New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-18
A HERO OF THE EAST
MR.. CRAWFORD TELLS WHO MR. fsAAc9
WAS AND HOW HE CAME TO
KNOW HIM


F. Marion Crawford spoke TO large audiences
In the Aston Gallery the Astoria yesterday after
room on the occasion OF the entertainment offered
by the alumnas association Of Miss Chisholm's
School for the benefit OF the scholarship fund M3.
Crawford's talk was the way he came 70 write
Mr.. Isaacs's first book. lie said The writing OF u
was purely accidental and that. indeed. series
Of accidents those small Influences that make up
the chain OF circumstance had made OF him
writer OF fiction
lie referred briefly TO his life in Italy as child.
and Of his liking for and mastery OF several IAN
guages At the age OF sixteen the reading or
book by Max MILLER reused desire TO make
study OF Sanscrit. lie got grammar and begun
alone to puzzle out that Eastern language
whether the tongue too old or he too young
Re could no. say. but after two or three months
he gave # up Six years later. after period OK
hard work when leaving Rome for a much needed
holiday he threw the old sanscrit grammar in with
his luggage. feeling that he should not even look
at it. But up in the mountains. away from every
thing else in the line OF study he one day found
himself porting over the same book and he became
so Interested that. returning 20 Rome three
months later, he able 10 take up the study
at the point reached AT that time by the class I'm
the University Some time later he became In
tereste1 in Il Congress Of Fasteners convened
At Florence but was unable attend IL He
knew. however Genoese Brahmin who vas able
to go. and from him Mr. Crawford learned so much
that interested him that he finally persuaded
TO go to Bombay with his Eastern friend. Upon
reaching the Hindoo city he surprised 70 fnd
that the whole aspect OF the country the faces az
the people we'll as the language. seemed strange
ly familiar He did not feel exiled. but rather tho
reverse
Immediately beginning hts study OF tho language.
he found teacher IN a Brahmln Pundit. But this
pursuit OF tongues aud theology was. as Nj Craw-
ford put It, profitable intellectually but other
wise" He reached the end Of his resources and
seeing nothing before him. determined 70 enlist IN
the English service. when he was offered the place
Of editor on THE Indian Herald" Business took
him to Sima where the Indian Government takes
up lts =, sidcnce during the hottest months.
1t was the first night Of mis- arrival a. Simla hat
Crawford noticed hat two servants instead OF the
one generally sufficient for an ordinary traveller
milan hotels DO not furr.sh servants
my 7. ss Mr. waiting 2d the The hero sn
came in. He he is described in Mr.. Issaca
Mr. Crawford here spoke Of m. many inquiries
constantly made as 70 how much truth and how
his s' Characters He replied that he non @prStes
siOna is not aware Of how much truth there al
ton there IS in the truth as brought 70 Us by our
improye that Of NJ. Isaacs. building much on what
h hs nsmf M Jaco6s 9 Te No en fell
into conversation ana after dinner adjourned TO
nshed with all the magnifcence described in many
parts Of the book The LIE of the man OF fiction
Is descriptive OF the real man. his being sold. his
India. An this was told Mr. Crawford. and the
surroundings The fittings. seemed. with the tale
TO be par. Of the Arabian Nights"
Mr.. Crawfords association with Mr.. Jacobs
lasted but hat one night. He has never since seen
this hero Of his own book, though ne has heard q
him in many places and knows him 10 be stu
alive
NJ Crawford went on TO speak Of The trick.
OF the Eastern wonder workers. dividing them into
three kinds the first OF the lowest order practised
through tIggers. the second shown by the devo-
tees called Yogls and the third shown in tho dongs
OF fakirs He further said that the highest kind Of
ma gic was undoubtedly Of the nature Of hypnotism
and that he had himself seen wonders worked In
manner totally inexplcable IN any other way.