The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-04

n
sensational reactionist. always entertain.
ing. brilliant. good tempered and beliig-
erent, is just SO years old. For the last
fourteen years Of II. according to
writer In the North Carolina Revicr, his
mission In life has been to speak for
two things: the romance OF life, and the
value OF that which is old.
His Life and Personality.
Chesterton grew up III an educated,
middle class family OF Kensington, his
father being surveyor and estate agent.
He never attended q university: but
while ne was in st. Paurs School he
won prize for poetry. founded d Junior
Debating Club" and wrote for a school.
boys journal. The Debater.' He left
ST. Paurs at the age Of II, and
studied drawing for term or 80 at tn.
slade School. but 1t appears that h,
shrank from the hard work which a
serious pursuit OF art would have de.
.nanded. At any rate. he has for In,
last eighteen or twenty years made draw
Ing a side issue and "A recreation. III
produces drawings In immense quantity.
nut his best energies have been given to
writing.
After serving an apprenticeship in a
publishing office, he was discovered by
his friend Lucien Oldershaw and urged
70 send articles to the press, a sugges-
ton which resulted first In some contribu-
lions TO the Bookman and the Speaker
Then. in 1900. he was engaged by the
Daily Netcs U.ondon), to which paper
no has ever since contributed weekly
signed articles He has also for some
years written weekly articles for the
Illustrated London NeUs During the
same year Usoo) IN which he entered
journalism he was married to Miss
Frances Blogg.
At the age Of 3s Mr.. Chesterton Is
one OF the best known men In London.
Familiar details are his immense size,
his abundant grixzled hair his energetic
laughter and gestures. his good humored
but relentless pugnacity. his comic opera
cloak and soft hat. his erratic but enor-
nous industry. his conversational powers
and his remarkable observation-disclosures.
He has an an encyclopedia memory,
ready wit, and such power OF reasoning
Though he will not be a logician) that
he can demonstrate an absurdity or over
throw an axiom. Mr.. Chesterton Is much
sverse to being dignified. seriousness be-
ing TO his mind q special and secret
seal Of Satan"
The predominant personal characters
tic Of Mr.. Chesterton Is an enormous
vitality. which appears in his powerful
voice. his good humor. his pugnacity, his
prodigal production Of stories. essays. lee
lures and poems, and In his dogma and
practice Of the Joy OF life. He is 80 in
curably romantic that he is even said
to have had the habit OF carrying a re-
volver and swordstick, in preparation
!or adventures which he might meet In
the heart Of London.
Mr.. 'Chesterton Is democrat In SYM
pathles, being convinced that vulgar no.
tons are valid notions. and that common
people possess common sense. In politics
he Is Liberal, according to Holbrook
Jackson. or II one prefers to believe Cecil
IT.. -
81 early eighteenth century. born out Of
as due time" That any one should find
coherent political philosophy in the
works Of Mr.. Chesterton is a thing not
TO be expected. The safest assertions
which can be made are that he is not
now a socialist. though he was at one
time. and that since the Boer war he has
been an ardent foe Of Imperialism.
Chesterton Is man OF positive opin-
ions and tastes. Some OF his favorite
aversions are the mad imp Of modern
~" teetotalism and vegetarianism. freak
religions, British imperialism and the two
Power standard. anonymous journalism,
The dukes and the English land system
contemporary Calvinism. French short
stories. eugenics. Nietzsche. the Zeitge.st.
Darvinism pedantry. the dismal wine Of
Puritan determinism." seriousness and
modem German philosophy. Among his
sdTiratons and affirmations are humility
ton, the games OF childhood. festivals
and pageantry. democracy Ga thing which
ne does not find present in Engand)
food and wine. fighting. the dignity OF the
physical senses and desires. truisms and
romantic literature Of all sorts from old
ballads 10 penny dreadfuls.
The Critical Diographies.
Chesterton has written three spectacu-
lar critical works-the first, marked by
an absence OF conventional dignity. being
us Robert Browning" which appeared
daZslingly in the famous and sober Eng
I.A Men OF Letters series. Following
this sally into Literature as Differentiated
from Journalism came his George Ber-
nard Shaw" introducing an ultra clever
keynote.
Most people either say that they agree
win Bernard Shaw or that they do not
understand him. 1 am the only person
who understands him. and do not agree
with him
As . Writer Of Fiction.
After his third critical work. a biog-
rtphy Of Charles Dickens. we come to his
works OF hction-twO books OF short
stores and four romantic extravaganzas
tile latest being "Manal!ve," fanatcal
md fsrcical tract on the JOY OF life.
Which teaches the grave lesson that iEno-
ceaee enables q human being to walk
o.. TWO legs. to see with undimmed eyes
ana 20 be consciously alive. and THE
F!y.ag Inn" q whimsical combination Of
cCs.rne and fantasy just published.
lie also has produced two collections
q sAo!T and eccentric detective stories
The Club CT Queer Trades" and THE
lAnUcence OF Father Brown"
His PunKent Essays.
Tie principal books In which Mr..
Cuesterton has given glimpses OF his
religious views are 'Heretics' and Or
todoxy." In his essays on the heretics-
Rat Is the men who have the hardhood
70 differ with him--he expresses his UNI
favorable opinions OF Mr.. K,pling's i'm
p.-ialism. Of Loves Dickinsons paganism.
o. Bernard Shaw's Nietzschcism, and OF
o,aer peoples heresies
In addition to the sociological essay
WHATS Wrong with the World" MIR.
Ch-stt rton has r'tten several books which
contain. often In highly diluted form. his
views u the cosmos and OF society. The
!atst Of these, both OF them published
IL 1914. are alarms and Discussions
ana IAN Things Considered" The former
10 Z string OF forty loose papers. some OF
W'E extremely Idle. about every con-
ce.EaDle subject from Dukes and Cheese
10 iarsoyles and the Long Bow. Under
n.e title "All Things Considered" Mr..
c',eateitoa has gathered thirty-hve papers.
Miscellaneous like those In ALARMS and
uscurslons.' and equally Chestertonlan.