The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-02
Edward EitxreraId.

President of the Omar Khayyam Club,
and fine portrait of Fitzgerald forms
the frontispiece.
A man whose friendships we're, as he
says. like loves who lived the life al
most of recluse without losing touch
with humanity, and who has given to lit
erature one of its rarest and most ex-
quisite gems of poetry, could hardly fail
to be fascinating subject for the biog
rapher and the work has been well and
carefully done. The book is fit COM
panicn for the Letters which appeared
some time ago.
1.-The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam at
trac.ed little attention for some time af-
ter Fitzgeralds translation appeared.
1t is recorded here that the first book
seller who had the poem in charge, des-
pairing of a sale. offered the copies to
the public at the price of one penny each;
and even after this distressful period was
passed and the work had received recog-
milton from some genuine lovers of poetry
ana philosophy. it was not generally rec
ognized as classic for many years. For
funately, Fitzgerald was not dependent
upon its sale for livelihood. He had no
need to write potboilers. He was as in
dependent and as untroubled by questions
of bread and butter as the Persian phi
losopher himself, and the man who lived
for half lifetime, in a little English
country cottage. among his books. was
fitted to be the true interpreter of the Sc
rene Oriental teacher.
The simplicity and absence of eprigram
in the present biography are appropriate
to the record of life so quiet. hermit
like, and rich in scholarship of an Lnos-
tentatious kind. Fitzgerald had the
friendship of most of the eminent men of
letters of his time; he was intimate while
at college with Thackeray and with John
Allen, afterwards Archdeacon of Salop.
After his college days we're over he be-
came intimate with Tennyson and Carlyle.
His own scholarship, while profound,
seems to have been stored away like I'M
used gold. He gave the Rubaiyat to the
English-reading world, and that was all.
Surely it was enough for any one man;
for the poem into which he shaped the
scattered Quatrains of Omar will be re-
membered when the schools which his
classmates built UP. and the books which
they wrote, have been forgotten for gem
erations.
This Biography is not quotabie; it is a
simple story Of the life of the man, and
must be read in full to be enjoyed. The
picture is well-r0unded and carefully
drawn; and IL will be delight TO anyone
who reads it. The Persian singer wished
that his tomb should be covered with the
roses which he loved, scattered over il by
the breath OF the north wind: and pu-
Dill of his records that on visiting the tomb
OF his master years after this wish was
expressed he found il SO covered. II Fitz-
gerald could have CHOSEN the style in which
his life should be written, surely ii would
have been done this has been done
(Chicago: Herbert S. Stone G. Co. S2.o0.)
The BOer War.
with Both Armies Richard Harding
Davis book on the South African war,
makes no pretcnce to being treatise on
the ART of war or a discussion of interna-
tional problems. 1t is merely a gossipy
and very entertaining record of scenes and
events of which the author was an eye
witness, and one receives the impression
that although some of his experiences
were less pleasant than interesting, he
thoroughly enjoyed them all. That is the
way in which war correspondence should
be written.
Mr.. Davis spent part of his time with
the British forces, and was present at the
relief of Ladysmith. He also visited
President Kruger, and was at the house
of the latter when that famous memorial
came from $500 Philadelphia school boys,
expressing sympathy with the Beers. The
scene was partly pathetic and partly very
funny. This is. briefly. what happened:
At one end of the dark low-ceilnged room stood
the man who. as 4 boy of ten in the great trek
of 1875. had fed before the British and who since
then had been twice driven TO seek a new
home in the wilderness. He was now. at the age
OF seventy years. once con: forth again
evicted by the English TO hide like wounded
lion among the rocks Of his mountains. Opposite
him was the frightened. red-haired messenger boy
from Broadway, squeezing his cap under his ell
bow. and holding out the roll of signatures in a
leather box before him.
Your Excellence stammercd Jimmy Smith.
1t was the beginning Of the Grafton he had re-
hearsed in darh corners of the deck to the waves
Of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Kruger stopped and peered down at Jimmy
Smith like giant ogre. One almost expected
TO see him pinch Jimmy Smith 10 find out if he
were properly fattened for eating. But instead
he took Jimmy's hand and shook it gravely. Then
he turned. and. according to the Bocr custom,
shook hands with everyone else in the room.
leaving Jimmys speech suspended and helpless in
nidair. 1t terrible moment.
Each Of us was neryously anxious TO have
that speech delivered though Jimmy were his
only son.
was to ciiristen hattlcship, and who yainly
tried TO hit it with the champagne bottle as it
slipped steadily out Of her reach. But Jimmy
was not going to allow the President to slip
away from him
..Yom Eacellency.'' he began again in an ex-
cited boyish treble.
The President stopped and looked about him
as though someone had tuggcd at his sleeve, and
Jimmy rushed on ir,petuously, running the words
together. Il have been chosen 10 convey to
you this message of sympathy. signed by twenty
nine hundred schoolboys of Philadelphia which |
now have the honor to present.
Then Mr.. Sutherland, who had accom-
panied Jimmy Smith from Philadelphia. |
presented his memorial in turn. 1t was |
locked up In a huge leather box, and was /
a history of the Boer war. Mr.. Suther- |
land could not open the lock Every |
body in the room gathered around with |
suggestions. Finally a resourceful war |
asked the embarrassed
Sutherland II he hadn't key to the
thing. They had been trying TO open it
with half-crowns and knives. Sutherland
remembered that he had one, and the
box was opened The President thought
he saw Bible and looked pleased; but
did not seem to care SO much about the
history when he found out what it was
Perhaps this was not strange, consider
ing that that war had ruined his for
tunes and driven him from his home an
exile.
particularly interesting chapter. of
course, is that on the relief of Ladysmith.
and there is a pathetic description of the
scene which ensued when Mr.. Davis met
two haif-starved officers and gave them
the first cigars they had smoked in two
months.
Mr.. Davis sympathies are clearly on
the side of the Boer, and no one can call
him an Anglomaniac. though he has many
friends on the British side of the fence
lie deyotes one whole chapter TO lively
ecolding OF the great British Empire. par