Stories of . Boohs That Live And the Men Who Wrote Them

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18467, 19 May 1928, Page 19 (Supplement)

Stories of Boohs That Live And the Men Who Wrote Them

By

Charles Corway

SWIFT'S “ GULLIVER’S TRAVELS.”

THIS extraordinary story of journeys into extraordinary regions is a romance, a fairy tale, a satire and a sermon, all packed within one cover. It is not only the most famous and the most popular of Jonathan Swift’s many books, but it is also the most original, and for all time it will be read with the keenest enjoyment by' both philosophers and children, and each will understand and appreciate it in their own way. Swift’s simple and unaffected style of writing and the apparent sincerity' with which he could narrate the most improbable story, appear to their greatest advantage in his tale of Lemuel Gulliver's amazing travels. The novel experiences of Gulliver among the little people of Lilliput, the giants of Brobrlingnag and the weird inhabitants of the other strange lands he visited, not only delighted and dazzled the whole reading world when the story first appeared, but have interested the youth and manhood of every succeeding generation. The story was written by' Swift as a scathing satire on the contemporary’ court and.political life of England, and it was circulated privately for some time before it made its public appearance in 1726, when it was published anonymously. and only' a very few of Swift’s most intimate friends knew that he was its author. His numerous satirical allusions to living persons and current events were readily' recognised l»v 'the courtiers and the politicians of the day. but the majority of the original readers of the story only saw and felt the wonder and the fascination of the narrative, which Swift made more realistic by introducing the then novel device of illustrating the book with a

portrait of the imaginary traveller and a series of maps of the countries he was supposed to have visited. “Gulliver’s Travels” was the first classical work of fiction to be published periodicall}' in the columns of a newspaper, for in addition to being issued in book form, it appeared in Parkers “Penny Post.” To-day the story, with many very necessary abridgements, is one of the most widely read books for children, while older readers can enjoy the deep insight into the true principles of political justice which Swift ik»ssessed in a higher degree- than any other of the world’s great writers. Swift was born in Ireland, but both his parents were English, and he was related to two great poets—Dryden and Herrick. It was while he was acting as secretary to Sir William Temple, the statesman and author, that Swift first met Esther Johnson, whose name will ever be associated with his own. and whom he immortalised as “Stella” in the letters and journals which he addressed to her. At the age of twenty-seven Swift entered the Church, and it was while he was holding a poor living in Ireland that he wrote “The Tale of a Tub,” and “The Battle of the Books.” He subsequently lived in London, w'here he became one of the foremost political writers of the day, but failing to obtain any preferment from the Whigs he deserted them for the Tories, who rewarded his services with the post of Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, which appointment he held until his death in 1745. In his latter years he produced some of bis most brilliant works, although they were penned at a time when his mighty intellect was shadowed by the approach of the insanity which darkened the last four years of his life. (Copyrighted).