Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-20
Sir Max Beerbohm, Sotirist,
Curicuturist and Essuyist

RAPALLO, Italy, Sunday. May
20 (P).-Sir Max Beerbohm, one
of the greatest satirists of his
age, died today in clinic near
the Italian Riviera villa where
he long had lived in Seclusion.
He was 83.
The British genius of carica-
ture, slipped into coma yester-
day. He had been suffering from
a heart ailment and govt. He
had been under treatment since
March 26.
Sir Max's mind remained clear
almost until the last, although
he was so weakened he had to
be fed intraveinously.
The last words he spoke were
Friday night. He grasped his
doctors hand and said:
"Tante, tante, grazie per tutto
quello che fate per me Cmany'
many thanks for all you have
done for me-"
Three and a half hours later
he lapsed into coma.
Went to Italy 40 Years Ago
The cherub faced satirist came
to Rapallo 40 years ago from
London with his bride, Florence
Kahn, of Memphis. Tenn, then
a well-known actress on the Eng
lish stage. They made their home
here, along with Gordon Craig.
the stage designer. and Ezra
Pound, the poet now in st. Eliza
beths Hospital in Washington,
D. C.
From then on Sir Max treas
ured the quiet life among piles
of books and blooming fruit trees
at his little walled villa. Chiarno,
Just outside this tourist town.
Few tourists knew who he was,
Still fewer were invited to his
home.
Why had the author of THE
Happy Hypocrite, the master Of
the water color and pencil Carl
cature, turned his back on the
brilliant social life of London?
His secretary once explained it.:
HE felt he had won fame
enough"
Wife Died in 1850
When his wife died, in 1850,
Sir Max withdrew even deeper
into the seclusion of his garden,
and his vast library of books,
Sir Max emerged reluctantly,
aged. tired. but still sharp
minded. from his villa to enter
a clinic last March for treatment.
For a time doctors hoped he
would recover and could return
to his books and his garden.
Then three days ago he suf-
fered a relapse. He weakened
rapidly.
Knighted by King George VI
in World War II, Sir Max's most
popular books were "Zuleika
Dobson," fantasy of love
among oxford students, Seven
Men" collection of essays;
THE Happy Hypocrite." "A
Christmas Garland, And Even
Now" and More"
His caricatures lampooned the
public lives of the famous of his
time. including the British royal
family which knighted him. One
of his last sketches, which hung
above his library door, was of
Sir Winston Churchill. 1t shows
the former British Prime Minis
ter peering belligerently from
behind the coat of King George.
Native of London
Born in London August "a,
1872. Sir Max entered oxford
at 10.
While still an undergraduate,
his talent for satire attracted
attention.
He succeeded George Bernar
Shaw as dramatic critic for the
London Saturday Review. At
that time, Shaw called him The
Incompatible Max"
In the next Is years he turned
out the bulk of his writings and
someof his sharpest cartoons
and on the side won for himself
a reputation as one of Londons
best-dressed dandies. He favored
wasp-waisted suits which became
vogue.
After his retirement to Italy
Sir Max returned to Britain only
twice. both times out of necessity.
Once was during the Abyssinian
campaign. when the English
were unpopular in Italy because
of their opposition TO Italian