A story of the “Old Mississip” and of the vagrant population—shanty boaters, pot hunters, river pirates—that lives upon its broad waters. Parson Elijah Rasba, from the mountains, floats down the Tug river to the Big Sandy, down the Big Sandy to the Ohio, down the Ohio and out onto the great river, where he exclaims “If this is the Mississippi what must the Jordan be!” Parson Elijah is seeking a lost soul, Jock Drones, whose mammy wants him back in the mountains, and so he joins the motley throng that goes “dropping down” the lower river. Among the other characters are Nelia Carline, who has left her husband, Gus Carline, the husband in pursuit of her, Lester Terabon, a newspaper man in search of copy, Mame Coape of the many divorces, Buck the river gambler, and Jock Drones, the lost soul who turns back to his mammy.
+ |Booklist 17:160 Ja ’21
SPENCE, LEWIS. Legends and romances of Spain. il *$6.50 Stokes 863
20–26986
The literature of the romantic period in Spain treated by a folk-lorist, who says, “Since the days of Southey the romantic literature of Spain has not received from English writers and critics the amount of study and attention it undoubtedly deserves.... I have made an earnest endeavour to provide English readers with a conspectus of Spanish romantic literature as expressed in its cantares de gesta, its chivalric novels, its romanceros or ballads, and some of its lighter aspects. The reader will find full accounts and summaries of all the more important works under each of these heads, many of which have never before been described in English.” (Preface) Among the chapters are: The sources of Spanish romance; “Amadis de Gaul”; Catalonian romances; Moorish romances of Spain; Tales of Spanish magic and sorcery; Humorous romances of Spain. There are illustrations and a brief bibliography.
“It is an honest attempt to interest the general reader in a delightful department of literature. A book of this sort is in special need of an index, especially as there are no detailed ‘Contents,’ only general chapter-headings. But though there is a useful short bibliography, there is no index at all.” G: Saintsbury
+ − Ath p516 O 15 ’20 900w + Booklist 17:107 D ’20 Outlook 127:32 Ja 5 ’21 60w
“Extremely readable.”