Evening star., 1928-04-15

I own land indeed. he was deemed man
Of 10 ability at all. His work was de-
rided. and over each new day hung the
pail of bittereSt adversely.
Nor was his domestic life in an after
day a happy one. At the time of his
death he was. as Norwegian wealth is
estimated. a very rich man. He was
worth $500, ,000 and that is a princely
fortune in Norway. Ihsen did not know
what 10 do with all this money. so he
boarded it, He never could be induced
TO invest penny of 1t. He trusted no
one. even in the most trifing financial
transactions
In the face of his cloudy past It was
not. therefore, surprising that Henrik
Ibsen grew more and more misan-
thropic and died Shrouded in his own
conceit. With so little that was genu-
inely joyous in his life. there was Moth
ing left but the creature comforts end
the superficial adulation of few sight
foreigners.
Fame-even in literature-is surely
not founded on the hasty scrutiny of
ones person by a handful Of Cook S
tourists; but that sort of thing actually
brought con1placence to the mind Of
Henrik Ibser1 Knowing that the mo-
Iaent he left his house in Christisnia he
would become the center of interest
along the streets. he was always care
full TO dress for the occasion. It would
add another wrinkle to his brow to dis
cover a button missing from his coat
or blur on the beaver of his tall silk
hat. His clothes were made OF broad
cloth of fine texture. his tailor was the
best in Christiania. He always wore a
tile" OF metallic smoothneSs His boots
were of patent leather Toilet articles
he carried about with him always and
everywhere. and frequently he brought
them into requisition in the most public
places.
While on exhibition in the hotel gar
den in full view Of q cosmopolitan
throng it was no uncommon act for
him 20 take from his pocket a comb
and brush and earessingly stroke his
famous white whiskers. or lift to a
greater height his equally famous white
pampadour locks, which stood straight
up in the air like miniature Mount
Blanc He had a trick of brushing his
hat with the sleeve OF his coat. Nov
and then he paused, looking long and
earnestly into the opening Of his head
piece He presented at such a time the
picture Of leonine sage Of the Sagas.
deep in the maze of some vast problem
Of the cosmos.
II was all a mistake; it wag Ibsen.
critically viewing Ibsen. There was a
mirror fastened in the bottom Of his
hat and he was looking after the twist
Of his eraYat.
But when Ibsen. the author. had
formulated the scheme for a new drama
and had determined 10 weld and mold
il into form. then occurred his meta
morphosis from fop to Workman
| workman oblvious of the whole wide
world, its people and It's passions. The
| butterfly drew back into its chrysaiis
/ the feasting crowds at the Grand Hotei
could no longer feast their eyes on
+ Henrik Ibsen. nor watch him stroke his
3hiskeTs and sip brandy and soda al
/ e-minute intervals The vain Ole
man had become a venerable giant
! forging a masterpiece in absolute soil
( tude Suddenly he would shut himself
( up 10 write. He would see no one, an.
/ sweF no communications No cloisterec
monk was more isolated from the NOV
/ ing world than Henrik Ibsen when tnt
I fever of composition was upon him
Re ate. slept, lived alone.
Asked why he followed the life OF 3
+ hermit while he was working upon a
new production, Ibben replied, with
! Characteristic tersene6s. Il am liYlnq
With my characters at such times. They
have form and life They talk with
, me they dine With me. They are neai
fne all the time. write down THEN
conversations their thoughts Ny
work comes along very fast. / never
nsVe 70 erahe a line have thought
/ out the plot IN my mind. ! know thf
play from the first scene ~ the last
I even the dialogue. snd 1t ig only neces.
sary for noe ~ write 1t out as quick a.
possible During this time ! am not
( Henrik Ibsen. ! DO not live In Eorwa,
/ nor in Tie world. My existence Is
apart from life, in a sphere of my 0wr
creation peopled by beings Of my 0Vf
creation"
Thus lived the real I0sen. q two,
sided man of letters and the drsms
one all frllls and f0ppery. vain. super
cliiou6s childish the other the thinker
the worker. the genius
Jhf foregoing word picture of ths
famous Henrik ibsen is The creation o
one Of those fapciful knights of In,
g4il, Wallace Munro whose literar'
Efforts ~ much ~ pefsuading the pub
~ ~ pstfnnihe theatrical attraction il
#ilicn ne may be- specially interested.