The Aberdare Leader

READERS AND WRITERS. Mr. John Morley's advice to begin the study poetry with Byron has naturally led to some- sontroversy. Of late there has been a greatly revived interest in Byron the man, but I am afraid Byron the poet continues to be neglected. 3n the Continent he has always held a high position among British writers—thanks largely, perhaps, to the partiality of Goethe. At home his gloomy corsairs, Lara. and other pretentious dummies have gone completely out of fashion, while the slovenly carelessness and second-rate sublimity of his verse have repelled most fastidious readers. On the other hand, his great masterpiece, "Don Juan," is taboo in the domestic circle, which is so power- ful in its influence on the general taste in Britain. Nevertheless, Byron's fame is founded on solid elements, and it may be that his day will come again with a democratic public. For my own part, I enjoy Byron's letters much more than I enjoy the bulk of his verse. They have many fine qualities; one quality especially, derived from the fact that the poet was an omnivorous reader. It is rather the fashion, as Mr. Herbert Paul observed not long ago, to decry mere reading, and to insist that a uniform system of superficial education is worse than useless. There is truth in the weighty lines of Milton: "He who reads Incessantly, and to his reading brings not A spirit and judgment equal or superior, Uncertain and unsettled still remains, Deep-versed in books and shallow in himself." The letters of the illiterate may be a discovery of the future. I do not myself believe in them. On the contrary, I feel sure that all the best letter-writers in the English tongue shew, with- out the need of formal assurance, what books they have-read most and know best. It was certainly so with Byron. I see that complaint is again being made of the unpopularity of new poetry. But who expects new poetry to achieve popularity in these days ? We have no great poets, for one thing (for Mr. Swinburne has practically ceased to sing) and, for another thing, the average Englishman of the time is too far sunk in the tide of commercialism to go in for what the Cockney girl called "readin''po'try and sich like fool'ardiness." The average Englishman, indeed, probably never reads anything in the fcrm of verse. In general the feminine taste does not rise above Miss Procter; usually it falls, in a literary sense, much lower. Widespread as is the spirit of culture in England, it has not, in the matter of poetry, gone very deep. The suburbs and the provinces feel no need for the higher poetic achievement, and would no more think of buying a new volume of verse than they would think of doing without their dinner. Only minor poets themselves buy minor poetry and poetry is all minor in these times. Miss Gertrude Atherton's contention that American literature' is bourgeois has raised the hair of American writers, but nobody, so far as I have seen, has said anything very convincing in disproof of the lady's assertion. On the other hand, she is energetically backed up by a Chicago poet bearing the forbidding name (for a poet) of McGaifey. He says that Americans have a sort of fetish about the New England group, which he pro- ceeds to designate in this way: Emerson, a rhapsodist; Lowell, a politician: Holmes, a professor; Whittier, a balladist; Longfellow, a translator. Well, I am prepared to admit that not one of these was a genius. But what about Hawthorne, and Poe, and Thoreau ? I hesitate about classing the two latter as geniuses, but I have no doubt whatever about Hawthorne. In any case, geniuses or not, there is surely nothing bovryeois about these three ? Mr. McGaffey waxes sarcastic over the host of "literary lightning-bugs who gave out a spark or two of evanescent flame and vanished." I presume he is an American, and if it pleases him to talk of his fellow "literary lightning- bugs" in that way I do not see that we need object. So far as I can make out, he has a grudge against the New England men because they were "fairly comfortable in the way of worldly goods." Goodness knows! in those days they needed to be, if they were to write at all. Hawthorne was not the nrst to discover that a family cannot be supported by authorship in a country where piracy on foreign authors was permitted. American authors who have neither inherited nor married wealth have invariably been compelled to sell their main time and strength to colleges, professions, journals, magazines, or offices, or perhaps to reside abroad. In no case that I can think of has literature, pure and simple, ever supported an American author, unless, possibly, if he were a bachelor. Mr. McGaffey's argument seems to be that nobody can be a literary genius unless he has "sinned, suffered, and repented." Is it, then, because Hawthorne suffered that we are to allow his genius ? I don't know, but to me the spectacle of that rare soul watching over the coal-heavers on the Boston wharf is almost as pitiful as the spectacle of Burns "gauging" ale and whisky. Nay, it is more pitiful; for, while Burns got a kind of rough enjoyment out of his "gauging," Hawthorne got nothing but the money to find him bread and cheese. Happy the New England men who were "fairly com- fortable in the way of worldly goods" Enough has been said already, in all con- science, about the Burns family Bible. That such a relic should be sold at all is, in my view, a matter for regret. At any rate, it ought to have been sold privately. I am astonished that Mr. Carnegie did not buy it for Scotland before it went to the hammer at all. As it is, Scotland owes the possession of the relic entirely to the generosity of Mr. Quaritch, who is probably £ 500 the poorer for not having resold it to some American dollar-bug (the Chicago poet has corrupted me !). The Church Times is indecently wroth over the fifteen-hundred-guineas' purchase: "The book that is sold for this preposterous price belonged to one Robert Burns, farmer and gauger, within whose visible integuments the poet of the same name was unconsciously hidden, a family man—and a desperately bad one—who, being what he was, must certainly have a family Bible in which to insert the names of his misbegotten children—for no other use conceivable—and their meaningless genealogies." This is in the worst possible taste. But really, while I would never have used language of that kind about Burns—one of the greatest natural geniuses the world has ever seen-I rather sympathise with the Church Times in the matter of the "preposterous price." It is said that Mrs. Hutchinson, the owner of the Bible, expected at most P,600 for it. Even that was too much. Yet it was probably by the mere chance of Mr. Quaritch having no determined competitor that the Bible was knocked down at £ 1,560. He had made up his mind that he would have the book, and I fancy he would have bid £3,000 as readily as £1;560 if the necessity had arisen. And if he had paid the higher figure he would still, no doubt, have been able to re-sell at a profit. These Burns purchases make a secure invest- ment, for the sentiment of Scotland can always be relied upon to turn them to remunerative account. Prices have been rising for years, and they will continue to rise. As recently as 1860 you could buy original manuscript songs of Burns for a guinea; now they calculate the selling price of Burns's manuscript at five guineas per line. How I wish I had been able to invest thirty years ago It is astonishing how many people think themselves qualified to write reviews of books. Or. Robertson Nicoll is putting the matter to the test by offering a prize of a guinea for the best review of any bo#k published during the last six months. As the review has to be confined to a post-card (ours is the post-card age), I am eagerly awaiting the result. When post-card reviewing becomes the practice reviewers will demand to b's paid per book, and nofc, as now, by space. J. C. H.

