The Work of James Matthew Barrie.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 156, 3 July 1937, Page 45 (Supplement)

The Work of James Matthew Barrie.

Some Extracts from His Plays and Prose.

(By W.L.)

My papers have told me that James Matthew Barrie is d,«A m so, and the creator of Peter Pan ami WcnduwnuZll • **• Th%t wo " U gave him birth. Ilu to me and no,tan,,, tt lte ™ tvrnw t> <° the soil which IMtUhers throughout thTu-orfd and TXolXi *° T', 1 " nUmbers °> im,nc Hir James Barrie uAUnevcrVe! He ui 111! **! 11/.n.rrcr a person in the future takes from u. L! . » a mmor V.r,.W,«, ft< wiM scwo (/ lc UvLg prcsawl o larl ST* fT V ° opy of hi * m know the Pim of .'/ other ureal author, who enriched our hcrtaacXZahZT' P?W /* ™*

It. was through this remarkable uii<inr-*tanrlins tlmt .lames Barrio came tn In' loved nut only by those of his own year-, lint by millions of boys and girls. The lid hum I elwirocters of Peter Pan (i ml Wendy have come to he felt aa a Ihing hoy and girl. We expect to find thi'in at odd moments, or to hear Tinkerhell tapping on our window pnneu. Some timed when in rellectivc mood we can often hear her tapping on the windows of> the mind.

There are examples without number of little acts of kindness which Barrio has performed to hundreds of children whoso lives lmvo been brightened by his immortal Peter Pan. There w one littlo girl (or has' sho now grown into a young woman?) who has a letter written to her by Barrio. She built a littlo house at the bottom of her garden and called it "Wendy's Cottage." Someone took a photograph of the cott<igo and sent it to the' great author. Can yon not Imagine the surprise and joy of tlie little jrirl when she reeeive<l u letter from Sir ,/ames, and a present of a thimble, sent, as he said, by Tinkerbell?

Then ajrain, just to show ho had a ppiiso of humour, and that our King and Queen have, a souse of humour, there is the incident of the "royalties" from

"The Boy Davirl," Barrio's latest play. Barrio was a frequent visitor to the King and Queen, was a friend of Princess Elizabeth and Princess Marprarct Pose. It is said that Princess Mflrjrarot jravc the idea to Barrie for "The Boy David," and lie sent to her a penny as "royalties." Princesn Elizabeth wrote a letter of thanks on behalf of her

tracks until the road was streaked with water. Lastly the water gathered in heavy yellow pools. If the on-ding continned, clods of earth toppled from the garden dyke into the ditch. Oil such a day, when even the dulseman had gone into shelter, and the women scudded by with their wrappers over tlieir heads, came Gavin Birse to our door. Gavin, who was the Glen Quharity post, was still young, but had never been quite the same man since some amateurs in the glen ironed his back for rheumatism. I though he had called to have a crack with me. He sent his compliments up to the attic, however, by Lceby, and would I come and be a witness? Gavin came up and explained. He had taken off the scarf and thrust into his pocket, lest the rain should take the colour out of it. His boots cheeped, and his shoulders had risen to his ears. He stood steaming before my fire. "If it no ower muckle to ask ye" (if it's not awful much) he said, ''I would like yc for a witness." "A witness. But for what do you need a witness, Gavin?" "I want ye," he said, "to come wi' me to Mag's and -lie a witness." Gavin and Mag Birse had been engaged for a year or more, Mag was the daughter of Janet Ogilvy, who was best remembered as the person that took the liill (that is, wandered about it) for twelve hours on the day Mr. Dishart, the Auld Licht minister, accepted a call to another church, "You don't mean to tell me, Gavin," I asked, "that vour marriage i» to take place to-day?

