JOHN FOSTER FRASER.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12345, 15 October 1909, Page 8

JOHN FOSTER FRASER.

TO VISIT WANGANUI

Residents of Wanganui will be pleased to learn that arrangements " have "been completed, by Mr Carlyle Smythe for a visit to Wanganui of the famous explorer, author, and lecturer, Mr John Foster Fraser. On Friday and Saturday evenings next Mr Fraser will deliver- two of his fascinating lecture entertainments in th© Opera' House, both Illustrated with numerous limelight slides talce-n specially by the lecturer in his travels. "America up-to-date" is the subject underlined for Friday evening, and "Across Siberia, or a Dash through "Manchuria" for Saturday. The vivid impressionist description of "his travels inrforty-six Afferent countries,' liis e*T>erierices with their peoples, his thoughtful approci^tfojn' of their problems, and his_ ai\ecdot6> of their celebrities have Won for TVfr Foster Fraser a, rjopition in the world of .letters equal"kd by. fe\V.;\contemporaries. ■. Iri, at--teriiptinq; to"explain hiis wonderful popularity Mr Foster Fraser has renounced' any personal -el-edit for going to the •"founts of English undented:"'Beyond reading the Bible and Shakespeare from <3over to covor> h© has not, to use Stevenson's phrase, "pla&ed the sedulous ape': to''any-great wiiten;' Very early in his literary career he learnt that the majority of readers like. fright descriptions arid "an^iddot©' reminiscences, and immeasurably^;prefer incident to argument. Being a Celt, Mr, Foster Fraser has a sfteakine: regard" for imr preswonist writing, trying to get what Novelists call "atmosphere" in,to his -\rork and make, readers fee> with • hjs ejos, and feel through his" pulse. This, "hp.s really* been the' secret of.liis success as a man of letter?. 4 :,- " The box plans for feoih. lectures to be -delivered by Mr Fdsti^;'Fraser in, Wan■jranui will be.opened at Messrs H. I. Jones and Son's next Monday morningi.