|
NOTES
Chapter I
"studies in Contemporary Poets," by Mary C. Sturgeon, London, G. G. Harrap 8c Co., deals with a dozen of the young English Poets, also with an Irish group, and Sarojini Naidu. The following is a list of the English authors whose works are discussed in the book : Lascelles Abercrombie, Rupert Brooke, William H. Davies, Waiter de la Mare, Wilfrid W. Gibson, Ralph Hodgson, Ford Madox Hueffer, Rose Macaulay, John Masefield, Harold Monro, "John Presland," Margaret L. Woods. The Irish Poets are James Stephens, Susan Mitchell, James H. Cousins, Eva Gore Booth, Alice Milligan, Joseph Campbell, Colum, Ella Young Seumas O'Sullivan. " Georgian Poetry 1911-1912," and "Georgian Poetry 1913-1915" are published by the Poetry Bookshop, 35 Devonshire- Street, Theobald's Road, London W. C. Individual volumes of the poets may be obtained from the same address. The works of the Irish poets are published by Maunsel & Co., Ltd., Dublin. Chapter III
Mr. Aurobindo Ghose's works are published by the Modern Press, Pondicherry.
Chapter IV
[The works of most of the younger Irish poets are published by Maunsel, Dublin, those of Stephens by Macmillanand Maunsel.]
Mr. Yeats was born in a suburb of Dublin in 1865. While at school he began to write verses and to study eastern philosophy. He became an art student, but ultimately went fully into literature. He removed to London, and took part there in the revival of Irish literature. His first book, a dramatic poem, " Mosada," came out in 1886. "The Wanderings of Usheen " appeared in 1889 and Yeats was at once accepted as a poet to be reckoned with. Several lyrics of his early years show the spell of India upon him. Later he divided his time between Dublin and London, and carried through three experimental seasons of the Irish Literary Theatre, which developed into a national dramatic movement of world-wide importance. Mr. Yeats' poems and plays were published in sumptuous volumes by A. H. Bullen, Stratford-on-Avon and recently by Macmillan. Messrs. Maunsel & Co., publish his prose, which shows the same distinction as his poetry. Mr. Yeats is still capable of experiments. A recent number of the monthly London journal, " To-day," contained a little gem called " The Hawk's Well," a one-act play fashioned in the Japanese way.
AE, (George W. Russell) was born in Lurgan, an Ulster manufacturing town, in 1867. He met Yeats in the Arts School in Dublin, and began a friendship that remains unbroken. AE, went into commerce. Later he joined the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, and now edits " The Irish Homestead," the organ of agricultural co-operation. He became, with Yeats, an early member of the Theosophical Society, and his lyrics and essays were printed in the journal of the Dublin Lodge. His poems have been collected by Macmillan and his prose writings by Maunsel. His only contribution to the Irish dramatic movement, " Deirdre," is in the volume of essays.
Short, but exceedingly interesting and well written biographies of Yeats and AE, have been published by Maunsel. The biographers, J. M. Hone and Darrell Figgis, are themselves prominent members of a succeeding generation, Mr. Hone as a critio, Mr. Figgis as a dramatist and poet.
Chapter VII
Edward Carpenter was born of Celtic ancestry in Brighton, England, in 1844. From 1864 to 1874 he was at Cambridge, where he took a Fellowship, For seven years afterwards he was a university extension lecturer. At College he won prizes for essays and wrote much verse in an irregular way. He became an ordained curate under Rev. F.D. Maurice. In 1871 he resigned all his college work, which brought him six hundred pounds a year, because of his inability to accept the religious boundaries of the time. He went into market gardening and sandal making for a living. In 1881 he began " Towards Democracy," and its first edition was published in 1883. He was then living in the country home that he has occupied ever since. In 1884 he visited Walt Whitman in America. In 1890 he visited Ceylon and India. All the while he was producing books that are now among the classics—" Love's Coming of Age," ' Angels' Wings," " The Art of Creation," and others. In September 1914 the whole literary world of Britain paid its respect to him on his completing his seventieth year. Since then he has published " The Healing of Nations," " Never Again," and "Towards Industrial Freedom," and is probably still writing.
Chapter VIII
Stephen Phillips was born in 1868. " Marpessa " appeared in 1890. His finest poetical dramas are " Paolo and France " (1899, " Herod " (1900), "Ulysses " (1902). He died either late in 1915 or early in 1916.
Chapter IX
The plays of John M. Synge are published by Messrs. Maunsel. They include " In the Shadow of the Glen," Riders to the Sea," "The Playboy of the Western World," " The Well of the Saints," " Deirdre " (produced after his death), and " The Tinkers' Wedding " which. I think, no one has yet dared to perform in Ireland.
Chapter X
George Meredith was born at Portsmouth, England, in 1828. He first entered the law, but forsook it for journalism. In 1851 he published his first book of poems. His first novel, " The Shaving of Shagpat," appeared in 1856. Then followed a long series of now famous books including "The Ordeal of Richard Feverel," " Evan Harrington," " Rhoda Fleming," "The Adventures of Harry Richmond,'' " Beauchamp's Career," " The Egoist." About 1880, when he was 52, he achieved his first popular success with " Diana of the Cross-ways." His volumes of poems include " The Joy of Earth " (1883), " Ballads and Poems'of Tragic Life " (1887), " A Reading of Earth" (1888). A handy selection of bis poems, made by himself, has been published by Constable & Co. He died in 1909,
Chapter XI
Alfred Austin was born in 1835. He was a journalist all his life, and was made Poet Laureate in 1896. He died a few years ago, and was succeeded in the Laureateship by Robert Bridges.
Chapter XII
Emerson was born at Boston, U.S.A. in 1803. and died in 1882. |
