The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1902-04-04
AUTHORS AS READERS.
Hut Few of the Famous Writers of
By-Gonc Days Were Entcrtaiu-
inE in This Respect.

Some authors are quite ready toread
| their own works: but curiouslv enough
| they do net always read them well.
! says London NJ \. =. Dickens was a
| great exception To this rule: for he
| died rich man mainly through the
vast sums he received for his wonder
fGl readings. Tennyson would never
have made living on the PLATFORM
lie was one of the most indefatieable
OF readers-indccd. Il visit to his house
by anybody at all likely to sympa-
thize with kim WAS certain to bring the
splendid entertainment of hearing the
mighty poet read some Of his favurite
passages. But the delivery was not
good. Not that the voice was not fine
the great broad chest of Tenuyson
could scarcely have coexistcd with a
weak organ hut the poet had a eer-
tam sing-seng delivery which took
away somewhat froIl his power. and
/ Sometimes even made his readings mo-
notonous
Brownine-though he did not speak
much about his poetry in publie-also
|
admirers by reading his poems. There
Is a striking description of such an
occasion by the late Mrs. Bronson in
her browning in Venice" Mrs. Bron-
son Was a dweller in the mystic city of
! the Adriatic herself for 20 years. and,
OF course, was brought much in con-
tact with Browning there. Here is
how she describes an evening with the
| poet when the reading mood was upon
! him:
His reading of his own poems was
neVer-to-be forgotten delght-sim-
| pie, direct and yerile, as was the ma
ture OF the man. The graver portions
| he read in a quiet, almost introSpect-
| I'VE way, as if he were thinking it all
| out again. l remember once that in
| hnlshing the grand profession of faith
at the end of Saul his voice failed him
a little, and when it was ended he
turned his back to us, who were gath
| cred about him in reverent silence,
and, laying the book quietly on the
table, stood so for moment
/ have heard a very interesting de-
scription of Mr. Swinburne from one
| OF his admirers who has been priv
lleged occasionally to visit the poets
retreat at Putney Hill. But not all
| Vlsltofs-not even all of those who are
Invited to lpnch-are RECALLED with the
| literary feast that sometimes follows.
Mr. Swlnburne takes soundings. and
| II he finds his visitor tongue-tied-as
he may often be from shyness in the
| presence of so illustrious Il manor
II in any other way there is a want of
mental harmony, the poet gets up
from the table. gives a somewhat GU
rious and stiff old-world bow. disap-
pears into his study, and is not seen
again, Mr.. Watts-Dunton performing
the duties of host over the coffee and
the cigarettes.
When, however, the poet is pleased
with his visitor, Mr.. Watts Dunton
says that Mr.. Swinburne would be
glad to see the stranger in his study
upstairs; and there, into this sacred
sanctum, the admirer is shown, when
coffee and cigarettes are over. Then
the poet takes down some volume
generally an old-world and perhaps
L.
OF whose work he happens to be full
at the moment-and, first giving a lit
tie biography of the writer and a vivid
sketch of his works. proceeds to read
the passages which have most affect
ed him. The poets manner of reading
is somewhat peculiar. 1t is rather a
chant than reading; somewhat after
the fashion of the written sermons of
some strong-voiced, impassioned
preacher of the olden school You
feel as if You were listening 10 a rhap-
sodist of medieval rather than to a
reader of modern times. And what
adds to this feeling is that while the
right hand of the poet holds the book,
the left beats sort of regular time
to the rhythm of the verse 1t is an
experience at once singular and de-
Iightful.