Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-05-07
Some Interesting Recollections
OF England's Famous Mas
ter of Song.
LAST OF GREAT VICTORIANS
Ardent Student of Shakespeare in
Early Days-Instancc of His
Winning Personality.


1897, so that he had just entered on
his seventy-third year when death
came. He was descended from an an
Gent family which runs back to the
days of Edward III. for its pedigree.
He WAS the last leaf on the tree that
bore the group IF great Victorian poets
The poet WAS the son Of the late Ad-
miral Charles Henry Swinburne ard
Lady Jane Henrietta. who was the
daughter Of the third Earl Of Ash
burnham AS Il child he was eXtraor-
dinarily precocious. and at the age
when children think only of their play
he was an ardent student of Shake
Sneare. taking. as his parents often re-
lated. Il copy Of the plays of the i'm
mortal bard to bed with him. Swim
burne's boyhOOd was spent ut his par
entS' home in the Isle of Wight. and
it was there that his great love for
the sea grew. for the poet knew and
loved the sea in all its moods His
Two fave rite recreatiOns were swim
ming and cliff climbing, in both of
which lie eXCelied.
In 1878 he was educated 10y Il tutor
in the Isle of Wight and after years
study was sent to Elton. where. how
ever, he led Il lonely life.
AS IN instance of Swinburne's pc
culiarly winning personality, when DR.
Hawtrcy. the head master at Eton.
oCcc sent for him to demonstrate with
the boy on his love for poetry. the in
tCrview ended with the conversion OF
the master and promise that his
pupil should have access to DR. Haw-
trey's own library and the understand
ing that he should he allowed to take
| away any Of the works of the old Eng
fish dramatists he desired.
In 1856 Swinburne entered Ballot
| college. oxford. hut did not wait for a
degree. BY this time the muse was re-
ceivin% his respectful attention. and
instead of waiting to graduate with
his class he started off on visit to
Florence with the late Walter Savage
Lardcr
Swinburne'S birth was coptempOra-
l'neous with the coronation of the late
Queen Victoria 1t WAS in 1861 that
Swinhurne published his first volume.
THE Queen Mother" and "Rosamond.'
and not year has passed since then
that he has not contributed to the
world of letters one or more books of
proSe or poetry
strong in Likes and Dialikcs.
Swinhurne WIS strong in his likes
and disikeS. He appeared to care lit
tie Cor the opinion or criticism of Lon
don and the world outside He was a
devout worSh1er at the shrine of Rob
crt Browning. and some years ago he
caused all England To shake with
laughter when he brought footstool
| TO public banquet at which Brown
ing was the guest of honor and. sol
EMMY placing it at Rrowning's feet.
| sat upon tat the feet of the mas
| ter"
Another of Swinburne's escapadcs
occurred after Il dinner Mt the London
| Art club when he showed his diSap-
| prevail of his fellow members by Pill
| ing up their hats on the floor of the
| banquet hall and dancing on the mod
| est headpieccs. THIS made substantial
| griSt for the comic papers, and one
| publication burlesqued the affair ny
4 traveSty of Swinburne's own imita-
| tons 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 birdie
the poets rage made up the chorus
Hats We're sent flying about the stage
| and the members walled:
/
| From the hatraCks our hats are torn
Then the chorus Joined the tumult
by shouting:
The Euglishman's home is his castle:
| The EngliShmans hat is his crown.
And so the huriesque continued true
to the traditions of Aristophanes when
he amused the Athenians by ridicuing
| AeschyluS.
Swinburne was frank and cordia
With his friends and, aside from bein:
la noted leader in conversation. wa:
fond of reading his own poetry. HC
was a bachelor. He amasSed a rar,
collection of literary curios. The poe
never mingled much in general society
us he was somewhat deaf 1t was BIZ
habit to take long cross country jaunts
and as he trudged along with down
cast head, seldom lifting his eye!
from the ground, he was n welcom,
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 1t rained or severe tn
storm that overlook him while abroa,
on these excursions. he pulled dow
more tightly that ofd soft felt hat an,
refused to carry an umbrella.
The most touching memory of Swim
burne left to us is his great love TO
children. and some Of the most beaut
full verses he wrote were devoted t
their praise. notably in "Herse." +
the final line of which Is the keynot
OF his whole idea, 30 child, wha
news from heaven?"
Another peculiar feature of the poet
habits was that he never wore an owe
lcoat.