Evening star., 1912-03-09

on to good purpose is shown by the
popularity his books have achieved.
that the late Sir Henry Campbell-Ban-
herman, ex-premier Of England, told
him during his last illness that among
the things which made him regre'
to read Mr.. De Morgan's next book
More human testimony to his merits
could hardly be desired by any author
Story Of Repeated Rejection.
"Joseph Vance" has a history Of re-
lection and after appreciation similar to
that Of many of the worlds literary
treasures. When its author had fin
ished 1t and decided to submit his manu-
script to publishers all the latter who
saw 1t decided that the novel was fal
too long for modern exigencies, too old
style and too gossipy. and declined it.
The author had the rather worn
manuscript retyped and one day nc
found the typist in tears over the
copy, so, moved was he by the auto
biography of one of the noblest charac-
ters that has ever lived in the pages OF
modern fiction. This incident came to
the publisher, and he said. There must
be something in a book that will make
a typist weep. I'll have another look at
it." This he did, with the result that
Of Mr.. De Morgan.
Mr., De Morgan has an immense ad-
vantage over the younger school of au-
thors in that he lived f1rst-and lived
with his eyes open-before beginning to
write books. Close observation of man.
kind for sixty years is great asse.
to an author. His experiences and mem.
ories have, perhaps unconsoiously. found
their way into his works, and the world
Is the richer for the lfelike pictures ol
he or11y rl ;n<o 70 b4 hos
drawn.
Close Observer Of London Life.
Mr.. De Morgan is a Londoner born and
bred, and glories in 1t. Not even Charles
Dickens had a closer or more intimate
knowledge Of life in the metropolis. and
his descriptions of humble and better
class homes depict the real thing-Cock
aigne at its best and worst. Born In
1SS9-two years after Queen Victoria as.
cended the throne-Mr. De Morgan had
an early opportunity of studying pros
porous and poverty-stricken London.
His fathers house in Cover street near
University College was in district which
was then exceedingly prosperous and re-
spectacle, but 1t was within easy reach
OF the poor districts of Camden Town
Kings Cross and Soho. How well William
De Morgan studied slum life is shown in
his fourth book, TT Can Never Happen
Again" where the trials and m.sfortunes
Of Lizarann Coupland, the little Camden
Town slum girl, are SO vividly depicted
The description of the death of Lizarann
most powerful episode in modern fiction
. Mr.. De Morgan's father, Augustus De
Morgan, was professor of mathematics al
University College. and young William
was educated at the old University Col
lege School. and later at University Col
lege and the Royal Academy Schools
where he took up art in preference to
mathematics. He devoted himself chiefly
to stained glass work, and from the age
of twenty-three until he was thirty-one
of stained-glass windows One of his bes,
pieces of work still adorns the village
church at Rochester, Staffordshire.
+ In 1870 he turned his attention to ce-
at 81 Great Marlborough, formerly the
home of Mrs. Siddons, the famous act
ress, and her celebrated ballroom on the
ground floor Is described in "!Alice-for-
Short" as being in No. 40 - street
Soho.
So one finds traces of his earlier life
and experiences in all his works. Charles
Heath in ""Alice-for-Short' is almost an
photographed character, for the art
lists life at the Royal Academy Schools
is based on memories of the authors own
life at the same institution. It was only
in 1904 that he began in a hesitating way
to put some of his "reminiscences on pa
per, and then, as he explains in Joseph
Vance," he found that he could recollect
SO much that he went on.
Merit Of De Morgan.
Critics may say that there is little new
or striking in Mr.. De Morgan's work
the early-Victorian opening with the "re-
markable coincidence a small mystery
and the inevitable unexpected develop
ment"-the last named generally Of an
impossible Ito modern ideas) character.
But the stories are told with such a
wealth of detail, and the characters are
SO naturally conversational and essen
TALLY human that lovers of Dickens,
Thackeray and other Victorian writer.
cannot but be charmed with them.
In fact. one does not need to be an ad-
mirer Of old Boz to appreciate them
they are human. and to the Londoner, at
any rate. fascinating to a degree. Mr..
De Morgan, himself, is great admirer
Of Dickens. The secret of his success
is his wonderful memory, which enables
him to chronicle the events and life of