. The window was hoodooed during Civil War days, so that at each death, the circumstances of the next, future death can be_ seen in it. Told in terms of a love triangle. [j) TWISTER. The motorists on the Southern back roads are warned of a forthcoming tornado. But it never comes. A recapitulation situation, but handled with novelty. [k) A HANDFUL OF SILVER. (1967) The strange Levantine at Joe's Bar and Grill on Christmas Eve has thirty pieces of silver coinage about 2,000 years old. He tries to give them to persons in trouble, but with no success. He is the Wandering Jew, although the author seems to have confused him with the legend of Judas. * Two other stories, "The Smiling Face" and "The Black Stone Statue" are not supernatural. These are respectively a conte

COUNSELMAN, MARY ELIZABETH cruel and science-fiction of a sort. The author is most effective when dealing with local types and regionalism. Best stories are [c}, [d}, [g}. * This collection is not to be confused with the British collection of the same title but different contents. COX, ERLE (1873-1950) Australian newspaperman, writer. Well-known in 1920's and 1930's as author of OUT OF THE SILENCE (1925), fairy tale-like science-fiction in the grand manner, with superwoman surviving from ancient superior civilization. Also wrote FOOLS' HARVEST (1939), amazingly prophetic future-war novel. 440. THE, MISSING ANGEL Robertson and Mullen; Melbourne 1947 Fantasy in the manner of Thorne Smith, in an Australian setting. * Tydvil Jones, who has been crushed by a domineering mother and a bitchy Wife, rebels. He makes a compact with Nicholas Senior (a devil) and decides to have some raucous enjoyment out of life. After assorted adventures involving changes of appearance', night life, and court scenes, Jones overcomes his wife and escapes the Devil. The contract had stated that Jones would be free if he could set the Devil an impossible task. A small myth explains the title of the book: at the creation one of the angels slipped up on the task that had been set him, and as punishment was sentenced to perpetual reincarnation on earth. * Good folkways, solid characters, but somewhat strained as humor. OUT OF THE SILENCE is better. CRAM, MILDRED (1889? ) American author. Dodd, Mead; New York 441. STRANGER THINGS 1923 Short stories, including [a} STRANGER THINGS. Obviously based on the life and personality of Oscar Wilde. Cecil Grimshaw, poet and leader of an aesthetic movement, after serving a year in prison for manslaughter, falsifies his death in the Swiss Alps. He then takes up life as a French peddler, but at the same time uses his great gifts as a pop poet in low dives and cafes. In addition to the fantasy of history, a supernatural element enters after the death of Grimshaw, when he stands, invisible to all, as a spirit. [b} THE LOTUS. Mitchell, who saves the life of a Chinese shopkeeper in Hong Kong, receives a small emerald Buddha as a reward. He is followed by Oriental vengeance until he reaches his family plantation in the South and settles down. But he is discontented. An announced visitor appears: an Indian named Siddhattha, who, after some metaphysical conversation, tells Mitchell that he should lead a life of activity and improve the lot of his workers. The visitor, of course, is the Buddha. The emerald is shattered, but in • Mitchell's garden stands a beautiful, gigantic lotus plant. * A third story, "The Yellow One," is somewhat concerned with fate, but is too tenuous to be described. * Suggestive of Conrad.

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CRAWFORD, F. MARION CRAM, RALPH ADAMS (1863-1942) Distinguished American architect, historian of culture. Architect for Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Best-known books THE GOTHIC QUEST (1907), THE SUBS LANCE OF GOTHIC (1916). 442. BlACK SPIRITS AND WHITE A BOOK; OF GHOST STORIES Stone and Kimball: Chicago 1895 Short stories, including laj NO. 252 RUE M. LE PRINCE. A haunted house in Paris, once inhabited by an ancient Spanish sorcerer. One room is fitted out as a temple for magic, with pentagrams, altar, and appurtenances. The narrator spends a night there and is attacked by a gelatinous monstrosity with staring eyes. [b} IN KROPFSBERG KEEP. Germany. According to legend the keep is haunted by the ghost of Count Albert who hanged himself there. The narrator and a companion spend the night there. The narrator is awakened by the ghost, Who tries to force him to join a ghostly dance. He shoots at the ghost, and next morning finds his companion shot dead. [c} THE WHITE VILlA. Stranded travellers in Italy take refuge in an abandoned villa. While they see nothing, they hear screams and frenzied activity. A century or two earlier the owner had dueled with his wife's lover and killed his treacherous wife. [d} SISTER MADELLENA. Sicily. The convent of Santa Catarina is haunted by the ghost of a nun who had been walled up in the window where she used to meet her lover. The narrator follows the ghost and finds her remains. [e} THE DEAD VALLEY. Sweden. A supernatural version of the valley filled,with noxious gases. The narrator and a friend stumble on it and barely escape, although the friend has no memory of it. The narrator, determined to find it again, explores the hills, finds it, and once again barely escapes. Horror. * Excellent local color; transitional between the Victorian personal ghost story and the Edwardian interest in supernatural evil. CRAWFORD, F[RANCISj MARION (1854-1909) American author, born and resident for most of his life in Italy. Early occupation newspaper work in India, followed by serious study of Sanskrit and Indic culture. Very popular in his day for literate romances in colorful, exotic settings handled with scholarly care. A competent craftsman, though today his work is seen to have made too many concessions to the market. Best-known fiction A ROMAN SINGER (1884), SARACINESCA (1887), SANT'ILARIO (1889) • 443. MR. ISAACS A TALE OF MODERN INDIA Macmillan; London 1882 Crawford's first book. A fairly long novel, which, despite Indian setting, is really an English society romance. It is obviously influenced by the Theosophy of Madame Blavatsky. * Simla, 1879. Griggs, the narrator, becomes acquainted with a very interesting Oriental jewel merchant who goes by the trade name of Mr. Isaacs. Isaacs is really Abdul Hafiz, a cultured Persian who has led a colorful life, and is fully conversant with Western culture.

CRAWFORD, F. MARION Because of his wealth Isaacs is accepted in Anglo-Indian society, and he makes the acquaintance of a Miss Westonhaugh, with whom he falls in love. Before meeting Miss Westonhaugh, he had a low opinion of women, perhaps justified by the perpetual brawling of his three wives. Isaacs is willing to disband his wifery and proceeds to court Miss Westonhaugh. Isaacs is also acquainted with Ram Lal, a real mahatma who lives in Tibet and occasionally appears in astral body and works miracles. He warns Isaacs not to take Miss Westonhaugh on a proposed tiger hunt, but Isaacs is so carried away by his emotions that he ignores the advice. She dies of jungle fever. Isaacs is disconsolate, but will retreat to Tibet to study with the mahatma. * Isaacs is said to have been modelled on a historical personality. * Rather silly. The Oriental types are not handled with conviction, and the novelistic qualities are much weaker than usual with Crawford. 444. THE WITCH OF PRAGUE A FANTASTIC TALE Macmillan; London 1891 3 vol A long occult romance with semiallegorical elements. * Prague. The personalities include: the Wanderer, a nameless man, heroic in some ways but a little clouded in mind, who is looking for Beatrice, his lost sweetheart; Keyork Arabian, a gnome-like Mephistophelean character, who is working on a method for prolonging human life indefinitely; Unorna, the Witch, a beautiful young woman with incredible hypnotic and clairvoyant pONers, who is working with Arabian; the "ancient giant", a very old man whom Uno rna and Arabian maintain in a state of suspended animation, but occasionally revive to ask for supernonnal information. Unorna meets the Wanderer and falls violently in love with him, although he does not reciprocate. She tries to convince him hypnotically that Beatrice is dead, and, later, that she, Uno rna , is Beatrice. Arabian's experiment with the ancient giant proves successful; a blood transfusion from a half-mad admirer of Unorna's fills the old man with vital energy. Unorna comes upon Beatrice and tries to hypnotize her into desecrating the cathedral, but is foiled by a holy nun. At last Unorna awakens the ancient giant and asks his advice. He advises her to repent and to bring Beatrice and the Wanderer together. She does so, and as a final gesture of accommodation, drops dead. * Long, prolix, but literate, this is a novel that Marie Corel Ii might have written had she been more intelligent and a better writer. 445. THE UPPER BERTH Putnam; New York 1894 Two short stories. [a] THE UPPER BERTH. On each voyage a horror appears in Cabin 105. It is the very vigorous and malignant corpse of a suicide. [b] BY THE WATERS OF PARADISE. Described elsewhere. * The title story is one of the best material-horror stories, convincing and strong. The other story is negligible. 446. CECILIA A TALE OF MODERN ROME Macmillan; New York 1902 Society romance in modern Italy, complicated by psychological aspects of the supernatural. Two friends in Rome: Guido d'Este, morganatic

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CRAWFORD, F. MARION son of a minor, deposed king, and Lamberto Lamberti, an officer in the Italian navy. Guido has been acting as the agent for his unscrupulous aunt, the Princess Anatolie, who has so managed matters that her bad investments are counted as debts on Guido. All that will save him from the mouth of a pistol is a wealthy marriage, which he is too proud to consider. At this time Cecilia Palladio, a young heiress, comes to Rome, and the Princess and Cecilia's mother exert themselves to bring the two young people together. Unfortunately, Cecilia has been experiencing a repetitive dream for many years, and the subject of the dream is Lamberti. Lamberti, too, has had similar dreams and visions. These dreams or visions consist of memories of a life in Rome in the early 4th century A.D., when the Vestal Virgins were abolished as an institution. Cecilia had been the last vestal and Lamberti had been her would-be lover. In this life Cecilia and Lamberti are drawn to each other, but for a time each is unaware of the other's feelings. They try to resist their mutual attraction, out of fairness to Guido, but finally recognize that fate is involved and marry. * The supernatural is handled with a certain deliberate ambiguity, Crawford putting out occasional hints that a good deal of psychological projection is involved. * I have no idea whether the mores displayed fit those of upperclass Romans around 1900, but the novel is far more readable than Crawford's other novels and superior technically. 447. MAN OVERBOARD! Macmillan; New York 1903 A small volume with a single short story. * A sailor Who has been washed overboard returns as a revenant. Material horror, but effective. 448. WANDERING GHOSTS Macmillan; New York 1911 British title UNCANNY TALES. * Short stories. [a] THE DEAD SMILE. Heavy emotion, charnal horror, what with a banshee-like shrieking and a secret that must be sought in the tomb. Sir Gabriel Ockham must venture into the tomb where his wicked father's corpse lies uncoffined, brave the detached head that moves about by itself, and gain the package with the secret. The corpse smiles disquietingly until the package is removed. Incest. [b] THE SCREAMING SKULL. The skull of Dr. Pratt's wife moves about by itself, bites people, screams horribly, and rattles. The doctor had murdered his wife by pouring molten lead in her ear. The story is told in an early anticipation of stream of consciousness. [c] FOR THE BLOOD IS THE LIFE. Italy. Cristina was murdered because she chanced upon two thieves. Her ghost enters the dreams of young Angelo, attracts him to her grave, and drinks his blood. She is finished off with a stake in the traditional manner. [d] THE DOLL'S GHOST. Old Puckler, doll doctor who loves dolls, is rewarded when the ghost of a doll that he regarded tenderly leads him to the hospital where his daughter lies injured. * Also, described elsewhere, [e] MAN OVERBOARD! [f] THE UPPER BERTH. [g] BY THE WATERS OF PARADISE. * Unusual typologically.

CRAWFORD, F. MARION A skilled technician on the higher commercial levels has used the subject matter and techniques of the crude, material-horror stories of his day. * [f} is successful; the other stories are less so. CRAWSHAY-WILLIAMS [Lt. Col.} ELIOT (1879-1962) British soldier, novelist, political writer, playwright. Secretary to D. Lloyd George and Winston Churchill. Various military posts. Fairly prolific writer of satirical fiction. 449. HEAVEN TAKES A HAND A FANTASY John Long; London [1949"1 A political cartoon cast as a fantastic novel. A council meets in Heaven to decide whether the human race should be wiped out for its follies. The members are Socrates, Benjamin Franklin, Patch the Fool, Satan, the Unknown Soldier, Nell Gwyn, and a Hollywood screen star. They argue the question, watch scenes on earth by means of celestial television, but discover that their decision is not necessary. Atomic warfare has destroyed all but two humans, a boy and a girl. The council recommends sending them to the newly founded 25th universe. * Too much moral, too little story. The characters are not developed, and the situation cannot support a work of this length. THE CREEPS SERIES A series of British anthologies edited anonymously by Charles Birkin, much of whose fiction appeared in them under the pseudonym Charles Lloyd. Editorial stress was on fairly low-brow stories of horror and sadism, although stories by H. Russell Wakefield helped to raise the level of individual volumes. The following anonymous anthologies are considered here: CREEPS, THE CREEPS OMNIBUS, HORRORS, MONSTERS, NIGHTMARES, POWERS OF DARKNESS, QUAKES, SHIVERS, SHUDDERS, TALES OF FEAR, TERRORS, THRILLS. Also in the series, but undescribed are PANICS, TALES OF DEATH, TALES OF DREAD. The following works, described elsewhere, were considered by the publisher to belong in the Creeps Series: THE STRANGE PAPERS OF DR. BLAYRE, by Christopher Blayre; TALES OF THE GROTESQUE, by L. A. Lewis; DEVILS' DRUMS and VEILS OF FEAR by Vivian Meik. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY} 450. CREEPS Philip Allan; London 1932 A member of the Creeps Series, edited anonymously by Charles Lloyd Birkin. Short stories, including [a} THE RED LODGE, H. R. Wakefield. [b} "HE COMETH AND HE PASSETH BY," H. R. Wakefield. Both described elsewhere. [c} THE GHOST TABLE, Elliott O'Donnell. A heavy oaken table is animated by the spirit of a psychic experimenter. The table is malicious, even though the experimenter was not. [d} THE CHARNEL HOUSE, Philip Murray. An assistant at an anatomy school prepares bodies for the tank. He dies, but is still conscious of being prepared himself. [e} A WAGER AND A GHOST, Elliott O'Donnell. Spain. A pretended and a real ghost. [f} COCKCROW INN, Tod Robbins. Described elsewhere, in l398f. * The re-

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stories in the collection are fairly low-level horror stories and contes cruels. * The two Wakefield stories are worth reading. ma~n~ng

[ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY} 451. THE CREEPS OMNIBUS Philip Allan; London 1935 A combination volume, containing CREEPS, SHIVERS, SHUDDERS. Including, all described under the original volumes, [a} THE RED LODGE, H. R. Wakefield. [b} "HE COMETH AND HE PASSETH BY," H.R. Wakefield. [c} THE GHOST TABLE, Elliott O'Donnell. [d} THE CHARNEL HOUSE, Philip Murray. lelA WAGER AND A GHOST, Elliott"O'Donnell. [f} COCKCROW INN, TodRobbins. bins. [g} THE GHOST IN THE RING, Elliott O'Donnell. [hI THE POPLAR TREE, Philip Murray. [i} THE 17TH HOLE AT DUNCASTER, H. R. Wakefield. [j} WILD WULLIE, THE WASTER, Tod Robbins. [k} "AND HE SHALL SING.. " H. R. Wakefield. [l} WHO WANTS A GREEN BOTTLE? Tod Robbins. [m} OR PERSONS UNKNOWN, H. R. Wakefield. [n} THE THIRD COACH, H. R. Wakefield. [oJ THE CRIMSON BLIND, Mrs. H. Everett. [pI THAT DIETH NOT, H. R. Wakefield. [q} PROFESSOR POWNALL'S OVERSIGHT, H. R. Wakefield. [r} TOYS, Tod Robbins. [s} ACCUSING SHADOWS, Elliott O'Donnell. [t} THE TRUNK, Philip Murray. [u} THE HAUNTED SPINNEY, Elliott O'Donnell. [v} THE PATCH, Phil~p Murr~y. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY} 452. CRIMES. CREEPS AND THRILLS FORTY-FIVE NEW STORIES OF DETECTION. HORROR AND ADVENTURE BY EMINENT MODERN AUTHORS E. H. Samuel; London [1936} Edited anonymously by John Gawsworth (pseudonym of Terence I. F. Armstrong). * Mystery, adventure, and supernatural fiction, including [a} THE EYES OF OBI, R. Edison Page. An obi god comes to reclaim his stolen opal eyes. [b} THE SKULL, A. L. Davis. Resurrection men steal the body of an old woman and pretend a supernatural manifestation. The woman's skull retains some form of life, for it cannot stand being shut up. [c} THE NINTH YEAR, R. Edison Page. There are nine officers in an Anglo-Indian regiment, and one must die every nine years. One does, after having an affair with the wife of one of the Indian noncommissioned officers. Questionable as fantasy. [d} MURRAY'S CHILD, Richard Middleton and G. Dundas. George Murray, the once popular author, has stopped writing. Friends investigate and find that an invisible playmate takes up all his interest. Perhaps madness. • [e} THE HOUSE OPPOSITE, Oswell Blakeston. Images in the mind of a madman, who believes that he is being absorbed by the spirit of a hanged criminal. [f} DEATH FOR THE GANDER, Simon (undisclosed pseudonym). One who scoffs at ghosts pays for his jeers. The ghost of a policeman tries to help him, but it simply causes his death. [g} THE JINGLING TELEPHONE, R. Edison Page and Kenneth Jay. An innocent man, though a criminal, is hanged for a murder he did not commit. His ghost calls the chap-

CRIMES, CREEPS AND THRILLS lain and names the true murderer. [h] THE LOST MEADOW, Edgar Jepson. A strange meadow, invisible to most, and a little girl that comes from it to play with a sickly little boy. Death. [i] THE FAKIR OF TEHERAN, Frederick Carter. A somewhat confused story of visions and divine epiphanies, told by a fakir Who snooped after old gods. [j] THE SHADOW, E. H. Visiak. A novel. A reworking on a symbolic level of concepts in Captain Marryat's THE PHANTOM SHIP. The first portion of the novel is concerned with two schoolboys, Edmund Shear and Anthony Layton. Layton's great grandfather, Hamond Layton, had been a pirate, smuggler and evil man. In some odd way his influence still persists over the Layton house and Edmund is sensitive to it. As the story procedes, it becomes clear Hamond has been trapped in a situation like the Flying Dutchman's, and that in some way Shear is a reincarnation of aspects of Hamond. Shear is to work out a redemption for Hamond. Opposed to Shear is a demonic artist, Thurston, who is also a reincarnation of Hamond, in this case his evil side. Thurston acts as a force of evil on Anthony Layton and others. Edmund finally wins the battle against evil and the phantom ship is seen sinking. Hamond has been redeemed. Other supernatural aspects are a ghost and Hamond's old silk bandanna, which conveys evil. * A failed novel, unfortunately. The theme is lost amid irrelevancies and the development is very weak. CROKER, B[ITHIA] M[ARY] (n~e SHEPPARD) (c. l860? - 1920) Prolific popular British novelist around turn of century. Apparently resident in India for a time. Work heavily translated into Hungarian; perhaps of some biographical significance? 453. "TO LET" Chat to and Windus; London 1893 Short stories of Anglo-Indian life, mostly sentimental, with much Hobson-Jobson talk. * Including [a] "TO LET." The residents of the bungalow hear a crash and the sound of someone falling. Only ghosts recapitulating a by-gone crime. [b] THE KHITMATGAR. A khitmatgar is a domestic servant. About twenty years ago, an officer killed a khitmatgar by throwing a whisky bottle at him. The ghost of the khitmatgar goes about offering drinks to guests. If one accepts, one dies. [c] THE DAK BUNGALOW AT DAKOR. Two ladies spending the night there witness the ghostly reenactment of a murder. The bones are found in the proper place. [d] "IF YOU SEE HER FACE." The ghost of a dancing girl whom a rajah had tortured and killed. She appears fractionally, and if one sees her face one dies. When she manifests herself, the protagonist sees only a pair of dancing feet, with ankle rings and bells. His friend presumably saw the woman in toto, for he dropped dead. [e] THE FORMER PASSENGERS. On a previous voyage, during a storm the hatches of the liner were battened. All the passengers drowned. They can be heard at times. * Undistinguished commercial fiction of the day. [d] is much the best story in the book.

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CROSS, JOHN KEIR CROMPTON, RICHMAL (pseud. of LAMBliRN, RICHMAL CROMPTON) (1890-1969) British author of children's books and general fiction. Classical school mistress, shifted to professional writing in the 1920's. Very well-known in Great Britain for "William" stories, but little-known in America. Most popular book, JUST WILLIAM (1922) 454. THE HOUSE Hodder and Stoughton; London [ 1926] American edition entitled DREAD DWELLING. * Family problems, accounted for by the supernatural atmosphere of an ancient house. * When the Croftons buy a fine old Tudor mansion, they also acquire psychic malaise and rot, although they are (for a long time) unaware of the cause of their problems. The house evokes the worst in each of its occupants. Sister Gwenda is about to run off with a lover, abandoning her husband and children; Babs throws herself at her twin sister's fiance and tries to commit suicide when he rejects her; Mr. Crofton changes for the worst, then suddenly dies of pneumonia; Mrs. Crofton develops religious lunacy and dies. Of the family only Donald perceives that the house has caused all the evil. A check in local records reveals that the history of the house is a long successsion of suicides and unhappiness. When Donald inherits it, he puts the torch to it. * Despite the morbid developments in the latter part of the book, the overall tone is vivacious and chatty, with much amusing period slang. As life among the upper crust, well sustained. CROSS, JOHN KEIR (1914-1967) Scottish writer, anthologist, B.B.C. figure. Best-known in Great Britain for bookslf9r teenagers. Used pseudonyms Stephen MacFarlane, Susan Morley. 455 • THE OTHER PASSENGER EIGHTEEN STRANGE STORIES Westhouse; London 1944 Brittle, pointed modern work involving various aspects of horror. Only two are supernatural. Including raj CLAIR DE LUNE. The nar'rator-, greatly bored during hi~ vis-it -t~ agroup of faddist pseudo-intellectuals, sees a strange young woman on the lawn, and realizes that he had seen her ghostly hands previously. She tells him that the Black People will be coming for someone; a suicide follows. [b] ESMERALDA. Mr. Broome, a small shopkeeper, becomes more and more depressed about his dead marriage. His wife is gross and fat, and has refused to have children. As compensation Broome has created an imaginary daughter, Esmeralda, for whom he fantasizes various life patterns. He deteriorates, murders his wife; Esmeralda comes into existence, as tainted as Broome's mind. * This edition, but not the American (Lippincott) edition, has 8 colored surrealistic illustrations by Bruce Angrave. AS EDITOR: 456. BEST HORROR STORIES Faber and Faber; London 1957 Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] SKELETON, Ray Bradbury. [b].~ WATCHE~ BY THE DEAD, Ambrose Bierce. [c] BERENICE, E. A.

CROSS, JOHN KEIR Poe. [d] AUGUST HEAT, W.F. Harvey. [eJ LOT NO. 249, A.C. Doyle. [f] THE MARK OF THE BEAST, Rudyard Kipling. [g] THRAWN JANET, R. L. Stevenson. [h] "OH, WHISTLE, AND I'LL COME TO YOU, MY LAD," M. R. James. [i] HEARTBURN, Hortense Calisher. [j] OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS, Philip MacDonald. * Most of the other stories are contes cruels that are not fantastfc in our sense. CROWLEY, ALEISTER (i.e. CROWLEY, EDWARD ALEXANDER) (1875-1947) Notorious British occultist, cultist, black magician, mountain climber, poet, writer of esoteric books. ,Occult works published under many pseudonyms. Excellent account of his fascinating life in either THE GREAT BEAST by John Symonds (1951, with later revisions) or Crowley's privately printed autobiographies. 457 • THE STRATAGEM AND OTHER STORIES Mandrake Press; London [1929] Three short stories by England's Worst Man. Including [a] THE TESTAMENT OF MAGDALEN BLAIR. Married to an experimental psychologist, Mrs. Blair is a very gifted psychic with many paranormal abilities. Her husband contacts Bright's disease, and as he lies dying (and after his physical death) she observes and records what is passing through his mind. The recorded phenomena are among the most horrible in the literature, as his illness, symbolically conceived as a demon, consumes him, and as his decaying brain releases emotions and memory fragments. Horror follows horror as the compensating mechanisms that control perception of space and time fall into decay. Even after the cremation of her husband's body, Mrs. Blair continues to record his sensations as he proceeds to Universal Consciousness, which is not bliss, but a state of perpetual pain, change, and war. Mrs. Blair breaks under the strain and is now in a madhouse. * A remarkable achievement, as one of the most unpleasant stories in the genre. CULLINGFORD, GUY (pseud. of TAYLOR, CONSTANCE LINDSAY) (1907 ) 458. POST MORTEM Hammond; London 1953 Mystery story told in the supernatural mode. * Gilbert Worth, a talented and moderately successful author, suddenly finds himself dead, looking at his murdered corpse. There had been two previous attempts at his life, but the murder comes as a surprise and shock to him. He recognizes that he has always been an unpleasant man with a sharp tongue, and realizes that he has destroyed his home life by sleeping with his secretary, but murder seems to him excessive. The novel is concerned with the interactions of the various characters, who are well-drawn, and the reflections of the powerless Worth over what gradually develops. While Worth cannot communicate and cannot be perceived, except by a psychic house maid who has vague feelings of his presence, he is able to write, and he records what is going on. The solution is a surprise to him, though it may not be to the reader. More important for

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CUNNINGHAM, ALLAN Worth is a dawning recognition of his own cr~es and weaknesses and a recognition that he is in Purgatory. Before he leaves Purgatory, he manages to do one good deed. * Wellhandled, even though the mystery element is not strong. CUMMINS, HARLE OREN American writer, fl. turn of century in Boston, Mass. 459. WELSH RAREBIT TALES The Mutual Book Co.; Boston 1902 Short stories, including [a] THE FOOL AND HIS JOKE. A joker pretends to be a ghost in order to frighten a friend who has a gun loaded with blanks. It is unnerving when the "ghost" catches the bullets and throws them back. [b] THE END OF THE ROAD. The Man meets Death in human form. [c] THE WINE OF PANTINELLI. Italy. Poisoned wine. Death by suggestion. [d] THE FALSE PROPHET. France. The broken-down absinthe bum once had paranormal foresight, but he is now discredited. He shows one more flash of insight. [e] A STUDY IN PSYCHOLOGY. Dr. Van Horne hypnotizes a prisoner in death row, suggesting that he cannot die from elec'trick shock. He cannot, until the doctor releases the suggestion. [f] THE MAN WHO WAS 'NOT AFRAID. A bet. A soldier enters a tomb to take the neck-cloth off a corpse. The dead are not as dead as supposed. Rationalized. [g] THE STORY THE DOCTOR TOLD. Like Dorian Gray, the painter puts down on canvas the image of his own horrors, or conscience, and the picture haunts h~. [h] THE MAN WHO MADE A MAN. Professor Holbrok makes a man and an~ates it with electricity. But the Monster is destroyed, perhaps by divine intervention? * Trivial, florid periodical writing. The included sci,ence-fiction story "The Space Annihilator" is interesting in idea. CUNNINGHAM, ALLAN (1784-1842) Scottish poet, novelist, historical and critical writer. Best-known in the 19th century for THE LIVES OF THE MOST EMINENT BRITISH PAINTERS AND SCULPTORS, which went through many editions. Also concerned with the early 19th century revival of folkloristic studies. 460. TRADITIONAL TALES OF THE ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH PEASANTRY Taylor and Hessey; London 1822 2 vol. Although there are undoubtedly elements of Scottish and Northern English folklore in this collection, they have been so heavily elaborated and adapted that the stories are to be considered fiction. Some Early Romantic poetry is included in the stories, as is some dialect. * Including [a] EZRA PEDEN. Peden, a 17th century Presbyterian minister, is confronted by the ghost of a recently deceased Cavalier. They converse, on spiritual matters. It is observed that the wicked dead serve one another as mounts. * A fictionalization of what seems to have been a fairly common Scottish factual chapbook situation: the minister Who is confronted by the damned, whereupon they converse about life after death. [b] THE GHOST WITH

CUNNINGHAM, ALLAN THE GOLDEN CASKET. Cumberland coast. During a shipwreck, the fisherman Gilbert Gyrape, instead of saving the life of a woman who is washed ashore, murders her for her jewelry. He prospers for a time, but her ghost, in the form of a light-being, returns and has its revenge. [c] THE MOTHER'S DREAM. A mother has disturbing prophetic dreams about her son, whom she sees drowning. He has been lured onto the ice with the expectation of seeing an enchanted castle down in the waters. The lake also has its yearly quota of "sacrifices." [d] ELPHIN IRVING, THE FAIRIES' CUPBEARER. Phemie has a vision that her brother has been taken by the Fairies, who take a human once every seven years to sacrifice to the Devil. Borderline superna tural. [e] THE LAST LORD OF HELVELLYN • When the spectral ship of Solway is seen, it is a bad omen. Old Margery Forsythe, a notorious witch, warns the bridal party against landing, prophecying death. She is right. [f] fiIDtfH MACRONE THE PROPHETESS~ She prophecies evil for the newly weds, and it comes. [g] THE HAUNTED SHIPS. Two old beached hulks, which are haunted by evil water-elves. The elves animate a piece of wood and send it in human guise to Laird Laurie. A classic story that has been anthologized many times. * [g] is excellent; [a] and [b] are also good leisurely developed stories in the mildly inflated style that was fashionable. CUPPY, WILL[IAM] [JACOB] (1884-1949) American newspaperman (New York), humorist, book reviewer, anthologist. Best-known for humorous HOW TO BECOME EXTINCT (1941 and HOW TO ATTRACT THE WOMBAT (1949). AS EDITOR: 461. WORLD'S GREAT MYSTERY STORIES, AMERICAN AND ENGLISH MASTERPIECES World Publishing Co.; Cleveland, Ohio 1943 Introduction. Short stories, including described elsewhere, [a] THE SIGNAL-MAN, Charles Dickens. [b] THE LISTENER, Algernon Blackwood. [c] THE DOOR IN THE WALL, H. G. Wells. [d] THE DREAM WOMAN, Wilkie Collins. [e] THE MASQUE OF THE READ DEATH, Edgar Allan Poe. [f] THE BOARDED WINDOW, Ambrose Bierce. [g] MISS MARY PASK, Edith Wharton. [h] A MESSAGE TO LAURA, Francis Brett Young. World War I. A fiendish Hun is a patient in a hospital where Nurse Laura works. While unconscious he is mediumistic, and Laura's husband speaks through him. [i] A SHORT TRIP HOME, F. Scott Fitzgerald. College students and a crbninal who specializes in train seductions and blackmail. He appears on the train after he is dead, and the friends of the woman concerned must fight away evil. [j] THE MAGIC OF FEAR, Edgar Wallace. A Sanders of the River story. Africa. A native girl has the power to make appear before one the thing that one fears most. Her ability reveals that a visiting dignitary is a murderer. One of Wallace's better stories. * Also present is "The Iron Shroud" by William Mudford, not fantastic, but a predecessor of "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe.

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CURRAN, RONALD CURRAN, RONALD American anthologist, educator (University of Pittsburgh). Has specialized in early American ephemeral literature. 462. WITCHES. WRAITHS AND WARLOCKS SUPERNATURAL TALES OF THE AMERICAN RENAISSANCE Fawcett Publications; Greenwich, Conn. 1971 paperbound A collection of supernatural (and other) material from ephemeral sources; not all of it is American in ultimate origin. The author's introduction is oriented toward psychoanalysis. * The first section is folkloristic material, only occasionally developed into fiction, as [a] JONATHAN MOULTON AND THE DEVIL, Samuel Adams Drake. The Devil engages to fill Moulton's boots with gold pieces once a month, but Moulton cuts the bottoms out of the boots. * [b] THE DEATH WALTZ, Charles M. Skinner. At Fort Union the corpse of a rejected bridegroom appears and dances the bride to death. [c] THE LEGEND OF THE PIPE, "Launcelot." (1828) Hans Bradin has the sense to give up his tobacco to the wizard-demon Veneficus; in exchange he receives an enormous magical pipe that is always full. [d] THE MIDNIGHT VOYAGE OF THE SEAGULL, Volney E. Howard. (1842) 17th century Salem; witchcraft on board the vessel. [e] THE SPHINX, AN EXTRAVAGANZA ETCHED IN THE MANNER OF CALLOT, Anonymous. (BLACKWOOD, 1828) Derivative, as the author states, from THE GOLDEN POT by E.T.A. Hoffmann. Arnold, a student in Hamburg, buys from an old woman peddler a walking stick with a beautifully carved head. As he walks with it in the evening, he is assaulted by forces that remind him of the old woman. He loses consciousness and awakens in the castle of the beautiful Countess Cordula. He has suspicions that she is not mortal, which suspicions are verified when, in an Egyptian room, she assumes a sphinx-like position and asks him to resolve the question of identities. He flees in terror, but languishes after her; He meets her again at a costume party where Mephistopheles is present, and her supernatural nature is even more apparent. All a dream. [f] TALE OF A CONJURER, Anonymous (1833) When Lady Lynch's jewelled rosary is stolen, she consults a local conjurer in Paris. He shows her a vision of the stolen jewels, but tells her that she must not reveal her source of information, or she will die on the eighth day. True. [g] THE ENCHANTER FAUSTUS AND QUEEN ELIZABETH, Anonymous. (BLACKWOOD, 1822). Faust is giving an exhibition in magic to Queen Elizabeth, Essex, and Sidney. Her Majesty wants to see famous beauties of the past, at all of whom she sneers. When he is forced to evoke Fair Rosamond twice, there is a supernatural backlash. Humor poked at feminine jealousy. [h] THE DREAM, Anonymous (1844) Colonel B____ has prophetic nightmares about a cemetery where he sees his own name on a stone. A murderous landlord is included. [i] THE WOODEN-LEGGED GHOST, John Waters. (1840) Major Hamilton, who has a metal-shod peg leg, dies. His ghost appears to Captain Gordon and gives him very precise instructions about find-

CURRAN, RONALD ing his relicts. * Also, described elsewhere, [j] YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [k] THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW, Washington Irving. [1] THE BLACK CAT, E. A. Poe. [m] A GHOST STORY, Mark Twain. [n] RAPPACCINI'S ~UGHTER, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [0] LIGEIA, E. A. Poe. [p] RIP VAN WINKLE, Washington Irving. [q] THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, E. A. Poe. Most of the undescribed fiction is sensational in one way or another. A resourceful collection, but more editing would have helped. 463. THE WEIRD GATHERING AND OTHER TALES "SUPERNATURAL" WOMEN IN AMERICAN POPULAR FICTION, 1800-1850 Fawcett Crest; New York 1979 paperbound Poems, essays, and short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE MIDNIGHT VOYAGE OF THE SEAGULL, Volney E. Howard. [b] FAIRIES, DElLS, AND WITCHES, James Hogg. Alternate title for THE WITCHES OF TRAQUAIR. [c] FAIRIES, BROWNIES, AND WITCHES, James Hogg. Alternate title for MARY BURNET. [d] THE WATER LADY, Anonymous. Alternate title for THE 'BLACK WATER VA ULT • [e] A NIGHT ON "THE ENCHANTED MOUNTAINS," Anonymous. Alternate title for A TALE OF MYSTERY. * Also, [f] THE WITCH CAPRUSCHE, Mrs. E. F. Ellett. (1845) Pagan Denmark. Toke Jarl's wife Ruscha invokes the aid of a witch to kill him. But a potion prepared by his Finnish slave is stronger. Jarl traps his Wife, but she becomes a demon of a sort. [g] THE WITCH OF ROSEBERRY TOPPING, OR THE HAUNTED RING, Anonymous. (1835) A short Romantic Gothic novel. De Wilton experiences many sorts of supernatural horror, including a witch, phantoms that emerge from the walls, and a magic ring. But it is all fraudulent, to bring him into a political cabal to unseat the Tudors. [h] THE LAST WITCH, Clara F. Guernsey. (1873) 18th century New England? Old Lyddy Russell is believed to have bewitched young Tristram Coffin. Coffin, Sr. threatens Lyddy with a silver bullet, and the witching is removed. Later, when at sea, Coffin's ship is threatened by a supernaturally evoked storm. He fires the silver bullet at it, the storm dies, and so, it is later learned, did Lyddy Russell. [i] AUNT RACHE, Joseph R. Chandler. (1833) Aunt Rache, a colonial witch, places a successful curse on the brig. [j] THE NYMPH OF THE WATERS, Anonymous. (1826) The young Count Palatine decides to woo the Lorelei. [k] THE ENCHANTED LAKE, Anonymous,. (1828) Lake Geneva has its own siren or lorelei, and young Victor in a moment of bravado decides to meet her and tear a lock of hair from her head. He sees her, returns, but there is no returning from a third visit. Presumably folkloristic in origin, since much the same theme occurs in one of Robert Aickman's more recent stories. [1] HAMET, A TALE, Anonymous. (1812) Moralistic Oriental tale, about a young man who is conducted to a desert island by a supernatural being, and reaps a reward for his lack of faith and his insolence. [m] SEPPI, THE GOATHERD, Anonymous. (1850) Switzerland. The water fairy takes Seppi down into her abode in the lake. She warns him that he must leave immediately, or she will die. He insists on

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DACRE, CHARLOTTE staying. After a tbne he becomes bored and decides to return to earth. The fairy dies, and Seppi has been away for 80 years. [n] A SWISS LEGEND, Anonymous. (1830) Petermann the woodcutter sees dwarfs examining their treasure, and his greed is aroused. When a wandering scholar offers to help him attain the treasure, Petermann agrees. The scholar's magic opens the treasure caves, and Petermann enters-- but he must not speak a word. [0] THE THREE SWANS, Anonymous. (1828) Swan maidens. A boy is taken down into the lake to their magical apartments. When he tries to return, he drowns. [p] THE WIFE OF KING TOLV, Anonymous. Medieval Denmark. Young Hyldreda sees the marvelous train of King Tolv, the local king of the fairies, and falls under his power. He takes her away to be his queen. When her child is born, she wishes to baptise it, and he permits her to leave fairyland, but warns her, for a soul gained, a life must be lost. [q] THE MAGIC MIRROR, OR THE LADY OF THE CRYSTAL SPRING, R.W.W. Aileen, vain, selfish beauty, receives a magic mirror from the fairy Femaqua. Despite having all the advantages of a queenly state, a loving husband, and health, Aileen is not happy. The mirror shows her her soul, and she learns how to bnprove herself. [r] CROCHET, Alfred Crowquill. (1847) An ironic fairy tale of the prince Who is helped by the fairy Crochet, whose magic net comes to his assistance at the proper times. When he marries her, she loses all her magic powers except crocheting. * The title changes in [b], [c], [d], and [e] seem to be Curran's; the remaining stories have not been checked for similar alterations. * A good, resourceful collection of minor reading material of the period, although more editing would have been desirable. The editor contributes a fairly long introduction offering interpretations of motifs from what amounts to a social psychology of literature. * There are also a few very interesting stories, not supernatural, that deal with Indian-White relations.

DACRE, CHARLOTTE (1782 ? British poet, author of Gothic fiction. Popular in her day under the pseudonym Rose Matilda. 464. ZOFLOYA: OR. THE MOOR A ROMANCE OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme; London 1806 3 vol Gothic novel derivative from THE MONK by M. G. Lewis. * The setting is late 15th century Italy; the chief character is Victoria de Loredani, a beautiful, intelligent woman, unfortunately governed by passions that will stop at nothing for their gratification. The plot is a complex tale of seductions, murders, intrigues, and escapades with banditti. Supernaturalism is mostly concentrated on Zofloya,

DACRE, CHARLOTTE a mysterious Moor who is servant to Henriquez, whom Victoria is attempting to seduce. Zof10ya helps Victoria in her schemes. The end comes when Victoria, along with banditti, is trapped in a cave, surrounded by soldiers. Zof10ya promises to rescue her if she will devote herself to him. She agrees, whereupon he reveals himself as Satan and hurls her from a cliff. * A minor Gothic novel of no great literary interest, except that it seems to have been of some influence on Shelley when he was a youth. * ZOFLOYA was reprinted in 1928 by the Fortune Press (London), in a limited edition with a long, digressive introduction by Montague Summers. DAIL, C[HARLES) C[URTIS) American author; no infonnation, but presumably a Kansan. 465. WILLMOTH THE WANDERER. OR THE MAN FROM SATURN Haskell Printing Co.; Atchison, Kansas [1890) A primitive novel, borderline science-fiction. * Wi11moth, a native of Saturn, wanders about his home planet on an airchair and discovers many hitherto unknown peoples, most of whom are polygamous: savage cyclopes Who live on a great lake of milk; people created with the planet itself, Who live in the molten core; twenty-foot giants who ride flying reptiles, live 30,000 years, and are then reincarnated; rose-men who drink attar; humanoid birds; and other strange peoples. He and his mate Zea then travel to Venus, where ~hey find a very interesting water civilization, which they report on back to Saturn by means of sky-writing. With the aid of the water people of Venus, Wi11moth and Zea then visit earth, in our far past. The earth is inhabited by the Tarths, a bestial tusked race, whom the Saturnians capture and breed for docility and intelligence, ultimately producing man. After many ages pass Willmoth dies, but man is on the road to development. Atlantis is also mentioned. * Dai1's conventions are the common property of the interplanetary before Wells, a travelogue of the Solar System and an occult system of reincarnation from planet to planet. But Dai1's work is easily the most exuberant of such works. While Wi11moth's adventures are eccentric and primitive, the force of Dai1's imagination and the ingenuity with which he adapts life to its environment, make this a most interesting period piece. Charming primitive woodcuts. DALE, HARRISON (1885 ?) British anthologist. His autobiographical VANISHING TRAILS has not been available to me. AS EDITOR: 466. GREAT GHOST STORIES Herbert Jenkins; London [1930) Historical introduction, THE ART OF THE GHOST STORY by the editor. * Described elsewhere, [aj WANDERING WILLIE'S TALE, Walter Scott. [b) THE OLD NURSE'S TALE, Elizabeth Gaskell. [cJ WHAT WAS IT? F~tz-James O'Brien. [dj THE HAUNTED AND THE HAUNTERS, Edward Bu1wer-Lytton. Long version. [ej MADAM CROWL'S GHOST, M. R.

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DANE, CLEMENCE James. [f) -THRAWN JANET, R. L. Stevenson. [g) TEIG O'KANE AND THE CORPSE, translated by Douglas Hyde. [h) THE LADY'S MAID'S BELL, Edith Wharton. [i) THE UPPER BERTH, F. Marion Crawford. [j) THE .MUMMY'S FOOT, Theophi1e Gautier. [k) MAESE PEREZ, THE ORGANIST, Gustavo Becquer. [1) THE TALL WOMAN, Pedro de Alarcon. [m) THE STORY OF MING-Y, Lafcadio Hearn. * Also [n) THE CEDAR CLOSET, Lafcadio Hearn. England. Just before her wedding the bride sees a horrible ghost and hears its victim begging for mercy. A couple of years later part of the sequence is recapitulated in life. When the wing of the house is torn down, the remains of the murdered victim are found. Lady Drage did it in the 16th century. A juvenile work. [0) THE CORPSE THE BLOOD-DRINKER, translated by George Sou1ie from the Chinese; from STRANGE STORIES FROM THE LODGE OF LEISURES (1913). Wang Fou, a merchant, awakens at an inn, and finds his fellow travellers have been destroyed by a vampire. She takes after him, too. Both their corpses are found the next morning. 467. MORE GREAT GHOST STORIES Herbert Jenkins; London [1932) Introduction, ANTHOLOGISTS AND OTHER GHOULS, by the editor. * Described elsewhere, [a) IN DEFENSE OF HIS RIGHT, Daniel Defoe. [b) PETER RUGG, THE MISSING MAN, William Austin. [c) THE BOTATHEN GHOST, R. S. Hawker. [d) YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [e) THE SIGNAL-MAN, Charles Dickens. [f) THE FAMILIAR, J. S. LeFanu. [g) THURNLEY ABBEY, Perceval Landon. [h) THE OPEN DOOR, Margaret Oliphant. [i) THOUGH ONE ROSE FROM THE DEAD, W. D. Howells. [j) AFTERWARD, Edith Wharton. [k) IN THE BLACKFRIARS WYND, H. Pease. * Also, (1) THE PHANTOM REGIMENT, James Grant. (1856) Ghosts of soldiers, during the Peninsular Wars. DANE, CLEMENCE (pseud. of ASHTON, WINIFRED) (1888-1965) British mainstream novelist, playwright, miscellaneous writer. Highly regarded in the 1930's as a novelist, but now forgotten. Author of highly successful play, A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT (1921). Best-known novels THE BABYONS (1928), BROOME STAGES (1931). 468. THE BABYONS Heinemann; London 1927 A family history told in terms of the marriages and sexuality of four women, ranging from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. The mode is a muted neo-Gothic romanticism, with West Country estates, Gipsies; supernaturalism, and restricted sensationalism. The American edition (Doubleday, Doran; Garden City, N.Y.) was published in four separate, consecutively numbered volumes, titled according to the parts listed below. * [a) THIRD PERSON SINGULAR, GEORGIAN. James Babyon, wealthy young land owner is betrothed to his cousin Hariot. He does not love her, but prefers her companion Mene11a Trai11. When he learns that Hariot is periodically mad, with violent episodes, he jilts her and runs off with Mene11a. But on the eve of his marriage Hariot commits suiCide, and her ghost is always with James. Memory, but

DANE, CLEMENCE truly supernatural. * The second and third novels in the work, MIDSUMMER MEN and CREEPING JENNY, are not supernatural, although there is a minor element of folkloristic magic in MIDSUMMER MEN. * [b] IADY BABYON. EDWARDIAN. This is the fourth novel. A less rambunctious predecessor of REBECCA. The past, seen supernaturally, stands between man and wife as the family curse continues. When young Antonina Drury marries elderly Sir Nicholas Babyon, each partner is mistaken. She marries for love, but he because he misinterpreted her personality. Antonina is almost physically assaulted by the spiritual residue of Nicholas's dead mother and hears the death portent of James Babyon riding through the park, as her husband is thrown from his horse and killed. With Nicholas's death, the curse is broken, but whether through Antonina's love or extinction of the family is not clear. * Literate, stylistically interesting Art Deco romanticism. DANIELS, LES (1943American (Providence, R. I.) author. Author of COMIX, A HISTORY OF COMIC BOOKS IN AMERICA; LIVING IN FEAR, A HISTORY OF HORROR IN THE MASS MEDIA; and, beyond the time span of this volume, supernatural historical novels about a nearly immortal vampire. AS EDITOR: 469. DYING· OF FRIGHT MASTERPIECES OF THE MACABRE Scribners; New York 1976 Anthology, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE ADVENTURE OF THE GERMAN STUDENT, Washington Irving. [b] THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, Edgar Allan Poe. [c] ETHAN BRAND, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [d] SQUIRE TOBY'S WILL, Joseph Sheridan LeFanu. [e] THE UPPER BERTH, F. Marion Crawford. [f] LOST HEARTS, M. R. James. [g] THE YELLOW SIGN, Robert W. Chambers. [h] THE WILLOWS, Algernon Blackwood. [i] THE VOICE IN THE NIGHT, William Hope Hodgson. [j] AUGUST HEAT, W. F. Harvey. [k] THE EXILES' CLUB, Lord Dunsany. [1] THE CALL OF CTHULHU, H. P. Lovecraft. [m] A VISITOR FROM EGYPT, Frank Belknap Long. [n] ROPE ENOUGH, John Collier. [0] THE GRAVEYARD RATS, Henry Kuttner. [p] THEY BITE, Anthony Boucher. [q] YOURS TRULY, JACK THE RIPPER, Robert Bloch. [r] THE HOMECOMING, Ray Bradbury. [s] THE MAN WHO NEVER GREW YOUNG, Fritz Leiber. [t] LEVITATION, Joseph Payne Brennan. * The other stories are either mysteries 'or science-fiction. Illustrated by Lee Browne Coye. * A good collection of classical material, with exceptionally good headnotes. DARE, M[ARCUS] P[AUL] (1902-1962) British archeologist, folklorist, author. 470. UNHOLY RELICS AND OTHER UNCANNY TALES Arnold; London 1947 Short supernatural stories based on the experi'" ences of two antiquarians, Wayne and Granville. * [a] UNHOLY RELICS. The narrator, who is studying records of the A1bigenses in Toulouse, becomes obsessed with the notion of conveying the relics of Saints Edmund and Gilbert (which

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DARLINGTON, W. A. are in the Cathedral of St. Sernin) back to England. When he profanes the receptacles, he is assaulted by a horde of skeletons. The same thing had happened once before, centuries ago. [b] THE HAUNTED DRAWERS. When the stuffy researcher is told by a young flapper that her drawers are haunted, he nearly flips. She means a dresser in her bedroom. Investigation turns up 18th century letters from a young woman who had been betrayed by the ancestor of the flapper. [c] A NUN'S TRAGEDY. Investigation in the undercroft of an abbey turns out to be a horrible experience as Wayne and Granville are assaulted by the foul-smelling, slimy, filthy, very material ghost of a nun Who had been walled up. [d] A FORGOTTEN ITALIAN. Mrs. Shelley seems to be possessed by the spirits of great artists. Completely untutored, she paints masterpieces in various styles. [e] FATAL OAK. An oaken chair and a tobacco jar, made from the wood of a gibbet, have the power to kill evil persons Who touch them. [f] THE DEMONIAC GOAT. When Wayne and Granville read of a spectacular find of Saxon coins, they visit the finder, Who is listed by the directory of clergymen as being dead. It is revealed that he maintains life in a vampiric manner, conducts human sacrifices, worships at an old Roman altar, and kisses the posterior of a demonic goat. Thought forms and an elemental. [g] THE NYMPH STILL LIVES. Wayne tosses a coin into the well formerly sacred to the nymph Coventina. She appears and rewards him. [h] THE BEAM. A poltergeistic arm, covered with green hair, emerges from a beam taken from the home of a suicide. [i] THE HAUNTED HELMET. A suit of armor pieced together from miscellaneous components includes the grave helmet of one of the Guy Fawkes conspirators. It becomes animated on occasion. [j] THE OFFICER'S COAT. From the Napoleonic Wars. The former owner appears and expresses satisfaction that the coat will be taken care of. [k] BORGIA POMADE. The antiquaries locate a secret room in which is a beautiful Italian Renaissance jar. It had been made out of human bones, to magical rites, and conveys a supernatural skin disease. [1] AN ABBOT'S MAGIC. The ghost of a medieval abbot performs a black mass in the chapel. Records confirm his activities. [m] BRING OUT YOUR DEAD. The gifted young scholar is overenthusiastic when he steals a skull from an ossuary filled with victims of the Great Plague. The plague returns supernaturally and claims him, with cries to bring out one's dead, chalk marks on the door, and all. * The author attempts to imitate M. R. James's scholarly sophistication, but lacks the skill to do more than supply crude horror. DARLINGTON, W[ILLIAM] A[UBREY] (1890 ) C.B.E. Important British critic; also playwright, novelist (detective stories, fantasies), journalist. Editor of THE WORLD; drama critic for London DAILY TELEGRAPH for many years; London drama correspondent for the NEW YORK TIMES. Generally important in literary circles. Wellknown for dramatic version of ALF'S BUTTON.

DARLINGTON, W. A. 471. ALF'S BUTTON Herbert Jenkins; London 1919 Humorous fantasy set in circumstances of World War I. A1f and Bill, two Cockneys, are series characters of the author's. * In the trenches Private A1f Higgins, a rather stupid man, happens to rub one of his buttons. A genie appears, for the button is a remnant of Aladdin's lamp. Alf and Bill try to use the services of the genie in various small ways, but without much success. They are too stupid to recognize the implications of the situation, and the genie is hopelessly out of date in methods and materials. In addition to antics in the trenches, there is a long episode set in England, where A1f and Bill establish a sumptuous Oriental palace. The button is eventually lost. Today the military background, customs of the B.E.F., and incidents of life are much more interesting than the fantasy, which is a feeble derivative of F. Anstey's THE BRASS BOTTLE. It is somewhat surprising that a man with Darlington's credentials should have written rubbish like the three books considered here. 472. EGBERT Herbert Jenkins; London 1924 Humorous fantasy. * Egbert unintentionally insults a magician, Who transforms him into a rhinoceros. His friends put him on the stage as a performing rhino until they can find the magician and persuade him to release Egbert. 473. ALF'S NEW BUTTON Herbert Jenkins; London 1940 A sequel to ALF'S BUTTON. World War II. A1f receives from the genie a jade button which will grant him six wishp.s, one a week. A1f is ready to stop the war, ryut trivial events prevent this. His daughter makes a wish to look like a famous motion picture star, and is kidnapped by an amorous Moslem. All the wishes are wasted. * Commercial. DAVENPORT, BASIL (1905-1966) U.S. anthologist, publishing executive (Book of the Month Club); C.I.D. experience in Germany after World War II. Radio personality. AS EDITOR: 474. GHOSTLY TALES TO BE TOLD Dodd, Mead; New York 1950 Selected from the point of view of oral presentation, with introductory hints. Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE WENDIGO, Algernon Blackwood. [b] AUGUST HEAT, W. F. Harvey. [c] COUNT MAGNUS, M. R. James. Cd] THE HOUSE OF THE NIGHTMARE, E. L. White. [e] THE SCREAMING SKULL, F. Marion Crawford. [f] THE MONKEY'S PAW, W.W. Jacobs. [g] THE GENTLEMAN FROM AMERICA, Michael Arlen. [h) THE WHITE POWDER, Arthur Machen. [i] COUCHING AT THE DOOR, D. K. Broster. lj] THE YELLOW WALL-PAPER, Charlotte P. Gilman. [k] WHERE THEIR FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED, May Sinclair. [1] THE REFUGEE, Jane Rice. [m] JOHNSON LOOKED BACK, Thomas Burke. * Also, [n] WHERE ANGELS FEAR, Manly Wade Wellman. (UNK 1939) Too many suicides have taken place in the half-ruined house. Muriel and McCormack visit the house and soon note that the room they are in is trapping them. They look back to see their own corpses hanging

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DAVENPORT, BASIL on the wall. * It is difficult to see how some of these stories could be recited. 475. TALES TO BE TOLD IN THE DARK Dodd, Mead; New York 1953 Stories for narration, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS, W. F. Harvey. Earlier, shorter version. [b) SREDNI VASHTAR, Saki. [c] THE BLACK SEAL, A. Machen. [d) THE BOOK, Margaret Irwin. [e) THUS I REFUTE BEELZY, John Collier. [f) THE WHITE PEOPLE, Arthur Machen. [g) THE OPEN WINDOW, Saki. * Also [h) BY ONE, BY TWO, BY THREE, Stephen Hall. (STRAND MAGAZINE 1913) MacBane, Who studies books on magic and witchcraft at Cambridge, has sold his soul to the Devil. In exchange he acquires a demon that will kill for him, but there are occasions when Mac Bane must supply a victim or die. [i) THE CLOSED CABINET, Anonymous. Victorian origin. The Mervyn family stands under a curse. Connected with the curse is a sealed cabinet. When the cabinet opens, according to legend, the curse will depart. The woman narrator sees the cabinet open itself, Ghosts and murder paraphernalia. [j] THE CLOSED CABINET, Basil Davenport. Davenport, recognizing that [i] is cumbersome, badly plotted, and barely intelligible, has shortened the narrative greatly and reworked the story. It was not worth the effort. 476. DEALS WITH THE DEVIL AN ANTHOLOGY Dodd, Mead; New York 1958 Material based in one way or another on the diabolic bond. Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE DEVIL AND MR. CHIPS, Charles Dickens. [b] SIR DOMINICK'S BARGAIN, J. S. LeFanu. [c] ENOCH SOAMES, Max Beerbolun. [d] A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL, Lord Dunsany. [e] SATAN AND SAM SHAY, Robert Arthur. [f] THE LEGEND OF MONT ST.-MICHEL, Guy de Maupassant. [g] THE DEVIL AND THE OLD M.O\N, John Masefie1d. [h] THRESHOLD, Henry Kuttner. [i] THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER, S. V. Benet. [j] THE DEVIL, GEORGE, AND ROSIE, John Collier. [k] DEVIL PUZZLERS, F. B. Perkins. [1] NELLTHU, Anthony Boucher. [m] CAVEAT EMPTOR, L. S. de Camp and Fletcher Pratt. * Also, [n] THE BRAZEN LOCKED ROOM, Isaac Asimove (MFSF 1956) The escape clause in the bond: the protagonist must escape from a sealed chamber. He does it by means of time travel. Lo] TIME TRAMMEL~ Miriam A. De Ford. (MFSF 1956) Another escape, this time with insanity and different pro~abi1ity worlds. [p] LMPACT WITH THE DEVIL, Theodore R. Cogswell. (MFSF 1956) Krans wants to go back in time to rescue a trapped person and he needs supernatural assistance. A surprising reverse ending. [q] THE DEMON AND SIMON FLAGG, Arthur Porges (MFSF 1956) Flagg must stump the Devil for twentyfour hours. Fermat's last theorem does it. Borderline science-fiction. [r] THREES IE, T. R. Cogswell. (MFSF 1956) Gathering souls is a hard-boiled, very vulgar business operation. When the protagonist asks, as his third wish, for three more, some time-recycling is needed. Ls] A BARGAIN IN BODIES, Moses Schere. (UNK 1943) A murderer must carry an invisible corpse on his shoulders while a mocking devil, visible

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to everyone, accompanies him. When a wellwisher seizes the devil's power-token and tries to remedy matters, the change is slight. [t] HELL-BENT, Ford McCormack. (MFSF 1951) The young hoodlum agrees to the Devil's wish:.never to do good. The reward: a good job in Hell. [u] THE DEVIL WAS SICK, Bruce Elliott. (MFSF 1951) Around 4500 A.D., when almost all the topics for doctoral theses have been used up, a student investigates black magic and evokes a devil, who is bmnediately paralyzed with a ray gun and hauled off by psychiatric robots. The devil emerges from the treatment as an angel. * The Dr. Faustus chapbook and a couple of folkloristic items are also included. * Of the new material [q] and [r] are best. DAVIDSON, AVRAM (1923) Prominent modern science-fiction author, onetime editor of MFSF (1962-4), winner of both Hugo and Edgar awards. 477. OR ALL THE SEA·S WITH OYSTERS. Berkley Publishing Corp.; New York [1962] Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] OR ALL THE SEAS WITH OYSTERS. [b] MY BOY FRIEND'S NAME IS JELLO. [c] DAGON. [d] OR THE GRASSES GROW. * Also [e] SUMMERLAND. (MFSF 1957) A seance, a spirit talks of fire-which the medium interprets as his earthly demise. The narrator knows better. Twist ending. [f] GREAT IS DIANA. (MFSF 1958) Ponderings on polymastia, breast fetishi~, and an 18th century British traveller in the Near East. Taylor, the traveller, is a lecherous breast fetishist, but he has the misfortune to encounter Diana of Ephesus. [g] I DO NOT HEAR YOU, SIR. (MFSF 1958) Milo Anderson, swindler and confidence man, owns an 18th century anticipation of the telephone. It operates with Leyden jars on a semi-supernatural basis. He speaks with Washington, Franklin, Burr, Arnold, looking for a way out of his predicament, but he is still a crook. [h] AUTHOR, AUTHOR. (MFSF 1959) Rodney Stirrup, decayed author of detective stories, suffers a royalty cut from his publishers. The public is tiring of fiction where the butler did it and the county families are all halfwits. It is Stirrup's misfortune to meet the butlers and the county. [i] THE MONTAVARDE CAMERA. (MFSF 1959) Collins buys from Mr. Azel (presumably the demon Azazel) the camera once owned by the great photographer Montavarde. It handles light miraculously, but what he photographs is soon destroyed. Montavarde was notorious for morbid subjects, like Black Masses. [j] THE WOMAN WHO THOUGHT SHE COULD READ. (MFSF 1959) Childhood in the slums with Mrs. Grummick, who reads the future in dried beans. Tragedy comes from following her advice, for she is not precise enough. A gem. [k] NEGRA SUM. (MFSF 1957) An ancient charm that arouses the sensation of beauty. * Excellent stories. New ideas, good detail. Also present is "The Golem," s-f of a sort. DAVIES, FRED British author, presumably Welsh; no information. 478. THE STRANGER AND SOME OTHERS A VOLUME OF

DAWSON, EMMA STORIES GRAVE AND GAY Palatine Books Co; Blackpool and London 1927 A privately published volume of amateurish short stories. [a] THE STRANGER. A haunted house, a vision of murder in the past, and a skeleton that corroborates the vision. [b] ATONEMENT. Recompense for cruelties done during a previous, Roman incarnation. [c] EMPEROR BILL-- A FANTASY. Bill, an average Cockney, is struck on the head and becomes Caesar of the land of Uncon-Shus. He lives riotously, but is killed during a revolution and awakens in a hospital. [d] THE AWAKENING. A dead mate appears to meet a dying person. Reunion. * Also present is a seemingly unknown Sherlockian parody, "The Great Pudding Mystery." Of no particular interest. DAWSON, EMMA [FRANCES] (1851-1926) American (San Francisco) poet, fiction writer. Friend of Ambrose Bierce's, who regarded her work highly. According to legend she died of starvation, but this (to my knowledge) has not been documented. 479. AN ITINERANT HOUSE AND OTHER STORIES William Doxey; San Francisco 1896 Short stories, including [a] AN ITINERANT HOUSE. A recurrent supernatural situation based on the historical fact that houses were moved from building site to building site in the early days of San Francisco. An attempt to revive a person seemingly dead; the words "Better dead than alive" are thoughtlessly spoken within the hearing of the seemingly dead person. She revives and drives the onlookers away. The situation is repeated several times as the house moves about the city. Suicides. [b] SINGED MOTHS. The three sisters fall in love with their roomer, Mr. Orne, who writes poetry to them and gives them jewelry. But the morning after All Souls' Eve, an Irish servant discovers that her fears were correct: Orne was the Devil. The sisters are dead and their jewelry is dust. [c] A STRAY REVELER. On his death the artist Penniel leaves all his property to the golddigger Aura on condition that she preserve a certain rope. Among the bequest is a painted screen with a fantastic picture on it. Aura looks behind the screen and sees a rotting corpse. In a moment of folly she burns Penniel's rope and dies of supernatural strangulation. Penniel had committed suicide with the rope. [d] THE DRAMATIC IN MY DESTINY. A long complex story about the San Francisco Chinatown, with opium visions and supernatural experiences. After a prologue, the story shifts to semidramatic form. Rhys, who is studying Chinese, learns that Si-ki has insulted Elinor, Rhys's friend. He beats Si-ki, who in revenge poisons Elinor. Rhys thereupon searches Chinatown for Si-ki amid death portents, doppelgangers, mirror visions, .and anticipatory dreams. Unusual in conveying a drug atmosphere, but not too clear. [e] A GRACIOUS VISITATION. Mrs. Trevelyan, the widow of a sea captain, is intensely interested in old Russian San Francisco. One night she is unexpectedly visited, at dusk, by five Russian sea-faring men. They show her marvelous artifacts, and she reciprocates. They

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tell long stories of shipwreck, piracy, and revolution. Later she learns that the sailors had been ghosts and that they had come to her house to discourage murderous burglars. Possibly Dawson intended this story to be the frame for a cycle of stories, but did not develop it completely. [f] A SWORN STATEMENT. Told by a man servant. His master, Mr. Audenfried, is carried off by a lady ghost who has been haunting him. Presumably he had betrayed her. One more disappearance. [g] "THE SECOND CARD WINS." Suicide. Hindu magic in the background, a magic fan. The protagonist laughed at the rope trick and offended a magician. [g] "ARE THE DEAD DEAD?" A haunted house where the ghost club meets. The narrator sees the ghosts of two persons recently deceased. * Told in an elaborate fin de siecle manner, with a compulsive flow of rich detail that sometimes obscures important points. The stories are often interrupted by competent, traditional poetry. Unusual and worth reading, despite flaws of presentation. DAWSON-SCOTT, C[ATHERlNE] A. (1868 - 1934) British novelist, anthologist (with Ernest Rhys). 480. THE HAUNTING Heinemann; London 1921 Announced as one of a series of four novels based on the handicaps of life, this one being the "inexplicable," Regionalistic psychological novel, with some sensationalism, much like comparable work by Eden Phillpotts. * Cornwall, premodern times, perhaps mid 19th century. Gale and Pascoe Corlyon are half-brothers. Gale, the older, is a prosperous local businessman. Pascoe has wandered around the world, striking semishady deals on the advice of Gale. Gale, who is something of a miser, has assumed that the profits of Pascoe's legwork and his own brain are family property, and thereby his, since he is head of the family. It comes as a surprise when Pascoe demands a settlement, claiming all the money he has sent home. Gale's reluctance to release the money and other property finally ends in his poisoning Pascoe (by an impossible means, unfortunately) and concealing the body in a sea cave that connects with his house. Gale then becomes a haunted man. First he sees visions of the flask of liquor that conveyed the poison, but soon he undergoes a full haunting by Pascoe. His character degenerates and he decides to drown in the sea cave. It is never quite clear whether the haunting is genuine or whether it merely symbolizes memory and conscience. There is also some folkloristic magic. * Competent commercial. DEARMER, GEOFFREY (18937 ) British poet, novelist, playwright. 481. THEY CHOSE TO BE BIRDS Heinemann; London [1935 ] A "lesson novel" written to show the interdependence of science and religion. A biologist an~ a preacher cannot agree on purposes and means in the universe. The Sorrels, demigods who rule earth, transfer the personality of one into a parrot and the other into a new situation.

DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE Both grow spiritually and come to agreement. Entertainingly handled, despite the mawkish message.

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DE CAMP, ETTA (1866 7) American writer, obviously interested in Spiritualism. 482 • RETURN OF FRANK STOCKTON STORIES AND LETTERS WHICH CANNOT FAIL TO CONVINCE THE READER THAT FRANK R. STOCKTON STILL LIVES AND WRITES THROUGH THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF MISS ETTA DE CAMP Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply Co.; New York 1913 Like the "Patience Worth" stories and STRANGE VISITORS by A Clairvoyant, this is material which the author claims was received through mediumship. * Including [a] WHAT BECAME OF THE GHOST OF MIKE O'FLYNN. O'Flynn's ghost watched its own funeral and then disappeared. Perhaps it crept into the grave to sleep. [b] THE MAN WHO ALWAYS TURNED UP.. Along the New England seacoast a spectral sailor's mien and gestures indicate weather and the size of fishing catches. Only a boy can see him. [c] THE WIDOW HE LOST. Rome. Mr. Blackstone, enthusiastic amateur archeologist, breaks into a newly investigated dig and finds himself in a strange royal court, which is a mixture of past and present. He has a romance with the queen, but he is found, unconscious from an earthquake. * Not very much like Stockton's work. DE CAMP, L[YON] SPRAGUE ) (1907 Major America" science-fiction and fantasy writer. One of the formative personalities in the development of pulp science-fiction and of the modern novel of fantastic adventure. Work is characterized by good humorous touches, originality, logical power and exactness. Author of standard biography of H. P. Lovecraft. Excellent popularizer of science, with LOST CONTINENTS (1954, best study of the Atlantis concept), THE ANCIENT ENGINEERS (1963). Some of his books are carried as collaborations with Fletcher Pratt (under Pratt). 483. THE UNDESIRED PRINCESS AND MR. ARSON Fantasy Publishing Co., Inc.; Los Angeles 1951 A novel and a short story. [a] THE UNDESIRED PRINCESS. (UNK 1942) Fantastic adventure in an other-world based on classical logic. * Rollin Hobart, whose hobby is puzzle-solving, is shifted supernaturally to the world of Logaia, which conforms to the rigid categorizations of language or classical logic, without gradations. If, for example, a person is a boy he remains a boy in all cliched aspects until, in an instant, he becomes an adolescent, with all traditional characteristics. Sustaining this world is a being called the Nous, Whose decrees shape everything. He happens to be the pre-Socratic philosopher Zeno. * Hobart immediately finds himself cast as a champion to save the beautiful, intelligent, and virtuous princess Argimanda from an androsphinx. On the adventure level Hobart defeats the androsphinx by out-arguing and out-puzzling it and is automatically considered the princess's fiance.

DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE So far the story has been very entertaining, but now Hobart undertakes a long journey among ethnographic barbarians to retrieve the princess, who has been kidnapped. He rescues her, meetsZeno, whose paradoxes he solves, and learns, to his dismay, that he is Zeno's successor. But there is a way around this, and he returns to New York, where he finds the beautiful Argimanda, whom he did not appreciate sufficiently in Logaia. [b] MR. ARSON. (UNK 1941) A correspondence course in Paracelsian magic results in the accidental evocation of a fire elemental, who proves to be a great nuisance. * [a] is amusing and ingenious for the first half of the story. 484. THE TRITONIAN RING AND OTHER PUSADIAN TALES· Twayne Publishers; New York 1953 A novel and three short stories set in an imaginary Bronze Age Western Europe and now submerged Atlantic islands. The place names are variants of early Greek designations for Spain and nearby regions. Fantastic adventure. * [a] THE TRITONIAN RING. (TWO COMPLETE SCIENCE FICTION ADVENTURE BOOKS 1951) Novel. The gods, who are various sorts of biological monstrosities, are worried. Doom is hanging over them, in some away connected with the continent of Poseidonis and with Prince Vakar of Lorsk. The continent must be sunk and Vakar must be killed. Vakar is informed of his peril, and sets out on a.quest to prevent the destruction of his land and his own death. He runs through a range of swo·rd-and-sorcery adventures, including magic of various sorts, reptiles Whose glance paralyzes, cannibals, utopian savages, Amazons, "zombies," etc. He learns that his goal is the ring once owned by the king of Tritonia. Since it is meteoric iron, it has the power to undo almost any sorcery. Vakar gets the original meteorite from which the metal for the ring was taken, a beautiful Wife, and a kingdom. But the ocean islands must still sink. [b] THE STRONGER SPELL. (MFSF 1953) Tavern quarrels between priests from Setesh (Egypt) and a renegade Druid who has invented a primitive gun. Also a gigantic invisible snake. [c] THE OWL AND THE APE. (IMAGINATION 1951) Gezun, a magician's apprentice, is sent to an auction to buy a remarkable document. The bidders are forced to wear animal masks. Taking the manuscript home is a matter of magic, life, and death. [d] THE EYE OF TANDYLA. (FANTASTIC ADVENTURE 1951) Derezong Tash, court master magician, is ordered by his whimsical and bloody master to fetch the giant gem set in the idol of Tandyla, in a neighboring kingdom. Stealing the eye is strangely easy, but putting it back is very difficult. Demons. 485. SOLOMON'S STONE Avalon Books; New York 1957 Humorous fantastic adventure. (UNK 1942) * An invocation that is performed as a joke to frighten a friend results in the appearance ~f Bechard, a real demon. Bechard has a yen to try human life. He drives Prosper Nash's psyche into the astral world and takes over Nash's body. The story is concerned with Nash. Nash finds himself in a riotous world which is

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DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE peopled by the wish-fulfillment projections of earth people. He himself is a swashbuckling 17th century French demi-rogue, while his earth friends (who do not know him in the otherworld) are variously a lecherous and bloodthirsty Turkish sultan, a Western gunfighter, a black magiCian, etc. At the moment the astral world is undergoing problems with the Arries, nasty projections from Bundists in Yorkville. Nash (as de Neche) has adventures back and forth, duelling, rescuing a kidnapped woman, disposing of a harem, fighting Arries, etc. until he learns that he must return to our world, or else his body will die. He and friends capture the stone of Solomon (which permits transfer from one world to another) and Nash straightens out things. In the process he must leave his girl friend in the astral world, but he is now studying magic in order to return to her. * Amusing in spots, but now too obviously contrived and somewhat dated. The UNKNOWN text was read. 486. THE RELUCTANT SHAMAN AND OTHER FANTASTIC TALES Pyramid Books; New York paperbound Short stories. [a] THE RELUCTANT SHAMAN. (THRILLING WONDER 1947) Virgil Hathaway, alias Chief Soaring Eagle, a Penobscot Indian from Maine, runs a tourist souvenir shop. A Seneca Who is passing through leaves in Hathaway's charge a group of Iroquois supernatural beings called Gahunga. They are about two feet tall, can vanish, and throw stones like poltergeists. They cause trouble, and Hathaway has to invoke his own dei ties. [b] THE HARDWOOD PILE. (UNKNOWN 1940) The Norway maple planted by Rudli a century earlier is cut into lumber. The dryad associated with the tree objects violently and supernaturally when the wood is to be sold. [c] NOTHING IN THE RULES. Described elsewhere. [d] THE GHOSTS OF MELVIN PYE. (THRILLING WONDER 1946) Pye, during his life, was a split personality. He now manifests himself as two diSSOCiated, opposed ghosts, against whom exorcisms do not work. [e] THE WISDOM OF THE EAST. (UNK 1942) Alan Bennett (the name is presumably an odd quirk of memory on the author's part) chases after Indian occultism. After attending lectures given by a benevolent practitioner of Hatha yoga, Bennett has the misfortune to become entangled with a left-hand Tantrist. Mantras playa large part in the story, particularly those that are inaudible. [f] KA THE APPALLING. (FANTASTIC UNIVERSE 1958) Swords-andsorcery adventure set in a land modelled after Ancient Egypt-- with some changes. Gezun of Poseidonis, to escape lynching because he killed a sacred cat, takes refuge with a professional thief. They plan a racket: become rich by creating a new religious cult with the most horrible god conceivable. They are too successful, for the god comes to life. [g] MR. ARSON. Described elsewhere. * Best stories are [b], [c]. Backgrounds are particularly interesting, with Indian lore in [a], and the workings of a lumber yard in [b], plus well-handled humor.

DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE AS EDITOR: 487. SWORDS AND SORCERY Pyramid Books; New York 1963 paperbound Introduction. Heroic fantasy for the most part. Described elsewhere. [a] DISTRESSING TALE OF THANGOBRIND THE JEWELLER, Lord Dunsany. [b] SHADOWS IN THE MOONLIGHT, R. E. Howard. [cJ THE DOOM THAT CAME TO SARNATH, H.P P. Lovecraft. Cd] HELL SGARDE, c. L. Moore. [e1 THE TESTAMENT OF ATHAMMAUS_, Clark Ashton Smith. * Also, [f] THE VALOR OF CAPPEN VARRA, Pou1 Anderson. (FANIASTIC UNIVERSE 1957). Norse setting. Cappen Varra, minstrel from the south, ventures into a troll's lair to beg fire and rescues a princess. Nicely done. [g] THE CITADEL OF DARKNESS, Henry Kuttner. (STRANGE STORIES 1939) Derivative from the work of R. E. Howard. Prince Raynor is travelling with a Nubian companion and the Lady Delphia, when she is stolen away by a local warlord. An ancient Wizard, Ghiar, offers Raynor magical aid to free Delphia, but the wizard wants her for his own purposes: renewal of youth. Raynor must penetrate Ghiar's magical citadel. Also astrological elements. [h] WHEN THE SEA KING'S AWAY, Fritz Leiber. (FANTASY MAGAZINE 1960) In the Nehwon series. Fafhrd insists that once every seven years the Sea King travels to the other end of the world, leaving his wives and concubines free to find mortal lovers. This is the day. Fafhtd and the Gray Mouser descend into an airtube into the sea, come to underground caverns, pass certain guards (including an octopus that fences with four swords), and enjoy the queens before the sea comes in. Done with Leiber's usual originality and lightness of touch. 488. THE SPELL OF SEVEN STORIES OF HEROIC FANTASY Pyramid Books; New York 1965 paperbound Introduction WIZARDS AND WARRIORS by de Camp. * Described elsewhere, [a] THE DARK EIDOLON, Clark Ashton Smith. [b] THE HOARD OF THE GIBBEL INS , Lord Dunsany. [c] MAZIRIAN THE MAGICIAN, Jack Vance. [d] SHADOWS IN ZAMBOULA, R. E. Howard. * Also [e] BAZAAR OF THE BIZARRE, Fritz Leiber. (FANIASTIC UNIVERSE 1963) In the Nehwon series. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are commissioned by their respective wizard (or monster) sponsors to end a great menace that has come to the land. These are the Devourers, who come from another universe with shoddy merchandise and remarkable glamour. Both men undergo wonderful adventures in the Bazaar of the Bizarre. A very amusing, imaginative attack on hucksterism in terms of fantasy. [f] THE HUNGRY HERCYNIAN, L. S. de Camp. (UNIVERSE 1953) Dash-around adventures involving characters and background from THE TRITONIAN RING. Supernaturalism is present in spells of various sorts. [g] KINGS IN DARKNESS, Michael Moorcock. (SCIENCE FANIASY 54, 1962) E1ric the albino magician with the magical sword and his companion Moorg1um foolishly venture into the kingdom of the Orgians. Fantasy involved includes ghouls, reanimation of the dead, magical drugs. * Of the new material, [e] is best. [f] and [g] are not among the best work of either man.

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DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE AND PRATT, FLETCHER WITH PRATT, FLETCHER: Biographical infonnation about Pratt is provided in alphabetical location. * The de Camp-Pratt collaboration was a fortunate one, in that each author compensated for the weaknesses of the other. Pratt provided imagination and background, while de Camp provided rigor and a livelier style. 489. THE INCOMPLETE ENCHANTER HoI t; New York [ 1941] Two short novels. Revised versions of [a] THE ROARING TRUMPET (UNK 1940) and [b] THE MATHEMATICS OF MAGIC [UNK 1940). They are excellent examples of light fantastic adventure in the UNKNOWN pattern-- a rational ordering of the supernatural, combining the freedom of fantasy and the relative rigor of sciencefiction. * Reed Chalmers has worked out a theory that it is possible to transport oneself to alternate worlds with different natural laws. The theoretical basis for this is the concept that there is an infinity of possible worlds, and that our presence in any particular one is due to our mental set. Change the set, and it is possible to enter a different world. Modified Fichte. * In [a] Harold Shea, a psychologist friend of Chalmers's, wishes to enter the world of the Irish heroic cycles, but instead finds himself in an ancient Norse world during the Fimbu1winter, just preceding Ragnarok. He finds himself in the perilous company of the Norse gods, scorned, but occasionally useful. He attends Thor, Odin, and Loki to the house of Utgard1oki, as in the Eddas, and is responsible for the retrieving of Thor's stolen hammer. When he is captured by fire giants, he discovers that magic really works in this world, and becomes a proficient wizard. Just before Ragnarok he is tossed back to our world. * In [b] Shea and Chalmers decide to visit the world of Spenser's FAERIE QUEENE. They are caught in the middle of a war between the evil enchanters and F1oriana's court paladins and white magicians. Personalities include the Amazon Britomart, the evil magician Busyrane, the wood-girl Be1phebe (whom Shea wins as a wife), and others from Spenser's epic, Without, however, the allegory. After chases, escapes, perils, monsters, enchantments, Shea and Be1phebe are precipitated back in our world, while Chalmers remains, hoping to work out a general theory of magic and work some private magic of his own. The best portion of the book is the description of a magicians' convention, in parody of a scientific convention. * Ingenious, light, good quality commercial fiction with much research and thought behind it. Continuations are to be found in 491 and 492. 490. THE CARNELIAN CUBE A HUMOROUS FANIASY Gnome Press; New York 1948 Another exploration of the concept of parallel worlds, but here the intention is working out extreme social and philosophical tendencies in individual cultures. The total adventure is probably science-fiction of a sort, but the inciting object that precipitates Arthur Finch into alternate worlds is magica1-- a carnelian

DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE AND PRATT, FLETCHER cube with an Etruscan inscription. The first society that Finch visits is a world of pragmatics and rationalism, where bankers and politicians control most aspects of life. Finch is too irrational to fit. The second world is one of violent individualism, with fascistic gangsters as overlords. Finch becomes a member of a mob~sponsored literary society, but again cannot conform. He tries next a world of science, which is equally inhospitable, and then sets off for new, uncharted worlds. * Each of the three worlds is ingeniously contrived and the adventures are welladapted to their environment, but the reader must be prepared to have his credulity strained, perhaps because of lack of unity. 491. THE CASTLE OF IRON A SCIENCE FANTASY ADVENTURE Gnome Press; New York [1950] Sequel to THE INCOMPLETE ENCHANTER; expanded from the version in UNKNOWN (1941). * Shea and Chalmers continue their adventures. In Spenser's world Chalmers had fallen in love with Florimel, a young woman made of snow; he wants to transform her into a real woman. The magic of Spenser's world is not adequate for this, and he shifts to the world of Ariosto's ORLANDO FURIOSO. There, at the iron castle of the great magician Atlantes, he summons Belphebe and Shea to help him. Belphebe coalesces with Belphegor, a local variant of herself, and has no memory of her earlier life with Shea. Shea and two others are first trapped in the world of Coleridge's Xanadu, but Shea, too, finally arrives in Ariosto's magical world. There is no point in detailing the plot, which is very complex, beyond saying that Belphebe regains her memory and Merlin helps in the establishment of a flesh-and-blood Florimel. A werewolf is also involved. * By now the device has become mechanical and tired, particularly in this longer version of the story. * The series is further continued in WALL OF SERPENTS. 492. WALL OF SERPENTS Avalon Books; New York 1960 Sequel and conclusion to THE CASTLE OF IRON. * Fan~astic advent~re. Two short novels slightly revised into one. Original components as [a] [THE] WALL OF SERPENTS. (FANTASY FICTION 1953). Shea and Belphebe decide to rescue the two men who are still trapped in the world of Xanadu. Their best recourse is to return to another magic world and enlist the aid of a friendly enchanter. They select the world of the Kalevala, with Vainamoinen, but when they arrive in the ancient Finnish world they become involved with Lemminkainen, who is skilful as a magician, but egotistical, selfish, and tricky. Lemminkainen agrees to rescue the men trapped in Xanadu, if Shea and the others help him in his feud with the men of Pohjola. They advance by reindeer sleigh through magical barrier after barrier (including the wall of serpents) until they reach Pohjo1a, but there things go wrong. While Lem·,minkainen escapes, the others are captured. When danger threatens, Shea works magic and he, Belphebe and Pete the cop are transferred

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DEFOE, DANIEL into • • • [b] THE GREEN MAGICIAN. (BEYOND 1954). This is the world of the Ulster Cycle of Ireland, with the hero Cuchulain. (What happened to the fourth character, Bayard, is not revealed.) It is a rude and primitive world, of high and bloody heroes and very skilled Druids. Shea and party become friendly with Cuchulain and decide to save him from the death that his enemies plan for him. The background includes much incidental magic, geases galore, and a visit to the land of the Sidhe by Shea. Shea returns with a very potent Druid who transmits the three associates back to earth. The Sidhe, incidentally, are the Tuatha de Danaan, and live in an other-world. * A praiseworthy attempt is made to describe the culture of each world properly, and the adventures (allowing for pulp demands) are consistent with the culture. While characterizations are a little weak, the book as a whole is enjoyable. The best of the five adventures of Shea, however, is the first, THE IRON TRUMPET. DE COMEAU, ALEXANDER British author. Nothing known. 493. MONK'S MAGIC Methuen London 1931 Fantastic adventure, magic and love in medieval England and Germany. The exact date is not clear, but perhaps the 14th century. J. B. Cabell is the immediate prototype, but without the allegorical message. * Brother Dismas, a lay brother skilled in magic, is trying to find the elixir of life for his ruling abbot. After his latest experiment fails and there is the danger of an inquisition, he leaves the monastery on a quest. He reasons that if the men Who have written the texts he used had been successful, they would still be living, and it should be possible to ask their advice. Along the way of his quest he meets Radegonde, a young woman masquerading as a youth, and singly and together they undergo a wide range of supernatural and neo-Gothic adventures: Gipsies, robber barons, magic tokens, ghosts, magical treasure hunting, human sacrifice, a Black Mass, a witch's coven, a visit to the land of the dead, and similar motifs. Dismas learns that his quest is a chimera and returns to England, where he marries Radegonde. The almoner of the monastery receives immortality of a sort from the Devil. * Light, amusing, fluent, if a little jumpy in artificial climaxes. DEFOE, DANIEL (1659-1731) British author, well-known for ROBINSON CRUSOE, MOLL FLANDERS and a seemingly endless production of pseudo-factual accounts, political journalism, pamphlets of various sorts, and miscellaneous writing. Defoe's supernatural "fiction" is not formal fiction, but is usually anecdote included as an educational device in journalistic studies of supernatural topics presented as divinity. Like most of his other work, it is probably a blend of "factual" material (i.e. contemporary folklore, rumor, journalistic hoax) and imagination.

DEFOE, DANIEL 494. A TRUE RElATION OF THE APPARITION OF ONE MRS. VEAL. THE NEXT DAY AFTER HER DEATH; TO ONE MRS. HARGRAVE AT CANTERBURY THE 8TH OF SEPTEMBER 1705 B. Bragg; London 1706 wraps Strictly speaking, THE APPARITION OF MRS. VEAL does not belong in this study, but it has been treated as a work of fiction so long and anthologized as fiction so frequently, that its omission would distort the history of the ghost story. Defoe's account is apparently an accurate rendering in pamphlet form of an incident that took place in Canterbury, when Mrs. Henry Bargrave, a woman given to psychic experiences, announced that she had spoken to her dead friend, Mrs. Veal. There are other contemporary accounts of the incident, and according to a Latin note in a copy of the fourth printing of the pamphlet, Mrs. Bargrave considered Defoe's version satisfactory, even though he does not seem to have interviewed her. According to Defoe, Mrs. Veal's ghost appeared and proceeded to lecture Mrs. Bargrave about the afterlife, ending with a puff for a theological tract by Hugh Drelincourt. * The full text is seldom reprinted, except in Defoe's collected works. The preface is usually omitted and the theological elements are cut in varying degree. Various short titles have been used: MRS. VEAL, THE APPARITION OF MRS. VEAL, etc. 495. TALES OF PIRACY. CRIME, AND GHOSTS Penguin Books; New York [1945] paperbound Edited by Carl Withers, folklorist and authority on children's games. * This collection, is not, of course, a first edition of these stories, but it is the first modern theme selection from Defoe. Some of the pieces are very short. * Including [a] THE GHOST IN ALL THE ROOMS. A gang of burglars are frustrated by a supernatural warning. On breaking into a house they find in each room the same apparition, an old man seated in a chair. [b] THE SPECTRE AND THE HIGHWAYMAN. A highwayman sees a supernatural figure which warns him of misfortune. [c] THE CLERGYMAN AND THE MISSING DEED. A clergyman sees a ghost, which tells him how to find a missing document that will set matters right in the ghost's family. [d] A STRANGE EXPERIENCE OF TWO BROTHERS. Two brothers quarrel over a woman and are about to duel when they are confronted by the ghost of their father, who is not dead. Swarth. [e] THE DEVIL FROLICS WITH A BUTLER. A butler falls afoul of the supernatural and is annoyed by a ghostly force. He hesitates to apply remedies advised by a professedly friendly unearthly visitor. [f] THE APPARITION OF MRS. VEAL. Described elsewhere. [g] THE DEVIL AND THE WATCHMAKER. A watchmaker tries to hang himself. When friends and relatives try to cut him down before he strangles, they are forestalled by a stranger Who pretends to be helping them, but is actually hindering them. The stranger is presumably the Devil. [h] A GHOSTLY ACCUSER. During a trial the defendant addresses a person whom no one else can see, and thereby reveals his guilt as a murderer. Defoe

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DEHAN, RICHARD explains the ghost as a projection of conscience. [i] A PROFITABLE GHOST. An old gentleman who wants a building razed falsifies a haunting and tricks treasure-hunters into tearing the building down. [j] THE HAMS AND THE QUAKER. An amusing story of a thief Who is caught in a Quaker's house and pretends to be the Devil. The Quaker orders him out. [k] THE FORTUNE'r"ELLER AT BRISTOL FAIR.. At the wish of the local doctor a fortunetel1er stages a false haunting to force a young man to marry a pregnant woman he has seduced. * The individual stories come from the following sources: [a], [c], [d], [h], [i] come from THE SECRETS OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD DISCLOS'D, OR AN UNIVERSAL HISTORY OF APPARITIONS (1727), first written under the pseudonym Andrew Moreton, usually reprinted as THE HISTORY OF APPARITIONS or similar short title. [g] comes from THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE DEVIL (1726). [k] comes from A SYSTEM OF MAGICK, OR A HISTORY OF THE BLACK ART (1728). All these stories originally appeared as untitled anecdotes buried in a continuous exposition. The titles applied to them are not Defoe's. * Probably fiction based on folkloristic elements. DEHAN, RICHARD (pseud. of GRAVES, CLOTILDE I. M.) (1863-1932) British playwright, author of popular fiction. 496. OFF SANDY HOOK AND OTHER STORIES Heinemann; London [1915] Short stories, including [a] A SPIRIT ELOPEMENT. A new bride discovers that whenever her husband sleeps his dreams are projected and materialize as a spirit (Katie) Whom he had met at a seance. There is little that can be done about it, until the wife projects a male counterpart to Katie and the spirits elope together. * AmUSing, but overwritten. 497. UNDER THE HERMES AND OTHER STORIES Heinemann; London 1917 Short stories, including [a] UNDER THE HERMES. A magical stone grants wishes to its possessor. After some trivial uses of the stone, the protagonist uses it to cure his sweetheart of her fad interest in painting. Supernaturalism includes the animation of a statue of Dionysius. [b] PETER. Told in fabu1ar form. Death personified takes Peter away. [c] THE COMPLEAT HOUSEWIFE. Lady Deborah, ghost of an 18th century harridan, surviving in the pages of an ancient cookbook, forces a modern American bride to prepare an ungodly 18th century dish. Also some recapitulation of the past. [d] WHITE MAN'S MAGIC. South Africa, Boer War period. Jacobus Blind's body is protected by the magic of a Barala witchdoctor, and bullets bounce off him. But a cross cut in the lead of one is too much for the magic to repel. [e] HOW YANKO MARRIED FOURTEEN WIVES and [f] THE TOOTH OF TULOO are both based on Eskimo folklore, with the Old Woman of the Sea and the magical tooth of a wizard. * Another story, "The Great Beast of Kafua" is concerned with a dinosaur. * Dehan's stories are literate and contain good detail, but themes tend to be buried in a welter of extraneous matter. [c] is best.

DE'LA MARE, COLIN DE LA MARE, COLIN British. Son of Walter de la Mare. AS EDITOR: 498.. THEY WALK AGAIN AN ANTHOLOGY OF GHOST STORIES Faber and Faber; London [1931] Introduction by Walter de la Mare. * Including, described elsewhere, [a] KEEPING HIS PROMISE, Algernon Blackwood. [b] THE ELECTRIC KING, Lord Dunsany. [c] THE GHOST SHIP, Richard Middleton [d] A TOUGH TUSSLE, Ambrose Bierce. [e] AFTERWARD, Edith Wharton. [f] POWERS OF THE AIR, J. D. Beresford. [g] FATHER GIRDLESTONE'S TALE, R. H. Benson. [h] THE WOOD OF THE DEAD, Algernon Blackwood. [i] A VISITOR FROM DOWN UNDER, L. P. Hartley. [j] CATERPILLARS, E. F. Benson. [k] THE VOICE IN THE NIGHT, W. H. Hodgson. [1] THE BECKONING FAIR ONE, Oliver Onions.' [m] ON THE BRI.GHTON ROAD, Richard Middleton. [n] THE STORY OF A DISAPPEARANCE AND AN APPEARANCE, M. R. James. [0] ALL HALLOWS, Walter de la Mare. [p] THE MONKEY'S PAW, W. W. Jacobs. [q] GREEN TEA, J. S. LeFanu. * The American 1942 (Dutton) edition has a preface by William Lyon Phelps. * Also reprinted in the U.S.A. as THE GHOST BOOK. DE LA MARE, WALTER (1873-1956) British poet, critic, writer of children's fiction, adult fiction. Publishing executive (Faber and Faber). One of the more significant literary figures of his time, although largely misunderstood and misappreciated. Excellent children's poet, remarkable craft~man in the short story. Work in supernatural fiction falls into two major groups, "children's" fiction, which is more or less literal, and "adult" fiction, which is more or less figurative, ambivalent, or metaphoric. 499. THE RETURN Edward Arnold; London 1910 Metaphysical novel about personal identity and spiritual freedom. * The story line involves possession of a sort. * Arthur Lawford, wandering in an old cemetery, chances on the grave of an 18th century suicide, a Frenchman named Nicholas de Sabathier. He is captivated in some odd fashion and dozes off. When he awakens, he discovers that he has suffered a physical change and (as he learns later) has taken on the likeness of the dead man. When he returns home, his wife and many of his friends reject him, and he is faced with the seemingly insoluble problem of determining his identity. In a Kafka-like situation he must decide whether physical changes necessitate psychological changes, and he must discover who Lawford really is. His own alienness must be accepted. Lawford finds new friends who understand his condition, falls in love, fights for his freedom, grows spiritually, and is ready to start a new life now that the episode is over. What exactly happened is deliberately left vague, but the strongest suggestions (within the story) are that Sabathier's spirit was lurking nearby and possessed Lawford, or that a phase of Lawford accepted the Sabathier nature. * Most interesting, handled more directly than is usually the case with de la Mare, although much is

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DE LA MARE, WALTER still left to the reader's imagination. * A revised edition was issued by W. Collins (London, 1922)., 500. THE RIDDLE AND OTHER STORIES Selwyn and Blount; London 1923 Short stories, including [a] THE LOOKING GLASS. The subject is death, as is so frequent in de la Mare's stories, and the treatment is questionable as supernaturalism. Alice, companion to old Lady Lennox, dying of tuberculosis, hears of the haunted garden. One goes to it on May Day midnight, to experience what comes out of the trees. She prepares for the experience. Perhaps she achieves it in spirit, perhaps not. [b] SEATON'S AUNT. Again, a double story. It may be read as a portrait of a malicious old woman and her somewhat unsympathetic nephew, who happens to die just before his marriage, or it may be read as a fringe narrative of an evil old spiritual vampire, who communes with the dead and murders her nephew and keeps his ghost in bondage. [c] THE BIRD OF PASSAGE. Death again. The narrator, exploring the estate of estranged relatives, hears the bird of passage. According to folklore this causes the hearer to succumb to wanderlust, but it is really a call to death for his distant cousin. Perhaps an attenuated banshee. [d] OUT OF THE DEEP. When James takes over his deceased uncle's town house, he also takes over the horrible memories of an unhappy childhood there, which memories reemerge in supernatural form. His presence in the house evokes parallels to the forces that hurt him as a child, and he succumbs. Perhaps the forces are spirit, perhaps projections. [e] THE CREATURES. Religious symbolism in terms of geographical exploration, with obvious allegorical intent. The narrator penetrates into a wild, hitherto unknown (to him) land, where Creativity has produced a remarkable natural garden. There are two beings, Maria and Christus, called the Creatures. [f] THE RIDDLE. Seven children come to live with their grandmother, and despite warnings, disappear into the old silklined, carved chest in the attic. So far as I know de la Mare has never revealed the solution to the riddle. Several suggestions have been made, none of which is convincing, although British royalty and the days of the week are the strongest possible interpretations. * All excellent stories. 501. MISS JEMIMA B. Blackwell; Oxford [1925] (The Jolly Books) Short story. Miss Jemima, an oid woman, describes an episode in her childhood. As a little girl she was headstrong and rebellious. She also had the misfprtune to be living with an unsympathetic aunt, who treated her harshly. On occasion Jemima saw a beautiful woman, sometimes simply as a face in the air. This vision came to be a comfort to her. After a violent disagreement with her aunt, Jemima decides to run away. The woman tempts her to come with her, but Jemima now recognizes that the woman means her no good, but is a fairy who wants to abduct her. Jemima resists the appeal and remains in normal life. * Excellent.

*

DE LA MARE, WALTER 502. BROOMSTICKS AND OTHER TALES WITH DESIGNS BY BOLD Constable; London 1925 Short stories, including [a] PIGTAILS, LTD. Late 19th century. Miss Rawlings, who is somewhat eccentric, has a supernatural experience of a sort, a vision of a little girl, which she connects (for no rational reason) with the ballad of Barbara Allen. She decides to become a foster mother for Barbara AlIens and collects thirty young girls, aged ten, whom she provides for. The other supernatural aspect of the story is that the girls do not age during Miss Rawling's lifetime, but die with her. [b] THE DUTCH CHEESE. Young farmer John is on bad terms with the local fairies, since he objects to their interest in his sister. When he throws a Dutch cheese at several fairies who are peering down his chimney, they retaliate by making off with all his sheep. His sister must strike a bargain with the fairies. [c] MISS JEMIMA. Described elsewhere. [d] THE THIEF. A children's morality of a sort. The master thief, unhappy because he is ostracized and unmarriageable, hears of the magic egg of happiness. When he finds it, though he dies soon after, he is somewhat happier. The point of the story seems to be renunciation. [e] BROOMSTICKS. Miss Chauncey's cat Sam has a life of his own, as she discovers when she watches him covertly. Although the author does not state it directly, Sam is obviously mixed up with a cult of functioning witches. [f] LUCY. Lucy remains an imaginary playmate for Jean Elspeth (who is a little simple) all Jean's life. When Jean is very old, Lucy becomes visible for a moment. The power of belief? Perhaps not supernatural? A character study? [g] THE SLEEPING BOYS OF WARWICKSHIRE. Old Nollykins, who is a master chimney sweep, has three small boys in his service. He is both a miser and a cruel man and he uses them badly. When he observes that their spirits emerge when they are sleeping, and go out and play, he questions the local Witch, hoping to make some profit from the situation. The witch deceives him, for when he follows her instructions, his preparations exclude the dream-spirits, and the boys remain in suspended animation. They remain a museum attraction for decades until the caretaker's daughter knpcks down the iron key that restrains them. They awaken and dash away. [h] THE LOVELY MYFANWY. Wales. A fairy tale. Owen ap Gwythock, Lord of Eggleyseg, does not wish his daughter to marry. When a handsome young juggler appears, Owen is trapped by magic and turned into an ass. He must give his consent to Myfanwy's marriage before being released. The juggler, of course, is a prince in disguise. The magical objects were an apple, a belt, and a ball. [i] ALICE'S GODMOTHER. Alice is summoned to the palatial estate of her godmother, Who is something like 350 years old. The old woman offers Alice similar longevity, but Alice refuses, treasuring the changes of life more than the stasis of immortality. While the author does not spell matters out, the godmother is presumably a witch, with a familiar whom Alice has

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DE LA MARE, WALTER seen. * The illustrations, in the white-onblack British woodcut school, are excellent. * Best stories are [a], [c], [e], [i]. 503. TWO TALES I. THE CONNOISSEUR II. THE GREEN ROOM "The Bookman's Journal" Office; London [1925] 250 copy edition. Two stories, including [a] THE GREEN ROOM. The young man, who is rummaging and exploring in the semi-private back rooms of an old book shop, sees the ghostly presence of a young woman and then finds a manuscript volume of poems that she had written. She was apparently a suiCide, the mistress of one of the previous inhabitants of the building, and had recorded her erotic feelings in poetry. The young man regards the ghost with horror when he sees it, but with longing when he is elsewhere, and for reasons that are difficult to explain decides to publish the poetry as a tribute to her. But he discovers that his action has not pleased the ghost. * An excellent story. 504. THE CONNOISSEUR William Collins; London 1926 Short stories, including [a] ALL HALLOWS. At eventide the footsore wanderer comes upon All Hallows, an ancient church now far removed from human habitation and almost unattended. He chances on the verger, who tells him of the degeneration that has befallen the church: the dean has merCifully been stricken insane, while horrors permeate the edifice. As they wander through the vast, empty pile, the traveller sees how the power of evil has been gradually usurping the church. There is danger, too, after dark, as the verger knows from the occasion when he barely escaped from a vast, destructive force. The whole phenomenon might be termed possession of a sort. * Also present is ''Mr. Kempe," a horror story of a mad recluse near Porlock; there are implications of murder. Some readers have taken it to be supernatural, but I do not. * [a] is one of de la Mare's finest stories. 505. ON THE EDGE Faber and Faber; London [1930] Short stories, including [a] A RECLUSE. Curious about the architecture of a country house, the traveller strikes up an acquaintance with its owner, Mr. Bloom, an elderly recluse, and accepts his hospitality for the night. Their conversation leads to various topics concerned with death, both physical and spiritual. When the traveller is about to steal away the next morning, he sees that his host was really only a momentary vision of a corpse in the bed. The implications are that Bloom is physically dead but spiritually alive, and that the house is permeated with disembodied entities. No explanations are given. [b} CREWE. The narrator listens to the monologue reminiscences of a decayed servant who tells (by indirection) how he schemed and plotted to drive out his fellow servants so that he could gain a legacy. The plot resulted in a suicide and the appearance of the vengeful dead man as an approaching scarecrow. The ghost is responsible for the death of another servant that the narrator used as a catspaw. [c] THE GREEN ROOM. Described

DE LA MARE, WALTER elsewhere. Three excellent stories. The other (non-supernatural) stories are also well worth reading. 506. THE LORD FISH Faber and Faber; London 1933. Short stories, including [a) THE LORD FISH. A modern fairy tale. John Cobbler, a lazy youth, ventures into the forbidden territory to fish. There he comes upon a strange high house in which lies imprisoned a beautiful young woman who has been half transformed into a fish by the Lord Fish. John undertakes to disenchant her, but in the process is himself transformed into a fish for a time. A magic salve is involved. [b) A PENNY A DAY. Griselda, a poor young peasant woman, strikes a bargain with a dwarf: he shall work for her and she shall pay him a penny a day for nine days. The dwarf, it soon becomes clear, is a brownie, and he tricks Griselda into forfeiting the bargain; but a new arrangement, agreeable to all, is reached. [c) THE JACKET. As a boy, Admiral Rumbold bought an old Chinese jacket that was said to have magical powers. It seems to have brought him success and to have saved his life. Now, as an old man, he gives it to a talented young street artist, whom it immediately helps. But the admiral, suddenly enfeebled, has sacrificed his own protection. [d) DICK AND THE BEANSTALK. A sequel to the nursery tale about Jack. Generations after Jack, Dick comes upon the old beans talk, which is still standing, and follows it to giant1and at its top. The giants are stupid, cruel, and greedy, and Dick has difficulties in escaping the cooking pot. When he descends, a lubberly giant accompanies him, and Dick's problem is to convince the giant that he should return home and then to destroy the beanstalk. [e) HODMADOD. A dialect word for "scarecrow." As a boy Uncle Tim saw a fairy near a scarecrow. The fairy was neither hostile nor friendly, simply alien and unapproachable. Years later, in an endeavor to regain the experience, Tim buys the scarecrow, but as he tells his niece, Letitia, the experience cannot be regained. * [e) is the best story, 'much more successful than the adu1t-chi1dren's stories in the book. * Excellent illustrations by Rex Whistler. 507. rHE WIND BLOWS OVER Faber and Faber; Lon[1936] don Short stories, including [a) "WHAT DREAMS MAY COME". Emmeline, victim of an automobile accident, undergoes horrible experiences as she lies unconscious. They culminate in a meeting with the Master of the House, Death. All delirium. [b) THE TALISMAN. Germany. Harry, a young man of eighteen, is friendly with Gessen, an old antique dealer. When Gessen turns up a Renaissance watch with the inscription, "For him who bears me I of Love and Death tell out Eternity • • • " the watch enhances Harry's love for a young woman and brings Gessen death. [c) A REVENANT. The donnish lecturer, who "discusses" Poe damagingly and crushingly in an hour, is accosted by a mysterious personality, who is obviously Poe emergent from the past. The lecturer had covered Poe in the fashionable

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DE LA MARE, WALTER cant, and Poe challenges his interpretation for want of insight and charity. De 1a Mare is obviously contrasting two schools of criticism, the biographical and the poetic, and finding biographical wanting. A fine tour de force. [d) THE TRUMPET. Questionable as: fantasy. Two boys, late at night on April 30th, are conducting a death watch. High in the church is a wooden angel, who holds a trumpet. Phil dares Dick to climb up and blow the trumpet, and Dick falls to his death. The supernatural may enter for a moment when Phil, having second thoughts, tries to stop Dick. He claims that something not a man nor a woman is coming. Phil is apparently lying, but perhaps his lie unwittingly conveys a supernatural truth? Some readers consider the story fantastic, but there is a point of ambiguity. [e) STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS. At dusk old Mr. Phelps, the verger of St. Edmunds, sees a stranger on the grounds. Together they read many poetic epitaphs and examine architecture. As the epitaphs grow more and more sinister the stranger reveals that he is looking for one person, a suicide who died in 1882. But he would not have been buried in consecrated ground. Obviously the unquiet ghost of the suicide. [f) THE HOUSE. Mr. Asprey has been forced to quit the beloved house in which he has spent his whole life. He wanders through it for a last time. examining the rooms and their furnishings (sometimes described hyperbolically) and reexperiencing old memories. He finally steps out into a beautiful world of frosted crystal, alone. The house is presumably his life, and he has just died. * Excellent stories. [f) is brilliantly handled. 508. THE SCARECROW AND OTHER STORIES Faber and Faber; London [1945] Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a) THE SCARECROW OR HODMADOD. Alternate title for HODMADOD. [b) THE LOVELY MYFANWY. lC) BROOMSTICKS. 509. A BEGINNING AND OTHER STORIES Faber and Faber; London 1955 Short stories, including [a) ODD SHOP. The traveller enters the small old shop, and the shopkeeper shows to him little "cages" which hold voices. Some are conscience, the inner self. Semiallegorical. [b) MUS IC. The doctor is summoned into the sandy wastes by a servant of old Brandt, who is intent on the music of the air and sea. The supernatural music is really there, as the doctor hears. [c) THE GUARDIAN. Described elsewhere. [d) BAD COMPANY. The narrator, on seeming impulse, follows an old man home from an underground platform. On entering the house, he finds the old man's corpse, together with a viciously worded will. The narrator realizes that he has been summoned for a purpose and destroys the will. The story ends with a question: can a ghost have a conscience? [e) THE QUINCUNX. When Beverley's hateful old aunt died, she hid her assets in some fashion so that Beverley could not find them. The narrator, visiting Beverley, sees him sleepwalking and pawing around an old picture. He is obviously controlled by the old

DE LA MARE, WALTER woman's spirit. The narrator examines the picture and finds a cryptic diagram locating something, probably the missing property, in the orchard. Other circumstances arise, and the narrator must decide whether he is bound by loyalty to his friend or duty to the old woman. [f] AN ANNIVERSARY. The spirit of an old flame returns for a tryst. * According to the preface, the stories in this volume range from before 1901 to the very recent past, and some are failed works. They are not among de la Mare's best stories, but [a] is interesting. 510. GHOST STORIES The Folio Society; London 1956 Introduction by Kenneth Hopkins. * Described elsewhere, [a] A REVENANT. [b] THE GREEN ROOM. [c] OUT OF THE DEEP. [d] THE HOUSE. [e] BAD COMPANY. [f} THE QUINCUNX. [g] AN ANNIVERSARY. Lithographs by B. Freedman. * Not the strongest selection possible for de la Mare. DE LISSER, HERBERT GEORGE (1878-1944) Jamaican journalist, novelist; author of several area studies and novels dealing with Jamaica. 511. THE WHITE WITCH OF ROSEHALL E. Benn; London 1929 Historical novel, Jamaica, 1831. The main events, including the personality of the White Witch, are based on fact. * When handsome, virile, young Robert Rutherford comes to Jamaica to learn the business of managing a plantation from the bottom up, he has the misfort~ne to take a place at Rosehall as a bookkeeper. He is shocked by the brutality with which the slaves are treated and is, for a time, nonplused by Caribbean sexual freedom. The mistress of the plantation, Annie Palmer (three husbands murdered by her) takes him as a lover, but a quarrel arises between Annie and Millie, a quadroon girl who has fallen in love with Robert. This results in a battle of magics, for Annie, Who grew up in Haiti, is a most powerful voodoo priestess and can cause supernatural visions, while Millie's grandfather, old Takoo, is the most powerful local obeah man. As a further complication, the slaves are about to be liberated, and an uprising is imminent. Annie destroys Millie by voodoo magic, including a vampiric spirit, but the slaves revolt under Takoo and Annie is killed. Rutherford is to return to England a somewhat chastened man. * Competently written, ethnographically interesting in its descriptions of plantation life. DEL REY, LESTER (full name variously given; Tuck has RAMON FELIPE SAN JUAN MARIO SILVIO ENRICO ALVAREZ-DEL REY (1915 ) Important formative figure in American pulp science-fiction in 1930's and 1940's. Editor of various magazines (FANTASY FICTION, SCIENCE FICTION ADVENTURES, GALAXY, IF. Very important in recent years as editor for Ballantine Books. Has used pseudonyms Philip St. John and Erik van Lhin. 512. " • • . AND SOME WERE HUMAN" Prime Press; Philadelphia 1949 Short stories, mostly science-fiction, but in-

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DE MORGAN, JOHN cluding [a] HEREAFTER, INC. (UNK 1941). Potts, a Fundamentalist, awakens in a heaven that is much like earth, but is hell for him. [b] FORSAKING ALL OTHERS. (UNK 1939) A dryad falls in love with a mortal. [c] THE COPPERSMITH. (UNK 1939) An elf, after 120 years of sleep, awakens and finds difficulty in adjusting to the new world. He decides to use his skill at working metal, in the hope that 20th century wastefulness will bring back a pre-machine age. * Also included is the science-fiction story "Nerves." 513. ROBOTS AND CHANGELINGS ELEVEN TALES OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Ballantine Books; New York 1957 paperbound Short stories, including [a] THE PIPES OF PAN. (UNK 1940) When the last worshipper dies, the old gods must adapt to human life or die, too. Pan is faced with the problem of earning a living, which he does splendidly, as a jazz mUSLCLan. [b] LITTLE J~. (MFSF 1957) A. J.'s very old mother seems almost rejuvenated. Her life now centers around Little Jimmy-- a ghost. But Little Jimmy is the ghost of a man who is still physically alive. His Jimmy facet died years ago. [c] THE COPPERSMITH. Described elsewhere. [d] NO STRINGS ATTACHED. (IF 1954) Henry evokes Alfear, who amounts to being a demon. Alfear agrees to kill Henry's Wife, but persistently warns Henry about the danger of establishing a pattern. Borderline science-fiction in treatment. * The other stories are all sciencefiction. These stories and the stories in the previous volume were unusual in their day for using a sentimental approach that was sometimes very effective. DE MORGAN, JOHN (1848 - ? ) American author of dime novels. Said to have been of British birth and a tax collector on Staten Island. Wrote occasional primitive science-fiction; esteemed by collectors for very rare series of parodies of work of H. Rider Haggard (five in all), but of no literary significance. 514. HE. A COMPANION TO SHE BEING A HISTORY OF THE ADVENTURES OF J. THEODOSIUS ARISTOPHANO ON THE ISLAND OF RAPA NUl IN SEARCH OF HIS ]MMORTAL ANCESTOR Norman L. Munro; New York 1887 (published anonymously) A dime-novel pastiche of H. Rider Haggard's SHE. Adventure. * According to De Morgan, Kallikrates recovered from the wrath of She to find himself immortal and gifted with powers as great as hers. He thereupon fled to the Pacific, where he set himself up as an immortal ruler much as She had in Africa. Aristophano, a 19th century descendant, and Norse Fjord, a sea companion, set out to find He, and after adventures reminiscent of those of Vincey and Holly in Africa, find him on Easter Island. He, like She, is not entirely a benevolent person, and like She, he is haunted by an undying love that is never fulfilled. In a cave he maintains a marble statue of a beautiful woman. This is Alethea, a Greek maiden from about 300 B.C., whom He intends to keep petrified until she

DE MORGAN, JOHN loves him. Petrification and release are a matter of easy routine. But Alethea is really in love with Aristophano, whom she visits in dreams. She tells him that he is the reincarnation of her former lover Tisneo, the longdead son of Kallikrates. The high point of the novel comes when He, deciding that he has waited long enough, appeals to Alethea, who rejects him. He destroys her, steps into the flame of life, and is transformed into an old goat. Aristophano and Fjord, too, are affected. They do not become immortal, as they had hoped, but bent, withered old men. * Other fantastic elements include the telepathic, teleportational abilities of He, and the appearance of the god Tabu. * Not to be taken seriously, of course. Among curious points are some authentic features of Easter Island culture, Middle American archeology, and references to a Chinese expedition sent out by Confucius. * De Morgan's "IT," a sequel to HE, though sometimes cited as supernatural fiction, is not. It is concerned with an African expedition in quest of the Missing Link. DE MORGAN, WILLIAM FREND (1839-1917) British potter, mainstream author. Associate and friend of William Morris's, and perhaps the foremost British Victorian designer and manufacturer of ceramics. Late in life took to writing fiction, with first and best-known novel JOSEPH VANCE (1906). His novels are full and Edwardian in development, but often with a Dickensian flavor. 515. ALICE-FaR-SHORT A DICHRONISM Heinemann; London 1907 Upper middle-class romance, artistic life, social message, with some supernaturalism behind everything. The treatment is an odd mixture of Victorian plotting and Edwardian character systems. * Middle to late 19th century; two episodes separated by sixteen years. The old house at No. 40, X----- Street, Soho, is the center of many developments. Young Charles Heath has his studio there, while in the basement live the Kavanaghs, a drunken man and wife who have fallen from higher economic levels. Alice Kavanagh (Alice-for-short), age six, is suddenly orphaned when her father hammers her mother and then takes cyanide. The Heaths, who are wealthy, take Alice in. Much of the 550 pages that follow are then devoted to the romances, marriages, divorces, failures, triumphs of the Heaths and their associates. The supernatural enters in the hauntings at No. 40. A beautiful woman in 18th century garb and a gentleman with a sword wander about the house and sometimes reenact a murder. The woman's bones are found buried in the basement. After many side issues the mystery is solved and a higher ancestry established for Alice. * This might have been a fairly good mystery if it had been planned as such and shortened to about half its present length, but it is not likely that many will work through the padding to find the rather obvious supernaturalism. 516. A LIKELY STORY Heinemann; London 1911 Two narratives, modern English and Renaissance

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DENNIS, GEOFFREY Italian, united by a common symbol, a painting of a woman. * Reginald Aiken, a moderately successful artist, and his wife Euphemia live in a bickering yet devoted relationship. While Aiken is cleaning a Renaissance Italian painting of a woman, the stupid housemaid dusts some lint onto the sticky varnish and an incident arises. Reginald handles the situation badly, and Euphemia, deciding that Reginald is trying to seduce the maid, leaves in a huff. Pride keeps husband and wife apart for several months. A fantasy element resolves the impasse. The painting of the Renaissance woman proves to be sentient and it talks (to its owner) not only about its own life in the 16th century, but about the Aiken brawl. A niece of the owner perceives that the Aiken situation is all a mistake and leaves photographs of the painting with Reginald and Euphemia. The photos speak, and the quarrel is ended. A long postscript tells the history of the Renaissance lovers who were concerned with the painting-- a romance like one of Boccaccio's. * Some good detail, but wordy and not too well thought out in terms of fantasy. DENNIS, GEOFFREY POMEROY (1892-1963) British civil servant, author, essayist. One of founders of Oxford Poetry Series. Long associated with the League of Nations in Geneva, becoming chief editor and chief of document services. Highly regarded critically during the 1930's, but now undeservedly forgotten. Best-known works are MARY LEE (1922) and BLOODY MARY'S (1934), a very fine, serious school story. CORONATION COMMENTARY (1937) caused a scandal by its hostility to King Edward VIII, and was withdrawn by the publishers in Great Britain. 517. HARVEST IN POLAND Heinemann; London [1925] A long psychological novel portraying in supernatural terms both the degeneration of European society just before World War I and the spiritual odyssey of a sensitive young man. * England and Poland. Because creation was accomplished by both God and the Devil, man has seeds of both good and evil within him. In some persons, as in Emmanuel Lee, the two components may battle for domination. Lee has mediumistic powers and has always been close to the supersensual world. He must fight for his soul when he enters the domain of a decayed Polish price. There he meets evil in concrete form in a series of despicable characters. A culmination is found in the prince's halfbrother, a giant, who has sold his soul to the Devil. Although badly tempted in a spiritual orgy, Lee masters his own evil component and thereby redeems the giant. * Like the author's MARY LEE and BLOODY MARY'S, remarkable in the creation of small detail (with the result that critics have taken each of Dennis's novels to be autobiographical), but marred by excessive length and overwriting. Somewhat reminiscent of the novels of E.F. Benson in its concept of spiritual evil, but much more powerful and grotesque. * A better novel, but less fantastic, is SALE BY AUCTION (1932).

