PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3331, 16 January 1918, Page 55

PERSONAL NOTES.

The laic Auguste Rodin, the famous French sculptor, struggled for 50 years against poverty, abuse, and ridicule for his unconventional ideas before ho achieved undisputed honour as one of the most famous sculptors of .the world. When finally recoginsed as a master bo was hailed by his admirers as the Michael Angelo of modern times.

The American Winston Churchill, who is being honoured in London, may be said to have completely justified one of his early theories—that a man's destiny is in his own hands. He decided one day, to the surprise of his friends, to become a novelist, and set about the business with insight and foresight. His methods were modelled upon those of a bank as regards punctuality and despatch, and the painstaking instinct of a British museum librarian.

Sir Henry Wilson, who has been appointed to the Eastern command, is acknowledged to have one of the most brilliant brains in the British army, and certainly .the- readiest tongue, which has always made him feared by the politicians, who dislike being beaten with their own weapon. The conspicuous public service he rendered before the war as Director of Military Operations and Organiser of the British Expeditionary Force, which was complete in every detail, and ready to start at the shortest notice, as well as arranging the military entente between the French and British armies, have never been adequately recognised. Marshal Joffre finds it difficult to evade the attentions of the hero-worshipper. Only when occasion necessitates docs ho now appear _ in uniform. Recently ho weekended in the Paris suburbs. Disguised in a grey lounge suit and Monte Carlo hat, he chose a second class carriage, but even then he was not immune from conversational bombardment. A garrulous poilu insisted on entertaining him throughout the journey with stories from the trenches. "Papa" sat and listened, but did not speak until he had arrived at his destination. Then he demanded to see the soldier's identity disc. And a few days later there arrived from tho one and only Marshal of France a serviceable wriet-wafch in solid gold and duly inscribed. By the retirement when the next election comes round of Mr Birrell, the House of Commons will lose its fastest speaker. In the old days he had two rivals in Mr Haldanc and Mr Bryce, now titled and gone to another place; but neither attained Mr Birrell's record. On one occasion he poured out 3200 words in 20 minutes —a speed of 160 per minute, including stops, or an actual average of 200 per minute. Mr Birrell's father was an eminent Baptist minister in Liverpool. The appearance on the western front of a civilian who has not donned khaki is such a novelty as to cause a sensation amongst the soldiers. A brigadier tells a good story of a recent inspection by Sir Douglas Haig of an overseas division. The Commander-in-chief cantered up in fine style with his staff. Behind him there rumbled a motor cax bearing tho High Commissioner of the dominion whence tho troops under inspection had been drawn. Tho High Commissioner, in his London garb—barring the top hat, —looked the most conspicuous of anyone on the review ground. ."Who's the civvie, Jim?" asked one of the rank and file in a tone loud enough for all within a dozen yards to hear. "Him?" replied his neighbour. " Why, 'e's the official photographer." Can this have been said of the High Commissioner for New Zealand? •- Admiral Sir Cecil Burney, the most popular of sailors, who has been appointed to the important command of the east coast of Britain, in succession to the late Admiral Sir F. Hamilton, is generally approved. Admiral Burney was second in command of tho Grand Fleet at the battle of Jutland, and his clever handling of his squadron during the night won bun high piaiso and promotion to G.C.M.G. The son of Captain Burney, R.N., has had a long and distinguished naval career. Born in 1858, he served in the Egyptian campaign of 1882, and two years afterwards ho was again on active service at Suakim. The admiral is a descendant of Dr Burney, tho famous author of the " History of Music," who was the father of the still more famous Fanny Burney, the - friend of Dr Johnson, David Garrick, and Sir Joshua Reynolds. Tho arrival in England recently ■ of General Gourko, tho famous Russian soldier, caused something of a sensation. Tho general, who is 50 years of age, was a colonel at the beginning of the war. Rapid promotion came in his way, and in 1916 he received command of an army. Later on he became Chief of the Staff, and then commander on the western front. When the revolution broke out the' general, as a staunch supporter of the Romanoff dynasty, proved unacceptable to the Provisional Government. Refusing to be reduced in his command, he was arrested, and for a month was imprisoned in the famous fortress of Peter and Paul. General Gourko was one of the attaches during the South African war. and was taken prisoner by the British troops, when, owing to a misunderstanding, he was treated for several days at, an ordinary prisoner of war. He speaks excellent French and English, and is a groat 'traveller Lord Reading - , who was sent to the United States on an important financial mission, is the first Jew to hold the post of Lord Chief Justice in Great Britain. His specialty has always been commercial work. He has a memory as retentive as a rat-trap for facts and figures. A friend of his declared chaffingly that he spends his leisure time reading favourite passages from railway time-tables. When a member of the Junior Bar Lord Reading l (he was then Mr Rufus Isaacs) once had occasion to visit St. Stephen's., and marched boldly through the palace yard. He succeeded in getting past the policeman on duty, who. however, detected him a second or two later, and, overtaking him, confronted him with the question : " Excuse me. sir, but are you a member?" _ "Not yet," was tho reply; "but I am poing to be soon." "I hope you will, sir," said tho policeman; "but meanwhile would you mind going

round the other -tfayV" That "meanwhile; confesses the lormex Mr Rufus leaact lasted 12 years