LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2830, 22 July 1916, Page 6

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Some Irish Writers. The second batch of Fisher tJnwin's interesting "Every Irishman's Library' will include a "History of tho Irish Parliaments," by J. G. ; Swift M'Neill, M.P.; Sir . Samuel Ferguson's Poems, with an'introduction by A. P. Graves(author of "Father O'Flynn); Gerald Griffin's 'well; nigh' forgotten, but onco very popular, novel, "The Collegians," aiid. another old-time Irish book. Carleton's "Stories .of Irish Life." M'Neill used to be somewhat notorious for his violent and eccentric behaviour in the House of Commons, but he.is a man of higher intellectual ability than the majority of his fellow Nationalists, and his story of 'the Irish. Parliaments should be worth reading, although, perhaps, it may prove to be not a little one-sided when. English politics are referred to. Somo of Sir Samuel Ferguson's verso, notably "The Forging of the Anchor," is' decidedly the It camo out originally in. "Blackwood's .Magazine." Ferguson, who ifas Keeper of tho Irish Records for somo years, was a keen antiquarian, and. was one of the chief promoters of the Gaelic revival in Irish literature. A long and interesting article on his life and work appeared in "The Bookman"-two or three years back. Gerald Griffin's novel, "The Collegians," I well femembsr reading as a boy. It was from this novel, by the way, that Dion Boucicault drew the ; 'main incidents "in his very popular play, "The Colleen Bawn." Griffin , was born in Limerick, but weiit as a young man to London; where most of his literary work was done. In later life he returned to Ireland, and after dividing his property between his brothers, devoted himself to a religions life by joining the Teaching. Order of the Christian Brothers. Carleton, himself the son of a poor peasant, is credited by more than one' critic with having mqro faithfully depicted Irish peasant life than any other Irish writer. Ho wrote several novels, and eventuallv received a pension of .£2OO from .tlie Government. Whilst on the subject of Irish writers, I wish some, publisher would reprint two of Joseph Sheridan Le Fami's novels, which, in my youth, I Tead with great gusto. These were "Uncle Silas," and "In a. Glass Darkly." Tho latter I seem to have forgotten, but of "Uncle Silas" I think I could, write out the plot to-day, though it is well over thirty years since I read the book.' As a mya-, tery_ story it is'a most gruesome and yet fascinating yarn. L© Fanu was a'grandnephew of Kichard Brinsley Sheridan,. the author of "The School for Scandal" and "The Rivals." .' Another of, Le Fanu'6 novels, this . time .-more ill -the Lever vein, was "Torlogh O'Brien." Thebook is still sought after, but mainly, I fancy, for its illustrations, which were' done by "Phiz," who illustrated moat of Lever's yarns. Le Fanu was' a.poet as well as a novelist. His "Shamus O'Brien" is still a favourite. with? amateur reciters.' , ■ Concerning "Crusoe." April 25 was the anniversary of the publication of tho first part of Defoe's famous masterpiece, "Robinson Crusoe," first issued to. the public on April 25, 1719. Tho book at once jumped into popularity, stud laid the foundation ol its publisher's fortune. Within four months three editions were issued and sold out, so; Consistent being the demand that several printing, offices were kept busy in order to supplyjit. From/ tho profits, .£IOOO, a big sum for those days, the publisher, William Taylor, was ablo to double the size of his promises. He also adopted a now coat-of-arms, in. 'which a ship is prominent. This dovice, it may bo noted,i is used, by his successors, the famous. house of Longman's, to this day. When Andrew Lang wrote his monthly oauserie for "Longman's Magazine," an excellent publication, but now long ago deceased, lie adopted the title "At the Sign of the Ship." Apropos to "Robinson Crusoe," a returned soldier told "Liber" the other day that a .well' worn copy of the famous book was given him in Cairo. He had never read Defoe's famous story, and took tho volume with him to Gallipoii, whore it went tho round of at least ono trench company, and ,was highly appreciated. The Two Bjornsons,The great majority of the Norwegian people are in cordial sympathy with the Allies, but there are exceptions, ono such being. the son of the late Bjorastjerne Bjornson, the famous Norwegian writer, several of whose novels have been translated into English. Not content with carrying on an active pro-Hun propa- : panda. in his own country, the younger' Bjornson recently gave some lectures oil the war, in Denmark. It is good, howover, to know that he was very badly re-' ceived by tho Danes, being hissed off tho platform in one town. Apropos to this incident a Danish paper recently unearthed a letter written (to Bfendrik Ibsen) by tho cldor Bjomson, some fifty years ago. Here is an extract: Now, my iriond, wliat about tho War? God protect ns, should such a brutal Power as Prussia get tho hand! 'I'hat country's history shows nothing of honour, freedom, or beauty, only expansion of power by all possible means, and preferably by the sternest and most underhand. . . . Prussia possesses -only the Con. queror's arroganco and heedlessness, has always possessed it, even in her arc and science. Generally speaking, there is In this peoplo not one lovable trait. There Is no lovablencs6 about it and tlicrefoi'6 no romanoe. Bjofnsou, senior, had evidently a much deeper and more accurate .knowledge of the Hun character than lias his proGerman son. Dr. Johnson and the "Cheshire Cheese." Many Americans—and New Zealandcrs —who visit London are taken by thsir English friends to ' the? "Cheshire Cheese," acquaint old inn, in, or rather just off, Fleet Street, which, so \tlie legend goes, Dr.,.lohnson was wont to frequent. As a matter of fact there is not a scintilla of evidence to provo that the doctor ever went near the place. It is never .once mentioned by Boswell, and Dr. Birkbeck Hill, tho greatest authority on Johnson wo have evor had, confessed that ho was quito nnablo to traco any Johnsonian connection with the inn. But "Johnson's Chair" is still religiously preserved there, and good American anil other believers in tho legend go away duly impressed. Apropos to tho "Cheshire Cheese" tradition, George Ado, tho American humorist, has recently told a good yarn:

