The sun., 1907-11-02
Another A. &. Benson Book.

Another A. &. Benson Book.
Mr. Arthur Christopher Benson in ~The
Altar Fire" (G. p. Putnam's Sons) tells
us that this is the story OF a man who was
quietly happy for period and then came
70 have trouble. He married the daughter
Of Gloucestershire clergyman, a girl Of
normal qualities. beautiful, vigorous. simple
minded, ingenious, candid. not clever
according to the common meaning Of
that word The pair built themselves a
pleasant house in Surrey. Three children
we're born to them, two OF whom lived
10 grow up. The wife and mother was
a religious woman and Lady Bountiful.
She was "an overfowing fountain OF good
ness She was happy in the round Of
her social duties and liked the society of
her neighbors The husband and father.
on the other hand. did not care for COM
pany. His abiding pleasure was found
in his employment Of writing. He wrote
not feroely and feverishly, but regularly.
and he liked his work 40 much that he
was bored when he was not engaged at
IT, After many quiet years. suddenly
we are told. he produced a book that made
him famous. IL was a mastery work. a
consideration of life. delicate. full of subtle
analysis. Then something happened that
was not to have been expected Instead
OH being radiant with success he found
himself depressed. haggard. unstrung. ex-
hausted. his power OF writing gone. Fol-
lowing that. he was overwhelmed by a
quick succession OF calamities He lost
his boy and most OF his fortune. His
wife died. and then his daughter. He
was left alone. He was broken down,
but he recovered and again FOR a Con-
siderable perio6 lived life that was fairly
cheerful His way out OF his trouble
had been -the way OF utter submission.
absolute confidence. entire resignation"
As for his religion, his biographer does
not suppose that It was Of a particularly
orthodox kind. He was. We are told,
impatient OF dogmatic definition and of
ecclesiastical tendencies; but he cared
with all his heart for tho vital principles
OF religion. the love Of God and the love
Of ones neighbOrs."
So much MIR. Benson tells us in an intro
duction The main story consists OF the
diary Of the man who had this experience
q diary started at the time OF depression
following upon the appearance OF the
successful book This diary is a commentary
reffectinR the various moods through which
the sufferer passed He begins with re-
dections in Switzerland. where he had gone
in the hope OF effecting a renewal Of mental
health. Returning home he remarks upon
certain consequences OF his new fame.
The successful book has brought upon him
a food Of letters, many OF them reasonable
and pleasant enough. but not all OF them.
What is il, l wonder, that makes some
people want to tell a writer whom they
have never seen all about themselves.
their thoughts and histoTiesp' So he
inouires He reflects further. analyzing
the possibilities in the case of a number
of letters. He comments upon the reviews
of the successful book. Here Is the net
resuIt-that | have become a sort OF per-
,onage in the world Of letters. Do l desire
II? Yes, in a sense / do; but in a sense
do not" For several pages he comments
upon fame, and he tells what he should
like to achieve particularly as a writer.
He speaks Of visitors brought by the new
book-oH Lord Wilburton. who comph-
mented the garden. and OF other persons
socially distinguished. -They are not
people with whom have anything in COM
mon arm not OF their monde at all.
belong to tie middle class and they are oH
the upDer clasa l have a faint desire to
Indicate that don't want to cross the
border line, and that what I desire is the
society Of interesting and cOngenial people.
not the society Of my social superiors.'
Interesting perhaps. but hardly congenial,
hardly soothing was the don who came to
see him. scholar with a vast hoard Of learn
ing, all classified @The things that he
knows have not become part Of his mind
in any way; they are stored away there
like walnuts; and feel that have been
pelted with walnuts. deluged and buried
Ia walnuts."
The diary goes on. and We see that it is
a series Of essays making up history OF
mental Impressions quite in the manner OF
Mr. Benson's other books 1t 10 admir-
ably DONE and in this world Of varied wants
it will not fail TO lind plenty Of sympathetic
and welcoming readers