LITERACY NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1927, Page 21

LITERACY NOTES

The life-sketch of Queen Mary, which Miss Kathleen Woodward, an English working girl, has written, has just appeared in London.

"Adventures in Editing," by Mr Charles Hanson Towne, of New York' tells this story:—Ella Wheeler Wileox had opened a certain set of verses with one of her cosmic lines, typical of her style: "My soul is a lighthouse keeper." But the printer, insetting it up caused it to read: "My spul is a light housekeeper." "Mrs." Wileox never forgave that linotyper," says Mr lowne, "and neither did I."

If what I write should prevent even one young barrister who hopes to make a mark m his profession from being beguiled into tile fatal paths of authorship, I shall not have laboured in vain • - . A legislative (i.e., Parliamentary) career is about the only one of which the doors are not shut to the writer of fiction, as is proved by many instances, notably that of Disraeli."— m 1/f 6" Haggara in "The Days of

Mr -Compton Mackenzie has contributed an introduction to "Rosemary borne Remembrances," by Miss Fay Oompton, his sister. He says he cannot help sympathising with his sister on her failure to make this autobiography more than "a colourless record of the external incidents of a busy professional life.": Mr. Compton Mackenzie makes other uncomplimentary remarks. Presumably Miss Compton saw the introduction before the book was published; but it seems strange that she should have accepted it.

A writer in the New York "Literary Review" quotes Mark Twain's advice a young author:—"Yes, Agassiz does recommend authors to eat fish because the phosphorous in it makes brain. So far you are correct. But I cannot help you to a decision about the amount you need to eat—at least, not with certainty. If the specimen composition you send is about your fair usual average, I should judge that perhaps a couple of whales would be all you would want for the' present. Not the largest kind, but simply good, middle-sized whales." *'•■*> u >

_ Heinemann's will publish Joseph Conrad'a biography by M. Jean Aubry, who shows how much of his work is based on actual facts, and how nearly ail he did and endured contributed directly to the creation of what we now recognise as the Conrad atmosphere. _ One volume of the work deals with his life in his native Poland and aboard ship on the Seven Seas, up to the time he turned author. The second volume contains his letters, divided into three groups, for each of which M. Aubry has written a biographical preface. . ■■ •

■ Mr. Piaras Beaslai is the.author of "Michael Collins and the' Making of a New Ireland." Mr. Augustine Birrell •appears in a new light in this paragraph by Mr. Beaslai:—There exists a 'curious idea in England to-day that Mr." Asqnith and Mr. Birrell were in some mysterious way responsible by their "tolerance" of the Irish Volunteers for the insurrection of Easter week. As one who was working tooth and nail to bring about an insurrection, I can testify that the biggest obstacle we had to contend against was the cleverness of Birrell's policy. The one thing that would have rallied support to our side was drastic coercion on the part of the English Government; but Mr. Birrell cleverly continued to appear as not interfering with us, while taking care that we were effectually silenced.

It is an excellent rule of writing to give reasons for opinions ana evidence in support of assertions. A review in the London "Sunday Times" finds fault with Mr ."Wells for not observing this rule. Mr. Wells's treatment of his characters in this book ("The WorH of William Clissold") irresistibly recalls a pregnant passage in Macaulay's critique of Byron: "He exhibited his characters, not in the manner of Shakespeare, but of Clarendon. He analysed them, but he did not make them show themselves. We are told th,at the speech of Lara was bitterly sarcastic, that if he was much questioned about Mb travels his answers became short and .his brow gloomy. But we have none of Lara's sarcastic speeches or short answers. It is not thus that- the great masters of human nature have portrayed human beings." Nor was it thus that Mr. Wells portrayed Kipps or Mr.' Polly or Hoopdriver, and made Uncle Pentstemon a joy for unborn generations.

Recalling his days in the Royal Irish Constabulary and the faction lights that were then the accompaniment of all fairs and meetings about the borders of Limerick and Tipperary, Sir William Nott-Bower, formerly Commissioner of 'Police for the City of London, says in hia "Fifty Years a Policeman," that the favourite weapon was a long woollen stocking with a stone knotted in the heel, that was slung round with reckless violence:—One clay, during a fair held at Nenagh, after much fighting and much whisky, many went to sleep in the tents. A few who were still sober enough wandered round the fair, and if they saw a head showing under tho canvas of an "enemy's" tent, naturally took a whack at it. One of these whacks proved fatal, and tho assailant, being fully identified, was afterwards placed on his trial. The jury found the usual verdict—Not Guilty. Tho Judge turned to the jury and said, "Is that your verdict, gentlemen?" To which the foreman replied, "Yes, my Lord, the jury are of opinion that a man with a skull as thin as an eggshell had no business in the fair of Nenagh."