He knows his ground, and his selection of originals is admirable. But his versions usually take the bloom off. Baudelaire's
O Mort, vieux capitaine, il est temps, levez l'ancre
becomes
Haul up the anchor, captain old, O Death, for it is time:
which is the same thing with a difference. Sometimes he even fails to get essential parts of the sense. In recommending his book, therefore, to those many to whom such a survey in English would be useful, we warn them that the translations at best are graceful versifying. Mr. Thorley, happily, is usually on his own highest level, and the book can be read with very little annoyance and a certain amount of edification.
THE PATHS OF GLORY. A Collection of Poems written during the War, 1914–1919. Edited by Bertram Lloyd. Allen & Unwin. 4s. 6d. and 3s.
The title of this anthology is presumably ironical. He who would have a comprehensive selection of war poems reflecting the sentiments of the mass of our people, and most of the British soldiers, must go to Miss Jacqueline Trotter's Vision and Valour (Longmans'), which we shall review in our next issue. This collection is a collection with an avowedly propagandist aim. It contains poems exposing the cruelty and filth of War in general, which were inspired by the late War. It is not yet complete. For instance, Major Brett-Young's Bête Humaine might suitably have been included. But most of the poems included are genuine and well written. Amongst the authors "covered" are "A. E.," Paul Bewsher, Geoffrey Dearmer, Walter de la Mare, Wilfrid Gibson, Laurence Housman, Margaret Sackville, Siegfried Sassoon, Dora Sigerson, and Alec Waugh.