The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-06

iSNSS Oh the anu QepenQB mostly
on current literary evidence. Irecollect hear
ing Kate Field say that she found herself in
constant state of amazement at her own
dolngs as chronicled in the papers. So it may
De with Mr.. lie Gallienne. We can never feel
qulte comfortably sure that what we read
ABOUT him is true. He may have passed years
OF his boyhood in "dingy Liverpool Office"
ana later been secretary to the actor Wilson
Barrett, and escaped from that into the jour
nRllsm which preceded his brilliant success in
letters. All this, which we are usually told
concerning him, may may not be true, but
we do know that, college-bred OF not, he is a
man OF wide reading and culture, and we sus-
pect that he was not born-as he tells us of his
TWO lovers-"in that class which is denied the
luxury of struggle" We have one certain
guide in all matters relating to Mr.. LIE Gal
henne. His own writing is of such an init
mate and personal character that in it his in
ward life is clearly pictured, and the events
which have shaped it are suggested to those
who care to read between the lines. And it
seems impossible that any should not so care.
There is such a charm to the mans person.
atty. As We read we come TO have veritable
feeling OF tenderness for him. His grief is our
grief When we realize that "White SOUP has
died it seems our own bitter and irretrievable
loss
His pictures show US face still young,
young indeed to have known such striving
and triumph and despair. The outlines are
sunken as though worn by some inward con-
fict and sorrow has left her wan traces on
the cheeks. His early life was q struggle-not
of the sort which brushes endeavor, but OF the
kind which stimulates to achievement. We
know that he had in mind his own early
life when he describes his Seventh Story
Heaven" Indeed LIE Gallienne throughout is
so true philosopher that he sees the great
things of life in the small, and realizes what
is 10 often m -ad and sO saldOrn DarpaiVed
that happiness is state of mind rather than
a condition of body.
As with many young writers, his first essay
was in verse and criticism. "My Lady's Son.
nets" and volumes in Folio" were his first
introduction 10 the reading public, aside from
the reviews. mainly of poetry, which had ap-
peared in the pages of the Nineteenth Cen
fury" magazine. These last have recently
been gathered together under the title, ga
Logbook of Literary Criticism" and have at
tracted more attention than would probably
have been the case had their author never
written 1.-The Book Bills OF Narcissus," or
"Prose Fancies." Undoubtedly his work in
the line OF criticism a valuable training.
He is thoroughly in touch with the writer's of
his own time well as with the great pens OF
the past His Religion OF a Literary Man. is
full OF quotations and references to what is
admirable in contemporary thought.
SO that we seem TO be walking always in
goodly company. And so thankful are we for
such fellowship that we feel no sympathy with
those critics who cry for greater originality.
That there is no new thing under the sun was
said so many years ago that we have almost
forgotten how true 1t is. Our debt is none the
!, IS great to one who shall say the same old
things freshly and simply, and in such man
ner as TO arrest ate ntion. And this LIE CALI
enne Toes par excellence in his Religion of
Literary Man" We trace the influence of
Matthew Arnold's rationaIistic theories and no
1acSt1 "a int Of 20 vi nd nd
Browning, and, most greatly of all, George
Meredith. When he tells us that any phrase
used to express Deity without personality be-
comes in time itself personifed, we re-
minded OF Max Muller, who points out that
very thing in q profounder way and without
1.-THE of lie Galliennes graceful charm. Just
the virtue of book like this is that it pre-
sents great thoughts in refreshing and attrac-
tive guise, so that the average reader who has
neither time nor patience for heavy works is
charmed by LIE Gallienne into an attention
which may be more prof table than he at the
time realizes. There is a greatness in mere
simpleness which is reached by few
This work has been called "the funniest book
on religion ever published" Yet, what con-
fict is therel 1t is indicated plainly enough
10 those who can see beneath the surface optim-
ism and good cheer and courage the mani
fold uncertainties which beset the rationalistie
mind. LIE Gallienne might have said, as the
who has dominated his philosophy as
well as that of most thinking Englishmen of
this half of the century said of himself that
he was
Wandering between two worlds, one dead,
The other powerless to be born
Perhaps Matthew Arnold put more of his
spiritual yearning IN that poem of "The Grand
Chartreuse" than his intellect ever allowed
him to express in prose. lie Gallienne has the
temperament of a mystic and the brain of a
acknowledgements surer ground for conflict
1t is the old warfare between Plato and Aris-
totle, between the subjective reasoning and
the system which evolves theories from OBJ
served facts. As not infrequently happens in
a time like ours, these two opposing forces
have met in single personality. lie CALI
enne cannot be certain of Immortality in the
sense of continued identity, because it cannot
be proved, and ne holds that the belief mat
tiers less than we suppose.
His chapter on "The Hereafter" in the
Religio scriptoris, aroused such controversy
that he followed it by his sketch, death and
Two Friends" in the Nineteenth Century"
This is in the form of dialogue. Two friends
discuss the mooted point. LIE Gallienne, as
scriptor, contends that the idea of rest is the
one most grateful to the aged and Dain-weary
who face death. Lector, the friend, retorts by
asking him whether he has ever seen one he
loved die. Scriptor answers Eyes," and then
follows the wonderful description of those two
lovers parted by death. at is but one sad
nttle STORY OF al Inc nedpeu-up sorrow OF the
world; but in it, as in shell, seem to hear
the murmur of all the tides of tears that have
surged about the lot of man from the begin
nirg.'
Those were the two happiest lovers in the
world, through struggle and achievement,
until death laid his grim hand upon the little
sweethearts face.
"Surely felt God owed more than he could
repay these two lovers, whom it had been so
easy to leave to their simple joys. And from
that night to this 1 can never look upon my
white bed without seeing afar off the moment
when it, too, viii bear the little figure of her
love best in the world, bound for her voyage to
the Minotaur-Death."
1t is easy to trace the influence of Pater-I
know no better msster-upon LIE Galliennes
style. The rhythm of his words at times strik-
ingly suggest the older writer, when he
speaks, in his rhapsody on "Whitebsit,' of
''little fin pressed lovingly by little fn," we
d, rFrf ; 10 rolIb 49,