DERLETH, AUGUST DERLETH, AUGUST WILLIAM (1909 - 1971) American regionalistic (Wisconsin) novelist, poet, essayist, critic, writer of geographical books, miscellaneous writer and prolific author of supernatural fiction. Prepared biographical studies of H. P. Lovecraft and Zona Gale. Popular writer of detective stories, sometimes regionalistic, sometimes pastiches on Sherlock Holmes (as Solar Pons). * Writing of varying quality, probably because of hastiness in composition. Fairly important as regionalist; well-regarded for mainstream fiction; less successful in popular fiction. Supernatural stories (with occasional exceptions, usually regionalistic stories) tend to be derivative, repetitive~ and formulary, though workmanlike. * Area of greatest imp0.rtance is as a publisher and general influence in the development of supernatural fiction. Founder (with Donald Wandrei) and manager of Arkham House, pioneer and outstanding publishing house specializing in supernatural fiction. An excellent judge of literary quality, Derleth long dominated genre book publishing. * Has written supernatural fiction under pseudonyms Stephen Grendon, Michael West, Tally Mason, and probably others. See Lovecraft, H. P. and Derleth, A. 518. SOMEONE IN THE DARK Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1941 Introduction by Derleth, WHEN THE NIGHT AND THE HOUSE ARE STILL . . . * Short stories in the modes of M. R. James, Mary Wilkins [Freeman], H. P. Lovecraft'. * [a] GLORY HAND. (WT 1937) Harrick inherits a hand of glory. A warning is included with it, "Let no evil wish cross his lips who owns me." Inadvertently Harrick wishes two of his colleagues dead. [b] COMPLIMENTS OF SPECTRO. (WT 1941). Spectro is a fictional avenger of crime, in the manner of the Saint. Spectro's author steals a story from a young colleague and so manipulates matters that the true author is considered guilty and commits suicide. Spectro takes a hand. [c] A GIFT FOR UNCLE HERMAN. (WT 1939) Uncle Herman, a powerful black magician, usurps the body of the nephew who murdered him. [d] McGOVERN'S OBSESSION. (WT 1937) McGovern, who has just moved into a new house, produces automatic writing which accuses the previous tenant, a doctor, of murder. Skulls are found in the wall, and McGovern makes the mistake of inviting the murderer in. [e] THREE GENTLEMEN IN BLACK. (WT 1938) Another murderous nephew, caught by three avenging ghosts. [f] MUGGRIDGE'S AUNT. (WT 1935) Muggridge mistreated his old aunt, who gave him a warning on her deathbed. After death her ghost takes revenge. [g] ,BRAMWELL'S GUARDIAN. (WT 1949) Bramwell finds a golden Druidic ring on Salisbury Plain, near Stonehenge. He is warned to restore the ring, and he acquires a supernatural companion, but he is stubborn. [h] JOLIPER'S GIFT. (STRANGE STORIES 1940) A blow on the head renders Joliper, a bank embezzler, clairaudient. But his gift does not protect him from th~ man he murdered. His victim frames him. [i] ALTIMER'S AMULET .. (WT 1941) When Altimer stole an amulet fro~ Tibet, he

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DERLETH, AUGUST cut off a priest's hands. The hands follow him. [j] THE SHUTTERED HOUSE. (WT 1937) A badly haunted house. Piano playing and ghosts Who try to get in. [k] THE SHERATON MIRROR. (WT 1932) An old woman commits suicide before a mirror and wills the mirror to her hated relatives, who see her in the glass. [1] THE WIND FROM THE RIVER. (WT 1937) Murder masked as suicide is exposed supernaturally. [m] THE TELEPHONE IN THE LIBRARY. (WT 1936) A dead man makes a call and leaves his fingerprints. [n] THE PANELLED ROOM. (WESTMINSTER MAGAZINE 1933). A murder and a suicide took place in the panelled room. When one sees the panels move, one should leave. * Two other stories are carried elsewhere for context: [0] THE RETURN OF HASTUR. [p] THE SANDWIN COMPACT. * [k] and [n] are best.; In general the local, regionalistic American stories are best, while those in imitation of Lovecraft are weakest. 519. SOMETHING NEAR, Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1945 Short stories. [a] A THIN GENTLEMAN WITH GLOVES. (WT 1943) One should not embezzle money from the estate of a deceased black magician, especially if the magician's familiar will be released only when the will is carried out. Strangulation by a skeleton. [b] MR. AMES' DEVIL. (FANTASTIC ADVENTURE 1942). Ames conjures up a small demon but discovers that he cannot control it very well because of union rules in hell. Ames, after unintentionally causing several deaths through the demon, learns that he can be rid of the demon only by joining the union himself. But he forgets, momentarily, what else is involved. [c] A WIG FOR MISS DE VORE. (WT 1943) Sheila De Vore, motion picture star, uses the wig of a murderess in order to saturate herself in the personality of the murderess. She is too successful, especially to her playboy lover. He"loses his heart to her. [d ] MRS • CORTER MAKES UP HER MIND. (FANTASTIC ADVENTURES 1942) Doll magic and voodoo emanating from an unbombed house in the middle of the London blitz. [e] PACIFIC 42l. (WT 1944) A phantom train passes through each Friday. Golley pushes his disliked stepfather under i,t. The authorities do not believe his story. [f] HEADLINES FOR TOD SHAYNE. (FANTASTIC UNIVERSE 1942) A publicity-mad actor lives in a house filled with the personality of the murderer. He is possessed and takes to crime. [g] NO LIGHT FOR UNCLE HENRY. Murder, ghost, haunted room. Edward, 'semi-possessed by the ghost of Henry, puts Herbert, the murderer, into the room. [h] LANSING'S LUXURY. (WT 1942) A British real-estate speculator, Whose plans are hindered by the mysterious Mr. Zamda, who is hinted to be a wizard. [i] CAROUSEL. (FANTASTIC ADVENTURE 1942) At the amusement park, some time earlier, a Black worker killed a tormentor and was lynched. A little girl goes to the park and is protected by the ghost of the Black, but her stepmother is chewed by the phantom Ferris wheel. [j] LADY MACBETH OF PIMLEY SQUARE. (WT 1944) Mrs. Jenk, amateur actress, plays Lady Macbeth, and her astral body identifies itself with the role. The astral body

DERLETH, AUGUST thereupon murders her husband's senior partner and possesses a young actress. [k] HERE, DAEMOS~ (WT 1942) When the Rev. Webly opens the tomb of the 17th century Nicholas Millham, he disregards a curse. Millham had as a familiar a large dog named Daemos. [1] McELWIN'S GLASS. (WT 1943) The telescope shows the future, but only of persons concerned with the viewer. McElwin sees circumstances of his own death without recognizing it. em] AN ELEGY FOR MR. DANIELSON. (WT 1935) A stranger leaves an elegy for recently deceased Mr. Danielson. When Danielson's relicts play it, he comes to life for a few hours, goes to his bank, withdraws Druidic jewels and turns them over to the stranger. He had swindled the dead stranger fifty years earlier. The elegy is a Druidic chant for raising the dead. en] THE SATIN MASK. (WT 1936) A Florentine satin mask vampirically drains the life from the person who wears it. Dreams, ghosts. [0] MOTIVE. (TOP-NOTCH DETECTIVE 1939) A colloquy between a murderer and one who knows of the other's guilt. Not openly supernatural, but with overtones of horror. [p] THE METRONOME (WT 1935) Mrs. Farwell sees the ghost of her stepchild looking for the metronome. She is repaid. [q] THE INVERNESS CAPE. (WT 1945) Old Thaddeus Pierson, whose hobby is collecting crime relics, owns a remarkable cape, into which has been woven the soul of a vicious murderer. When his heir disregards warnings and wears the cape, he commits two murders and then is strangled by the cape. [r] THE THING THAT WALKED ON THE WIND (WT 1933) Canada. Probably suggested by Algernon Blackwood's story THE WENDIGO. Ithaqua, a wind-walking elemental, a snow or cold being, carries human sacrifices into the sky and then sometimes releases them a year or so later, deadly cold. [5] BEYOND THE THRESHOLD. (WT 1941) Cthulhu cycle. The grandfather of the narrator investigates hidden things, including Innsmouth. He is carried off by Ithaqua, and his corpse is found near Singapore. [t] ITHAQUA. (WT 1941) Sequel of a sort to [r]. Cthulhu cycle. Disappearances, ancient stone circles, and something like a cloud of snow that hovers over them. [u] THE DWELLER IN DARKNESS. (WT 1944) After having tried to log near Rick's Lake, lumberjacks are careful to stay away. It is a place where beings from Outside are to be found. Professor Gardner is abducted by one of these beings; his disembodied voice urges his friends to summon Cthugha, who will help them, but Gardner himself appears and scoffs at the idea. As the beings from Outside advance, the humans finally summon Cthugha, and it is revealed that the person thought to be Gardner had really been the terrible Nyarlothotep. Cthulhu cycle. * Mostly routine work. 520. NOT LONG FOR THIS WORLD Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1948 Short stories, including [a] THE SHADOW ON THE SKY. (STRANGE TALES 1932) Sir Hilary sees the hanging in the sky, coming ever closer. An old curse; and his death. [b] BIRKETT'S TWELFTH CORPSE. (STRANGE STORIES 1940) Rival corpse-

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DERLETH, AUGUST hunters eager to find the drifting body in the river. One murders the other and is suitably punished. [c] THE WHITE MOTH (WT 1933) The ghost of a deceased wife (embodied as a moth) does not want her husband to have other women. Cd] NELLIE FOSTER. (WT 1933) Vampire. Told by indirection. Among small town Midwesterners [e] WILD GRAPES. (WT 1934) A murdering nephew covered his uncle's secret grave with wild grape vines, which eventually kill him. [f] FEIGMAN'S BEARD. (WT 1934) Regionalism, death by hexerei. Old widow Klopp lets the Devil sit on Feigman's mirror. [g] THE DRIFTING SNOW. (WT 1939) When it snows, ghosts lure one out and kill one vampirically. Also titled MIDNIGHT. [h] THE RETURN OF SARAH PURCELL. (WT 1936) Retarded mentally and abused, she returned from the dead to punish her cruel sister. [i] LOGODA'S HEADS. (STRANGE STORIES 1939) African witchcraft with severed heads. [j] THE SECOND PRINT. A dead magician gets revenge by animating a photograph. [k] MRS. ELTING DOES HER PART. (STRANGE STORIES 1939) Revenge. Falsified seance is really genuine. [1] MRS. BENTLEY'S DAUGHTER. (WT 1930) The visitor sees the child playing around the well. A ghost. em] THOSE WHO SEEK. (WT 1932) An ancient abbey, the inscription, "Those who seek shall find," visions of the past, a monstrous god. en] MR. BERBECK HAD A DREAM. (WT 1935) He and his wife murdered his mother. Her ghost entangled them in counterfeiting. Somnambulistic possession. [0] THE LILAC BUSH. (WT 1930) Grandpa planted the bush; his ghost wants flowers for his grave. [p] A MATTER OF SIGHT. (WT 1930) Fourth-dimensional second sight views the past. [q] CHRONICLES OF THE CITY STATES. Five stories about Renaissance Italy; magic. [r] . PRINCE BORGIA'S MASS. (WT 1931). [s] A DINNER AT !MOLA. [WT 1929). [t] LESANDRO'S FAMILIAR (WT 1936). [u] THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS. (WT 1931). * [v] HE SHALL COME. (MANUSCRIPT, 1929) On a train a priest battles an evil being, Devil or AntiChrist? [w] MRS. LANNISFREE. (WT 1945) Told by a stupid hired man. The dead Mrs. Lannisfree comes for her husband, dripping sea water. [x] AFTER YOU, MR. HENDERSON. (STRANGE STORIES 1940) Letitia's appearances after death spoil a stock swindle concocted by her cousins. [y] BAYNTER'S IMP. (WT 1943) The imp from the bottle serves Baynter in committing murders, but when Baynter is ungrateful, it takes his place. [z] THE LOST DAY. (WT 1945) Magical books, a missing day, a crime. [aa] A COLLECTOR OF STONES. (WT 1946) Merrihew steals gravestones to pave his walk. The original owners come for them. ebb] THE GOD-BOX. (WT 1945) Stolen from Stonehenge. It contains a demon. A Druid comes to recover it. [cc] SAUNDERS'S LITTLE FRIEND. (WT 1948) Doll magic; an apelike follower. [dd] "JUST A SONG AT TWILIGHT." (WT 1930) A maternal ghost, supernatural singing, a child ghost. * Best stories are [b], [f], and [0]. 521. THE MASK OF CTHULHU Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1958 Short stories more or less connected with the

DERLETH, AUGUST Cthulhu cycle. * [a] THE RETURN OF HASTUR. (WT 1939) When Amos Tuttle left his estate in Arkham to his nephew Paul, a provision of the will was that Paul destroy Amos's books and his house. Paul is loath to do this. He gradually learns that Amos had been a practicing magician and that he had some sort of compact with Hastur (one of the gods from Outside) and had promised Hastur a haven. Hastur comes. [b] THE WHIPPOORWILLS IN THE HILLS. (WT 1948) When Dan Harrop inherits his cousin's estate near Dunwich, he discovers that his cousin had been a mag~c~an. The neighbors are hostile and the whippoorwills are seldom quiet. Dan is possessed and declares himself a chosen one of the Great Ones. He blames the whippoorwills when he is caught chewing out the throat of one of his neighbors. [c] SOMETHING IN WOOD. (WT 1947) Jason Wecter is a collector of primitive art. The narrator gives him a strange wood carving, which is obviously of one of the Ancient Ones, probably Cthulhu. The carving is activated, and Jason is absorbed. [d] THE SANDWIN COMPACT. (WT 1940) David visits the Sandwins, who are his cousins. Old Sandwin has the Innsmouth look and has made a compact (as have his ancestors), but he is trying to break it so that his son will be free. He has magical protection against most of the Great Ones, but not against Lloigor, who walks the winds. [e] THE HOUSE IN THE VALLEY. (WT 1953) When Perkins rents the old Bishop house near Arkham, he discovers that the extinct owners had been magicians. Seth Bishop, indeed, had been responsible for many dark doings, including cattle murder. Perkins discovers entrances to tunnels in the basement and is finally possessed into the cult of the Great Ones. [f] THE SEAL OF R'LYEH. (WT 1957) When Phillips inherits the house of his deceased uncle, he soon discovers that his uncle had been a mag~c~an. In this instance, Phillips himself has something of the Innsmouth taint, and while innocent at first, soon becomes a member of the group that wishes to worship the Great Ones. Also involved are tunnels to the sea, visits to the reefs off Innsmouth, etc. * Hasty work not up to Derleth's better level. Derleth was never really at home in the Cthulhu cycle. There are too many digressions to the Necronomicon, the mythology of the Great Ones, the events described in Lovecraft's stories. 522. THE TRAIL OF CTHULHU Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1962 Five connected short stories. * [a] THE HOUSE ON CURWEN STREET. (WT 1944) Originally published as THE TRAIL OF CTHULHU. Andrew Phelan, vigorous young man, goes to work for Dr. Laban Shrewsbury of Arkham. Shrewsbury is purportedly a folklorist studying the myth patterns of present-day primitive peoples, but Phelan soon learns that something more sinister is going on., Shrewsbury is deeply involved with the Ancient Ones and is desperately trying to prevent Cthulhu from remanifesting himself on earth. Invoking the fraternal jealousy and rivalry among the Ancient Ones, Shrewsbury uses flying night monsters supplied by Hastur and magical drugs

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DERLETH, AUGUST to destroy the possible gateways through which Cthulhu might come. Phelan first considers his fantastic trips and activities with Shrewsbury to be dream, but he is forced to recognize that he is in danger. When Cthulhu's batra~hian followers track down Shrewsbury and Phelan, the two men escape with Hastur's flying monsters and take refuge in a planet outside our solar system. [b] THE WATCHER FROM THE SKY. (WT 1945) Phelan returns to his old lodgings and enlists Abel Keane in the battle against Cthulhu. Phelan and Keane disguise themselves as batrachian natives of Innsmouth and proceed to Innsmouth, with the intention of destroying the local cult of Cthulhu. At the moment one Abel Marsh seems to be the head of the Esoteric Order of Dagon. When Phelan sets fire to the meeting hall of the order, Marsh is trapped. The heat melts away his disguise, and he is revealed to be a batrachian Deep One, one of the sea people who worship Cthulhu and further his interests. [c] THE GORGE BEYOND SALAPUNCO. (WT 1949) Original title THE TESTAMENT OF CLAIBORNE BOYD. When Boyd's great uncle dies, Boyd inherits his papers and art collection. He soon learns that his uncle had been on the trail of Cthulhu. Telepathic dream communications from Dr. Shrewsbury alert Boyd to attempts by the batrachians to acquire his great uncle's papers, and he soon joins Shrewsbury's organization. They bomb a Cthulhu outlet in South America and assassinate the local leader. [d] THE KEEPER OF THE KEY. (WT 1951) Nayland Colum, author of supernatural fiction, seems to have stumbled onto the Cthulhu situation, for he is enlisted by Shrewsbury. Together they proceed to Central Asia, where they find the remains of Abdul Alhazred, the author of the Necronomicon. (Shrewsbury does not accept the historical account offered by Lovecraft that Abdul was eaten alive by an invisible monster.) Shrewsbury reanimates Abdul and persuades him to indicate on a map where Cthulhu lies sleeping. [e] THE BLACK ISLAND. (WT 1952) Shrewsbury and his crew, aided by the U.S. armed forces, locate the Black Island where Cthulhu rests, which is somewhere north of the Caroline Islands. When Cthulhu starts to emerge, conventional explosives are ineffectual, and an atomic or hydrogen bomb is used. The result is a temporary setback for Cthulhu, for the story ends with the conclusion that Cthulhu is not dead, that he is still waiting, and that his organization of followers is still powerful and dangerous. [f] A NOTE ON THE CTHULHU MYTHOS. An article. * Much superior to the shoddy work in THE MASK OF CTHULHU. but by no means equal to Lovecraft's original formulations. Too much Sax Rohmer. 523. LONESOME PLACES Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1962 Supernatural short stories. * [a] THE LONESOME PLACE. (1947) Two imaginative boys people a deserted working area with horrible monsters. When, years later, a child is killed there, the narrator feels responsibility, since the horror was a projection of his own fears.

DERLETH, AUGUST [b] PIKEMAN. (WI 1946) Morton, collector of graveyard memorabilia and legends, foolishly invites the occupant of a grave to come up. His body is usurped. [c] KINGS RIDGE 214. (WI 1949) Mrs. Begbie's phone keeps ringing, but the operator is not responsible. Something dead and horrible comes out of the cellar and the sea and strangles Mrs. Begbie. [d] THE EBONY STICK. (WI 1953) Uncle Jack tries to defraud his fellow heirs, but the ebony stick of Aunt Maud (deceased) whacks him until he repents. [e] "SEXTON, SEXTON, ON THE WALL." (WI 1953) Borderline science-fiction. Old Garner, in his laboratory, is creating gigantic sexton beetles for burying his enemy. [f] THE CLOSING DOOR. (WI 1950) The retiring sexton tells his successor to finish doing the church before dark. There is a reason: ghostly reenactment of a crime. [g] A ROOM IN A HOUSE. (1950) Children's fears and hatreds work their way out in the creation of Genie, a horror monster. Years later Genie still operates. [h] POTTS' TRIUMPH. (WI 1950) Philander Potts, master interior decorator, must refinish a room in which ghosts permit no change. He comes to a grim end. [i] TWILIGHT PLAY. (WI 1949) An imaginary playmate, the ghost of Red Hawk, punishes a young bully. [j] THE DISC RECORDER. (WI 1953) A primitive recording apparatus is used by the ghost of the murdered woman to reveal her fate. [k] HECTOR. ·(WT 1951) Described elsewhere. [1] "WHO SHALL I SAY IS CALLING?" (1952) A costume party, vampires, and the expected. [m] THE EXTRA CHILD. (1950) A photograph from a happy childhood. The number of people in the photo keeps changing. [n] THE PLACE IN THE WOODS. (WI 1954) Children, as a game, perhaps due to ancestral memory, evoke the god Pan. Horrible results. [0] HALLOWE'EN FOR MR. FAULKNER. (1959) Guy Faulkner finds himself returned to a memorable occasion in 17th century England and learns that he altered history. [p] HOUSE-- WITH GHOST. An American couple is desperate to rent a British haunted house, preferably with a ghost on the staircase. When murder is committed, the ghost appears for its reward. [q] THE SLAYERS AND THE SLAIN. (WI 1949) The horrors of ancient crimes emerge from a library newspaper file. [r] THE DARK BOY. (1956) A schoolboy ghost. * Sometimes folksy stories; sometimes stories dealing with children on the level of a Briggs cartoon. 524. MR. GEORGE AND OTHER ODD PERSONS Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1963 According to the introduction these stories were all written in one month "twenty years ago" and were published under the pseudonym Stephen Grendon. * [a] MR. GEORGE. (WI 1947) The life of the young heiress is threatened by her greedy aunts and uncle. She appeals to the dead Mr. George to protect her. He does, and the "accidents" that had been planned all backfire. [b] PARRINGTON'S POOL. (WI 1947) Judge Hawley, a hard man, wronged Tom Boyle and was the cause of his suicide. Both were fishing enthusiasts. Boyle's skeleton takes a hand in the judge's fishing. [c] A GENTLEMAN FROM PRAGUE. (WI 1944) For magical pur-

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DERLETH, AUGUST poses a plaque and a chain are stolen from the coffin of Septimus Halos in Prague. Halos comes after them, skeletally. [d] THE MAN ON B-17. (WI 1950) B-17 is a railway bridge. Told by a trainman. Ghostly revenge. [e] BLESSED ARE THE MEEK. (WI 1948) Grandpa Cowell and little Kenneth are sorely tried by Mrs. Hassell. A bottle cast up on the shore provides an answer. A jinn. [f] MARA. An unfaithful mistress, driven out, dead, returns ten years later as a presence. [g] THE BLUE SPECTACLES. (WI 1948) New Orleans. A lecherous lawyer puts on the old spectacles and is transported back to 1811, to stand trial for womanizing. His judge is Jean LaFitte. It had happened to one of his ancestors. [h] ALLANAH. (WI 1945) The .ghost of a childless woman craves a child. [i] DEAD MAN'S SHOES. [WI 1946) They avenge a murder that had seemed to be a war incident in World War II. [j] THE TSANTSA IN THE PARLOR. (WI 1948) A Jivaro shrunken head is sent to murder Mr. Ambler. The wrong victim. [k] BALU. (WI 1949) A large black cat from Egypt. Transfer of personalities. [1] THE EXTRA PASSENGER. A time table murder, nicely planned, but the murderer did not know that the victim, his uncle, was a black magician. There is an unexpected person in his train compartment. [m] THE WIND IN THE LILACS. Evidence of a previous murderer. [n] MISS ESPERSON. She had lived in the British West Indies, and knew things, including how to work doll magic on a murderous stepmother. [0] THE NIGHT TRAIN TO LOST VALLEY. (WI 1948) Strangers are not encouraged on the evening of April 30. The visitor takes part in the sabbath and sees things he should not have. [p] BISHOP'S GAMBIT. Young Albert detests his mother's friend Perry Cross and is most obstreperous when a marriage is announced. He and Cross play a game of chess to decide their fate. Albert, possessed by his dead grandfather, wins and does what is expected. [q] MRS. MANIFOLD. Described elsewhere. * [a] and [n] are the best stories. AS EDITOR: 525. SLEEP NO MORE TWENTY MASTERPIECES OF HORROR FOR THE CONNOISSEUR Farrar and Rinehart; New York [1944] Including, described elsewhere, [a] COUNT MAGNUS, M. R. James. [b] THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM, Algernon Blackwood. [c] THE RETURN OF THE SORCERER, Clark Ashton Smith. [d] "HE COMETH AND HE PASSETH BY," H. R. Wakefield. [e] THUS I REFUTE BEELZY, John Collier. [f] THE HOUSE OF SOUNDS, M. P. Shiel. [g] THE YELLOW SIGN, R. W. Chambers. [h] THE BLACK DRUID, F. B. Long. [i] THE RATS IN THE WALLS, H. P. Lovecraft. [j] CASSIUS, H. S. Whitehead. [k] JOHNSON LOOKED BACK, Thomas Burke. [1] A GENTLEMAN FROM PRAGUE, Stephen Grendon. Pseudo of August Derleth. * [m] THE HAND OF THE o 'MECCA, Howard Wandrei. Theriomorphy against a good background of grain basin regionalism. [n] THE TWO BLACK BOTTLES, Wilfred Blanch Talman. (WI 1927) The nephew of old dead Vanderhoof hears the confession of a 200-year old wizard who had stolen Vanderhoof's soul and

DERLETH, AUGUST imprisoned it in a black bottle. The other bottle contains the wizard's soul. (Reworked by H. P. Lovecraft.) [0] MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, Alfred Noyes. (THIS WEEK 1935) A cyclical horror situation of a man who reads horrible things in a strange book in which he reads horrible things, and so on. [p] THE MANNIKIN, Robert Bloch. (WT 1937) An undeveloped Siamese twin is a familiar demon.. [q] THE CANE, Carl Jacobi. (WT 1934). It is made from a "death tree" and carries out vengeance against the enemies of its former owner. [r] THE BLACK STONE, R.E. Howard. Described elsewhere for context. [s] THE HORROR IN THE BURYING GROUND, Hazel Heald [and H. P. Lovecraft]. Described elsewhere for context. * A good collection. 526. WHO KNOCKS? TWENTY MASTERPIECES OF THE SPECTRAL FOR THE CONNOISSEUR Rinehart; New York 1946 Foreword. * Described elsewhere, [a] THE SHADOWS ON THE WALL, Mary Wilkins (Freeman). [b] RUNNING WOLF, Algernon Blackwood. [c] OLD MARTIN, A.E. Coppard. [d] ALANNAH, Stephen Grendon. Pseudo of August Derleth. [e] THE SHUNNED HOUSE, H. P. Lovecraft. [f] THE LAKE, Ray Bradbury. [g] THE SEVENTEENTH HOLE AT DUNCASTER, H. R. Wakefield. [h] THE ANKERDYNE PEW, W. F. Harvey. [i]SQUlRE TOBY'S WILL, J. S. LeFanu. [j] NEGOTIUM PERAMBULANS, E. F. Benson. [k] THE INTERCESSOR, May Sinclair. [1] THE HOUSE OF THE NIGHTMARE, E. L. White. [m] THE FOLLOWER, Cynthia Asquith. [n] THE RAVEL PAVANE, H. S. Whitehead. [0] THE GHOSTS OF STEAMBOAT COULEE, Arthur J. Burks. [p] THE WOMAN AT SEVEN BROTHERS, Wilbur Daniel Steele. * Also [q] IT, Theodore Sturgeon. (UNK 1940) A horrible sort of life in a reanimated corpse that wanders about the woods. Told with gusto. [r] THE PHANTOM FARMHOUSE, Seabury Quinn. (WT 1923) A clergyman in a sanitarium sees the old farmhouse nearby, visits the people, and falls in love with the daughter of the house. But there are werewolves about. One of them, out of love, transcends her condition to save the clergyman and beg for release. One of Quinn's better stories. [s] THE DEAR DEPARTED, AliceMary Schnirring. (WT 1944) A fraudulent medium, a fake Hindu ventriloquist; death by accident. At the next seance the dead man is present. [t] A REVERSION TO TYPE, Edgar Lloyd Hampton. (WT 1923) Also titled THE OLD BURYING GROUND. Driving a railroad line through the old Indian graveyard of the Kennisaus. The ghosts of the dead Indians resent the intrusion and harass the railway camp very spectacularly. * A good collection. 527. THE NIGHT SIDE MASTERPIECES OF THE STRANGE AND TERRIBLE Rinehart; New York [1947 ] Science-fiction and supernatural fiction, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE FIRST SHEAF, H.R. Wakefield. [b] BETHMOORA, Lord Dunsany. [c] THE SMOKING LEG, John Metcalfe. [d] THE EXALTED OMEGA, Arthur Machen. [e] CHEESE, A. E. Coppard. [f] SEATON'S AUNT, Walter de la Mare. [g] NIGHTMARE, Marjorie Bowen. [h] THE MASK OF MEDUSA, Nelson Bond. * Also [i] THE EXTRA

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DERLETH, AUGUST PASSENGER, Stephen Grendon. Pseudo of August Derleth. [j] ENOCH, Robert Bloch. (WT 1946) Enoch is a familiar, brought back by the halfwit's mother from the swamp. Enoch lives atop the young man's head and forces him to commit murders so that Enoch can eat brains. It might seem to be madness, except that Enoch, when transferred to the district attorney, continues his ways. [k] JOSHUA, R. Creighton Buck. (UNK 1941) A monstrous clock, bought from an antique dealer named Isaac Laquedem (the Wandering Jew), controls time. By changing the hands one can make time pass. Its owner is killed by lightning and the clock is thereupon sold to L. G. Jehova of Kansas. [1] MR. MINCHIN'S MIDSUMMER, Margery Lawrence. The Reverend Thomas Minchin, a puritanical prig, meets Pan and becomes converted to life. Pan assumes his form and delivers an awakening sermon to the parishioners. [m] THE EERIE MR. MURPHY, Howard Wandrei. (ESQUIRE 1937) Things happen when Murphy is present: clocks stop, motors die, planes crash. While he can predict trouble, he can neither cause nor prevent it. [n] THE FACE IN THE MIRROR, Denys Val Baker. (BRIARCLIFF QUARTERLY 1945) The narrator is pursued and haunted by a sinister man: from a barber shop, through Woolworth's, into a cinema. In desperation he strangles his pursuer and awakens as the other man. [0] THE MOON-CALLER, MacKinlay Kantor. (COLLIERS 1944) Old Dane, a reformed hunter, feels that he has a mission to protect the wild life. He also invents fabulous animals to entertain children. He is called to a congress of the animals he killed during his lifetime. The moon-caller is present. [p] SAMMY CALLS A NOOBUS, Henry A. Norton. (FANTASTIC ADVENTURE 1943) According to the ancient Egyptian documents, when a child of the pharaohs reads the spell in the king's chamber, he will evoke Anubis. To exorcise Anubis he must (among other things) calIon Osiris and Thoth. Sammy Faroes, a boy, both endangers and saves the world. Ingenious. [q] THREE MARKED PENNIES, Mary Elizabeth Counselman. (WT 1934). Borderline supernatural. Irony of fate. Three marked pennies are circulated. One will bring wealth, the second, travel; the third, death. They all go to the wrong people. [r] THE NIGHT WIRE, H. F. Arnold. (WT 1926) The newspaper night editor gets telegraph news from Xebico. A strange fog has appeared. It breaks up into humanoid fragments and destroys humanity, while the sky is aflame. But, as is soon learned, the night line has been dead all night, as has the operator-- presumably killed by the Xebican horrors. * [i] is one of Derleth's better stories. [m] and [p] are ingenious. 528. THE SLEEPING AND THE DEAD THIRTY UNCANNY TALES Pellegrini and Cudahy; New York 1947 Short stories. Described elsewhere, [a] A VIEW FROM A HILL, M. R. James. [b] GLORY HAND, August Derleth. [c] THE LADY'S MAID'S BELL, Edith Wharton. [d] THE SHADOWS, H, S, Whitehead. [e] OUT OF THE EONS, Hazel Heald [and H. P. Lovecraft]. [f] THE BULLY OF CHAPELIZOD, J. S. LeFanu. [g] CARNABY'S FISH, Carl Jacobi. [h] THE PAINTED_MIRROR, Donald Wandrei. [i1 THE

DERLETH, AUGUST DOUBLE SHADOW, C. A. Smith. [j] THE OCEAN LEECH, F. B. Long. [k] AMINA, E. L. White. [1] FAREWELL PERFORMANCE, H. R. Wakefield. Alternate title for NIMBO AND NOBBY'S FAREWELL PERFORMANCE. [m] ONE WAY TO MARS, Robert Bloch. [n] OUT OF THE PICTURE, Arthur Machen. [0] BRENNER'S BOY, John Metcalfe. [p] THE DOLL, Algernon Blackwood. [q] THE TOOL, W. F. Harvey. [r] THE DREAMS IN THE WITCHHOUSE, H. P. Lovecraft. [s] THE POSTMAN OF OTFORD, Lord Dunsany. Alternate title for HOW THE OFFICE OF POSTMAN FELL VACANT AT OTFORD-UNDER-THE-WOLD. * Also [t] OVER THE RIVER, P. Schuyler Miller. (UNK 1941) French Canadian setting. Joe Labatie, a corpse, returns and cannot be killed. A curse. [u] THE CANAL, Everill Worrell. (WT 1927) Old-~~shioned mood story about a vampire, a boat, and a sinister canal. [v] DEAF, DUMB, AND BLIND, C. H. Eddy, Jr. [and H. P. Lovecraft]. Described elsewhere for context. [w] SPIDERBITE, Robert Spenser Carr. (WT 1926) An Egyptian tomb with a mummy in suspended animation, giant white spiders whose bites revive the dead. [x] MR. LUPESCU, Anthony Boucher. (pseud. of William A. White) A clever murderer disguises himself as a supernatural being in order to mislead a child, but the demon is really waiting for him. [y] MASQUERADE, Henry Kuttner. (WT 1942) A sinister old house where murder has been committed, and vampires. [z] SEVENTH SISTER, Mary E. Counselman. [WT 1943) Southern Black folklore. An albino Black girl, who, according to tradition, should have great supernatural powers. The author handles an ambiguity very nicely. [aa] IN AMUNDSEN'S TENT, John Martin Leahy. (WT 1928) "Bodies are • • • local fittings of intelligence to particular modifications of universal matter and force." Horror. Antarctica. [bb] MAN IN A HURRY, Alan Nelson. (WT 1944) Fate, exemplified by a man who is always in a hurry. After he saves the narrator's life, he is no longer in a hurry. [cc] THE LAST PIN, Howard Wandrei. City street gangs. Young Ernie is (presumably) possessed by the spirit of his mad brother and commits murder. * Of the new material [u], [x], and [z] are best. * The thirtieth story, THE JAR, by Ray Bradbury does not seem supernatural to me. 529. NIGHT'S YAWNING PEAL A GHOSTLY COMPANY Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1952 Short stories, including, described elsewhere for context, [a] MR. GEORGE, Stephen Grendon. (Pseud. of August Derleth). [b] THE GORGE OF THE CHURELS, H. Russell Wakefield. [c] THE SIGN, Lord Dunsany. [d] DHOH, Manly Wade Wellman. [e] THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD, H. P. Lovecraft. [f] THE LONESOME PLACE, August Derleth. [g] THE LA PRELLO PAPER, Carl Jacobi. Borderline science-fiction. A sentimentalist about the past is pushed by infinite regression into the past, a generation or so each occasion. [h] THE CHURCHYARD YEW, "J. S. LeFanu." For ~ years the vicar and the sexton have quarreled about the position of a yew in the churchyard. When, after the sexton's death, the vicar moves the tree, the result is unfortunate. * This story is not, of course, by LeFanu, and is a

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DERLETH, AUGUST AND SCHORER, MARK hoax. According to hearsay, it was written by Derleth, but I have never seen a formal acknowledgment. [i] TECHNICAL SLIP, John Beynon Harris. A dying man gives three-fourths of his property to Hell for the opportunity to live again. But a mistake is made, and he returns to the past with memory and disturbs history. The situation is repeated indefinitely. [j] HECTOR, Michael West (Pseud. of August Derleth) Hector's owner sees his ghost, Hector being a dog. But the owner himself is the ghost. [k] ROMAN REMAINS, Algernon Blackwood. A satyr. [1] A DAMSEL WITH A DULCIMER, Malcolm Ferguson. A mood story of Cambodia and Coleridge. [m] THE SUPPRESSED ENDING, Richard Curle. A suppressed book tells how to evoke the Devil. A trick ending. [n] THE MAN WHO COLLECTED POE, Robert Bloch. Told as a Poe pastiche. Collecting includes the reanimated corpse of Poe. * Of the new material [n] is best. WITH SCHORER, MARK (1908-1977) American educator (Harvard, University of California), mainstream novelist, poet. Native, with friend and collaborator Derleth, of Sauk City. Stories described here are youthful products and do not represent the author's mature work either in type or quality. 530. COLONEL MARKESAN AND LESS PLEASANT PEOPLE Arkham House; Sauk City, Wisc. 1966 In their introduction the authors reveal that Derleth did most of the plotting, while Schorer did most of the writing. * Including [a] IN THE LEFT WING. (WT 1932) John Thraves practices black magic in the isolated left wing of his house. He is found dead. A vampiric monster with the form and face of a dead woman is responsible. [b] SPAWN OF THE MAELSTROM. (WT 1939) On the uninhabited island of Vomma is an incarnation of cosmic evil. It radiates intense cold and can usurp human bodies. The only defence against it is a stone talisman, a five-pointed star. [c] COLONEL MARKESAN. (WT 1934) The colonel had been discharged from Harvard not too many years earlier, for claiming that he could raise the dead. He could. [d] THE RETURN OF ANDREW BENTLEY. (WT 1932) Amos dies fearing the return of Andrew Bentley and his familiar. He asks that certain magical rites be performed to protect his corpse. They are not done, and Bentley returns from the dead. [e] THE WOMAN AT LOON POINT. [WT 1936) Werewolves in the back woods. The condition is transmitted by a bite. [f] DEATH HOLDS THE POST. (WT 1936) Dr. Prettweg has a potion that can revive the dead. He uses it for military purposes in French North Africa. [g] LAUGHTER IN THE NIGHT. (WT 1932) At a strange inn along the road, a traveller is warned not to raise the blind at night. A ghoul. Also implications of an avenging ghost from the traveller's past. [h] THE VENGEANCE OF AI. (STRANGE STORIES 1939) Egyptological. The statue of the goddess crushes her enemies, and the ghosts of the victims must run about the valley. [i] RED HANDS. (WT 1932) Borderline supernatural. Not entirely clear, but apparently vines that have a fantastic ability to

DERLETH, AUGUST AND SCHORER, MARK attack. [j] THEY SHALL RISE. (WT 1936) Dr. Brock, who is well over a hundred, believes that corpses should not be mistreated. He is most unhappy when he visits medical schools. His practice is to animate the corpses and let them avenge themselves. He is killed with a silver bullet. [k] EYES OF THE SERPENT. (STRANGE STORIES 1938) A murderous voodoo high priestess, though dead, is tracked down by an avenging detective, also dead. Voodoo magic has kept them alive. [1] THE HORROR FROM THE DEPTHS. (STRANGE STORIES 1940) Alternate title for THE EVIL ONES. Deep sea dredging destroys the seals on the tombs where the Evil Ones have been imprisoned by the Elder Gods. The Evil Ones emerge. They can be restrained by the five-pointed stone stars, but the Elder Gods must return. [m] THE OCCUPANT OF THE CRYPT. (WT 1947) When the crypt is opened, a horror is let loose. It attacks vampirically. [n] THE HOUSE IN THE MAGNOLIAS. (STRANGE TALES 1932) Zombies work the old plantation. * The authors are somewhat apologetic in their introduction. DICKENS, CHARLES (JOHN HUFFAM) (1812-1870) Preeminent British middle-Victorian novelist. Most of his supernatural fiction, such as the renowned A CHRISTMAS CAROL IN PROSE, is allegorical and expressed in the author's peculiar grotesque realism. 531. POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF THE PICKWICK CLUB Chapman and Hall; London Twenty parts, from March 1836 to October 1837 Hidden within the wonders of THE PICKWICK PAPERS are two intercalated supernatural stories which have often been anthologized. While they are told tongue-in-cheek, with suggestions for rational explanations, readers have paid no heed to these intimations of fraud or alcoholic delirium and have accepted the stories as ghost stories. * [a] THE BAGMAN'S STORY. In Chapter XIV. Eighty years ago, Tom Smart, the traveller for the great house of Bilson and Slum, stopped at an inn at Marlborough Downs. After an evening of drinking and thought, Tom retired, to awaken a little later. An old mahogany chair addresses him, telling him that the tall man who plans to marry the widow who owns the inn is really married, with six children. A letter to that effect is in the tall man's pants pocket. Tom finds the letter and marries the widow. [b] THE STORY OF THE BAGMAN'S UNCLE. Chapter XLIX. After an evening of celebration the bagman's uncle decides to sleep it off in what amounts to a second-hand coach lot. He awakens to find the yard in animation, and he is soon off on a mysterious ride. He protects a woman from being kidnapped, duels with a ghost, and decides to marry the woman himself. After a wild chase, he awakens in the lot. What do the ghosts of mail-coaches carry? Dead letters. * Also present are two less familiar stories. [c] THE TRUE LEGEND OF PRINCE BLADUD. In Chapter XXXVI. This describes the origin of the waters of Bath from the tears of Prince Bladud, who was swallowed up by the earth. Dickens probably intended this as a pa-

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DICKENS, CHARLES rody of pretentious etiological legends, but it does not come off very well. [d] THE STORY OF THE GOBLINS WHO STOLE A SEXTON. Chapter XXIX. Essentially an advance study for A CHRISTMAS CAROL IN PROS1. Gabriel Grub, a misanthropic sexton, is engaged in digging a grave on Christmas Eve. He is approached by a goblin, tormented, and then taken down into a cavern, to goblin land, where he is shown various sadistic social visions. His experience leads to a change of heart in Grub, but cynics blame the change on a bottle of Hollands gin. * There are also two supernatural anecdotes in Chapter XX. * [a] and [b] are gems. [d} has too much moral. * The stories do not seem to be integrated into the ideastructure of the novel in any obvious way. 532. A CHRISTMAS CAROL IN PROSE Chapman and Hall; London 1843 A CHRISTMAS CAROL is so familiar that it does not need to be summarized beyond saying that it portrays symbolically the workings of conscience on Scrooge, a miserly money-lender in the City. It stands apart from the general Victorian supernatural tradition in not being concerned with ghostly justice symbols, premonitory dreams, or death portents. It is essentially a figurative statement of a human psychological condition, in which personality facets, conceived as characters, are treated with Dickens's usual gargoyled realism. Much the same approach is to be seen clearly in HARD TD1ES, THE HAUNTED MAN AND THE GHOST'S BARGAIN, and THE CHIMES. 533. THE CHIMES A GOBLIN STORY OF SOME BELLS THAT RANG AN OLD YEAR OUT AND A NEW YEAR IN Chapman and Hall; London 1844 Social commentary and emotional blackmail in terms of a dream with supernatural implications. * Trotty Veck, sixty-year old ticketporter (messenger-boy, in modern parlance), is a good-hearted, amiable person who has accepted his sorry lot in life. He has been hesitant to consent to his daughter's marriage, citing financial reasons, although this is obviously not the only factor. Throughout his life Veck has been comforted by the bells in the tower where he lives and he now hears them summoning him to judgment. In a great clatter, as he stands before them, they criticize his looking back with longing on the past. They show him his corpse, in the future, and they reveal to him many horrors to come. When he sees his daughter about to commit suicide in the Thames, he desperately tries to save her. He then awakens in his chair by the fire, on New Year's Eve, and has undergone a transformation of character. He will now permit the marriage. * A somewhat perplexing story. Dickens filled in much of the story before Veck's vision with bloated capitalists and sadistic do-gooders, and one may wonder why poor Veck was chosen to bear the brutal onslaught of a message of "trust and hope in one another." 534. THE HAUNTED MAN AND THE GHOST'S BARGAIN Bradford and Evans; London 1848 Psychological allegory, apparently based on aspects of Dickens's life during this period.

DICKENS, CHARLES The theme of this story is the motto cited several times, "Lord, keep my memory green." By this Dickens did not mean that others should remember him, but that one should have memory of both one's good and bad acts, to act as a guide and incentive for future action. * Redlaw, a chemist, basically a good man, but a man who has suffered greatly, is musing over the passage of time when he is confronted by his doppelganger. The doppelganger offers him forgetfulness of the past and the ability to create the same oblivion in others whom he should meet. Redlaw accepts the offer, which at first seems wonderful, but his character soon deteriorates and he becomes selfish, unsympathetic, and hostile. Those whom he meets react in the same manner-- with one exception, a young woman named Milly Swidger. Redlaw has insight enough to recognize his new misery and the misery he has caused, and summons back his doppelganger. He cancels his agreement and tries, with the aid of Milly, to regain his memory of right and wrong. At the end of the book he recognizes that pain and wrong must be remembered, in order that forgiveness may operate. * Dickens's selection of memory as the key component of personality (as with medieval mystics) is unexpected for his period; one would anticipate volition or intellect. 535. TO BE· READ AT DUSK [Printed by G. Barclay, Castle St., Leicester Square]; London 1852 This story was first published as a contribution to the KEEPSAKE for 1852. The edition cited above consists (usually) of unbound sheets. It was considered to be a rare pamphlet around the turn of the century, bringing high auction prices; but Carter and Pollard demonstrated that this printing was a hoax, a fraudulent publication perpetrated by Thomas Wise. It really dates from around 1890. * The story is formed around five couriers Who are conversing in Switzerland. Giovanni Baptista, a Neapolitan, tells of an Englishwoman whom he had served in her tour of Italy. She was terrified by a dream, which she insisted would come true. The dream was about a man's face. The face is not to be found where expected, among Italian family portraits, but is that of a new acquaintance, one Signor Dellombra. She is carried off by Dellombra. While no explanation is given, the man's name suggests that this is emblematic for death. A German courier tells of an experience he had in England: his master saw the swarth of his brother. It was verified. * Nicely told. 536. THE UNCOMMERCIAL TRAVELLER. Chapman and Hall; London 1860 This first edition of THE UNCOMMERCIAL TRAVELLER contains 17 papers, which had appeared in ALL THE YEAR ROUND. Among them is [a] NURSE'S STORIES. Essentially an essay on horror and supernatural stories told to children, it narrates the horrible history of Captain Murderer, the cannibal Bluebeard, and the story of Chips, ~ who sold his soul to the Devil for a pittance of naval goods and a talking rat. Chips tries to kill the rat, and is punished at sea. The bottom of his ship is eaten out by rats. The section about Chips has been anthologized under

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DICKENS, CHARLES such titles as THE RAT THAT COULD SPEAK, THE RAT, and THE DEV IL AND MR. CHIPS. It is a nice little tale. 537. THE LAMPLIGHTER'S STORY HUNTED DOWN THE DETECTIVE POLICE AND OTHER NOUVELLETTES T. Peterson; Philadelphia 1861 This seems to be first book publication for the detective material listed in the title as well as for [a] THE HAUNTED HOUSE, the Christmas annual for ALL THE YEAR ROUND for 1859. The framework, written by Dickens, supported six short stories by various hands. Dickens's contribution was [b] THE GHOST IN MASTER B.'S ROOM. A story of the narrator's immersion in his own past. After experiences with strange persons in the mirror, a living skeleton, and a nightmare ride, he returns to his childhood, with all the delights he had left behind. * Also present is Wilkie Collins's THE GHOST IN THE CUPBOARD ROOM, better known as "BLOW UP WITH THE BRIG!" This invokes supernaturalism only as a verbal gesture and need not be described. * The framework, despite the title, is not supernatural. 538. THE UNCOMMERCIAL TRAVELLER AND ADDITIONAL CHRISTMAS STORIES Ticknor and Fields; Boston 1868 Volume 27 of the Library Edition of the Works of Charles Dickens In addition to reprinting [a] NURSE'S STORIES, this seems to be the earliest book publication of Dickens's two conventional. ghost stories. The English edition did not appear until 1872. It must be admitted, however, that there were many pirated editions of Dickens's stories in America, and that there may be earlier, unrecorded publications. * [b] TO BE TAKEN WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. Often reprinted under the variant title, THE TRIAL FOR MURDER. It first appeared in DR. MARIGOLD'S PRESCRIPTIONS, the Christmas number of ALL THE YEAR ROUND for 1865. The narrator, a juror at a celebrated murder trial, sees a ghostly figure walking among the jury, bending over the judge's notes, and influencing the minds of the witnesses. This, the thirteenth juror, is also visible to the criminal. [c] NO.1 BRANCH LINE, THE SIGNALMAN. Often reprinted under the variant title, THE SIGNALMAN. It first appeared in MUG BY JUNCTION, the Christmas number of ALL THE 'lEAR ROUND FOR 1866. The signalman tells the narrator of supernatural warnings that have occurred just before train accidents in his area. On this third occasion the signalman himself is the victim, in circumstances like those of his visions. WITH COLLINS, WILKIE 539. THE lAZY TOUR OF TWO IDLE APPRENTICES NO THOROUGHFARE THE PERILS'OF CERTAIN ENGLISH PRISONERS Chapman and Hall; London 1890 In the summer of 1857 Dickens and Collins undertook a walking tour of Cumberland and Lancashire, sending back to HOUSEHOLD WORDS a fictionalized account of their wanderings. In Dickens's portion of THE LAZY TOUR OF TWO IDLE APPRENTICES is to be found the excellent untitled short story [a] [THE GHOST IN THE BRIDAL CHAMBER]. Mr. Goodchild (Dickens) has observed a strange-looking old man about t~e

DICKENS, CHARLES inn, and the old man tells Dickens his history. About a hundred years earlier he married a stupid, gentle, but rich young woman whom he detested. After causing her to make a last testament, he willed her to death. When a young friend confronted him about the death, the narrator murdered him. The last murder was found out, and the old man was hanged. He is condemned to haunt the inn, but in multiple personages, to correspond with his delight in the increased wealth which he had when alive. When the story is finished, Goodchild, in terror, drags away Mr. Idle (Collins), but it was only a dream. * The edition cited is the first clothbound edition of this story, although it was reprinted earlier in paperback form in the United States: THE LAZY TOUR OF TWO IDLE APPRENTICES (J. W. Lovell, New York, #437 in Lovell's Library, 1884). Still earlier in date was a separate pamphlet about the events in the inn, EXTRACT FROM HOUSEHOLD WORDS, RELATING TO MR. DICKENS'S VISIT TO LANCASTER, published by J. Sly, King's Arms Hotel, Lancaster (1863), where Dickens and Collins stayed. I have not seen this printing, although a copy is recorded for Stanford University Library. DIEUDONNE, FLORENCE CARPENTER (1850 - ? American author. 540. RONDAll, OR THIRTY-THREE YEARS IN A STAR Peterson; Philadelphia 1887 An eccentric novel obviously derivative from Verne, but with considerable supernaturalism in the background. * Regan, a Byronic scientist of the late 19th century, and his associates construct a gigantic cannon, which is to propel a shell to an asteroid. The shell, with Regan and a companion inside, reaches the asteroid, which is not in a stable state of development, but is still formative. It is inhabited by bird people, vegetable people, and horrible monsters of all sorts and degrees of fluidity. Besides the vivid phantasmagoric life on the asteroid, fantastic elements include an angel, a demon, a gigantic prehuman race which is older than the nebula. A utopia will develop on the asteroid. * Amateurish in presentation, but with many unusual ideas that were not expressed again or developed for decades. DILKE, LADY EMILIA FRANCES (nee CARPENTER) 1840-1904) British author, feminist. Best-known for capable surveys of aspects of French 18th century culture, FRENCH ARCHITECTURE AND SCULPTORS OF THE 18TH CENTURY, FRENCH ENGRAVERS AND DRAFTSMEN OF THE 18TH CENTURY! etc. Trivial as a writer of fiction. 541. THE SHRINE OF DEATH AND OTHER STORIES Routledge; London 1886 Victorian literary fables, sentimental semiallegories told in a vague, timeless way. * Including [a] THE SHRINE OF DEATH. A young woman or girl, told to marry Death, takes the advice seriously and goes to the Shrine of Death. There she is trapped by the dead, and Death takes her. [b] THE SILVER CAGE. A de-

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DINESEN, ISAK vil aspires to a woman's soul, which is kept in a silver cage. The devil is not successful, for when the woman dies, her soul goes to Heaven. [c] A VISION OF LEARNING. A young man who is eager to acquire learning seeks it in various places. In the graveyard where the illustrious dead are buried he sees men in red or black robes disputing, but none of them knows learning. [d] THE SECRET. A wanderer comes to the Snow Maiden. They fall in love, but he is drowned and his body floats home. * The other stories, although not properly fantastic, share much of the same mood. Weak. DINESEN, ISAK (pseud. of BLIXEN, BARONESS KAREN CHRISTENTZE DINESEN BLIXEN) (1885-1962) Prominent Danish writer, long resident in Kenya as coffee planter. Highly regarded fiction, SEVEN GOTHIC TALES, WINTER'S TALES, were first written in English. Work is strongly suggestive of 19th century prototypes (Kleist, Merimee), and a symbolic touch is often present. A very fine writer. Has also written under pseudonym PIERRE ANDREZEL, which see. 542. SEVEN GOTHIC TALES Putnam; London 1934 Nouvelles, including [a] THE MONKEY. Decadence and evil, as symbolized by an animal spirit. Early 19th century Denmark. The aristocratic prioress of Closter Seven is visited by her nephew Boris, a homosexual who has caused a court scandal. She must help him to marry immediately, or his position will be serious. The prioress recommends the daughter of a local aristocrat, a very masculine, frigid woman. The girl refuses Boris, whereupon the prioress encourages her nephew to rape the girl. While Boris is not successful, it seems as if a marriage will take place, until-- it is revealed that the evil counsel had not been the prioress's, but that of her pet monkey, who had possessed her body. The prioress, returned, equalizes matters. A plot summary, unfortunately, does not justice to the Baroness's art in preparing for the ending. [b] THE SUPPER AT ELSINORE. Napoleonic Denmark. The De Conincks, two beautiful but haughty old maids and their brother Morten, are hard hit economically by the wars. Morten is engaged to be married, but just before the ceremony he commandeers a ship and sails off to become a privateer. The sisters hear of him only occasionally: he is a pirate in the Caribbean; he is a slave holder and planter; he has been hanged as a criminal. Years later his ghost appears at Elsinore. He can leave Hell only when the sea is frozen over. He reminisces about his past life, his motivations, and his values, and explains why his life took the path it did. His sisters forgive him. * [b] does not have as strong a point as the other stories in the book. [a] is a gem, as are the other, non-fantastic stories. 543. WINTER'S TALES Putnam; London 1942 Short stories, including [a] THE SAILOR-BOY'S TALE. A very young sailor on a ship bound from Marseilles to Athens, rescues and releases a falcon that had become entangled in the rigging. He feels a sense of "common tragedy" with the bird. Two years later, in Norway, ea-

DINESEN, ISAK ger to keep a tryst with a young woman, in a momentary frustration, he knifes one of his fellow sailors and must find refuge. An old Lapp woman draws him into her hut, disguises him, and misleads his pursuers. At first her motivations are not clear, but she reveals that she, in falcon guise, had been the bird that was entangled in the rigging, and that she is repaying her debt. [b] THE FISH. An episode in the life of King Erik Glipping of Denmark, who was murdered by his high constable. His fate is determined by a sending, the finger ring of his future mistress comes to him in a fish caught by a Wendish thrall. * Excellent stories.

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DISRAELI, BENJAMIN (1804-1881) British political figure now of legendary reputation. M.P., Prime Minister. Lord Beaconsfield. In early life popular, controversial topical novelist. Important in history of 19th century novel for fiction of dandyism (VIVIAN GREY), but 'S·upernatural fiction is not strong. Other fantastic works are THE VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN POPANILLA (1828), IXION IN HEAVEN (1847) • 544. THE WONDROUS TALE OF ALROY Saunders and Otley; London 1833 3 vols. (published as by the author of VIVIAN GREY) In 1831 Disraeli visited Jerusalem and examined the local antiquities. He also learned of the institution of the Princes of the Captivity in medieval Islamic Judaism. These were reputed descendants of King David, who occasionally wielded considerable local power. The resulting novel is a fantasy of history with supernatural aspects. * During the 12th century, when Arab power has been weakened by Turkish attack, David Alroy, Prince of the Captivity, makes a bid for empire. From his base at Hamadan he defeats successive Islamic and Byzantine armies and becomes the most powerful ruler on earth. He establishes his capital at Baghdad, but becomes lax and secularized, even to marrying a Moslem princess. He is brought down by treachery during a great battle against the Seljuks and is executed by Alp Arslan. He failed, but magnificently. Supernatural elements include true prophecies by a Jewish seeress; occasional incidental magic; and David's acquisition of the sceptre of Solomon, which he attained in a jinn-haunted, vision-filled cavern. * Narrated in an experimental manner with wild apocopes, elisions, and much rodomontade. As literature a curiosity based (in part) on Napoleon, but with many insights into Disraeli's future political activities.

545. THEY WENT Chapman and Hall; London 1920 A whimsical novel. The theme, which is treated puckishly, is that beauty is unmoral. 1< Behind the story lies the battle between God and a very charming devil, Theophilus, for the fairest city in the Western world. God stands for righteousness, smugness, and utilitarianism; the Devil stands for beauty, art, and tolerance. * In the early Middle Ages a Celtic kinglet expanded his domains by conquest and thought of building himself a great capital city. With the aid of a Roman engineer he lays out a great commercial center, which is efficient, but not beautiful. Beauty must wait another generation for the king's daughter, who is cruel and immoral, but with a sense of aesthetics. Evil, however, also emerges in the city, in both the princess's activities and the practices of the Druids, and the city is marked for destruction. God moves deviously, sending a halfwit to open the sea gates of the low-lying city, and the Devil's wiles cannot save it from the sea. * An amusing jeu d'esprit, an onslaught against philistinism, which cannot be summarized well. 546. IN THE BEGINNING [The Author] Florence 1927 A whimsical, mythopoetic account of the beginnings of civilization, statecraft, and morals. The frame of reference is mostly ancient Greek, but with intrusions from other mythologies. * In the beginning the gods were closer to man than they are now, and they mated easily and often with the sons and daughters of men. Linus is the product of one of these unions, the son of the earth god (Apollo?) and a mortal woman. When Linus is a young man he goes to bed with Derco, the fish goddess, who becomes pregnant by him. This enrages her, since goddesses do ~ot become pregnant by mortals, and she had wrongly thought herself safe in conducting an amour with him. She strikes Linus dead, and not long after this gives birth to Symira (Semiramis). The earth god, Linus's father, revives him, since he plans to use Linus as a culture hero and civilize the world. Some years later Linus is captured in war by Queen Symira, who is both intelligent and ruthless, and becomes her consort. Together they found a civilization, Linus receiving instruction from the last two satyrs. Finally, however, the great god (Zeus) appears over earth, becorr..es incensed at the goings on, and sends the disease of morals down upon man. This destroys everything. * A capricious reworking of many themes from ancient mythology, amUSing and witty.

DOUGLAS, [GEORGE] NORMAN (1868-1952) British expatriate, one-time civil servant, essayist, journalist, writer of fiction. Resident mostly in Italy, near Naples, whose antiquities and folk culture he celebrated in sever~ al books remarkable for learning and wit. Is now remembered for modern masterpiece SOUTH WIND (1917), which unfortunately stigmatizes him as a one-book author, since nothing else he wrote approaches SOUTH WIND.

