New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-02
LETTERS AND RED TApr
LITERARY FIGURES IN WIIITEH.r,
POETS IN THE BOARD OF TP.n,
MIR. MAURICE HEWLETT, KEEP.
Err OF THE RECORDS.

a
most conspicuous writer n the British Civu g..
vice From 1s41 to 1861 ne was Jealous ara
capable servant OF the postofice and IL he "a
been willing TO remain In harness three or fam
wears longer he would have been entitled n
retiring pen sion His official duties as ,ur.
veyor enabled him to travel in the United sta,..
the West Indies Egypt. Australia and South
Africa and his range of characters. plot ipc-
dent and scene as a novelist was broadened ~
experience In various countries. Long voyages
offered him intervals of leisure for writing nm,
the routine of the Civil Service conferred an
other benefit of even greater value. II rnasa
him methodical and almost businesslike In Ma
habits of literary work that he could producs
his novels with the same precision and saciitv
with which he could compile pOstoftlce repor,
Mr. Austin DobsOn Is now the most t,s
tinguished man Of letters in the British Ciyu
Service He accepted at sixteen clerkshlp \,
the Board of Trade, where he is now PRINCIPAL
Of an important department in which there .
an unusual mass Of official detail and drudgsrv
He has been for forty-four years in the Civil
Service as a faithful. plodding official: yet hs
has found leisure for an exhaustive study Of II,
literature OF the eighteenth century. and a.
writing many volumes OF poetry. critical ESSAY,
and biography. While his reputation as another
Praed with superior method and more deli
cate refinement. was made long ago. only thos.
who know him we'll are aware Of his complete
mastery of English and French literature Of the
last century. This has been the special study
OF his life. Mr.. Dobson is at once industa-
ous painstaking official and literary recluse
who avoids the distractions OF social life. When
his official day is ended he finds recreation IN
literary work. Among his books he has some
with idyllic sweetness and grace he succeeds IN
idealizing the PhyIlidas and Beau Brocades and
the powdered and perfumed worthless of another
age; but in the morning he Is back at his post
in the Board Of Trade winding and unwinding
spools of red tape with grim smile as though
there were no such thing as the flower Of sent
ment in the yellow pages OF old folios.
Mr. Edmund Gosse Is also a regular attendant
at the Board of Trade. where he has held an av-
pointment as translator since 1873; but his ser.
vice there is mechanical and his real Interests
centre IN the world Of letters. AS poet essayist
and reviewer he has become an authority In
English literature and he has delivered courses
OF lectures in English and American universities
He is not a literary recluse. like Mr.. GOsse, bu.
a man of the world who IS In touch with May
fair. He is one of the few literary men in Lon
don who can speak well. Indeed. there are only
two rivals who can equal him in grace OF deliv-
cry on the platform These are Mr.. COmyns
Carr and Mr. l. F. Austin, one of whom Is a
natural orator while the other has mastered the
stage business of public speaking and IS perfect
in bypIay gesture and mimicry-
Mr. Maurice Hewlett is another literary worker
rich in promise as we'll in achievement. who
is connected with the Civil Service. His father
was Keeper of Land Revenue Records and En-
roIments. and by taste and study as an an
tiquary had come TO have unique qualifications
for this peculiar post. The son may be said to-
have inherited the position. for il was conferred
upon him in recognition of the fathers eminent
services The son was briefess barrister. Fh0
had made an italian journey and recorded his
impressions in a book with a motive not easily
understood although the literary style had many
charms He had not yet found his real ground
in the realm of pure romance. although he was
unconsciousIy heading for it; and when the post
occupied so acceptabIy by his father offered
TO him he entered the Civil Service. During the
last three or four years he has been familiar
figure in Whitehall. and is 10 be seen almOs.
daily lunching at the National Club in White
hall Gardens. with congenial group Of officials
and literary men.
I once saw in print a statement that Mr.. Hev-
let's knowledge of forestry had been gained
through his official connection with the Civil
Service. I have never been able TO find any
traces of scientific forestry in The Forest Low
ers" and certainly there is nothing in his off,
cial routine that tends TO develop study OF trees
His office is cIassed in Whitaker as a sub
division of the department of Woods. Forests
and Land Revenues. which was created in lslv
by act of Parliament. and separated IN 1sol
from the Department of Public Works. This
department is tntTusted with the management
of the Crown lands. in which each sovereign on
accession 10 the throne surrenders a life inter-
est in return for a life income called the civh
list. The crown lands. which during the cary
years of the reign of George III produced ne'
income of barely more than $4,000. now yield
over So 100000 annually; and the revenues
which from 1882 to 1851 were applied TO tns
execution OF public works and Improvements
are managed on the principle Of direct corpen-
sation TO the Exchequer for the burdens OF tas
civil list There is a subdivision OF the De-
partment of Woods. Forests and Land ReFe-
nues. and Mr.. Hewlett is the chief official, Win
the title of Keeper Of the Records II IS KNOWN
as the office Of Land Revenue. Records and En-
rolments and is charged with the custody OF a.
records relating 10 the Crown lands which are
under State management. as offset for ta'
civil list The Keeper of the Records needs !"
know something about law. but nothing a00u-
forestry.
Mr. Hewlett in reality has not carried ID"
literature either the methOdicaI habits OF tns
Civil Service any special knowledge or IA
cilities derived from the office which is unae'
his charge. He does not write his books WIZ
the humdrum. businessIike routine adopted "
Mr.. Trollope- He has eccentric methoo u
his own which suits his temperament He wri'e'
morning and evening with great rapiui'''
warming up 10 his work as soon as the pen
in his hand and dashing of page after page y
manuscript without stopping for revision OF u'