Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-04
BY ROBERT HICHENS,
We r,a,,s nrifish Aufhar


n IFEi That Is what the eager
young man is greedy for. BY
young man I mean the youth
IL just emerging into manhood.
That is what he dreams Of in
lonley places, or among people he thinks
Of as dull; in the fields, or by the sands
Of the sea, or in the forest, or in the
midst of village or small town relations
and companions who in his opinion
know nothing Of life. And what does
he usually mean by life? I think he
usually means crowds, men in .mobs,
women in cataracts, children-but prob
ably he doesn't bother about children.
It is only later that he thinks about
them, perhaps, when he has q compan-
ion, and the income Is small, and yet
they both have the urging instinct to
create, to be fruitful and multiply.
Even as boy I was very much con-
cerned about Life, and my concern be-
came feverish in the critical years, let
us say, between 10 and Is; At a most
tender age remember thinking that
my father didn't know very much
about life and that my dear mother. to
whom I was always devoted, knew just
nothing at all. You see, they were
both the victims Of q great drawback.
They didn't live in London. They never
had lived in London. My father went
there very often for concerts. He was
an intensely musical man. But he
chose afternoon concerts and was back
In the country by nightfaIl
scoffed ut Country Air"
As to my mother, she visited London
to see the dentist and the dreSsmaker
and to buy new hats, and she, too, hast
ened back to sleep In country air. There
was a great deal said about country
air in nay youth, but took very little
stock in 1t, more especially after q
neighbor of ours. great sufferer from
asthma, removed to London and Inn
mediately found that his asthma was
less distressing. I mentioned this re-
markable fact frequently to my mother,
but she only said she thought our
former neighbor must be IAN oddly"
Perhaps he was, but his asthma got
better in London.
when I was Is we went away from
Kent to live In Clifton, near Bristol and
there life seemed to be drawing little
nearer to me. But, OF course, was
being educated and had no time or OPP
portunity to run loose. Sometimes
when we drove into Bristol at night 10
see Irving in 1.-THE Bells" or to hear
Albani in the "Elijah," peered into
the street, not too well lighted, and
there it seemed to me that I was at
least looking at Life. saw soldiers, I
saw girls with them; people at street
corners talking and laughing; shadowry
figures disappearing among trees near
the River Avon; strengthening men
lounging by the docks, where ships
showed their masts In the midst Of the
town; talking heads in the glare Of the
public houses, gesticulating hands. And
all this I thought Of as life, and I had
q feeling that Life was something which
] should be able to get to and get at
only when was emancipated, when I
was free away from my home-a very
pleasant one-and up to the neck in
crowds.
Had InduIgent Father.
Well, I had an indulgent father. He
intended to send me to Magdalen Col
lege. oxford, where my two brothers
went, but it was his fault I had re-
ceived passion for music, and as
when he had been an oxford under
graduate he had devoted most Of his