The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-02
A LITERARY PRINCE.
He Is an Indian POtentate With a
Jaw Breaking Name.
HAS ENDEARED HIMSELF TO THE
ENGLISH AS A CRICKETER.

Now He Has Written a Book on the Ma
tionaI Game and Ret urns to His own
Land Famous as an Author.
London. September 10.-At last the
wreath of genuine literary genius seems
to rest upon the brow of royalty, for all
Europe is talking about the book that has
been written by Prince Ranjitsinhji. 1t
is on the prosaio subject of cricket, but
really it is poem. Not for years has any
new author braved the fierce light of pub
lie opinion with SO magnificent collec-
ton of the Queens English so gracefully
grouped. The Prince is an Al literary
lion.
1t is very pleasant to be Prince and
lion too, even with so shocking name
as has this newest addition to the literary
menagerie; but the best of it all is the
Prince is really entitled to the honor OF
being considered one of the best of mod
ern cricket players. For once brain and
Drawn unite in one personality, and
while the Prince may be beef eater,
there is nothing beefy about his actions
or his composition.
Nothing better illustrates the Princes
clever style in book which is intended
11r nothing more than treatise on a
popular sport, than this little extract
from the second chapter:l "a wicket
keeper was once demonstrating with a
fielder for not running a man out. Why
I threw it in like book, retorted the
man. Yes, you did, was the reply, but
the preface and Introduction were too
long
Prince Ranjitsinhji is man of fasci-
mating personality, and it is probable
that even had his theories concerning
cricket EeeD duly set forth he would still
have found host of readers merely for
the sake of his personal charm and his
proved practical ability.
A specimen of the writer's style will be
read with interest. This is on University
cricket: 'tNo human Institution is per-
feet; it will always tend to excess or de-
feet. But how nearly perfect in its own
way is cricket, and especially Oxford
aud Cambridge cricket! 1t is game
which keeps boys out Of mischief. 1t is
a trs lining of youth for many life. 1t
lays up store of strength and health
against old age. 1t makes individual men
lifelong friends. 1t unites whole schools
and universities. Learning itself has
gradually learned to take up different
attitude towards cricket. 1t has dis.
covered that the waste Of time formerly
imputed to cricket is really due to friyolt :,
that cricket Is consistent with study
and that the cricketer makes a good
schoolmaster. The truth is, that athletics
are an integral part and powerful sup
port of all education, they make 1t popula1
Oxford and Cambridge are like twin stars
shedding the light of learning from dis.
lance. The Oxford and Cambridge boat
race and cricket match are the two
anchors of the universities in the heart of
the English people"
By way of basis for all further com
ment, it must be stated at once that this
book is the most complete and co,npre-
hensive treatise on cricket ever given to
a oricket-loving world. 1t as greatly ex-
GELS all previous works on the subject as
AUc ouuAOI uiiucOI1 CACCIS, WlUa, PERHAPS
one exception, all contemporary players
Of the game.
Ever since the days when Nero essayed
the poet and made death the penalty Tof
standardization of his epics and sonnets :,
1t has been the fashion among persons
of royal blood to frequently affect literary
tendencies. Even rough old Richard, the
Lion-hearted, lapsed into poetry once in
a while. And so it has come
on down through the centuries, king
and queen, prince and princess, all essay
ing but never really succeeding to become
literary lights; that is, upon a basis of
merit.
Thus it is that not only England is
positively delighrted over this unexpected
outbreak On the part of prince, but all
over Europe and in many land where
cricket is all utter stranger the people
are buying the Princes book, Just be-
cause it is a good book and was written
by real prince. 1t seems odd enough
that cricket should have been the subject
which prince should utilize to make
royalty's first literary success, but it is so.
and there is no denying facts.
Another odd truth is that the writer