Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-04-22
SW|NBURNE THE POET
RecoIIeCtions of EngIand's Fa-
nous Master of Song.
LAST OF GREAT WCTORlANS.

Ardent Student of Shakespeare In His
Childhood Days-An Instance of His
Winning Personality-Two Odd Es-
capades-Great Lover of Children.
Algernon Charles Swinburne, the
poet who recently died at his home,
The Pines, at Putney, near London.
and upon whose shoulders all England
expected Tennyson's mantle of poet
laureate to fall, was born on April 5.
1887. so that he had just entered on
his seventy-third year when death
came. He was descended from an an
cient family which runs back to the
days of Edward IL. for its pedigree.
He was the last leaf on the tree that
bore the group Of great Victorian poets.
The poet was the son of the late Ad-
miral Charles Henry Swinburne and
Lady Jane Henrietta, who was the
daughter of the third Earl of Ash
burnham AS child he was extraor-
dinarily precocious, and at the age
when children think only Of their play
he was an ardent student of Shake
speare taking, as his parents often re-
lated, a copy of the plays Of the i'm
mortal bard to bed with him. Swim
burne's boyhocd was spent at his par
ents' home in the Isle ~ Wight, and
1t was there that his great love for
the sea grew, for the poet knew and
loved the sea in all It's moods. His
two favorite recreatio = were swim
ming and eff climbing. In both Of
which he excelled.
In 1S47-S he was educated by tutor
in the Isle of Wight and after years
study was sent to Elton, where, how
ever he led lonely life.
AS an instance Of Swinburne'e pc
culiarly winning personality, when DR..
Hawtrey, the head master at Eton,
once sent for him to demonstrate with
the boy on his love for poetry. the in
terview ended with the conversion of
the master and a promise that his
pupil should have access to DIR. Haw-
trey's own library and the understand
ing that he should be allowed to take
away any of the works of the old Eng
lish dramatists he desired.
In 1856 Swinburne entered Baliol
college, Oxford. but did not wait for a
degree. BY this time the muse was re-
ceiving his respectful attention and
instead of waiting to graduate with
his class he started Off on a visit to
Florence with the late Walter Savage
Landor
Swinburnes birth was contempora-
neous with the coronation of the late
Queen Victoria. 1t was In 1861 that
Swinburne published his first volume.
THE Queen Mother" and "Rosamond,
and not a year has passed since then
that he has not contributed to the
world of letters one or more books of
prose or poetry.
Swinburne was strong in his likes
and dislikes. He appeared to care lit
tie for the opinion or criticism Of Lon,
don and the world outside. He was a
devout worshiper at the shrine of Rob
ert Browning. and some years ago he
caused all England to shake with
laughter when he brought a footstool
to public banquet at which Brown
Ing was the guest of honor and, sol.
emnly placing 1t at Browning's feet
sat upon tat the feet of the mas
ter"
Another of Swinburne's escapades
occurred after a dinner at the London
Art club when he showed his disap-
proval of his fellow members by Pill.
ing up their hats on the floor of the
banquet hall and dancing on the mod,
est headpieces. This made substantial
grist for TIE comic papers. and one
publication burlesqued the affair by
Il travesty Of Swinburne's own imita-
tions of the Greek form of drama. The
burlesque was put on the boards, and
the club members made up the cast
Policemen who were called in to bride
the poets rage made up the chorus
Hats were sent flying about the stage
and the members walled:
AS forests with tempests that wrestle
From the hatracks our hats are torn
down.
Then the chorus Joined the tumult
by shouting:
The Englishmans home is his castle;
The Englishmans hat is his crown.
And so the buriesque continued true
to the traditions of Arlstophanes when
he amused the Athenians by ridiculing
Aeschylus.
Swinburne was frank and cordial
with his friends and. aside from being
a noted leader in conversation. was
fond of reading his own poetry. lie
was n bachelor. He amassed rare
collection of literary curios. The poet
never mingled much in general society
as he was somewhat deaf. 1t was his
habit to take long cross country jaunts
and as he trudged along with down
cast head, seldom lifting his eyes
from the ground. he was a welcome
Lord Bountiful to the children whom
he met on the way. He gave then
cakes and candies and was pleased
with their demonstrations. No mat
ter how hard it rained or severe the
storm that overlook him while abroad
on these excursions. he pulled down
more tightly that old soft felt hat and
refused to carry an umbrella.
The most touching memory of Swim
burne left TO us Is his great love foI
children, and some of the most beauti