LIVES OF GREAT MEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7111, 25 April 1910, Page 8

LIVES OF GREAT MEN

THE ABUSE OF BIOGRAPHY. "Morning Leader." Mr Edanund Gosse recently delivered an address alt the London Institution on "The ethics of biography." Under the protection of Mr Gosse there is no reason why something further should not he said on the subject. It is inevitable that everyone should take an interest in his neighbour, especially if he be of an eccentric, disposition, or unusually successful. Only tho, other day somcono suggested ah accurate biograiphy of the men whs? buy the alarming waistcoats that are sometimes to be seen in shcrpi windows. That such a suggestion, should be made is a sign of the gsmeral demand for information on anyitttiing tha-f is unusual or amazing in humraai nature. Everyone, too, is glad to read the biography of a fanimus man, so that the reasdns for his success can be taiced. With the ertMcs of the matter there l is no need to be greatly ronioerned, as it is better in this teas© to begtijn where (Mr Gosse left off; but it may Be worth while to say somethnUg of the disoppointnieinits of Wogratphies, and to suggest what is neeided. Jt is usual nowadays, directly a great main dipss, for someone to fasten on his remains, and put them together in such A f oimi that they may be .capable of oairaing money. For it haippons that several men who have mostly starved in their life have left such valuable remains that their biographers have been ablo to pocket considerable sums. Poets such as Verlaine, Gerard de Nerval, and all the others who havo been penniless, have left much marketable material which has been eagerly seized upon. There is something repulsive in this trade. TIME THE LEVTSLLER. No one is safe. It is a crime to disturb a coffin, but it is no offonce to drag almost forgotten people from their graves, and expose thoir weaknesses and follies to anyone who may happen to be inquisitive. There is money in love stories, and any prominent men and women of the past who havo been subjects for scandals in their time can profitably be brought to life again. . Things, queeris, princesses, nobles, writers, and the rest are battened upon by a motley crew who have no other motive than to put together a marketable book. No wonder that Meredith said a ourse would be upon his biographer. But what doi tihie puhHo really want to know about their great men ? Would they rather be told that Meredith was the son of a tailor, or learn what ho said when he was walking along Surrey roads and hills P Are they anxious to be told that Shelley was a blackguard, or do they prefer to read his poetry? Do they want to see their great men made small, and to hear gossip and scandal; or what? Undoubtedly there are people who like to see the men who have played a bigger part, and struggled painfully against odds, brought down to their own level. These are the people who nre .grateful for having no illusions 'eft, and who find comfort and satisfaction in a ' knowledge of other people's weaknesses. THE MASQTJERADEIRS.

Thero are people, too. who like back.stair biographies about princesses. They are glad that there are men who will sit in the British Museum- for months and dig out stories of dead ! passions, and forgotten intrigues, and discreditable loves. There is always a demand for gossip, or for facts that answer the same purpose, and this is especially so when the subject is a 'princess, or a lady of the Court. It is a squalid business masquerading in the name of history. It is difficult to know whether the public, or these men who sit in the British Museum, are to blame. The public, unlike the individual, always seems to get exactly what it wants, and apparently it must be supposed that it wants this stuff. But, surely, it is possible that it is under-rated, and not given a fair chance? After' nil, what is the pub-Mo? Presumably it is a collection of, individuals Who have the tastes that may be expected of any one ordinary man. Now, the ordinary roan, in his sincere secret moments, has a liking for his illusions, and will not willingly let go of them. "Why, then, should the public be satisfied with the men who, for their own gain, reproduce gossip that does damage to their illusions and insults their intelligence? ' One of the most wonderful features of the present day is that the public is so patient with its writers. THE ART OF ROMANCING. The truth seems to be that all biographies, except Boswell's, are disappointing. Only Boswell knew what to say amd what not to say. Others are obsessed with the unwholesomo craze for accuracy, and insist on every unnecessary detail. Nowadays, in fact, everyone thinks he is capable of writing a biography. The novel-writing oraze is bad enough, but the madness for biographies is worse. Until the reading-room at the British" Museum is closed to biography-mongers there will be no cure.

Let to hare Livee of our great men, but let tihem be written by people who have known them. "We know enough about Byron, and Shelley, and Stevenson, and all the princesses who have ever lived. We' know more than enough of Rousseau, and Baudelaire, and Chateaubriand, and many others. There is no need for further lovestories of the ladies of the court. "What wo want is another Boswell's " Johnson." .