The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-11
THE LITERARY OUTLOOK
WHAT MOVED KIPLING TO WRITE
BATTLESHIP ARTICLES.

bA1 M ANAAAA-'s
The Two Robert BridEcs-A Happy
Author who Never Published
Good Stories of Political Life by
New Writer-Mr. Cables New
NoveI-VariOus Notes of Literary
Interest.
New York, Dec. 1O.-Mr. Kipling writes
in letter to friend that he was moved
10 undertake the series of articles on life
aboard a British battleship, which have
lately been appearing in the London
Morning Post, by a desire to stir the Eng
fish public into a greater interest and
pride in the navy and into a stronger
urgency for its proper maintenance and
development. If this was his aim he is
getting it carried out to his hearts full
desire. His most enduring masterpiece
has stirred less enthusiasm than these
articles The English papers fairly gloat
over their immense power and brilliancy
of description, and can scarcely find words
in which TO express what they regard as
their significance, political as well as lit
erary. And, certainly, the articles are
rare achievement. II is journalism car
ried to the highest plane of literature.
Hul even finer than the articles, it seems
10 me. was that incident that befell Mr..
Kipling when he was gathering his ma
terial for them. II was on the Majestic,
the flagship of the channel squadron, at
a grand banquet Mr.. Kipling, being vo-
clferously called upon, recited Soldier and
Sailor, Too" and being still further call
ca upon, followed it with THE Flag Of
England" and then, before he could say
Scat" or Jack Robinson" or any Of
those spirit-laying things, he was lifted
bodily upon the shoulders of a company
Of sturdy subalterns, and, while the
bands played Hes a Jolly Good Fellow"
and the assembled officers sang it, was
carried triumphantly about the ship.
Literature never had another tribute like
that The like of it has befallen po,itl-
clans and boxers often enough to have
lost somewhat of its distinction. but for
an author pure and simple it is a perfectly
unique honor.
Mr.. Kiplng, I understand, is now re-
visng his articles for book publication;
and the book will be issued as soon as
possible, both here and in England.
There is quite an opportunity for con
fusion among people who follow literary
affairs currently but still not closely,
over the name Robert Bridges. 1t is borne
by the present assistant editor of Serb
uer's Magazine, a man known to his per-
sonal friends, of whom the circle is large.
as of exceptionally refined, frank and
kindly nature, and to the reading public
as the author of a series of felicitous liter
airy judgments first published in Life and
then collected into two volumes, entitled,
respectively Overheard in Already and
Suppressed Chapters" This Robert
Bridges is emphatically our fellow-coun-
tryman. He was born in Pennsylvania,
graduated I think. at Princeton, but Of
that l am not quite sure; took up news
paper work, following it for time at Al
bany, n. Y. and then in this city on
the Evening Post, and finally some years
ago, became connected with Scribner's. He
is tall, broad-shouldered, dark man, with
something of the aspect of an artist or
poet, is a devoted whee4man and also a
rather devoted golfer He lives in a pleas
ant bachelor apartments in the heart Of
the city, surrounded by books, and in his
odd hours he writes those genial criti-
cisms on modern novelists by which he is
especially known. ! think he has some
times written and published poetry, also.
"
precautions are TO be taken against a mis-
conception. The Robert Bridges whose
name is most associated with poetry is
quite another man He is an Englishman,
and good deal of a prophet in his own
land; but poet of poets rather than Of
the people, and not much known / should
say, over here. He is now about "a years
of age, an oxford man and by profess
SIGN physician. but he retired from
practice ten or twelve years ago. They
are just now discussing in the English
reviews with great fulness and the usual
contrariety Of opinion a new complete odl-
ton Of his Dceticai works.
II is quite mistoke-the idea of many
young authors that publication of his
works is essential to an authors happl-
ness. The happiest author ] ever knew
had written about twenty books and had
published only two. For forty or fifty
years he went serenely on producing and
doubt If in the last twenty or thirty
years of that term he ever even offered
anything for publication He betrayed
and ] am sure felt, no sourness against
publishers or the public; indeed, he had
but one interest in life and that was &c
write. He lived in a pleasant old farm.
house-the family homestead, the house In
which he wes born--and from the time he
finished school, at about 90 until his
death, az near 70 he was rarely from
heme, ard he did little else than write. ne
wrote epcs and poetic dramas. having
FOR his especial models Milton. Thompson
and Ballcy's "Festua." OF his two pub