THE AUTHOR OF DON QUIXOTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 147, 23 June 1934, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE AUTHOR OF DON QUIXOTE.

A CHIVALROUS GENIUS

Who now roads the "Adventures of Don Quixote ?" Is it one of the books that answer to the definition of a classic as a book that is admired but not read? The lean knight of La Manclia lias his place beside the FalstafT of Shakespeare, a character whom everyone laughs at and yet loves. And what' of his creator? Even those who know and love Don' Quixote know little of Cervantes, the genius who conceived him, and few popular books about him are available. Such a one has, however, just been published by Allen and Unwin. "The Life and Misadventures of Mignel de Cervantes," written by Mariano Tomas and translated from the Spanish by Warre B. Wells. Cervantes was the son of a poor Spanish surgeon, and the first glimpse the book gives of him is as a yonug mail in Italy who joins the Spanish forces which, after an unsuccessful attack on the Turkish fleet, at last routs it at the Battle of Lepanto. Here Cervantes lost the use of his left arm. After further -service in the Army lie essayed to return to Spain, but was captured by Algerine pirates and spent five years in captivity. He made several ineffectual attempts to escape, . and showed his chivalrous spirit by taking all the blamo to save other participators from punishment. At length, owing to the exertions of his friends in Spain, his ransom was paid and he r ; turned to his native land. For some years he unsuccessfully petitioned for some official post, and at length was appointed one of those whose duty it was to requisition supplies for furnishing the Armada which Philip 11. was preparing to attack England. Unlike many others, Cervantes was an honest man, but he had to suffer for the wrong doings of others, and for some years had to endure much persecution and even imprisonment on account of the dishonesty of some of . his superiors. All through, he shows himself a chivalrous but somewhat unbusiness-like man, who laid on himself burdens which troubled him all his life. Incidentally, the book shows the moral and social state of Spain, which goes far to explain her collapse. Morally and politically she was hopelessly corrupt, and men like Cervantes, in spite of loyal services, were neglected for court sycophants. In his later years, however, Cervantes received much aid from enlightened ecclesiastics. All the time Cervantes was engaged in literary work. His first book, "Galatea," was published in 1584, and at once attained a wide popularity. He wrote many plays which were acted. Then his great work, the first part of "The Ingenuous Knight Don Quixote of La Mancha," was published in 1604 and was at once acclaimed as a great work. Ten years later the second part was published just before its author's death. He had 111 the meantime published his "Exemplary Tales."

Always, and especially in middle life, Cervantes was the victim of poverty and disappointment. His domestic relations were not happy for the greater part of his life, and ho was often the victim of his own misplaced generosity. But through it all lie kept a brave face, never doubting his own genius or his lasting fame. It is one of the great discredits of the Spanish government of the day that it left Spain's grandest genius to dio in poverty and obscurity. The book is well written, though not in the style usual with English writers, but this is due 110 doubt to the fact that the translator has followed the original as closely as possible.