DOUGLAS, THEO. (pseud. of EVERETT, MRS. H.D., which see) 547. IRAS; A MYSTERY Blackwood; Edinburgh and London 1896 Supernatural romance. The 1880's. Ralph Lavenham, Egyptologist, attends a seance and sees a strangely hostile Egyptian, who is apparently invisible to the others present. The Egyptian appears to him on several other occasions, and Lavenham learns that the manifestation is con-

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nected with a mummy that he has acquired. When he unwraps the mummy, it is revealed to be that of Iras, a beautiful young woman. She has been placed in suspended animation by the evil priest Savak for seven ages, or until she will accept him. The mummy awakens when it is unwrapped. Lavenham and Iras fall in love and marry. But there is a further element in Savak's curse: Iras will remain alive only as long as she wears a certain necklace with seven pendants. At the rate of one a week the pendants are removed by various supernatural means, and when the last one is stolen by Savak's spirit, Iras is transformed back into a mummy. Lavenham collapses, and for a time it is questionable whether he has been entirely sane and has not imagined the episode with Iras. Iras's mummy is found, still wrapped, but when it is opened, they find on its finger Lavenham's ring. * Sentimental sensationalism. DOYLE, SIR ARTHUR CONAN (1859-1930) British writer of fiction, poetry, essays, political tracts, apologetics for Spiritualism, and much else. Trained (at Edinburgh) as physician, specialty ophthalmology, turned to writing to supplement meagre income and soon became world-renowned literary figure. Received knighthood for propaganda work during the Boer War, but soon fell out of favor for civil rights activities, notably the Slater and Eda1ji cases, where he was partially instrumental in correcting injustice. Is today esteemed mostly for Sherlock Holmes stories, although early historical novel, THE WHITE COMPANY (1891) is generally considered his finest work. As a writer of supernatural fiction, much less important than in the detective story. 548. MYSTERIES AND ADVENTURES Walter Scott; London 1889 Short stories, including [a] THE SILVER HATCHET (1883). Contagious magic. Budapest. Two mysterious murders in old Pesth; two students find a silver hatchet from the museum; and almost two more murders. The hatchet is accursed, with a Rosicrucian spell in its handle. Anyone who holds it becomes homicidal. * Competent Victorian thrills. 549. THE MYSTERY OF CLOOMBER Ward and Downey; London 1889 Occult thriller about Oriental revenge, developing a theme indicated but not fully exploited in Wilkie Collins's THE MOONSTONE. * Scotland. General Heatherstone, retired army officer with Indian service, and his family move into the isolated castle of C100mber. The general refuses to have anything to do with the neighbors. The castle is guarded like a fortress, and the general and his son are obviously in terror of an attack. A member of the local gentry falls in love with the general's daughter and wins the general's confidence at about the same time as three Buddhist priests are "shipwrecked" on the coast nearby. The priests, who are able to control the weather and work other magic, have come (since the time is right) to avenge the

DOYLE, A. CONAN brutal murder of an adept, whom the general had killed in India many years earlier. The priests carry out their task. * In this edition, but not in all succeeding editions, there is a "factual" appendix concerning the occult subject matter, much of which is obviously taken from Theosophy. * Not one of Doyle's stronger works. Badly researched and flimsy. 550. THE CAPTAIN OF THE POLESTAR AND OTHER TALES Longmans, Green; London"1890 Short stories, including [a] THE CAPTAIN OF THE "POLESTAR." (TEMPLE BAR 1883) The journal of a medical student on an Arctic voyage. Strange cries and spectral appearances end in the captain's death as he pursues a wraith. Based in part on Doyle's own Arctic experiences. [b] J. HABAKUK JEPHSON'S STATEMENT. (CORNHILL 1884) Doyle's fictional explanation of the mystery of the ''Mary Celeste." The compass was altered and the vessel was delivered over to an isolated tribe of Blacks on the African coast, by a vengeful American mulatto. A slight fantastic element emerges in the means by which the narrator is saved. When this story appeared anonymously in magazine form, it was taken as a serious account by certain government officials. [c] THE GREAT KEINPIATZ EXPERlMENT. (BELGRAVIA 1885)' Germany. Humor. Transfer of personalities as the result of an experiment in mesmerism, leading to many contretemps. [d] A LITERARY MOSAIC (BOY' SOWN PAPER 1886) Sometimes reprinted as CYPRIAN OVERBECK WELLS. A young writer is helped by the spirits of the illustrious dead of literature. Unfortunately, their work exemplifies their foibles. A dream. [e] JOHN BARRINGTON COWLES. (CASSELL'S SATURDAY JOURNAL (1886) A beautiful but evil woman, Whose mesmeric power is so great that it can drive men to their death. [f] THE RING OF THOTH. (CORNHILL 1890) The narrator, in the museum in Paris, witnesses strange goings-on before a mummy case. It is explained: Sosra, a priest of Ancient Egypt, has survived to the present by virtue of an elixir that he drank thousands of years ago. He is searching for an antidote, which he believes was buried with his ancient lover, now a mummy in the museum. * [a], [b], [c], [e] had earlier publication in book form in the anonymous anthology DREAMIAND AND GHOSTIAND (George Redway; London 1886). * [a] and [b] have atmosphere; [c] is amusing; [f] is a nice romantic tale. 551. THE GREAT KEINPIATZ EXPERlMENT Rand McNally; Chicago [1894] Including, all described elsewhere. [a] THE GREAT KEINPIATZ EXPERlMENT. [b] THE CAPTAIN OF THE POLE-STAR. [c] J. HABAKUK JEPHSON'S STATEMENT. [d] A LITERARY MOSAIC. [e] JOHN BARRINGTON COWLES. [f] THE RING OF THOTH. * This was the edition in which Doyle's early supernatural fiction was most accessible to American readers. 552. THE PARASITE Acme Library Service, Constable; London [1894] Short novel in diary form. The chief characters are Dr. Austin Gilroy, a physiologist;

DOYLE, A. CONAN Agatha, his fiancee; and Mrs. Penelosa, a medium with enormous mesmeric power. Gilroy, at first a sceptic, is working with Mrs. Penelosa on psychic research. He soon observes that she has fallen in love with him, although he feels no attraction to her. He also learns that not only can she mesmerize; she can also project her personality, possess others, and drive them to do what she wants. When Gilroy rejects her, she assaults him psychically and sets out to destroy him. He finds himself engaged in foolish and criminal acts, and loses his job. At the climax he suddenly awakens in Agatha's boudoir with a bottle of vitriol-- and this is his last travail, for Mrs. Penelosa dropped dead at the moment he awakened. * Sensational, commercial, sometimes on the crude side, but ininteresting in the light of Doyle's later conversion to Spiritualism. Here Doyle is not a disbeliever. but he considers the area dangerous. ~< The American periodical publication (HARPER'S WEEKLY, 1894) and book edition (Harper, 1895) are illustrated nicely by Howard Pyle. 553. ROUND THE RED LAMP BEING FACTS AND FANCIES OF MEDICAL LIFE Methuen; London 1894 Short stories, mostly with medical associations, including [a] LOT NO. 249. (HARPERS 1892) Bellingham, a rather unpleasant man, has discovered the secret of reanimating Egyptian mummies. One of his experiments, Lot No. 249, is terrorizing the neighborhood. The animating process is magical and involves a remarkable papyrus. The spoil-sport protagonist makes Bellingham destroy everything. [b] THE LOS AMIGOS FIASCO. (THE IDLER 1892) In Los Amigos criminals are executed by electricity. But an error is made in the case of Duncan Warner, and his vital energy is so increased that he cannot be killed and will probably outlast his jail. 554. ROUND THE FIRE STORIES Smith, Elder; London 1908 Short stories, including [a] THE LEATHER FUNNEL. (McCLURE'S 1900) Psychometric phenomena. The antique leather funnel, which dates from the time of Louis XIV, conveys bad dreams. It was used for applying the water torture to the Marquise de Brinvilliers. [b] PLAYING WITH FIRE. (STRAND 1900) A Spiritualistic seance, conducted by a vulgar little Frenchman who is eager for results. A horrible manifestation occurs, a beast like a unicorn. A warning against irresponsible psychic investigation. [c] THE BROWN HAND. (STRAND 1899) The ghost of a little brown man haunts the pathologist. Years before, he had amputated the cancerous hand of an Afghan and put the hand in his collection of specimens. The Afghan said at the time that the hand was only a loan; he wanted his body complete after death. But the hand cannot be returned; it was destroyed in a fire long ago. 555. THE LAST GALLEY IMPRESSIONS AND TALES Smith, Elder; London 1911 ,Short stories, including [a] THROUGH THE VEIL. A Scotti·sh couple have visionary memories of the days of the Romans and Celts, when the husband killed the Roman his (present) wife loved. The situation is disrupting their marriage.

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DOYLE, A. CONAN Ancestral memory? Reincarnation? [b] "DE PROFUNDIS." (THE IDLER 1892) At sea a wife sees her husband's death image arise out of the water and look at her. She knows that he is dead. On reaching land they discover that the husband has truly died, but not under the circumstances assumed. A rational explanation is offered for the vision. A rather horrible story. [c] THE SILVER MIRROR. (STRAND 1908) It came from Holyrood, and shows events around a tall, handsome woman. Mary, Queen of Scots, and the murder of Rizzio. 556. DANGER! AND OTHER STORIES John Murray; London 1918 Short novel and short stories, including [a] HOW IT HAPPENED. (STRAND 1913) Revealed by a writing medium (presumably automatic writing). After an automobile crash the narrator suddenly meets an old friend. A moment later he remembers that his friend has been dead for some time. He comments on this, and Stanley replies, "So are you." * A nice treatment of a trite theme. 557. TALES OF THE RING AND THE CAMP John Murray; London [1922] Short stories, including [a] THE BULLY OF BROCAS COURT. (STRAND 1921) Middle 19th century. A good contemporary boxer and his manager, on their way to a match, chance upon the Bully, who stops their rig and challenges the boxer. The boxer cannot avoid fighting the Bully, and he is being soundly whipped when a ghostly dog bursts from the bushes and the Bully runs away. The Bully was the ghost of a famous boxer of an earlier generation, a horrible man. He had died drunk, head crushed beneath a cart wheel, not long after he tortured a dog. Since then he has been making a nuisance of himself. * One of Doyle's best stories, and probably his best supernatural story. 558. THE LAND OF MIST Hutchinson; London [1926] While formally a novel, this is really an apologia for Spiritualism, to which Doyle had been converted at some time during World War I. Doyle, despite age and ill health, was an ardent controvertist and missed no chances for advancing the cause of Spiritualism. The novel, in addition to the story line, embodies many factual incidents of British Spiritualism (conduct during seances, relations with the police, newspaper attitudes, etc.). * Many years have passed since Malone first met Professor Challenger and they shared the adventures described in THE LOST WORLD (1912) and THE POISON BELT (1913). Professor Summerlee is dead, and Challenger, after the death of his wife, has lost much of his old fire. Malone and Enid Challenger, the professor's daughter, while working on a journalistic coverage of the odd religions of London, come to Spiritualism. They are greatly impressed at first by both the genuine phenomena and the evidences of roguery, but end by being most sympathetic to the personalities and aims of the movement. They also find many reputable thinkers who have much the same point of view as they have. All this causes problems. Malone is fired from his news-

DOYLE, A. CONAN paper job, and Challenger forces a quarrel on Malone when Malone wants to marry Enid. Challenger, needless to say, is violently opposed to Spiritualism. A public debate is held between Challenger and an apologist, in which Challenger gets the worst of it, but the turning point comes when Enid, who is mediumistic, slips into a trance and reveals secret information that only Challenger had known. A much chastened Challenger is converted. * A sorry spectacle, the humiliation of the great scientist. Occasional passages with the old Doyle snap, but by and large an unfortunate publication. 559. THE CONAN DOYLE STORIES OMNIBUS John Murray; London [1929] A large volume containing most of Doyle's short stories apart from the Sherlock Holmes stories. * Including [a] J. HABAKUK JEPHSON'S STATEMENT • [b) THE CAPTAIN OF THE POLESTAR. [c ] THE LEATHER FUNNEL. [d) THE BROWN HAND. [e) THE GREAT KEINPLATZ EXPERIMENT. [f) CYPRIAN OVERBECK WELLS. [g) PLAYING WITH FIRE. [h) THE RING OF THOTH. [i) THE LOS AMIGOS FIASCO. [j] HOW IT HAPPENED. [k] LOT NO. 249. [1] "DE PROFUNDIS." [m] THROUGH THE VEIL. [n] THE SILVER MIRROR. [0] THE BULLY OF BROCAS COURT. * Also, apparently a new story, [p] A POINT OF CONTACT. (THE STORY-TELLER 1922) Borderline supernatural. About 1100 B.C., Tyre. At the Temple of Melmoth (sic) and Shrine of Ashtaroth. The seeress proclaims the future fame of two great men who have just met in her sanctuary: Odysseus and King David. 560. THE MARACOT DEEP John Murray; London 1929 Short stories and a novel, including [a] THE MARACOT DEEP. (STRAND 1927-8) A short novel. Professor Maracot, an etiolated Challenger, is performing deep-sea observations in a bathysphere when the cable is severed by a gigantic crayfish. Maracot and his companions are dropped into the nearby deep, where they are rescued by Atlanteans. Atlantis is an underground area, where the somewhat decadent descendants of the ancient people live precariously. In some ways they are are more advanced than we are, what with thought projectors and similar marvels, but they maintain slaves and punish miscegenation by killing the resulting children. Reincarnation is recognized. Maracot and his friends wander about, sightseeing for a time, until Maracot disturbs the Palace of the Black Marble, thereby evoking the Lord of the Dark Face, an incarnation of evil from ancient Atlantis. The evil power announces that he will destroy Atlantis. All seems lost, until an equivalent good power possesses Maracot, and Atlantis is saved. The implication, as in THE LAND OF MIST, is that intellect alone will accomplish only unwitting evil. * A product of Doyle's old age, told without the usual vigor and imagination, unsuccessful in its mixture of science-fiction and supernaturalism. Also included are two science-fiction stories about Professor Challenger, "The Disintegration Machine" and "When the World Screamed." The second considers the earth to be a living entity.

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DRAKE, H. B. 561. THE BEST SUPERNATURAL STORIES OF ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE Dover Publications; New York 1979 Contains, all described elsewhere, [a] THE BULLY OF BROCAS COURT. [b) THE CAPTAIN OF THE "POLESTAR." [c) THE BROWN HAND. [d) THE LEATHER FUNNEL. [e) LOT NO. 249. [f) J. HABAKUK JEPHSON'S STATEMENT. [g) THE GREAT KEINPLATZ EXPERIMENT. [h) A LITERARY MOSAIC. [i] PLAYING WITH FIRE. [j] THE RING OF THOTH. [k] THE LOS AMIGOS FIASCO. [1] THE SILVER HATCHET. [m] JOHN BARRINGTON COWLES. [n] SELECTING A GHOST. * Also present is "The American's Story," about a giant man-eating plant. * Introduction, ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE AND HIS SUPERNATURAL FICTION by E.F. Bleiler. DRAKE, ALEXANDER (1843-1916) American artist, publishing figure (art director for CENTURY MAGAZINE, Charles Scribners), one of founders of Gro1ier Club for fine books. Renowned as collector of samplers, brass, and other antiquities. 562. THREE MIDNIGHT STORIES Century; New York 1916 500 copy edition A memorial volume to Drake. In addition to a memoir and illustrations it contains three stories published in 1893-4. * [a] THE YELLOW GLOBE. The narrator observes a man Who is staring intently at a druggist's yellow globe. They strike up an acquaintance, and it is revealed that the gazer is an artist who is trying, by more or less precise optical experiment, to create a picture of a haunted house. He has planned it with gigantic, hypertrophied vegetation and a yellow aspect. The reason, "Only a man with a haunted heart can paint a haunted house." * The other stories shade into borderline fantasy. [b) THE CURIOUS VEHICLE. A horse-drawn predecessor of a mobile home, equipped with artistic and optical paraphernalia. The artist is experimenting with halos and various forms of numinous geometric art. [c) THE LOOSENED CORD. A fable. A balloon with a birdcage attached to it is accidentally released. When it comes to earth, it is considered miraculous and is enshrined. The theme seems to be that beauty and the divine are related. *. Interesting not for literary finish, but for 'the artistic point of view. DRAKE, H[ENRY] B[URGESS] (1894- ? ) British educator long resident in the Orient. Professor of English, Keijo Imperial University, Tokyo; also taught for two years in Korea. His reminiscences of Korea are more interesting than his fiction. 563. THE REMEDY John Long; London 1925 American title THE SHADOWY THING (Macy-Masius; New York 1928). * Spiritualism, patriotic fervor, snobbery, and county-level social life. * Since their days at school, Dick, the narrator, and Avery Booth have been mortal enemies. The original cause of enmity, apart from clash of personality, was Booth's use of hypnosis to impress and control his fellow students. One such student on whom Booth experimented became possessed by an elemental, went mad, and spent

DRAKE, H. B. years in an asylum. On escaping, the maniac attacked Dick, who was forced to kill him-thereby releasing the madman's tortured soul. During the years just before World War I, Dick and Booth meet again. Booth seems to be making an effort to save himself from evil, but Dick's loathing forces Booth deeper into the forbidden practices. Using black magic he steals Dick's fiancee and marries her, although Dick soon rescues her from Booth's abominable exercises. Booth is killed in the war, but this is not the end. In a situation involving mystery for the reader, Booth's spirit possesses the badly crippled, war-damaged body of Dick's brother-in-law and resumes his wicked ways. He is finally overcome at the tomb by Dick's sister Blanche, a medium whose power for good is as strong as Booth's for evil. Blanche dies in the process. * Much about mediumistic phenomena. Both Lovecraft and A. Merritt rated this book highly, but I would not agree. I find it almost a parody of an Edwardian society novel. * Another novel by Drake, CURSED BE THE TREASURE, is often listed in bibliographies of fantastic literature, but incorrectly. DRURY, [LT. COL.} W[ILLIAM} P[RICE} (18611949) C.B.E. Career officer, Royal Marines. British playwright, author of naval stories, interesting MEMOIRS OF A MARINE (1926). Apparently very popular in his day, but now forgotten. 564. THE PETRIFIED EYE AND OTHER NAVAL TALES AS TOLD TO THE MARINES BY ONE OF THEMSELVES Simpkin, Marshall; London 1899 Short stories, including [a} THE PETRIFIED EYE. An order of dervishes uses petrified human eyes for mystical floor decorations. They murder a British sailor for his eye and cause the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. [b} GREYFELLOW. Sea horror. A horrible thing is heard walking about on board ship. The narrator's dog hears it, too. [c} THE MAN AT THE WINDOW. A petty officer who has been wronged by his superior officer has supernatural revenge. [d} THE SHADOW OF DEATH. Successive photographs show a shadow gradually approaching its subject. * There is an earlier edition of this book (Charpentier; Portsmouth, England 1896), which has not been seen. It may not have the same contents as this volume. DRYASDUST (pseud.) Dryasdust is generally listed as a pseudonym for M. Y. Halidom, who in turn is considered to be another pseudonym. It has been suggested that Dryasdust was a house name under which more than one author wrote, but there is no proof for this and the stories I have read seem homogeneous. Dryasdust has also been identified on highly questionable grounds as either Edward Heron Allen or Francis Atkins, but thi$ is simply guesswork. 565. TALES OF THE WONDER CLUB. VOLUME ONE, Harrison; London 1899; VOLUME TWO, Harrison; London 1900. Short stories told by a group of sceptics in a

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DUMAS, ALEXANDRE haunted inn, Ye Headless Lady. * Including [a} THE PHANTOM FLEA. A gigantic spectral flea haunts a room. It possesses a corpse. A sacred relic disposes of it. [b} THE SPIRIT LOVERS. Charles and Edith are deeply in love, but they have never met and do not know each other's name. They meet and converse in dream, and both wish for a speedy death so that they can be united. [c} THE MERMAID. A tall tale of the sea. Toughyarn meets a mermaid, who falls in love with him. Her father is willing to permit the marriage, but Toughyarn must let his legs be cut off and a tail grafted on. [dj THE SPIRIT LEG. An alchemist has a vision and sees the world of the dead. tel LOST IN THE CATACOMBS. Lost until saved by a young lady ghost. [f} EXECUTION. An executioner is haunted by a poltergeist until he commits a crime and is executed by his son. [g} THE WAXEN IMAGE. A double and doll magic. [hI THE BASTILLE. The ghost of the barber's father saves the barber from death in the Bastille. * The third volume of the set does not contain any supernatural stories. * THE SPIRIT LOVERS by M. Y. Halidom (Simpkin, Marshall; London 1903) contains [b} and [c}. * Routine commercial fiction of the day at best. ) DUBOIS, THEODORA [McCORMICK} ? (1890 Fairly prolific American author of detective stories. 566. THE DEVIL'S SPOON Stokes; New York 1930 Sentimental supernatural novel. * Haroot, a fallen angel, is reprieved from torments in Hell and is sent to earth. His task is to prepare the way for one of Iblees's sons, who is to become the new incarnation and god. But Haroot falls in love with humanity and the wife of the human body he has assumed, and resolves to defeat Iblees's plans. He wanders about various heavens-- including Valhalla, where he meets an amorous Valkyrie-- and manages to send a message through to The Highest. As a reward he is redeemed. * Told in a folksy way. Very dull.

DUMAS, ALEXANDRE (1802-1870) Well-known French dramatist, novelist, journalist. Enormously important popular sensational novelist: THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, THE THREE MUSKETEERS, MEMOIRS OF A PHYSICIAN, etc. Much less important as a writer of supernatural fiction. In addition to the present works there is some incidental supernaturalism (later all rationalized) around Cagliostro in the MEMOIRS OF A PHYSICIAN. A series of Oriental tales is trivial. Best work done in collaboration with Auguste Maquet. 567. THE CORSICAN BROTHERS G. B. Zieber & Co.; Philadelphia 1845 (UN FAMILLE CORSE, Brussels, 1844) Merimee's COLOMBA had aroused interest in Corsica, and Dumas is capitalizing on this interest. * The narrator, a tourist in Corsica, claims hospitality with the wealthy Franchi family. He learns that there are twin sons who had been joined physically when born and were separated

DUMAS, ALEXANDRE surgically. There remained between them, however, a psychic bond so that they shared sensations. One brother, Louis, is currently in Paris, studying law, while the other, Lucien, is in Corsica, acting as an arbitrator in the local feuds. After a time the narrator returns to Paris and makes the acquaintance of Louis de Franchi, with whom he establishes friendship. One day, Louis, who is about to fight a duel, tells Dumas that the duel will prove fatal, for the ghost of Louis's father appeared and announced the time of Louis's death. The prediction is correct. A few days later the other brother, Lucien, comes to Paris and reports a similar psychic experience: Louis's spirit came and announced his death, even to showing the wound that killed him. Lucien's body shows a similar wound, for the uncanny sympathy has persisted even after death. Louis is avenged. * The edition cited is the earliest found, but has not been seen. * A weak story, but very popular in the 19th century. It was often performed in a stage version. 568. THE WOLF-LEADER Methuen; London [1904] Vol. 15 of THE NOVELS OF ALEXANDRE DUMAS (LE MENEUR DE LOUPS, Paris, 1857) Translated from French by Alfred Allinson. Supernaturalism based on French folklore, with some social (anti-aristocratic) aspects. There is a long pseudo-autobiographical introduction about Dumas and his father General Dumas, setting the story in context. * France, c. 1780. Thibault, a handsome young peasant who makes wooden shoes (sabots), has ideas above his station. When he is brutally beaten for insolence by the savage Baron de Vez, he vows revenge. He begs for the Devil's aid, and his prayer is fulfilled. The forest where he lives is apparently swarming with wolves, and a hunted black wolf enters his hut and begs refuge. They strike a bargain. Thibault's wishes shall be fulfilled, but for each wish that is not of immediate advantage to Thibault, a portion of his hair shall become the property of the wolf. This proceeds geometrically: 1 hair, 2, 4, 8, 16, etc. Thibault accepts the bond, but has nothing but pain and trouble, for his wishes backfire. His revenge fails; his love affairs collapse; and his business is ruined. He is reduced to roaming the woods, poaching game to sell, accompanied by a large pack of wolves who obey his every wish. On one occasion he assumes (supernaturally) the identity of a young nobleman who is going to an assignation, but this, too, is a failure. When his hair is almost all the property of the devil, and is flaming red, he is almost damned. He agrees to a new bond: to become a werewolf. He receives near immortality and invulnerability, but on one day each year he shall be subject to injury. On that one day, however, he is chased by the hounds of his enemy the baron, and is torn. But while he was being hunted, he passed the bier of his dead sweetheart, and in a moment of redemptive goodness, wished that he could sacrifice himself to bring her back to life. This works his redemption, and only a wolf skin is found. * A well-told story, perhaps a little

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DU MAURIER, DAPHNE episodic, but with elements of social interest. There is a modern edition edited by L. Sprague de Camp (Prime Press; Philadelphia 1950). DU MAURIER, DAPHNE (marriage name BROWNING) (1907 ) British novelist, short story writer. Granddaughter of George Du Maurier. Best-known works are REBECCA (1938, the neo-Gothic novel par excellence), FRENCHMAN'S CREEK (1942), JAMAICA INN (1936), and the short story "The Birds," from which the well-known motion picture directed by Hitchcock was derived. 569. THE APPLE TREE A SHORT NOVEL AND SOME STORIES Gollancz; London 1952 Title of American enlarged edition, KISS ME AGAIN, STRANGER. * Including [a] MONTE VERITA. Short novel set in the Italian Alps, just before and after World War I. Victor and Anna, friends of the narrator, set out to climb Monte Verita (Truth Mountain), despite the warnings of the local peasants. There is a principle there (Ie sacerdotesse, the priestesses), it is said, that is hostile to women and draws them away from life. Anna disappears from the inn below the mountain, and Victor, in search of her, discovers a monastery atop the mountain. It seems empty at times, filled with life at other times. His wife communicates with him, across a chasm. She is happy there, she says, and will not leave. Victor agrees to return once a year thereafter. Many years later the narrator is in the area and comes upon Victor, who is dying, just below the mountain. The narrator continues on to the monastery, is dragged inside, and undergoes strange awakenings and character changes. He learns that he has been summoned psychically by Anna; that the priestesses, who gain new members from the vicinity by mind control, are moon worshippers in a cult older than Christianity and have psychic abilities, perhaps immortality. The narrator now knows that he loves Anna madly and begs her to leave with him before the monastery is destroyed. But, in a parallel to the medieval legend she reveals the canker on her face and he leaves alone. The natives destroy the monastery and it is not known what has become of the cult. Obviously symbolic. [b] THE BIRDS. The familiar story, perhaps better known in the motion picture adaptation, of the time when the feathered kingdom attacked man en masse. It is told in the experiences of Nat Hocken, a small farmer near the coast. The attack resumes at the end of the story, thus denying the optimistic note in the motion picture. [c] THE APPLE TREE. In the protagonist's life there have been two women, his wife, with whom he has been at enmity for years, and a land girl, Mary, with whom he had a few moments of deep empathy and warmth, though without any physical affair. After his wife dies, he fancies that she has somehow been subsumed in an old apple tree on his land. For him the tree and all its products are the ultimate in distastefulness. Ne.ar it, however, is a pleasant tree, or Mary. The narrator decides to

DU MAURIER, DAPHNE chop down his tree-wife, but its death causes his own. * The American edition contains an additional story, [d] THE SPLIT SECOND. A fine rendering of the Owl Creek Bridge motif. Mrs. Ellis, almost hit by a cyclist, has the mOst astonishing experiences when she returns home. Her neighborhood has deteriorated; her home has been turned into a rooming house with pornographic photographers; her acquaintances are removed or dead. After a time it becomes obvious that she has been transferred about twenty years into the future. But it is all in the split second before death or injury. * Excellent stories. 570. THE BREAKING POINT EIGHT STORIES Gollancz; London 1959 Short stories, including [a] THE BLUE LENSES. When Marda West, in hospital, lies recuperating from an eye operation, she sees the people around her in terms of their animal characteristics: dogs, cats, snake, and cows. Her husband is a vulture. In terror she·tries to escape from the hospital, but is returned, to be told that the new lenses had been pressing on a nerve, and will be corrected. But when she looks into a mirror, she sees herself as a doe, the eternal victim. The point is that her husband is attempting to gain control over her property and that she has had an insight which she cannot maintain. [b] THE POOL. Deborah, on the edge of puberty, wanders at evenings down to the pool and passes into the secret world where there is freedom, and perhaps death? But the world is closed to her forever when she is no longer a child. Maturation. [c] THE ARCHDUCHESS. Borderline fantasy, told as a political fable. The small duchy of Ronda, independent and happy, is ruled by a family who have the secret of extracting immortality from the local mineral waters. But two ruthless opportunists destroy what was once a happy world, and the secret of immortality is lost. [d] THE CHAMOIS. Stephen and his wife go to Greece; Stephen is obsessed with shooting a chamois, a symbolic act for him; his Wife, on the other hand, is similarly obsessed about the goatherd who is their guide-- a caprine individual. Or is he the chamois on another level? * Good stories. DU MAURIER, GEORGE [LOUIS PAIM.t;LLA BUSSON] (1834-1896) Well-known British artist and illustrator born in Paris. Fine gentle satirist of Victorian scene and cultural movements for PUNCH, HARPERS, etc. collected as ENGLISH SOCIETY. Also wrote three novels, each with small amount of fantastic material. Two are described here; the third, THE MARTIAN, does not have enough supernatural material. 571. PETER IBBETSON Harper; New York 1891 Sentimental novel. A manuscript written in the Asylum for the Criminally Insane, where its author, Peter Ibbetson, had bee~ held for more than twenty-five years after committing a murder. * Peter (then carrying a different family name) had spent his early years in France, where his favorite playmate had been a quiet

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DU MAURIER, GEORGE little girl named Mimsey Seraskier. When Peter's parents died, he was reared by his uncle Colonel Ibbetson, whose name he took. Peter and his uncle, however, never really agreed, and when adult Peter left horne to become an architect. At a party following a commission, he sees a beautiful young woman Who reminds him of the Seraskiers. This is the Duchess of Towers. He returns to Paris to recapture the scenes of his childhood, sees the duchess, and has a remarkable dream that evening. In his dream he meets the duchess, and with her returns to the world of his childhood. He later learns that she is really Mimsey, but is encumbered with a worthless husband and a retarded child. They recognize each other with joy, especially when they learn that they have shared the dreams that Peter had experienced. But the duchess refuses to dream with him again. About a year later Peter quarrels with his unpleasant uncle, and in a moment of passion brains him with a stick. Peter is sentenced to hang, but his sentence is commuted. The duchess visits him in a dream and tells him that her child is dead and that she will leave her husband. But she will dream with Peter each night. For the next twenty-five years Peter enters her dream world, which enlarges to include figures of the past. The dreams end when Mimsey dies. * In some ways a better novel than the more famous TRILBY. 572. TRILBY Harper; New York 1894 Student life in Paris, and the wonders of hypnotism. * A trio of British art students in Paris become acquainted with strange types. Among them are Svengali, a sinister, somewhat vicious teacher of music; Gecko, a Gipsy who serves Svengali as demonstrator and accompanist; and Trilby O'Ferrall, the daughter of a Scottish remittance man of good family. On one occasion Trilby sings for the students and Svengali and demonstrates a voice of unmatched beauty, power, and range-- but absolutely without sense of pitch. One of the students falls in love with Trilby, and a marriage is planned, but the mother of the student objects and Trilby sacrifices her love to propriety. * Some years later, the students, now in London, decide to hear the new singing sensation, La Svengali, who is universally rated as the greatest artist of the day. To their surprise the students recognize Trilby, who is managed by her husband, the sleazy Svengali. Svengali, mindful of insults that he had received in the past, quarrels with Little Billee-- the student who had been in love with Trilby, and this sets off a train of circumstances: Trilby breaks down in the middle of her concert and can sing only in the horrible way of her youth. It seems that Svengali has just died of a heart attack, and without his hypnotic power to bolster her, Trilby cannot sing. * Trilby and Svengali have passed into literary folklore, and the sensational theme, which is minor in the novel, has masked what is of more interest today: student life in Paris. * The

DU MAURIER, GEORGE best editions are those illustrated by Du Maurier. The American edition above retains the original text and illustrations, in which James Whistler appeared in obvious disguise. Whistler objected to this portrayal, and later editions were altered. DUNSANY, LORD (PLUNKETT, EDWARD JORN MORETON DRAX, 18th BARON DUNSANY) (1878-1957) Anglo-Irish dramatist, poet, writer of fiction, essayist. Educated at Sandhurst, planned army as a career. Served in the Boer War and World War I. Literary work, apart from books to be described, includes plays for the Abbey Theatre, where Dunsany was a colleague of Lady Gregory and Yeats; political satires; lyric poetry; aesthetic essays; 'novels of modern Irish life; autobiography; and much miscellaneous work. A very facile and prolific writer, who could turn almost any aperyu into a marketable story; had a remarkable feeling for word music, although his matter did not always match his technique. Much of his fantasy shows a strong satirical bent, with a distaste for mechanization, mercantilism, and modernism. While he often denied that his fiction had allegorical elements, the reader is sometimes led to disagree with the author on this point. In his extraliterary life Dunsany was not the person one might have expected from his fairyland prose and poetry. He was a big, bluff man, a professional soldier for a time, and an enthusiastic big-game hunter. * Dunsany's work falls into two major groupings, the heroic, wonderland fantasies of his early years and the mildly humorous modern stories of his later years. Historically, unquestionably one of the most important writers of heroic fantasy of the century; a writer of great originality and charm. 573. THE GODS OF PEGANA Elkins Mathews; London 1905 A short collection of elaborately styled prose sketches telling about the Gods. There are 31 subtitled episodes. First is the creation, then monologues by various gods, then historical fragments about the gods and prophets, and finally a description of the end of the gods. * At the beginning, along with Fate and Chance existed the great god Mana-Yood-Sushai, whose dreams are the Gods of Pegana. When he awakens, the cosmos will cease to exist and the gods will disappear. The gods, in turn, have made the material universe for their amusement. First they made worlds, then man, and finally speech. Among the gods are Kib, the sender of life; Sish, whose hound is time; Slid, the sea and its erosive action; Mung, the god of death; Limpang-Tung, mirth and merriment, and many lesser gods. Various human prophets arise who attempt to achieve a relationship with the gods. One denies Mung and cannot die. In historical episodes, three rivers challenge the gods and are overcome by drought. Finally, there shall be the end. Either the gods will sail down the river of time to nothingness, to disappear; or the Hound of Time shall turn on them and rend them, while Time and Death kill each other.

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DUNSANY, LORD Written in a heavily rhythmical style, with obvious relationship to the King James Bible; in ideology, often close to Hinduism. As separate episodes, the individual parts are sometimes pointless, but as a whole THE GODS OF PEGANA is a convincing, marvelous creation of an alien cosmology. 574. TIME AND THE GODS Heinemann; London 1906 Sketches, short stories, and one longer work continuing the themes and treatment of THE GODS OF PEGANA. Sometimes semiallegorical, sometimes frankly mythopoetic, they do not lend themselves well to summary. * [a] TIME AND THE GODS. Time, the dark servant of the gods, looks greedily at them and destroys Sardathrion, the City of the Gods. The gods mourn at the thought that they, too, are mortal. [b] THE COMING OF THE SEA. The origin of the ocea~. Long after the world was finished, Slid, the sea-god, came to Earth with his ocean. He sweeps everything before him, and only the great mountain Tintaggon can stand up against him, casting off his waves. [c] A LEGEND OF THE DAWN. The nature of the sun. The young goddess Inzana plays with her golden ball, losing it periodically. If it should be lost, there would be eternal night. [d] THE VENGEANCE OF MEN. When the gods smite man with a great pestilence, a prophet arises and tells the gods that they, too, will come to an unpleasant end. The gods are frightened. [e] WHEN THE GODS SLEPT. Three minor spirits of evil (Malice, Hatred, Madness) steal the power of the gods and set themselves up as deities. Men will not recognize them. Only the baboons worship them, and then by being rewarded -- transformation into human shape. The origin of some humans. [f] THE KING THAT WAS NOT. The King of Runazar has the insolence to make all the images of the gods in his own likeness. The gods are so angry that they decide that Runazar has never had a king nor ever will. One of the earliest un-persons. [g] THE CAVE OF KAl. To the domain of Kai, keeper of yesterdays, go all the great deeds and happy moments. King Khanazar, who wishes to retain them, hires a harper to sing of them. Kai gets only shreds and tatters. [h] THE SORROW OF SEARCH. A fable told to King Khanazar. Shaun, zealous to serve the right gods, seeks behind the present, old gods. He finds other gods, and yet others, and finally One. But in his dying moments he sees behind the One-four more, the old gods. [i] THE MAN OF YARNITH. A mythic statement of summer and winter. When men realize that there are no gods, they put forth more energy to survive. [j] FOR THE HONOUR OF THE GODS. The gods sit watching and incite men to battle, smiling while whole peoples perish. [k] NIGHT AND MORNING. A literary myth about the alternation of day and night. [1] USURY. The small god Yahn permitted his jewels to be used as souls and thereby sharpened. But Yahn is a bitter usurer and extracts the last due. [m] MLlDEEN. The gods sit above the city of Mlideen, holding an avalanche in check. When one hundred deviational

DUNSANY, LORD gods have been worshipped there, the avalanche shall be released. [n] THE SECRET OF THE GODS. Uldoon hears the secret of the gods, but he is not permitted to tell it. The snake, learning that he is about to speak, kills him. [0] THE SOUTH WIND. Above the gods are two players, Fate and Chance, who use the gods as pieces on a chessboard. The prophet Ord sees this, and the gods in their anger turn him into the south wind. [p] IN THE LAND OF TIME. The King of the Alattans declares war on Time and invades his lands, besieging his castle. But Time hurls years on the army and beats it away. [q] THE RELENTING OF SARNIDAC. When the gods in disgust abandon man, the priests declare that the lame shepherd Sarnidac is divine. [r] THE JEST OF THE GODS. As a jest the gods put the soul of a king into a slave, but are outfaced by the slave. [s] THE DREAMS OF A PROPHET. Not suitable for summary. [t] THE JOURNEY OF THE KING. A long semiallegorical story about a king who wanted to know what lay beyond death. His various prophets spoke of different afterlives, but the king wants only eternal youth. The prophet Ulf tells hbn of Time,which serves yet frightens the gods. A dark figure then comes and takes the king on his journey-death. * Ten fine illustrations by Sidney Sime. 575. THE SWORD OF WELLE RAN AND OTHER STORIES George Allen; London 1908 Short stories and fables. [a] THE SWORD OF WELLERAN. The beautiful city of Merimna was once guarded by Welleran and his band of heroes, but they are dead and only their statues stand on the city walls. Their enemies, wondering if the heroes still live, send spies, who report the truth. But the soul of Welleran awakens the people of Merimna to their peril and urges young Rolf to take up the great curved sword. Merimna is saved, but there is mourning, for now, first, is it fully realized that the heroes are dead. [b] THE FALL OF BABBULKUND. It is a marvel of beauty, but it is doomed. The king has dreamed of its fall. The traveller finds nothing there but desert. [c] THE KITH OF THE ELF-FOLK. A little Wild Thing, akin to the Elves, has watched human religious services and wants to have a soul. Her fellow Wild Things create a soul for her out of memories, mist, and similar materials. When she takes it, she assumes human form. But when she lives among humans, she becomes disenchanted and disappointed. She gives the soul to a heartless woman and returns to her marshes. [d] THE HIGHWAYMAN. His mouldering bones hang on the gibbet, while his soul is trapped there. Friends cut him down and his soul soars away to Heaven. [e] IN THE TWILIGHT, As the narrator is drowning, memories of the past come to him. [f] THE GHOSTS. A rationalist refuses to believe in ghosts and spends a night in a haunted room in his brother's house. The room fills with 17th century lady ghosts, who are soon joined by their individual sins, in the form of dog-like monsters. One of them, murder, almost persuades the narrator to fratricide. Geometry repels the sin. [g] THE WHIRLPOOL. A personal-

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DUNSANY, LORD ized whirlpool tells his reason for existing. He is to prevent man from reaching the Happy Isles, for the gods themselves do not know contentment. [h] THE HURRICANE. The narrator looks at the horrible city and overhears a conversation between hurricane and earthquake. They agree to devastate the city the next day. But earthquake slothfully sleeps and does not come. [i] THE FORTRESS UNVANQUISHABLE SAVE FOR SACNOTH. Strange evil dreams come to the village of Allathurion; the magician reveals that they emanate from Gaznak, who comes on a comet every 230 years. Gaznak, who sets up a great fortress on the marshes, is unvanquishable save for the sword Sacnoth, and the sword Sacnoth forms the backbone of the invulnerable dragon Tharagavverug. The feats of the hero Leothric as he gains the sword and attacks Gaznak are among Dunsany's finest work. [j] THE LORD OF CITIES. A disputation between river and road, in which they are joined by the true lord, the spider. [k] THE DOOM OF LA TRAVIATA. She dies, was judged and found wanting, and sent to Hell. But at the gates to Hell the angels transporting her took pity on her and dropped her. She grew into a flower outside Hell. God punishes the rebellious angels. [1] ON THE DRY LAND. Love, having led man through the morass of life, now yields place to Death, who will lead man for ever after. * Excellent illustrations by Sime, around which Dunsany formed the stories. * Best stories are [c], [f], [h], and especially [i]. * The Devin-Adair (New York 1954) book of the same title is a completely different collection, a selection of material from earlier books. 576. A DREAMER'S TALES George Allen; London 19l0 A mixed collection of pure fantasies, semi-allegories, and turns of fancy. Including, [a] POLTARNEES, BEHOLDER OF OCEAN. In the inner lands generation after generation of young men cannot resist the urge to climb Poltarnees to reach the sea on the other side. The daughter of the King of Mondath is surpassingly beautiful, and the king promises her to the man who can climb Poltarnees and return, explaining the call of the sea. Athelvok wishes to win the princess. He climbs the mountain, beholds the sea and the lands about it, and he, too, never returns. Outgrowing youth? [b] BLAGDAROSS. The sadness of abandonment. Inanimate things converse, telling of their sad relationship with man. The rocking horse Blagdaross has the saddest tale. [c] THE MADNESS OF ANDELSPRUTZ. The narrator arrives at glorious Andelsprutz and discovers, to his dismay, that the city is dead. A poet tells him that Andelsprutz went mad, and her soul left, wandering with cathedrals in her hair, to a rendezvous with the ghosts of other dead cities. [d] WHERE THE TIDES EBB AND FLOW. So long as there is a man in London the dreamer, who lies unburied in the mud flats, because of a crime that forbids proper burial, can not be interred. But the birds are more merciful, centuries later, after man is gone. [e] BETHMOORA. The

DUNSANY, LORD dreamer would like to visit Bethmoora once again, but Bethmoora, wonderful city, is deserted. Three men rode in on mules and delivered a message, and millions fled. Perhaps it was from the desert, perhaps from the tyrant Thuba Mleen. [f] IDLE DAYS ON THE YANN. A voyage down the Yann in the land of dreams. The ship approaches Astrahahn, where men have fettered time, and trade at the wonderful city of Perdondaris, whose gate is a solid piece of ivory. When the wonderful trip is over, the dreamer returns to his own land. Now that he has gotten older, he dreams less often and visits the Yann infrequently. [g] THE SWORD AND THE IDOL. A rationalistic account of the origin of religion among the cave men. The iron sword, accidentally made from ores that were used as fireplace stones, descends in the family of Loz, though members of the family of Iz covet it. Ith creates Ged, a wooden idol who rules the weather and food-beasts, and by means of Ged acquires the sword. [h] THE IDLE CITY. By and large, one cannot enter the city without telling the watchers at the tollgate a tale. Several are told: a myth of the battle between a pagan death god and a Christian angel for a city; the ambition of an earth mist, etc. [i] THE HASHISH MAN. A sequel to [e]. A stranger tells what happened to Bethmoora. It was Thuba Mleen. The stranger has often visited Bethmoora after taking hashish, and on one occasion he surprised Thuba Mleen torturing a trespasser. He is chased away by guards, who also take hashish. [j] POOR OLD BILL. A mutinous crew with a captain who curses. At each provocation he curses the sailors' souls to the top of the mast, into the sea, and elsewhere. But he cannot curse when he is drunk. One day, when he is not sober, the sailors abandon him on an island. His cursing, however, keeps them from making land, and they finally eat each other, with the only survivor being Poor Bill. [k] CARCASSONNE. Fate has decreed that Camorak and his warriors shall never come to Carcassonne. They declare war on Fate and seek the fabulous place, but Fate wins the war. Probably not the geographical Carcassonne. [1] THE UNHAPPY BODY. A dialogue and quarrel between a body and a soul, in which each is tired of the other. * Other stories, "The Beggars," "In Zaccarath," "The Field," "The Day of the Poll," are not supernatural. * Best stories are [a], [e], [f], and [i]. 577. THE BOOK OF WONDER A CHRONICLE OF LITTLE ADVENTURES AT THE END OF THE WORLD Heinemann; Lpndon 1912 Short stories and sketches, sometimes ironic, sometimes semi-allegorical, sometimes my thopoetic. In most instances the stories slide easily from contemporary London into and out of the varied lands of dream. * [a] THE BRIDE OF THE MAN-HORSE. Shepperalk the centaur (power) steals away Sombelene (beauty) to be his mate. The heart of the matter seems to be the centaur's progress, otherwise without much point. [b] THE DISTRESSING TALE OF THANGOBRIND THE JEWELLER. Thangobrind, a masterthief engages to steal a diamond larger than a

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DUNSANY, LORD human head from the lap of Hlo-Hlo the spidergod. His reward is to be the soul of the daughter of a merchant-prince (i.e. nothing). The spider-god finds it amusing, but pursues and catches Thangobrind. [c] THE HOUSE OF THE SPHINX. The Sphinx is silent and moody because her doom is approaching. It is the "arch-inquisitor of the forest." The narrator leaves before it arrives. [d] THE PROBABLE ADVENTURE OF THE THREE LITERARY MEN. Slith, Sippy and Sorg, three thieves, try to steal the perfect.poetry from the OWner of the Box. He awakens, and Slith, knowing who he is, leaps from the edge of the world into the abyss. He is still falling. [e] THE INJUDICIOUS PRAYERS OF POMBO THE IDOLATER. Pombo has alienated all the gods by shifting his worship from one to another. He is finally advised to see the small, disreputable god ·Duth (does), who cares nothing about etiquette. Pombo, lik~ Slith, ends in the abyss. [f] THE LOOT OF BOMBASHARNA. Shard, the pirate captain, steals away the Queen of Bombasharna and lives with her on a floating island. When no one is about they hang sails on the trees and make way. [g] MISS CUBBIDGE AND THE DRAGON OF ROMANCE. She is stolen away from the lands of reality by a dragon-- romantic reading. [h] THE QUEST OF THE QUEEN'S TEARS Sylvia can neither weep nor love. King Ackronnion goes to the edge of the world to obtain the tears of the Gladsome Beast (joy). Whoever drinks of them causes all persons within hearing to weep with joy when he sings. But it does not work. [i] THE HOARD OF THE GIBBELINS. The Gibellins, who eat nothing less than men, have a tower on the edge of Terra Cognita, where their enormous wealth is stored. Alderic, Knight of the Order of the City and the Assault, hopes to get this treasure without losing his life. [j] HOW NUTH WOULD HAVE PRACTISED HIS ART UPON THE GNOLES. Nuth, the master thief, and his new apprentice visit the strange high house of the Gnoles. The apprentice succumbs to a trick on the part of the Gnoles, but no one ever catches Nuth. [k] HOW ONE CAME, AS WAS FORETOLD, TO THE CITY OF NEVER. The City of Never is miraculously beautiful and all but inaccessible. The protagonist reaches it, but sees beyond it a still more beautiful and even more inaccessible city. The concept of infinite regress, as often appears in Dunsany's stories. [1] THE CORONATION OF MR. THOMAS SHAPe Shap, in England, cares less and less about mundane things and concentrates on his marvelous kingdom. One day, he is crowned king over all the lands of Wonder, but on this plane of being he is in a madhouse. [m] CHU-BU AND SHEEMISH. Two small gods of equal feebleness and egotism are jealous of one another. Through their quarrels, an earthquake wrecks their temple and Sheemish is broken. The traveller takes Chu-bu home with him from the ruins. Perhaps Chu-bu helped him once in a card game, though the traveller could have done as well by chance. [n] THE WONDERFUL WINDOW. Mr. Sladden buys an old window from which can be seen wor.derful

DUNSANY, LORD scenes: a strange city, whose device is a banner of little gold dragons. When Sladden tries to enter this dream world, he destroys the window. Stay out of dreams. * Lb], [i], [j] are among the great classics of fantasy. Ten fine illustrations by Sidney Sime. 578. FIFTY-ONE TALES Elkin Mathews; London 1915 Very short pieces, usually a page or two in length; mostly little prose poems and mood pieces and not to be summarized. * Including [a] THE ASSIGNATION. Fame and poet. When he complains, she tells him to meet her in 100 years. [b] CHARON. The last man from earth arrives at the Styx. [c] THE DEATH OF PAN. Not quite. He revives when laughter is heard. [d] THE WORKMAN. He fell to his death. His ghost rebukes the narrator for a petty concept of time. [e] DEATH AND ODYSSEUS. Death personified comes for Odysseus, who welcomes him. [f] THE PRAYER OF THE FLOWERS. The flowers lament and Pan reassures them: civilization will fall. [g] TIME AND THE TRADESMAN. Time tells an antique faker how to work. [h] THE OEMAGOGUE AND THE DEMI-MONDE. St. Peter lets the demi-mondaine enter paradise, but refuses entry to the politician. [i] THE DREAM OF KING KARNA-VOOTRA. He addresses his queen in poetic language, asking her to come with him. Then he remembers that she has been dead for forty years. [j] A MORAL LITTLE TALE. The Devil visits the Puritan in a dream and congratulates him on his good work in killing pleasure. He then drags him off to Hell. [k] SPRING IN TOWN. Seasons personified. [1] HOW THE ENEMY CAME TO THLUNRANA. Th1unrana, "the chief cathedral of wizardry," is destined to perish. The prophecy is fulfilled when laughter is permitted to enter. [m] A LOSING GAME. Death and a man in a tavern. Death is bitter because he has already killed the best things. [n] TAKING UP PICCADILLY. Dunsany sees workmen with picks on Piccadilly. They are taking it up-- 1itera11y-- and he can see the stars, through the earth, from the areas they have removed. [0] THE FOOD OF DEATH. When Death is sick, they bring him modern adulterated foods and he thrives. Based on Dunsany's strong feelings against food adulteration. [p] THE SPHINX IN THEBES (MASSACHUSETTS). A wealthy woman wants a pet sphinx, which she finally acquires. But the sphinx asks her a question. [q] THE REWARD. Dunsany visits Hell and finds an angel rigging up tortures for food adu1terators. [r] THE TROUBLE IN LEAFY GREEN STREET. She buys an idol of the God of Rainy Cheerfulness and thereby meets her doom. (There seems to be something wrong with the text, perhaps a section omitted.) [s] THE RETURN OF THE EXILES. The cyclist, near Stonehenge, meets two shabby strangers, one with one eye and a spear, the other with a hammer. They are the old gods returning for renewed worship. A goat is not e»nough. [t] NATURE AND TIME. Both personified. They talk briefly. Nature complains that Time is not working fast enough for her in ridding the earth of man. [u] THE SONG OF THE BLACKBIRD. Poet, blackbirds in communion; an ancient

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DUNSANY, LORD wanderer remembers the time before the birds sang. Lv] THE MESSENGER. Allegory of the fate of poetry. The Muses send men to the Golden Town as messengers, but mercantilism rejects them. [w] THE TOMB OF PAN. Pan is dead and the people of the enlightened lands build a mighty tomb. Pan comes, looks at it, and laughs. * Mostly fables. [n], [q], [r] are best. 579. TALES OF WONDER Elkin Mathews; London 1916 American title, THE L~ST BOOK OF WONDER (J. W. Luce, Boston). * Short stories, including [a] A TALE OF LONDON. The sultan's hasheesheater, on command, dreams of London for the sultan and describes the city in terms like those of the Arabian Nights. He concludes by stating that the government is most good-- and falls over backwards, overcome by the drug. Besides the cultural and political irony, a theme that often occurs in the stories about imaginary lands: for them our world is dream and fascinating. [b] THIRTEEN AT TABLE. A foxhunter, far from home, begs a night's lodging from Sir Richard Arlen. At dinner there appear the ghosts of twelve ladies whom Arlen has wronged. The dinner goes nicely, until the guest, in his cups, tells broad stories and so offends the ladies that they stalk off. Sir Richard is delighted. The haunting is broken. He could not have told a broad story, since he wronged the ladies. [c] THE CITY ON MALLINGTON MOOR. A dream city, Oriental, with minarets, occasionally appears on the moor. The narrator explores it for a time, before it vanishes. [d] THE BIRD OF THE DIFFICULT EYE. Neepy Thang, son of Thangobrind, is also a master thief. He wants to steal the eggs of the Bird of the Difficult Eye. If the bird abandons her eggs unhatched, they will turn into emeralds. If the eggs hatch, it will be a bad business for Thang. Also satire on new peers. [e] THE LONG PORTER'S TALE. Jones, as a Londoner, once saw a beautiful garden and heard a beautiful song on the northern moors. When he grows older, he wants to regain the experience, but it is gone. A magician tells him that Time has taken it away, and that it may be found over the Edge of the World. The Londoner looks over at Tong Tong Tarrup. [f] THE BUREAU D'ECHANGE DE MAUX. Paris. There illnesses, problems, evils are exchanged for 20 francs. The narrator exchanges his fear of sea sickness for fear of elevators. [g] THE LOOT OF LOMA. An Indian city. The curse works on its looters. [h] THE SECRET OF THE SEA. Gorgondy, the fabulous wine that the gnomes make, loosens the tongue of an old salt. He tells of the temple in the sea where the ships go and pray. [i] A NARROW ESCAPE. The ancient magician below Belgrave Square decides to destroy London because of its noise. The spell might be effective, if apprentices could be trusted. [j] THE WATCHTOWER. In Provence a stubborn ghost guards against a Saracen invasion. [k] HOW PLASH-GOO CAME TO THE LAND OF NONE'S DESIRE. Intolerance. Death for the giant Plash-Goo when he tries to toss the dwarf Lrippity-Kang down to the Land

DUNSANY, LORD of None's Desire. [1] THE THREE SAILORS' GAMBIT. A magical gem shows potential chess moves. In the hands of three ignorant sailors it defeats Europe's chess masters. But when, using only a line of pawns, it defeats a first-rate player, it bursts with a foul stench. Dunsany, it may be remembered, was a very fine chess player, at one time champion of Ireland. [m] THE EXILES' CLUB. The narrator, guest of the crowned heads, learns that they are only waiters for the real members, upstairs, the gods. As he leaves, a flash of lightning from a window kills a dog. [n] THE THREE INFERNAL JOKES. The protagonist has an unusual quality: all women are equally ugly to him. He trades this quality to a Certain Person for three jokes that will make all who hear them die of laughter. The first joke kills 22 members of his club; the second releases him from trial when things look bad for him. He wanders the back roads of Scotland now, with his third joke. * Excellent stories, of which [b], [i], [k], [1], [m], [nl are best. With wonderful Sime illustrations. 580. TALES OF WAR The Talbot Press; Dublin 1918 Short sketches of World War I, written for patriotic purposes. Including [a] THE ROAD. Ghosts view the war road. [b] THE PUNISHMENT. The Kaiser is taken around a wrecked Germany by a phantom. Reminiscent of Dickens's A CHRISTMAS CAROL. [c] NATURE'S CAD. A talking gorilla. It is particularly brutal because it was trained by a German professor. [d] LAST SCENE OF ALL. John Ca11eron dies in battle. His experiences immediately after death. * Weak material. 581. TALES OF THREE HEMISPHERES J. W. Luce; Boston [1919] Short stories, including [a] THE LAST DREAM OF BWONA KHUBLA. A man of great will power and terrible temper, Bwona Khub1a, when dying, left behind him a dream. The African natives fear the place where he died. Two white travellers experience the dream, the apparition of an idealized London which settles over the desolation. As the image fades, they see a rhinoceros watering at the Carlton Club. [b] HOW THE OFFICE OF POSTMAN FELL VACANT IN OTFORD-UNDER-THE-WOLD. Once a year Sleggins, the postman, takes a letter from China to the three sinister people who live in the grim, isolated house. He is always relieved to return alive. But when his wife pesters him about the letter, he agrees to spy. He sees the sinister people emerge from the house, light a fire, put a powder from the letter on the fire-- and the ancient gods of England appear. The office of postman falls vacant. [c] A PRETTY QUARREL. The demigods, progeny of male gods and mortal women, are attacked by the dwarfs. The dwarfs have the advantage of surprise, but they forget that the demigods are immortal. [d] HOW THE GODS AVENGED MEOUL KI NING. The gods are very upset when he is murdered, his offering stolen by another man, and given to a goddess. They mount an attack on the murderer, but lightning strikes the wrong man. The gods are

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DUNSANY, LORD completely satisfied. [e] THE GIFTS OF THE GODS. A fable. The man alternately wishes for war and peace. The gods grant his wishes. But he worries lest the gods' will become unchanging. [f] THE SACK OF EMERALDS. The old man comes to the inn with a sack of huge emeralds. Supernatural vengeance follows. [g] THE OLD BROWN COAT. Peters, as a whim at an auction, buys an old coat. His rival at the bidding then buys the coat from him at a fabulous sum. Peters then buys it back, and begins to wonder what is so remarkable about the coat. Its real owner appears, dons the coat, and walks away into the sky with it. [h] IDLE DAYS ON THE YANN. Described elsewhere. [i] A SHOP IN GO-BY STREET. Sequel to [h]. The narrator wishes to return to Yann and find his old friend the captain of the "Bird of the River." But he has forgotten the way back to the land of dreams and must ask help. A dreamer who keeps a shop and a witch help, but when he reaches Yann, he discovers that centuries have passed. The ship is a rotten hulk and the captain is long dead. [j] THE AVENGER OF PERDONDARIS. Sequel to [i] The marvelous city of Perdondaris in IDLE DAYS ON THE YANN had an ivory gate carved from a single tusk. The narrator had speculated that the elephant that had dropped it might return to destroy the city. This happened, but later the elephant was killed by the hero Singanee. The narrator visits Singanee, but when he returns to London, finds himself centuries in the future, when London is gone and the natives have reverted to primitivism. * Best stories are [f] and [g] The sequels to [h] are weak. 582. THE KING OF ELFLAND'S DAUGHTER Putnam; London and New York 1924 Fantastic adventure novel, the quest for a dream and the place of poetry in life. * The tiny kingdom of Er1 lies beside E1f1and, and when the parliament of Erl declares that it wants a magical king, A1veric, the crown prince, sets out to win the King of E1f1and's daughter. Armed with a magical s*ord that will defeat anything except the three master runes of the King of E1f1and, A1veric enters E1f1and, fights his way through living trees, overcomes the king's champions, and runs away with Liraze1, the princess. When they reach Erl, they discover that A1veric has been away about ten years. Alveric and Liraze1 marry according to a rite used for mermaids and have a son, Orion, who is brought up by the potent witch Ziroondere1. But A1veric insists that Liraze1 conform to human standards (which she cannot do), and the princess is unhappy. Her father has sent her one of his master runes, which she thereupon opens, and she drifts back to E1fland. A1veric, who loves her, follows her, but cannot reach E1f1and since the King draws back its boundaries whenever A1veric approaches. Years pass, and A1veric wanders aimlessly in the wilderness. Orion, however, is able to enter E1fland. A resolution comes when the King of E1f1and, seeing that Liraze1 is unhappy without her child and husband, releases his last master rune and extends E1f1and over Er1,

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interpermeating it. He had been loath to do this, for he knows that materialism will destroy Elfland, but on the other hand the land cannot survive with Lirazel's unhappiness. * This can be read as a novel of fantastic adventure or as a semiallegory. There are many stylistic brilliances, but the story suffers from too many shifts of attention. Sime illustrations. 583. THE CHARWOMAN'S SHADOW Putnam; London and New York 1926 Fantasy. * Pseudo-medieval Spain. Ramon Alonzo, son of the Lord of the Tower and Rocky Forest, has a family duty to perform. His sister needs a dowry, and Ramon Alonzo must study with a magician to learn how to make gold. The magician is friendly enough, but the price he asks is high: Ramon Alonzo's shadow. The young man demurs at first and studies lesser things, but finally agrees. The magician snips off his shadow and carefully puts it away. Meanwhile, the young man has met the old and ugly charwoman, Anemone. Many years before, the magician had taken her shadow and she has regretted its loss ever since. Ramon Alonzo vows to get it back for her. The problem is that the magician keeps the shadows in a box that is opened only by three magic Chinese words, and only the magician knows them. By a subterfuge the young man learns one, and by exhausting variations discovers the others. He regains his own shadow and the charwoman's, and sees to his delight that her shadow has transformed her back into a beautiful young woman. * Many nice touches. The shadow may be a genteel symbol for sexuality, but the mood of the story is that of a traditional fairy tale. Excellent. 584. THE BLESSING OF PAN Putnam; London 1927 SymboliC, the rediscovery of life. * Elderick Anwrel, vicar of Wolding, observes that the cult of the great god Pan is being revived in his parish. The present cause of the revival is the music of a local lad, Tommy Duffin, who has learned the language of Pan from the streams and wind, and plays the pipes. In the past, however, Anwrel's predecessor, who ran off, had been Pan himself, cloven hoof and all. As a zealous churchman Anwrel fights against the new religion, but he gets little cooperation from the Villagers, who are obviously happy, and no credence or aid from his superiors. When Anwrel's wife goes over to the worshippers of Pan, the vicar yields, goes up to the megalithic circle, and sacrifices the bull. Wolding now becomes more and more primitive, cut off from its ecclesiastical connections as well as the outside world, and catches up with matters that should not have been allowed to slide. * Light and ironic in tone, with much about village life. Sime frontispiece. 585. THE TRAVEL TALES OF MR. JOSEPH JORKENS Putnam; London and New York 1931 Short stories, Jorkens is a British clubman who specializes in tall tales, usually as a trick to cadge drinks or win wagers. Many of his stories, which are really narratives rather than formal stories, are supernatural in small

