The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-22
George Borrow,

The presentation OF hitherto unpub-
lished letters OF the subject and his
friends Is the claim to a hearing pre-
sented by CLEMENT KING SHORTER. the
English journalist. for his George Bor-
roio and His Circle OIoughton Miffiin)
The documents for which novelty is
claimed have been made available
through the kindness OF the executors
OF Henrietta MacOubrey. Borrows step
daughter. and Wllfrid G. Bowrlng
| grandson OF Sir John Bowring, his
friend and almost patron. Mr. Shorter's
right to hearing really rests upon his
straight telling Of the story OF an I'M
usual life.
Borrow has little to gain from the
labors of the blographer. Mr.. Shorter
| is sympathetic" biographer George
Borrow was human; why set him up
as angel? Even II he did himself con-
tribute TO the making of a myth OF holl-
ness. why suborn the perjury? Suppose
he was embittered by literary disap-
pointment, lack OF contemporary ap-
probation; the life is nothing the i'm
mortal work is all. 1t Is poppycock 10
talk about making Bozzy's johnson"
test of friendship" "Lycidas" the
"touchstone OF taste In poetry" and:
May We not say that an enthusiasm
for Lavengro' is now "A tombstone OF
taste in English prose literature?"
Taste in literature has no touchstone.
You love Borrow not for his style but
for his stuff" and yet the stun made
style all its own. "Lavengro" wins us
by the man that Is back of 1t and in II:
and there's an end to all your critical
hocuspocus II Is a book like "Gll Bias"
Robinson Crusoe." Don Quixote": q
book that disdans the Interpreter. a
book that We read. and do not in the
least care to read about. What matters
II how far "Lavengro' and "Romany
Rye" are autobiographical. what Der
cent. is wahrhelt and what dichtung?
But Borrow was an interesting man
and lived an unusual life, and the life
IL worth reading about so long as 1t is
not permitted 10 interfere with the
books. DIR. William Ireland Knapp.
sometime professor Of modern languages
at Vassar College and later OF the Yale
faculty (died 1s0S), published in 1899
two volume Life. Writings and
Correspondence" of Borrow. This Is
the classic of Borroviana. The lives by
Walling and Jenkins are based on
documents, and Thomas's 1.-THE Man and
u.
Mr.. Shorter's addition Is Of the private,
intimate correspondence which Mrs.
MacOubrey retained after letting the
more formal documents, notebooks, &c,
go into the hands OF bookseller,
whence they came ultimately into pos
session of DIR. Knapp.
Explain the glorious vagabondage"
Of George Borrow. says the present
biographer with consideration Of 1.-THE
father. whose work carried him from
time to time to every corner Of Eng
land, Scotland and Ireland, and of the
mother, with her "Reminiscences OF life
In travelling theatrical company"
Borrow pere was a captain In the mill
tia; to his lifes end he cherished the
recollection Of a famous fight with "Big |
Ben" Brain or Bryan In Hyde Park;
unless indeed that heroic combat is |
purely Pigment Of his author sons |
busy imagination. That a good story |
gains by being true is hypocrtlc con- |
vention. Mrs. Borrow, Ann Perfrement,
descendant of Huguenot immigrants,
was. In the words inscribed on her
tomb In Oulton churchyard, "a good
wife and a good mother; the friend
who stood by In the lean years when
hard work brought scant return. Their
Oldest son. John Thomas, who studied /
art In Old CrOme's studio and had taste
but as George Henry said lacked perse-
verence, logged perseverance," and died
In Mexico OF fever after an unsrccess.
full career In business. was his fathers
favorfte. as George was of their mother.
He wrote to his brother: Il am CON.