Red Wagon

Wednesday, February 27th., Chiltern Court, London.

The majority of first novels are in essence autobiographical. Beginners don't look outwards, they look inwards; it is easier, and to these mistaken neophytes it is more interesting. Again, the majority of first novels, though they may cost their authors 'blood and tears', are clumsy and somewhat superficial affairs in so far as they are not based on personal experience. They are deficient in hard, fundamental brainwork. They are spotty, unequal, and misshapen. The authors can master neither their material nor their faculties.

These criticisms do not however apply to "Red Wagon" a first novel by Lady Eleanor Smith. It is not autobiographical. Its subject is circus life, both in Britain and in America, both ancient and modern. Lady Eleanor proves herself to be a serious person. She has collected her material with admirable conscientiousness. And instead of allowing the material to dominate her, she has dominated the material. Similarly with her quite considerable faculties of creation and form. Nothing has got the better of her intelligence, and her intelligence, which is high, has controlled her industry, which is beyond question quite extraordinary.

The hero of the novel, Joe Prince, rises from naught to be a circus proprietor with his name lettered in gold on fifty gaudy caravans. The book is the story of his rises and of his loves - all unfortunate. The story is extremely picturesque but, more than that, it accords with life. With every temptation to sentimentalise the author is not sentimental. Again and again one is brought  up with a jerk and reassured, by some unexpected truth concerning human nature. Lady Eleanor has not shut her eyes to any aspect of circus life. She understands it and knows all about it.

"Red Wagon" has a defect, and a not unimportant defect. The writing. The author is intensely scrupulous about everything - except the writing. She is content to use the first ready-made phrase that offers itself to her pen; she lacks originality in phrasing. Now and then even, the author by negligence fails to say what she means. Also she mixes her metaphors. It is useless to say that the reading public don't notice these trifles; they are not trifles. And readers, even if they do not notice them, are unconsciously estranged by their cumulative effect. A good book nonetheless.