It was a. rainy fall day, and I sat over a beefsteak pudding aad a mug of bitter at the "Cheshire Cheese" in Fleet Street. A Chicago woman entered, Doswell's Johnson in her hand. She han been told that tho great man's autograph could still bo seeji pencilled on one of tho walls. Tho waiters told her they knew of no such autograph, but the woman, with dauntlcis Chicago spirit, began a long, long search, upstairs and down. While sho was upstairs a warm glow of benovolenco- suddenly rose in my breast, and, taking a pencil from my pocket, X wrote, with quaint eighteenth-century flourishes on tho wall bohind me, "-Sam Johnson." Tho woman on her return from upstairs spied the autograph, and was overjoyed. Is it not amazing how much happinoss we can give to others by thesvi little acts of kindness?

By the way, tho remark, "Come, let us lako a walk down Fleet Streot," so commonly attributed to tho Doctor, was in reality coiled by the lato G'eorgo Augus-

tus Sala, when, as first editor of tho "Templo Bar" magazine, his publishers asked him for a motto to put on tho cover, of that periodical/ Another "Association" Fraud, - Whilst on this subject of "faked" literary, associations it way.not bo out' of place to refer to original of Dickens's "Old ■ Curiosity " Street," which is to be found in Portsmouth Street, a dingy little thoroughfare. As a' matter, of fact, both the late.Charles Dickens, junior, Mr. Henry Melding Dickens (Dickens's sole surviving sou), ami other good authorities on the Dickenskind of London, have' I denounced the so-called original as being an impudent fraud, yet visitors to: London' nro .'still' taken there to buy Diekcns postcards; etc. 'I'he last exposure of. tho fraudulent "Old Curiosity Shop" was- by :Mr. .Van' Noorclen. an export in Dickensian 'topography. He pointed out that on the last page of the story it is stated: "New improvements have altered it (tho street) so much that it was not like tho same. The old house has long ago .been pulled down, and a fino broad street was in. its place." . It is well known, says.'Mr. Van. Noorden, that the only street changes in London up to the time "Tho Old Curiosity Shop" was written were the clearances for Trafalgar Square and the formation of Regent Street, so that the quotations prove that the Clare Market neighbourhood, which remained in its ancient state until tho coming of Kingsway, could not possibly have been intended. The legend die's hard. Only the other day a fellow, Dickens-lover London sent "libel'" a postcard bought, at, and recording his visit to "the "real Old Curiosity Shop." !