TO-DAY'S ANNIVERSARIES.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 13982, 3 March 1911, Page 6

TO-DAY'S ANNIVERSARIES.

■■'9 MARCH 3. Edmund Waller, courtly poet, born .. 1605 George Herbert, poet, rector of Bemertoa, died .. ■• •• l^ Thomas Otway, dramatic poet, born .. 1&>1 WilJiam C. ilacrendy, tragedian, born 1798 Copley Fielding, landscape painter, died 1855 Edmund Waller.—"Ho began to write versos," says Claronden, "when most men leave off-" That may be so, though it is more certain that hesat in Parliament when most men aro at school. Beginning his Parliamentary «ar«>r at the age of 10, ho obtained tho experience that Dore such good fruit in later days. At tho death of his father, when Waller was but eleven years old, he inherited a larco fortune, which ho greatly augmented by ■h» marriage to a wealthy city heiress. In 1G32 he retired from public Hfo, aJid settled down on his estates to study literature. Thirteen years afterwards his first book of poems appeared. His themes mny not have been great, but he clothed them, in the words of Fonton, "with a cleverly-woven and tastefullycoloured garment of words and images." Is'ono was so complimentary as Dryden, who calls him tho "father of English numbers," and declares that but for him "none of us could write." It is doubtful, however, if one can ascribe to him euch a exeat influence on Engliah literature. He was the Bums of England—a songwriter, "facilo priheops."

Thomas Otway.—lf parental influence had availed, Otway would have takeu orders, and if his own ambitions had been realised he would have been, an actor. Hβ might , hayo been a soldier, but sold his commission and became a literary adventurer in London, Ho wrote many" plays, some exceptionally good and others equally indifferent. Many are tainted by the impurity of the period, but all are distinguished for their tragic pathos, a quality that places him supreme among the poets of his age. Of his plays, the best known are "Tho Orphan" and "The Soldier's Fortune." Though the success of many of his plays was decisive, ho was never in good ■circitm»stances, and from all accounts died a pauper. _ J

Williaiu Macready.—Force of circumstances drove Macready to the. stage, his idea of a course at Oxford after -his career at Rugby being cut short by, the financial .embarrassment of his father, the lessee of several provincial theatres. As a business man Macready was a success. His first appearance on the stage in 1810, aa Romeo, at Birmingham, showed great promise, though beyond an exceptionally good voice he was iiot naturally gifted for the profession. What, powers he had, however, he cultivated- to perfection, and some of the parts he created still live. His Richard 111, at Covent Garden, in 1819, was the crowning triumph of tho fame he gathered in the provinces. In ■1837 he entered on the management of (Went Garden, and afterwards the Drury Lane Theatre. Ho retired in 1551. During the remaining twentytwo years of his life, he acquired a reputation as a philanthropist, initiating many schemes for the betterment of conditions of the poorer classes.

Copley Fielding.'—lficlding has a claim on history if it were onl.v for the fact that he was tbo teacher of Ruskin, though his water-colours,, both landscape find seascape. aT© tnost , eloquent testimony to his ability as ' an artist. His father, a portrait his mother a frequent contributor to t.ho Water-Colour Society, and bis three brothers engaged in the same medium, Fielding was literally surrounded by Art. Ho commenced his etTidiee at an enrly ngo under the tutorship of John Varley. His ivork is by elegance, tanto and accomplishment, , though it lacks originality in purpose and style. A most prolific paintor, he contributed in ono year to the WaterColour Society over fifty-six subjects, as v<?!! as an oil paintip*: to theAcademy. Tn lator lifo ho devoted more of his timo to teaching, and what few painiinfrs ho then produced woro much below his former high standard.