The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-16

hands clasping his knees. The look in
his blue eyes, behind the glasses land
sometimes he took the glasses on. was
that Of a person part OF whom was far
away. He talked without pretension.
He has no air of laying down the law;
and apparently no principles or forms
for life or art. He spoke of all as K
he felt and understood the opposite
points Of view. and in consequence felt
all arbitrary dicta to be of no account.
No, he had never learned to write on
a typewriter. He writes stumblingly.
he says, and could never use anything
so precise and definite as typewriter.
But he does regret, he says, one rebel
lion OF his against mechanics. for when
he was a child 1t was decided that he
was to have some lessons on the piano.
After short application, of unintellec-
tual counting and pounding. he de-
cided that he didn't care for the piano
and was allowed TO quit. He was
, years old then, and didn't realize.
Boys, he said-and 1t was one OF
his few positive statements-shouh
be made to learn to play some in
| strument.
II now get much pleasure listening
to music; but not as much as l should
from playing to myself"
John Galsworthy was born at
Coombe in Surrey on August IA, 1867
The Galsworthys have always lived in
Devonshire, where the author dwells
| now. His mother was a Bartlett Of
| Worcestershire.
His boyhood was much as other
English boyhoods are. with plenty Of
delightful hours which yet contain
nothing that can be set down as pub
| lie property.
| In Harrow he was captain of the
| football eleven, and an athlete of some
consequence. winning the mile ana
other events. But in those years,
1881 to 1885. he had enough OF games
| to last him for all time.
IT do not like he said. 'the spirit
of competition There Is something
very uncomfortable about it," And he
said that competition Of a kind, for
| money or against time. destroyed
every impulse Of art. But even in
this. he would not insist that every
author should have money of his own.
For know some men who can pro-
duce fine work II they must get
money. But 1 think perhaps that it
would be we'll II every writer had
enough money just TO save him from
worry"
He took pleasure in the fact that
many people in America read his books
and go to see his plays, though lie
made no mention OF critical judgments
on his work. And one gathered that
he regards the critics as persons en-
gagged In a perhaps necessary work
the tone OF which can hardly be of con-
sequence to the artist.
Early in life Che was 81 he had the
good fortune to meet two boys who
have ever since been his closest
friends; he has never changed his att
tude toward them. And says he never
will. This meeting took place when
by chance two books reached the
Galsworthy library. They were called
TON Sawyer" and "Huckleberry
Finn"
Always after that Galsworthy read
his two books. This Devonshire lad,
though never in Missouri, enjoyed the
most perfect understanding with Tom
and Huck.
For a moment Mr.. Galsworthy was
silent, back in the memory OF those
nights when he hid in the cave; met
Jim. went on the fiatboat down the
Mississippi. and SO on through the
Mark Twain adventures when the rest
OF the family thought he was In COM
monplaoe slumber.