The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-06-26
FAMED ENGLISH WRITER
Interesting Career Of Sir Walter
Besant.
VERSATILE AND MANY SIDED MAN

In IuudOu's East ind-N ohnffi"i
InstItution which l. Benehting the |
Poor-His Collaboration with Rice. |
The late Sir Walter Bcsant was born |
at Portsmouth. England. IN 1888. He |
was educated az Kings college, Lon
don. and Christ's college Cambridge !
where he was graduated with high hon
ors IN mathematics. This training
tended 20 NJ him FOR the church. but be
abandoned this career and was ap-
pointed senior professor IN the Royal
College Of MauritIus. When be was
compelled 10y illness 20 hand In his res
ignation. be returned 20 England, where
be had lived ever since.
The author Of "All Sorts and Condi-
tions Of Mem was more than 30 years
making his present literary reputation.
says the New York Commercial Adyer
tiser His first book, which was pub
lished IN lsGS. was called Studies In
Early French Poetry" Sir Walter act
ed FOR many years as secretary for the
Palestine Exploration fund, IN which
capacity he wrote. In 1871, the History
Of Jerusalem" with IN, late Professor
Palmer and was editor Of the great
work entitled The Survey Of Western
Palestine" Meanwhile he contributed
much 10 magazines.
In 1871 be formed a partnership with
James Rice. and the story Of this liter
hry partnership Is one Of the most in
tercsting in the history Of collabora-
fion. II was successful from the first
and ended only with the death OF Mr..
Rice In 1852. Mr.. Rice's name original
~ appeared rs one Of the authors Of
"All Sorts and Conditions Of Men" He
made the business arrangements for
the production Of the novel. but he was
then too feeble TO do anything more
and the book is really Sir Walters in
its entirety. lie selected the scene
and the subject and wrote the story.
Through this novel he made place
and a name for himself that are in
some respec,s unique Dickens In his
time used the whole Of London as his
field: Sir Walter cOntented himself IN
the main with but a part Of Il. That
part is world in itself, but II was
practically unknown even 10 London
ers until this novelist photographed IL
in n dark and startling manner for the
benefit OF the world. IL is hard for an
American 10 understand what n tre-
meudous place the east end Of London
Is. IL Is still harder for him to under
stand how this grewsome quarter.
which has n population almost as large
ns that of Manhattan and Brooklyn
combined, should have lain so utterly
neglected and unknown as Il did until
Sir Walter went into the hooks and
slums and told the world what he
found there and laid bare the abject
misery and wretchedncss Of It's inhabit-
ants. II vas "All Sorts and Conditions
OF Men" which prompted the building
OF the great Peoples palace, vast eX-
pertinent intended 10 bring the com.
forts of home and club life within the
reach Of the poverty stricken masses.
Ii was not Besant's fault II the eX
pertinent was comparative failure
II is still doing good, but not on tn,
scale which Sir Walter thought posi-
BILE for II. In this wonderful institu
tiOn there IL vast hall in which the
sculptured forms of the queens of Eng
land look down ON throngs of 5000 ol
10000 working men and women, dane
ing. paradng and enjoying themselves
in ways far more innocent than they
knew before the realization of Sir Wal
ter's idea. And I'm addition 20 thii
there are cooperative schools for boy
and girls and clubs where both seXe
may learn useful trades and ht them
selves 10 occupy comfortable places II
the world
Sir Walter Bcsant was a versatile
man Not only his literary work, bu
his business aud his phlanthropic ro
lations with the world revealed man
sided character. The books he wrot
after the death of Mr.. Rice boar It'll
resemblance TO the volume ON whic
he made his reputation. Dorothy Eos
ter. Tale of the Days OF the Pretend
err" Is historical novel, essentially IN
like IAN Sorts aud Conditions of Men.
"The Holy Rose" was a venture la still
new direction The pictures of Enl
land In the old days in Deptford II
years ago. when the English and ia
French were always at war; whe
"IIome Fair" was an institution an
when the English sailor was muc
more interesting parsonage than he
now, that are given US in The Worl
Went Very Wen Then" are gems base
upon Sir Walters early excursions /
books rather than upon his later ol
seryptlon Of life itself Sir Walter ha
The business Of book selling at his III
gers ends. lie was the head and tror
Of the Incorporated Society OF Author
who are banded together to prote'
themselves against the publishers. II
was hard worker ana practical ma
who believed in getting as much none
as he could ont Of the books which ]
was writing,
Sir Walter was popular almost ever
where IN London. One might find hin
perhaps, I'm n west end drawing roo
or in an aristocratic club, or one migl
meet him again In the worst sluu