Evening star., 1931-12-13

~ N unauthorized biography, says
" ~ Mr. Harris. Unauthorized,
yes" agrees Mr. Shaw, but not
Unheard of before, probably
that the subject of such study
should have 50 immediate chance of retort
as to cover both the biography and its answer
by single pair of book lids.
And this was the way of it. Frank Harris,
sick TO death, sent the manuscript of this
biography to MFR. Shaw himself. asking for its
reading and for such revision the facts In
the case might require The postscript by
Mr. Shaw Is in sum- line of general comment
upon the book One that states the reasons
why It is not biography in either the purpose
or development of this form.
These two had been friends for 40 years.
Shaw early in his career writer for publica-
tion of which Harris was editor. Enemies, IN
spots, doubt. Or one assumes, looking
at the two of them. Certainly quite opposite
in temperament. outlook and attitude. Many
the hour when disagreements open and elo-
quent, must have been not uncommon between
them. Besides, at the time of this book, Harris
was sick and far below the popularity that
in his heydey he had so keenly enjoyed Mr..
Shaw was, and is, on the top of the world SO
to speak in an undiminished hold upon the
public. Speaks pretty well for both of them, or
so it seems to me, this episode wherein Shaw
apprases his own biography" and at the same
time pays high tribute to Frank Harris, pays
1t openly and earnestly, an act of finer homage
than many of the ardent friends Of Harris
have, so far, made. That postscript, how
ever, does come pretty close to running away
with the whole book.
You can read for yourself and can draw from
that reading that the work of Harris here is
a collection of incidents, episodes, discon-
nected periods In Shaws life. These sum to
stress the perfect idiosyncrasy that to his mind,
embodies the whole of Shaw. An eccentric In
politics dreamer of socialistic ineptitudes
talkative reformer, a blatant prophet for
whitechapel disturber spectacular in pose
and appearance.
Mr.. Shaw makes special point of this frag-
mentary treatment of himself by the author
Claims that while he may be bundle of
queer things he Is nevertheless bundle, and
that considerable biography can ignore that
basic fact Biography is recreation,
organic whole following its subject in birth,
blood, training, temperament, achievement, in
huence upon his day and neighborhood or
upon the world, as the may be. In addi-
ton, in perfect fulhllment, it carries the
touch Of the artist, besides, co-ordinating all
the parts. interpreting them, relating the whole
man in truth and potentiality to the near and
remote life signif1cances around him. Such
in the rough is biography
So the reader joins with MIR. Shaw in voting
against the claims of this unauthorized bio
graphy." Interesting? OF course Bernard
Shaw is copy for the clever raconteur. The
most perfect case of complete self-dramatiza-
tion TO be found-save with children. And In
this respect Shaw is a child, giving to his
various roles the deep sincerity that children
give to their endless representations with never
flaw in the character for the time being in
possession. Greatest actors in the world these
children. And Shaw is one of them. No doubt
his hatred of Irving was rooted In a great
Nofb Sr,
world to do with Ellen Terry
Harris is given to probing intimacies with
his literary subjects. His work with Oscar
Wilde shows this. So does this work with
Shaw The male, inordinately welded to his
inaleness. is not far removed In this respect
from moronic stupidity. An inheritance to
be sure, from Solomon down, but a sense of
proportion and a glimmering of propriety
would tend to correct the unbalance and un-
harmony of such absorption of artists in this
particular. Or SO it would seem.
book of vivid gossip, of facts unset to their
proper bonds and relationships. Entertaining
reading for Frank Harris uses his words ex-
pertly. But not, in any sense, a biography of
Bernard Shaw. Rather, dstillation of Frank
Harris himself through the medium of Bernard
Shaw
The trade publication of Bernard Shaw" Is
by Simon 81 Schuster, New York
THE DREYFUS AFFAIR BY jacques Kayser.
Covici-Friede. New York
N the years that have passed since 1894, much
has been written concerning Captain Al
fred Dreyfus and the unfortunate "affaire"
with which he was so closely identified. At
the time the treason charges were placed
against the officer and all France was afiame
the writer's, zola and AnatoIe France, went
to his rescue with their pens Zola was forced
mto exiie' Anatole France went on writing.
After the real facts came to light. half
dozen years later, other writer's took I'D the
work-placing their hero, or martyr in the
leading role of stage play novel and movie
scenario-and the end is not yet Many his
tories of the "affaire" are added to the book
shelf Of fictional material and not the least
of these Is this new book bv Iacmex Kavser