The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-09-14
SIDE LIGHTS ON SHAW
Professor Henderson Back With
Message From Playwright.
MS VIEW OF HIS BIOGRAPHY.

~ 0so8Fapnsr-An Artist C0A4o Hin
- sHmphony In Brown"
George Bernard shaw, Socialist,
icoooclast and playwright, believes
that his biography should be a history
Of the world for a quarter OF a cen
fury, according to Professor Archi-
bald Henderson, who Is writing thu
book, says the New York Times. DR.
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 a student Of ShawAB
plays for years, and 1 have written
many magazine articles about them
and on other dramatic topics" said
Professor Henderson Mr.. Shaw is so
great a man that l wanted to write
his biography. l asked his permission
to do so.
To write my biography Mr.. Shaw
replied, lis to write history OF all
the most important movements IN art.
literature. politics, drama and sociol-
ogy In the last quarter of the nine
teenth century. If you want to write
q history of that sort, suppose I'm
as good peg to hang 1t on as any
man living"
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. Shaw's home In Lon
don and his country home at Ayot ST.
Lawrence, In Herefordshire.
"An artist called Mr. Shaw a SYM
phony In brown" continued Professor
Henderson, and it was not lnappro-
pirate. He has a remarkably clear,
transparent skin, heavy brown beard
and hair and often dresses In soft dan
nels 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
ly 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, fine, capable woman,
acts as a buffer between her husband
and the public. We had a lively visit
from Rodln, the French sculptor Shaw
could not speak French as fuently as
he wished and pieced out his chat with
gestures Of a most vigorous sort that
were very amusing"
Does Mr.. Shaw take himself and his
work quite seriously2' the reporter
asked.
In ONE sense, yes; in another, no."
Professor Henderson replied. ITO a
certain extent he does say and do
things TO attract attention, but under
it all is a very sincere and serious pur-
pose.
You know, he Is so fond Of joking
that he is apt to joke In a serious way,
and the listener does not quite under
stand him. / believe that under IL all
Ia a great purpose. He wants TO make
the most Of life, to use all his faculties.
He believes that II every physical and
intellectual power is not used the idle
part is dead. He compares life not TO
a dickering candle, but to a flaming
torch held in the hand, and feels he
must spread It's brightness as far as
possible and as long as 1t is his privi-
lege to possess it,"
was he quoted correctly in saying
he was greater than Shakespeare
That must be taken with a grain Of
salt" replied Professor Henderson,
with a laugh. What he really meant
was that he had q much larger horizon
and greater facilities for spreading his
work than Shakespeare had.
"'Once a man came up 10 me- Mr..
shaw remarked one day, and asked
me II was serious In all wrote and
said. replied: ''If you believe me to
be serious, there is no reason why l
should assure you Of the fact II you
don't believe am serious, there is no
reason for my assurance that the con
trary Is the fact"
81 have two publics,' Mr.. Shaw
said on another occasion. With one II
is a great pleasure to start a futter-
ing in the dovecOts. so to speak, and
create for the time a reign Of terror.
But write my plays and books for q
big serious public that really believes
In me-"
''Is Mr.. Shaw appreciated abroadT
well. in that connection / can only
say that he is by far the most popular
Of living play wrights," Professor Hen
derson replied. Surely such popular
ity must be considered In making an
estimate OF his work. His plays have
been translated into every Language In
Europe except two. Hungarian and
Russian A pirated edition Of some Of
the plays exists In Hungary and has
given Mr.. Shaw a great deal Of trOu-
bic. Tt Il a terrible task Mrs Shaw
remarked one day. that IL attendant
upon the translation Of g. B. SIS plays
into 90 many languages. We were
quite happy she added. with q lHugh.
until G. b. S. made his Continental
reputation"