WILLIAM SHARP (FIONA MACLEOD) A MEMOIR COMPILED BY HIS WIFE ELIZABETH A. SHARP by ELIZABETH A. SHARP (best ebook reader ubuntu txt) đź“–
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and marriage, viewed not from the standpoint of the accepted practical
standard of morality, nor of the possible realisation by the average
humanity of a more complex code of social morality, but viewed from the
standpoint held by a minority of dreamers and thinkers who look beyond
the present strictly guarded, fettered conditions of married life,
to a time, when man and woman, equally, shall know that to stultify
or slay the spiritual inner life of another human being, through the
radical misunderstanding between alien temperaments inevitably tied to
one another, is one of the greatest crimes against humanity. That the
author knew how visionary for the immediate future were these ideas,
which we at that time so eagerly discussed with a little group of
intimate sympathetic friends, is shown by the prefatory lines in the
book:
“Forlorn the way, yet with strange gleams of gladness;
Sad beyond words the voices far behind.
Yet we, perplext with our diviner madness,
Must heed them not—the goal is still to find!
What though beset by pain and fear and sorrow,
We must not fail, we Children of To-morrow.”
_The Children of To-morrow_ called forth all manner of divergent
opinions. It was called depressing by one critic, and out of touch with
realities. Another considered the chief interest of the book to consist
“in what may be called its aims. It is clearly an attempt toward
greater truth in art and life.” All agreed as to the power displayed
in the descriptions of nature. The critic in _Public Opinion_ showed
discernment as to the author’s intentions when he wrote “To our mind
the delightful irresponsibility of this book, the calm determination
which it displays that now, at least, the author means to please
himself, to give vent to many a pent up feeling or opinion constitutes
one of its greatest charms. This waywardness, the waywardness of a
true artist, is shown on almost every page.... Mr. Sharp states his
case with wonderful power and lucidity; he draws no conclusions—as an
artist they do not concern him—he leaves the decision to the individual
temperament.”
Mathilde Blind wrote to the author:
1 ST. EDMUND’S TERRACE, N. W., 1889.
DEAR CHILD OF THE FUTURE,
You have indeed written a strange, weird, romantic tale with the sound
of the sea running through it like an accompaniment. Adama Acosta is
a specially well-imagined and truthful character of a high kind; and
the intermittent wanderings of his brain have something akin to the
wailing notes of the instrument of which he is such a master. But it
is in your conception of love—the subtle, delicate, ideal attraction
of two beings inevitably drawn to each other by the finest elements
of their being—that the charm of the story consists to my mind; on
the other hand, you have succeeded in drawing a very realistic and
vivid picture of the hard and handsome Lydia, with her purely negative
individuality, and in showing the deadly effect which one person
may exercise over another in married life—without positive outward
wrongdoing which might lead to the divorce court. I agree with you in
thinking that the end is the finest part of the Romance, especially
the last scene where Dane and Sanpriel are in the wood under the old
oak tree, where the voice of the rising storm with its ominous note of
destiny is magnificently described. Such a passing away in the mid-most
fire of passion on the wings of the elements has always seemed to me
the climax of human happiness. But I fear the book is likely to rouse
a good deal of opposition in many quarters for the daring disregard of
the binding sanctity of the marriage relation. If I may speak quite
openly and as a friend who would wish you to do yourself full justice
and produce the best work that is in you, I wish you had given yourself
more time to work out some of the situations which seem, to me at
least, to lack a certain degree of precision and consistency. Thus, for
example, Dane after discovering that Ford has been trying to murder
him, and is making secret love to his wife, rushes off to the painter’s
studio evidently bent on some sort of quarrel or revenge, yet nothing
comes of it, and afterwards we find the would-be murderer on outwardly
friendly terms with the sculptor on board the house boat. I must tell
you by the way how powerful I think the scene of the dying horse in
Ratho Sands and the murder of Lydia. I should also have liked to have
heard a little more of the real aims and objects of “The Children of
the Future” and would like to know whether such an association really
exists among any section of the modern Jews; we must talk of that this
evening or some other time when we meet. I hope to look in to-night
with Sarrazin and Bunand who are coming to a little repast here first.
Madox Brown has been reading your book with the greatest interest.
Yours ever,
MATHILDE BLIND.
PART I (WILLIAM SHARP) CHAPTER IX ( FIRST VISIT TO AMERICA )
In the Spring of 1889 the Chair of Literature at University College,
London, became vacant on the death of Professor Henry Morley; and
many of William Sharp’s friends urged him to stand for election. He
was of two minds on the subject. His inclinations were against work
of the kind, for, temperamentally, he had difficulty in regulating
his life in accordance with strict routine. Born, as he would say,
with the wandering wave in his blood, the fixed and the inevitable
were antipathetic to him. He was, however, awake to the material
importance of such a post, to the advantages of a steady income. Had
he had himself only to consider he would not have given the proposal
a thought; but he believed it to be his duty to attempt to secure the
post for his wife’s sake, though she was not of that opinion. Among the
many friends who advocated his election were Robert Browning, George
Meredith, Walter Pater, Theodore Watts Dunton, Alfred Austin, Dr.