DUNSANY, LORD ways. Many are ironic, with shaggy-dog endings. They vary greatly in quality, but at their best are very amusing. * Including [a] HOW JEMBU PLAYED FOR CAMBRIDGE. Jembu, an African divinity student in England, wants to make the Varsity in cricket, but is unsuccessful. He returns to Africa and asks the aid of his tribal god, Mungo. Mungo gives him cricket power, but Jembu must not exceed fifty runs per game. Through a technicality, unintentionally, he exceeds fifty in one game. He not only loses his ability, but his whole tribe is punished by the vengeful god. [b] THE CHARM AGAINST THIRST. As the title indicates. [c] THE ELECTRIC KING. A capitalist is bothered by memories, which assume the form of a vicious rat. He discovers that prayer can keep the rat off and sets up a chain of dynamos to keep a Tibetan mantra rotating. [d] A DAUGHTER OF RAMASES. Jorkens wonders about the mummy case that contains only wadded rags, and asks an Arab mag~c~an. An ancient princess is conjured up. She tells of her romance with a commoner and her plan to falsify her death so that she would be free to marry. [e] MRS. JORKENS. A mermaid. It didn't work out, and she left him. [f] THE WITCH OF THE WILLOWS. Jorkens penetrates into the magical land and becomes friendly with the witch. But when she asks him to marry her, he is caught off guard and refuses. He has never been able to enter the land again. * [c] is a small classic. Also present is the science-fiction story "Our Distant Cousins." 586. MR. JORKENS REMEMBERS AFRICA Heinemann; London 1934 American title JORKENS REMEMBERS AFRICA. * Short stories, including [a] THE CURSE OF THE WITCH. An ancient Spanish castle, long under a curse, is sold to unsuspecting Americans. The curse begins to operate and the Americans leave-- after putting their dogs in the library as a symbol of disdain. But the nature of the curse is inexpressible. [b] THE WALK TO LINGHAM. Jorkens was foolish enough to cheer when he saw a tree being expertly felled. The neighboring tree takes offence, lifts up its roots (in the evening) and follows Jorkens. If he had yielded to panic, it would have been the end. [c] IN THE GARDEN OF MEMORIES. Memories in an old garden assume tangible form. [d] THE PERSIAN SPELL. An acquaintance of Jorkens's saved the life of an Arab, Who gave him a spell which can take one back in time. He moves to the 19th century and tells of the wonders of future science. Many years in an asylum. [e] THE GOLDEN GODS. After a fairly long hunt for mountain sheep in the Ouled Nail mountains, Jorkens stumbles on the cave with the three idols and a fortune in gems. He resists temptation, which is well, for the gods pursue him with bad dreams for touching the gems. It is only by assuring the gods that he put the gems back that he survives. [f] THE CLUB SECRETARY. The ElySian Club, where all the great poets are members. The secretary, Burdon, wrote one immortal line, "A rose-red city, half as old as time." [g] A MYSTERY OF THE EAST. Satire on

DUNSANY, LORD Irish ways, and the penalty of greed. Jorkens is determined to win the Dublin lottery. He invokes the aid of both a Hindu yogi and a North African magician. Their magic does not fail, but Jorkens still does not win. * Amusing stories, of which [g] is outstanding. 587. JORKENS HAS A LARGE WHISKEY Putnam; London 1940 Short stories, including [a] THE GRECIAN SINGER. A Greek siren, Miss Anthropofalos. Her voice charms all men, but her name is really Anthropofagos. She eats a would-be lover. Lack of a driver's license is a good excuse for deportation. [b] THE SIGN. Horcher, who always steps on snails, believes in transmigration. He has trained himself to remember a sign in his next life. Jorkens finds him as a snail, making the Greek character phi. [c] THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RILLSWOOD ESTATE. A satyr captured in the woods is domesticated and trained as a house servant. But he is snatched away by a man-hungry, wealthy widow and becomes the financier Satyrides. [d] A DOUBTFUL STORY. Jorkens, while travelling in Greece, meets Pan, who has very little of his ancient power left. Jorkens brings Pan to Yorkshire, where, after a time, he runs off with a Valkyrie. [e] JORKENS AMONG THE GHOSTS. The ghosts of mistreated servants haunt the house. Jorkens dispels them by drinking a bottle of champagne with the present char. [f] JORKENS CONSULTS A PROPHET. Using a crystal ball, a magician shows Jorkens the results of future races. Jorkens places a large bet, but loses, for the bookies noticed the betting and the jockey pulled the horse. Things are predestined only if one does not interfere. * Also present is the fine tall tale "The Neapolitan Ice." * [b] is best. 588. THE FOURTH BOOK OF JORKENS Jarrolds; London 1948 Short stories, including [a] THE HAUNTING OF HALAHANSTOWN. Jorkens, Who is fishing in the West, sees a mist wraith being conjured up out of the stream against Lord Halahanstown. Mrs. O'Rooney considers herself injured. The wraith effectively causes the disintegration of the castle. [b] MGAMU. Questionable supernatural. One of the most horrible monsters in Africa is the sivver-verri; it wipes out whole families and there is no defence against it. Polder traps it, and lets it go. [c] THE PALE-GREEN IMAGE. Africa. It is Egyptian in orLgLn. It bothers you while you own it, and if you dispose of it its new owner must murder you. Jorkens thinks he can circumvent the curse. [d] THE WARNING. Questionable supernatural. Sentient machines; a warning by a man in a madhouse. [e] THE SECRET OF THE SPHINX. Turkey. Once a century the spirit of the sphinx emerges, in the form of a woman and speaks for Destiny. Jorkens could have heard her, but he had a train to catch. [f] THE EXPULSION. Sequel to THE CLUB SECRETARY. The secretary's ghost tells Jorkens: he was expelled because half of his line was lifted from another poet. [g] BY COMMAND OF PHARAOH. Jorkens, excavating near the Great

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DUNSANY, LORD Pyramid finds the soul boat of a pharaoh. He removes it and is visited by the ghost of the pharaoh, who threatens revenge. A shotgun helps. [h] A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL. Tifferley sold his soul for the power to spot race winners. The Devil, however, cheats, so that Tifferley gains nothing by his bargain. Jorkens tells him how to appeal. [i] STRATEGY AT THE BILLIARDS CLUB. Revealed by a medium, an atomic war in the past. Jorkens is even able to show the implacement of the atomic bombs. The moon. [j] JORKENS IN WITCH WOOD. Ireland. Jorkens scoffs at the possibility that one can get lost at night in the tiny, cursed wood. [k] LOST. Questionable supernaturalism. In a madhouse: the patient had used an Oriental charm to go back into his life and change things. But he got lost in time. [1] FAIRY GOLD. Ireland. Jorkens sees the leprechaun and determines to take its gold. The leprechaun warns him that if he digs, everything concerned with the gold will disappear. It does. * Best stories are those with Irish background: [a], [j]. 589. THE MAN WHO ATE THE PHOENIX Jarrolds; London [1949] Short title novel and many very short stories and sketches. * Including [a] THE MAN WHO ATE THE PHOENIX. Paddy O'Hone shoots and eats the golden pheasant that had escaped from Lord Monaghan's preserve and believes that he has eaten the phoenix. Perhaps he has, for the world of supernaturalism is open to him. He talks with a ghost, converses with a leprechaun that scuttles about the bog, persuades a banshee to bother Lord Monaghan, sees supernatural jack-o'-lanterns, promises to disenchant a somewhat unwilling swan prince, sees the dead, and is almost sacrificed by the fairies. * [b] THE WIDOW FLYNN'S APPLE TREE. Mickey Maguire, at his own wish, is transformed into a goose and flies about. [c] THE OLD MAN'S TALE. He stepped on the fairy sod-- in the days of Cromwell. [d] THE OPAL ARROW-HEAD. To the gnomes again, to steal Gorgondy, their fabulous drink. [e] THE FINDING OF MR. JUPKENS. Murblethwaite has been looking for Jupkens for 40 incarnations. If he can keep Jupkens away from his spells for seven days, the gods will withdraw a comet that is due to smash into the earth. [f] THE AWFUL DREAM. Sir Jefcote Inlay learns that there will be no crime for five years. An intolerable situation for a legal luminary. [g] THE CHOICE. Gipsy magic and reincarnation. [h] THE RETURN. After-death experiences. [i] THE MAD GHOST. Four murderers bury a corpse in the marsh, and a mad preacher-ghost says a sermon. Dean SWift. [j] OLD EMMA. Under anaesthesia she dies for a moment and visits heaven. [k] THE GRATITUDE OF THE DEVIL. As a reward for a horrible breakfast food that Bos~er has invented, the Devil gives him a wish. Boster's wish is to write the greatest poem ever written. [1] THE JE-NE-SAIS-QUOI. A fawn in Greece. [m] POSEIDON. Talks among the ruins with Poseidon. [n] FORTY YEARS ON. A teacher has a classroom dream of the future.

DUNSANY, LORD, [0] A NEAR THING. A fable, in Dunsany's early GODS style, of the gifting of earth with gold and its transformation to iron by another deity. * Best stories are [a] and [b] 590. THE STRANGE JOURNEYS OF COLONEL POLDERS Jarrolds; London [1950 Irony in the world of London clubs. * Colonel Polders of the Electors Club holds a bitter racial grudge against Pundit Sinadryana, whom he had tried to blackball. When the Colonel sneers at Indian magic, it is not unexpected that the pundit takes him up. By burning powders and reciting spells the Indian renders the colonel unconscious for a few moments. But in those few minutes, as the colonel later tells, he lived many lives. He was a fish, a swallow, a dog, a fox, a moth, a pig, an eel, a tiger, a sheep, a butterfly, a cat, a stag, a flea, and many other forms of life, even, for a short time, a jinn. Other members of the club, who question the process, undergo the same experience. * While many of the experiences are vividly imagined, particularly each animal's perceptions of its purpose in life and the beauties that it envisions, the final result of the book tends to be boring. 591. LITTLE TALES OF SMETHERS AND OTHER STORIES Jarrolds; London [1952] Mostly crime and detective short narratives, the first nine tales being concerned with Smethers and two Scotland Yard men, Linley and Ulton. The only fantastic story is [a] THE SHIELD OF ATHENE. Several missing persons, wonderful statuary sculptured by Ardon, and the head of Medusa. '~is is a cheap and flashy method. Pressing the button of a camera is as artistic, and certainly far more moral." 592 • JORKENS BORROWS ANOTHER WHISKEY Mic hae 1 Joseph; Loridon 1954 More short stories told at the Billiards Club by the cadging Jorkens. * Including, [a] A WALK IN THE NIGHT. As Jorkens walks through the dark, he has the feeling that he is being followed by something evil and supernatural. To be rid of it, he steps over a live rail, hoping that whatever it is will be electrocuted. It is, but • • • thereby hangs a tail. [b] ONE SUMMER'S EVENING. According to folk belief, if one can hold a bunch of tottie grass completely still, i t will turn to gold. (I would guess that tottie grass must be Something like American quaking grass.) Jorkens performs the miraculous feat for an instant, but the weight of the metal during the transmutation disturbs it and it relapses into grass. [c] A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY. The ghost carries its head about and will not forgive an old wrong. It tells Jorkens to go to Egrindune Hall and ask for a dinner, giving the ghost as a reference. It is all done smoothly, and the ghost will forgive its enemies in a few more centuries. [d] THE UNRECORDED TEST MATCH. A bargain with the Devil: 20 wickets in 20 balls. It is accomplished, but by flukes and technicalities. That seems to be the point of the story. I do not under-

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DUNSANY, LORD stand cricket. [e] IDLE TEARS. Smeggit found a line of ancient Greek music carved on stone. When he plays it, the listeners cannot help but weep. It was the music of Orpheus. [f] AN IDYLL OF THE SAHARA. Jorkens steals away several Ouled Nail girls, and everyone is happy until piping is heard from the mountain. According to Jorkens's native ''boys,'.' i1;. is "the horned one." [g] THE DEVIL AMONG THE WILLOWS. In a boys' school, Suthers is a fantastic cricket player, so remarkable that he must havp. sold his soul to the Devil for the ability. It would not be cricket to allow such things, and Suthers is expelled-- after the school match. [h] THE GODS OF CLAY. A message taken do~~ by a medium, from one of the scientists of the lost planet between Mars and Jupiter. Borderline science-fiction. [i) A CONVERSATION IN BOND STREET. A medium reports a conversation with a great scientist of the past. He had set off an atomic explosion, which, he says, destroyed not only his own planet, but its sun, the galaxy, and the entire universe. But it all started up again. [j] MISADVENTURE. A completely automated elevator has its revenge on a man Who hates all machinery. [k] AN ABSENT-MINDED PROFESSOR. A remarkable vision of the future which must be reported to the Government before the professor forgets it. [1] GREEK MEETS GREEK. In this case, Terbut, the most persistent of those who scoff at Jorkens, decides to best Jorkens and tells of seeing the Indian rope trick performed. But Jorkens is not to be beaten. * Amusing, and in the better examples, [a], [b], [g], up to the earlier stories. 593. GODS, MEN AND GHOSTS THE BEST SUPERNATURAL FICTION OF LORD DUNSANY Dover Publications; New York 1972 paperbound Edited, with introduction, by E.F. Bleiler. * Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE THREE SAILORS' GAMBIT. [b] THE THREE INFERNAL JOKES. [c] THE EXILES' CLUB. [d] THIRTEEN AT TABLE. [e] THE WONDERFUL WINDOW. [f] THE BUREAU D'ECHANGE DE MAUX. [g] THE GHOSTS. [h] THE PROBABLE ADVENTURE OF THE THREE LITERARY MEN. [i] THE CORONATION OF MR. THOMAS SHAP. [j] POOR OLD BILL. [k] THE HOARD OF THE GIBBELINS. [1] HOW NUTH WOULD HAVE PRACTISED HIS ART UPON THE GNOLES. [m] CHU-BU AND SHEEMISH. [n] THE HASHISH MAN. [0] THE DISTRESSING TALE OF THANGOBRIND THE JEWELLER AND OF THE DOOM THAT BEFELL HIM. [p] THE SWORD OF WELLERAN. [q] THE FORTRESS UNVANQUISHABLE SAVE FOR SACNOTH. [r] THE INJUDICIOUS PRAYERS OF POMBO THE IDOLATER. [ s] HOW PLASH-GOO CAME TO THE LAND OF NONE'S DESIRE. [t] BETHMOORA. [u] IDLE DAYS ON THE YANN. [v] A NARROW ESCAPE. [w] THE SIGN. [x] JORKENS CONSULTS A PROPHET. [y] THE WALK TO LINGHAM. [z] A MYSTERY OF THE EAST. [aa] THE GODS OF PEGANA. Not the full text; extensive selections. [bb] TIME AND THE GODS. [cc] THE COMING OF THE SEA. [dd] THE SECRET OF THE GODS. lee] IN THE LAND OF TIME. * 20 illustrations by Sidney Sime.

DWYER, JAMES FRANCIS DWYER, JAMES FRANCIS (1874-1952) Australian writer of adventure stories, often with geographic and ethnographic background. Frequent contributor to American pulps. 594. EVELYN SOMETHING MORE THAN A STORY Vanguard Press; New York [1929] Sentimental treatment of survival, World War I tragedies, Spiritualism. The story is told in a rather complex series of frames and counternarratives, but the situation is simple. * France. Evelyn Halse Lake, widow of a young soldier killed in World War I, is dying, but in some way she is in communication with the dead. She herself does not understand the messages that are being transmitted through her. Through her revelations, which are conveyed by an American friend, an elderly widow acquires hidden wealth and a young war wife, who had gone mad because of the loss of her husband and children, recovers her reason and children. * Readers who remember Dwyer's highcolored rambunct10us stories in BLUE BOOK will be surprised at this anemic twaddle. DWIEWICKI, M[ICHAEL] H[ENRY] British author. 595. ENTOMBED IN FLESH Blackwood; London and Edinburgh 1897 Supernaturalism and redemption through love. * Phantasto, a free spirit ot space, neither angel nor devil, wagers with Lucifer and loses. As penalty, he is compelled to serve Lucifer in human form, supernatural powers unimpaired. He makes himself so obnoxious that he is released from the bond. * A collector's rarity.

ECHARD, MARGARET (c. 1900? ?) American playwright, novelist. Born in Indiana, long resident in California. 596. THE DARK FANTASTIC Doubleday; Garden City, New York 1947 Slick sensationalism in the neo-Gothic mode. Rural Middle West, 1870's. * Richard Tomlinson, who conducts a small private school, is married to a nasty, frigid invalid. Two other women enter his life: Thorne, a Sissy Jupe figure, and Judith, an erotic type who is in love with him. Against a background of folkloristic magic, Judith shows the invalided Abigail a magical doll, whereupon Abigail dies of fright. Judith marries Tomlinson, but he soon discovers that he is really in love with Thorne. Judith tries to blame Thorne for the doll magic (which is not unconvincing, since Thorne can perform legerdemain in a small way), but is unsuccessful. Richard announces that he will follow Thorne, who has been driven away. Judith takes poison and, while lying ill, is strangled by the ghost of Abigail. * Told in a detailed, analytical manner, without much historical background apart from talk about folk magic and mediumistic phenomena.

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EDDISON, E. R. EDDISON, E[RIC] R[UCKER] (1882-1945) British civil servant, renowned writer of supernatural fiction. Generally considered the foremost modern writer of heroic fantasy, but really a philosophical novelist using the motifs of adventure and romance to express a rather complicated metaphysical system. One may shrug at his metaphysics and scorn his values, but he was a writer of power and originality, and one of the great stylists of the century. 597. THE WORM OUROBOROS A ROMANCE Jonathan Cape; London 1922 A long romance, replete with supernaturalism and heroic deeds. It finds its closest parallel, in the older literature, in the prose romances of William Morris, although it does not display the dreamy flatness of Morris's work. * In the frame situat10n, which is soon dropped, Lessingham is taken by a martlet to the planet Mercury, to the court of Lord Juss, ruler of Demonland. The known regions of Mercury-- there are also unknown regions that are so redolent of the supernatural that a man hardly dares enter them-- include the land of the Demons, the first nation in valor and honor; the kingdom of the Witches, the paramount power, mighty in war, but without honor; and lesser nations such as Pixyland and Impland. (These names are badly chosen, and the reader should not bring to them associations from Western folklore.) The plot of the book is the struggle between the usurping power of Witch land and the resistance of the Demons. The motif of Mercury soon disappears from the story. * As Lessingham watches, to the court of the noble Lord Juss comes an apelike ambassador from Witchland, demanding that the demons yield humiliating homage to Witchland. The Demons refuse, and offer to stake their fate on a wrestling match between King Gorice XI of Witchland, a cruel and mighty champion, and Goldry Bluszco, Juss's brother, the warrior hero of the Demons. The King accepts, and although he plays foul, is killed in the match. But he is immediately reconstituted back in his palace as his successor, King Gorice XII, an evil but potent lord of magic. Gorice places a sending after the Demons and snatches away Goldry, while the other Demons are shattered and defeated. Juss learns that there will be no withstanding the Witches until Goldry is rescued. Much of the remainder of the book is devoted to this quest. Lord Juss and Brandoch Daha, second champion of Demonland, wander through the wilderness and haunted lands, encountering monsters and magic, until Goldry is recovered. In the meanwhile, the great generals of Witchland have swallowed most of Demonland, which lies under a very severe occupation. When the Demon champions return, however, the situation changes, and the witches, in turn, are hard pressed. Gorice XII attempts a second supernatural evocation, but it is disastrous to him and his kingdom. The war is over, but the Demons are not at all satisfied. There can be no more great deeds, since there are no more enemies worthy of them. At this point the gods reconstitute

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Gorice and Witchland, and the whole adventure starts over again. This is the point of the title, a snake swallowing its own tail, the Classical symbol for eternity. * THE WORM ouROBOROS is a work sui generis, with some small flaws and gigantic virtues. Most annoying, perhaps, is the lack of consistency throughout the narrative, a fault which minor editing could have removed. (Eddison is said to have spent twenty years in writing the work, and obviously did not revise the earlier sections to fit the later.) There are also problems of form, such as the pointless Lessingham frame, and there are occasional details, on the silly side, which do not fit the overall grandeur of the work. On the credit side there are wealth of wonderful personalities, most imaginative incidents, and a unique richness of language. Eddison modelled his tongue on Tudor and Jacobean English and brought the feat off, with a treasury of image that is almost unbelievable. His work ranks along with Beddoes's as one of the best language-pastiches in English. * Behind the story line is a semiallegory which is not pushed to excess: Lord Juss (ius, law); Brandoch Daha (sword and dagger); Lord Gro (grow-- the only character in the book who evolves); Demons (Greek daimones, culture heroes); and the struggle of reason, justice, and honor against irrationality, tyranny, and foulness. * Still the finest heroic fantasy. 598. MISTRESS OF MISTRESSES A VISION OF ZIMIAMVIA Faber and Faber; London [1935] This is the first published volume of a trilogy dealing with Zimiamvia, which is mentioned in THE WORM OUROBOROS as a rather second-rate place, the abode of spirits. It is the last volume chronologically in the series. * Zimiamvia is basically a Renaissance world in culture and values, but modern in its knowledge of the literatures and arts of more recent times. While the theme is not developed in this book, Zimiamvia is in a way the Platonic idea to our own world and ~ superior state of being. The important personalities are all manifestations of Zeus and Aphrodite, and there are hints of still further "returns" to divinity beyond Zimiamvia. The ultimate themes are love and power. * After the death of Lessingham in our world, he is apparently translated back tq Zimiamvia. When he is about 25 years old, great events take place. King Mezentius has been dead for a time, and the land is ruled, under a regency, by his immature legitimate son, Stylis. Among the important personalities are Horius Parry, the Vicar of Rerek, a marvelous rogue Who embodies power without beauty or wisdom; Duke Barganax, the illegitimate son of the late King, beauty and love; Fiorinda, the Dark Lady, a high emanation of the Goddess, beauty and love; Less ingham, power, beauty, and love; Antiope, Stylis's sister, who corresponds after a fashion to Lessingham's wife Mary, in our world; and Doctor Vandermast, a fine magician, who is wisdom. There are also other cross linkages, as between Lessingham and Barganax. * The story line, despite detailed development, is very simple. Parry, who is murderous and unscrupu-

EDDISON, E. R. lous, poisons Stylis. Stylis, in turn, leaves a somewhat ambiguous testament, which seems to place Parry paramount in the land. Barganax and other high officials dispute the will from various points of view. Lessingham, who is the vicar's cousin, adviser, trouble shooter, and man of affairs, manages things so that the vicar attains to high power. But at the same time, Lessingham establishes relations with Barganax, each recognizing in the other elements of himself and his respective mistress. Lessingham's work comes to nothing with the death of Antiope, the new queen, and the Vicar, impetuous and short-sighted, causes Lessingham to be assassinated. Barganax, in whom the elements of Lessingham have been recreated, becomes king in actuality as well as in name. * Supernaturalism enters mostly in the personality and activities of the aged Vandermast, what with time disruptions, shape changing, magical devices, and visions. * Sweeping and grand at the beginning, tired and somewhat confused at the end, brilliant in its recreation of Renaissance English. Particularly interesting are Vandermast's philosophical speculations, which are in part Spinozan, in part Renaissance mysticism (much like Ficino), tempered with Scholastic form. 599. A FISH DINNER IN MEMISON Dutton; New York 1941 1,000 copy edition An introduction by James Stephens serves as an apologia for the aristocratic (i.e. snobbish) attitude and values. * A FISH DINNER IN MEMISON is set two years before MISTRESS OF MISTRESSES, during the lifetime of King Mezentius, before the entry of Lessingham to the Zimiamvian scene. The book consists of alternating episodes of Lessingham and Mary in our world, and Mezentius, Barganax, the Duchess, and Fiorinda in Zimiamvia. These episodes are roughly parallel in meaning between the two worlds, although the time spans are not identical. In both lands the true realities are love and glory. Lessingham finds a wife in Mary and survives heroically in a world where the preTitanic standards have been shattered, while Mezentius overcomes a very serious rebellion among his nobles. Barganax becomes the lover of Fiorinda, the Dark Lady. All the major characters, as in MISTRESS OF MISTRESSES, are emanations of one sort or another of divinity. * The climax of the book is the great fish dinner in which Mezentius, Barganax, Fiorinda, the Duchess, Horius Parry and others philosophize in the grand tradition. As a jeu d'esprit -the king asks the diners what they would have if they were to create another world. All except Fiorinda would settle for their own eternal land, but Fiorinda speculates on a different world, which Mezentius sets up magically for her, as a bubble, as she describes it. It is our world, into which Mezentius has introduced entropy, so that things will eventually run down. Mezentius and the Duchess enter into this world, it seems, as Lessingham and Mary, and live out their lives there. At the end of the book Fiorinda (Aphrodite, the divine creativity) pricks this bubble world and

EDDISON, E. R. it disappears. * The episodes set in Zimiamvia maintain the stylistic brilliance of Eddison's other work, and the Neoplatonic philosophy is nicely set forth by King Mezentius and others. The British episodes, however, fill little formal need and are often somewhat disappointing. While the values, attitudes, and folkways of pre-Titanic county families are of some mild social interest, despite the perpetual whining tone about past glories, all in all the British episodes suggest George Lawrence in the 20th century. Nevertheless, this is the best of the three Zimiamvian books. 600. THE MEZENTIAN GATE [Printed at the Curwen Press, Plaistow] [1958] Unfinished work, posthumously published. Prefatory material by C. R. E[ddison], the author's sister; a letter of introduction by Eddison. Like Eddison's other books, this has excellent symbolic devices by Keith Henderson. * Metaphysical dynastics, with elements of romance and intrigue. This is the first acted and last written of the Zimiamvian books, for like Richard Wagner and the Ring operas, Eddison found it necessary to move farther and farther back in time, with prefatory works, to explain what happened later. In this instance Eddison did not finish the book. It consists of a prelude, with Lessingham in Norway during the early days of World War II, dying in order to enter the real world of Zimiamvia with the Dark Lady; seven introductory chapters detailing the historical formation of the Triple Kingdom; two middle chapters; and a long conclusion in which King Mezentius dies in an act of superhuman heroism, hybris and stubbornness, leaving his kingdom, as Eddison put it, "in a mess." While less than half the novel was finished, the gaps are filled by detailed summaries, so that the reader lacks nothing in terms of sequence of events. * The theme and development share much with A FISH DINNER IN MEMISON: a Renaissance-like world of swagger, beauty, bombast, daring, treachery, and simpleminded dynamism, which is in some fashion a manifestation of Greek mythology and is the real world to which our world is a defective ephemeron. Two pairs of royal lovers, King Mezentius and the Duchess, Duke Barganax and Fiorinda, are manifestations of Zeus and Aphrodite, ultimately Man and Woman in various ideal roles. Their divine nature is occasionally visible. Lessingham, Who is at once a projection of Mezentius and another incarnation of Zeus, hovers in the background. As a curious paradox the quartet and Lessingham are both mortal and immortal, human and divine. Other divine immanences include were-animals who play subsidiary roles. The ancient Dr. Vandermast, Who along with Horius Parry is the most interesting character of the trilogy, is present with magical powers. * The splendor of imagery found in the earlier books is somewhat dulled, and without development the dynastics does tend to pall~ since Eddison's greatest strength is stylistic. -Nevertheless, the book is a necessity for those who wish to learn ultimate motivations and causations.

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EDWARDS, AMELIA B. EDWARDS, AMELIA [ANN] B[LANFORDJ (1831-1892) British author and Egyptologist. Precocious writer of poetry, fiction for periodicals; frequent contributor to Dickens's magazines, especially Christmas issues. Best-known fiction is BARBARA'S HISTORY (1864) and LORD BRACKENBURY (1880). Her fiction is characterized by solid Victorian detail and great attention to accurate backgrounds. Her supernatural fiction is unusual in centering on well-handled exotic settings, though the theoretical concept of the supernatural is typical of the period. * Her second career began as the aftermath of a trip up the Nile, where she was appalled at the looting and destruction of antiquities. She became one of the founders and honorary secretary (in effect, chief) of the Egypt Exploration Fund, one of the pioneer archeological -societies. She lectured extensively in Europe and America and wrote two fascinating volumes A THOUSAND MILES UP THE NILE (1871) and PHARAOHS, FELLAHS, AND EXPLORERS (1891). A woman who deserves attention. 601. MISS CAREW Hurst and Blackett; London 1865 3 vol. Short stories in a framework. The stories, according to the protagonist, were found in a bundle of paper purchased at an old shop. * Including [a] THE ELEVENTH OF MARCH. Italy. A visitor to a monastery counts twenty-four monks, even though there are only twentythree in residence. The extra monk is Brother Geronimo, a renegade who was killed after a crime. [b] LOVE AND MONEY. Count von Steinberg, impoverished young nobleman, awakens each morning and finds money in his room. He believes that there is a supernatural explanation. Somnambulism. [c] CAIN. A painting in a gallery shows Cain after the murder of Abel. The student who copies it gradually loses strength as he paints. The original was probably painted by a fratricide. [d] THE DISCOVERY OF THE TREASURE ISLES. Long short story. Told by an aged seaman. The island is covered with ruins, among which is a jeweled idol. The seaman was there for three months (his time reckoning), but actually had been away for twenty years. Perhaps the island is enchanted; perhaps the seaman is mad. [e] MY BROTHER'S GHOST STORY. Switzerland. A death portent. Disaster in the mountains. [f] THE RECOLLECTIONS OF PROFESSOR HENNEBERG. Germany. Henneberg, a brilliant scholar, does not seem to learn new things; he only recalls things temporarily forgotten. He remembers a previous incarnation and finds in an old manuscript his handwriting. [g] THE NORTH MAIL. The protagonist, losing his way in a snowy winter night in Northern England, boards a passing coach. It is the death-coach, laden with phosphorescent corpses. Often anthologized under the alternate title, THE PHANTOM COACH. [h] NUMBER THREE. Murder and a revelatory ghost, set in the Midland potteries. Alternate title, HOW THE THIRD FLOOR KNEW THE-POTTERIES; this is the original periodical title. * Excellent material, much of it reprinted from periodicals.

EDWARDS, AMELIA B. 602 • MONSIEUR MAURICE A NEW NOVELETTE AND OTHER TALES Hurst and Blackett; London 1873 3 vol. Including [a] MONSIEUR MAURICE. Nouvelle. Post-Napoleonic Germany. In the fortress of Bruhl is confined a mysterious prisoner, a Frenchman who was once an acquaintance of Napoleon's. The little daughter of the commandant becomes friendly with the prisoner and learns that his life is in danger. On three occasions attempts on the prisoner are warded off by a supernatural appearance, the ghost of the Frenchman's dead servant. It is revealed that the prisoner is the victim of bitter personal enmity. [b] AN ENGINEER'S STORY. Italy. Two British engineers quarrel over a woman and one kills the other. But the woman is only an unscrupulous opportunist. Years later the living engineer has the chance to wreck the train on which the woman is travelling, but is prevented by the ghost of his dead friend. Sometimes printed under the slightly variant title, THE ENGINEER'S STORY. [c] THE NEW PASS. Switzerland. A ghost warns of danger in the new engineering works. Ed] A SERVICE OF DANGER. Gustav von Lichtenstein leads a dare-devil charge in the Napoleonic wars, but the narrator sees all but Lichtenstein ride away. Ghosts of dead dragoons. * [a] is the best story, with a good characterization of a child. 603. A NIGHT ON THE BORDERS OF THE BLACK FOREST Tauchnitz; Leipzig 1874 paperbound Fairly long short stories, including [a] A NIGHT ON THE BORDERS OF THE BLACK FOREST. A pair of Wandervage1, an Englishman and a German, put up at a hostelry, which is really a murder inn. The innkeeper drugs one of them. His clairvoyant visions of previous murders warn the other traveller of their perilous situation. [b] THE STORY OF SALOME. Venice. The narrator's friend Turnour has fallen in love with Salome, a beautiful Jewish woman, but for one reason or another, the romance fails. Some time later the narrator, sightseeing around the Venetian islands, comes into the Jewish cemetery and sees Salome sitting beside one of the tombstones. She tells the narrator that he should say a prayer for the person buried there, for she died a Christian. The tourist checks her story and learns that he has seen a ghost. Salome was beneath the stone. [c] IN THE CONFESSIONAL. Switzerland. A tourist steps into a quaint old church and looks into the confessional. He sees a sour-looking priest who glares at him. Later he learns that a scoundrel had disguised himself as a priest in order to hear his wife's confession. She apparently confessed to adultery, for he murdered her. His ghost is visible to the curate, too. Ed] THE 4:15 EXPRESS. Langford converses with an acquaintance on the 4:15, and learns that he is carrying L 75,000. He sees the acquaintance walk off with a stranger. Later he learns that both his acquaintance and the money have been missing for a while. It was a ghost, of course, and a repetition of the past. The identity of the murderer is easily found. [e] SISTER JOHANNA'S STORY. The Tyrol. Jeal-

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ELLIOTT, FRANCIS P. ousy, murder, suicide. Sister Johanna saw a death apparition with a bullet hole in its head. * Good stories with nicely limned backgrounds. This seems to be the only edition. EGBERT, H. M. (pseud. of EMANUEL, VICTOR ROUSSEAU) (1879~1960) American. (British birth) writer of popular adventure fiction, journalist. Frequent contributor to American pulp magazines in the first third of the century. Best-known for work done under other pseudonym VICTOR ROUSSEAU, especially THE MESSIAH OF THE CYLINDER (1917), sensational but thought-provoking conservative reply to H. G. Wells's WHEN THE SLEEPER WAKES. The present pseudonym seems to have been used mostly for book publication in the U. K. 604. DRAUGHT OF ETERNITY John Long; London [1924] Fir~t published ALL-STORY WEEKLY, 1918, as by Victor Rousseau. * Adventure, with a supernatural background. * Clifford and Chandra Pal, physicians, experiment with Cannabis indica (nowadays known as pot), a drug which, it is claimed in the story, opens the time facets of the mind and permits one to relive past and future incarnations. After taking the drug Clifford awakens in Nork, a primitive New York of the future, where a white population has been conquered and enslaved by the Yuki, Orientals who practice a degraded, bloody Buddhism. As a prince who is half Yuki and half white, Clifford heads a revolt for freedom, but is defeated by Prince Timour of the Yuki, who is Chandra Pal. Clifford and Princess Alma then drink vials of Cannabis and awaken in the present. Previously Clifford had not met Alma in this incarnation, but now the lovers meet. * Competitive pulp adventure. 605. MRS. ALADDIN John Long; London [1925] Humorous fantasy. * Merwyn, a young playboy of the stock exchange, obtains Aladdin's lamp. The attendant genie, Ayesha, is a very beautiful woman, with perhaps a slight touch of nymphomania. Complications arise when the lamp falls into the hands of an enemy. Peace is finally restored. Mervyn regains his fiancee and her fortune, and the amorous genie is frightened away by the threat to tell her husband about her escapades. To avoid further problems, the lamp is replaced in Babylon. * Probably earlier than indicated, but no periodical publication has been found. ELLIOTT, FRANCIS PERRY (1861-1924) American (Tennessee) educator; editor for various magazines, publishing houses: HOME MAGAZINE, THE NEW AGE, Harpers, etc. Contributor to popular fiction magazines of the day. 606. THE HAUNTED PAJAMAS Bobbs-Merril1; Indianapolis [1911] Somewhat coy Gibson-girl eroticism, with supernatural humor. The narrator is an etiolated Harvard man who has spent three years in England to acquire a British accent, and has returned a complete fool. The gimmick is a pair of pajamas, perhaps 4500 years old, which a friend has sent to him from China. The pajamas,

ELLIOTT, FRANCIS PERRY which were made from cloth woven by a goddess, have the property of transforming the wearer into the exact image of one of the previous wearers. This leads to considerable confusion, as the characters of the story are changed around-- interchange of sex roles, racial elements, and mistaken identities. * Amusing at first, but the author did not know when to stop, and the odd cultural values cannot carry the book. 607. THE GIFT OF ABOU HASSAN Little, Brown; Boston 1912 In the Oriental goods shop of Abou Hassan, a rather dull-witted old Persian, is an ancient carpet. It has the property of rendering one who stands upon it invisible and inaudible. Mrs. Pompernel, who is shopping for bargains, sees it and is determined to buy it at any price, and her niece Dolly and Tom Bentley conduct a whirlwind courtship invisibly upon it. The carpet is the setting for an attempted seduction and other hijinks. * Again, the world of the Gibson girl, with rich and virginal young men and women, coyness, and froth. * In this instance, less successful than THE HAUNTED PAJAMAS. A dramatic structuring does not help the reader. ELLISON, HARLAN (1934 ) Prominent American writer of science-fiction and fantasy; one .of the most gifted of the post-60 generation; winner of many (deserved) genre awards. Writer of motion picture and TV scripts. Editor of "new wave" DANGEROUS VISION anthologies, which stressed hitherto tabooed subjects. Best work is characterized by remarkable imagination, verbal pyrotechnics, although there is a tendency to shock for shock's sake. Ellison's major work comes after the terminal date for this volume, but DEATHBIRD STORIES (1975) should be mentioned. 608. ELLISON WONDERLAND Paperback Library; New York 1962 paperbound Short stories, including [a] DO-IT-YOURSELF, written in collaboration with Joe L. Hensley. (ROGUE MAGAZINE 1958) Madge Rubichek, who cannot stand her husband any longer buys a Do-ItYourself Murder Kit, which offers three ways. None works, however, and her husband has a single, superior way: a knife. Supernatural in implications. [b] ALL THE SOUNDS OF FEAR. (SAINT MAGAZINE 1962) Richard Becker, a great actor, is so saturated in his roles that there is nothing else to him. When the roles depart, so does all individuality from Becker, including his face. [c] GNOMEBODY. (AMAZING 1956) The high school punk, rejected from the track team, has the fortune to corner a gnome and bargain out a wish. He wishes to be the fastest runner in the school. He is, as a centaur. [d] THE VERY LAST DAY OF A GOOD WOMAN. (ROGUE MAGAZINE 1958) Alternate title, THE LAST DAY. Arthur Fulbright, frustrated little man with a mother complex, recognizes through paranormal abilities that the world will end in two weeks. Before it ends he must have a woman. [e] DEAL FROM THE BOTTOM. (ROGUE MAGAZINE 1960) Maxim Hirt, very ineffectual actor, murders a column-

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ELWOOD, ROGER AND GHIDALIA, VIC ist who gave him a bad review. In the death cell, the day before the gas chamber, Hirt unwittingly summons a demon (in Hippie disguise, with suitable patois) and strikes a bargain. The demon cannot change fate, since that is God's, but he can extenuate: Hirt will eat a never-ending last meal, so that they cannot gas him. The meal is beans. [f] RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY. (SCIENCE-FANTASY MAGAZINE 1956). Hobart, a small clerk who is treated shabbily by his crude boss, is depressed by the rain and Wishes, Rain, rain, go away. It works. Hobart does not realize that the times that he has wished rain away have been cumulative; when the rain does come, it floods Manhattan. * [a] is good, but the other stories are not up to Ellison's later work. ELWOOD, ROGER (1933) and GHIDALIA, VIC [TOR] (1926 ) American anthologists. Although Elwood has probably edited more anthologies than anyone else in fantastic fiction, most of his work has been in science-fiction. His collections, many of which were issued by smaller publishers, are sometimes difficult to find. The following are representative. (See separate entry for Ghidalia.) AS EDITORS: 609. THE LITTLE MONSTERS Macfadden-Bartell Corp.; New York 1969 paperbound Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE METRONOME, August Derleth. [b] THE PLAYFELLOW, Cynthia Asquith. [c] OLD CLOTHES, Ray Bradbury. [d] HOW FEAR DEPARTED FROM THE LONG GALLERY, E.F. Benson. le] THEY, Rudyard Kipling. [f] THE ANTIMACASSAR, Greye LaSpina. (WT 1949) Lucy is looking for her missing friend Cora, who disappeared in the Pennsylvania Dutch country. She finds a solution in the Renner farm, but comes upon a greater mystery. The antimacassar has embroidered into it shorthand symbols that say, Vampire. 610. HORROR HUNTERS Macfadden-Bartell Corp.; New York 1971 paperbound Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] ANCIENT SORCERIES, Algernon Blackwood. [b] THE GATEWAY OF THE MONSTER, W. H. Hodgson. [c] THE UNNAMABLE, H. P. Lovecraft. [d) MR. AMES' DEVIL, August Derleth. [e) I KISS YOUR SHADOW, Robert Bloch. * Also, If] THE THING ON THE ROOF, R. E. Howard. (WT 1932) According to Juntz's UNAUSSPRECHLICHE KULTEN there is a temple in Yucatan, within which sits a mummy who holds a jewel-key to the treasure of the temple. Tussmann finds the temple, uses the key, but finds nothing. On his way out he forgets to shut the door to the vault. Some time later, in England, there is a visitation. [g] IN THE X-RAY, Fritz Leiber. (WT 1942) Nancy Sawyer's ankle is mysteriously swollen, and what the x-rays reveal is not told until the end of the story. Nancy had had a twin sister of great malignancy; the twin died vowing to return and injure Nancy, who is later strangled. [h] ONE FOOT AND THE GRAVE, Theodore Sturgeon. (WT 1949) A supernatural version of the motif of the imprisoned alien

ELWOOD, ROGER AND GHIDALIA, VIC of enormous power who is working on human minds to effect his release. Claire and Thad undergo a strange metamorphosis: a foot turns into a cloven hoof. Among other motifs that are worked skilfully into a complex story with symbolic overtones are: angels and devils, animation of familiar-like beings, spells, the supernatural nature of love, etc. Interesting once passes a slow, a little coy beginning. * Of the new material [h} is worth reading. END ORE , [SAMUEL} GUY (1900-1970) American novelist, film script writer (THE DEVIL DOLL, from Merritt's BURN, WITCH, BURN; MAD LOVE). Most of early work is in the personalized, brash style of the 1930's, sometimes on the pretentious side. Best-known work is THE WEREWOLF OF PARIS. Other novels-- METHINKS THE LADY, THE MAN FROM LIMBO-- are sometimes listed as fantastic, but are not. Has also done popular biographies of Casanova, the Marquis de Sade, and Alexandre Dumas, pere. Has alEo translated THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE, by H. H. Ewers, which see. 611. THE WEREWOLF OF PARIS Farrar and Rinehart; New York [1933} Intelligent sensationalism based loosely on the historical case of Sergeant Bertrand, the 19th century French "vampire," who was a murderer, necrophiliac, and cannibal. Middle 19th century France. The story is centered (after a frame occupied by an American narrator and investigator) mostly on Aymar Galliez, a former liberal, who is gradually shifting toward religion and conservatism. * Bertrand Caillet, the bastard son of a priest from a notorious family, has the stigmata of the werewolf: born on Christmas eve, hairy palms, peculiar eyebrows, interlocking teeth. In early childhood he has a tendency to howl like a wolf at impending deaths, and in adolescence he starts to shift shape, hunt like a wolf, and attack humans. When he is wounded by a silver bullet, Aymar recognizes the situation and tries, unsuccessfully, to control Bertrand's wolfish nature. On Bertrand's maturity his lupine characteristics emerge during sex, and he usually chews up his partner. During the siege of Paris in the Franco-Prussian War and the Commune, Bertrand is a member of the National Guard and finds food easily obtainable. He falls in love and it seems as if his wolfish habits can be restrained, but it is at the cost of his mistress's blood. When he assaults a fellow soldier, he is taken prisoner, and eventually transferred to an insane asylum, where he is drugged and generally mistreated. He dies after a suicidal leap from a window. Years later when his coffin is disinterred, the skeleton of a wolf is found in it. * The reason for Bertrand's lycanthropy is fudged, although there are hints that it is due to atrocities committed during a family feud generations back. * In addition to the story line, ~ much space is devoted to social life and political gossip during this troubled period of French history, with occasional anachronisms. * Interesting at first, but the story peters

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THE EVENING STANDARD BOOK OF STRANGE STORIES out into irrelevancies, and the tragedy of Bertrand is smothered in occasional sensationalism. Still noteworthy for an attempt to present nasty topics without bowdlerization. ERCKNANN-CHATRIAN (joint pseudo ·of ERCKMANN, EMILE, 1822-1899, and CHATRIAN, ALEXANDRE, 1826-1890) • French popular novelists, dramatists. Earlier work was strongly influenced by German prototypes, perhaps because of the authors' or~g~ns in the Germanic areas of France, but shifted to fiction about French military life, with pacifist point of view, and, after the FrancoPrussian War, to strongly patriotic material. Most important work, THE CONSCRIPT, dealt with experiences of a peasant in Napoleonic wars Their work was fairly popular in 19th century England, especially for short drama, THE POLISH JEW, which is almost a folk play, and collections of short stories; but not of any great significance in the United States. Minor writers. See index for anthologized stories. 612. STRANGE STORIES Appleton; New York 1880 Anonymous translation from HISTOIRES ET CONTES FANTASTIQUES, book publication 1849. Short stories, Germanic in setting. * Including, [a} THE MYSTERIOUS SKETCH. Christian, studying art at Nuremberg, paints a crime scene that he perceived in a dream. He is immediately arrested as a suspect. He clears himself by finishing his painting and showing the real criminal. [b} THE DEAN'S WATCH. Travelling mUSicians, flocking to Heidelberg for the Christmas celebrations, are suspected of a series of murders and robberies. Kasper manages to identify the real criminal, who is the least suspected party. A small supernatural element enters in that the crimes were committed in a somnambulistic state and were the result of an animal soul. [c} THE INVISIBLE EYE. A series of suicides by hanging, from a certain room in an inn. Christian suspects an old hag called the Bat of having caused the deaths. He sees her make a dummy of the person about to be killed and then hang it. Christian makes a similar dummy of the witch, disguises himself to look like her, and hangs it in her view. She succumbs to her own magic. [d} THE WONDERFUL GLASS. Hans Schnapps, an apothecary and experimentalist, has discovered a way of recording dreams on a metal plate, His next step is an invention for complete happiness, by offering the viewer his own dream as reality. * The other tales are not fantastic. * Derivative of E. T. A. Hoffmann and unremarkable. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY} 613. THE EVENING STANDARD BOOK OF STRANGE STORIES Hutchinson; London [1934} A gigantic collection of mysteries and supernatural stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE HAIR, A. J. Alan. [b] THE SCREAMING SKULL, F. M. Crawford. [c] NO.1 BRANCH LINE, THE SIGNALMAN, Charles Dickens. [d] THE ALBATROSS, Hector Bolitho. [e] THE LAND OF GREEN GINGER, Algernon Blackwood.

THE EVENING STANDARD BOOK OF STRANGE STORIES [f] ANCIENT LIGHTS, Algernon Blackwood. [g] A PAIR OF HANDS, A. Quiller-Couch. [h] PHANTAS, Oliver Onions. [i] MRS. RAEBURN'S WAXWORK, Eleanor Smith. [j] SATAN'S CIRCUS, Eleanor Smith. [k] THE STORY OF MING-Y, Lafcadio Hearn. [1] MANSIZE IN MARBLE, E. Nesbit. Em] THE BAD LANDS, John Metcalfe. [n] THE MISANTHROPE, J. D. Beresford. [0] THE POWERS OF THE AIR, J. D. Beresford. [p] MRS. AMWORTH, E.F. Benson, [q] THE OLD MAN, Holloway Horn. [r] THE BOOK, Margaret Irwin. [s] NOBODY'S HOUSE, A. M. Burrage. [t] THE BLACK DIAMOND TREE, A. M. Burrage. [u] THE SECOND AWAKENING OF A MAGICIAN, S. K. Dennis. [v] THE MUMMY'S FOOT, Theophile Gautier. [w] FEAR, Guy de Maupassant. [x] VENUS, Maurice Baring. [y] THE HAND, Guy de Maupassant. [z] THE BATTLE OF BERKELEY SQUARE, Michael Arlen. * Also [aa] THE HOLLOW MAN, Thomas Burke. Described elsewhere for context. Ebb] THE DEVIL'S APE, Barnard Stacey. A Hindu book of black magic that tells how to project the astral body. A lay figure is stabbed, and a death takes place. [cc] DUSK BELOW HELVELLYN, Anthony Marsden. On the northern moors a strange shepherd tells the story of a murder, with detail that no one could have known. He is not the ghost of the victim. [dd] HE FOUGHT A GHOST, Louis Golding. Deaf Burke killed a man in the ring and the ghost follows him everywhere. [eel THE THIRD PERFORMANCE, Anthony Gi ttins . Sarbecoff' s "Symphonie de la morgue souterraine" has a passage in the fourth movement that kills harpists who play it. A trick ending. [ff] THE SCREAMING PLANT, Hal Pink. A "mandrake" plant, large, fearsome, carnivorous, and aggressive. It attacks its owner. Egg] THE TAIPAN, W. Somerset Maugham. A British Old China Hand sees a pair of ghostly coolies digging a grave, but no one has died, and no one else sees the grave-- nor does he on a second visit to the cemetery. Premonition. [hh] THE PIONEERS OF PIKE'S PEAK, Basil Tozer. Early pioneers on Pike's Peak are killed by enormous, seemingly intelligent spiders. Borderline science-fiction. [ii] THE VAMPIRE, Jan Neruda. A Greek artist knows when death is approaching a potential customer and has a death mask ready. Told indirectly. [jj] THE VANISHING TRICK, Charles Davy. The man from the audience uses the magician's vanishing trick as a device to run away from his wife. But his spirit returns later. [kk] THREE PENNYWORTH OF LUCK, Basil Murray. A fortune-telling machine is supernaturally accurate, but for the wrong person. [11] ESCAPE, E. H. Lacon Watson. A London fog, a bridge, a murder, and a ghost who does not know that he is dead. [mm] THE THING IN THE UPPER ROOM, Arthur Morrison. A room in Paris is reputedly haunted. Crimes follow, but their cause, whether possession or emergence of unconscious factors, is uncertain. From the very rare FIDDLE 0' DREAMS. [nn] DISCIPLINE, Lesley Storm. A personality study. A rigid, cold executive is faced by the supernatural in the form of foresight. * Of the new material Egg] and [mm] are worth reading.

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THE EVENING STANDARD SECOND BOOK [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 614. THE EVENING STANDARD SECOND BOOK OF STRANGE.STORIES Hutchinson; London [1937] An enormous compilation of stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE QUEEN OF SPADES, Alexander Pushkin. Abridged. [b] GABRIELERNEST, Saki. [c] THE RIGHT SIDE, John Collier. [d] WICKED CAPTAIN WALSHAWE, J. S. LeFanu. [e] THE YELLOW CAT, Michael Joseph. [f] THE SUTOR OF SELKIRK, Anonymous. [g] COORDINATION, E. M. Forster. [h] A SCHOOL STORY, M. R. James. [i] GALLEY TROT BLIND, John Gloag. [j] THE SNOW, Hugh Walpole. * Also, [k] THE ADVENTURE OF SECOND LIEUTENANT BUBNOV, Ivan Turgenev. Folkloristic material. Bubnov meets the Devil,_who takes him to meet his grandmother and his granddaughter Babebibobu. They decide to marry Bubnov off to the young female demon, since she likes him. He is put into a tureen and eaten. All a drunken dream. Excellent. [1] THE MAN WHO DIED, Eric Ambrose. The narrator, who has just committed a murder and is unsure of his identity, discovers that he is inches taller, decades younger than he should be. Personality interchange. [m] THE BLACK DOG, R. N. Currey. Blacks in the back woods near Miami, and perhaps theriomorphy. Some dialect. [n] LOVE OR MONEY, Francis Stuart. Old Mr. Booker, Whose wife betrayed him, left his money to his son, hoping someone would get happiness out of it. Booker's ghost haunts successive heirs until happiness is attained. [0] SHINING HAT AT TARRING NEVILLE, T. H. White. Brothers who hate one another, murder, and a vindictive ghost. [p] THE DEPARTURE, Selma Robinson. Ken, who is dead, has been trying to get through to Norah for quite a time. He offers to take her with him, down into the courtyard, twenty stories below. [q] MARRIOTT'S MONKEY, Howard Jones. Perhaps H. Bedford Jones? A monkey bite and a horrible metamorphosis. [r] THE HORSE OF DEATH, Ralph Straus. Professor Torino, carnival magician, is cornered by a rustic tough and forced to make a prediction on a race. It is correct, and the rustic suffers. [s] DERRICK'S RETURN, Gouverneur Morris. Derrick returns from the dead to visit his family, but-- except for his dog-they cannot experience him. He returns to the afterworld, complaining that he might as well be in Hell, and receives an unexpected answer. [t] THE DIVINER AND THE POOR WOMAN, Post Wheeler. Medieval Japan. Perhaps a rendering of a Japanese story. Seimei the diviner receives a night's lodging at the house of a poor woman. When he is about to leave, she insists that he must give her a thousand pieces of gold. Her father, who was a noted diviner, had foretold Seimei's coming and made a promise. [u] LIKE A DIAMOND IN THE SKY, Walter R. Brooks. Simpson dares the old wizard to work a spell. He does. Mr. Simpson loses weight and just drifts away. [v] SIAMESE HANDS, Manuel Komroff. Siam. A native boy, caught stealing, claims that it is the fault of his hands, or rather his father's hands, which are on his body. The hands, when cut

THE EVENING STANDARD SECOND BOOK off, continue their old tricks. [w] THE HOUSE IN THE WOOD, John Hastings Turner. "Is it possible for an hallucination which is real and vivid to a lunatic to be so impressed on the mind of another that it materializes temporarily?" [x] THE COOK'S ROOM, Pansy Pakenham. An old French cook, summarily dismissed after years of service, commits suicide in France. But her spirit reveals the fact at her old place of employment. [y] THE BEARER OF THE MESSAGE, Fritz Hopman. Russia. The French doctor is summoned by a woman to a sick man. The man is dead, and so was the woman, twenty years earlier. [z] HAUNTED GROUND, Oliver LaFarge. After-death experiences. George Waterson leaves the beach and talks to the old woman. She suddenly tells him to go back to the beach; he still has time to get back into his body. A threadbare theme handled freshly. * Best new stories are [t] and [z]. The remainder are competent commercial work. * This volume and the preceding were premium books for the newspaper THE EVENING STANDARD. There are other books in the same category, but they do not have so much supernatural material in them. EVERETT, MRS. H. D. British author, flourished 1890-1920. Wrote under pseudonyms (or other names) Theo. Douglas (which see) and Julia Douglas, suggesting that the initial· "D" stands for.Douglas. 615. THE DEATH-MASK AND OTHER GHOSTS Philip Allen; London [1920] Supernatural short stories, presumably gathered from various periodical sources. * [a] THE DEATH MASK. A widower promised his dying wife that he \~ould not marry again. Following her request, he covered her face with a handkerchief after she died. When he thinks of marrying again, handkerchiefs assume the features of the dead woman and bedding assumes the shape of a corpse. There is no hyphen in the title of the short story. [b] PARSON CLENCH. The ghost of Parson Clench will not permit his successor to occupy the pulpit or the manse. [c] THE WIND OF DUNOWE. Thieves take the family jewelry at a ball, but the family ghost returns it. [d] NEVILL NUGENT'S LEGACY. A routine ghost. A murdered boy. [e] THE CRIMSON BLIND. Two boys watching a haunted house see a crimson blind with a gesticulating figure behind it. It is taken to be a prank, but years later one of the original witnesses sees much the same phenomenon, and it is learned that a lunatic had burned to death there years before. [f] FINGERS OF A HAND. A family on a seashore vacation are warned of danger by ghostly writing. The house collapses. [g] THE NEXT HEIR. A Canadian who inherits an enormous English estate finds supernaturalism rampant over his lands. A cousin has a cult of Pan; there is scrying, ghosts, and stigmata. Longer than the other stories in the book. [h] ANNE'S LITTLE GHOST. A child ghost haunts a house. [i] OVER THE WIRES. A phone call from a dead lover. [j] A WATER WITCH. A somewhat confused story of a white woman who drowns cattle. [k] THE LONELY ROAD. A ghost

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EWERS, HANNS HEINZ dog protects a traveller from ruffians. [1] A GIRL IN WHITE. Partly explained by somnambulism, but with an unexplained residue. [m] A PERPLEXING CASE. During World War I two soldiers Who are wounded interchange personalities. Their true identities are restored by a blood transfusion. [n] BEYOND THE PALE. Witchcraft and poltergeistic activity. * Routine material. Undistinguished stories of literal horror, many of them probably written considerably earlier than the book date. [e], which is often anthologized, is much the best story in the book. EWERS, HANNS HEINZ (1871-1943) Notorious German author with colorful life in shady side of politics and war. German agent in Mexico and the United States during World War I; interned and deported. Early member of Nazi party in Germany and author of semiofficial biography of Horst Wessel; later fell out of favor. * Fairly prolific author of popular sensational expressionist fiction, sometimes supernatural, sometimes contes crue1s. Most important works, apart from series of novels about Frank Braun, are short story collections DAS GRAUEN (1908), GROTESKEN (1910), DIE BESESSENEN (1912). The novel ALRAUNE (1911) is much his most famous work, with translations and motion picture adaptation. Among his untranslated work is a continuation and conclusion of Schiller's unfinished novel DER GEISTERSEHER along rationalistic modes. His work tends to be self-parodic at times, with violent emotion, strident posturing, and a raucous superman cult, but within this range of expression he is an excellent craftsman. Although the translations VAMPIRE and BLOOD are sometimes listed in bibliographies, they are not fantastic enough to be included here. 616. THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE John Day; New York 1927 DER ZAUBERLEHRLING (1907). Translated from German by Ludwig Lewisohn. * An episode from the early life of Frank Braun, unemployed anthropologist. Braun has finished his legal studies and is spending a season in the Italian Alps, working on a book. He notices the cretinous nature of the inhabitants and their stupid religiosity, and decides upon some amusement. He hypnotizes his mistress (whom he had practically raped in the first place) into believing that she is a saint. She is accepted as such and a cu1tus forms around her. Miracles happen, and then Braun discovers, to his chagrin, that he has lost control of the girl. The saint decides that she must be crucified and Braun is forced by the local people to thrust the spear into her side as she hangs on the cross. He is fortunate to escape from the area alive. * Rampant sensationalism with exaggerated emotionalism and a gloating focus on the pathological and sadistic, but within these limitations well done. Characterizations and incidents are excellent. The best of the Frank Braun stories. This edition is illustrated by Mahlon Blaine, whose work is well-suited to the story.

