WITH the inevitable comparison to Pluck and Luck," "Of All Things" and "Love Conquers All" staring it in the face, Mr. Benchley's latest collection of scientific discussions, little home-talks and slightly drunken essays is perilously close to having to take a back seat. But close as the perils may seem, as the plucky reader wends his way through the distinctly mediocre to the unquestionably superb he emerges with the feeling that after all the Benchley tradition has been preserved. The chuckles come as they were no doubt intended to, and here and there may be heard a loud guffaw. Continuing a worthy partnership, Gluyas Williams has embellished a considerable number of the pages with his delightful drawings, and as an added attraction there are no small number of opera from the hand of the variously-appreciated John Held Jr.
"The Early Worm" has the misfortune to get off on the wrong foot, whichever that may be, and for an alarmingly long period offers little or nothing. Then at a flick of the pen, or a particularly sound jab on the typewriter key the work gets under way, and one realizes that after all the worst is not to come but is behind in previous volumes Mr. Benchley has exhibited a particular inclination to clearing up any misunderstandings which may be current as to the why, wherefore and general makeup of the American family. He has taken us for rides on Pullman cars, has immersed us into the trials and tribulations of Christmas, birthdays, and other festive occasions, and has glibly laid open the flaws in school, college and camp life. It would indeed have been a shame had we not been treated to a few more of these depictions, and so they are within the covers of the present little volume. "A Good Old-Fashioned Christmas" at Grandpa's in East Russet, Vermont, is quite up to expectations and paves the way for the still better selections.
Culled as they are from the pages of Life, the several episodes from the Life Polar Expedition are fairly familiar and one may possibly be excused if upon second perusal the antics of Lieutenant Commander Marc Connelly, Ensign Thermaline and Bobby seem a trifle shopworn. To the uninitiated, may they bring the same joy they delivered to others in the days of their youth!
Somehow or other, it is in his parodies of prominent literary figures that Mr. Benchley outdistances all competition. "The Henna Decade" in five parts, is one of the glories of the group. Part 4 in particular, should bring to even the estimable Mr. Beer a series of not too quiet chuckles. "Milt Gross stood talking with Ring Lardner and another on the steps of the American Indian Museum. He had under his arm a bulbous bundle and this dropped incontinently to the granite pedestal as he shrugged his shoulders. 'A peckage skelps,' he said. 'Heendian skelps witt blad.' Lardner raised a thermal eyebrow. 'What of it?' he asked, and in Chicago two young Jewish psychopathics drew up to the curb in a Dodge, looking for someone to give a ride to. That night the Alabama delegation in the steaming reaches of Madison Square Garden threw twenty-five dogged votes for Oscar Underwood."
But it is quite apparent that to offer for inspection all the priceless bits which the volume contains would be impossible, also unnecessary since one can do much worse than go out immediately to buy a private copy. There is no telling at what unexpected moment it may become valuable. Especially if the Boston Censorship Board take a peek at "A Ghost Story, in the manner of Sherwood Anderson."