Richard Garnett, Prof. Minto, Hall Caine, Sir George Douglas, Aubrey
De Vere, Mrs. Augusta Webster. When, however, the date of election
drew near, he consulted his doctor and withdrew his candidature. The
question, to him, had all along been one of security of means versus
freedom of action; and having done his duty in the matter, his relief
was great that the decision left him in possession of his freedom.
For some time William Sharp had contemplated a visit to the United
States, where he was well known as poet and critic, and had many
friendly correspondents. So he considered the moment to be opportune.
He decided to go; although he was forbidden to lecture in America, and
very opportunely our friend Mrs. Caird asked me to accompany her to
Austria—to the Sun-cure at Veldes in the Carpathian Alps. She and I
were the first to leave, and eventually, my husband after his return
from America joined me at Cologne and accompanied me home.
Meanwhile he made his preparations for a visit to Canada and New York,
and just before starting paid a flying visit to Mr. George Meredith who
had written to him:
BOX HILL, July 15, 1889.
DEAR MR. SHARP,
This would have been headed to your wife, but for the chances of her
flying, and the letter after her. Tell her we are grieved to lose
the pleasure her company would give, and trust to welcome her on her
return. When she looks on Tyrol, let her strain an eye to see my heart
on the topmost peak. We hope for your coming on Saturday.
Yours very truly,
GEORGE MEREDITH.
He looked forward to his American tour with keen delight. New
experiences were ever alluring; he had the power of throwing himself
heart and soul into every fresh enjoyment. Going by himself seemed to
promise chances of complete recovery of health; the unexplored and the
unknown beckoned to him with promise of excitement and adventure.
As he wrote to Mr. Stedman: “I am a student of much else besides
literature. Life in all its manifestations is of passionate interest
for me, and I cannot rest from incessant study and writing. Yet I feel
that I am but on the threshold of my literary life. I have a life-time
of ambitious schemes before me; I may perhaps live to fulfil a tenth
part of them.”
Mid-August found him in Canada. Fine as he considered the approach to
Nova Scotia, Newfoundland impressed him more. At Halifax he was the
guest of the Attorney General. He wrote to me “Mr. and Mrs. Longley
were most kind, and so were all the many leading people to whom I was
introduced. I was taken to the annual match of the Quoit Club, and was
asked to present the Cup to the winner at the close, with a few words
if I felt disposed. Partly from being so taken aback, partly from
pleased excitement, and partly from despair, I lost all nervousness
and made a short and (what I find was considered) humourous speech, so
slowly and coolly spoken that I greatly admired it myself!”
At Halifax, which he considered “worth a dozen of the Newfoundland
capital,” he was met by Professor Charles Roberts who had come “to
intercept me so as to go off with him for a few days in Northern
Scotia and across the Straits to Prince Edward Island. So, a few days
later Prof. Roberts and I, accompanied for the first 100 miles by
Mr. Longley, started for Pictou, which we reached after 5 hours most
interesting journey. The Attorney General has kindly asked me to go a
three days’ trip with him (some 10 days hence) through the famous Cape
Breton district, with the lovely Bras D’Or lakes: and later on he has
arranged for a three days’ moose-hunt among the forests of Southern
Acadia, where we shall camp out in tents, and be rowed by Indian
guides.”
New Glasgow delighted him; he visited Windsor and Halifax: “I went with
Charles Roberts and Bliss Carman through Evangeline’s country. En route
I travelled on the engine of the train and enjoyed the experience.
Grand Pré delighted me immensely—vast meadows, with lumbering wains
and the simple old Acadian life. The orchards were in their glory—and
the apples delicious! At one farm house we put up, how you would have
enjoyed our lunch of sweet milk hot cakes, great bowls of huckleberries
and cream, tea, apples, etc.! We then went through the forest belt and
came upon the great ocean inlet known as the “basin of Minas,” and,
leagues away the vast bulk of Blomidon shelving bough-like into the
Sea....”
To E. A. S.:
(ON THE ST. LAWRENCE),
12th Sept.
To-day has been a momentous birthday on the whole—and none the less
so because I have been alone and, what is to me an infinite relief,
quite unknown. I told no one about my Saguenay expedition till the
last moment—and so there is nothing definite about me in the papers
save that I “abruptly left St. John” (the capital of New Brunswick)
and that I am to arrive in Quebec to-morrow. I sent you a card from
Rivière du Loup, the northernmost township of the old Acadians, and
a delightful place. I reached it early from Temiscouata (the Lake of
Winding Water)—a journey of extreme interest and beauty, through a wild
and as yet unsettled country. The track has only been open this summer.
Before I reached its other end (the junction of the St. John river
with the Madawaska) I was heartily sick of New Brunswick, with its
oven-like heat, its vast monotonous forests with leagues upon leagues
of dead and dying trees, and its all present forest-fires. The latter
have caused widespread disaster.... Several times we were scorched by
the flames, but a few yards away—and had “to rush” several places.
But once in the province of Quebec, and everything changed. The fires
(save small desultory ones) disappeared: the pall of smoke lightened
and vanished: and the
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