Evening star., 1928-04-15
The Real Ibsen.

EERHAPS the most picturesque figure
in the Old World literature of his
cay. Henrik Ibsen. was at once an in
for did he care II the whole world
pointed its fingers at his calling Sour
oid man" so that 1t noticed him. He
s~emed always TO dread the possibility
Of being passed without recognition.
He loved the gaze Of the crowd, IL is
e.id but put himself on record as a
Teveler in pesSirnism for its own SAD
sake, and he was as outspoken IN his
oiSlike of strangers as he was anxious
that they should cape at him and
Comment on his personal appearance.
IhSen, great genius and sociological
scholar that he was, acquired IN his
litter years. il is said the small vices
Of vain child; he was an intellectual
peacock.
To have visited Christiania and not
see Dr. Henrik Ibsen would have been
Ike touring Egypt and missing sight
IF the sphinx and pyramids. He was
sa1e most interesting parsonage in the
Norwegian capital-and TbSen before
any one else was conscious of that fact.
Down the Karl Johann's Gade to the
Grand Hotel he walked every day, rain
- shine When the weather was par
s'cuiariy inviting he paid two daily visits
=. the hotel On such days he ap-
yseared punctualiy at / In the after
rsson and again at in the evening.
-Ibsea was above all things a methodi-
c7l man. His life was governed by the
cock. He had his own table in the
calleTy overlooking the garden, and the
f-sInufe nc arrived mute but well
aimed waiter placed before the shaggy
aiiosopher and playwright bottle Of
andy and another Of soda. This was
'sae authors favorite stirnulant. and
70 glasses Of the liquor his limit a
sitting With the care of a druggist
r mpcundinE a prescription he meas
ed and mixed his drink. which he
Yped. swallow al a time, with such
= rfect regularity that one might tell
By his action the lapse Of each five
= nutes with no recourse 10 clock or
= '4ch.
These daily nbstions seemed toward
- end Of his life 70 afford Henrik
sen the one consolation Of an ex-
znce whose ingratned melancholy
pressed itself on all who got near
1ngh 20 him TO converse informally
One day il was borne in upon this
erving old man that those vino
1ntec the public cafe OF the Grand
lei we're. FOR the most part. his fellow
ntTymen. and that il he was 10 be
by travelling Englishmen. Ameri-
IS. FTenchmen, Germans and Italians
aould be necessary To take up his
1 In the hotel proper. Accordingly
chose for himself a table in a most
lSpicu051S part of the gallery. which
: -rio9ks the big garden, where all for
ners take their dinners. and thus il
possible To be the observed Of all
erEeFt," with no fear OF being APP
sca9ed of lnveigied into conversation
Having taken his seat, the first Of
deFn Morse writers arranged his
gsps pers his hat. his spectacles with
the business Of stage gpinsteY
pairs of eyeglasses we're laid out IN
ow On the table For every para
ph he read he placed a different
u glasses on his nose. always paus-
10 polish them and mold them ~
light Az ne read, apparently ab-
jec Ia the contents of his news
r. @fr, cioSe observers frequently detect
tlge Old mans eyes rowing from the
p ated page In the direction ri the
pie looking mis- way.
ie Vas 4 siy old rascal, was IDsen
,s1bes we're among those who watched
q. the rudy face - once lit up with
radiance of seif-satlsfaction II
aD III Gay fog IbSen and the Grand
~ Hhen foreigners were feN In fhe
Gen. But me strange old genius wa
ely without his auolence. and the
fe the audience stared snd futtercd
more genial and luminous became
fDsen cOUntensnGe
su if11f seems incredible Il Is the
: sao lu the fact you have u mem
q ne Feai IUsen Few great men
admirable ~ their pedeGlalg. Iinen
Jess - DeFhaps taan any 81 bis
smppsY!es
from bla earliest childhood, Dr. Ib,
Is ne Was aH unhappy oue and
}Eoflgh success came ~ nm abyu-
n3]y ln 53ls latter days. II came tot
~ cDanRf ~ sHeeteu MIN lte -,
ger had the capacity tor en}0y1ns
fame aDd the wealth which Yerf
- tAs end Ee Bss COMPLIED y
tack upon himself for the creates
stircsiEn ~ his desires his Wflifu.
Q iaas ciFcleo wholly around niu.
Y ahc 'De circle vas q narrow one
A. I'D III t5le UnalfEnctige town O
Zen Dls native pIsce, i3aens life va
pIeo@ anc pogertg pincf4ed TIL h,
- pss7 middle sgs he gained neitbe
1HDu5}lre B9T elC9QTagemsut IL IN