PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 43

PERSONAL NOTES.

An interesting fact, and one perhaps not generally known, is that the General Alejandro Ybarra, who is in command of one of the Venezuelan armies, and who is known among his countrymen as " The Schoolmaster," is the author of a very popular method for learning Spanish, published by Messrs D. O. Heath, and Co., Boston.

Mr Radyard Kipling has no reason ta complain of his luck in literature, and now, like the proverbially fortunate man, everything he touches turns to gold. Three years, ago he invested some money in lan,d in Vancouver. He has just revisited the spot, and: finds himself the owner of property of considerable value.

Charles Edward Flower, the Shakespeare scholar of Stratford -upon -Avon, is dead. He was a native of Shakespeare's birthplace, and used his large wealth freely for the advancement of his town. He founded the Memorial Theatre, and made numerous generous gifts to its library. His most important literary work was the editing of the Memorial edition of Shakespeare, and he made practical and successful acting versions of four plays. One of his last labours was the restoration of the Guild Hall and Grammar School of Stratford.

Lord Tennyson, who is in exceptionally good health, has not (says the Atbenaaum) yet " left Farringford for Aldworth," as has been stated. He is much interested in the Aitillerj Volunteer Corps that his son has been raising in the Isle of Wighc. " Riflemen, form," ifc will be remecbered, was one of the first things to stir Englishmen to become Volunteers in 1859, and it has alwa>s been a great desire of his to se6 the movement extend much more widely than it has done. " The Foresters " has been played with great success at Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, and is now going to Chicago and then to Boston.

Among modern authors who can raise a laugh, Mr F. M. Allen — who, we are glad to see, sticks to his first literary name on the title page of his latest book, and does not confuse the reader by asking him to remember that in private life he is somebody else must certainly be given a prominent place. The dialect he writes in is the rich Irish brogue which is heard wherever the British flag floats, and is not by any means confined to the uneducated and poorer classes. We remember once hearing tbo charming wife of a high Indian official on, furlough scolding her grown-up son fo* speaking " wud an accent," and all the while she herself had, all unconsciously it seemed* an accent that was as strong as the smell of: onions in an Irish stew. " Green as Grass,'* as the new book is called, is suitably bound! in green, and has a portrait of one of tbo leading characters, " The King of Leinsther^* on the cover.

Mr Sala does not like to be told that be is only a " common journalist," that " the note book" is "the centre of bis imagination^" that his " stroke " is being <' enfeebled by years," or that he is " panting behind." The National Observer has had the bad taste to anger him wish these insinuations. If Mr Sala is a " common journalist enfeebled by years, and panting behind»" the uncommon, or superior, journalist must indeed be a very superior being.

But Mr Sala goes somewhat out of his way in No. 4 of Sala's Journal to administer a severe journalistic flogging to the offending National Observer. Yet th© readers off his journal will probably welcome the interesting bits of personal history which the attack has wrung from him. For seven-and-forty years he has laboured as a joart. nalist. For six years he toiled *• in povei*in obscurity, and very often in. dire w* y /» and often suffering the pangs; &* ' --^esSj Another six years 1 appren.U©*"*' . ■ hunger." tqro and journalism. \& ' jUi P to literafostering care <$ ' served under the "Household "\sQ#<*' Charles Dickens, in the Daih '$*' d" » aD(^ * v 1^57 he joined has w,ri*'' *egrapb, for which paper he Rate-" - cQ about 12,000 leading articles. #' »r an uncommon record for a " common jjurnalist."

George Meredith was born in Hampshire in 1828, and is therefore 64 years of age. He has been honoured by the discerning few for many years. It is only within the last three or four years that he has been accepted by the many. Ho has been married three times, and has two children— a girl and a boy. In Dorking (in Surrey) he has a pleasant houso with pretty grounds, in which he has built himself a little chalet, where the greater pare of his literary work i 3 done. A lovely little place it is, backed by a wooded hilJ, and quite away from the riot and roar of the crowd. This estate he has earned by the money he has made by his writings. His novels and poems have not always bronght him as much wealth as their rare genius entitled him to, but his work on the Fortnightly Review was always well paid for, and when Mr John Morley, the editor of that periodical, was ill, George Meredith took bis place for a long time.