BOOK DEDICATIONS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 57, 30 November 1934, Page 2

BOOK DEDICATIONS

Characters of Authors Revealed “G.K.C.” ON BERNARD SHAW Bookplates were temporarily displaced by book dedications at the re- ( cent general meeting of the New Zealand Ex Libris Society, when Mr. AMcElwain was the speaker on that part of books which, in common with Clio preface and introduction, is often overlooked by the casual reader. Mr. Johannes C. Andersen, president of the steietv, was in the chair. •■Exemplifying almost every human emotion and experience many dedications reveal vividly the characters and underlying purposes of the authors. .Mr. McElwain said. “Worthy dedications add lustre to books; they are like the final polish added to some perfect niece of craftsmanship. Incidentally, ihev immortalise those men and women with whom the immortal masters of literature deigned to join hands in affection, gratitude or loyalty by inscribing to them their noblest achievements. A Poet of 1613. "In very grandiose fashion, in IGlo, George Wither, the poet who wrote •Shall I wasting in despair.’ and who was not without a scuse of humour, made a bid for originality by dedicating a book to himself. It was entitled abuses stript and whipt’ and was his first effort. He commenced a nine-page dedication 'To Himself. G. all happiness.’ and concludes it: ‘But because I begin to grow tedious to my owne-selfe and since I shall have Opportunity enough to consider with thee what is further need-full without an Epistle, with my prayers for my Prince, my Country, my friends and •ny own prosperitie. without any leavetaking or Commendation of my Selfe; I heartily wish my owne Soule to farewell.” , ... . "Dedications to Royalty in the past have been particularly interestingSolomon Eagle mentions that numerous dedications to Charles II frequently verged on the blasphemous; tney began early when Charles was in the cradle. , "It would be difficult to find a mote enthusiastic book-lover of dir own time than Mr. A. Edward Newton, of Philadelphia. He is a positive specialist in penning attractive dedications. In his first work, -The Amenities of Book Collecting,’ we find ’lf, as Eugene Field, suggests, womenfolk are few in that part of I’aradise especially reserved for book-lovers. I do not care. One woman will be there, for I shall insist that eight and twenty years’ probation entitles her to share my bibllo-bliss above as she has shared it below. That woman is my wife.” A. I’. Herbert’s Neat Twist. "There is a neat twist to A. I’. Herbert’s dedication to lbs much-discussed •Holy Deadlock.’ This book starts with a misfit marriage , and develops into a slashing attack on the divorce laws of England. The inscription is: ’To Mrs. A. I’. Herbert on the 19th anniversary of her M eddiug. "A humorous uote is struck by some writers. P. G. Wodehouse has a comical satire on the hackneyed type of dedication in: 'To .So-and-so, without whose interest, encouragement, ami assistance, this book would have been written in half the time.’ "The real G. K. Chesterton appears in his inscription to •Bernard Shaw’: ’Most people either say that they agree with Bernard Shaw, or that they do not understand him. I am the only person who understands him and I do not agree with him.’ ”