THE STORY OF A BOOK.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 9302, 5 September 1898, Page 1

THE STORY OF A BOOK.

(Now Zealand Timos.) Books have their hiqtorius as vvoll aa moo, and sometimes tho hiatory Is as full of Intoroyb and vicissitude in tho ono caso is ib la in tho othori Ib in probable that) ovon tho colonies ycung as they are, could furnish somo modern instances in this con* noction. Mr John Christie's book, "A Pcophot of tho People," which is jusb about to bo pabllahod, Is, In its way, a oaso In point, It is moco than 30 yoara since Mr Chrhblo first) began toroaliao tho nocosaity for tho demonstration of a grosfc firtit principle— an irrofutablo gonorallmtlon, axiomatloally expressed — which would covor tho wholo fiold of human effort and apply to every hunrm relationship within tho sphere of economic law and social iuatlco. Withoub such a principlo ■*ll reform muab fa'I, or ab any rate novoc gob boyond tho construction of merely mechanical syatoms, ot picnic excursions into tho Arcidlas oi sentlmont.il altruism. Wvon legislation, though ib may all bo in the direction of justice, will — if nob based on Buch a principle— -moroly eonbinuo on nnothor pluuo ; the old doctrine of inighb ia right. This ia tho doctrine undor wluch tho Individualist hia gcown rich ; bub though tho majority, by forced by numotio.il voting power, m»y go on and do likotvlao, justice, to bo peruunout and truly satisfying to tho conscience of | clviliaod inu), musb bo obtained by othoe meuna ; n imoly, by the demonstration o£ a principlo under which right moat neces* s<irily become might, and so inevitably tind expression in tho legialatiou and tho social life of tho world. Ib ia to tho onuciation and exposition of this principlo Hiab Kenneth B^ird, tho hero of " A Prophob of tho People/' dovotes himuolf. Tho book itaolf was written fivo years ago, Ibtvai hubscquently shown in manusoript to Mr J. 11. Blair, the proHenb M-iyot of Wellington, who was then carrying on tho well-known buainoaa o£ Messrs Lyon and B'air. Mr Blair, though nob a Socialist, thought woll enough of tho book to advtoo Mr Christie to send ib to Mr E. H t Pe-ifjc, general oocroUry of tho Fabiau Socloty, with a view to ita public »tion ; and oven wrote to Mr Penno .i lottor in which ho opoko of tho book in highly complimentary terms. Me Poaso, in hia turn, brought! tho story under tho notice of Mr Kelr llardie, who at; onco offered fo run ib through tho "Labor Loader," and, aftorwirdi-, issuo ib in book form, and give Mr Chrintlo a rnyalty on tho a^lof. That w \s in January, 1800, but Mr Hirdio'f, defeat at tho ensuing general olcctiotiH led to hiy visiting Amerio mid to tho m^n-igomonb of tho "Libor Lo-idor" passing temporarily into other lunds. Under tlu'Ho oncunxslincos tho arrangomonb with Mr Chrmbio lapsed. Tho tidal w»ve of Oonsorvatism tlub then swopc over the Old Country io now recidjtjg, bat for a long tlmo it \t»h ho strong tint Soci»ll^b ido ts and public*- 1 tiona could find no acceptance — at lo»at, nob with the nowopHpors -ujJ rovit-w. Writing to Mr Christ io in February, 18!Ju', fllr lloborti Blatchford, editor uf tho "Chrion " nnd author of " Morrio Kugland," mentioiioi an oxcollontly -wrlttim story which never got a review and which, could not bo &old by tho " Clarion " Com* p-uiy, Tfio boycotc was an blttoc thabMr Bl-vchfotd'a own novel, "Tommy Atkitia," did not recoive ono biuglo notice in a London paper, and no* 1 more than bix notices in all England. Yet Mr Bl-\chford lnd proviounly acquired a world-wido ropufcv tion with his " Morrlo Engl-ind." Sinco then tho tido has turned, but tho fretu aru referred to hero bocauso they havoa boarIng on tho histoiy of tho book which Me Christie ia now bringing out in Wellington. Compotont judges who have read Mr Christie's story stato that ib ia vividly wricton and dnnntically interesting, and that tho auihor has discovered and irrofutab y demonstrated tho abaoluto titsti principlo of Social Justice. [Mr Chrlstio w\s at one timo editor of the North Otago Times.]