younger sister, remarked tlint Tier mother and father wished to know whether there would he any further "royalties" forthcoming. At tlie premicro of the play that beautiful German actress Elizabeth Bergner took the title-role. The play is based on the Biblo character who i 9 so well known to moflt of us. And even in Auckland there is a woman who knew llarrio when he was a young journalist. Up to his death this lifelong friendship continued, and a little while ago she received an inscribed copy of his latest work. To many people Barrie was an enigma. Ho seemed at times as If made of fairy 'stuff, at others tho most understanding man in tho universe. It was at a rohcaraal of his play "Mary Rose," that tho poet Thomas Hardy wrote:— It any day a promised play Should be in preparation, Ton ncrr see friend .T.M.B. Depressed or In elntlnn. But with a stick, rough, crooked and thick Yon may sometimes dlseern him Standing as though a mummery show Did not at all concern him. Of all Barrie's plays the most famous is "Peter Pan," which is produced each year in London. "A Window in Thrums," and "Tho Little Minister" are, perhaps, hk most successful novels. Prom over the treetops we get the catch-phrase that Barrio made true: "To live would be an awfully big adventure." • • • • "From a Window in Thrums." Barrie, being a true Scotsman, did not fail to glean the kindly humour of the poorer Scots. "From a Window in Thrums" one gots an excellent idea of a typical Scots family. I will quote a wet day in Thrums from this delightful novel:— In a Wet day the rain gathered in blobs on tho road that passed our garden. Then it crawled into the cart

By the twist of his mouth I saw that lie was only deferring a smile. "Far frae that," he said. "Ah, then you have quarrelled, and I am to speak up for you?" "Na, na," he said, "I dinna want ye to do that, above all things. It would lie a favour if ye could gie me a bad character." This beat me, and I dare say my face ! showed it. "I'm no juist what ye would call anxious to marry Mag now," said Gavin without a tremor. Why didn't Gavin want to marry Maggie? If you have not already read "From a Window in Thrums" you will find many hours of enjoyment in reading it and finding out for yourselves, the book is full of Scottish humour. "The Attld Lichts." , And have you read "The Auld Lichts"t If you are of Scottish stock you have, no doubt, heard your grannie' tell of the strict observance of the Sabbath, and what a gloomy day it must have been, .lust read this description, taken from "The Auld Lichts," of a Sabbath eve in a country t6wn and the life of the villagers. „ "With the severe Auld Lichts, the Sabbath began at six o'clock oh Saturday evening. By that time the gleaming shuttle was at rest. Davie Haggart had strolled into the village from his pile of stones on the Whunny Road; Hendry Kobb, the 'dummy,' had sold his last barrowful of 'royelty (resiny) roots' for firewood; and the people, having tranquilly supped and soused their faces in their water pails, slowly donned their Sunday clothes. This ceremony was common to all; but here divergence set in. The grey Auld Licht, to whom love was not even a name, sat in his highbacked armchair by the hearth, Bible or 'Pilgrims' Progress' in hand, occasionally lapsing Into slumber. But— though, when they got the chance, they went" willingly three times to the kirkthere were young men in the community eo flighty that, instead of dozing at home on Saturday night, they dandered casually into the square, and, forming into knots at the corners, talked solemnly and mysteriously of women. "Not even on the night preceding his wedding was an Auld Licht ever known to stay out after 10 o'clock. S9 weekly conclaves at street corners came to an end at a comparatively early hour, on 6 Coelcbs after another shuffling silently from the square until it echoed, deserted, ■to the town house clock. The last of the gallants gradually discovering that he was alone, would look around him musingly, and, taking in the situation, slowly wend his way home. ... A wife was expected to assist at the loom as well as to be cunning in the making of marmalade and the firing of bannocks, and there was consequently some heartburning among the lads for maids of skill and muscle." There is so much to tell, but you must all rend for yourselves the many delightful books and plays which J.M.B. has left as his memorial for eternity. There are "Mary Rose," "The Admirable Crichton " "A Kiss For Cinderella," "The Old Lady Shows Her Medals," "Quality Street," "My Lady Nicotine, The Little White Bird," and-many-others.