A LIFE OF GALSWORTHY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 133, 29 February 1936, Page 21

A LIFE OF GALSWORTHY

Excellent Biography by Mr. H. V. Marrot

“The Life and Letters of John Galsworthy,” by H. V. Marrot (London: Heinemann).

Just what place history and the clearer perspective of time will give John Galsworthy in the story of English literature it is probably too soon, to predict, but there are many who’ would say it will be a notable.one. Io tho>se wishing to form an estimate of Galsworthy’s work and character this book cannot but be invaluable, and it may be said immediately that Mr. Marrot has written a tine biography. His method of doing so is interesting, for, although the author knew Galsworthy well in the later years of his life, he is the most unobtrusive of biographers. He explains this in a preface:

Of Galsworthy, more than of most men, it i-s true to say that the story of bis life has 'been in his work. His was no sen<sa. tional career; it was rather a progress as well-ordered as his own nature. His were ■the adventures, not of action nor of controversy, but of the isptrit and the heart .... if this book consists largely of quota, lions it te because in Galsworthy’s own writing lie all the clues to his character that he has left us: they explain him better than any biographic gloss.

And so Mr. Marrot largely lets Galsworthy speak for himself, quoting freely from his letters, writings and speeches. But all tbjjpugh this long work Mr. Marrot walks, sometimes almost unseen, beside the reader, adding, perhaps, only a sentence in the course of several pages, but even so, succeeding in acting as an unerring guide to thought and comprehension. The impression of Galsworthy he slowly but steadily buiids up is certain to be a lasting one. . Mr. Marrot starts with Galsworthy’s birth in a thunderstorm, and then tells of his early schooling, his days at Harrow and Oxford and his travels, during which he met. Joseph Conrad, who was to become Ills life-long friend,

his adviser in the early days of his writing and his ardent aomirer. Incidentally a striking tribute to Galsworthy exists in his close friendship with many of the leading literary figures of his day. He sought the crlticsim of such men as Edward Garnett and Professor Gilbert Murray. It was, as will be seen from the book, frank criticism, but they were firm friends. J. M. Barrie, Thomas Hardy, William Archer, John Masefield, and many others were also his friends.

Success did not come easily to Galsworthy when he once decided, on the suggestion, in the first place, of the woman who later became his wife, to devote himself to writing. Actually he wrote for eleven years without making a penny, and it is interesting to speculate what difference was made by the fact that he did not depend on his writing for a living. Looking back,- years later, Galsworthy was able to voic§ his feelings concerning starting to write as follows:

The first moral is that seine writers at least are not born. The secoiid moral Is that such writers need either an independent income, or another job while they are learning to "write.” The third moral is that he who is determined to “write,” and lias the grit to see the job through, can “get there” in time. The fourth moral is that the writer who steadily goes his own wuy, never writes to fulfil .the demands of public, pifljlishcr, or editor, Is the writer who conn's oft best in the end. The lifth moral Is that to begin 100 young is a mistake. Live tirst, write afterwards. I had seen, unscllcoiisclouisly. a good deal of life before I began to write, but even at 28 I began Loo young

It was “The Man of Property,” which took three years to write, which made Galsworthy’s literary independence assurttjl, although “The Island Pharisees” in 1004 had signalised his emergence as a writer of importance. But the fact that bis ability was recognised by critics did not make him a btet seller and he had to wait until “The Forsyte Saga” appeared before he saw his sales go shooting up by leaps and bounds. Similarly, with bis plays, although some of the earlier ones created very favourable impressions, they were not boxoffice successes. It was not until “The Skin Game,” “Loyalties” and “Escape,” later plays with a preponderance of action over the idealogy that had marked the earlier ones that bis plays ran for long periods.

For, as the ycurcs passed by, the satire and irony which hud marked Galsworthy’s earlier works was leavened by a growing consciousness of beauty, more sympathy and a greater lyricism of style. By quoting from Galsworthy himself Mr. Marrot sets out to refute the chargb that he was a propagandist—with the notable exception of the play “Justice.” which played a large part in reducing the lengths of terms of solitary confinement in British prisons. This illustrates Galsworthy’s humanism and his biographer is at pains to point out that, far from being of a cold temperament, as was supposed by many, Galsworthy’s nature was warm, and of a deep tenderness, although be showed his innermost feelings only to a few intimate friends. His generosity was almost prodigal. He made it a rule to live on less than half his Income, using the rest to help many q good cause and many a person needing help. The last days of Galsworthy’s life are. fittingly, described in moving fashion by his nephew, Rudolf Sauter, for whom he had a deep love. The book is illustrated by a fine collection of photographs.

Mr. George Gould doubts whether there are ten novels, in English, that would not profit by pruning. All of Scott would, ami I hough he would be ready to apply individual sanctions to anybody who stole one word of "The Pickwick Papers,” .he would gladly give up nearly half of “David. Copperfield” and a third of “Nicholas Nickleby.”