EWERS, HANNS HEINZ 617. ALRAUNE John Day; New York 1929 ALRAUNE (1911). Translated from German by S. Guy Endore. * Another episode from the life of Frank Braun, unregenerate Uebermensch. * Braun is currently a rather wild college student, and shortly thereafter in military service. He is on bad terms with his maternal uncle, Professor ten Brinken, who is a Geheimrat, a great biologist, very wealthy, and a foul wretch. To placate his uncle, who is planning to disinherit him, Braun suggests a unique biological experiment: interbreeding the worst types of humanity to produce a monster. The ultimate result is A1raune, born of the artificial insemination of one of the lowest prostitutes in Berlin by a vicious sex murderer. The second portion of the book takes place about twenty years later. A1raune has grown up under the guardianship of old ten Brinken, and she has brought death and tragedy to almost all who have been in contact with her. Her schoolmates die of various diseases; accidents take place around her. As she grows older she displays the lasciviousness of her mother and the bizarre, sadistic cruelty of her father. She exudes a sexual magnetism that is irresistible, and uses it to cause pain and sorrow. Even the vicious old ten Brinken, who well knows her nature and history, cannot resist her and commits suicide on her account. Frank Braun, now a mature man, enters her life once again and they fall in love. He, too, is being sapped vampirica11y, when A1raune dies of an accidental fall. Just before her death Braun had burned the withered mandrake root that had suggested her creation. * The name A1raune is the German word for mandrake, and the legend and symbolism of the mandrake are worked into the story. The woman A1raune was suggested by the root. The ultimate theme of the book, however, is the soullessness of life artifica11y induced. It should be noted that A1raune is not an android or a synthetic person, as is often stated in the literature. * Pretentiously overwritten at times, but with many highly painted scenes and some excellent degenerate characters. An achievement in a florid, noisy way. EX-PRIVATE X (pseud. of BURRAGE, A. M., which see for biographical information) 618. SOMEONE IN THE ROOM Jarro1ds; London [1931] Short stories. * [a] THE SWEEPER. An ancient gentlewoman, otherwise cruel and stingy, is inexplicably generous to beggars and Gipsies. In the past she had forced a dying beggar to sweep leaves, and he placed a curse on her: one day he would return and sweep her away. The symbol of the sweeper is used effectively. [b] THE BLUE BONNET. Also titled THE BLUE SUNBONNET. The ghost of a young woman appears at appropriate moments in her lover's life. [c] THE WAXWORK. Atmospherics. A reporter is in a wax museum where the ghost of Dr. Bourdette, a Parisian Jack the Ripper, has taken the place of one of the wax figures. The ghost cuts the reporter's throat, but there is no

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THE FAIRIES RETURN trace of a cut the next day. [d] THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD. During a conjuring exhibition for children, the strange child from outside is first seen. It is later seen entering the wall, where, later, a skeleton from the 17th century is found. [e] THE RUNNING TIDE. Cornwall. An ancient inn, once the headquarters of a notorious murdering crimp, retains psychic memories of dark deeds. Ghostly reenactments include a sailor's trollop to lure men in and a murder. [f] THE S~RANGE CASE OF DOLLY FREWAN. When Reggie learns that Dolly is pregnant, she ends up in the river, drowned. Perhaps the shove was half accidental. But when Mavis, Reggie's new love also falls into the river, she emerges as Dolly and denounces Reggie. [g] THE OAK SAPLINGS. The secretary-companion thinks she hears lovers whispering in the grove, and believes that she sees them-- though it turns out to be two oak saplings: her eyesight is bad. But the ghosts do exist and murder is revealed. [h] THE COTTAGE IN THE WOOD. The dying prostitute calls out to her long-dead lover. She comes upon him in the woods, and for a moment all her sorry past seems a bad dream. They are married and happy. But she is really dead. [i] SMEE. Smee is a game something like hide-and-seek, but more complex. The narrator tells of such a game in which he was involved: there was an extra person in the chain, the ghost of a girl who had been accidentally killed years before while playing hide-and-seek. [j] THE CASE OF MR. RYALSTONE. He is truly a double personality. When he is asleep, he lives the life of Ben Surridge, a corn chandler in Somerset. [k] SOMEONE IN THE ROOM. Suicide, reenacted supernaturally. [1] THE SHADOWY ESCORT. A code concealed in a pack of cards and the ghostly presence of a wronged man. [m] MR. CARSHAW' S COMPANION. The Devil. [n] ONE WHO SAW. Crutchley, who is in Rouen studying the history of Joan of Arc, sees a strange woman sitting in the deserted courtyard of his hotel. He feels an irresistible urge to see her face. He is aabout to enter the court when he is seized by the head waiter. What he had seen was the evil ghost of a suicide, who attracts certain men who "see," and shows them a horrible visage. Crutchley might have been saved, but later he returns and finds the woman. His hair turned white and his nerves are still not right. * Nicely handled stories which convey considerable atmosphere. Best are [a], [i], and [n].

[ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 619. THE FAIRIES RETURN OR NEW TALES FOR OLD BY SEVERAL HANDS Peter Davies London 1934 Each story in this collection is a restatement

THE FAIRIES RETURN of a-traditional story from Grimm, Perrault, or other folkloristic or literary source. Several of the modern versions are not fantastic in their new guise, but are listed here for the sake of their superior originals, as examples of degradation of themes. * [a] JACK THE GIANT KILLER, A.E. Coppard. Semia11egory of modern life, told in a flippant way, wi th Coppard' s usual "small folk." Three giants-- Demos, Kudos, Osmos-- who prey on the people are destroyed by Jack. One is electrocuted; another, trapped in a mine shaft; and the third shot with a whale-gun. [b] GODFATHER DEATH, Clemence Dane. Described elsewhere. [c] THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE, E. M. Delafield. The capping demand made by the young poet for his bitchy wife is to become head of the B.B.C. [d] LITTLE SNOW-WHITE, Lord Dunsany. A modern setting, with a gramophone instead of a mirror. A good touch at the very end does not redeem a dull story. [e] ALADDIN, OR THE UNDERTAKER AND THE DEMON, Anna Gordon Keown. Aladdin has a demon much like those of John Collier's, and it must be socialized. [f] SINDBAD THE SAILOR, HIS EIGHTH AND LAST VOYAGE, Eric Link1ater. Sindbad undertakes to guide a tourist cruise, with annoying modern passengers. He goes over the route of his former voyages. [g] ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES, A. G. Macdonne1. Not fantastic, but a very ingenious, amusing rendering in terms of big business and high finance. [h] DICK WHITTINGTON, E.A. Robertson. Not fantastic. [i] PUSS IN THE BOOTS, Helen Simpson, Modern language and situations, stressing British politics. Irony on honesty and guile. [j] THE LITTLE MERMAID, Lady Eleanor Smith. Not fantastic. Motion-picture land. [k] LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD, E. OE. Somerville. Ireland. Little resemblance to the original. Fairies, Celtic folklore. [1] CINDERELLA, Robert Speaight. A little supernaturalism, but more a fantasy of history, with the king Charles V in Stuart line. [m] "0, IF I COULD BUT SHIVER!" Christina Stead. Not fantastic. [n] THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, G. B. Stern. Not fantastic. [0] BIG CLAUS AND LITTLE CLAUS, R. J. Yeatman and W.C. Sellar. Told in "American" English. * [a], [b], [g] have some merit, but the other stories are far inferior to their prototypes. FALCONER, LANOE (pseud. of HAWKER, MARY ELIZABETH) (1848-1908) British writer of popular fiction. Best-known work, MADAME IXE, went through several editions. Competent commercial work. 620. CECILIA DE NOEL Macmillan; London 1891 Short psychological, sentimental novel considering various reactions to the supernatural. * At Weald Manor the ghost walks during a house party. An upper servant sees it and fortifies herself with brandy; a lower servant takes to hysterics. The members of the house party, too, perceive the ghost and undergo various psychological developments or changes as a result of the experience. Separate sections describe the reaction of each person. To the medical man,

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FALKNER, JOHN MEADE who is a materialist, the ghost does not reveal itself and there is no possibility of growth. Mrs. Mostyn takes it to be a lost soul and finds it proof of life after death. Canon Vernade, glib religionist, is shaken by the experience (which he feels rather than sees) and finds his faith in God destroyed. Austyn interprets it as indigestion, like Harley's ghost, while Mrs. Molyneux sees it all as maya, or cosmic illusion. Only Cecilia de Noel, the lady of the house, responds adequately. She recognizes that the ghost is lonely and tortured and tries to communicate with it. She tries to awaken it to a vision of God, which the ghost does not have, and embraces it, thereby winning it redemption. The implication is that the haunting is over. * An unusual idea for its period. The presentation is delicate, sometimes a little sentimental and archaic for the date of publication. FALKNER, JOHN MEADE (1858-1932) British industrialist, antiquarian scholar, occasional writer. Rose from position of family tutor to chairmanship of Armstrong, Whitworth, gigantic munitions manufacturer. On retirement awarded Oxford fellowship. Also honorary librarian at University of Durham. Considered a great scholar in matters of church history. Wrote three fairly well-known novels: THE LOST STRADIVARIUS (1895), MOONFLEET (1898), and THE NEBULY COAT (1903). The last is sometimes listed as fantastic in bibliographies, but it is not. Also wrote fine books on local antiquities, particularly Oxfordshire. 621. THE LOST STRADIVARIUS W. Blackwood; Edinburgh and London 1895 A sophisticated supernatural novel, concerned with music, evil, and mysticism. 1840 and 1750. When John Ma1travers, Oxford student, and his friend Gaskell play an anonymous piece of Italian manuscript music, they experience supernatural manifestations, culminating in the ghostly appearance of a man in 18th century costume. At a later date Ma1travers examines the place where the ghost vanished, and finds a painted-over cupboard, within which is an ancient violin. The violin, which is one of Stradivarius's finest productions, has a name, Porphyrius phi10sophus, or the philosopher Porphyry, one of the Neoplatonic thaumaturgic philosophers. * Ma1travers falls under the sway of the violin and music and betakes himself to Naples, where he devotes himself to a life of debauchery and indulgence in nameless rites. After his death it is revealed that Ma1travers had also found a manuscript from the original owner of the violin. This was Adrian Temple, Who had been a fine musician and also an unmatched profligate. He had been a member of the Medmenham Monks, had gone to Italy, immersed himself in Neoplatonic magic, and had even experienced the visio ma1efica, or the evil counterpart of the divine mystical experience. Ma1travers had followed the same path. * One of the 19th century claSSics.

FALLADA. HANS FALLADA, HANS (pseud. of DITZEN, RUDOLF W. F.) (1893-1947) German writer, well-known in the English-speaking world in the 1930's for LITTLE MAN, WHAT NOW? (1933). 622. SPARROW FARM THE TALE OF THE CITY CLERK WHO FLEW INTO THE COUNTRY Putnam; London [1937] MARCHEN VOM STADT SCHREIBER, DER AUFS LAND FLOG (1935). Translated from German by Eric Sutton. * Fantasy in the tradition, as the author states, of E.T.A. Hoffmann. The setting is a rustic Germanic world, undated, but perhaps of the early 19th century. The quaintly supernatural is mixed with everyday matters. * Guntram Spatt (Low German for sparrow), a young law clerk, is the legal heir to Sparrow Farm, the family property, which has been under the control of his uncle for many years. The branches of the family have not been in contact. The supernatural world decides that it is time to do something about the Spatt farm, and Guntram is a central figure in the struggle against usurpers for the property. The evil magician Asio, who assumes the form of an owl, puts forth as claimant a sparrow in Guntram's form, while Spatt, in turn, is in and out of sparrow shape, and is subject to great perils. Yet Spatt is not without help, for forces of good are also engaged in the combat. The old law clerk" Bubo, former chief magician of Kurdistan, put in servitude for an offence against the laws of magic, must serve ASio, yet also aids Guntram to win both the farm and his fair cousin Monica. * A clever and amusing story. The point seems to be, "If a man lets evil get a foothold in his home or heart, it wil~ swallow him." * When this" appeared, it was taken to be genre fantasy and nothing more. Now, however, it seems like a political parable against the Nazis. FARJEON, ELEANOR (1881-1965) British author of children's books, adult fiction, poetry. Authority on children's games. Daughter of Benjamin Farjeon, Victorian writer of mystery stories, sister of Jefferson Farjeon. Best-known works are two collections of nursery rhymes, NURSERY RHYMES OF LONDON TOWN (1916) and SINGING GAMES FOR CHILDREN (1919). An excellent craftsman. 623. THE SOUL OF KOL NIKON Collins; London [1923] Abnormal psychology in terms of fantasy, in a Scandinavian folk setting reminiscent of PEER GYNT. * This is the rational plot: When Kol Nikon is born to one of the village wives, she is in shock at the death of her husband. When she recovers, she refuses to accept Kol, claiming that he is a changeling. He grows up disliked and feared by his fellow villagers, because they believe that he is soulless and one of the Others. He accepts this judgment, and his personality becomes warped. While he is desperate for the love of a mother, which is denied to him, he is unable to establish human relationships, although he has a musical ability that enables him to move moods. In his

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FARNOL, JEFFERY tortured quest for normality he fastens upon a pretty young woman, and in the guise of her betrothed, Janke, impregnates her. Janke commits suicide. Kol flees from the village and stays away for two years. When he returns, he is stoned to death. * The supernatural story: Kol Nikon is really a changeling, whose "brother" is held captive by the elves in the rocks, down below. Kol is really soulless and is in communication with the various supernatural folk of the area. As a child he was comforted by Gentle Bertha (the equivalent of Mother Nature) and he is advised by the gnome Wittekind. His music has the supernatural power to charm people and to cause temporary interchange of personality. When he slept with Fiora he had bewitched her, and his magic had forced Janke, in confusion of identity, to kill himself. All this happened because Kol wanted a soul. * Told episodically, with interspersed pages of verse. Nicely done, but Ms. Farjeon is more at home in the English folkloristic story cycles like MARTIN PIPPIN IN THE ORCHARD. 624. ARIADNE AND THE BULL Michael Joseph; London [1945] Highly ironic, "modernized" version of the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. * The Minotaur is a darky with an Alabama accent; Hippolyta is a female athlete; and the other personalities are similarly euhemerized. The story culminates in a courtroom s"cene with Minos, the just judge, trying to railroad the Minotaur for murdering the Athenian youths, but the Minotaur turns out to be a Ferdinand. * Historically this can be seen as a member of a form common enough in the 1930's, a cynical reworking of Classical material, but critically one wonders why an author of Farjeon's ability bothered. "FARNOL, [JOHN] JEFFERY (1878-1952) Popular British author of light historical adventure stories in the mode of Sabatini. Very successful in Great Britain, but apparently never very popular in America. Best-known works THE BROAD HIGHWAY (1910) and THE MONEY MOON (1912) 625. THE CUPBOARD The Paget Agency; New York 1922 paperbound Costume work in pre-modern England, perhaps the late 18th century. * To Mr. Jarvey, resident of Clifford's Inn in London, comes a mysterious stranger whose presence terrifies Jarvey. Jarvey, it seems, had injured the stranger greatly some twenty years before, and now must pay. As the stranger drinks, attention diverted, Jarvey reaches for a poker • • • Later that evening a muffled figure leaves the Inn. Jarvey is not quite the same after that, for a rat-like figure haunts him. * Often anthologized, but undistinguished commercial work. The present first printing is unusual as one of the extremely rare Paget printings made to secure copyright in America. For more details see THE MISSIONARY AND THE WITCHDOCTOR by H. R. Haggard. 626. THE SHADOW AND OTHER STORIES Sampson Low, Marston; London [1929] Costume adventure and miscellaneous fiction in-

FARNOL, JEFFERY cluding [a) THE CUPBOARD. Described elsewhere. [b) BLACK COFFEE. Professor Jervis, who has been working much too hard without sleep, has a bad case of coffee nerves. Hhen a friend leaves an Egyptian mummy in his care, there is a problem. The mummy is in a remarkable state of preservation and may awaken at any moment. The professor's corpse is found, with evidences of a struggle. Perhaps not to be taken as supernatural? [c) THE GREAT QUIETUDE. Death. Fantasy by implication only. FAST, JULIUS (1918 ) American editor (of medical publications), mystery story writer (Edgar award 1946), anthologist. Birthdate sometimes given as 1919. AS EDITOR: 627. OUT OF THIS WORLD Penguin Books; New York 1944 paperbound Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a) EVENING PRIMROSE, John Collier. [b) LAURA, Saki. [c) SAM SMALL'S TYKE, Eric Knight. [d) MR. MERGENTHWIRKER'S LOBBLIES, Nelson Bond. [e) A VISION OF JUDGMENT, H. G. Wells. [f) THUS I REFUTE BEELZY, John Collier. [g) THE KING OF THE CATS, S. V. Benet. [h) THE CANTERVILLE GHOST, Oscar Wilde. [i) THE CLUB SECRETARY, Lord Dunsany. [j) A DISPUTED AUTHORSHIP, J. K. Bangs. A fragment from A HOUSE-BOAT ON THE STyX. [k) MY FRIEND MERTON, Julius Fast. Humor. A ghost has his friend sentenced to prison. [1) SATAN AND SAM SHAY, Robert Arthur. (ELKS MAGAZINE 1942). A betting Irish-American wins three bets from the Devil, who is so enraged that he vows that Sam shall never win another bet. Sam's attempts to circumvent the Devil keep all the imps of Hell busy. Amusing. FAURE, RAOUL C[OHEN) ) (1909 American author, born in Cairo, Egypt. Bestknown work, THE SPEAR IN THE SAND, modern Robinsonade. 628. MISTER ST. JOHN A NOVEL Harpers; New York 1947 Maturation of personality, told in fantastic terms. * Dr. Elian, chief surgeon at the hospital, is a good, conscientious man, but his emotional development has been paralyzed for decades. He has no zest for life and knows his patients only by their symptoms. A stranger, who calls himself Mr. St. John, appears in Elian's office and lets it be known that he is the Devil. He is not, he says, an evil being, but really a helper to man. He has been trying to improve humanity ever since God first botched the job at the Creation. After some metaphysical discussion on a dualistic note the Devil tells Elian that he will die that night, but that he is giving Elian a chance at some happiness before death. * The doctor awakens as a young man at a vacation resort, where he falls in love with a beautiful woman and has an affair with her. There is pain involved in the relationship as well as pleasure, since she is the kept mistress of a much older man, but Elian grows emotionally. At this stage of the story the Devil is with Elian under the name Faustus, an obvious allegorical note. The result is that

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the doctor meets death as a more mature person. A torrent of words at times, some cliched situations. Inferior to A SPEAR IN THE SAND, which is not supernatural.

*

FENN, GEORGE MANVILLE (1831-1909) Prolific British author of boys' fiction, historical and geographical adventure stories. Journalist. Editor of ONCE A WEEK, CASSELL'S MAGAZINE. WITH READE, COMPTON; ARCHER, F. AND OTHERS 629. SEVEN FROZEN SAILORS New Amsterdam Book Co; New York 1896 The motif of the Frozen Pirate is applied to connect seven short stories. * The narrator is a member of an expedition to discover the North Pole. Along the way they come upon a deposit of frozen human beings. As each man is thawed out to immediate life, he tells a story, then blows away in a cloud of dust. One of the stories is fantastic: [a) THE SCOTCH SAILOR'S YARN. Entangled in a love affair, the sailor falls from a cliff into a protected spot and lies in suspended animation for ten years. He awakens and learns that he is suspected of murder and must leave the country. No explanation is given for his long sleep. * It is not known which author wrote this story. * English book publication has not been located for this item. It is probably a periodical Christmas annual of considerably earlier date. FESSlER, MICHAEL (1907 ) American author. 630. FULLY DRESSED AND IN HIS RIGHr HIND Knopf; New York 1935 Semiallegorical free fantasy set in the world of the Depression. * The key figure is a vicious little man with peculiarly powerful eyes. He probably symbolizes Fear. * The nameless man, who confesses to several murders, works on the fears of three men, driving two of them to death. The third man, Johnny Price, is powerfully beset, but he is saved through the love of Trelia, a strange anima figure who swims in a lagoon in a public park. When the little man frames Johnny for two murders, Trelia faces down the little man and drives him off. * The themes are conflict with evil, redemption by love, and fear of fear. * Told in a brisk, hard-boiled manner that offers a contrast to the ultimately sentimental subject matter. Very nicely handled. FIELD, EUGENE (1850-1895) American journalist, poet, humorist; one of the earliest newspaper columnists, with well-known features in the DENVER TRIBUNE and CHICAGO XORNING NEWS. A skilled versifier, very popular for very sugary, sentimental adult and children's verse. Very highly regarded in his day. 631. THE HOLY CROSS AND OTHER TALES Stone and Kimball; Cambridge and Chicago 1893 Coyly overwritten fables and short stories, including [a) THE HOLY CROSS. Conquistadores out West, the Wandering Jew, his redemption, and the miraculous creation of the cross of snow over his grave. An etiological statement

FIELD, EUGENE of a spectacular geographical formation. [b) THE ROSE AND THE THRUSH. Fable. [c) THE PAGAN SEAL-WIFE. Harold, after encounters with rhyming fairies and his dead mother (who has turned into a seal woman) acquires a seal maiden for a wife. They live together happily for many years. When she feels death upon her, she begs for her changing-skin and asks to be laid on the shore in it. [d) DANIEL AND THE DEVIL. Daniel, a poor man with children, signs the diabolic bond: the Devil must be his servant and obey, or else forfeit. The Devil is ordered to close all the saloons-- which is too much for him. Told in parody of a business operation. leI METHUSALEH. A jocular story of the life of Methusaleh. [f) THE RIVER. Allegory of death personified. * The 1896 Scribner edition adds five more tales, including [g) THE PLATONIC BASSOON. Aurora, beautiful, wealthy, amiable, but not interested in men, falls in love with a bassoon. Her family is outraged, and her father buys the bassoon to prove to her that her passion is not requited. She drops dead with chagrin. A moderately amusing parody of the contemporary sentimental novel. Much the best item in the book. 632. THE SECOND BOOK OF TALES Scribner; New York 1896 Hitherto uncollected fables, short stories, essays, including [a) THE TALISMAN. A very sentimental version of Grimm fairy tale motifs, as a poor but handsome youth saves a princess from a witch by guessing three riddles. Swan transformations, too. [b) THE WEREWOLF. Harold, descendant of Siegfried the Dragon-slayer, suffers the hereditary curse: lycanthropy. A werewolf terrorizes the area. It is killed by Yseu1t, Harold's sweetheart, with Siegfried's own magic spear. Harold's corpse is found later. Told in Wardour Street English. * There are several saccharine fables which are not worth listing separately. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY) 633. FIFTY YEARS OF GHOST STORIES Hutchinson; London [1935) One of the large half-crown collections that Hutchinson issued during the Great Depression. Containing, [a) THE SAINT AND THE VICAR, Cecil Binney. St. Wilfred of Wilbraham was annoyed by the Devil, who caused audible footsteps to follow the saint. A modern scoffer is followed by such footsteps and he knows that on St. Sylvester's day he will see his follower. [b) GIBBET LANE, Anthony Gittins. On a quiet Surrey lane, a ghost story told by indirection by a mysterious figure. [c) PEREZ, W. L. George. Irony on art criticism. A character in a book is so lifelike that he assumes separate identity and annoys his creator by disputations about art. * Also, described elsewhere, [d) THE FAMILIAR, J. S. LeFanu. [e) GREEN TEA, J. S. LeFanu. [f) THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER, Sir Walter Scott. [g) THE OLD NURSE'S STORY, Mrs. Gaskell. [h) THE RESIDENCE AT WHITMINSTER, M. R. James. [i) A WARNING TO THE CURIOUS, M. R. James. [j] THE HAUNTED AND THE HAUNTERS, Edward Bulwer-Lytton. Long version.

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FINNEY, JACK [k) THE GREEN ROOM, Walter de la Mare. [1) EVELINE'S VISITANT, Miss Braddon. [m) AFTERWARD, Edith Wharton. [n) THE MIDDLE TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT, Ambrose Bierce. [0) MAN OVERBOARD~, F. Marion Crawford. [p) AS IN A GLASS DIMLY, Shane Leslie. [q) THE LORD-IN-WAITING, Shane Leslie. [r) DRACULA'S GUEST, Bram Stoker. [s) EXPIATION, E.F. Benson. [t) PIRATES, E.F. Benson. [u) THE WOMAN'S GHOST STORY, Algernon Blackwood. [v) THURNLEY ABBEY, Perceval Landon. [w) THE ROSEWOOD DOOR, Oliver Onions. [x) THE VIRGIN OF THE SEVEN DAGGERS, Vernon Lee. [y) THE LIBRARY. WINDOW, Mrs. Oliphant. [z) THE SONG IN THE HOUSE, Ann Bridge. [aa) THE OPERATION, Violet Hunt. [bb) THE SWEEPER, Ex-Private X. [cc) THE RUNNING TIDE, Ex-Private X. * A good selection. FINNEY, CHARLES [GRANDISON) (1905 ) American newspaper editor (ARIZONA DAILY STAR), writer. Served with U.S. Army in China, 1927-9. Highly regarded for remarkable work THE CIRCUS OF DR. LAO, which is still probably the finest American absurdist "novel." 634. THE CIRCUS OF DR. LAO Viking Press; New York 1935 One of the classics of art deco literature of the 1930's. It does not lend itself well to synopsis, since much of its charm and impact is on the verbal level. * In Abalone, Arizona (presumably the first town alphabetically in the United States, and thence the United States), a very odd circus comes to town. There is no advance advertiSing, and no one has seen it move in. Its owner-manager is Dr. Lao, an elderly Chinese (obviously Lao Tse), who speaks, according to audience and subject, either pidgin or the most cultured English. The heart of the story is the reaction of various types to incredible wonders of literature and lore. The circus parade reveals a satyr who awakens physical love in a spinster teacher; Apollonius of Tyana, who offers true magic; Medusa, who turns an inquisitive woman into stone; a vegetable dog; a mermaid, sphinx, and chimera; a cage in which some see a Russian and others a bear. When the acts begin, a pair of lewd college students witness an erotic African happening; the animals quarrel and are pacified by Apollonius's magic; the sea serpent seizes his enemy Dr. Lao; and Satan appears at a witches' sabbath. The circus ends and most of the viewers are disappointed. The glamour was transmuted into momentary reality, but the audience has been unable to assimilate it and the world of wonder is a disappearing failure to Abalone. * After the narrative portion is printed an annotated catalog~e of the various persons and beings in the story, with suitable comments on each. * A remarkable work, with many substrata of meaning. There are excellent illustrations by Boris Artzybasheff. FINNEY, JACK (pseud. of FINNEY, WALTER BRADEN) (1911 ) American writer, journalist; frequent contributor to periodicals. Best-known work is THE BODY SNATCHERS (reprint and motion picture as

FINNEY, JACK THE INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS) 635. THE THIRD LEVEL Rinehart & Co.; New York [1957] Short stories, including [a] THE THIRD LEVEL, described elsewhere. [b] I'M SCARED.. Borderline supernatural. The author takes the theme of dissatisfaction with life in the present and comments on a series of strange appearances and disappearances: people from the past, radio broadcasts from the past, vanishments, etc. Cleverly presented. [c] COUSIN LEN'S WONDERFUL ADJECTIVE CELLAR. Much like a salt cellar. When held in sprinkle position over purple copy, it removes adjectives. It has to be emptied occasionally, with resulting adjectivi tis for nearby persons. [d] OF MISSING PE,RSONS. Described elsewhere. [e] SOMETHING IN A CLOUD. Wish fulfillment and projection of a sailor's blind date, told in terms of fantasy. [f] THERE IS A TIDE • • • The narrator, a cut-throat junior executive who has the chance of injuring a rival, sees the ghost of an old man walking about his apartment. He tracks down the previous inhabitant. a Mr. Gruener, and is told that he has seen a memory of the past: a time when Gruener, who had also been a cut-throat, had been fired and was wondering about suicide. While this makes some sense to the narrator, when he checks farther, the supernatural is removed one more step. [g] BEHIND THE NEWS. Johnny Deutsch, small-town newspaper publisher, discovers that whatever reasonable piece of news he prints in his paper will come true. The explanation is remotely related to science-fiction. [h] SECOND CHANCE. The narrator, an old-car buff, has found a Jordan Playboy, badly damaged from a collision with a train. He restores it lovingly, takes it out on a trip, and finds himself back in the past-- its natal year. The car is stolen, but there is a twist of fate. * Excellent stories. The author has the knack of enriching a familiar motif by a new device at the end of the story, thereby expanding the original situation. FISCHER, MARJORIE (1903-1961) and HUMPHRIES, [GEORGE] ROLFE (1894-1969) American authors and anthologists. Ms. Fischer is known for RED FEATHER (1937) and MRS. SHERMAN'S SUMMER (1960), which won the Lippincott prize. Humphries was an educator (Hunter College, Amherst College), poet, and translator. Has won several awards for poetry: Guggenheim Fellow, Academy of American Poets Fellowship, Winterfest Poetry Award. AS EDITORS: 636. PAUSE TO WONDER STORIES OF THE MARVELOUS, MYSTERIOUS AND STRANGE Julian Messner; New York [1944] A resourceful collection of material stressing mainstream sources. There is also some folkloristic and scholarly material. ~, Including, described elsewhere, [a] THE PHILOSOPHY OF RELATIVE EXISTENCES, Frank Stockton. [b] THE RIME OF TRUE THOMAS, John Buchan. [c] THE BOWMEN, Arthur Machen. [d] THE CANTER-

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FISCHER, MARJORIE AND HUMPHRIES, ROLFE VILLE GHOST, Oscar Wilde. [e] THE TRANSFERRED GHOST, Frank Stockton. [f] THE SENSITIVE GOLDFISH, Christina Stead. [g] THE REAL RIGHT THING, Henry James. [h] LADY INTO FOX, David Garnett. [i] THE BOLD DRAGOON, OR THE ADVENTURE OF MY GRANDFATHER, WaShington Irving. [j] THE CHASER, John Collier. [k] THE STORY OF THE SIREN, E. M. Forster. [1] THE SOUL OF LAPLOSHKA, Saki. [m] THE MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES, H. G. Wells. The short story. [n] THE ROAD FROM COLONUS, E. M. Forster. [0] EXTRACT FROM CAPTAIN STORMFIELD'S VISIT TO HEAVEN, Mark Twain. ~, Also, [p] THE RIVAL BEAUTIES, W. W. Jacobs. A sea serpent. [q] THE PHANTOM FENCE RIDER OF SAN MIGUEL, Henry Yelvington. As the title indicates. Dialect. [r] THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, Peter Finley Dunne. Humor in the Chicago Irish dialect used in the political pieces. The ghost of O'Grady tries to keep his wife from marrying O'Flaherty. The result is a rough-house. [s] THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, F. Scott Fitzgerald. From TALES OF THE JAZZ AGE. During the period of the Civil War Benjamin Button is born at about age 70, with a full command of English. He thereupon grows younger every day, and is finally unborn some seventy years later. Very nicely imagined, with much logical and humorous detail. [t] COLONEL STERETT RELATES MARVELS, Alfred Henry Lewis. Kentucky. The Mountain Whites refuse to permit a stage magician to perform, since, in their opinion, he must be using diabolic arts. They are right. [u] THE ELF IN ALGIERS, John Steinbeck. Journalists Steinbeck, Reynolds, Knickerbocker have a Wish-fulfilling genie in a hotel room in Algiers. Questionable supernaturalism. [v] THE VOICE OF GOD, Winifred Holtby. An invention to listen to voices from the past. The journalistic dean (Inge?) asks that the voice of Jesus be captured. The Daily Standard increases its circulation enormously for a time when (presumably) the Sermon on the Mount is caught. [w] THE JUDGEMENT SEAT, W. Somerset Maugham. When a sexual triangle appears before the Throne of God on Judgment Day, he extinguishes all three spirits and comments on man's triviality for bothering him with such things. [x] SACRE DU PRINTEMPS, Ludwig Bemelmans. C. Kratzig, out of step in a Fascist world, learns that funerals are regulated by the Party. When he dies, he buries himself. Absurdist fiction. [y] "NO TROUBLE AT ALL," Ludwig Bemelmans. Gabriel, the incredible maitre d'hotel, accomplishes marvels and rises to the top of his profession by his prevision. The crowning example comes during an incredibly vulgar party, when a team of midgets carry in an enormous cake, trip, and scud it into a pseudo-tropical pool. Gabriel foresaw this and had a second cake and second team of midgets waiting in the background. Amusing. [z] THE ANGRY STREET, G. K. Chesterton. Expansion of a fancy. A street tires of always going to the same place and asks Heaven for justice. [aa] THE SAINT, Antonia White. Religious Catholic background. Little girls at a religious school err in estimating saintliness and take smooth,

FISCHER, MARJORIE AND HUMPHRIES, ROLFE and agreeable piety as the criterion. They miss the true saint, who is coarse, dirty, seemingly uncharitable, but with supernormal powers. [bb) KING O'TOOLE AND ST. KEVIN, Samuel Lover. Ireland. Dialect. Fictionalization of a folk tale. Kevin obtained land from O'Toole by curing O'Toole's pet goose. [cc) A SHEPHERD AND A SHEPHERDESS, Elizabeth Goudge. When Miss Gillespie buys a pair of china figurines, she contacts the Unknown and is impelled to buy a run-down old house and reemploy all its old servants. [ad), THE CASE OF PROMETHEUS, Max Beerbohm. Aspects of the Classical myth treated irreverently. Travellers have seen Prometheus chained in the Caucasus, gnawed by an eagle, but Russian officials have expelled them. The narrator plans to shoot the eagle, file through Prometheus's chains, and bring him to London, where he will be lionized. [eel THE LAST LAUGH, D. H. Lawrence. A surrealistic story which may portray a personal situation in the author's life in fantastic form. The probable personalities are Lawrence, Frieda, and Middleton Murry. Two persons, a man and woman, leave Lawrence and walk in the snow. One hears an omnipresent laugh and the other sees things that are apparently invisible to the companion. The man yields to a prostitute and the woman takes a policeman into the house. The next morning the policeman has a club foot and the man falls dead, shouting, "It was he." Since the message is fairly obvious, one can guess Lawrence's wife and friend were not amused. * An imaginative, resourceful and successful collection. Among the new material outstanding stories are [s), [y), [cc), [ee). 637. STRANGE TO TELL STORIES OF THE MARVELOUS AND MYSTERIOUS Ju'lian Messner; New York [1946 ) A resourceful and rich collection of Continental material. * Including [a) THE WARDROBE, Thomas Mann. Translated from German by H. T. Lowe-Porter. Albrecht van der Qualen (whose name is probably symbolic), under medical death sentence, wanders into a strange town and rents a room. There he is visited by the ghost of a suicide, who emerges from the wardrobe. Albrecht gradually passes into death. Excellent. [b) TO SARAGOSSA OR BACK TO THE POND, Fernan Caballero. Translated from Spanish by Gamel Woolsey. An Iberian version of the Flying Dutchman. A stubborn Galician is going to Saragossa, God willing or not. A saint overhears his impiety and transforms him into a frog. There he will remain until he learns humility-which will be never, for each time the frog is questioned, his reply is the same. [c) THE SPECTER'S WEDDING, Guy de Portales. Translated from French by Marjorie Fischer. A version of THE DEAD GUEST by Zschokke. [d) THE VIRGIN AS NUN, Gottfried Keller. Translated from German by Ellie Schleussner. Medieval setting. A fugitive nun, as atonement for her broken vows, offers her eight sons to the Virgin. The Virgin replies with miraculous crowns of oak leaves. [e) NILS PUNCTUAL AND HIS CLOCKS, Gabriel Scott. Translated from Danish by Anders Orbeck. Nils is a clock fetishist. When

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FISCHER, MARJORIE AND HUMPHRIES, ROLFE he dies, his ghost tends to the clocks. Lfj THE HAUNTED HOUSE, Luigi Pirandello. Anonymous translation from Italian. Fine lowerclass Italian setting. A haunted house. The tenants sue the landlord, but lose. Story stress, however, is on reactions to the supernatural. The tenants' lawyer is converted to religion. A challenge offered to the opposing lawyer is followed by a night in the house. Excellent. [g) THE NEW MELUSINA, J. W. von Goethe. Translated from German by Jean Starr Untermeyer. Supernatural favors to an ignoble fellow, and psychological entropy. The narrator becomes acquainted with a handsome young woman who travels with a peculiar case. As their acquaintance evolves to intimacy, he learns that she is an elf and is periodically reduced in size. The travelling case is a miniature house. The narrator goes with her to Elfland, where he is welcomed, since mortal blood is periodically needed to improve elfin genetics, but plays her false and loses her. One of the early classics, superior in translation to the Victorian versions. [h) THE SPIRIT OF MADAME DE GENLIS, Nicolai Leskov. Translated from Russian by R. Norman. Questionable supernaturalism. The elderly Russian princess, Who is a fantastic prude, regards the French author Madame de Genlis as an infallible guide to morality. She uses the author's works as a book of sorts, and believes that Genlis's ghost provides suitable answers. But on one occasion, when baited, the princess's theory does not hold. An improper passage. A good satire. [i) FEDERIGO, Prosper Merimee. Translated from French by Emily Mary Waller and Mary Helena Dey. An expanded version of Death, the tree, and the chair. Also included is a visit to Hell to reclaim damned souls. [j) THE STORY OF THE HAUNTED SHIP, Wilhelm Hauff. [k) THE BIG GRAVEL-SIFTER, August Strindberg. AnonyBorderline mous translation from-Swedish. fantasy. Absurdist story of a piano that falls into the sea. [1) PERSEUS AND ANDROMEDA, Jules Laforgue. Translated from French by Rolfe Humphries. A cynical modern retelling of the Classical story. [m) THE WRITER, Maxim Gorki. Anonymous translation from Russian. Irony on egotism. A dead writer follows his funeral and delivers his own funeral oration. [n] THE HUNTER GRACCHUS, Franz Kafka. Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir from German. Gracchus wanders the earth in his funeral boat, since his boat of death in some inexplicable fashion took a wrong turning. Longing for death Gracchus comes to the town of Riva and discourses with the burgomeister. An enigmatic fragment. [0) THE STRANGER, Marcel Proust. Translated from French by Marjorie Fischer and Rolfe Humphries. Borderline supernatural, semiallegorical. Dominique, who is dead internally, converses with his soul. [p) THE AVENGING FILM, Massimo Bontempelli. Translated from Italian by Cesarina Hudson. The Stanislavsky method carried to extremes. The narrator, an actor, emotes powerfully when his film is being made. But whenever the film is shown, he must emote in the same manner. I i

FISCHER, MARJORIE AND HUMPHRIES, ROLFE he happens to be caught by influences from two different episodes in the film, his emotions are mixed. Amusing. [q) TWO ACTORS FOR ONE ROLE, Theophi1e Gautier. Translated from French by Lafcadio Hearn. The Devil plays his own part as Mephistopheles, and does very well. [r) MAKAR'S DREAM, A CHRISTMAS STORY, Vladimir Korolenko. Translated from Russian by Marian Fell. Makar, a Russian peasant who has become acculturated to Yakut ways in Siberia, is a bestial, ignorant person. When he dies, he finds himself on a plain, moving toward the Judgment. At the Judgment his sins outweigh his virtues, but his eloquence and self-pity soften the hearts of his judges. Very interesting for its folkways. [s) BONTCHE SHWEIG, Isaac Loeb Perez. Translated from Yiddish by Helena Frank. The judgment of Bontche after death. His patient virtues are such that he is offered anything he wants. He asks for breakfast. [t) THE FIRST MIRACLE, Azorin. Translated from French by Warre Bradley Wells. The innkeeper watches the Three Kings during the Nativity. [u) THE THREE HERMITS, Leo Tolstoi. Translated from Russian by Louise and Aylmer Maude. True religion. A church official hears of an island where three hermits live. They turn out to be ignorant, illiterate old men who cannot even remember the creed that the bishop teaches them. But something happens that overturns the bishop's opinion of them. [v) BY THE LIGHT OF THE LANTERNS, Pierre MacOrland. Translated from French by Samuel Putnam. Life aboard the Flying Dutchman. The Dutchman, Peter Maus, and his mate, Pierre Radet, save a mortal child and raise him to adolescence. Because of his strange milieu the child grows with distorted values, and the two old men put him ashore, hoping that he can lead a normal life. Perhaps this act will cut time from the Dutchman's sentence. [w) MR •• MAILLOCHIN WAS GOING HOME, Yannik and Jacqueline Boisyvon. Translated from French by Marjorie Fischer. Mai11ochin, a small pensioner, has developed a passion for Mademoiselle Aure1ie, the handsome young florist whose shop is nearby. While on a train trip south, he finds himself in the company of Power (a burly man), Love (a beautiful woman), and Death (a bald-headed little man), all of whom declare that they want to make something of him. Unfortunately, their plans include death for Madame Mai110chin and no success with Mademoiselle Aure1ie. M. Mail10chin cannot come to terms with them. The editors see this story as an allegory of Marshall Petain, but one need not read the story in this fashion. [x) FAITHFUL PETER, Lion Feuchtwanger. Translated from German by Renatha Oppenheimer. The senile old politician is used to being informed and manipulated by his valet Peter. After Peter dies, his ghost resumes the old role. Obviously an allegory of Hindenburg and events of the early 1930's in Germany. [y) THE MIRACLE OF TWELFTH NIGHT, Guy de Pourta1es. Translated from French by Marjorie Fischer. ''The diamond of Charles the Bold [of Burgundy) wanders

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FLAMMARION, CAMILLE about the world like the soul of his implacable adversary, King Louis Xl. If Ghos t. * An outstanding collection, one of the few where the editors, instead of ransacking earlier collections, have examined a large body of new literature and have gathered up many excellent stories. It has never received the attention that it deserves. * Outstanding stories are [a}, [b), [d), [f), [g), [h), [r), [u). There is also a considerable amount of poetry, an excerpt from the trial of Joan of Arc, and some fairy tales from Grimm and Afanasiev. FLAMMARION, [NICOLAS) CAMILLE (1842-1925) Important French astronomer, popularizer of science, novelist, editor, psychic researcher. Studied double stars and planets of the solar system; founded periodical L'ASTRONOMIE and edited other astronomical journals. Very important as popularizer of astronomy (POPULAR ASTRONOMY, many English editions); works translated into many languages and diffused throughout the world. Was also concerned with reconciliation of science and a personal religion that was much like emergent evolution. In old age concerned with psychical research. 638. STORIES OF INFINITY LUMEN HISTORY OF A COMET IN INFINITY Robert Brothers; Boston, Mass. 1873 Translated from French by S. R. Crocker. * Including [a) LUMEN. (LUMEN, 1872) An example of a curious hybrid form that was frequently written in the 19th century, in which the science of science-fiction and somewhat heterodox religious or occult ideas were combined into an existential work. In F1ammarion's case the vehicle was essay-like expositional material with some fictional elements. * Dialogue between Lumen (light) and the Seeker (also called Quaerens in other editions), in which Lumen presents certain material of popular science and offers an eclectic wisdom of life. After an incarnation as a 19th century Frenchman, Lumen died and his spirit has returned to tell of its experiences. After death he floated away from earth and progressed on a cosmic flight to a planet of another solar system. There he found kindred humanoid beings. One of the preoccupations of the book then is developed : the possibility of witnessing past events if one can travel faster than light and look back with suitable telescopes or visual senses. Lumen and his associates watch episodes of the French Revolution. Other elements include descriptions of strange forms of life on other planets, a ladder of evolution for the human soul. * Curious typologically, but otherwise of no great interest. A rev~sed, enlarged edition was published in 1877. 639. OMEGA THE LAST DAYS OF THE WORLD Cosmopolitan; New York (1894) (LA FIN DU MONDE, 1894) Anonymous translation from French. * Future history, cosmology, occultism. The first setting is in the 25th century, when it is learned that a comet is rushing toward Earth. Against a background of superscience astronomers discuss what might

FLAMMARION, CAMILLE happen and popular reactions are described. Apart from some meteorological and geological damage the comet does not injure earth badly, but grazes past. In the 30th century and later the sun is gradually becoming cooler and mankind is confined to crystal and metal cities. Eventually only two human beings are left. The story then slides into semiallegorical supernaturalism. The ghost of Cheops (the human past) appears, the two humans die, but are reincarnated on Jupiter, where a new mankind is developing. * Large in scope. imaginative in detail, but essentially essay-1ikp. This edition is lavishly illustrated. 'FLES, BARTHOLD (1902 ) American, of Dutch birth, long associated with the publishing industry in various capacities: editor, buyer, executive, literary agent. AS EDITOR: 640. THE SATURDAY EVENING POST FANTASY STORIES Avon; New York 1951 paperbound Stories reprinted from the SATURDAy EVENING POST. Including, [a] THE CHILD WHO BELIEVED, Grace Amundson. (1950) A stage magician, when met by faith in his supernatural abilities, passes his power on to a child. [b) SCENE FOR SATAN, Noel Langley. (1947) A production of HAMLET in which a ghost plays the part of Hamlet's father. [c) THE ETERNAL DUFFER, Willard Temple. (1946) Barnaby Jessup, a golf duffer, finds himself in Heaven with superlative golfing skills. But this is not what he wants. [d) THE TERRIBLE ANSWER, Paul Gallico. (1950) Professor Haber, the great inventor of a mechanical brain, asks it a question about his personal life and receives an unexpected answer. [e) THE VOICE IN THE EARPHONES, Wilbur Schramm. (1950) An unskilled pilot is aided by the control tower, but there was no voice from the control tower. The . answer-- a helpful ghost. [fJ DOCTOR HANRAY'S SECOND CHANCE, Conrad Richter. (1950) Symbolic self-forgiveness in terms of a visit to the past, and perhaps a second chance. Hanray, the developer of the atomic bomb, revisits his childhood home, which is now on a military reservation. He returns to the past, to try to convince himself, as a young boy, not to study science, but to become a physician like his father. Some understanding is reached between the levels of Hanray, but his second chance may be fruitless. * Also a couple of science-fiction stories, including Will F. Jenkins's ''Doomsday Deferred." * Best story is [f). The others are trivial. FLETCHER, GEORGE U. (pseud. of PRATT, FLETCHER, which see) 641. THE WELL OF THE UNICORN William Sloane; New york [1948] Dynastic adventure in an imaginary land, with Some incidental small magic. The cultural level is generalized medieval, with most reference to Scandinavia. One wonders whether this was not originally a historical novel to which the fantasy element was later added for market reasons. * Airar Alvarson, a young

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FORD, CHARLES HENRI franklin of Da1ecar1ia, is pushed by circumstances, his luck, and the magic of the highly skilled magician Me1iboe to military leadership, marriage with a princess of the imperial house, and presumably, in the future, the empire. The linking thread to Airar's adventures is a revolt against the Vu1kings, the local ruling house, Who are oppressive and plot world domination. During Airar's experiences, most of which involve defeat and flight before the enemy, he grows from a green but intelligent youth into a mature, honest, and wise leader of men. Supernatural elements include the enchantments of Me1iboe and similar, but lesser, spells by Airar. This supernaturalism, however, is swamped beneath dynastic material. Interminable and extraordinarily dull. Pratt's fantasies with de Camp are far superior. FOLIO, FRED (pseud. American author. 642. A BOOK FOR THE TIMES LUCY BOSTON. OR WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND SPIRITUALISM ILLUSTRATING THE FOLLIES AND DELUSIONS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY Shepard, Clark and Co.; Boston 1855 A burlesque on feminism and Spiritualism, technically indebted to early Dickens or Theodore Hook. The inciting cause was the book SPIRITUALISM by Judge Edmonds and Dr. Dexter. * 1876. Amaziah Badger, middle-aged bachelor living in a boarding house in a small town not too far from New York (Utica?) is suddenly beset by supernatural phenomena. His furniture wanders about the room; he hears po1tergeistic noises; and finally a spirit appears to him. The ghost of a mermaid,· it announces in verse that female spiritdom has joined in the crusade to reverse the position of the sexes and put women back in the dominance they had enjoyed before Adam's usurpation. Badger is an instant convert and rushes off to a large feminist rally in New York. On the train he meets a bloomer woman, Lucy Boston. The rally is satirized at some length. Lucy is interested in Badger's story of the ghostly mermaid and also sees the ghost. Meanwhile, the women go avidly to various Spiritualist mediums, seeking revelations, some of which are unusually ridiculous. The women alter the state constitution; Lucy runs for governor, and is elected. The official creed of the state is now Spiritualism, and all sorts of new revelations are received, Polygamy is established; women seize economic control; a Spiritualist university is founded where the ghosts of Calvin and Thomas Paine 1ecture-- but the result is chaos. Lucy resigns; a male administration will attempt to repair the damage that has been worked. * Clumsy as satire, interesting for folkways. FORD, CHARLES HENRI (1913American avant garde editor, artist, film maker. Editor of VIEW. AS EDITOR: 643. A NIGHT WITH JUPITER AND OTHER FANTASTIC STORIES View Editions, distributed by Vanguard Press; New York 1945

FORD, CHARLES HENRI Apparently an outgrowth of VIEW MAGAZINE, a little-magazine of which Ford was editor. * A collection of surrealistic material edging onto dada, presented in experimental modes. Most of the contents are not fantastic in our sense. * Including [a] THE GUARDIAN TOAD, Lydia Cabrera. A mythiC story of witchcraft adapted from an Afro-Cuban folktale. Translated from Spanish by H. R. Hays. [b] WHITE RABBITS, Leonora Carrington. A creepy little tale of an old couple who feed rabbits on rotten meat and then eat them. There is a second level of cosmological interpretation. [c] THE SISTERS, Leonora Carrington. Two sisters. One is something of a spiritual vampire, the other is a bird-being that is a real vampire. Interesting possibilities of interpretation. [d] MS. FOUND IN AN ICEBERG, Alva N. Turner. A fairy tale. A boy goes to the moon and meets the man in the moon. [e] TATUANA, Miguel Asturias. A mythiC story of Master Almondtree who divided his soul into four parts and gave it to the roads. One road proved false, and the Master undergoes pains and transformations. Probably derived in part from Central American folklore. Translated from Spanish by H. R. Hays. * Also included are a fragment from di Chirico's HEBDOMEROS and material by Paul Bowles and Henry Miller. * [b] and [c], though amateurishly presented, have interesting ideas; [e] is nicely done. The remainder of the book is trivial. The book is designed with collages, secondary use of 19th century prints, and a few original (though minor) works by Yves Tanguy, Pavel Tchelitchew, Man Ray, Alexander Calder, and Max Ernst. FORD, GARRET (pseud. of CRAWFORD, WILLIAM L.) ) (1911 American fan, editor, publisher. Published MARVEL TALES, UNUSUAL STORIES, semi-professional magazines of 1930's; issued Lovecraft's THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH. On West Coast founded Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc. AS EDITOR; 644. SCIENCE AND SORCERY Fantasy Publishing Co.; Los Angeles 1953 Short stories, including [a] THE LITTLE MAN ON THE SUBWAY, Isaac Asimov and Fred Pohl. (FANTASY BOOK 1950) Conductor Cullene of the IRT subway finds himself in the underground world of Mr. Crumley, who is a god setting up a new religious organization. Cullen is converted by a miracle and stands by Crumley during a revolt of the "angels. 1I He survives the debacle. Light fantasy. [b] THE NAMING OF NAMES, Ray Bradbury. (THRILLING WONDER STORIES 1949) A settlement is established on Mars, not too long before atomic warfare breaks out on earth and contact is lost. Bittering is the only person to be concerned about the fact that the plants and animals that were brought to Mars are starting to change, apparently in imitation of Martian forms. He observes, with horror and terror that humans, too, are changing. Eyes and skin coloration alter, Martian words creep into the vocabulary, and earth standards dissolve. Only Bittering fights the change, and

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FORSTER, E. M. even he eventually yields. When the next expedition arrives, it finds only Martians living in the hills. The Martians have no idea what happened to the colony. ~'This story is not to be confused with the brief continuity bit of the same title in THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES. [c] THE WATCHERS, R. H. Deutsch. One of the very few stories genuinely based on the Kabbalah. Raymond Lanson penetrates behind the veils of phenomenality, but not quite far enough. * [bJ is excellent. FORSTER, E[DWARD] M[ORGAN] (1879-1970) Important British mainstream novelist, essayist, biographer. Best-known works HOWARD'S END (1910) and A PASSAGE TO INDIA (1924). Also significant in science-fiction for I~hen the Machine Stops," one of the finest negative utopias based on mechanization. 645. THE CELESTIAL OMNIBUS AND OTHER STORIES Sidgwick and Jackson; London 1911 Short stories dealing mostly with a series of attitudes and motifs: the impingement of moments of high experience or ecstasy upon everyday life; the numinous nature of life; irony on philistines.~' [a] THE STORY OF A PANIC. Italy. Forster's first story. A smarmy tourist relates an epiphany. Eustace, a rather low-grade boy, makes a wooden whistle and unWittingly evokes Pan. The evocation has two results. Most of the tourists flee in panic fear; Eustace is transformed. Part of the change, however, involves an ecstasy that must be permitted freedom, or else death will be the result. [b] THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HEDGE. The materialistic narrator is fished out of the water and off the road of everyday human life, into a different existence, which seems in some ways to be an ideal world before man fell. He cannot accept it and returns to his own world. [c] THE CELESTIAL OMNIBUS., A boy comes upon the celestial omnibus, which takes those with true appreciation to a literary heaven where great authors and great characters dwell. The driver is Sir Thomas Browne. On a second trip the boys is accompanied by a pedantic poseur, Whom the boy's obnoxious father rates too highly. But the pedant finds cloudland too nebulous and falls through. His crushed corpse is found later. The boy, however, is crowned ~ELOS, the end. [d] OTHER KINGDOM. Personal relationships between members of a potential triangle, as told through a sycophantic tutor. Worters is a pompous, selfish ass; his young ward, Ford, is a callow young man who is on the path to maturity; and Miss Beaumont, Worters's fiancee, is a simple young woman of perception and sensitivity. The motivating device is a small copse, Other Kingdom, which Worters buys, but insists on debasing, despite Miss Beaumont's objections and protests. She has an empathy for the place and for the folkloristic customs associated with it. When Miss Beaumont recognizes that life with Worters will be impossible, she disappears from the grove. Worters is convinced that she has eloped with Ford, but Ford denies this. Here, as in the Marabar Caves, Forster

FORSTER, E. M. lets the reader make his own decision as to what happened. It is a fair guess that Miss Beaumont, after uttering a prayer of double entendre, has turned into a tree. The other kingdom is the vegetable kingdom. [e) THE CURATE'S FRIEND. A character study of a selfish, superficial curate who happens upon a faun, presumably left over from the Roman occupation of Britain. The faun is a symbol of the awakening of natural forces and honesty of emotion. [f) THE ROAD FROM COLONUS. Greece. To old Mr. Lucas, when he steps inside the hollow tree that would once have been the abode of dryad and naiad, comes a flash of ecstatic understanding. But it is of the spirit, and his body and mind cannot sustain it. It is also death. * Excellent stories. 646. THE ETERNAL MOMENT AND OTHER STORIES Sidgwick" and Jackson; London 1928 Short stories including [a) THE POINT OF IT. Two young men are in a boat in an estuary, and Mickey encourages Harold to row vigorously, even though he knows that Harold has a weak heart. Harold dies as a result of Mickey's enthusiasm. Mickey feels guilty for a time, but as the years pass forgets the incident. He dies a moderately respected rather trivial writer and museum official. After death he awakens to find himself half buried in sand in a wasteland, which is the Hell for those who were satisfied with the second-rate in life. His lot seems hopeless. But a Christ-like figure from across the river harrows his Hell and fights for its damned souls. The figure calls for those who have a memory, but receives no answer. It then calls for those who would like to have a memory, and Mickey is able to respond. He dies again and leaves the hell in a boat, recapitulating his former ride through the estuary with his friend Harold. * Forster's Bloomsbury friends, the author states, disapproved of this story and asked what the point was. Forster would not answer. The point seems to be that Mickey had lived for one moment of tragedy, and that this saved him. [b) CO-ORDINATION. The theme at the girls' school is co-ordination and focus on one period, the Napoleonic. The history classes consider the wars; the music classes study Beethoven's works; the crafts classes make Empire clothing, etc. In Heaven Beethoven and Napoleon receive garbled information about what is going on at the school and decide to reward the participants. Beethoven decrees a perfect performance of the A-minor Quartet and Napoleon, the Battle of Austerlitz. On earth, however, the ideal is not fulfilled: some hear a military brass band and see a school treat. But the essence is there: melody and victory. [c) THE STORY OF THE SIREN. Italy. Apparently based on Italian folklore. The young Italian tells the tourist about his brother Giovanni, who went diving into the sea to amuse the tourists, and was fished out a swollen, inhuman being. He had seen the siren, who had worked this transformation. Giovanni finds a woman like himself and marries her, but the local people believe that the coming child

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FORTUNE, DION will be the Anti-Christ and murder the woman. [d) MR. ANDREWS. When Mr. Andrews dies, his soul floats up toward Heaven. On the way he joins in companionship with a Turk. The two men, though opposed in culture and personality, are filled with love for each other, and on mutual plea are allowed to enter Heaven. Heaven is wish-fulfillment. Andrews gets a harp and robes; the Turk gets houris. But they both become bored and leave, willingly allowing themselves to be absorbed by the World Soul, which is enriched by their experience. * Also present is "The Machine Stops." * Excellent stories. FORTUNE, DION (pseud. of FIRTH, VIOLET M.) (1890-1946) British occultist, writer of occult fiction. Important member of the Order of the Golden Dawn and splinter associations, and popularizer of certain of their doctrines. Important non-fiction titles, in terms of sales, are PSYCHIC SELF-DEFENSE (1930) and TIm MYSTICAL QABALAH (1935). 647. THE SECRETS OF DR. TAVERNER Noel Douglas; London 1926 Occult detective stories, mostly from ROYAL MAGAZINE. Taverner, an Initiate, uses his knowledge of ceremonial magic and occultism in general to protect others. He operates a rest home for his cases and maintains a psychiatric practice on Harley Street. Most of his cases, which are taken down by Dr.Rhodes, his associate, are built on the concepts of reincarnation and improper use of magic by Black Lodges or malicious individuals. Taverner is said to have been modelled on MacGregor Mathers, a prominent British occultist of the early 20th century. * [a) BLOOD-LUST. A veteran of World War I is possessed by the spirit of a vampire from Eastern Europe. It leaped into the soldier's unconscious body and has since indulged its blood lust. [b) THE RETURN OF THE RITUAL. A book of magical rituals, stolen centuries ago in Italy from a White Lodge (good magicians) is in danger of falling into the hands of the Black Lodges. Taverner awakens memory in the present incarnation of the thief, who returns the book. [c) THE MAN WHO SOUGHT. Incarnations in Ancient Egypt. Taverner acts as a marriage broker by bringing together two persons. [d) THE SOUL THAT WOULD NOT BE BORN. A zombielike young woman. She had committed a great betrayal in Renaissance Italy and refused life at the moment of birth when she saw what the Akashic record held for her. The ancient wrong is expiated. [e) SCENTED POPPIES. A bohemian ne'er-do-well and occult hanger-on uses black magic to eliminate those who stand between him and a hereditary fortune. His tools include a stone impregnated with the thoughts of suicide. Also something about occult drugs that lower one's barriers to perceive the supernatural. [f) THE DEATH HOUND. Much like [f), but with an enormous ghost hound as the weapon. [g) A DAUGHTER OF PAN. An elfin girl and a subnormal boy, children

FORTUNE, DION of Pan. Taverner brings them together and they go off into the wilderness. Rhodes wonders if Taverner may not be releasing rabbits in Australia. [h] THE SUBLETTING OF THE MANSION. A triangle is broken by personality interchange, accomplished accidentally by Rhodes. Left interestingly up in the air. [i] RECALLED. An Indian mistress, discarded by Colonel Eustace, would have given birth to a mahatma if she had lived. But she committed suicide when the colonel abandoned her. She is now attacking the colonel's wife. The sin will be wiped out if the colonel and his wife agree to have the postponed baby. The colonel is a racist, and his punishment is severe. [j] SEA LURE. The woman swims in the sea and is fired upon with silver bullets. Her body, back in the clinic, shows stigmata. [k] THE POWER HOUSE. Taverner overcomes a Black Master and the Black Lodge is disbanded. The Black Master is probably based on one of Aleister Crowley's associates. * The ideas are interesting as authentic beliefs of occult circles of the day, as opposed to the usual imaginary or historical occultism in fiction. On the whole the author is happier in these short stories than in her novels, for the brevity and the formula of the subgenre conceal her weaknesses in plotting and characterization. 648. THE DEMON LOVER Noel Douglas; London [192T] Occult fiction, combining didacticism and the theme of redemption through love. * Justin Lucas, an occultist of ability, is the executive secretary of an occult society of great supernatural pow~r that masquerades as a folklore society. Lucas has taken the Left Hand Path (evil) and is a double agent: while he is organizing the hitherto inept society, he is also stealing their secrets for his personal gain. To accomplish such thefts he hires as an assistant Veronica Mainwaring, a young woman who happens to be highly mediumistic. He uses her as a mental telephone for the soCiety, but also sends her astral body out on missions of occult espionage. He is caught and is sentenced to death by the Dark Ray, which execution takes place. But Lucas overlooked the fact that he and Veronica had been frustrated lovers in a Roman incarnation, and that a debt is owed. Lucas, however, is not really "dead," despite the fact that a post mortem has been performed on his body. His astral body is earthbound and it becomes a vampire, causing the death of several children. He is again confronted by the leader of the occult society. He agrees (out of love for Veronica) to undergo the Second Death, which is true death of the body and judgment of sins. At this point the Third, a higher being, intervenes and declares that Lucas has made partial restitution and should be allowed to render more. His body is exhumed by a supernaturally forced flood and he is reanimated. As part of his redemption, he must live blind, injured by the post mortem. * Sensational approach; weak characterizations and motivations; but with a curious sort of interest.

