Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-14

MRS. Wards
RECOLLECTIONS
TtOo Tollmes of Literary and
Social "reminiscences OF a
DISTINGUISHED Woman

There are autobiographies which de-
pend for their interest on the eventual
career of the subject, and there are other
autobiographies which fascinate the
reader because of the literary charm of
the style and the genial or cynical
philosophy Of life disclosed. The Recol-
Lotions OF Mrs. Humphry Ward, which
nave Just come from the press. belong
In part to each class. Mrs. Wards life
has been mildly eventful in it's sue
cession of adventures in acquaintance
with distinguished persons, and she has
q certain social philosophy which mani
tests itself occasionally in the course
OF her narrative.
As every one knows. she is a grand
daughter Of the famous Arnold OF Rugby,
but 1t Is not so widely known that she
was born In Tasmania and lived there
till she was five years old. The first
part Of her recollections she devotes to
the Arnold family Readers interested
In literary history, however, will prize
most highly her story of Robert Els
mere" the book which gave Mrs. Ward
an international famd. although II was
not her first novel She tells how she
became interested in the religious prob
lem which is the theme of the novel
through study of the church fathers
from the fourth to the ninth century and
their credulousness when confronted with
evidence OF alleged miraculous happen
ings. The higher biblical criticism was
making stir In the world and she
wanted to put its problems In a book
which would attract attention. She
worked at It for years. writing and re-
writing until she had her story told in
what she thought an interesting manner.
She exhibits pardonao:e pride In
describing its immediate success. More
than half million copies Of It were
sold in America, and for months 1t sold
5000 copies every thirty days in Eng
land. The circulating libraries were
besieged for 1t. Gladstone reviewed 1t.
Clergymen preached sermons against IL.
She was denounced as an enemy or
Christianity on both sides of the At
lantic But her book continued to sell.
She has not been able to live down her
reputation as one who attacks the
religious faith of Christians. for al
though she makes no mention OF 1t, an
American magazine to which an article
by her on Italian art was onered
twenty years after Robert Elsmere" was
published, rejected it because Of fear
that its religious readers would be Of
Tended IL it printed anything that Mrs.
Ward wrote.
Mrs. Ward confesses, however. that
she has come to agree with her uncle,
Matthew Arnold. that the main theme
of her book was wrong-that priest
| who doubts must withdraw from the
church. Matthew Arnold remained to the
end of his life an attendant at the serv-
ices of the Church of England and be-
| lieved that the way to reform II was
from within and that great national in-
stitutions were too sacred for iconoclast
handling IL any other method were pos
sible. But Mrs. Ward does not express
regret for having written Robert Els
mere"
She brings her recolections down tc
her f1ftieth year and summarizes her
literary activities since then in a briel
chapter. The book will take It's place
among the important collections OF
literary "reminiscences in the English
language.
A WRITER'S RECoLLECTIONs. By Mrs
Humphry Ward Two volumes, Illus
| so.