The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, JULY 11, 1914. A LITERACY CENTENARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15395, 11 July 1914, Page 8

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, JULY 11, 1914. A LITERACY CENTENARY.

A literary centenary of no ordinarv importance has marked this week. On July 7th.. 1814, was published " Waverley,';' first of' the famous series of historical romances which began a new era lor English fiction. If Scott was not the father of the English novel he was at any rate the father of the historical novel; also more living-, breathing- nieri and women, of divers times, characters, and stations, have issued from his brain than from that of any other man of genius except Shakespeare. The characters of Dickens, who alone might challenge this great claim, are not aIL men and women. 31r Chesterton has denoted the unhunian character of many of the most delightful of them by describing theni as fairies. The sheriff-depute of Selkirkshire was already the most popular writer or his day, by dint of poetry, when ho commenced his more important work of prose. The history of Scotland, then an unexplored field, had furnished him a harvest of ballads, and afterwards of splendid verse, romances, brilliant with the eolouring of feudal days, martial with the fights and deeds of Scottish herdes, glowing with the love of country which Scott had in as full degree as Burns. Novel writing gave him a still wider field, in which he showed that he could understand the hearts and discern the greatness of poor simple folk as well as he could imagine knights and ladies. "Waverley" was published anonymously, and at once made a literary sensation which has not been surpassed. Other masterpieces followed with amazing quickness, and were acknowledged with as much enthusiasm in Europe as in Great Britain. 1 be '"Groat Unknown'" became the idol of ihe hour. The anonymous authorship of works which gave delight alike to peer and peasant could not bo long maintained, though Scott, for reasons not quite clear, did his utmost to maintain it. The homo at Abbotsford of the " "Wizard of the North," the '"Ariosto of the North," as Byron called him. became the resort of pilgrims great and humble, whom the prosperous creator entertained with the modesty of a simple sheriff and 1 lie hospitality of a prince. Then came the blow of fortune by which he was reduced ti: bankruptcy, with liabilities exceeding - all that he could hope i-i earn by ceaseless labours of his p-Mi for the remainder of his lite. The character of the man

had always been equal to his tame. Xow be was to show its reserves of greatness. Composition with his creditors would have been easy, but this <»ourse he declined. " God granting him life and. health." he said, he. would owe no man a pennyAnd he toiled indefatigably to pay off the debt, killing hiiuself i' l the uiuniphant task. The best of the "Waverley novels—and how many best of them there are—defy all efforts of disparagement. It is surprising that Carlyle, who admired them beyond measure .;s works of fiction. " should have found them "not profitable for doctrih, for reproof, for edification, for building up or elevating in any shape.*'" Tf '• the proper study of mankind is man,':' there is ample room for edification in the study of such men and women as Scott made more real and living than people whom we talk with every day. If people fiiul Scott dull'nowadays, that is only because the modern mind is tossed to and fro among such.a multitude of small sensations that it finds it difficult to rest long in even the most favourable environment. The great novels of Scott are not models of style. but onowho had so many wares to show could afford to be less fastidious m displaying them than those whose stock is scantier. If historical novels are not often written nowadays, that no doubt Is due largely to the fact that the modern author seldom has sufficient patience to acquire such a knowledge of past times or of his own as Scott possessed. There r? niiich to be said for the modern fashion of considering causes, rather than actions, in a novel, and ihuch also to be said for the author's practice of examining his own mind and thoughts, instead of looking for a wider field which may not be more curious or more complex. To the atmosphere of not a little of such introspection, however, it is natural to prefer the healthy air which blows through the Scott romances, pure and bracing as the wind on Scottish inoors. And if ever the Waverley novels are forgotten, which seems unlikely, it is to be hoped that the great character of their author will be remembered, the image of a man brave, simple, kindly, devoted to his country and his friends, without affectation and without shade of meanness, unspoiled by success and undaunted by disaster, giving his life for an ideal of honour which few would have had the nobilitv to form.