New-York tribune., 1903-08-02
GEORGE BORROU.
The Hero of a Groming Cuit,
From The London Times.

From The London Times
George Borrow's life and works are one and
the same thing. Few great writer's have been
more perSlstenuy autobIographlcal than Bor-
row was. Boswell, said Johnson once had only
two subjects, DR.. Johnson and James Boswell,
ana ne, the doctor was heartily sick of both;
but Borrow had only one subject -himself-frOm
which he practically never wandered. The
merry jests and marvellous exploits of the in
comparable George BOrrow-these form the
unique theme of our Ciitano Crusoe But it is
not enough to say that BOrrow's autobiographi-
cal methods are unique. His life is presented to
US IN four panels, each as unlike the others as
it is possible to be in size, shape texture and
surface The scale varies as much as that of
an ordnance map-sOmetimes twenty-five inches
to the mile; at others five miles TO the inch. The
cOlOTs upon the palette artfully changed
details are sometimes obtruded: at others sig
nifiCantly hidden A casual glance obscUres
rather than reveals the fact that, whether ne IS
writing Of his early life and struggles C'Laven-
gro" i-lviiD, of one vivid Bohemian episode Of
his early manhood CLavengro' = ROmany
Rye'D, of the crowning triumph Of his maturity
edible in Spain'D or of a vacation tour during
the autumn of a disappointed life C'Wi.d
Wales'), Borrow was always working upon the
same model, with the same desperate and con-
scientious zeal, with the same extraordinary
gust and vigOr with the same genius the same
bias, the same limitations.
AS a man of letters he must be judged prima-
ry as a biographer, and, if this be done II viii
be found that Borrow has achieved the great
object Of biography; he has transmitted
great personality. The blemishes in his work
not particularly hard to find. inadvertently
we may have been betrayed into indicating
or two Of them. But it is not by any means
safe ground With the exception Of Jane Austen
(and temporarily speaking, perhaps Charles
Dickens there is hardly any literary character
whom it is so dangerous approach without
passports and periphrases Securing retreat. II
necessary and plentiful kow-tOws as Georg"
Borrow. Among all literary Clansmen you shall
hardly find more implaCabe, more fierce
blndly fanatical than your BOrrOviau
Charles Lamb is almost the only author We
can think of (Out of ScOtland who is worshlpped
by his admirers with quite the same canine sort
of affection. But the cult of Lamb is restricted
largely TO brefeSS Templars TO University men
and oxford NJ A's;' the BOrroyian is drawn
from a lower social stratum, from printers
librarians, booksellers, and others who seldom
read books, from indeXers, dictionary makers
and such harmless drudges of literature. To
men Of such close and restricted horizons the
breath of the Romany Rye is that of the
wind on the heath brother" Hence the stern
and unbending jealousy Of their cult. Real lit
erary enthusiasts of advanced years are almost
as rare in our streets as elderly naval men Of
the peculiar type discovered by Mr.. Gilbert. Yet
a chance word in a London thoToughfare has
before now elected this ingenious confession
Of faith: I'd walk any distance to see any
thing belonging to George Borrow or 70 read
anything fresh of his. Lord bless you. 7 almost
worship that MANY.