Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-08-30
SIDE LIGHTS ON SHAW
Professor Henderson Back With
Message From Playwright.
HIS VIEW oF HIS BIOGRAPHY.

MUST be F1istSFy OI "ofio nv wv"
ty-hye Years, George Bernard Told
His BiosraPhsr-An Artist Calls Him
"a Symphony In Brown"
George Bernard Shaw. Socialist.
iconoclast aud playwright. believes
that his biography should Ice history
of the world for Il quarter Of cen
fury, according To Professor Archi-
bald Henderson. who Is writing the
book. says the New York Times. DR.
Henderson IL assistant professor or
mathematics at the University of
North Carolina. lie reached New
York recently from England. where he
spent two months getting new Side
lights on Shaw for his book.
1--WE been a student of Shaw's
PLAYS for years. aud | have written
many magazine articles about them
and on other dramatic topics said
Professor Henderson. Mr.. Shaw Is SO
great man that | wanted To write
his biography. 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 sociol-
/ ogy in the last quarter of the nine
/ teenth century If you want to write
a history of that sort suppose I'm
as good a 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 nj Mr. Shaw's home in Lon
don and his country home at Ayot st.
. Lawrence. in HcrefOrdShire.
AN artist called Mr. Shaw "A sym
phonv in brown" continued Professor
Henderson. and il was not inappro-
pirate. He has remarkably clear,
transparent skin. heavy brown beard
and hair and often dire es in soft fan
nels of the same shade The most re-
markable Thug about him, though, Is
his bright Blue eyes. full of 1re 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 10 very frank
criticism of himself and his plays
Naturally he is much sought man,
and Mrs. Shaw. fine capable woman,
acts as II buffer between her husband
and the public. We had lively visit
from Rodin, the French sculptor. Shaw
could not speak French as tiuently MS
: h, Eel nj nix u
gestures of most vigorous sort that
Were very amusing"
Does Mr. Shaw take himself and his
work quite Seriously the reporter
asked
In one sense, yes; in another, no.
Professor Henderson replied. ITO a
certain extent he does say aud do
things to attract attention. but under
, it all is Il very sincere and serious pur-
pose.
lyon know, he is 50 fond of joking
that he is apt to joke in serious way,
and the listener does not quite under
stand him. | believe that under ii all
is 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 IL
Il fckering candle, but to a flaming
torch held in the hand. and feels he
must spread its brightness as far Us
possible and as long as II is his prvi.
lege TO possess II"
WAS he quoted correctly in saying
he was greater than shakespeare
THAT must be taken with a grain of
salt" replied Professor Henderson
with laugh. What he really meant
was that he had much larger horizon
and greater facilities fer spreading his
work than Shakespeare had.
O "'Once man came up to me- Mr.
Shaw remarked one day, and asked
y me If was serious in all | wrote and
. said. replied: IF you believe me to
be serious, there is no reason why
should assure you of the fact. If you
don't believe | am serious. there is III
u reason for my assurance that the con
I trary is the fact
g 81 have two publics,' Mr.. Shaw
/. said on another occasion. With one il
: Is a great pleasure to start hutter
ing In the dovecots, SO to speak, and
p create for the time reign of terror
t But | write my plays and books for d
4 big serious public that really believes
in me-"
e rs Mr.. Shaw appreciated abroad"
n well, in that connection can only
t say that he is by far the most popular
e of living playwrights," Professor Hen
Il 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
y the plays exists in Hungary and has
given Mr.. Shaw great deal of trou
o BILE. 1T is terrible task, Mrs. Shaw
f remarked one day, that is attendant
j upon the translation Of G. B. SIS plays
s into so many languages. We were
n quite happy she added. with n laugh
until G. B. S. made his continental
O reputation"