Passacaglia, by Hyman Yudewitz; 152 pages. Pilgrim House, $1.50.
Whether this young newcomer to American letters will develop into an O. Henry, Wilde or Huneker, or perhaps, a composite of essayist, dramatist and critic, depends upon what his next books will be like. This book, Passacaglia, consists of studies in the forms of plays, essays and criticisms. In his opening playet, “The Farce of Master Trouble Tete,” characterized by speed of conversation, the O. Henry-like ending raises it above mediocrity. In his study of Andre Gide, the author very lucidly shows that the Frenchman has suffered from the great conspiracy of silence. The essays on “Goethe’s Youth,” and “Alchemy of Art” reveal scholarly research into the problems of life and art and their conflicts. These essays are written in the sweeping style of the sentences of Huneker. Should you be interested in fairy tales of the kind Wilde wrote for adults, there is one—”Preoccupations of Pablo,” the theme of which is akin to the tragedy of the prophet who is without honor among his own. Oh, yes, you’re still wondering who is Passacaglia? When you get to the middle of the book you’ll discover that the author’s credo which might have served as the prologue is set down as the philosophy of Passacaglia.
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