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FORTUNE, DION 649. THE WINGED BULL A ROMANCE OF MODERN MAGIC Williams and Norgate; London 1935 Occult novel based on the theories of Magick of the Order of the Golden Dawn and comparable groups • ~< Ted Murchison is down and out and job hunting. He wanders into the British Museum and is strangely impressed by the Assyrian winged bull. In his despair he invokes the bull and the Great God Pan. He is overheard by Brangwyn, an acquaintance of better days, who offers him employment of a sort. Brangwyn is a serious student and practitioner of magic, and his step-sister Ursula has been psychically damaged by a magical experiment that in some fashion went wrong. As a result she is a little strange. She is also under the domination of one Hugo Astley, a very nasty would-be black mag~c~an. It is Ted's responsibility, in addition to general secretarial work, to protect Ursula and to participate in a repetition of the failed rite, to straighten things out. Ted does not find the job ideal, for he is repelled by the magical aspect of his work, and he and Ursula do not get along. But he is loyal. When he is approached by the black magicians, he becomes a double agent-- seemingly cooperating with Astley, but actually protecting Ursula. Astley gains control of Ursula and stages a Black Mass and mock crucifixion, in which Murchison is hung on a cross by straps. But everything finally works out well. Ted and Ursula escape and discover that they do not really dislike each other-- but are really in love. * While Fortune does not spell out things as concretely as in her later books about Morgan LeFay, the theory is the same. The Rite of the Winged Bull, which Brangwyn is so eager to perform upon his sister, is sexual intercourse spiritualized into the universal rhythm, whence it draws down enormous power. * Weak as a novel, but interesting in idea. 650. THE GOAT-FOOT GOD Williams and Norgate; London 1936 Occult novel about rebirth and development of higher personality. * Hugh Paston is somewhat incomplete and unformed. Although intelligent and wealthy, he is a failure. He has just discovered that his deceased wife was committing adultery. Broken by the discovery, he stumbles on some occult books in an old bookshop, and with the aid of the dealer, a defrocked priest, decides to experiment with the occult. He buys an old monastic property and learns that Ambrosius, a medieval abbot had maintained a pantheistic cult of Pan. After a time Ambrosius begins to appear in Hugh, although it is impossible to say whether the situation is reincarnation, possession, or merely unconscious personification of the desires for which Ambrosius stands. When Hugh attains a fusion of his own stability with Ambrosius's brilliance, zest, and power, all ends well. The fusion is accomplished by a rite of ceremonial magic. * In many ways this is the most pleasant of Fortune's novels, although it shares the technical flaws of the others. In her novels the author always has difficulty in keeping characterizations firm.

FORTUNE, DION 651. THE SEA PRIESTESS The Author; London 1938. Occult novel based on the same m~re or less consistent system touched on in the earlier, commercial works. According to the author's preface, her manuscript was rejected by the publishers \vhom she approached. * Maxwell, a real estate agent and auctioneer, is psychic to so~e extent, having odd mental experiences when he is under medication for asthma. In the course of business he becomes acquainted with Miss Le Fay Morgan, a fascinating and beautiful woman who claims to be far older than her appearance indicates. Maxwell is attracted to her. She commissions him to restore an ancient fort by the sea as a temple for her, and gradually involves him in her occult pursuits. While he comes to think of her as a woman and a wife, she rejects these roles. She sees him as the priest with Whom she can attain her esoteric advancement. Maxwell has visions of the past: ships and men from Atlantis, moon and sea worship, and human sacrifice. Most of the novel is based on Maxwell's ambivalent attitude toward Le Fay: love and fear. His fears are not without justification, since in Atlantean religion the male priest was sacrificed after the female had achieved union with the godhead Ishtar. In Maxwell's case, however, the sacrifice is performed on a spiritual level rather than physically, and Maxwell survives with heightened potencies. Miss Morgan (who had been Morgan Le Fay in another life), now that her desires have been fulfilled, leaves and her fate is not known. Maxwell embarks on a new romance with a local girl Whom he initiates into the sex magic that Miss Morgan had taught him. She, too, becomes more than woman after learning secrets from the Priest of the Moon from the past. * The ideas are much the same as those of THE WINGED BULL, but the literary treatment leaves something to be desired. 652. MOON MAGIC •. BEING THE MEMOIRS OF A MISTRESS OF THAT ART The Aquarian Press; London 1956 A posthumous occult novel, sequel, after a fashion, to THE SEA PRIESTESS. Bondage and recruiting into a magical relationship. * Lilith Le Fay Morgan, the Priestess of the Moon, needs a male counterpart to perform her ceremonies. She settles on Dr. Rupert Malcolm, an embittered neurologist. Malcolm, who is on the edge of a breakdown, what with his profession problems and his estranged wife's long illness, is easy prey and cannot resist Lilith's attraction. She leads him through the various stages of advancement and sacrifices him (spiritually, not physically) to the Moon Goddess. During the process he gains memories of previous incarnations as a Sacrificing Priest in Egypt. Lilith states her aims frankly enough to Malcolm: she is first and last Priestess of the Moon and she has magical duties to the goddess. While she does not feel love toward Malcolm, she is prepared to gratify him, even though she will still utilize him. * This is much the most interesting

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FOUQuE, FRIEDRICH DE LA MOTTE of Fortune's novels, partly because it tells its story from the point of view of the adept, and partly for the great detail about magical ceremonies as they were conceived in Great Britain in the pre-war period. While the novel is not without technical problems, it is superior in writing to THE SEA PRIESTESS. FOUQUE, FRIEDRICH DE LA MOTTE, FREIHERR (1777 -1843) German soldier, popular writer of the Berlin Romantic school. A fairly prolific author of verse and prose, much of which is medievalist in orientation. An author of international reputation during his early lifetime, but out of fashion in his later years. His most important work is UNDINE, which has assumed a classic status in both German and in translation. Not a great author, but at times a good storyteller. 653. UNDINE A ROMANCE TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN Simpkin, Marshall; London 1818 Translated from German (UNDINE, 1811) by George Soane. * On the other side of the enchanted forest, in which the nature spirits of Paracelsian cosmology hold sway, is a lake into which projects a small peninsula. On this peninsula live an aged fisherman and his wife. Many years earlier they lost their little daughter on the lake, but almost immediately afterward found a little girl whom they christened Undine, or child of the waves. Undine, Who is a water elemental come to live with humans, has grown up into an elfin being, wild and wilful, until the knight Huldbrand penetrates the haunted wood, stays with the fisherfolk, meets Undine, and weds her. She thereupon acquires a soul and becomes an exemplary Wife, although she retains the memory of ancient magic. She and the knight leave for civilization, but the knight soon loses interest in her. He begins an affair with Berthalda, Who is later revealed to be the long lost daughter of the fisherman. In a moment of rage Huldbrand tells Undine to leave, and according to the law of water elementals she must go. But on Huldbrand's wedding night, Undine comes to him and he dies with her kiss on his lips. * A fine leisurely tale, strange and eerie, charming and puzzling. It is eaSily Fouqu~'s finest work, far superior to the various minor of his that are described elsewhere in this volume. * There have been many e~itions and diff~rent translations of UNDINE. Many readers prefer that of Edmund Gosse. 654. THE MAGIC RING A ROMANCE Oliver and Boyd; Edinburgh, and G. B. Whittaker, London 1825 3 vol. Anonymous translation of DER ZAUBERRING (1813) from German. * A long Romantic novel, knightly chivalry of the most exalted sort, and magic. Around 1200 A.D., Germany, France, Scandinavia, and the Mediterranean. The plot is extremely complex. Only major motifs and sequences are here given. * Gabrielle wants to regain a magic ring from Folko Montfaucon. The ring is a matter of family dispute. Many

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knights act as her champions, but are defeated. At last Otto von Trautwanger undertakes the quest and defeats Montfaucon, but the two knights become fast friends. Otto becomes engaged to Gabrielle. * Otto's cousins, Bertha and her brother, are captured by the Northern sea-king Arinbiorn, who falls in love with Bertha. * Two magical ladies inhabit the north. There is Druda, who stands for good; she has a magical mirror and metallic circles that yield information. There is also Gerda, who is evil, and has a fine underground magic garden. She does much wickedness. * The knights take part in a crusade against the heathen Finns, and Otto meets a double, Ottur, who is a pagan. ~< Adventures among Moslems follow, and many intricate subplots. * Eventually the major characters reassemble. The young couples pair off. Ottur makes appearance under a new name, Zelotes (zeal), now a convert to Christianity and a powerful magician. He invokes the power of the ring, but Bertha cancels it with a potion from the Pope. The ring is cast into the fire, and evil is defeated. An interesting revelation is made at the end: Otto's father had travelled much in his youth, and under the identities of Hugur, Uguccione, Hygies, etc. had begotten most of the maie characters in the story. ~, There is also an allegory in which the ring is worldly power; Bertha is Christianity and faith; Gerda is superstition, etc. * A certain wild imagination of incident, but rambling and inconsequential. It probably marks first use of many motifs in German popular fiction. Influence on Wagner, Tolkien? 655. WILD LOVE AND OTHER TALES FROM THE GERMAN James Burns; London [1844] Anonymous translation. The title novel, which is not fantastic, and several short stories. including [a] ROSAURA AND HER KNIGHT. (ROSAURA 1817) Count von Wildeck, in love with Rosaura von Heldenbach, is invited to a hunting visit by her uncle, Colonel von Haldenbach. When he arrives at the castle, he is warned to bolt his door nights, but he is not told why. He realizes the force of the warning shortly thereafter, when a seeming madman tries to assassinate him. It is the colonel. Stranger still, while he is out hunting, he catches Rosaura in a serious attempt to shoot him with his own gun. * The explanation is given: Generations earlier the Haldenbachs burned down the castle of the Wildecks, killing almost all the family. A curse had been put on them by a dying Wildeck. For three weeks out of each year, all Haldenbachs become homicidal maniacs. This will continue until there are no more Haldenbachs or Wildecks, but there is an obvious escape clause. [b} THE FIELD OF TERROR. Described elsewhere. 656. ROMANTIC FICTION SHORTER TALES FROM THE GERMAN OF DE LA MOTTE FOUQUg James Burns; London Anonymous translation from German. Including [a] THE EAGLE AND THE LION. (ADLER UND LOEWE 1816) Medieval Norway. The heroic young Sywald wishes to marry the fair magical maiden

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Alfhilda, who lives on an enchanted mountain. A minstrel warns him to ignore certain phantoms along the way. He passes various monsters that are modernized versions of the attributes of the evil Norse gods and wins through to Alfhilda. She is attracted to him, but is unwilling to marry him, for her ancestors (totems?) were shape-changing lions, while his were only eagles. If he can tame a lion, however, she will yield. Sywald thereupon goes to Africa, captures a lion, and does his best to tame it. Every evening, Loki and his assistants undo the work that Sywald has accomplished, and the beast seems far from tamed. But Baldur gives the necessary assistance, and Sywald wins Alfhilda. [b} THE VOW. (DAS GELUBDE) Pre-Christian Saxons. Adalbero, being beaten in battle, vows to the gods that he will sacrifice his wife and child for victory. He wins. When he is about to fulfill his vow, the lightning of the gods strikes his sword from his hand. [c} THE UNKNOWN PATIENT. (DER UNBEKANNTE KRANKE 1814) c. 1500. Doctor Helfrad attends a mysterious masked stranger. The masked man, a demonic being, obviously has SOine association with Evil or the Devil. Helfrad's gentle piety gradually influences and softens him. The mask, it is revealed, is worn to bring magical power, and the stranger is Wagner, the assistant to the great Dr. Faust. [d} THE VICTOR'S WREATH. (DER SIEGESKRANZ 1812) King Leuthold has been deposed by a villain. One morning, Leuthold learns that he has been restored to power by a peasant rebellion !ed by a mysterious champion, who he assumes is his nephew. In a moment of exaltation he promises the champion (in absentia) the hand of his niece Diotwina, This announcement arouses consternation, since she is vowed to virginity after the death of her betrothed, Leuthold's son Sigebald. Diotwina, however, is unmoved, for she knows that the unknown champion was the animated corpse of Sigebald. [e} BERTHOLD. (DIE KOHLERFAMILIE 1814) When the merchant Berthold stops at the charcoal burner's hut for shelter, he sees a strange figure. It is an evil spirit whom the charcoal burner is reforming by prayer and demonstration of goodness. Under Berthold's influence the demon has a relapse. Some years later Berthold returns to the hut and finds the demon even more acculturated, but Berthold now has the insight to recognizes that the low charcoal burner is superior to him and that he (Berthold) can only cause harm by remaining. [f] HEADMASTER RHENFRIED. Described elsewhere. Perhaps not by Fouqu~. A few supernatural elements are present in "The Siege of Algiers," but not enough for listing. * Minor work on the whole, although [a] has a florid opulence of idea, and [e} has a good moral.

*

FRANCE, ANATOLE (pseud. of THIBAULT, JACQUES ANATOLE FRANyOIS) (1844-1924) Once very popular French novelist, journalist, biographer; renowned for amusing satirical raids on foibles of church and state, characterized by both wit and learning. Nobel Prize

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for Literature in 1921. Most fmmous works L'iLE DES PINGOUINS (1908) and LA REVOLTE DES ANGES (1914). 657. TALES FROM A MOTHER-OF-PEARL CASKET George H. Richmond; New York 1896 L'ETUI DE NACRE (1892). Translated, with introduction, from French by Henri Pene du Bois. * Short stories and sketches, most of which deal either with material from the lives of the saints or events from the French Revolution. * Including [a] AMYCUS AND CELESTIN. Early Christian Near East. The hermit Celestin converts the faun Amycus, who helps him to decorate the altar and worship. [b) THE JUGGLER OF NOTRE DAME. Friar Barnabas, who used to be an itinerant juggler offers his skill when the time comes for making offering to the Virgin. She accepts. Blessed are the pure in heart. [c) THE MASS OF THE SHADOWS. One December evening Catherine Fontaine is awakened by church bells. She attends midnight mass, where she sees a congregation dressed in antique garb. All is silence, but she is told by the ghost of her dead lover that souls in Purgatory, one night a year, can attend mass and meet old friends. She drops her lover's ring into the offering vessel. She is found dead next morning, and the ring is in the church collection vessel. * Also present is the famous "The Procurator of Judea," which is not fantastic. * Nicely written, but somewhat syrupy. 658. THE REVOLT OF THE ANGELS John Lane; London and New York 1914 LA REVOLTE DES ANGES (1914). Translated from French by Mrs. Wilfrid Jackson. * Irony on aspects of French life, combined with a tonguein-cheek attack (in terms of fantasy) on orthodox Christianity. The Esparvieu Library one of the finest private collections in France, contains several hundred thousand volumes carefully selected to convey intellectual history up to the present. Arcade, the guardian angel of young Maurice d'Esparvieu, obtains access to the library, and after dipping into speculative theology and modern science, becomes intellectually liberated. He realizes that Christianity is based on a fraud and that Jehovah is not the great god, but only a minor demiurge, whose right name is Ia1dabaoth. He thereupon resigns his post as guardian angel and sets out to organize the fallen angels resident around Paris and dissident guardian angels into a revolt against Ia1dabaoth. The revolt is to be headed, of course, by Lucifer. The rebellious angels mount their power. Since they have the weapons of modern SCience, against which the archaic swords of Heaven could not prevail, they are sure to topple Ia1dabaoth. But Satan, in a reverie, realizes that his assuming power will simply lead to the old situation over again. He calls off the rebellion. * In a subplot Maurice, in addition to conducting suitable amours and quarrelling with his family, is panic-stricken at the thought of having no guardian angel and tries to reconvert Arcade to Christianity. This results in a reversal of roles. Other .p1ot threads concern a fraudulent art dealer, an eccentric librarian, and various

*

FRASER, RONAlD Parisian types. * Well translated, nicely planned and very amusing. The Gnostic background, which fits in well with modern fads, is quite early in literature. FRASER, [SIR] RONAlD [ARTHUR] (1888-1974) c. M. G. M. B. E. British public servant, novelist. Held various diplomatic posts. Conwercia1 Minister in Paris. 659. THE FLYING DRAPER T.F. Unwin; London First Novel Library 1924 The fate of the superior man told in We11sian terms. Albert Codling has risen out of very humble surroundings to become a professor of biology at Cambridge, but has been sacked for his heterodox views on morality. He returns to his family occupation of draper, although he continues his biological researches. He has also concerned himself with self-development of a highly individual sort, with the result that he has memory with absolute recall and the ability to levitate himself and fly. His personal beliefs combine antinomianism and quietism. * Codling is seen through the narrator, Sir Philip Wokingham, and Lydia, Wokingham's fiancee, and later, wife. They befriend Codling when his ability to fly and his social ideas have alienated the church, the politiCians, and the people, and his life is in danger. Codling is at first hurt and bewildered by reaction to his ability and retreats into the wilderness (as a Jesus figure) to gain enlightenment. He matures sufficiently to accept the supreme experience that he has been avoiding: death. His spirit leaves his body and the machine or body rattles and bangs itself to death. * Another story element is a sexual triangle, since Lydia and Codling are greatly attracted to each other, but they both restrain themselves and nothing happens except unhappiness for Sir Phiiip. * Stylistically interesting at times, but amateurishly presented with weak characterizations and a wobbly story line. * There is a revised and improved edition (Jonathan Cape; London 1940), with an introduction by Humbert Wolfe. 660. FLOWER PHANTOMS Jonathan Cape; London [1926] The erotic awakening of a young woman told in terms of empathy with the vegetative world. * Judy, a student at Kew Gardens, is caught in a crisis of maturation. She is engaged to a personable young man who does not have the ability to arouse her, though she likes him, and she is disturbed by the utilitarian, materialistic life-philosophy of her businessman brother. Her means of escape is by growth, or the vegetative processes. She becomes more and more sensitive to the hidden life of the plants at Kew, and comes to see them as personalities, with the giant orchid in the role of passionate lover. Her empathy progresses until she spends a night at the gardens in the arms of the orchid and attains maturity. She is now ready for life and love. Told with delicate imagery and fine perceptions, a minor rococoism of art deco literature. '

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FRAZER, SHAMUS FRAZER, SHAMUS (i.e., FRAZER, JAMES I. A.) (1912 ) British satirist. 661. BLOW. BLOW YOUR TRUMPETS A NOVEL Chapman and Hall; London 1945 Satire, told against a quasi-biblical background. The action takes place on the earth before the Flood, when angelic powers ruled. These angels, despite their supernatural knowledge and abilities, are really very stupid, and under suitable flattery they reveal secrets of divine magic to unscrupulous humans. As a result, a magical civilization has been built which is much like a Baptist's conception of Hollywood. (Noah and his immediate family, of course, are virtuous.) A war breaks out with savages on the edge of civilization. Demons aid the savages, while angels aid the civilized people. The commotion, however, causes divine disapproval. The devils are cast into Hell; the fallen angels are dispersed; and the dominion of magic is ended. Only natural law will operate. The antediluvian civilization collapses when its magical basis has been withdrawn, and the Flood starts. Noah's ark begins to float. The story also describes two other just humans who steal past the angel Who guards the Garden of Eden, eat fruit from the Tree of Life, and are still alive. * Amusing if one can accept the conventions. FREEMAN, MARY ELEANOR (n~e WILKINS) (1852-1930) American regionalist writer, author of many genre short stories about New England life. A self-taught primitive in execution, but a keen observer and apt conveyer of folkways. Sometime secretary to Oliver Wendell Holmes (Sr.). Historically important for low-key, realistic stories of supernaturalism integrated into local settings. Most important work A NEW ENGLAND NUN (1891), THE WIND IN THE ROSEBUSH. Catalogue entries of her work are sometimes confusing. Books issued before her marriage (1902) were accredited to Wilkins. Books first issued after 1902 were accredited to Freeman. Reprints may be carried as by either Freeman Qr Wilkins. 662. THE WIND IN THE ROSE-BUSH AND OTHER STORIES OF THE SUPERNATURAL Doubleday, Page; New York 1903 Regionalistic New England short stories, tense and crisp bits of craftsmanship, told in a very Simple, declarative style. The stories are built around New England personality types and show the lingering effects of strong emotion, particularly hate, and reaction to symbolic supernaturalism. * [a] THE WIND IN THE ROSE-BUSH. When Rebecca comes to visit little Agnes, she is perpetually put off from meeting Agnes, even though Agnes is to be seen running about outside the window. A rose-bush is also seen to shake without a wind. It is later revealed that Agnes has long been dead of neglect. [b] THE SHADOWS ON THE WALL. Family quarrels and the death of one member of the family, whose shadow haunts the wall of the parlor, and is joined by another shadow when his enemy dies.

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FRENCH, JOSEPH LEWIS [c] LUELLA MILLER. A sick woman vampirically drains the health and fortune of all who tend her. When she dies, her ghost is assisted by the ghosts of the other villagers who had loved and served her. [d] THE SOUTHWEST CHAMBER. The ghost of grim, hateful old great-aunt Harriet refuses to leave her room. She alters the fittings of the room to her old furnishings and even changes the mirror images of those who enter. Her hatred survives as a force. [e] THE VACANT LOT. A site haunted by the ghosts of the long-dead past, Who interfere with the living. The Townsends move to the haunted area, which used to be an inn, but leave hurriedly when they learn the identity of some of the ghosts. [f] THE LOST GHOST. A little girl ghost who is gentle, bewildered, and very lost. * Simple stories which are among the best from the American Edwardian period. Illustrated by Peter Newell. FREEMAN, R[ICHARD] AUSTIN (1862 - 1943) British physiCian, author of detective stories. Very important in history of detective story for series of novels, short stories built upon Dr. John Thorndike, the most important detective of the generation immediately after Sherlock Holmes. Also wrote miscellaneous fiction, account of experiences in Benin around the turn of the century, apologia for eugenics. Best-known works THE RED THUMB MARK (1907), THE EYE OF OSIRIS (1911), THE SINGING BONE (1912). In the last Freeman invented the inverted detective story. 663. THE GREAT PORTRAIT MYSTERY Hodder and Stoughton; London [1918] Detective short stories, including Freeman's only known fantasy. [a] THE BRONZE PARROT. Mr. Jawley, small, timid, bullied curate, watches a group of British troops from West Africa disembarking and finds a tiny bronze effigy of a parrot in the grass. Possessing it causes a personality change which makes life much easier for him. He counterbullies his clerical superior, wins the woman he loves, and enforces general respect. A check at the British Museum reveals that the parrot had been the property of a noted Ashanti war chief and had been magically impregnated. * Probably earlier than book publication. An amusing story that makes one regret that Freeman did not write more supernatural fiction. FRENCH, JOSEPH LEWIS (1858-1936) American journalist, editor, anthologist. Prepared several solid, tasteful collections of supernatural fiction, including the anonymous anthology THE BEST GHOST STORIES (158). AS EDITOR: 664. GREAT GHOST STORIES Dodd, Mead; New York 1918 Foreword by James Hyslop, one of the betterknown psychic researchers of the day. * Described elsewhere, [a] THE HOUSE AND THE BRAIN, E. Bulwer-Lytton. Short version. [b] THE ROLL-CALL OF THE REEF, Arthur QuillerCouch. [c] THE OPEN DOOR, Mrs. Margaret Oliphant. [d] THE DESERTED HOUSE, E. T. A. Hoff-

FRENCH, JOSEPH LEWIS mann. [e] THE MYSTERIOUS SKETCH, ErckmannChatrian. [f] GREEN BRANCHES, Fiona Macleod. [g] THE FOUR-FIFTEEN EXPRESS, Amelia B. Edwards. [h] THE WEREWOLF, Captain Frederick Marryat. Carried erroneously as by H. B. Marryat. [f] CLARIMONDE, Theophile Gautier. [j] THE STALLS OF BARCHESTER CATHEDRAL, M. R. James. [k] WHAT WAS IT? Fitz-James O'Brien. * Also, [1] THE WITHERED ARM, Thomas Hardy. Wessex. Folkloristic witchcraft used as background for a study in emotion. A withered arm is cured by contact with the neck of a hanged man. [m] A GHOST, Lafcadio Hearn. A very early work, mostly essay, of no great interest. 665. THE BEST PSYCHIC STORIES Boni and Liveright; New York [1920] Introduction by Dorothy Scarborough, noted scholar of supernatural fiction. * Including, described elsewhere, [a] WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG, Jack London. [b] THE RETURN, Algernon Blackwood. [c] THE SECOND GENERATION, Algernon Blackwood. [d] LIGEIA, Edgar Allan Poe. [e] THE EYES OF THE PANTHER, Ambrose B{erce. [f] THE SIN-EATER, Fiona Macleod. * Also [g] JOSEPH: A STORY, Katherine Rickford. The old man tells of the weird feeling that he felt when he walked down the hall and found in the library the boy Joseph, who was visiting. Joseph is obviously possessed by the ghost of a murdered boy, and describes the circumstances. But it is all a trap to catch the murderer, and presumably never happened. [h] THE CLAVECIN, BRUGES, George Wharton Edwards. The narrator climbs the old belfry with an aged man. During a terrible storm the old man plays marvelously on the carillon. But when the narrator looks again there is no one there and the clavecin (which in this case seems to mean the control apparatus for the carillon) is a mass of decaying rubbish. A ghost. [i] A WITCH'S DEN, Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. India. A visit to the temple of a group of non-orthodox Kali worshippers; pos~ession, ecstatic worship, etc. But mostly a fraud. * The remainder of the volume is filled with "factual" material about mediumistic phenomena, Theosophy, etc. 666. MASTERPIECES OF MYSTERY IN FOUR VOLUMES Doubleday, Page; New York 1920 All stories described elsewhere. * The first volume has no supernatural fiction. * The second volume, subtitled GHOST STORIES, has [a] THE LISTENER, Algernon Blackwood. [b] NUMBER THIRTEEN, M. R. James. [c] JOSEPH, Katherine Rickford. [d] THE HORLA, Guy de Maupassant. [e] THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS, W. F. Harvey. [f] SISTER MADDELENA, R. A. Cram. [g] THRAWN JANET, R. L. Stevenson. * The third volume, subtitled MYSTIC-HUMOROUS STORIES, includes [h] MAY-DAY EVE, Algernon Blackwood. [i] THE DIAMOND LENS, Fitz-James O'Brien. [j] THE MUMMY'S FOOT, Theophile Gautier. [k] THE MAN WHO WENT TOO FAR, E. F. Benson. [1] THE INMOST LIGHT, Arthur Machen. [m] THE SECRET OF GORESTHORPE GRANGE, A. C. Doyle. [n] THE RIVAL GHOSTS, Brander Matthews. [0] A GHOST, Lafcadio Hearn. * The fourth volume, subtitled RIDDLE STORIES, includes [p] THE MYSTERIOUS CARD, Cleveland Moffett. [qJ THE BIRTH-MARK,

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FUREY, MICHAEL Nathaniel Hawthorne. [r] THE LOST ROOM, FitzJames O'Brien. 667. GHOSTS, GRIM AND GENTLE A COLLECTION OF MODERN GHOST STORIES Dodd, Mead; New York 1926 Described elsewhere. [a] A PSYCHICAL INVASION, Algernon Blackwood. [b] ON THE STAIRCASE, Katherine Fullerton Gerould. [c] MAESE PEREZ, THE ORGANIST, G. A. Becquer. [d] THE FEAST OF REDGAUNTLET, Sir Walter Scott. Alternate title for WANDERING WILLIE'S TALE. [e] THE GHOST OF FEAR, H. G. Wells. [f1 THE TALL WOMAN, Pedro de Alarcon. [g1 THE DEAD VALLEY, R.A. Cram. [h1 THE TRACTATE MIDDOTH, M. R. James. [i1 THE GHOST SHIP, Richard Middleton. [j1 THE CANTERVILLE GHOST,. Oscar Wilde. [k1 THE MIDDLE TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT, Ambrose Bierce. [11 ON THE RIVER, Guy de Maupassant. * This volume has been combined with GREAT GHOST STORIES and reissued under the title THE GHOST STORY OMNIBUS. FUREY, MICHAEL (pseud. of ROHMER, SAX, which see for biographical information) 668. WULFHEIM Jarrolds; London 1950 In this book the leopard has truly changed his spots, for it is so unlike the work published under the name Sax Rohmer that one can only believe that the author deliberately set out to write a work that was diametrically opposite in every way to the earlier thrillers. Whereas the stories of Rohmer are usually episodic, fast-moving, direct, cliched, monotone in mood, modern, sensational, WULFHEIM is integral, very slow moving, indirect, original in development, varied in mood, archaic, and analytical. Great heed has been paid to the technique of writing, and the reader has been assumed to have a certain intelligence. There are passages of rhythmical, highly metaphoric writing, often with a rather good aphoristic utterance. The period setting is well-handled, and there is some attempt at characterization within a masculine neo-Gothic mode. Despite these virtues, however, the story line is not too clear, and the slow pace, with many authorial aSides, is likely to discourage many readers. * Germany. Around 1500 A.D. the Abbot Caesar von Wulfheim had practiced black magic. He was executed, and his heart was buried at a crossroad. The taint of the ancient evil still hangs over the family, however, and the story has been suppressed as much as is possible. * In the early 19th century young Otto von Wulfheim has left his ancestral home hurriedly, for he can no longer combat the incestuous feelings that he has toward his sister Fragia. He has entered a monastery as Brother Hilarius. * As the story begins Brother Hilarius has obtained leave from his abbot to visit his home, for he questions his vocation. On the way he comes upon Gipsies digging up something at the crossroads. His appearance startles them and they run away. He takes up what they have dug up, a small, sealed iron casket which, although he does not know the story, contains the heart of the satanic Caesar von Wulfheim. At Castle Wulfheim, sex seems to be the main occupation

FUREY, MICHAEL of the guests and the family retainers, so that Otto's passion, which Fragia shares, does not seem greatly out of place. But with the acquisition of the casket, evil has come forth. Phantom wolves are heard howling in the distance. When Fragia opens the casket, she is engulfed by the evil from it and dies. But her body is seized by a wandering spirit and reanimated. She is now an evil being. She seduces Otto just before an unparalleled storm breaks, and she is killed by a bolt of lightning that strikes the crucifix in Otto's quarters. Otto's father dies of shock when he sees evidence of the· incestuous affair, and Otto becomes temporarily mad. He returns to his monastery and asks permission for a spiritual quest of his own. Fragia, he has now learned, was not really his sister. * Also many supernatural dreams and visions. * Worth reading; an achievement of a sort. It is regrettable that Rohmer did not work this vein earlier while he still had the energy of youth. FUTRELLE, JACQUES (1875-1912) American journalist, writer of popular fiction. Important in history of detective story for series of stories about eccentric detective Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, better known as The Thinking Machine. Best-known work: "The Problem of Cell Thirteen," which is one of the most popular stories in the genre. 669. THE DIAMOND MASTER [AND THE HAUNTED BELL] A. L. Burt; New York [c. 19l2?] The first edition of THE DIAMOND MASTER appeared from Bobbs-Merrill, Indianapolis, in 1909. It did not contain the short novel, THE HAUNTED BELL, which seems to have been first published in this edition. * [a] THE HAUNTED BELL. Professor Van Dusen is called in on a problem that seems to involve supernaturalism. A bell, stolen from a Japanese monastery, announces death. The professor explains it all rationally, as a matter of acoustics and wind currents, but the ending is supernatural. * Not as successful as the author's pure detective stories. The mixture of detection and supernaturalism does not jell. [a] is reprinted in GREAT CASES OF THE THINKING MACHINE.

GALLIZIER, NATHAN (1866-1927) American author, German by birth, of romantic historical novels. 670. THE SORCERESS OF ROME L. C. Page; Boston [1907] If there were a Dusseldorf School of writing, Gallizier would be a minor member. * Rome, 999 A.D. * The personalities tangled in a ~ very complex web of intrigue are the Imperial General Eckhardt; the Holy Roman Emperor Otto III; the Roman Senator Crescentius; and the Kundry figure Ginevra. (A Wagnerian note is furthered by a small musical quotation of Ring

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GANPAT motifs.) Ginevra, the incredibly beautiful wife of Eckhardt, is dissatisfied with the loyal general's lack of ambition. She falsifies her own death, reemerging as the so-called Queen of the Grove, Theodora. The various themes are the attempts by the Romans to expel the Germans; the drive for power by the greedy chancellor, Benilo; Eckhardt's attempts to trace his Wife, who he suspects is not really dead; and the machinations of Ginevra. Supernatural elements enter with a conjuration and necromancy, but they are far outweighed by the romantic plot. * A curiosity. The author wrote several other, similar historical novels, some more or less interlocked in subject matter, but with less supernaturalism: THE COURT OF LUCIFER (1910); UNDER THE WITCHES' MOON (1917), etc. GANPAT (pseud. of GOMPERTZ, MARTIN LOUIS) (1886-1951) Anglo-Indian author, soldier. Major in Indian Army. Author of travel books and articles about India, especially Northwest Frontier areas. Stories are mostly adventure or lost-race science-fiction set in India and vicinity, more authentic than Talbot Mundy's work, but inferior as fiction. Best work, travel book, MAGIC LADAKH (1928). 671. THE VOICE OF DASHIN Hodder and Stoughton; London [1926] Oriental adventure and a lost-race situation. * Somewhere in the Himalayas, in the Northwest Provinces of India, is a series of hidden valleys, approachable only on occasion by a temporary pass. In them live two lost races, people descended from Dardic Indo-Europeans, and others descended from proto-Tibetans. The two groups are hostile to one another. The Dards retain much of the primitive Aryan religion. They worship fairy-like beings and have a semi-sacred priestess. The Tibetans retain the ancient, bloody Bonpa religion. At the moment the Tibetans hold captive an Englishman and his daughter, friends of Major Louis Kerverso A small expedition is formed to rescue them. The resulting adventures include intrigues among the Dards, invasion of the Tibetan-held territory, war, and conquest by means of home-made cannon and a glider. Supernatural aspects include the Voice of Dashin, an aged priestess who has remarkable viSionary powers of past and future; crystals that permit similar visions; and an old prophecy that is literally fulfilled. * Strongly in the tradition of H. Rider Haggard, with a She-like figure, inflated speech and all. Ethnographically sound, literate, but rather dull .• 672. MIRROR OF DREAMS A TALE OF ORIENTAL MYSTERY Hodder and Stoughton; London 1928 Oriental adventure, intrigue, romance, and supernaturalism. * Since childhood Tom Carruthers has had a repetitive dream with a high emotional content. It is set in an Oriental milieu. * While exploring in a little-known part of the Himalayas in Ladakh, he sees mountains that he recognizes from his dreams. He also finds a mirror-like object which occasion-

GANPAT ally shows him supernatural VLSLons. He determines to return to the hidden corner and explore it more thoroughly. Two years later he does so, accompanied by his friend Oxley. They enter a hidden land through a monastery which is ostensibly Buddhist, but in reality is devoted to a far earlier goddess, the Mother of Visions. After passing through a corridor decorated with carvings showing men fighting dinosaurs and mammoths, they come upon a hidden valley which holds the ruins of a high pre-glacial civilization. The area is peopled, apart from a few primitive natives, by a modern sect which is engaged in regaining the wisdom of the pre-glacial people. Carruthers finds there a longlost great-uncle, who is head of the sect, and a beautiful young cousin, who is to become his wife. The plot now grows complicated, what with an extremely wicked Shaktic worshipper with political ambitions and links with the Bolsheviks; rapacious Central Asiatics, who plan to loot the secret valley; and the Indian secret service. Among the supernatural elements in the story are the vision-giving mirrors, which are very efficacious; the ancient wisdom of the pre-glacial people, which fits more or less into Theosophy; paranormal abilities; and a ghostly vision which Carruthers had before exploring the lost land. * Complex and confused in narrative, with poorly integrated subplots. Yet literate and-interesting for ethnography and geography. Probably an idea source for James Hilton's LOST HORIZON. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 673 • THE GARDEN OF FEAR BY ROBERT E. HOWARD AND OTHER STORIES OF THE BIZARRE AND FANTASTIC A Crawford Publication; Los Angeles [1945] paperbound Edited by William L. Crawford. * Including [a] CELEPHAIS, H. p. Lovecraft. Described elsewhere. [b] THE GOLDEN BOUGH, David H. Keller, M.D. (MARVEL TALES 1934) A dream leads Holland and his wife to the old castle, but Constance yearns for the child that Holland is either unwilling or unable to give her. In the woods she meets a man with pointed ears who is playing a syrinx. He tells her what to do. The result is horrible. Mortals, as Pan says, should not chase sunbeams. Excellent. [c] THE GARDEN OF FEAR, Robert E. Howard (MARVEL TALES 1934) Memory of a previous incarnation. Hunwulf the wanderer elopes with Gudrun and together they make their way south. A black winged man steals away Gudrun, and Hunwulf follows. The winged man lives in an ancient tower, which is surrounded by vampiric flowers, and it would seem that Hunwulf cannot rescue his wife. But he does. The narrator in the 20th century muses about the wonders which Hunwulf saw fleetingly in the tower, and could not appreciate. * The other two stories, which are undistinguished, are science-fiction. GARNETT, DAVID (1892-1981) British novelist, editor, publisher, critic, civil servant. Grandson of Richard Garnett (below), son of Edward Garnett and Constance

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GARNETT, RICHARD Black, both literary figures. Book reviewer for the NEW STATESMAN. Co-owner and editor of Nonesuch Press, one of finest private publishing houses of the century. Served in Military Intelligence in World War II and postwar years. Finest work is LADY INTO FOX, which received both the James Tait Black Memorial and Hawthornden Prizes. Has written other books, but these are not of great consequence, and he remains a one-book author. 674. LADY INTO FOX Chatto and Windus; London 1922 A comi-tragedy, ironic jeu d'esprit about a husband whose wife unaccountably and inexplicably turns into a fox. * Late 19th century England. * When Mr. Tebrick and his wife Sylvia happen to be watching a fox hunt, she suddenly metamorphoses into a fox. There is no explanation for the transformation beyond the circumstance that her maiden name was Fox. Tebrick is completely loyal to her and his love for her does not diminish, despite her new form. He protects her and his attempts to keep-alive-ln her memory of her former humanity are described in detail. But her personality gradually changes into that of a fox, and she sheds the last traces of humanness. After a time she deserts him, takes up with a dog fox, and is killed by a pack of hounds as her distraught husband tries to protect her. * Told very nicely in an archaiC, 18th century style reminiscent of Defoe. A minor masterpiece, probably the best transformation story. * This tongue-in-cheek nouvelle served to puzzle its generation, although the prevailing opinion was that Garnett had stated in fantastic terms the slanderous commonplace that many a Wife, after marriage, turns into a vixen. For parodies, see LADY INTO GEORGE FOX by Laurence Housman and GENTLEMAN INTO GOOSE by Christopher Ward. GARNETT, RICHARD (1835-1906) British scholar, poet, librarian. Associated with British Museum most of his life, where rose to position of Chief Keeper of Books, or in our terms, head librarian. A man of very wide and profound learning, he edited and introduced many books, wrote studies of Milton and Carlyle, edited Shelley's posthumous poetry, wrote a history of Italian literature, and did much other scholarly work. Today remembered for the sometimes delightful tales in THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS. 675. THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS AND OTHER TALES T. Fisher UnWin; London 1888 Short stories, including [a] THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS. Caucasus, c. 350 A.D. Prometheus, chained on his mountain, sees the eagle that torments him suddenly fall dead from the sky, while his bonds snap. It is the end of the hegemony of the Classical gods. He is free, and now a mortal. He takes up with the last priestess of Apollo. They pretend to be Christians, and Prometheus is taken to be an early martyr, supernaturally preserved. The old gods, Who make peace with Prometheus, remove themselves to Elysium, but Prometheus

GARNETT, RICHARD and his wife decide to stay on earth. [b1 THE POTION OF LAO-TSZE. China, c. 700 A.D._ The Emperor Sin-Woo, wishing to become immortal, seeks out Taoist sages to acquire the elixir of Immortality. He hears of a pair of Women who sleep in suspended animation in a cave. According to rumor, the daughter has the secret. The foolish emperor kills one of the women, but it chances to be the wrong one. When he in turn is killed by a rebellious mob, his place on the throne is taken by the survLvLng sorceress. [c1 ANAND A THE MIRACLE WORKER. (FRASER'S MAGAZINE 1872) Ananda, the favoritedisciple of the Buddha, loses his spiritual gifts as a result of pride and finds himself in a series of embarrassing and dangerous contretemps. He is assisted by supernatural forces, presumably of evil origin. When he has learned his lesson, the Buddha comes to his rescue and reveals that he has been testing and training him. [d1 THE DEMON POPE. Pope Sylvester II, c. 999 A.D., owes a boon to the Devil, who has advanced him in the Church. The Devil will take Sylvester's form and place for twelve hours. It is no lark, as the Devil discovers, for he is set upon by rebellious cardinals, who wish to depose or murder him. But when they see the Devil's cloven hoof, they all wish to make deals. Very amusing. [e1 THE DUMB ORACLE. (UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE 1878) Hellenistic Phrygia •. When the young priest Eubulides, who has succeeded to office in the temple of Apollo, learns that the famous oracle is a fraud, he leaves the area in disgust. But, some time later, hearing that the oracle has regained its voice and reputation, he returns. He finds that Apollo in Eubulides's form has been operating the oracle. Apollo will not permit Eubulides to resume his old position, but consecrates him to the service of humanity. [f1 DUKE VIRGIL. Early 13th century Italy. Who shall rule the city of Mantua? Various men put themselves forth, but the prophetess Manto urges that the long-dead Duke Virgil (the necromancer) be elected. This is done, but with such wretched regents that the city soon falls to the Imperial forces. Manto, however, has her reward in Elysium, memory intact, with Virgil. [g1 MADAM LUCIFER. When Lucifer wins a game of chess from a young man, he hears of the beautiful lady Adeliza, whom he decides to woo. But there is Luciferetta, the Devil's wife, whom really holds the sovereignty of Hell. Hell is very hot when the young man, Lucifer in the semblance of the young man, and Adeliza come before her. [h1 THE ELIXIR OF LIFE. Medieval Bactria. The sage Aboniel has found both the elixir of life and six deadly poisons. Knowing that his pupils want the elixir, he offers them a test: seven phials, seven students, one phial elixir, 6 vials poison. The students cannot accept the offer and Aboniel commits suicide, affording the ultimate irony by making his pet monkey immortal. [i1 THE POET OF PANOPOLIS. Egypt, Sth century A.D. When the bishopric of Panopolis is vacant, the previously-pagan poet Nonnus is a favored choice. But the monks and

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GARNETT, RICHARD a demon would prefer the hermit Pachymius. Apollo takes a hand. The governor, to avoid civil strife, commands that Nonnus and Pachymius should compete for the post. Apollo and the demon are arbiters. Apollo demands that Nonnus burn the bad verse he wrote in honor of the pagan god Dionysius, while the demon insists that Pachymius bathe. Neither man will yield. [j] THE PURPLE HEAD. Persia and India. The King of Persia sends a robe of unequalled purple to the Emperor Aurelianus. Both monarchs also send their wisest savant to find the secret of the purple, which lies afar in India. Borderline supernatural, in that dragons are involved. [k] THE BELL OF ST. EUSCHEMON. Medieval France. Three saints in Heaven dispute about whose bell in the small church of Epinal wards off thunderstorms. St. Euschemon goes to earth and becomes a sexton to prove the point that it is his bell. He is right, but the bell is effective because a demon is captive in it. Euschemon and the demon become friendly, but problems arise with the local bishop. [1] THE POISON MAID. Cryptomnesia, as Garnett admits, based on Hawthorne's story RAPPACCINI'S DAUGHTER. The magician Locusto has reared his daughter Mithradata in poisons, so that her kiss will kill the king's son. She rejects this role, but by chance does kiss the prince, who immediately suffers from the gravest illness-- love. The king had anticipated Locusto's action, and had reared his son in every knowr, antidote to poison. "The kiss of love is the remedy for every poison." Wi thout the profundity of Hawthorne's story, but still interesting. ;, In the 1903 (Lane; London) edition twelve more stories were added, the following of which are supernatural: [m] THE CLAW. Renaissance Venice. The young man is taken to the tower by the supernaturally aged magician Pietro di Abano, who wishes to devote him to the Devil. Pietro has a Melmoth-like compact with the Devil; if he does not supply signatories by a certain time, he perishes. The youth signs just too late, and a gigantic claw comes from the sky and takes Pietro. [n] ALEXANDER THE RATCATCHER. 17th century Italy. Rome is overrun with rats, to such an extent that it seems supernatural. The reigning pope, Alexander VIII, receives information that a strange personage known as Rattila can rid the city of rats, and meets him in the old Borgia chambers. Rattila turns out to be the shade of Pope Alexander VI, nicknamed the Ratcatcher, who wants masses said for his soul in exchange for removing his rats. It is done. [01 THE TALISMANS. The youth goes to the goblin-haunted palace, and since he has done proper tapas, demands his talisman. He is told by the old treasurer (Time) that all the traditional magical objects (Aladdin's lamp and ring, the magic mirror, the sword of victory, etc.) have lost their virtue. He then demands 'rime's forelock, at which time stops passing. Chaos is the result until Time can grow another forelock. A dream. [p] THE FIREFLY. Ironic fable. The magician yields

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GARNETT, RICHARD to the wishes of the perpetually dissatisfied firefly and turns into a star, then a lamp, then a magical lamp. [q] PAN'S WAND. Iridion has broken her lily and she must die, for she is a flower spirit. She asks Pan for help. Pan tries to conceal her from Death by transformations, but without success. The ending is a little obscure, but Death. may be coming for Pan, too. [r] A PAGE FROM THE BOOK OF FOLLY. (TEMPLE BAR 1871) Otto and Aurelia exchange rings when Otto leaves for a foreign land. Aurelia's ring is as false as Aurelia, but the Devil shows that it has magical properties. It enables Otto to see Aurelia's perfidy, but it brings him death, and damnation. [s] THE PHILOSOPHER AND THE BUTTERFLIES. (NEW AMPHION, 1886). A fable. Dialogue between a philosopher, butterflies, and a caterpillar, in which the philosopher tries to explain the facts of life to them. The point is probably mystical religion, in the Neoplatonic vein. [t] TRUTH AND HER COMPANIONS. Jupiter and his daughter Truth converse. Truth has spoken out to all classes and societies, and has been rejected, even subjected to abuse and injury. Jupiter provides her with two companions, Good Nature and Discretion. [u] THE THREE PALACES. (A VOLUNTEER HAVERSACK 1902) A fable. Three palaces represent types of experience: truth, illusion, and between them, convention. [v] NEW READINGS IN BIOGRAPHY. (THE SCOTS OBSERVER 1889) New incidents in the lives of Napoleon, Defoe, Timon of Athens, and a fable about a New York contractor and the Devil. * Best stories are [d], [i], [k], [0]. This collection of stories which cover many times and places with cosmopolitan learning is almost unique in literature. Wrily whimsical narratives, rather than formal stories, they are gracefully expressed, witty, and timeless. Only Vernon Lee has been able to work successfully in the same vein.

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GASKELL, JANE (pseud. of LYNCH, JANE) (1941 - ) British journalist, newspaperwoman, writer of fantasies. Best-known work the Atlantis trilogy, which lies beyond the time limit of this volume: THE SERPENT (1963), ATLAN (1968), THE CITY (1966). 675. STRANGE EVIL Hutchi~son; London 1957 Fantasy, romance, and adventure. Judith, a young Englishwoman, receives notice that. her cousin Dorinda will be visiting her. Dorinda is a stranger to her, since Dorinda's mother married an "Italian prince" and the families have been alienated. Dorinda arrives with her fiance, but after a time Judith discovers that they are fairies who come from an other-world to check the possible repercussions in their own world of our atomic explosions. All three remove to the fairy land where there is a situation of crisis. The population is divided into 'two hostile groups, the Internals, or fairies proper, who inhabit the interior of a mountain, and the Externals, or satyrs, centaurs, and dissident fairies, who live on the outside. The Externals suffer from lack of a vital element in the air} which element comes

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GAUTIER, THEOPHILE from the mountain, and are currently in rebellion, seeking free access to the mountain. Judith and her companions are taken as hostages. Her sympathies, however, are with the Externals, particularly when she learns that the "Italian prince" is really the evil ruler of the Internals. The Externals are victorious in the war, especially since the hypostatized cultural symbol of the Internals, a gigantic baby, runs amok and kills most of the Internals. * Written when Gaskell was only 14 years old, this is more a curiosity for its strange adolescent sexuality than a work to be taken seriously, and it is really surprising that it was published. Gaskell has since moved on to much better work. GAUTIER, THEOPHILE (1811-1872) French critic, poet, prolific journalist, dramatist, writer of fiction. Best-known in the English-speaking world for his supernatural fiction and MADEMOISELLE DE MAUPIN. While individual stories of his have been anthologized in both specialized and general collections, he has dropped out of sight, which is lamentable, since he is the most entertaining of the French Romanticists. 677. SPIRITE A FANTASY Appleton; New York 1877 SPIRITE (1866). Anonymous translation from French. A romance of 19th century Wagnerian Paris, where young Guy de Malivert, who can find no mortal woman to suit him, discovers congeniality in Spirite, the soul of a girl who died for love of him. Spirite manifests herself several times and communicates with Guy by means of automatic writing. Guy is aided by a mysterious Swedenborgian magician, but is eventually killed in Greece by bandits. He joins Spirite. * Gautier's usual elements of bizarreness and eroticism, but with a weak sentimentality not present in most of his other work. The influence of American Spiritualism is obvious. 678 . ONE OF CLEOPATRA'S NIGHTS AND OTHER FANTASTIC ROMANCES B. Worthington; New York 1882 Translated from French by Lafcadio Hearn. While Hearn's translation is not accurate, it is the most colorful and closest to the spirit of the original. Including [a] CLARIMONDE. A priest is cap(LA MORTE AMOREUSE, 1839). tivated by the charms of the courtesan Clarimonde. In his world of dreams he lives with her as a chevalier. He is saved by his superior, who opens Clarimonde's grave and reveals her as a vampire. [b] ARRIA ~~RCELLA. (ARRIA MARCELLA, 1852) Octavian, sightseeing in the ruins of Po~peii, sighs at the cast of a woman. When he revisits the ruins at night, he is drawn into the past, the world of the moon, where he meets Arria Marcella, the young woman whose cast he saw. He seems to be living a vivid life in Ancient Rome until Marcella's father appears, denouncing her as a lamia, lc] OMPHALE: A ROCOCO STORY. (OMPHALE 1845) A young man has as his mistress a long-dead countess portrayed as Omphale

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GAUTIER, THEOPHlLE on· a tapestry. [d] THE MUMMY'S FOOT. (LE PIED DE MOMIE 1863). A young man who wants an unusual paperweight buys the foot of an Egyptian mummy. But its beautiful young owner appears to him at night and begs for her foot. * The glamour and fascination of the past, told with a fine mixture of sentimentality and horror. 679. AVATAR OR THE DOUBLE TRANSFORMATION Vizete11y; London 1888 (AVATAR 1856). Ironic treatment of love and occultism. * M. Octavius de Saville, who is dying of a mysterious disease, consults Dr. Cherbonneau, who has just returned from India. The two men soon discover what is wrong: Octavius's soul is trying to leave its body, and the cause is unrequited love. While in Italy he had fallen in love with the fair and virtuous Countess Prascovia Labinsky, who did not return his passion. And now the countess and her husband are in Paris. Cherbonneau offers a solution: while in India he learned the technique of separating soul and body. He will place Octavius's soul in Labinski's body. The doctor treacherously invites Labinski to see the wonders of his laboratory, places him in a trance, and shifts souls. Octavius in Labinski's body rushes to the Labinsky residence, hoping to make love to Prascovia. But she senses something strange about him and refuses to go to bed with him. The count, too, has difficulties. For a time he does not realize what has happened and is in danger of being considered insane. But in Octavius's apartment he learns the secret of Octavius's love. He obtains no satisfaction from Cherbonneau, and thereupon challenges Octavius. By now Octavius realizes that the countess will not accept him and his fundamental decency reasserts itself. After overpowering the count in the duel, he offers to reexchange bodies. Cherbonneau undertakes the operation again, but Octavius's soul drifts away. As the crowning incident, Cherbonneau makes out a will in favor of Octavius, dies, and leaps into Octavius's empty body-- to renewed youth. * Light, amusing, skilfully handled. While the edition cited is the first English translation, Sumichrast's translation, listed below, is better. 680. JETTATURA [with A NOBLE SACRIFICE by Paul Feva1 and THE BLACK PEARL by Sardou] Brentano's; New York 1888 JETTATURE (1857). Italian folkways and the irony of fate. * Italy. Paul d'Aspremont, amiable, personable young Frenchman, has one serious fault, about which he knows nothing: he has the evil eye. People he looks at sicken and die; accidents take place in his presence; misfortune befalls his friends. He is in love with Alicia Ward, a beautiful young Englishwoman, but his presence is endangering her life. After a full exposure to Italian folkways concerning the evil eye and a stream of insults, Paul finally recognizes his condition, but he does not know what to do about it. He tries not to look at Alicia, but this proves 1mpossib1e. After he is forced into a duel with an Italian nobleman, one of Alicia's other

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THE GENTLEMAN IN BLACK admirers, he sees that there is only one thing to do. He blinds himself with a red-hot iron. But even this is of no help. Alicia has been so weakened that she dies. A ghost is also present. * While the ghost is an unnecessary factor, the remainder of the novel is well worked out, and the description of Italian types is good. The present translation, apparently the first in English, is much inferior to Sumichrast's, listed below. 681. THE GASCON EDITION THE COMPLETE WORKS OF THEOPHILE GAUTIER TRANSLATED AND EDITED BY PROFESSOR F. C. DE SUMICHRAST, HARVARD Postlethwaite, Taylor and Knowles, Ltd.; London and New York 1901 12 vol. The title is misleading, for this is by no means the complete works of Gautier. * Volume III contains ROMANCE OF A MUMMY, which is not fantastic enough to be carried separately, although it describes the Biblical contest between Moses and Aaron and the magicians of Pharaoh. Volume IV contains ONE OF CLEOPATRA'S NIGHT and KING CANDAULES, both insufficiently fantastic for our purposes. * Volume VI contains [a] SPIRITE. [b] THE VAMPIRE. Alternate title for CLARIMONDE • [c] ARRIA MARCELLA. [d ] THE MUMMY'S FOOT. * Volume VIII contains [e] AVATAR and [f] JETTATURA. * Volume XI contains [f] OMPHALE. * This is the closest there is to a standard translation of Gautier's major works. [ANONYMOUS] 61'\2. THE GENTLEMAN IN BLACK WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY GEORGE CRUIKSHANK William Kidd; London [1830] The diabolic bond, with satirical intent. The mode is really early Victorian (despite the date), rather than Romantic. * France and England, the 1780's on. * The Devil, in the semblance of a somewhat seedy gentleman in black, approaches two men individually and offers each a bond: limitless wealth in exchange for sin. During the first year of the bond, each is to sin for one second; the second year, two seconds, and so on, doubling each year. Neither Charles Maxwell, the Englishman, nor Louis Desonges, the Frenchman, is mathematically inclined, and they accept the bond. Both lead reasonable though extravagant lives for a time. The reckoning comes when they learn that the burden of sin each year is longer than a year. Maxwell invokes the aid of a crafty English lawyer, who outwits the Devil. The lawyer proves that the Devi1's cash has been counterfeit, since the Devil has been making it himself, and the Devil agrees to let Maxwell off in exchange for a check based on financial speculation. The Frenchman accepts the help of a Jesuit and obtains a papal cancellation of the bond. * A trivial example of the popular literature of the day. It has been attributed to either James Dalton or John Yonge Akerman, with Dalton apparently the stronger claimant. GEROULD, KATHARINE FULLERTON (1879-1944) American writer, educator (Bryn Mawr).

