HELP FOR THE WEAK

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 148, 26 June 1933, Page 2

HELP FOR THE WEAK

FAMOUS AUTHOR'S GIFT

"I have lived too long not to find it .easier to love animals than to love men," writes Dr. Axel Munthe, the famous author of the "Book of San Michele," one of the greatest literary] world successes of later yea Vs. Dr. Munthe, who lives the life of a recluse on the island of Capri, with a quaint and warm-hearted letter to his personal friend, King , Gustav V, donates a Christmas gift of 100,000 kroner (£5500), the Swedish part of the proceeds of his book., to be distributed by; tho King in equal parts for the benefit of the blind, the Lapps, and the birds. The late Queen Victoria, whose physic-, ian Dr. Munthe was, had promised to distribute the proceeds of his book, and he now requests the King to do it instead. Dr. Munthe himself now is almost blind, and, therefore, feels warmly for his unfortunate fellow-suf-ferers who will how benefit in several ways from his gift. "As regards my, little friends the Lapps," the doctor writes, "I think wo do best to leava these homeless children of the wilds ill peace with their reindeer without unnecessary interference, but protected by; tho right of weak." Tho donor wishes; his gift to be spent for the care of aged Lapps, who can no longer continue their strenuous nomad life. Tho birds, however, are the ■proteges which are nearest to the author's heart, and a large part of the proceeds of his books has previously been spent for bird protection. Ho writes in his letter to the King: "No newspaper praise could give me more joy than the certainty that the 'Book of San Michele' has helped a flock of migratory birds unscathed on their way southwards. Were it in my power to feed all the freezing birds that courageously remain on a hunger diet on icebound land and. water, I would not even shrink, from writing another book, in spite of my longing for silence." The. gift will probably be used for establishing new sanctuaries for wild birds, such as the author has already created in Capri and. in the Swedish island of Oland, the former summer home of the late Qucea Victoria. : Dr. Munthe writes that he is now old and helpless, and that he, therefore, gratefully places his. gift, in the wise hands of the King, "in spite of the long list of sins in the game-bag.'? He finally says that if the. forecast of the literary weather prophets in sixteen countries come true, the book of San' Michele will survive its author. The ? sum now given will perhaps grow with:' the years, "and I will then let. you,, hear from me again, living or dead," the strange hermit concludes his letter,*