LIBER'S NOTEBOOK

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 161, 3 April 1920, Page 11

LIBER'S NOTEBOOK

The Late Mrs. Humphry Ward. In her social, and literary outlook, the late Mm. Humphry Ward, whose deatli was reported,last week, was rsf-eiitiallv a Victorian, and although' to. (he «:<! she seemed to have retained. i.or popularity with a big public, her novels are not for those who like the--work of ■writers such as John Galsworthy, Hugh Walpole, . Coinpton < Mackenzie, frank Swiniierton, and other popular latter-day novelists. In her day she rondo more than 0110 decided hit. I can well remember the sensation caused by lier "Robert Elsmere," which was warmly praised by Gladstone, but was nevertheless regarded by many good folk as a most dangerous book, and was formally denounced by Bmore than one orthodox theologian. Nowadays, witli the greater liberty—the stricter Victorians would have calied it license— ivitlrwiiieh theological questions are discussed not only "in fiction, but in the pulpit, Klsmcre's soul searcltings would p.p. pear iiuitt: i'liiocoiit, and the- hovel itself would Ix? voted,.l fenr, n very tcdimis production. But in- the later 'eighties of the. last century for an Anglican clergyman to be even suspected, of-any taint of Unitarianisni was a rank, offence ' indeed. .Mrs. Ward wrote a long, series of novels, in some of which'-she dealt with political life, .'is in -'Sir George and "The Marriage of William A.she," and, again, in ."Diana Mailory." My own favourites, however, are "David Grieve" and "Fenwiclc's Career." In the former there is an excellent description of art student life in Paris. In the latter Mrs. Ward, gave a latter-day variant of the romantic story of George Komney, the famous eighteenth century ■ painter, and his .wife, Mrs.-Ward always had ■ a' big public in . the United States. Several of her novels first', ap-' pea red in serial form in- "Harper's -Magazine."' She was'an•'acknowledged authority on Spanish literati!re, of which,'as a young woman;'she had made a spr-cial study. She was .a Tii.sinamaii by .birth, being the eldest, daugiiter of Thomas .Arnold, a brother of. .Miillhnv Arnold, the poet, essayist, and ediiea-

tionnl reformer, and ft son of tho fnm ous Dr. Arnold, uf Rugby. Thomas Arnoli hold a position in tho Tasnianian Educa |tion Department, and on 0110 occasion vis 'ited Now Zealand. .Mrs. Ward's husband Jlr. Humphry Ward, is a journalist an* ■ writer on art subjects. Some few year; ago, "iii '"another place," as (i/ie p'oliti cians would say, •'l.ibnr" wrote a bio j-graphical ' sketch of -Mrs. Ward., 'i'hii • i'came.under the lady's notice, and sir was good enough to find time ti writo- 311 o tile kindly note whicl I now quote:— "Stocks," Trill!;. ti ..TM- .. ,r a - IS ®- . uear L:ber. —Your accurately detailc; out far too complimentary sUotr.li of >ir literary career lias been brought tinclc my notice uy my publishers. I feel , inust--writc and thank you for your toi : ircncrous praiso of my work. It is' of "i-ca interest to mo that my books should b road in far-away- New Zealand, where innear father v/as a colonist in 1E47, and Minim you ror your courteous words. I would .bo' very pleasant to have the s.imi opportunity some day of sceins Ne\y isea T a f h ?. d . la /'- fc - V(?nr of skills Camilla but I foar \\us js uot very lihely.-Your very sincerely. MARY A. VARD. A Famous Biography. During the many long, leisure hour pi a t np .-to the South Seas, in lt -hicl it has recently ken my good fortum to participate, I found a splendid in surance against ennui ..in the pages o , vhnt 'is, after Boswell's immortal work at once the longest-arid most interest;'!!' ot biographies written in the Englisi language.. It is almost needless to sai t'at. I refer to Loekhart's "Life of Si" w ultra* Scott." I ploughed steadi)' through the ten volumes of the Cade] edition with their delightfully-deai prilit and beautifully-engraved trontis piece, a jid title-page vignettes am tho more I read, the greater and dec-pe my admiration, of good Sir Walter, llov fertile and rich were the powers o: imagination of him who was so Ion; called "The Great Unknown," how un fnilingly genial his nature; how broad hi sympathies; how generous Ins innunier able deeds of practical friendship. Evet to one- who had read the late Andrew Lang's introductions to Scott's novels (ii the splendid Border edition), Loekhart'i tribute to his famous father-in-law open ed up a new and rich mine of interesting information as to Scott's methods, hif private life, au.d friendships. Occasion ally one comes across an arid tract, bui these are few and far between, and Lock hart's must ever remain one of the roallj great biographies, to be classed-along sido Boswell's "Johnson," and Bourrienne's "Napoleon." My tip to all whe «ire planning a long sea voyage is to taki with theni some good "solid" book. Fictional kickshaws .are all very well in their way.- but ono. longs for a something moro substantial. Gibbon's "Borne,' Bnswell, Bou'rrieune, Lockhart, ami. a; Mrs. Gamp said of "the drinks" on r certain occasion, "all good." Also, Ste vcnson> "Jitters," nnd an odd volume or two Horry Walpole's malicihui but entertaining gossip, to say nothinc of the i'mvnrhl Samue! Pepys, are not to bo despised.