THIS WEEK’S ANNIVERSARIES

Evening Star, Issue 20056, 22 December 1928, Page 13

THIS WEEK’S ANNIVERSARIES

DECEMBER 16 Oliver Cromwell was made Lord Protector on December 10, 1653, _ Cromwell’s distinguishing .qualities in the earlier part of his career were his courage, determination, and sincerity. Like so many of tho world’s groat men of action, ho was not possessed of norma! health, and as a young man ho was under medical treatment for hypochondria. The gloom of his nature at this period may have in some part been the reason for his whole-souled adoption of Puritanism In the Long Parliament lie was active and vehement on the Puritan side. Vet he was a very poor speaker. Sir Philip Warwick, in his comments on the parliamentary proceedings, wrote; “ft lessened much my reverence unto that great council, for this gentleman was very much hearkened unto.” This, after all, is a great tribute to Cromwell’s force of character. Cromwell appears to have had those qualities which mark all really great men from tho rest a quick grasp of essentials, power to concentrate on them, and rapid decision. His outstanding abilities as a soldier and statesman are not questioned, but his ruthless and pitiless acts, especially in Ireland, aro held up against him. They have loft a legacy that the British people would have been much bettor without. The records about him aro very imperfect, and so being a really great man, and the chief actor m some groat dramas, a host of writers have expressed their views on him. Some have extolled him to tho skies; others have consigned him to the lowest depths. One who knew him well said: “A larger soul, I think, hath seldom dwelt in a house of clay than his was.” Me was laid with great pomp in tho Torah of the Kings at Westminster, hut alter the Restoration his body was exposed on tho gibbet at Tyburn, and (forwards burned under it. DECEMBER 17 Allan Cunningham, poet and man of letters, was born in tho parish of Keir, Dumfriesshire, on December 17, 1784. His father was neighbour to Burns at Eliislaiul, and Allan, a boy of twelve, was present at tho great poet’s funeral. Like most hoys in Scotland at the time, Allan had to go out to work early, and at twelve ho was apprenticed to a stonemason. He iiad a vivid imagination, and rook mure interest in native songs and stories than in tho details of his craft. His first published essays in prose and verso attracted tho attention of Hogg and Sir Walter Scott, and the latter especially proved a good friend. Like so many ambitions young Scotsmen, Cunningham early took tho road to London, whore good fortune waited for him. He became one of the bestknown writers for the London ‘ Magazine.’ But Allan, with native prudence, was not content to live ou tlie somewhat precarious income derived from literary contributions, and be obtained tho post of secretary and manager to Sir Francis Chant rev, the renowned English sculptor. Though thus busily employed all day, Cunningham maintained an indefatigable literary activity, writing talcs novels, magazine articles, poems, songs, and biographies. Allan Cunningham was a man who had hosts of friends. His “stalwart, healthy figure and ways” pleased oven Carlyle, who did not" suffer everyone gladly. As a Scottish poet, ho ranks, in the opinion of, the rritics, after James Hogg. DECEMBER 18 Tho amiable and accomplished liortenso Eugenie Beauliarnais, the adopted daughter of Napoleon, Queen of Holland and Countess St. Leu, was bom at Paris on December 18, 1783. She is much mixed up in Napoleonic events. Her lather -was \ icomtc Alexandre do Beauliarnais, who was executed by the revolutionary tribunal, Her mother, Josephine, became tho wife of the great Napoleon, and Hortenso, who had been living iu humble circumstances after her father’s death, shone as the adopted daughter of tho Man of Destiny. In obedience to Napoleon’s plans she rejected her intended husband, General Desaix, and married Louis Bonaparte ( .Napoleon’s brother). That it was no love match is suggested by tbo fact that sho lived mostly apart from her husband, even as Queen of Holland, and on tho downfall of tho Bonapartes she passed her time in various countries. Hortenso had considerable literary abilities. Sho wrote two or throe books and several excellent songs, she composed some popular airs. Of her three sous tho youngest rose, if not to fame, at. least to become a great public figure. This was Charles Louis Napoleon, who became Emperor of the French as Napoleon 111., and after a short reign of splendour and magnificence brought disaster to ids conutry and accomplished his own undoing by plunging into war with Germany. DECEMBER 19 One of the very greatest ol British artists died on December Iff. 1851. This was Joseph Mallord William Turner. His reputation remains unimpaired with tiro passing of time. Even the disciples of tho most advanced schools of art to-day, who aro loud in their condemnation of tho traditions and methods of the past—and of the present, too, fot that matter—have little to say in disparagement of Turner. It is true that in later years lie became very eccentric—his last years were spent in diminishing health and determined secrecy, and ho died under an assumed name—and this to some extent affected his work; but he stands unchallenged as tho English painter whose sense of tho poetic value of landscape and whose command of blended colour remain without rivals. Turner, the son of a London barber, revealed his talent in his boyhood days. An earnest worker, bis abilities were soon recognised, and he became an A.R.A. at forty-four and an R.A. three years later. When opportunity came he travelled widely on tho Continent. He was influenced by the great masters, yet retained his own individuality. Concentrating on the suggestive effects of colour, he pro-

