The sun., 1919-08-17
Leaves in the Wind"
By GEORGE GORDON.


ia the Wind, who, after the manner
of Englishmen-Elia, The Spectator
Steele, Boon "Simon Pure" Jacob
Tonson''-whcn writing eauseries, prefer
ring yelled anonymity to the pretense
of fame-he includes charming essay on
the subject-signs himself "Alpha of the
Plough" though his identity $50, despite
my own ignorance, | am assured by his
publishers) will be but a secret de
Polichinelle to all such as are in any way
familiar with the style of work IN writing
England.
And, sure, if Alpha of the Plough" is
not famous and well known he should be.
A rare thing. in this naughty world, |
do assure you. Il think you never heard
me preach" said Coleridge, in earlier
days a Unitarian divine, to his young
friend Lamb Il never heard you do any
thing else" was the irreverent reply.
And though we have other manners-at
least we have prohibition, which would
scarce have suited Lamb, and hunt for
drug addicts which might have deprived
us of De Quincey-times change but
slowly, and there be to-day fifty ready to
preach for every one that knows how to
talk
"If any of you have got anything to
say" said Samuel Rogers to his guests at
breakfast one morning, ''you had better
say il, now you have got the chance
Macaulay is coming"
II is fascinating subject, this of good
talk. "The foundation of good talk says
our author, sis good sense, good nature
and the gift of fellowship. Given these
things, you may serve them up with the
sauce of wit, but wit alone never made
good conversation. 1t as like mint SAUCE
without the lamb"
And he gives an instance from Boswell
TO prove his theory, for "Johnson's talk
had the quality of conversation, because,
being clubable man, he enjoyed the give
and-take and the cut-and-thrust of the en-
counter He liked to LAY his mind to
YOURS as he said, and though he was
more than a little 'huffy' on occasion he
had that wealth of humanity which IS the
soul of hearty conversation. And
lie always had the company in mind. He
no more thought of talking alone than
boxer would think of boxing alone.
That is the way with all the good takers
of our own time"
That is undoubtedly the way with our
essaYist He will discuss the war with
you, relate his experiences on giving up
tobacco, his annoyance Mt being called
Thompson This name, 70 The purposes Of
the essay, was Thomson he will write of
dogs or mosquitoea, or improvise varla-
tons upon the familiar theme of death;
he will quote verse and dwell upon the
beauty of strange names, the meaning CT
certain happy faces in the Strand; and
he will tell you:
"The pleasantest hour of my day is the
hour about midnight 1t is then that L
leave the throbbing heart of Fleet Street
behind me-"
His articles are collected from the
columns of the London Star; he is jour
nalist.
Jump On to the last bus bound for
distant iburb and commander the back
seat If The back seat is not vacant L sit
as near as | can and watch the enemy who
possesses it with vigilant eye. When he
rises pounce on the quarry like kestrel
on its prey. love the back seat, not only
because it is the most comfortable, but
also because it gives you the sense of soil
tude in the midst of a crowd which is one
of the most enjoyable sensations | know.
To see and not be seen, TO watch the
human comedy unobserved save by the
friendly stars who look down very search
ingly but never blab, 10 have the advan-
tages of both solitude and society in one
breath, as it were-this is my idea of en-
joyment."
Wanting a seat on the bus-they are