A MAN AND HIS BOOK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19292, 3 April 1926, Page 1 (Supplement)

A MAN AND HIS BOOK.

SINGLE CLAIMS TO FAME

BY JOHN DOE

During tho earlier years of last century a Mr. Hamilton sat for many years as a member of the House of Commons, during which time ho made but ono speech, and has gone down t-o fame as " Single Speech Hamilton. It may, perhaps, be regretted that there are not more politicians liko him; but in other walks of life, especially in literature, there are many men who have left but ono singlo memory of themselves, who arc known but for one book or one poem, their other work being dead and forgotten. Philip James Bailey is known only as the author of I'estus, that is a colossal poem which very few have read through, and perhaps its only well-known lines are these: We live in deeds, not years; ill thoughts, not breaths: . In feelings, not in figures on a dial. \Vo should count time by hef-rt-throbs. tie most lives . ~ , . Who thinks most, feels tho noblest, acts the best. An outstanding example of the man who has achieved fame and immortality through one book is Samuel Pepys, and curiously enough his diary was not intended for publication agd was written in a secret code or shorthand to keep it from prying eyes. Another instance is cf an exactly opposite kind. James Boswell, of Auchinieek, wrote his " Life of Dr. Johnson" of set purpose that all should read it and that he might obtain reflected glory from Ins account of the hero he so assiduously cultivated, and ho assuredly has obtained his reward in posthumous immortality and tho glory of being for ever coupled with tho great man whose life and sayings he gave to the world. One-piece Fame. These, however, are works of considerable magnitude and are of importance not for their literary quality, but for their matter. Cervantes, who, Byron said, " smiled Spain's chivalry away," is another writer who lives through one book, and his ' Adventures of Don Quixote" is famous for its literary qualities and its imagination. But many men are known for the sudden single outburst of genius in ono short flame, such as J. Blanco White, who wrote his famous " Sonnet to Mysterious Night," now found in every anthology, and nothing' else. These single efforts are like the famous isolated peak of Mount Egmont, in Taranaki, which Stands alone, far removed from any other peaks or mountain range, in solitary beauty and grandeur, towering over tho flat plains around its bilsc. Its origin is as obscure as the causes which gave birth to the sudden, singular manifestation of literary genius in these men. It is as if the old saying were reversed: the mouse is in labour and has produced a mountain. James Shirley would be a name unknown had lie not. in a larger poem called " Tho Contention of Ajax and Ulysses," which no one ever reads and few have heard of, put tho famous lines beginning: Tho dories of our blood and state Aro shadows, not substantial things; There is 110 armour against fate; Death lays his icy hand on kings; Hcentre and crown Must tumble down And in the dust be equal made With the noor crooked scythe and spado. Only tho notions of the just Smell sweet, and blossom in the dust! The beautiful hymn. "Abide With Mo, Fast Falls the Eventide," is tho ono literary work of the saintly Henry Francis Lvte that is known, and it is known throughout the _ Christian _ Englishspeaking world, just as " Nearer, My God, to Thee," is the only composition of its author, Sarah Francis Adams, which is well known. So " Onward, Christian Soldier," alone keeps green the name of tho Rev. S. J. Stone.

There aro some few books which alono have had tremendous influence on the history of mankind and have turned the thoughts of men in a fresh direction in their respective spheres, such as Charles Darwin's " The Origin of Species." There are two other books, entirely dissimilar the one from the other, one by a woman, which have had a tremendous and far-reaching influence, each the only work of its author of any note, viz., " Uncle Tom's Cabin," and Chaplain Mahan's " The Influence of Sea Power Upon History." Some Modern Songs. The name of the author of a song which will go down in our history from the faino of its singers and its extraordinarily popularity, " Tipperary," ought to be well known. I admit 1 have forgotten it; historians of our times may couple its popularity, and the extraordinary if brief life each had, with that of the recently defunct " Yes, We Have No Bananas." The names of its authors I also do not. know. The social historian of our times will give them their duo place. A far moro worthy name is that of John Howard Payne, who wrote "Home, Sweet Home," and nothing else, but that suffices. So one poem, " The Burial of Sir John Moore," keeps alive the name of Charles Wolfe. Iloget de Lislo has and needs no other title to fame than authorship of " The Marseillaise." Tho author of our less tumultuous National Anthem, Henry Carey, is also known through one song, the charming lyric " Sally in Our Alley." " To a Devonshire man 'Lorna Doone' is as good as Devonshire cream—almost," once said an enthusiastic west countryman of the one novel of R. D. Blackntore's that survives. The accident that Mr. Gladstone was once photographed with a copy in his hand of "John Inglesant," by John Henry Shorthouso, gavo popularity to that novel, which it deserved and won on its merits, though probably it is now little read. " Ben-bur" was a very popular novel and is still read, though nothing else of General Lew Wallace's survives him.

Unascribod Fame.

Perhaps single sayings are not quite the scope of this article, but 1 may mention one famous and well known sentence which is going bogging for its author, and for the person who can correctly place it a well-known English paper, "John 0' London's Weekly," offers £5. The words beginning " T shall pass through this world but once," and exhorting to kindness and charity, have been erroneously ascribed to many writers, never with any proof of authorship. Nor has the first and only begetter of tho proverb " God tempers tho wind to the shorn lamb" been discovered. Who wrolo the lines wo all hoard in nursery days— If all tho world wore paper. And all the sea wero ink.

And nil the trees wcro broad nn<l chcoee. What should wo do for drink? * If all the world woro sand-o. Oh, then what should wo lack-o. If ns they nay, there were no clay.

How should wo take tobacco? Nobody knows. There is a very beautiful little poem which should really have a moro definito author than " Anon." Hero aro two verses

There is a lady sweot and kind, . Was never'face eo pleased my ramd; I did but see her pasfunf? by. And yet I love her till I die. Tier gesture, motion, and her smiles. Her wit her voice, my heart beßtules, Bcfruilea my heart, I know not why, Anu yet I love her till I dio. This unknown lover at first sight lives in our lyric poems. If ever you ascertain tho authorship of any of these unknown beauties your name will also live.