duced many famous pictures. Naturally, having departed from the _ accepted standards, his work received much adverse criticism, but he had a doughty champion in Ruskin After hia death Turner’s pictures and drawings, the latter numbering nearly 20,000, passed to the nation, and tho Turner galleries at the Tate Gallery contain most of his great works, a few being in 'the National Gallery. DECEMBER 20 On December 2u, 104‘J, says an old journal. “ some stage players in St. John street. London, were apprehended by troopers, their clothes taken away, and themselves carried to prison.” When England was torn by civil strife the drama had a .hard struggle foi existence. Its best supporters had more - serious matters to attend to, and. while its friends were scattered far and wide, its foes were in authority ami wielded their nowlywon power without mercy One of the first acts of Parliament was tho issuing, in September, 1642, of an ordinance declaring, among other things, “ that whiff’ these sad causes and set times of humiliation do continue, public stage plays shall cease and be forborne. Instead of which are recommended to the people the profitable and seasonable consideration of repentance, reconciliation, and pence with Gocl.” For a time Parliament seems to have attained its object in completely suppressing tho drama, but when the war was over the waifs and strays of the various old companies got together, obtained possession of the Cockpit in Drury Lane, and attempted to supply tbo town with its favourite recreation, but one afternoon during the performance of ‘The Bloody Brother’ a troop of soldiers entered the house, turned the playgoers out, and carried the actors i.o prison n their stage clothes. When Cromwell died and the signsof the time gave augury of.a restoration of the Monarchy the actors grow bold, and several plays were acted without interference by the authorities. When the pleasure-loving Charles came into Iti.s own tlu- restrictions wore quickly removed. DECEMBER 21 Giovanni Boccaccio died at Florence on Decombet 21, 1375. It is generally believed that he was born in that historic citv, wlmre his father _ was a merchant It was an ago that produced great men, especially in Italy. The boy was pul into a mercantile office, but he soon deserted commerce for literature. About the age of twenty-five he fell in Jove with Maria d’Aquino, supposed to bo a natural daughter of King Robert of Naples, who inspired much of his early work in prose and poetry. The position occupied by Boccaccio in modern literature L a very high one, though 'io is chiefly remembered by ‘ The Decameron.’ a series of tales told tor the delectation of a queen and her licentious court. Some of these stories are not —well not quite—but they are representative of the time in that respect, and most of them aro repretentative of all the ages and hold an enduring place in the world’s literature One notable event in Boccaccio’s life was his friendship with Petrarch. About 1362, influenced by Petrarch and by a dying priest who almost scared him into renunciation of the world lie changed his views and conduct, and the license that hatl marked Ids work to that date was absent from his later writings. In 1375 lie was engaged to deliver in Florence a scries of popular lectures on Dante, and lie died while he was engaged on this work DECEMBER 22 Charles Stuart Calvcrley, the prince of modern English parodists, was born on December 22, ]S3I. The son of tho Ilcv Henry Blayds, in 1852 ho took tho old family name of Calvcrley. After leaving Harrow, lie went to Oxford, but later migrated to Cambridge, There lie greatly distinguished himself m scholarship, "in 1865 he was called to the bar, and settled in London, Great tilings were predicted for him in his profession, but in the winter of IS6G-67 when out skating, ho received a fall on the ice that put an cud to his career as a barrister. Though he suffered much from his injuries, he lived till 1884. He died at Folkestone. Notwithstanding his disabilities and disappointments, Calvcrley retained his sense of humour. He did a considerable amount of literary work. Possessed of a lively fancy, he wrote with grace and felicity in verso and prose. He is remembered best by his two little volumes, ‘ Verses and Translations ’ and ! Fly Leaves.’ He had a light satirical touch, and his work in this direction was ■ (and is) much quoted : *~A clod, a piece of orange peel, tho stump of a cigar. Once trod on by a princely heel, how beautiful they arc. Ho did work iu a more serious vein as well, and bis translation of Theocritus was highly praised by the critics of his day.