8i 



BOOKS OF THE MONTH. 



Mr. Israel Zangwill is one of the most interesting 

 and picturesque of our modern men of letters. He 

 is a man of many roles. Primarily he is a son of 

 Israel, secondly he is a novelist, thirdly he is 

 coloniser, fourthly he is a poet, .fifthly he i.-- i 

 dramatist, and sixthly he is a politician. 



From his cradle, in which he was nearly burnt 

 .dive by a pious Christian nursemaid to avenge the 

 crucifixion of Christ, down to his apotheosis as the 

 poet-prophet of the sacred cause of international 

 peace, Mr. Zangwill has ever been alert, active, in- 

 dustrious and zealous, even to slaying in the cause 

 of his own people. 



It is significant of the multifarious activities of 

 Mr. Zangsvill that even the Italian war in Tripoli 

 should bring to light another reminder of his omni- 

 presence. The Italians have gone to Triijoli, it was 

 declared, tiecause they wanted land for the annual 

 overflow rif their jiopulation. " Indeed !"' casually 

 remarks Mr. Zangwill. "Then you may be inte- 

 rested in knowing that I was one of a party whicli 

 a iew years ago made an exhaustive survey of Cyre- 

 naica, the most fertile nrovince in Tripolitana, fo"- 

 the purjxise of ascertaining its fitness for puriioses 

 of colonisation. It w.is thought that the Jews niiyht 

 find a home there. We came tn the unanimous con- 

 clusion that wherever else the Zionists might gn. 

 they had no use for Tripoli." 



Sir. Zangwill is producing a new i)lay in .\'e\\ 

 York — a play intended to give dramatic representa- 

 tion to the conflict U-tween old dogmas and new 

 faiths. The mfidernism of the Christians dramatist il 

 l>v a Jew— pi'iu.int this ;ind characteristic. 

 Mr. Zangwill stormed on the platform of White 

 field's Taliernacli- in .\"ovemljer, denouncing the 

 Italian atiaik on Turkey. A day or two later he 

 produced "The War' God " at His Majesty's 

 Tlvatre. A we«k later again an Italian dra-. 

 matic critic went fur " The War God " by way of 

 [lunishing the author of the sjjeech at Whitefield's 

 Talx'.rnac!'- on Italian misdeeds. Mr. Zangwill is 

 als<.) an ardent ad\ocate of woman's suffrage, and 

 on that account is more or le.ss on the black books 

 of certain authorities in the journalistic world. Al- 

 together tlii- manysiiled man is very much in evi- 

 .'■ iicf just now. 



[ s.iw "The War Go<I " at Hi> Majesty's, and 

 I .im glad to have a lopy of the drama before nn- 

 in lKX)k form (W. H'inemann). It is a notable 

 /"iir de force. To i)r(Kluce a topical tragedy in 

 M.ink vers*.- was an achifvement worthy of Mr. Zang- 

 will. Th.it it W.IS an achievement, and not merely 

 an attempt, there can Ik; no tw(» o|iinions among 

 those who saw the play. It dre\v gcKxl houses on 

 the three occasions on which it was played, and 

 was enthusiastically api)lauded by those who saw it. 

 Hilt fate was against it. Christm, s was near n' 



P/.o'o.] 



\_Otto Saronv Co. 

 Ml!. ISR.IEL Z.V^'U^VII,L. 



hand. " Macbeth " was nearing the end of its run. 

 So the ])lay had to be withdrawn, and Mr. Zang- 

 will 's spirited venture lost its first chance. 



" The War God " is an attemi)t to present in 

 sharp juxtaposition on the stage embodiments of the 

 two great antagonistic forces of our time incarnate 

 last centurv in the nersons of Count Tolstoy and 

 Prince Mis'marck. In Mr. Zangwill's play Count 

 Tolstov figures as Count Trithjof, excellently ren- 

 dered \<\ Sir Herlx-rt Tree, who, however, crossed 

 himst'lf Roman fashion, which Tolstoy woulil not 

 havf done. Count Torgrim. Bismarck Redivivus, 

 found in Mr. Bourdiier a vigorous mouthi>iece. 

 Rotind these c<ntral figures .ire gnvujied characteis 

 tNpical of the K.iiser, the Jew, and the Revolution- 

 ist. The plav impressed many peoi)!e more than it 

 impressed me, but it was a very challenging piece 

 of work, which aroust d .some of the mon- thoughtful 

 {}( the audience to unwonted enthusiasm. Mr. 

 Zangwill has made his drama prop'i'w ..f I'le com- 

 ing lime: - - 



■' When at the grave of War all peoples stand 

 And i>lant the ro~i' of universal Love." 

 Hut at the same time he has pictured with even 

 greater vigour the r>list.iel.- iK,- iiKtiii.r ,lil.- ob- 



