POET WHO LIVED AS AN EASTERN CHIEF.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3143, 13 November 1922, Page 2

POET WHO LIVED AS AN EASTERN CHIEF.

Mi- "Wilfred Seawen Blunt, the distinguished author and travellei. died recently near Horsham. He had just entered his eighty-third year. Mr Sea wen Blunt was one of the most romantic and versatile figures of his day. He-was passionately fond of the breeding of Arab horses: indeed, it was Ins sole recreation. His knowledge of the Near East was extraordinary, but his views on British rule were rabid. He often attacked, with the most embittered language, the statesmen responsible for the conduct of Eastern affairs. • Mr Blunt was the Son of Mr E. S. Blunt, of Crahbet Park, and lie succeeded to the ('rabbet estates on the death of Ins brother in 1872. He married. in 18G9. Lady Noel, daughter of the first Earl of Lovelace. and grand-da lighter of Byron. Lady Anne entered with enthusiasm into her husband’s love of the East, and together they spent many months in the Arabian deserts, and at one time Lad a. residence at Damascus. Sire died in 15)17. Mr Blunt entered the Diplomatic Service in ISoS, and remained in it for twelve years. Then ho spent his days in travelling, and threw himself heart and soul into the Nationalist cause in Egypt. When that attempt died out. Mr Blunt went to India, where he continued to act as a. stormy petrel, lien ping diatribe after diatribe on the unlucky officials responsible' lor our Eastern policy. In )Ss.‘) Mr Blunt H'lrned his attention to politics, and fought Camberwell in the Tory Home Rule interest. He was defeated, and. apparently disgusted with the Tories, changed his tactics, and the following year saw Him contesting Kidderminster as a Liberal Homo Ruler. Again be was defeated, and gave up party politics in disdam. Mr llluiit then decided that Ireland had been neglected. He threw himself with characteristic energy into the championship of her cause. ILs pen and his tongue were ever at her sendee. Then he tired of li eland, and next turned his attention to poetry, and achieved much success. But the call of the “oppressed" was too strong, and a few years later he returned to the attack on Britain’s Eastern policy with unabated vigor. Book after hook, pamphlet after pamphlet, poured from his pen—-and then, as suddenly as he had returned to the arena—-Mr Blum; went back to his Arab steeds. In bis house near Cairo, he lived as an Eastern chief, wearing their dress, and adopting their oust unis. Mr Blunt came into the public eye again once only since then. In 192(1 he went to law with his only child, the present Baroness Wentworth. over the ownership of certain Arab horses in his ('rabbet Park stud. He knew everybody who was anybody in the political and social worlds in the last fifty years, and with all his la nits of over emphasis. Mr Blunt was. most modest and unassuming with regard to his literary" work, and refused to regard himself seriously as a poet.