New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-27


writing obscurely was one of the results IT for
egn education. A native Of Hampshire, ne re-
ceived his training for literary life mainly in
German schools, and his style was colored, II
not clouded, by it As an offset to his German
education. he has profited by an intimate ac-
quaintance with French literature, of which
he has been almost constant reader as
Mr. Austin Dobson The epigrams with which
his pages sparkle attest the strength Of this
French influence. If his sentences are some
times laboriously and intricately constructed,
there s no lack of either lucidity or brlance
Mr. Meredith has always written in his own
way and his art methods and ideals have ever
been high. Between 1851, when his first volume
of verses was published in his twenty third year
and 1870 when The Egoist" convinced The most
discerning critics that he was a literary artist
of the first rank he wrote dozen novels, and
minor essays, stories and poems without num-
Der; but his reputation was of slow growth
only courageous writer, who had supreme
faith in his own methods. could have survived
such neglect and obscurity.
Mr. Meredith lives at Boxhill. In Surrey, below
the EPSON Downs and near Dorking, and he Is
seldom seen in London. He Is not fond OF mems
clubs nor Of social life. but prefers the quiet OF
rural England, with its opportunities for con-
templative study and rational recreation. He
used be a great walker. but at seventy he
contents himself with short stroIls and lives
among his books The Omar Khayyam Club
has the credit of having coaxed him 20 make
the only after-dinner speech Of his career end
the memory of it is highly treasured. MI
Meredith, like Anthony Hope, r. d. Backmore,
Stanley Weyman and W. f.. Norris. was edu-
Gated for the bar; but he had no aptitude for
tho nrofession and made no s,rOuS effort to
follow it, Nearly all the novelists of the day
have studied for or practised in other profess
sions before adopting the high calling of liter
AZURE. Rudyard Kipling and J. NJ. Barrie
journalists at the outset; Conan Doyle practised
medicine and William Black studied art;
Thomas Hardy and Hall Caine architects;
Rider Haggard. like Anthony Trollope. was in the
civil service Sir Walter Besant expected TO be-
come a preacher, and George Macdonald. s r.
Crockett and Ian Maclaren entered the min
stry. Mr.. Merediths legal studies so un-
congenial that they left no permanent impress
sion upon his literary work From his earliest
youth he wooed the MUSES.. and has never had
any aspiration that not purely literary. He
has been most intelligent student Of the mod
ern stage, and has written one OF the most
luminous essays on the true spirit Of comedy.
new art exhibition Is to be added 10 the
usual shows of the London season This is
the International Gallery. with an annual ex-
hibition at the Princess Skating Club, Knights
bridge, from May | until the close OF August.
committee of artists, among whom are Mr..
Whistler. Mr.. Alfred Gilbert, Mr.. Charles Rick
etts and MI c. III. Shannon. has been organized
and the principle Of n-recognitlon OF nation
ality In art has been proclaimed. The aim OF
the projectors Is TO provide for the exhibition Of
European and American as well as English
works, and OF hanging and placing them strictly
ON their merits, without reference to national
considerations The International Gallery will
be opened on May l. and It may compete sue
cessfuny With the New Gallery and tho Acade-
my IN attractive power certainly wiz d.