The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1907-09-19
SIDE LIGHTS on SHAN
Professor Henderson Back With
Message From Playwright.
HIS VIEW or HIS BIOGRAPHY.

His 5iographer-An Artist Calls Him
"a SYMPHONY In Brown"
George Bernard shaw. Socialist.
iconoclast and playwright. believes
that his biography should be history
OF the world for quarter Of cen
fury. according to Professor Archi-
bald Henderson. who Is writing the
book. says the New York Times. DIR.
Henderson Is assistant professor OF
mathematics at the University OF
North Carolina He reached New
York recently from England. where he
spent two months getting new side
lights on Shaw for his book.
"I've been student OF Shaw's
plays for years. and have written
many magazine articles about them
and on other dramatic TOPICS" said
Professor Henderson "Mr. Shaw Is so
great man that l wanted to write
his biography. l asked his permission
to do so.
ITO write my biography Mr.. Shaw
replied, lis to write history Of all
the most important movements in art.
literature. politics. drama and sOcioi-
ogy In the last quarter Of the nine.
teenth century. Ii you want TO write
a history of that sort. suppose I'm
as good peg to hang it on as any
man livias.'"
Professor Henderson sailed for Eng
land on June 10, and he and the play
; wright have been together most OF the
time since at Mr. Shsw's home in Lon
don and his country home at Ayot St
Lawrence, in Hereferdslire-
AN artist called Mr.. Shaw "A SYM
ebony In brown" continued Professor
Henderson, land it was not inappro-
prin.e He has remarkably clear,
| transparent skin. heavy brown beard
and hair and often dresses in soft fian-
ne!s of the same shade. The most re-
markable thing about him. though, Is
| his bright blue eyes. full Of fire and
dancing half the time. He is constant
~ joking and talking in the most bril-
! liant way His manner Is full of an
almost boyish enthusiasm. found.
too. he did not object to very frank
criticism Of himself and. his plays.
Naturally he Is a much sought man.
and Mrs. Shaw, a-fine. capable woman,
!, acts as buffer between her husband
and the public. We had lively visit
/ from Kodin. the French sculptor. Shaw
!, could not speak French as fiuentIy as
he wished and pieced out his chat with
+! gestures Of most vigorous sort that
1 were very amusing"
Does Mr.. Shaw take himself and his
work quite seriously" the reporter
asked.
i ''In one sense. yes: in another, no.
Professor Henderson replied. 10 a
certain extent he does say and do
things to attract attention. but under
h Il all ia q very sincere aud serious pur-
pose.
you know. he is 80 fond OF joking
that he is apt to joke in n serious way,
aud the listener does not quite under
Il stand him. believe that under it all
is great purpose He wants to make
the most of life. to use all his faculties.
He believes that if every physical and
4 Intellectual power IL not used the idle.
part is dead. He compares life not to
a ackering candle. bat To flaming
L torch held IN the hand and feels he
must spread It's brightness as far as
possible and us long as it is his privi-
iege to possess it,.
Was he quoted correctly in saying
he was greater than Shakespeare"
That must be taken with Il grain Of
salt" replied Professor Henderson.
with laugh. What he really meant
was that he had Il much larger horizon
|f'nud greater facilities for spreading his
work than Shakespeare had
"tOnce Il man came up tn me- Mr..
Shaw remarked one day. 'aad asked
/ me il was serious in all | wrote and
said. l replied: If you believe me to
= he serious there is no reason why |
+ Should assure you of the fact. Ii you
1 don't believe | am serious. there Is no
h reason for my assurance that the con-
trary Is the fact"
al have two publics, Mr.. Shaw
said on another occasion. With one it
Is a great pleasure to start a hutter-
II Ing III the uOfecDtS. 50 10 SPEAK, anu
create for the time reign of terror.
| But write my plays and books for a
big serious public that really believes
in me-"
rs Mr. Shaw appreciated abrOadT
.Weil. in that connection l can only
say that he IS by far the most popular
OF living p!aywrights." Professor Hen
derson veplied. Surely such popular
I ity must Ire considered In making an
estimate of his work His plays have
been translated into every language in
Europe EXCEPT two. Hungarian and
Russian. \ pifated edition of some of
the plays exists in Hungary and has
given MI Shaw great deal of trou-
BILE. 1T il Il terrible task Mrs. Shaw
remarked one day. that Is attendant
1pon the translation Of q. B. SIS plays
into so many languages. We were
quite happy she added. with laugh.
until G. g. s. made his continental
reputation.