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A Christmas Cake in Four Quarters
“Christmas Books.” The Times, London. 25 Dec. 1871
“Christmas Books.” The Times, London. 25 Dec. 1871
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Transcription of relevant section of “Christmas Books.” The Times, London. 25 Dec. 1871: par. 3.
“In A Christmas Cake in Four Quarters, by Lady Barker (Macmillan) we pass from Lewis Carroll’s delectable mountains of shining nonsense to a happy valley of light and bright narrative of “things which actually happened,” as the children say. Whether, indeed, these stories of four Christmas days in four quarters of the world (which is the interpretation of the title of the book) are in all respects true is more than we can vouch for, but at least they wear the garb of truth, and truth itself could not make them more charming and acceptable to their young readers. “Once upon a time” – so runs the first sentence of the book – “there was a lady who liked telling stories to children, and once upon a time – which time exists up to this very moment – there were a great many children who liked listening.” Many an admirably written tale has been rejected by young readers because its writer is over-fond of playing, or rather acting – for it is not play at all – the part of an admonisher of youth. It may safely be said that those story books which attempt to teach children most, teach them least. Lady Barker does not ostensibly profess to teach them anything; but she knows how to gain an affectionate hold upon the attention of her little listeners, how to make them forget they are hearkening to a grown up person, how to induce that unguarded mood in which the lightest and most passing word spoken in earnest is like an arrow shot into the centre of their hearts. “The Christmas-day in England” is compounded of an amusing ghost and several capital episodes, and the “points” are all well within the comprehension of children. How Jim Hollenby, the village boy, was stuffed in Mr. Owen’s kitchen, and then trusted to take a sumptuous Christmas dinner to poor Widow Barnes, and how, by mistake, he took it to poacher Barnes and his vagabond family instead (“They was a bit surprised at first, but thanked you kindly all the same, and Daddy Barnes said you was a regular brick” was the message which Jim brought to the aghast donor); how on a certain Christmas-eve a certain lady mistook the waits for burglars; how one ghost made many; – all this and much more is told with the same power of easy and natural description to which Station Life in New Zealand and Stories About owe so much of their popularity. Perhaps the best, however, of the four Christmas-days is that spent in New Zealand. It is full of anecdotes of the rough life of that colony, some exceedingly amusing, and some of the strange and thrilling adventure."