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46 THE ATHENAEUM A . _ f & | Literary Notes | THE MAN OF PROPERTY By William Howard, ’24 John Galsworthy, a novelist and play writer, has written the following outstanding plays and novels: “Joy,” “Strife”, “Justice,” “The Mob”, ‘The Country House,” “Tatterdemalion,” “The Patrician,” and “The Man Of Property.” Galsworthy gets his material from existing social conditions and find characters who easily portray the significance of his purpose. His style is permeated with straightforwardness, simplicity, and elegan cy; his choice of words is superb. The novel in question is a story woven around a family of Bougeois, the middle class, or the pro pertied class. The novel has its setting in London, England. The motto of the Bougeois class is this, “What does it profit a man, if he loses his property and gains his soul.” The Foresty family is one that personifies the real import of the Bougeois’ motto. The principal characters of the novel are Soams Foresty and his wife, Irene; Philip Bosinney and his fiancee June Foresty; and young Jolyon Foresty. The Foresty family is bitterly opposed to any member of the fam ily marrying a person without property or without money. Young Jolyon chooses painting as life’s work and marries a poor girl. Thus the hatred of the family is incurred. Soames Foresty, styled as the man of property, takes business as a profession; but he marries a poor girl who does not love him. June .Foresty falls in love with a young architect, by name Philip Bosinney. Soames marries Irene knowing that she does not love him, but hopes that his wealth and position will finally change her mind—for with him money and property could ob tain anything. The Foresty family, however, did not discuss Soames and Irene as much as they did June and Bosinney, for Bosinney had neither job nor money. Soames noticing his wife’s disinterest in him, decides to build a home in the suburbs of London. Thus Bosin ney is obtained as architect. Irene and June approve of this—so does the whole family. Irene and June become very intimate friends. As Bosirney proceeds with the construction of the house, he finds that the cost will be more than the amount assumed. Soames gives him a limit of twelve hundred and fifty pounds. In the meanwhile, it has been discovered that Bosinney and Irene have become rather attached to each other. June hears the rumor, but does not believe it because of the implicit confidence she has in Irene. Soames also hears the rumor, but is afraid to ask his wife, for fear that it may be true, and for fear that she may admit; then he would have to divorce her, which he did not want to do. Finally, Bosinney completes the house. The cost of Please pay your Subscription!