GEROULD, KATHARINE FULLERTON 683. VALIANT DUST Scribners; New York 1922 Short stories, including [a] LOUQUIER'S THIRD ACT. Near Winnipeg. Louquier, an actor in semi-retirement, settles in near solitude near the river. His isolation is broken by the invasion of some sort of hostile, invisible spiritual entity, which attacks him psychically. He fights off invasion after invasion, and seems to defeat it by resorting to violent emotion, but the entity tricks him into physical violence and wins. [b] BELSHAZZAR'S LETTER. At a house party the talk turns to matters occult and it is decided to attempt automatic writing. Some of the pads remain blank, but one, that of Fenwick, is covered with writing purporting to come from Jack Hi11es, the dead brother of one of the Women present. The interesting part of the story is the emotional impact of the phenomenon on the members of the party. The sister of the dead man rages hysterically; the writer is in a funk. To prevent embarrassment the host suggests telepathy, since the highly discreditable material was known to him. But this is a transparent fiction. The story ends with a question. Was the writing faked by the host as a warning to Fenwick, or did it emerge from Fenwick's unconscious mind? * Excellent stories, well-developed Edwardian character analysis, good sense of drama. GERRARE, WIRT (pseud. of GREENER, WILLIAM 0.) (1862 - ? ) British novelist, authority on firearms, member of a family who specialized in the literature of firearms. Apparently had some acquaintance with Russia and Russian culture. 684. RUFIN'S LEGACY A THEOSOPHICAL ROMANCE Hutchinson; London [1892] In many ways a pre-Stoker DRACULA. Manuscripts of Rufin Petrovitch Osooroff. * In Russia Madame Fe1ician, a witch with mesmeric powers, is the head of a secret organization. She has a stock of fantastic drugs, can send her astral body out to possess other bodies, and is unspeakably evil. After conflict, chase, and turmoil (including a supernaturally induced suicide), Madame Felician dies. * A mixture of sensationalism based on the career of Madame Blavatsky and motifs from the crime novels of the day. * Badly told and incredible. GHIDALIA, VIC [TOR] (1926 American anthologist, publicist for the American Broadcasting Company. Has specialized in theme anthologies. This is a partial listing. AS EDITOR: 685. THE MUMMY WALKS AMONG US A. E. P.; Middletown, Conn. [1971] paperbound The theme is the reanimated mummy. * Including, described elsewhere, [a] A VISITOR FROM EGYPT, Frank Belknap Long. [b] THE MUMMY'S FOOT, Theophile Gautier. [c] THE EYES OF THE MUMMY, Robert Bloch. [d] THE VENGEANCE OF AI, August Derleth and Mark Schorer. [e] MONKEYS, E. F. Benson. * Also, [fJ THE MAN IN CRESCENT TERRACE, Seabury Quinn. (WT 1946) A wounded girl comes pattering out of the dark

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GHIDALIA, VIC to Trowbridge and Grandin; a bum is found slashed to death; and there is a secret society which practices reanimating the dead. The villain is modelled upon A1eister Crowley. [g] THE NAMELESS MUMMY, Ar1ton Eadie (WT 1932). The young curator encounters a beautiful woman who knows more Egyptology than he does, and together they open the mummy case of Mark Antony. The woman is Cleopatra, and she seems to have learned a trick from A. Conan Doyle. * [f] is one of Quinn's better stories. 686. EIGHT STRANGE TALES Fawcett Publications; Greenwich, Conn. 1972 paperbound Short stories, including, described elsewhere, [a] THE SECOND INTERMENT, Clark Ashton Smith [b] THE YELLOW WALL PAPER, Charlotte Perkins Stetson. [c] BY WATER, Algernon Blackwood. [d] THE SNOUT, Edward Lucas White. [e] A WIG FOR MISS DE VORE, August Derleth. * Also [f] DIG ME NO GRAVE, Robert E. Howard. (WT 1937) Old John Grimlan has just died, and his funerary arrangements are suggestive: his corpse is to be placed on a table with seven black candles and his executor is to read a certain spell. Grimlan was 300 years old, and his bond with Melek Taos has just run out. * One of Howard' s ~leaker stories. The manner of E. Hoffmann Price is not congenial to him, and the device is not well sustained. 687. WIZARDS AND WARLOCKS Manor Books; New York 1972 paperbound The theme is magic. Described elsewhere, [a] THE SECRET OF SEBEK, Robert Bloch. [b] IN THE LEFT WING, August Derleth and Mark Schorer. [c] THE NECROMANTIC TALE, Clark Ashton Smith. [d] YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN, Nathaniel Hawthorne. [e] CASTING THE RUNES, M.R. James. [f] THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MRS. MACRECHAM, Richard Marsh. [g] APPRENTICE MAGICIAN, E. Hoffmann Price. * Also [h] SO SWEET AS MAGIC, Bruce Elliott. (FANTASY FICTION 1956) Short novel. Bardoni, a capable stage magician, is approached by the Count Saint Germain. What their conversation was about, Bardoni does not remember, for he was drunk, but he awakens in an other-world, parallel to ours, and almost identical, except that in it supernatural magic is valid. He learns that Saint Germain is a harbinger of great disaster. Bardoni himself is in danger. Using black magic taught to him by friendly fellow magicians, he invokes the god Adonis and ventures into Ancient Egypt to learn what he should do. He returns to our world and foils Saint Germain, Who had been exploiting Bardoni's counterpart from the other-world to work real magic. * Of some small interest for conveying the atmosphere and personalities (in disguise) of the modern world of legerdemain, but as a story, weak and erratic. 6~R. THE DEVIL'S GENERATION Lancer Books; New York 1973 paperbound "Populating a neighborhood of netherwor1ds, these little monsters • • • teach their elders the uncanny rules of the game." The theme is children, but it is not followed too rigorously. * Including, described elsewhere, [a]

GHIDALIA,

VIC

THE BLACK FERRIS, Ray Bradbury. [b] MR. LUPESCU, Anthony Boucher. [c] THE OTHER WING, Algernon B}ackwood. [d] CALL HIM DEMON, Henry Kuttner. (THRILLING WONDER STORIES 1946). The mysterious being masquerading as a human, the Other Uncle, and the horrible monster who lives in another dimension and needs raw meat for survival, are aspects of the same entity. This is the fantasy world of the children. On adult side, psychopathic crime caused by a cruel and thoughtless child. The author permits either interpretation. One of Kuttner's finest stories. [el FLORAL TRIBUTE, Robert Bloch. (WT 1949) The boy who lives next to a cemetery with his old grandmother is acquainted with many visitors. When he returns after World War II, he finds the old house, his grandmother (although she had died), and many new visitors from the cemetery. The title comes from the family penchant of taking cemetery grave flowers for house decorations. Nicely told. [f] THE PLACE IN THE WOODS, Aug-. ust Derleth. (1962) The farm children play in the woods and inadvertently activate ancient rituals. They are saved by the opportune arrival and death of old Tom, the hired man. One of Derleth's better stories. * The other stories are science-fiction. A good collection. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 689. GHOST STORIES COLLECTED WITH A PARTICULAR VIEW TO COUNTERACT THE VULGAR BELIEF IN GHOSTS AND APPARITIONS R. Ackermann; London 1823 A collection of contemporary fiction based on the theme of false supernaturalism. In some cases the seemingly supernatural is an accidental event that is misinterpreted, in other cases it is fraud or imposture. The stories, most of which are short, sometimes narratives rather than formal short stories, are probably reprinted from various collections and periodical sources. Some are obviously of foreign origin. The publisher, Ackermann, is renowned for his beautiful books containing colored mezzotints, and the present volume is attractively illustrated with six colored plates. * All fiction is anonymous. [a] THE GREEN MANTLE OF VENICE. Translated from German and sometimes attributed to C. H. Heun. A short novel set in South Germany. It deals with the exploits of Green Mantle, purportedly a supernatural being with ghostly powers, who saves a beautiful young woman and her father from the French occupational forces. Green Mantle is really a lover, with a bag of elaborate tricks much like Gothic motifs. [b] THE GHOST OF LARNEVILLE. A dog. [c] BARBITO, OR THE SPECTRE OF THE CUENZA. Spain. Don Lopez, as a lark, stages his own funeral and goes off to the wars. When he returns he is taken to be an evil spirit. [d] THE VILLAGE APPARITION. The pastor and his daughter see a ghost. It is explained as a projection mischievously perpetrated by a travelling expert in optical apparatus. [e] THE HAUNfED CASTLE. A fearful goblin. A Gothic situati,on, either coiners or a secret SOCiety. [f] A LONDON GHOST. A corpse walks-- but merely to provide

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GHOST STORIES AND OTHER QUEER TALES robbers with assistance. [g] THE DESERTER'S GHOST. A prankster terrorizes the Prussian soldiers. [h] THE WATER SPIRIT. Fraud. [i] THE FRIAR'S GHOST IN THE IMPERIAL PALACE AT VIENNA. The Great Elector of Saxony serves a sham ghost badly. [j] THE GHOST OF GENERAL MARCEAU. A smugglers' trick. [k] THE GHOST OF COUNT WALKENRIED. Paris. It visits a banker and discusses a message to be sent to its father. Imposture. [1] THE EXTRAORDINARY CONFESSION OF A GHOST. France. A Gothic situation. A prisoner. [m] THE DEVIL AND THE PRUSSIAN GRENADIER. The Devil is seen walking. A smugglers' trick. [n] THE DANGER OF TAMPERING WITH THE FEAR OF GHOSTS., Bernhardi engages to insult a corpse in its tomb, and is found, the next morning, the victim of a stroke. [0] THE HAUNTED INN. A somnambulist. [p] THE BEAR OF FRIEDRICHSHALL. Norway. A bear demon; an enemy soldier in disguise. [q] THE ENAMOURED GHOST. A giant, horrible spirit with a flaming head; a resourceful lover who is braving parental disapproval. [r] MARIANNE. The returned dead. Confusion of identity among the dead, lunatics, and look-alikes. A rationalized version of the doppelganger, a favorite device among Romantic writers. * This British edition does not seem to have been popular, probably because of its editorial position. In America, however, this book was soon reprinted, and it went through many editions, on up to the middle 1860's. An edition issued by James Miller (New York, 1865) was examined. This contains stories [a] through [p], but does not contain [q] and [r]. It adds, [s] THE COLD HAND. In an inn, a clammy hand passes over the narrator's face. [t] THE HARVARD COLLEGE GHOST. A falsified haunting causes madness. Possibly of "factual" origin. [u] GARRICK'S GHOST. A tradition about Garrick: that he pretended to be sick and went secretly to the theatre to impersonate himself. [v] APPARITION OF LORD WILLIAM PETTY. A ghost and premonitions, with Dr. Priestley. Not explained, presumably "factual." * These American editions are illustrated with woodcuts by Darnley. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 690. GHOST STORIES AND OTHER QUEER TALES C. A. Pearson; London [1931] Mostly crude horror. [a] THE ARMLESS MAN, W. G. Litt. An amputee gains new, invisible arms of spiritual matter. When these are acCidentally cut off, he bleeds to death. [b] THE TERROR BY NIGHT, Lewis Lister. Maynard aCCidentally invokes an ancient pagan god who attacks him. He escapes by crawling into an iron hoop, the deity being allergic to iron. [c] THE LAST ASCENT, Ernest R. Punshon. Air mystery. A creature like a human female that haunts the upper air. [d] THE MAILED FOOT, Hermina Black and Edith Blair-Staples. When the honor of the Flaxham women is at stake, the ghost puts its foot down. It tramples the seducer to death. [e] THE PIPERS OF MALLORY, Theo Douglas. (pseud .. of Mrs. H. Everett) Ghostly bagpipers announce death in a Scottish

GHOST STORIES AND OTHER QUEER TALES family. [f] THE JUNGLE, Paul Eardley. The revenant of a discarded native mistress. [g] THE EIGHTH LAMP, Roy Vickers. Murder among railroad men. The victim returns to punish his wife's seducer. [h] THE UNKNOWN QUANTITY, E. R. Punshon. Murder, to obtain research funds, and ghostly revenge. [i] THE TOMTOM CLUE, Cecil Morgan and Scudamore Jarvis. Borderline supernatural. A tomtom skin proves innocence. [j] THE CASE OF SIR ALISTER MORRAN, Margaret Strickland. He is a were-tiger. [k) THE KISS, M.E. Royce. From a dead man. [1] THE GOTH, Roy Vickers. A sunken village, the sight of which means death by drowning. [m] THE TRAGEDY AT THE "LOUP NOIR," Gladys Stern. Derivative from THE MYSTERIOUS SKETCH by Erckmann-Chatrian. An artist paints enough of a supernaturally revealing picture to be apprehended by the police, but when the picture is finished, the true criminal is taken. [n] THE HAUNTED CHESSMEN, E.R. Punshon. (WT 1930). A set of living chessmen, made of human bone, force their owner to play, with life as the stake. [0] THE SECOND CHANCE, Hubert Dayne. A murder could have been prevented in another incarnation. In this incarnation, a second chance. [p) THE MAN WHO GOT BACK, William Pollock. A real bridge fiend. The dead man kept his promise to be the fourth. * [1] and [n] are effective, but the remainder of the stories are reminiscent of WEIRD TALES of the 1920's. [g] and [1] seem to be the only supernatural fiction by Vickers, who is an important writer of mystery fiction. GILBERT, WILLIAM (1804-1890) British novelist, writer on social reform, miscellaneous author. Father of W.S. Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan fame. 691. THE WIZARD OF THE MOUNTAIN A. Strahan; London 1867 2 vol. Connected short stories built around the personality of the Innominato, an astrologer, seer, and wizard of 13th century Italy. The Innominato is consulted by various parties who ask his aid. * [a] THE DOCTOR ONOFRIO. A wicked lawyer is given wealth and renewed youth by the Innominato on condition that he use them properly. For each misdeed that he commits, his life span will be halved. In almost no time at all he is back at his starting point and dead of old age. [b] FRA GEROLAMO. A priest who has the opportunity to win wealth renounces it at the urging of a vision. [c] THE MAGIC FLOWER. A bourgeois girl wishes to marry a young nobleman, despite the disapproval of his father, the Duke. The Innominato gives her a flower. It may be magical. [d] THE LAST LORDS OF GARDONAL. A wicked nobleman who desires a beautiful young peasant woman unintentionally murders her. The Innominato promises to bring her back to life if the nobleman releases certain hostages. She is revived, but as a vampire. [e] TOMAS AND PEPINA. An aged couple asks for renewed youth, but the best that the Innominato can do is give a youthful body to one and a youthful mind to the other. [f] THE ROBBER CHIEF. A robber clashes

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GILCHRIST, MURRAY with the Innominato and his ghost is later condemned to haunt a palace until his evil is expiated. [g] DON BUCEFALO AND THE CURATE. An avaricious priest and a clerk plan to use the wizard. The priest wants money and the clerk wants forgetfulness, to quiet his nerves, since he is holding some money illegally. Both get what they wish, but too well. [h] THE PHYSICIAN;S DAUGHTER. A young woman wants her lover to be restored to health. The Innominato gives her a plant token for him. [i] THE TWO LOVERS. The wizard's magic satchel, which transforms stones to gold, is instrumental in ridding a girl of a worthless suitor. [j] THE STRANGER The wizard lies dying and a strange demonic being, mysteriously invisible, then Visible, is to be found in the castle. It is cleac that the wizard may nave sold his soul to the Devil. [k] THE INNOMlNATO'S CONFESSION. As a young man he planned to become a priest, but was sidetracked to a secular life and the study of magic. Aided by a certain Malatesta, he gained magical powers, but at the expense of foreswearing all religion. He refused to sell his soul, however, when it became obvious that the Devil was involved. The ghost of his wife helped him in his resolve, and since then he has lived an exemplary life, using his gifts to do good. He dies well. * A good period piece. GILCHRIST, [ROBERT] MURRAY (1868-1917) British journalist, author. Now remembered mostly as a regionalist (Derbyshire), although earlier work was in a very different vein. 692. THE STONE DRAGON AND OTHER TRAGIC ROMANCES Methuen; London 1894 Very purple fin-de-siecle short stories, including, [a] MIDSUMMER MADNESS. 18th century England? Rupert is about to marry Phyllida, but she is strangely cold. There has obviously been another love in her past. The marriage takes place. Rupert sees her walking with Cuthbert, her previous lover, and knows that his love is lost. But (though this is implied and not stated) Cuthbert is dead and the Phyllida with him was her doppelganger. As she says, ''Dead love has slain my passion." [b] WITCH IN-GRAIN. The narrator sees Michal, obviously under the influence of Witchcraft, and watches the old witch Benmusk being tortured. Benmusk finally talks, telling the narrator to go to Baldus's tomb at night. He goes there and finds Michal, wrapped in flame, while a black shape approaches. Michal had been the master-witch. [c] THE RETURN. When the narrator returns, after years abroad making his fortune, he finds much changed in the village. He meets Rose Pascal, his old sweetheart, and they spend an idyllic night in the open. The next morning the narrator awakens to find himself beside the crossroad grave of Rose, who had committed suicide many years before. [d] THE BASILISK. The basilisk is both figurative and literal. The young man's lover breaks the spell of the basilisk, but dies. [e] THE PAGEANT OF GHOSTS. The narrator watches a horde of ghosts march through

GILCHRIST, MURRAY the hall. History. * Sometimes obscure, semisymbolic at times, overwritten in a sensuous style reminiscent of Shiel's. Probably as close to Beardsley in prose as one can get, although the quality is not always present. GILLIES, R(OBERT] P[EARSE] (1788-1858) British author of literary remLnLscences of importance, poet, novelist, translator. Associated with Sir Walter Scott and Scott's publisher, Constable. AS EDITOR AND TRANSLATOR: 693. GERMAN STORIES SELECTED FROM THE WORKS OF HOFFMANN, DE LA MOTTE FOUOUE, PICHLER, KRUSE, AND OTHERS William Blackwood; Edinburgh, T. Cadell, London 1826 3 vol. Mostly material that is not supernatural, but including [a] THE SISTERS, Anonymous. Alternate title for THE FATED HOUR, Anonymous, described elsewhere. [b] THE SPECTRE BRIDE, Anonymous. Alternate title for THE DEATH BRIDE, Anonymous, described elsewhere. [c] ROLANDSITTEN, E. T. A. Hoffmann. Alternate title for THE ENTAIL, described elsewhere for context. * Also [d] THE FIRST OF MAY, OR WALLBURGA'S NIGHT, Anonymous. 17 th century Switzerland. Gertrude and Alice are both in love with Rudolf, but Alice wins. Gertrude, Who already has a bad name for witchery, now betakes herself to an old witch and joins the witch cult. One "evening, some years later, on Walpurgis night, Gertrude drags Alice out, flies with her on a broom to the far north (perhaps the Brocken), and abandons her there. It is years before Alice reaches home again. She finds that Gertrude has assumed her shape and is living with Rudolf. The witch yields before holy water and the wrongs are righted. [e] THE WARNING, Anonymous. The late Hofrath E----- tells of an incident in his youth. While travelling, he was informed by a ghost that he should avoid Waldheim's residence; Waldheim is murdering travellers for their money. * The translation is capable, but the described fiction is not important. [ANONYMOUS ANTHOLOGY] 694. THE GIRL WITH THE HUNGRY EYES AND OTHER STORIES Avon Books; New York [1949] paperbound Short stories, including [a] THE GIRL WITH THE HUNGRY EYES, Fritz Leiber, Jr. Set in the world of modern advertising, the girl, a poster queen, is a psychic vampire. She is responsible for a chain of death. Allegory of hucksterism. [b] MRS. MANIFOLD, Stephen Grendon. (pseud. of August Der1ech) Mrs. Manifold runs a cheap hotel for seamen in Wapping and is watchful for men from Singapore. Revenant. [c] DAYDREAM, P. Schuyler Miller. As boys James and Charles make elaborate paper figures and play games with them, using them as actors. One such figure is Mr. Mudge. In a painful episode later in life Mr. Mudge and his cat take part. [d] COME INTO MY PARLOR, Manly Wade Wellman. A gardinel, a semisupernatural, carnivorous plant that attracts and traps men. Told with good Carolina local

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GLOAG, JOHN color. * This collection, presumably edited by Donald A. Wollheim, also contains William Tenn's "Venus and the Seven Sexes," which is science-fiction. * A good selection. GLASGOW, ELLEN (1874-1945) American regionalist (Virginia) author. Fiction is mostly apologetic for Southern culture, particularly ante-bellum period. An excellent craftsman, highly regarded critically. Pulitzer prize, 1942. Best-known works, THE ROMANTIC COMEDIANS (1926), THEY STOOPED TO FOLLY (1929). 695. THE SHADOWY THIRD AND OTHER STORIES Doubleday, Page; Garden City, N.Y. 1923 Virginia regionalist setting; psychological ghost stories, fully developed. * Including [a] THE SHADOWY THIRD. A sordid story told in supernatural terms. Guilt. A nurse attending the supposedly insane wife of a wealthy young doctor learns that the doctor is really trying to gain control of his wife's money. The wife's only abnormality is that she can see the ghost of her dead child, but the nurse (and one of the Black servants) can also see it. After the doctor has put his wife away in an asylum, he meets his fate through the indirect means of the ghost. [b] DARE'S GIFT. The memory of treachery reaches out from the past. Sir Roderick Dare, who betrayed Bacon's Rebellion, saturated the pre-Revolutionary mansion with the psychic residue of his crime. In the present a lawyer finds his case ruined by treachery, while in the War between the States a young woman betrayed her Yankee lover, Who was hidden in one of the rooms of the house. [c] THE PAST. Selfish and unselfish love contrasted. The deceased Mrs. Vanderbridge haunts Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbridge, and is driving the present wife to death. The ghost is exorcised by renunciation. [d] WHISPERING LEAVES. Young Pelham is guarded by the ghost of Mammy, an old Black servant. She saves his life on several occasions. * Very capable, interesting stories, which invoke supernaturalism in a sophisticated manner to account for an emotion or predisposition. GLOAG, JOHN (1896 One of the leading British authorities on history and aesthetics of industrial design, furniture design, domestic architecture, everyday life in the past, and similar topics. Many books on such subjects; best-known work is ENGLISH FURNITURE, which has gone through many editions. Also has written a considerable amount of fiction. 696. IT MAKES A NICE CHANGE Nicholson and Watson; London 1938 Short stories, including [a] ANCESTOR WORSHIP. A memory technique for regaining ancestral memory. A fraud. [b] NOW HE'S WARNED. A ghost story told as a warning. [c] LATE GUEST. A ghost who is a compulsive appointment keeper. [d] PENDULUM. (LONDON MERCURY 1936) After an aCCident, the psyche of the narrator leaves his body and watches time far into the future, then reverses and travels into the past. This

GLOAG, JOHN continues, like a pendulum, until he settles in the present and awakens. But life holds nothing for him after such a visionary experience. [e) WAVE LENGTH. When the Rev. Colin Dallaway is struck by lightning, he acquires a new and distressing sense: hearing the thoughts of others. He overhears a plan for murder. [f) GALLEY TROT BLIND. Attacks by a spectral hound that apparently guards an ancient treasure, the blood of St. Botolph. The treasure is found and discovered to be rubies. But there is a switch ending, fraud. [g) JUST A MYSTERY. The protagonist plans his own death to further an inexplicable cosmic plan. [h) THE SLIT. A technique for seeing past and future. It does not work too well. [i) RESTORATION. Leldon Abbey was torn down during the Reformation, but the last descendant of the original mason, a blind jerry builder, as a sort of compensation for the wretched work that he did, recreates supernaturally the appearance of the original abbey. * Some of these stories may have been written for radio broadcast, whence their skimpiness and narrative quality. 697. FIRST ONE AND TWENTY Allen and Unwin; London 1946 A collection from previous volumes. Including, described elsewhere, [a) PENDULUM. [b) WAVE LENGTH. [c) RESTORATION. * Also, [d) DOUBLE BROADCAST. Telepathy. The narrator, in New York for the World's Fair, finds himself in a woman's body in London. Her husband is poisoning her. A message left by the narrator is not enough for prosecution. [e) CONTINUITY. Bill, living atop an old Roman site, has a recurrent, progressive dream. His death by a barbarian's axe in Roman Britain is paralleled in our time. [f) "THINGS'LL REACH OUT FOR YOU." A haunted wood in which a stubborn academic is lost for thirty years. [g) NOT FOR THE BEST. A sermon in which afterdeath experiences are discussed as mystical absorption. [h) JUNGLE. Sensuous reminiscences of the world of a leopard in the jungle. How the transformation took place is ~ot remembered. Madness. Nicely imagined. GLOSSOP, REGINALD British author. Has written several fantastic novels, most of which fall into the category of weird science-fiction. 698. THE ORPHAN OF SPACE G. MacDonald; London 1926 Thriller. * Taoist magic and western science unite to overthrow the Soviet dictator who threatens the world. Li Huang-Hai, a Chinese savant, discovers a secret held by his alchemist ancestor: the earth is a living being. Enlisting the help of the earth, he strikes Soviet headquarters with an atomic explosion. * Unusual in idea, but clumSily written. GODDARD, RICHARD E. British novelist; also writer on business topics, GENERAL CARGO, AN INTRODUCTION TO SALESMANSHIP. No biographical information has been found.

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GODWIN, WILLIAM 699. THE WHISTLING ANCESTORS Stanley Smith; London 1936 A thriller based on voodoo, a sex-mad mulatto, vivisection, and a dastardly plot to overthrow Whj.te civilization and set up an empire of devil-worshippers. * Worthing, sidewalk artist, hero, is pitted against a voodoo-master who has kidnapped two girls, one for lust, the other for sacrifice. Other elements include zombies; vivisection to create a new race of fauns and nymphs; voodoo gods that whistle; and the final triumph of good. Caspar Pettifranc, the voodoo-master, has escaped, however, and the author promises a sequel, which, so far as I know, has not been published. GODWIN, WILLIAM (1756-1836) British novelist, political theorist, historian, biographer, miscellaneous writer, novelist, cultural influence. A man of great but flawed genius, he was teacher to most of the younger generation of Romanticists, including Coleridge and Shelley. Along with wife Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, one of the leading figures in the liberal movement of late 18th, early 19th centuries. In fiction most important work is THINGS AS THEY ARE (1794), better known as CALEB WILLIAMS, social novel that is also the most important pre-modern detective novel. Father of Mary Godwin Shelley. A giant of English literature. 700. ST. LEON A TALE OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY G. G. and J. Robinson; London 1799 4 vol. After the success of CALEB WILLIAMS Godwin determined to write another novel. "It struck me that if I could 'mix human feelings and passions with incredible situations' I must thus attain a sort of novelty." The result was ST. LEON, the trials and tribulations of a man who owns the philosophers' stone and immortality, but is unable to enjoy their benefits. The theme that money is not everything, and may even be a burden., is, of course, ironic for Godwin, Whose financial problems are well known. * 16th century France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Hungary. Reginald de St. Leon, scion of ·a noble French family, has served well in the Italian wars. He returns home, marries, and rears a family. But when he takes his son to Paris to attend the university, a weakness in St. Leon's character becomes evident: he gambles away his patrimony. With the help of his Wife, who is a stronger, more stable person, he retires to Switzerland, where he becomes a small farmer. The family takes to the pastoral life well enough, but a natural catastrophe wipes out their labors, and they are faced with ruin. At about this time a mysterious stranger appears and begs refuge. The stranger is being hunted through the land, although he swears that he is not a criminal. In gratitude the stranger makes a proposal to St. Leon: he will reveal a great secret if St. Leon agrees to tell no one about it, not even his wife. For a time St. Leon refuses to take the oath, but when the stranger lies dying, agrees. The secret is manufacturing gold, and, as a by-product, the elixir of life. * This

GODWIN, WILLIAM secret, unfortunately, does not bring happiness to St. Leon, any more than it did to the stranger. St. Leon is of a cold and selfish nature, and he immediately thinks of his family as insects of an hour, and becomes estranged from them. He also has difficulties with the local authorities, who question him about his sudden wealth and the fate of the stranger. He cannot give satisfactory answers and is put in prison, but he buys his way out and escapes to Italy. In Pisa, where he settles, he is taken to be a magician, and is again forced to flee. By now he realizes that he is a pariah, and after his wife's death he decides to disappear as St. Leon and assume new identities. This is successful for a time, but in Spain he is held prisoner for twelve years by the Inquisition and escapes death by the merest chance, as the victims are being led out to the auto da fe. He now moves to Hungary, when, in Buda, he sets himself up as a philanthropist and entrepreneur, hoping to form a base of gratitude that will protect him. This, too, fails. The Turks believe that he is building up revanchism; the Austrians believe that he is working for the Turks to prevent uprisings; and the peasants hate him for their own reasons. He is imprisoned by Bethlen Gabor and forced to make gold. On his escape, he encounters unexpected difficulties from his own son. St. Leon is' youthful in appearance, and his son does not recognize him, but believes that St. Leon is trying to steal his fiancee. At this point St. Leon leaves the area and the novel ends abruptly. * As is the case with Godwin's other fiction ST. LEON is long and turgid, with perpetual analysis of and reflection on psychology and social philosophy. Despite the historical setting, there is no real attempt to convey Renaissance life or cultural personalities. The characters (and many of the situations) are stock, sentimental material from the 18th century. Yet Godwin is a powerful, thought-provoking writer and ST. LEON is well worth reading. It is also an obvious source for much that recurs in FRANKENSTEIN. * The edition read was the 1850 reprint (Bentley; London) of the 1831 edition, with the second preface or Advertisement. ) GOLD, H[ORACE] L[EONARD] (1914 American author, editor, anthologist of Canadian birth. Edited GALAXY MAGAZINE, BEYOND, and IF. Gold was an excellent editor and in its early days GALAXY was a leading magazine. 701. THE OLD DIE RICH AND OTHER SCIENCE FICTION STORIES Crown Publishers; New York 1955 A dozen stories, mostly science-fiction, but including [a] TROUBLE WITH WATER. (UNK 1939) Ethnic humor, combined with rather dubious folklore. Greenberg, a concessionaire at Rockaway, has the misfortune to insult a water gnome, who puts a curse on him: Greenberg cannot come into contact with water. While this situation is good for business, for rain avoids Greenberg's business area, the disadvantages are obvious and frightful. Told with a good range of folkways. One of the classics of fan-

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GORMAN, HERBERT S. tasy humor, and much the best story that Gold has written. [b] AND THREE TO GET READY. (FANTASTIC 1952) Psychiatric ward of a hospital. A little man begs to be admitted and restrained. His problem is odd: if he mentions anyone's name three times, that person dies. The rationale is handled with deliberate ambiguity. * This is not the first appearance for [a], which is frequently anthologized. GOREY, EDWARD [ST. JOHN] (1925Modern American artist, whose little volumes of macabre verse (or prose) and accompanying pen and ink drawings are among the best humor in the genre. Designer of camp DRACULA for New York stage. A very gifted artist in a narrow range. AS EDITOR: 702. THE HAUNTED LOOKING GLASS GHOST STORIES CHOSEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY EDWARD GOREY Looking Glass Library; New York 1959 Containing [a] THE EMPTY HOUSE, Aigernon Blackwood. [b] AUGUST HEAT, W. F. Harvey. [c] THE SIGNALMAN, Charles Dickens. [d] A VISITOR FROM DOWN UNDER, L. P. Hartley. [e] THE THIRTEENTH TREE, R. H. Malden. [f] THE BODY-SNATCHER, R. L. Stevenson. [g] MAN-SIZE IN MARBLE, E. Nesbit. [h] THE JUDGE'S HOUSE, Bram Stoker. [i] THE SHADOW OF A SHADE, Tom Hood. [j] THE MONKEY'S PAW, W. W. Jacobs. [k] THE DREAM WOMAN, Wilkie Collins. [1] CASTING THE RUNES, M. R. James. * Also illustrations by Gorey. GORMAN, HERBERT S[HERMAN] (1893-1954) American novelist, poet, playwright, biographer. Newspaper work in Springfield, Mass. and New York. With N.B.C. University of the Air. Most important works THE INCREDIBLE MARQUIS (1929), life of Alexandre Dumas, pere; JAMES JOYCE (1939). 703. THE PLACE CALLED DAGON Doran; New York [1927] Regionalistic horror and romance, with some heed to the psychological factors behind evil. * Young Dr. Dreeme, after two years in the small, isolated Berkshire community of Marlborough, has good reason to believe that he still does not know the sour natives, particularly the Westcotts. But one day he receives a call to attend Jeffrey Westcott, whom he finds to be a surprisingly cultured man, educated in Europe, but a most unsympathetic personality. Gradually aspects of the hidden life of the area become open to Dreeme. There is a secret cult of evil, headed by Westcott, who is practicing magic of a sort in order to develop his will to godlike degree. The natives are descendants of the Salem witches, and the bodies of the original witches are buried at a local shrine of evil, the Place Called Dagon. Dreeme becomes involved with two women, Westcott's wife, the priestess of the cult, and a young Woman who is the destined victim for a human sacrifice. Dreeme spies on a Sabbath, watches Westcott perform an invocation and create a spiritual

GORMAN, HERBERT S. contact with the past, and attempt a human sacrifice. But when Westcott and his chief henchman, an evil minister, are killed, the cult disappears, for its members had been ordinary farmers Whose latent ancestral evil had been evoked by Westcott to some extent against their own will and predisposition. * Literate presentation, but weak characterizations and motivations. GOULD, ARTHUR LEE (pseud. of LEE, ARTHUR STANLEY GOULD) (1894-1975) British author, biographer. Associated with the R.A.F.; has written extensively on aviation and political topics. 704. AN AIRPLANE IN THE ARABIAN NIGHTS T. Werner Laurie; London [1947) Fantastic adventure. * The passengers and crew of a plane suddenly find themselves centuries in the past, in the Baghdad of HarunaI-Rashid. Harun wants the moderns to help his vizier combat a Chinese sorcerer, whose magic threatens the realm. Adventures follow. Harun tries to take one of the modern women for his harem. One of the passengers is turned into a dog. Several others are shanghaied by the Chinese. But the sorcerer is killed and they are sent back to their own time. * Mildly amusing in spots, but formulary and commercial. GOWANS, ADAM [LUKE) Scottish anthologist, publisher, translator. AS EDITOR: 705. FAMOUS GHOST STORIES BY ENGLISH AUTHORS Gowans and Gray; London and Glasgow 1919 Described elsewhere, [a) TO BE TAKEN WITH A GRAIN OF SALT, Charles Dickens. [b) THE OLD NURSE'S STORY, Mrs. Gaskell. [c) THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER, Sir Walter Scott. [d) THE HAUNTED AND THE HAUNTERS, Edward Bulwer-Lytton. [e) THE HAUNTED SHIPS, Allan Cunningham. [f) NO.1, BRANCH LINE, THE SIGNAlMAN, Charles Dickens. [gj THE MYSTERIOUS BRIDE, James Hogg. [h) A TRUE RELATION OF THE APPARITION OF MRS. VEAL, Daniel Defoe. [i) THE BAGMAN'S STORY, Charles Dickens. [j) MARY BURNET, James Hogg. Also included is an essay by Charles Dickens, "Telling Winter Stories." GRAHAM, [MATILDA) WINIFRED [MURIEL) (marriage name CORY) (c. l870? 1950) Prolific British novelist. Although has written more than 85 novels, her work is little known in the United States. In addition to fiction the author has written Spiritualist apologetics and attacks on Mormonism. 706. THE GODS OF THE DEAD William Rider; London [1912) Shopgirl romance with occult and supernatural elements. * Cosmos Turnus, semi-successful architect, attributes his business misfortunes to an Egyptian mummy that he has inherited. While his daughter is being born, he burns the mummy and its robes, and something occult passes to the baby. She grows up to be a beauty, far above her class in poise and regality. After fighting off a villainous lecher with a

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GRAINVILLE, JEAN long black beard, she marries a young Scottish laird of incredibly high family and pushes him nicely into Parliament. While she does not exactly have memories of Ancient Egypt, there are obviously influences about her and on one occasion she is aware of a ghost that is hovering nearby. She is presumably a reincarnation. * UnWitting self-parody. Inflated style, ridiculous attitudes, and Silly plotting make this seem like one of Ambrose Bierce's parodies of the 1890's. GRAINVILLE, JEAN BAPTISTE FRANCOIS XAVIER COUSIN DE (1746-1805) French priest, schoolmaster, poet, miscellaneous writer. Left clergy and married during the Revolution; reentered clergy during Consulate. Committed suicide in the Somme. Ms. of the present work edited and published through the influence of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre. 707. THE LAST MAN OR. OMEGARUS AND SYDERIA A ROMANCE IN FUTURITY R. Dutton; London 1805 2 vol (published anonymously) LE DERNIER HOMME (1805); anonymous translation from French. * Originally written as a prose epic in ten cantos, but translated as a novel. A half-incoherent, rhapsodic fantasy based in part on heterodox religion and contemporary occult systems. * A traveller enters the Cavern of Death near the ruins of Palmyra. There he falls into space indefinitely and awakens in a circus-like place, where he sees Time in chains, and where a spirit speaks from a tripod. The spirit, in the manner of a Greek oracle, gives the traveller visions of the ultimate future. * The world has changed enormously. The moon is gone; the sun is cooling; and Brazil is the only habitable area. Mankind is completely sterile with the exception of Omegarus, a young man, and Syderia, a young woman of Tupi Indian stock. (The names refer to omega, the last letter of the Greek alphabet, and sidus, Latin for a star or constellation.) * The problem set forth is whether Omegarus and Syderia shall mate and start a new human race, or whether mankind shall become extinct. Adam, recreated by Divine Will, tells the story of his life and urges the young people not to mate. The Genius of Earth, however, presents the opposed argument. The Genius has been promised life as long as man exists, and it is to his interest that the human race continue. After a succession of miracles Omegarus and Syderia decide to continue humanity, when the Last Judgment begins and the bodies of all humanity are recreated, tearing huge gaps in nature as atoms rejoin their former associations. The Genius of Earth, in despair, invokes evil spirits to continue his life, but they are of no avail. Death appears, strikes down Syderia, and after a tremendous battle kills the Genius of Earth, who in Samsonian gesture, destroys the world. All is over. * Very interesting scientific ideas for this period, and much undiSCiplined imagination. Some of the motifs in this strange book are probably allegorical, but it would seem that much is meant literally.

GRAINVILLE, JEAN There are correspondences between Grainville's system and that of William Blake: the contrast of Demiurge and Supreme God, planetary deities, the nature of the Fall, etc. GRANT, JAMES (1822-1887) Scottish novelist, miscellaneous writer. Born into military family and served as officer in army for short time before turning to architecture, then writing, for living. A very prolific writer; most characteristic work is military fiction, based very largely on family reminiscences of the Napoleonic Wars. Best-known work THE ROMANCE OF WAR. Intensely concerned with Scottish nationalism in later years. 708. THE DEAD TRYST AND A HAUNTED LIFE Routledge; London [188?] Two short novels. [a] THE DEAD TRYST. (ROUTLEDGE'S CHRISTMAS ANNUAL, 1874) Franco-Prussian War. Charlie Pierrepont, an Englishman serving in the Prussian army, is in love with Ernestine von Frankenburg. They arrange a tryst. Charles is wounded in battle and long thought dead. When he arrives at the trysting place, he meets a pale and somewhat distraught Ernestine. It is not until later that he learns that she is dead, her corpse in the next room. [b] A HAUNTED LIFE. Jack Beverley is killed on a tiger hunt in India. As he lies dying, he cries out that he is en rapport with his wife Ida, and that they shall soon meet. His wife in England shares the experience and has a dream vision of his death. On several occasions after this in England Beverley's ghost is seen near her, but she is only vaguely aware of a presence. She sees him on Christmas Eve, and it is her death. * Competent commercial work. The pro-Prussian attitude of [a] is unusual for the period. GRATACAP, LOUIS POPE (1851-1917) Naturalist associated with the American Museum of Natural History, New York. A competent scientist who wrote bad s-f novels: THE EVACUATION OF ENGLAND (1908), THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK (1910), THE NEW NORTHLAND (1915). Best-known work, THE GEOLOGY OF NEW YORK CITY. 709. THE CERTAINTY OF A FUTURE LIFE IN MARS, BEING THE POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF BRADFORD TORREY DODD Brentano' s; New York 1903 Occult utopia, based in part on ideas from Louis Figuier and from Madame B1avatsky. * Dodd, an American settled in New Zealand, tells of his father's expertise in electrical research, including what amounts to radio. Dodd Sr. is convinced that in the procession of souls, humans are reincarnated in different planets in sequence, and that Mars is the next stop. Dodd Sr. dies and sends back to earth three messages describing life on Mars, a destructive meteor shower, and his own impending death after seeing his dead wife. He will presumably continue on with his spiritual evolution. Dodd Jr. also dies, leaving the pr-esent ms. * Appended is a paper by Schiapare1li about Mars. * Of no interest, except as an example of a premodern genre, the occult interplanetary novel.

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GRAVES, ROBERT GRAVES, ROBERT [RANKE] (1895 ) Notable British poet, novelist, essayist, miscellaneous writer, long resident in Majorca. Poetry, though personal and anti-modernist, is highly regarded. Excellent historical novels, best-known of which is I, CLAUDIUS (1934), which won both Hawthornden and James Tait Black Memorial Prizes. In later years became intensely concerned with personal amalgamation of Classical studies, history of religions, poetic theory and psychology, centering on mother goddess figure. Noteworthy book here, THE WHITE GODDESS. Translator of Apuleius, Ornar Khayyam. Fine handbook of writing technique, THE READER OVER YOUR SHOULDER, with A. Hodges. 710. THE SHOUT E. Mathews and Marrot; London 530 copy edition 1929 Woburn Books No. 16 A complex tale, surrealistic in its images and narrative mode and dream-like in its shifts of structure and meaning. * On the first level, the narrator, who is scoring a cricket match at an insane asylum, listens to a narrative from Crossley, one of the patients. Crossley admits that his story changes from time to time, but is essentially true. The narrative centers around an insipid young couple who simultaneously have a prophetic horror dream of a stranger with peculiar abilities who comes between them. Later, Richard meets the stranger and brings him home. The stranger, Charles, claims to have lived in Australia, where he picked up the power of the magical shout, which can kill or madden. Richard is determined to hear the shout, and the next day he and Charles go out to the sand hills. The shout almost destroys Richard, but also makes him aware that the stones in the area are the souls of the village folk. Shortly thereafter, Rachel, his Wife, and Charles drive him out of the house, and in despair Richard goes out to smash his stone-soul. But it is Charles's soul that he shatters, and Charles is now a powerless split personality. Rachel remembers nothing and time is for her as it was previously. * To return to the asylum frame: Crossley shifts personality back and forth to Charles and Richard, emits the shout, and lightning kills him and the doctor. But the ultimate narrator, who knows Richard and Rachel, learns that they know nothing of the whole episode. * The point, apart from narrative and madness, and perhaps dissociated personality fragments, may be that power cannot be borne by ordinary people. 711. SEVEN DAYS IN NEW CRETE A NOVEL Cassell; London 1949 American title WATCH THE NORTH WIND RISE. * A utopia based on those aspects of poetiC theory, philosophy, history of religions, and personal quirks revealed in THE WHITE GODDESS. * Centuries in the future, after our civilization has collapsed, most of the world lives in small societies that are modelled after Minoan Crete. (Test communities had shown that the New Cretan model was the most vital in overcoming anomie and the problems of the 20th century world.) New Cretan society is divi-

GRAVES, ROBERT ded into five castes or estates, based on personality type. It is a gynecocracy, structured rigidly by custom, controlled by witchcraft, all ultimately derived from one or another aspect of the White Goddess, who really exists. The cultural level is primitivistic, with Dionysian as well as Apollinian elements. * Into this world emerges Edward Venn-Thomas, a minor poet of our time, drawn by the power of the witches, who in turn fulfill the will of the Goddess. Venn-Thomas is there for a purpose, but he knows nothing of it. He wanders through the culture observing, taking part in some activities, interfering with others, violating tabus, and unwittingly causing much damage. It is eventually revealed that his task is to destroy New Crete by releasing the too heavily institutionalized demonic forces, or causing "the north wind to rise." New Crete, for all its virtues, is much like BRAVE NEW WORLD. It is a sterile dead end, without life, humor, or "character," and the Goddess wants these elements restored to man. * A brilli"ant work, packed with Graves's richness of idea; in turn amusing, horrifying, thought-provoking, with one of the best technical solutions to the difficulties of the utopian form. GREEN, JULIEN (or JULIAN) (1900 ) O. L. H. French writer of American descent, resident in France. Sometime teacher of French literature in American universities. Highly regarded in France as contemporary novelist, winner of many distinctions: Grand Prix Litteraire de Monaco, Grand Prix National de Lettres, etc. A powerful name in the 1930's and 40's, but now pretty much forgotten. 712. IF I WERE YOU Harper; New York 1949 (SI J'ETAIS VOUS, 1947) Translated by J. H. F. McEwen from French. * Understanding in petit-bourgeois Paris. Fabian Especel, a young man in a religious household, is dissatisfied and bored with his life as a petty clerk. He is accosted by M. Brittomart, a seedy, diabolic figure, who offers him the ability to change bodies at will. In each shifting Fabian will assume the personality of the other person, but will retain some memories of Fabian, so that he can consider his situation with detachment and return to his original body. Fabian noW experiences lives and problems. His first incarnation is in his boss, a stuffy, elderly bureaucrat. Here Fabian learns the limitations of an inadequate body. Tiring of this, he enters a handsome young thug, who is unfortunately very stupid. Fabian-Esmenard commits a murder and is likely to be trapped in the thug, but he is rescued by Brittomart. Fabian's next experience is of spiritual rottenness: a despicable religious pervert, and his next visit, which is developed at much greater length than the other episodes, is into a young man of weak character. Here Fabian tries to help his host by breaking some of his psychological bonds. Returning, after some difficulty, to his own body, he discovers that he has been away for three days. He now knows that he can love anyone, and, presumably re-

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GREENOUGH, MRS. RICHARD S. deemed, although it is not clear from What, he dies. * The author's usual virtues and flaws: fine characterizations and personality types, excellent adumbration of existential themes, good local color, structural problems, compulsive over-analysis and excessive descriptive detail. GREEN, WILLIAM CHILD British author of Gothic novels, miscellaneous writing. Flourished 1800-1825. 713 . ABBOT OF MONTSERRAT; OR, THE POOL OF BLOOD A ROMANCE A. K. Newman; London 1826 2 vol. A Romantic Gothic novel of higher literary quality than most members of the form. Like other late Gothic novels it is not so much concerned with the persecution of the innocent as with the fall of a Byronic scoundrel. * Obando is a malcontent monk in the convent of Montserrat, in Spain. After being tempted by the demon Zatanai (a yellow being who partakes of the nature of snake, brute, and man), he agrees to renounce Christianity and worship Zatanai. In exchange he receives three wishes: becoming abbot, winning Isobe1 as his mistress, and finding his lost brother Marco. The diabolic aid is not as effective as it might be, and the usual lures and traps are apparent. Obando's missing brother has become the fearsome bandit Roldan, who keeps a pool of (seeming) blood to frighten his victims, and Obando will have to kill Roldan to win Isobel. The abbotship comes only when Obando strangles the incumbent. When the monastery is attacked simultaneously by Roldan's followers and the Inquisition, Obando is snatched aloft by Zatanai. But when the monk shows signs of repentance, the demon hurls him down into the monastery. * Green wisely avoided the plot complications favored by most Gothic novelists and took some pains with characterization. While the novel is obviously derivative from M. G. Lewis's THE MONK, it is not a slavish imitation. GREENOUGH, MRS. RICHARD S. (1. e. GREENOUGH, SARAH DANA LORING) (i827-1885) American writer of fiction, travel accounts, poetry. Wife of sculptor Richard Greenough. 714. ARABESQUES: MONARE. APOLLYONA. DOMITIA. OMBRA Roberts Brothers; Boston 1872 Fantastic adventure in the medievalist tradition of the German Romantics. * [a] MONARE. When young Walter of Izerley is undergoing his vigil for knighthood, he hears a woman's voice begging for delivery from captivity. A ring is also tossed to him from an unknown source. He sets out on his quest, which takes him to Islam, but along the way encounters a werewolf, which he kills, using its blood to reanimate its victims. In Islam he learns that the ring has the property of making him invisible when he is in danger. He finds the young Woman who had called for help, and with the aid of Monare, a dwarf Egyptian sorceress, he and the girl escape back to Christendom. [b] APOLLYONA. The young man meets the dreaded Witch of the

GREENOUGH, MRS. RICHARD S. Pyrenees, who takes him down to her subterranean abode, which is reminiscent of Beckford's halls of Eblis. There the young man abides for a time as her lover, witnessing wonders. He also hears the intercalated tale of Sardanopolus. But when the witch is away, he awakens, sees his life in a magical draught that the witch keeps, and knows that the witch is Death and that what he has seen has been all illusion. He escapes, but when he comes to the surface, he is an old man. [c] DOMITLA. Rome. In early Christian times a matron has an accident and almost dies. But when she revives, her body is obviously possessed by another personality, that of an evil woman from pagan times. She prays to an idol of Mercury and, together with an ancient witch, searches the stones of the area for a hidden object. Her daughter witnesses all this and offers to help, so that her true mother will rest peacefully in death. [d] OMERA. The narrator is first captured by banditti, but escapes with the aid of a young woman who gives him a charm against magic. He then visits the enchanter Malitka, who is preparing a poison so that the young man's stepmother can murder her husband. On the advice of Ombra, the magician's goodhearted daughter, the young man evokes the dead enchantress Malaloul to get an antidote for the poison. A doppelganger is also involved. Ombra, who is conceived semiallegorically, then disappears with the death of Malitka. * Well-sustained, imaginative; among the best late 19th century fantasies. GREENWOOD, EDWIN British author, flourished 1930-40. Bestknown work the mystery story THE DEADLY DOWAGER (1935). 715. MIRACLE IN THE DRAWING ROOM A DARING AND CYNICAL NOVEL OF THE MODERN WORLD'S REACTION TO AN OLD-FASHIONED MIRACLE Skeffington and Son; London [1935] Clobbering satire on certain aspects of modern education and mores. 1937, when England has gone semi-socialist and bureaucratic, and is governed by endless ministries and committees who interfere in private life. * Fred Cantlowe and his wife Agatha were both reared as Fabian liberals, but in their hearts they are hypocrites. Fred is a swindler and big business sharper, while Agatha is a crypto-Fascist, a member of one of the more damaging social service committees of the state. They have sent their children to the most advanced schools (obviously modelled on Bertrand Russell's famous school), with expected results. Charles, the older, is an out-and-out thief, seducer, and all-around bum. Florence is a whore. And Francis, Who has been unable to accept modernism, is turning to mysticism and religion. * As the story opens, Fred is in danger. If he does not raise several thousand pounds immediately, he will be jailed. Charles has stolen the company assets and impregnated Fred's secretary, Who is demanding marriage. Florence is drifting from one liaison to another. As a response to the family problems,

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GREGORY, FRANKLIN Francis, Who has been called home from college, in desperation cries out for a miracle. In a suspension of time he finds himself on a mountainside with St. Francis of Assisi, Whose life he had been studying. Francis asks to follow the saint, and awakens with the stigmata. This causes a new set of problems. His mother wants to put him in a lunatic asylum and has the political power to be a nuisance. His sister, who is gradually reforming, wants the newspapers to help Francis, but they first turn the event into a circus then (under instructions from higher-ups) call it fraud. It seems as if the miracle is a failure, and Francis in a second meeting with St. Francis asks that the stigmata be withdrawn. But some good has been accomplished. Charles reforms and marries the secretary, while Florence, Who now regrets her affairs, is to marry for love. * Very amusing in a heavy-handed way, with much fun poked at the absurdities of the world of the 1930's. But the author's attempts to rehabilitate his characters do not ring true and the novel collapses in the last quarter. GREGORY, FRANKLIN (1905 ?) American novelist, newspaperman, public relations expert. Author of several novels. Sometime resident of the Far East. Birth date has also been given as 1901. 716. THE WHITE WOLF Random House; New York [1941] An attempt at adult treatment of the werewolf theme. * Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Dutch area. * The family of Pierre de Campd'Avesnes (Oatfield, for what it is worth?) has long been settled in the United States as luxury perfumers, but the ancient family records have been preserved. Hugues, in the 12th century, was a werewolf who sold his soul to the Devil and also bargained that every seventh heir of the family would be a werewolf. * In the 20th century Pierre grows more and more uneasy at the strange transformation that has taken place in his daughter Sara. From an unexceptional young Woman of the college set she has become moody, withdrawn, and has obvious memory fugues. Her friend David Trent is worried, too, for he has traced her odd behavior to a meeting with a witch man in slum Philadelphia. He knows that she has been visiting the witch and presumably is being initiated into a cult. He als~ knows that she was involved in a child murder, although she has no memory of it. * A white wolf is now a matter of concern in the countryside. Livestock has been slaughtered, children killed, and adults attacked. Then there are suddenly two wolves, the white one and a smaller brown one. Pierre is forced to recognize the supernatural when he connects his daughter with the crimes. She casts no shadow and a photograph of the wolves shows only Sara and David. The remedy is severe but inescapable. * Very odd dialect, a little too much club life, but a very creditable attempt to examine some of the emotional situation that might be involved in lycanthropy.

GRIFFITH, GEORGE GRIFFITH, GEORGE (pseud. of JONES, GEORGE GRIFFITH) (1857-1906) British sensational author of 1890's and early 20th century. Prolific writer of low-grade adventure stories, often with fantastic elements. Wrote much material that would now be called science-fiction: interplanetary, future war, catastrophe, etc. Anticipated Wells in writing science-fiction en genre, but level of quality is not high. Best known works are THE ANGEL OF THE REVOLUTION (1893) and its sequel OLGA ROMANOFF, OR, THE SYREN OF THE SKIES (1894). 717. VALDAR THE OFT-BORN A SAGA OF SEVEN AGES C. A. Pearson; London 1895 An episodic historical adventure novel, which amounts to lion-hunting through the ages. * Va1dar, son of Odin, passes down the ages until his last "incarnation" in modern London. He first awakens in the desert of Mesopotamia, where he associates himself with the Armenians to destroy the Assyrian empire of Nimrod. He witnesses the fall of the Tower of-Babel. A warrior of incredible prowess, he comes into contact with Mark Antony, Augustus, Mohammed, Vikings, Richard the Lion-hearted, Sir Francis Drake, and Napoleon. In most of his lives he falls into a trance and reawakens later, but after his Roman episode he dies of old age and is reborn as Khalid, leader of Mohammed's armies. Associated with him in each of his inhistorical appearances is Ilma, who is serially reincarnated. He always loses her. At the very end a fruitful conclusion to Va1dar's life seems in sight. * Second or third rate adventure, of no merit or great interest. The book contains primitive illustrations by Harold Piffard, in which all the historicC'.l characters are portrayed as British physical types of the upper crust. 718. ~HE MUMMY AND MISS NITOCRIS A PHANTASY OF THE FOURTH DIMENSION T. Werner Laurie; London [1906 ] American title MISS MARMION. * A rather confused thriller which attempts to combine several discordant themes. * Back in Ancient Egypt the Princess Nitocris caused the death of two wicked officials, the high priest Anemen-Ha and the chief of the army, Menka-Ra. All three are reincarnated (after a fashion) in contemporary Britain. Nitocris is the daughter of Professor Marmion; the high priest is Pharig, and the general is Prince Oscar Oscarovich. The professor knows the secrets of the fourth dimension. There is also a magic jewel. The general and the high priest plot against Nitocris, but are foiled. * A curiosity for comp1etist collectors. GRIFFITHS, ALAN British writer. Lovat Dickson; 719. STRANGE NEWS FROM HEAVEN London [1934] Amusement plus irony on Fundamentalism. * Hubert Snelling, an Anglican priest, dies and is taken to Heaven, where he meets with a situation reminiscent of J. K. Bangs's stories about the Styx. There is one flaw in Heaven: the inhabi-

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GRUBB, DAVIS tants remain at the age of their death for all eternity. Thus, "Those Whom the gods love die young" is literally and infuriatingly true. Heaven is a somewhat tiresome place, full of immorality among the young and frustration for the old. Snelling starts a revolution demanding renewed youth for everyone. But it is discovered that he is not really dead and he is thrown back to Earth. He awakens at his own burial service, tells of his experiences, and is murdered by the outraged preacher. * Mildly amusing, but a short story could have conveyed the same idea more elegantly. GROSSE, MARQUIS VON (i.e. GROSSE, KARL) German author, flourished 1785-1805. Se1fstyled Marquis von Grosse or Marquis von Pharnusa. 720. HORRID MYSTERIES A STORY William Lane at the Minerva Press; London 1796 4 vol (DER GENIE, ODER MEMOlREN DES MARQUIS VON G----, 1795) Translated from German by Peter Will. This is one of the Gothic novels mentioned in Jane Austen's NORTHANGER ABBEY. It is too intricate to be summarized. The story proceeds by a series of clumsy flashbacks and stories within stories, of which only the first half have a common thread. The second half of the book is a series of loosely integrated episodic adventures, sometimes on folkloristic themes. * The first part of HORRID MYSTERIES narrates by indirection the adventures of Don Carlos, a dashing young Spaniard, against a seemingly omnipotent, omnipresent secret society modelled after the German Illuminati of the 18th century. When Carlos refuses to follow the society's orders and tries to resign, he is pursued and harassed. There is a fair amount of seeming supernaturalism, all explained. * A curious work, with hysterically heightened atmosphere, pursuits and escapes, deaths and seeming resurrections, ghosts and explanations, heavy eroticism (both heterosexual and homosexual), and extreme vacillation in interpreting incident and character, It is probably not worth disentangling. * Since the original edition is completely unobtainable, we should be grateful for two reprint editions: Holden and Hardingham, London, 1927, with a digressive introduction by Montague Summers, and The Folio Press, London 1968, with a more pertinent introduction by Devendra P, Varma. * There is another translation mentioned by Summers (THE GENIUS, Allen and West, London 1796, translated by Joseph Trapp) which I have not seen. GRUBB, DAVIS (1919 ) American writer, author of the excellent regionalist suspense and mystery story THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1953). 721. TWELVE TALES OF SUSPENSE AND THE SUPERNA~ Scribners; New York 1964 Short stories, many of which are set in the same premodern General America, with sma1ltown folkways, as was THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, * Including [a] ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE. (WT

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GRUBB, DAVIS 1948) When Henry lost a foot as a result of an industrial accident, the foot (according to the terms of a bet) was buried with all due ceremony. But it has a life of its own and behaves distressingly, including seduction and murder. [bJ RADIO. Will's radio refuses to turn off, and bombards him with commercials and rubbish programs. He smashes it, but his wife is upset, for she liked to listen to it during the day. When she assumes the voice of the radio and spouts commercials, it is too much. Madness? [cJ THE RABBIT PRINCE. Tom Spoon, slightly rambunctious schoolboy, dislikes Miss Tinkens, an old maid school teacher. When the Great Galvani of the magical circus offers him a wish, Tom asks that Miss Tinkens be transformed into a rabbit. After a time Tom's conscience bothers him, and he asks Galvani to restore her. But all have forgotten an elementary fact about rabbits. [dJ THE MAN WHO STOLE THE MOON. Dode Hornbrook, a dumb boy who is in love with blind Daisy, steals the moon from a pool. Semisymbolic, folkloristic. [eJ THE HORSEHAIR TRUNK. (EQMM 1956) Marius Lindsay discovers that he can project his astral body and with great effort manipulate small objects. When his wife (whom he treats sadistically) runs away, Marius intends to commit a perfect murder while in the astral body. Late 19th century. [fJ BUSBY'.S RAT. Old Busby, former river pilot but now crippled by an accident, broods in hatred and refuses to let his daughter marry. Busby has as a pet a gigantic wild rat, that is almost a familiar, and a horde of smaller rats whom he feeds and cherishes. When a decent young ~an wants to marry Liza, Busby attacks him, and is killed. But the rats hold the equivalent of a trial on the"young man. Supernatural by implication. [gJ WHERE THE WOODBINE TWINETH. Eva has a group of imaginary playmates. One of them, a doll, tells Eva that if her parents drive them away, they will take Eva along. They do. Excellent stories. A British reissue, which I have not seen, is titled ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE (Arrow; London 1966).

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GUNN, NEIL M[ILLERJ (1891-1973) British writer, one-time ci