WOMAN'S WORLD

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 36, 6 November 1919, Page 5

WOMAN'S WORLD

| (Continued from Page 4.) ! D'Annunzio, Poet and Rebel. "' Miss Louise Mack, who is giving a series of lectures in Wollington, lias mot many interesting people during her wanderings abroad, and among them is the Italian poet D'Annunzio, who looms so prominently before the world at the present time. D'Annunzio she desoribe's as a groat dandy who always wore the very latest tiling in dress, and who was not exactly famous for his asceticism. D'Annunzio was for iisgreat many years, a friend of Eleonora Dusc, and one of the very pleasant recollections of life in Florence which Miss Mack has carried away with her is that of an afternoon at D'Annunzio's villa, at which Duse read nno of his poems. The setting waa worthy of the poem, for the villa was beautifully situated on a hill with a wido sweeping view, and everywhere were crimson .roses, great, sweeping branches of them in the rooms and a riot of them outside. Tho personality of the poet was extraordinarily interesting. His ereed was to rise to whatever emergencies lifo might bring, and it would seem as though he were successfully carrying out that creed. To become an airman at fifty years of ago was a remarkable achievement, but still more remarkable is his present/exploit, which has made him the idol of the Italian people and a formidable stumbling block to the Allies' plan of settlement so far as Europe is consented. Another very strong claim to the regard of the Italian people lies in tho fact that D'Annunzio had done so much by his writings to restore the purity of file Italian language, and has revivifial the national ideals of Italy. D'Annunzio had been losing his hold upon his countrymen until tho timo when Italy entered the war, and then ho seemed to throw everything on one side and to become aflame with an intense patriotism, until he now holds a unique place in'the affections of his countrymen." ' Glimpses of Ouida. The name of Ouida, the once famous woman writer, does not thrill the reader of to-day with the keen desire to capture her books that existed some years ago when she was , considered very daring, risque, and not at all suitable food for the mind of the young girl of the day. Therefore the young girl was always most eajor in l.er search for OuioVs books, and if she had. imagination and an appreciation of beautiful descriptive work perhaps nothing but benefit came to her as a result. Th' 6 tragic end of Ouida was touched upon in tho course of a conversation with Miss Louise Mack, authoress and war correspondent, who happened to be stayin? at Via llegsio, where Ouidn, lived. Extravagant, with a scorn for anything that savoured of the mercenary side cf literature, Ouida from being a rich woman was reduced towards the end of her life to vory straitened circumstances. She had reserved no rights over her 'books, and although some of them wero of world-wide popularity, as for instance "Under Two Flags," a great deal of the proceeds went into other hands than hers. At Via Bcggio she lived practically in seclusion, and Miss Mack used to see. her toina; for long walks accompanied by her dogs, ,for she had a passionate love for dogs of all kinds. An embittered-looking lonely woman who had outlived great success and popularity, she was an embodiment of tragedy" and her aloofness and pride wero Ku:h that few people dared to approach her in those days when most of all she needed frien Is. ' To the last her intense pride remained with her and she would accept no help, and even .spurned an offer that was made her of .£3OO for her autobiography. "What, write may automoirs," she exclaimed with scorn. "I would not do so vulgar a. thing." / After her death some of her dogs had to be destroyed, for they, too, with Ouida had suffered so greatly from her straitened circumstances. She was buried at Lucca and Miss Mack' attended the funeral. Not a fl>ver suggested the remembrance of friends, but on the nlain casket was inscribed Italy's tribute. J"0 one "who had done much by her writings to make Italy known to the world outside her boundaries."