Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-28
EDWIN ARNOLD'S NEW POEM
"The Light of the World" and It's
Scone~-The Authors Present Life i

Purser William Magee, Of t,o - stoor,or
Belgic, which has arrive, in San Eran-
cisco from Japan, enioyed a privilege
account Of which he will be sincerely
envied by most literary men and critics
of the day. 1t is known that Sir Ed
win Arnold, the distinguished author
and poet, whose celebrated poem, ''The
Light of ASIA" created so great sensa-
ton in the literary world when it was
published in 1879, has established him
self in the city of Toxic during the past
eight months with the intention, it was
thought, of creating work which
should embody his experiences anIf
studies in Japanese life. Into tits
work were to be incorporated the '.avs-
terious and silent features of ne re-
ligious thought of that int ,rcsting
people.
For the purpose of beco, ,o,inr thor
oughly familiar with the 'aabits of the
Japanese, Sir Edwin ser nred special
privilege, which is ver'/ seldom accorded
foreigners in that empire, a cottage
within the exclu' siye precincts of the
japanese quarter. OF Toxic, which is de-
scribed as ider 81, and in the center of a
large plat Of. ground, in which are lawns,
great trees and large garden kept with
the taste and care which the Japanese
bestoyf ON such things. Surrounded
only by the natives, Sir Edwin has
fanAiliarized himself with their habits
aid become an adept in their language.
The great poet has been charmed by
the simple virtues of the people, and has
expressed himself to that effect in the
letters which he has occasionally adj
dressed to his friends at home. His
easy acquisition of the native language
has excited the astonishment of every
one, native as we'll as foreigners. When
he arrived in Japan in October, he did
not know single world of the vernacu-
: press himself fiuently in the cultivated
dialect used by the nobility and upper
classes.
The title of the forthcoming poetical
effort is to be "The Light of the World. y
r 1t is to be composed OF 5 200 lines, and
| of these Sir Edwin has finished 1000.
He expressed the belief that he would
be able to complete the poem by the end
: of June, or perhaps before then, but he
J intended, he said, to submit the whole
, to thorough revision, as he has ex-
: pressed his dissatisfaction with some
portions of the work, and hopes to i'm
t prove upon it. Arnold will finish the
poem, he hopes, by the first of August
and then the manuscript will be for
l warded to his London publishers, who
} expect to have the book ready for the
reading public before the first OF the
s coming year.
e The happy privileges which Purser
Magee enjoyed were to visit Sir Edwin
Arnold in his quiet home in Toxic anc
spend an afternoon in intimate conver
8 sation with the great poet. The great
0 work was discussed and the opening
chapters were read bv Sir Edwin to his
guest. 1.-THE Light of the World" treats
. of the character, career and history o1
. Christ. The scene opens in Nazareth
and the time is five years subsequent tt
the crucifxion. Pontius Plate returns
p to Judea, and the only house in the VII
lage suitable for his reception is that o
Mary Magdalen. Plate and Mary NEE
' during the evening, and PLATE asks her
! "Knowest thou who amp"