New-York tribune., 1906-11-10

BY Henry G Shelley. Illustrated Emo pp. 400
Little, Brown & Co
This book, devoted to efforts to seek out
the pleasant places IN the lives Of a group OF
famous British authors, is an unconmonIy VIII
ming one Mr.. Shelley has retraced the haunts
and studied the lives Of men of genius with
sympathy, an understanding, and good taste
rare In the records of such peregrfnations. In
the cases of Keats, Hood and Carlyle he offers
us some fresh material which If not uniformly
important is generally interesting. The spirit
in which he has taken UP his task may be
guessed from his protest against scheme Tor
a fine modern memorial at Gilbert Whltes
grave in selborne churchyard An imposing
monument over the old curate in that STILL re-
mote place of the dead-the idea is desecra-
ton The two weather beaten stones stained
with uchen nestle on the grassy slope. making
an appeal of sunny serenity and simplicity TO
all who have soul for the beauty OF naturs
and q heart for goodness.
Keats's birthplace and the houses IN England
in which he lived as boy have vanished, but
one reminder Of the poet survives in the shape
Of the FACADE Of the schoolhouse at Enfield
wherein he was pupil Of Cowden Clarke's
father. The illustration. from a photograph
made bv Mr. Shelley, bears out his description
OF il as an excellent example of the early Geor-
gian domestic architecture. 1t is in this charac-
ter that It is preserved IN an annex Of the
South Kensngton Museum. and the museum
authorities. told, are. or were, ignorant
that they are in possession Of the earliest sur
viving link with the life Of John Keats. OF
the poet in the days Of his brief experience as
d medical student Mr.. Shelley does not take the
view set forth by some Of his fellow students
that Keats lost in poetic dreams he
sat apart in the lecture room. That he took
a keen interest in the lectures and acquired
definite knowledge is shown by the closely
written pages OF his notebook relic now
owned by Sir Charles Dixie. Another treasure
in the same hands is the copy Of Shakespeare's
poems which the poet took with him on his
voyage to Naples, the journey from which he
was never to return. The volume bears on
blank page opposite "A Lovers Complaint" and
in Keatss own handwriting the exquisite SON.
net beginning:
Bright star! Would I were
Ste3dfaSt as thou art.
In the paper on Thomas Hood we find several
hitherto unpublished letters Of much interest
One Of these is a merry and warmly afSectionate
epistle addressed to his mother-in-law, Mrs
Reynolds; one is a quaint honeymoon letter.
sent from Hastings where he staying with
his Jane 10 her sisters Marianne and Charlotte.
1t fairly bubbles with happiness and fun.
In the region about Ecclefechan the author
collected divers anecdotes Of the Carlyles. Not
the least characteristic is that told by old
man who as a lad served on the farm at Main
hill. When his days work done, he said. he
took a seat by the kitchen fire and held my head
down for fear ane o. them wad begin on me-" All
the Carlyles adds Mr.. Shelley, with the possible
| exception Of the mother, We're noted and feared
! and hated in Ecclefechan for their caustic
tongues; and this incident of the serving lad
holding MS head down for fear one of the family
might begin him throws tnat hatred into
sharp relief" Carlyle's refusal to study for the
/ pulpit was a great grief to his father. and grim
old James found It difficult TO meet the awk-
ward question of the village gossips. why is
not Tom coming out for the Kirk?"
Now, the old man was 700 proud to own his dis
/ day, when the question was more pointedy put
Tam Is going 70 stand uP and be criticised by a
man Ike Matthie Latlmer?'-the said Matthie Lat
! inner being an argumentatve theologian Of the
/ meeting house. who was always ready with his
| there.
! Mr.. Shelley repeats the queer story Of the
| Hoddam Hill Farm which Carlyle held for a
! year, before his marriage TO Miss Welsh He
wanted fresh air and quiet for his studies and
! he found them there. together with some de-
lghtful views.
! He was himself. however believe TO blame for
geoYa II 6aPpened in tiis Wav Wte arve rode m
| great deal at Hoddam: and one day the laird's
| wife, Mrs. Sharpe was walking gently down the
| Lill near Repentance Tower. when he passed her
his horse As soon as he got in front of her he
put his horse TO the gslop with such violence that
| the lady was soundly besplashed with mud from
as was Informed, that the laird, General Sharpe,
| called Hoddam HILL and Carlyle went to him at
the door. declining 10 let him In. They mad battle
| royal OF words. and the general brought matters
| 10 a crisis by asking, with sneer You. what do
| g0n know about farming?' This thunder reused
| The Cariylean lightning. one thing can do he
shouted. Il can pay the rent! That's all you have
| to do with the land. and III feed laverocks II
II ] like" Then lie slammed the door IN the lrate
| generals face Carlyle had often wanted door OF
| Lis own. which ne might slam in the face OF ell