Gerald Massey.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 95, 25 March 1885, Page 2

Gerald Massey.

j We again remind bur readers that Mr • Gerald Massey, poet and lecturer, will make his first appearance in 'Palmerston this' evening.' iJ Gerald Masgey is entirely . a self-made man, haying risen by pure force of intellectual power and mdoinit'able perseverance from' an humble position m ' life to take rank with; some ot the foremost , literary men of. the ,day. i He was born m 1828, among the canal boat folk, and at 8 years ; of age was^ working m a. silk factory, long hours, for yeiry miserable wagqg. He was also, en -' gaged m straw, plaiting, and had, sad, e?tperiances,.of poverty and sickness m . his early youth. Notwithstanding, his ad-; verso earlier career we find him at 21 ! years of age editing the Spir it of Free-] dom, and a personal friend of Charles; Eingsley and Professor Maurice. , His! "Ballad of Babe Christabel," a poem of great power, gained for him his first more notable laurels. Hepworth Dixon recognized the true pbptic fire m i!Mas-; BJ's, ppeuds, .his attention having. . been -i first attracted by. his poem commencing) " Fling out'the red^baniier." For several ; iyears. after this Massey wrote reviews of ; 'poetry. in the Athnaeum. .The London ; Times described him as '/ a young man! who had -fqiignt .his way to the temple! gate of fame sword m hand," and con-i sidered.the productions of his pen " most] remarkable and interesting."' John; Buskin acknowledged his gratitude to! , Gerald , Massey for many an encou^rag--ing and notable; thought; and expression; of thqught.. ; The subject of this^ noticej has devoted years to a study of mythology and; theology as. constituting the ; : fundamental elements, of the .great reli-' gions of -the world. His Genesis " is a truly ' remarkable work, showing a' great : depth of research ; and an intrepid determination to arrive ;; at •the iruth. : Mr Masse'y is now travelling pi incipklly for the benefit of his health, and m order' to' bbserve the people,- and posEibly hereafter give some account of his wanderings. He is further a believer m and an expounder of those abnormal phenomena upon which we base our philosophy of spiritualism. In Dunedin and other places he has addressed orowded audiences, and has inviariably been well received. Toiiiight Mr Massey will tell the story of Old England's Sea Kings, how they lived, fought and died*. . . •