The Washington herald., 1913-12-21
POET Of FRANCE
Tells OF GHOSTS
Man Is Double Person, Says
Gabriel d'Annunzio, IN
New Book.
SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
Writer Says that His Poems Spring
ffsm Ability of Observing
Things Of Nature.
Spedal Cable to The washinrtou HeraId.

Special Cable to The Washington Herald
Paris, Dec. 20-Gabriel d'Annunzio, as
believer in the occult and a student of
psychic phenomena, is the new role
wherein the Poet is about to reveal him
self to Paris in a book entitled Aspects
OF the Unknown" the early publication
OF which Is awaited with the fveliest in
terest by scientists and literary men
alike.
After many months of investigation,
during which he has attended with lead
ing scientists Of the day numerous Sc
ances at which the services Of the best
known mediums were invoked, dan
nunzio has arrived at the conclusion that
man does not live an undivided indivfd-
ual life Always by his side, he insists,
Is his/double. magic being, working for
him and prompting all his actions.
Man himself" the poet asserts, does
not require sleep, which is only an IL
fusion. II Is his invisible prompter that
tires Of performing for him those every
day actions which man attributes to his
own personality.
Partner Takes Rest.
When mans mysterious partner re-
qutres rest, all he does Is to remove
from the mundane body something essen
tial to mans wakefulness, whereupon
sleep supervenes.
The process Is like that Of the me-
chanic who, wishing to damage a piece
Of machinery, removes an essential part.
Exactly what mans magic aid removes
In order to send him to sleep I do not
know, but am convinced We shall dis
cover In time"
The theory Of mans invisible partner
Is fully developed in the book d'Annun-
zio Is about to publish. He has explained
for the first time how he is inspired to
write his wonderful prose-poetry. Dan
nunEio attributes his creative power to
his ability to read the language of
things inanimate. He feels the majority
Of men miss hve-sixth Of the meaning
and enjoyment Of life because they have
not exercised the faculty Of observation
which lies dormant in every one
Wherever I CO." he said, IT find op-
portunity to practice the power Of obser-
vation- For instance, during a recent
railway journey from Arcachon to Paris,
the train halted at q wayside station
Poetry by Some One Else.
Gazing around. was struck by the
harmony Of color and poetry in each in
animate object on which I set my eyes
Sky, tree. piacards, the wooden station
building, the train itself, as well as the
peasant. singing as he went to his toll,
and the heavily laden donkey-each Of
them had q special meaning. Their prox-
.
guage Of things for any one to read who
can.
Il jotted down my Impressions immedi-
ately and was greatly surprised in reading
them over later. Whenever I engage In
reading this poetry of inanimate objects
I am in a trance, with the result that
when come later to look at the impress
sions written at the time. I seeR to be
reading notes written by some one else.
TO this continuous application of the
powers Of observation I attribute my
extremely sensitive nature, which en-
ables me fully to enjoy life, although at
the same time giving me tremendous pow
er of suffering. I quite understand why
lot of my readers criticise me: the ma
jority cannot understand my heroes and
heroines- I impart to them my own ma
ture, and their joys and sufferings are
so deep ordinary men do not understand
them"
Suicide Threat q Joke.
To his friends d'Annunzio Is far from
being a superman; but is generally re-
garded as intensely human. He has a
keen sense of humor, and enjoys a Joke
lated lately that he has resolved to COM
NIT suicide within two years Is the re-
suit Of nothing more than a Joke he
sprung on Lebargy, the poet He told
Frances premier actor that a man
should disappear after a certain age. and
that both Lebargy and himself would
feel that their time had come two years
hence; therefore, they ought to commit
hari kari.
Recently, when entertaining at dinner
an old English lady, d'Annunzio suddenly
turned to her and said:
TT sounds a horrible thing to say, but
the flesh of newborn babes Is the acme
Of favor and deliciousness-somethin be-
tween lobster and spring chicken
The old lady. observing that he seemed
to be perfectly serious, looked at the
food before them, and then horrible
suspicion took form In her mind. Next
day the story went around Paris that
d d'Annunzio was a cannibal.