Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-07
LIGHT ON SHAW
Henderson Returns
From England With Mes
sage From Playwright.
HIS VIEW OF HIS BIOGRAPHY
Must Be History of the World for 25
Years, He Told Man Who is Writ
ing Story of His Life.

that his biography should be history
Of the world for quarter of Il cen
fury, according to Professor Archi-
bald Henderson, who is writing the
book. says the New York Times. Dr.
Henderson is assistant professor of
mathematics 1T 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 OH other dramatic topics" said
Professor Henderson. Mr.. Shaw is so
great man that | wanted to write
his biography. | asked his permission
to do so.
To write my biography Mr.. Shaw
replied. lis to write Il history Of all
the most important movements in art,
literature, politics, drama and Sociol-
ogy in the last quarter of the nine
tcenth century. If you want to write
Il history of that sort. | suppose I'm
as good peg to hang it 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.. Shaws home in Lon
don and his country home at Ayot st.
Lawrence, in Herefordshire.
AN artist called Mr.. Shaw n SYM
phony in brown" continued Professor
Henderson, and it was not inaDpro-
pirate. He has a remarkably clear
transparent skin. heavy brown beard
and hair and often dresses in soft fan
nelS Of the same shade. The most re-
markable thing about him. though. is
his bright blue eyes. full of fire and
dancing half tie time. He is constant
| ly joking and talking in the most bril-
liant way. His manner is full of an
almost boyish enthusiasm. l found,
| too he did not object To very frank
criticism of himself and his plays
Naturally he is IL much sought man,
and Mrs. Shaw, a fine, capable woman,
! acts as Il buffer between her husband
and the public. We had a lively visit
| from Rodin, the French sculptor. Shaw
could not speak French as tiuently as
he wished and pieced out his chat with
gestures of "A most vigorous sort that
We're very amusing" ,l.
| Does Mr.. Shaw take himself and his
work quite seriously" the reporter
| asked.
"In one sense, yes; in another, no"
Professor Henderson replied. ITO 4
| certain extent he does say and do
things to attract attention. but under
it all is a very sincere and serious pur-
pose.
| Is Fond of Joking.
You know, lie is so fond of joking
| that he is apt to joke in Il serious way,
and the listener does not quite under
stand him. | believe that under it all
| is Il great purpose. He wants to make
| the most of life, to use all his faculties.
He believes that if every physical and
| intellectual power is not used the idle
| part is dead. He compares life not to
Il Pickering candle but to Il flaming
torch held in the hand, and feels he
must spread its brightness as far rs
possible and as long as it is his privi
| lege to possess it"
WAS he quoted correctly in saying
he was greater than Shakespeare
THAT must he taken with a grain OF
salt" replied Professor Henderson
| with n laugh what he really meant
was that he had Il much larger horizon
and greater facilities for spreading his
work than Shakespeare had.
"'Once man came up to me- Mr.
Shaw remarked one day, and asked
me if | was serious in all | wrote anC
said. l replied: IF you believe me t.
be serious. there is no reason why
should assure you of the fact. If yo'
don't believe | am serious, there is III
reason for my assurance that the con
trary Is the fact"
az have two publics,' Mr.. SHAY
said on another occasion. With one
is great pleasure to start tiuttel
ing in the dovecots, SO TO speak, an
create for the time a reign of terror
But l write my plays and books for
big serious public that really believe
in me-"
rs Mr.. Shaw appreciated abrOad?
well, in that connection l can Onl
say that he is by far the most popula
of living playwrights." Professor HeI
v derson replied. Surely such popular
ity must he considered in making a
}, estimate of his work. His plays hav
!; been translated into every language
:, Europe except two, Hungarian an
Russian. a pirated edition of some {
the plays exists in Hungary and ha
I given Mr.. Shaw great deal of trol
bic. 1T is Il terrible task Mrs. Sha'
remarked one day, that is attendaI
upon the translation of G.. r. SIS play
into so many languages. We wei
quite happy, she added, with a laug
t until G. B. S. made his continent
Id reputation
ar