The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-02-18
AN IRISH NOVELIST.
BY Katherine McAndrew.

Il have never been successful excep
where 1 have depended entirely on my
own eXertions,'; were the words of the
we'll known Irish novelist, Gerald Crit
! fin, when speaking of his work at the
time success was assured, His life was
not a long one, but the thirty-seven
| years were full ones. He was born iT
Limerick, Dec. u, 1908. His childhood
was passed there at country house
| his father had secured, which was
known as Fairy Lawn, not far from the
city. There was a large family, Gerald
being the ninth son, and needless to add
| his young days were happy surrounded
by so many playmates.
At the age of 10 he went to London;
this was the beginning of his literary
career. He had done some newspaper
work in Limerick, but he discovered
what a difference there was working in
ones own city and working in a
strange country. 1t was season of
trials for hinl-alone in large city, so
much wealth on one side and so much
misery on the other, where ability is
little recognized, and where the worth
less in literature is lauded and the
good passed by--all this he met, and
many dreary days he waited for sue
cess. During his sojourn in London he
became acquainted with the litarary
personages of the time. He formed a
strong friendship for Jorn Banin. to
whom he was deeply grateful for" many
kindnesses 1t is always interesting TO
note one writer's attitude towards his
fellow writer's, and how good it is TO
know that petty feelings of Jealousy
are foreign to the nature of some. He
was a great admirer of Moore, and the
simplicity of Gerald Griffin's nature is
shown in the delight he evinced on his
first visit to the poet. The very fact
of having an opportunity of a Visit
filed him with joy. Little did he then
think his name would be equally well.
known to the world All know what
a song writer may do for a nation, and
no one can listen to Moore's melodles
without highest patriotic sentiments,
but Griffin felt that at the time ms
countrymen did not fully realize how
much they were indebted to the poet.
He attributed much of O'Connell's sue
cess to the love of country which had
been fostered by Moore's glowing
verses. The Life Of Gerald Griffin,
written by MS brother. contains a let
ter of the novelist to one of his friends
In which ne gives his Impressions Of
the first visit to Moore. Il saw the
poet. and spoke to him, and he spoke
to me. and it was not to bid me get
ont of his way as the king of France
did to the man who boasted that MS
majesty had spoken to him; but 1t was
10 shake hands with me, and to ask
me how I did, Mr.. Griffin? and to
sneak of my fame My fame! Tom
Moore talk of my flannel All! the rogue,
he was humbugging.
Griffin was also delighted to hear
that Maria Edgeworth read his WORKS
and was pleased with them. But this
was after the probationary months OF
were at an end-he was
of n rather independent disposition. ana
NOT MANY knew all the hardships he
endured during that time. His extreme.
made him unwilling 10
seek help from his brothers, though
when assistance came, as it often did,
II was gladly accepted. In a letter,
sneaking of professions, he says
..There is none that has not its druid
gerry and perhaps it is as well they
shasId 3 1 am working away
lil.a q hero at a new book, and in bet
ter shirts than 1 have been in for years
because I have at last discovered
. clue TO contentment, which | sadly
,s,o tod hefore-that man need not fear
5ieannointment in this world, provided
he does not care too much whether nc
is disappointed or not.
In 1920 the family elnigrateu 70 AplSr-
ica The Life contains some. ienSeny
letters to his mother, to whom ne was