Books: English Autumn

FAMILY HISTORY—V. Sackville-West— Doubleday, Doran ($2.50) Aging ladies who pored over All Passion Spent as if it were a mirror will not find quite the same fascination in Family History. When her latest narrative goes so far as to make skeptical faces at Eton and at Eton’s God, conservative readers will have to take comfort in remembering that Victoria Sackville-West’s family have lived in 365-room Knole Castle since Queen Elizabeth’s days that she is so aristocratic she can safely be allowed a certain latitude in criticizing home truths.

The Jarrolds were not an aristocratic family, but that had not prevented them from running to seed, and in only two generations. Best of the lot, and favorite of old Grandpa Jarrold, was his widowed daughter-in-law, Evelyn. She enjoyed her position, her wealth, her adored son Dan’s adoration—even her widowhood, until she met Miles Vane-Merrick. Miles was an aristocratic but land-poor farmer, an Old Etonian but intelligent and unconventional, Member of Parliament but a Laborite. And he fell in love with her though he was young enough to be her nephew. Conventional as only a bourgeoise could be, Evelyn knew she was ruining herself by becoming his mistress. But she would not marry him, she was too much older. When Son Dan and Lover Miles became great friends, that complicated things; inevitably increasing quarrels complicated them more. But Evelyn had enough grace under pressure to break away. With Dan growing up and Miles growing fond of a girl his own age, nothing was left for Evelyn. She was glad when she caught pneumonia, willing to die especially when Miles was with her at the end.