HELP FOR THE WEAK

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 July 1933, Page 8

HELP FOR THE WEAK

AN AUTHOR’S GIFT. “I have lived too long not to find it easier to love animals than to love men,” writes Dr. Axel Munthe, the famous author of the “Book of San Michele,” one of the greatest literary world successes of later years. Dr. Munthe, who lives the life of a recluse on the island of Capri, with a quaint and warm-hearted letter to his personal friend, King Gustav V., donates a Christmas gift of 100,000 kroner (£5500), the Swedish part of the proceeds of his book, to be distributed by the King in equal parts for the benefit of the blind, the Lapps, and the birds. The late Queen Victoria, whose physician Dr Munthe was, had promised to distribute the proceeds of his book, and he now requests the King to do it instead. Dr. Munthe himself now is almost blind, and, therefore, feels warmly for his unfortunate fellowsufferers who will now benefit in several ways from his gift. “As regards my little friends the Lapps,” the doctor writes, “I think we do best to leave these homeless children of the wilds in peace with their reindeer without unnecessary interference, but protected by the right of weak.” The donor wishes his gift to be spent for the care of aged Lapps, who can no longer continue their strenuous nomad life. The birds, however, are the proteges which are nearest to the author’s heart, and a large part of the proceeds of his books has previously been spent for bird protection. He writes in his letter to the King: “No newspaper praise could give me more joy than the certainty that the “Book of San Michele’ has helped a flock of migratory birds unscathed on their way southwards. Were it in my power to feed all the freezing birds that courageously remain on a hungei’ diet on icebound land and water, I would not even shrink. from writing another book, in spite of my longing for silence.” The gift will probably be used for establishing new sanctuaries for wild birds, such as the author has already created in Capri and in the Swedish island of Gland', the former summer home of the late Queen Victoria.

Dr. Munthe writes that he is now old and helpless, and that he, therefore, gratefully places his gift in the wise hands of the King, “in spite of the long list of sins in the game-bag.” He finally says that if the forecast of the literary weathqr prophets in sixteen countries come true, the book of San Miche will survive its author. The sum now given will perhaps grow with the years, “and I will then let you hear from me again, living or dead,” the strange hermit concludes his letter.