X x A MERRY XMAS and a Happy New Year to all, and if you are suffering from ingrow- ing toe nails or corns, have them attended to at once. D. James has been most suc- cessful and has a quantity of testimonials. He also malies a Porous Plaster for Lum- bago. Cured sufferers' praise of it is aston- ishing. Used by ministers, doctors, chemists, lawyers and all classes. If you suffer, try one. If it fails, your money returned. D. James, 68, Ynyshvyd-street, Aberdare. X X

Wm. Usher & Co., J ORIGINAL FINANCIERS, 14, Commet-cial Street, ABERDARE. (Over Mr. Lloyd's Grocer). L II Jfo Fees. tio Fees. Personal attendance on Tuesdays and Fridays from 1 to 5 p.m. Or please write to Head Office: 14, Pictoq Place, SWANSEA.

To Readers and Correspon- dents. All contributions of local interest will be gratefully received at the offices of this paper. Clergymen and Ministers, Secre- taries, and organisers of social functions, political meetings, and all public events are respectfully asked to acquaint us of these events before hand, so that we may secure reports of the proceedings. When a reporter is required, notification should arrive at our office punctually. Our correspondents will oblige us by for- warding their reports at the very earliest convenience. All communications to be addressed I- LEADER" Office, Aberdare.

RETROSPECTIVE. WE have once more arrived at the period when the mind does its annual stock-taking. It is the time when man analyses his own soul, and reviews the world at large. The wayfarer on life's journey has reached another milestone, and he pauses to look back on the last mile he has travelled. The newspaper writer is in a reflective mood, and is tempted to survey the range of events which he has been recording and com- menting upon during the last twelve- month. The year of grace 1904 is drawing to its close. The era of inter- national peace has not yet dawned, for mingled with the sweet Christmas bells we hear the howls of the dogs of war in the far East. Midwinter finds the poor still with us, although worthy efforts are being made to solve the problem of the unemployed. In this "tight little island" of ours the year has not been very eventful. The Fiscal question has made things hum in the political world, and so has the Educa- tion question. Earlier in the year we were threatened with a Welsh Revolt, but now at the close we have a Welsh Revival, and for the nonce religious matters overshadow all others—poli- tical, economical, and industrial. This great upheaval cannot fail to make a very deep impression on the Welsh national character, and the nature and extent of its influence will be better judged by the aid of the perspective of posterity. Industrially we are not so flourishing at the end of the year as we were at its beginning. In the chief industry of South Wales wages have gone down materially, and several dis- tricts have experienced great depression during the year. However, let us not be pessimistic regarding the future, but cherish the larger hope" of a more prosperous era. May all our readers receive showers of blessings during the new year.

Serious Accident at Aber- nant. Platelayer Killed. A somewhat serious collision occurred on the private railway of the Aberdare Coal Company at Abernant on Friday afternoon. A gang of platelayers in the employ of Messrs Oliver, the contractors who are carrying on the extension of the railway at Werfa Colliery, were coming down on a lorry along the private railway from Werfa Colliery to the stores at Abernant for some material. When passing the Blaenant Col- liery screen the lorry became unmanageable, and rushed down the gradient at great speed, and when near the Abernant Cot- tages collided with an engine which was proceeding up the line. The fog was very dense, and the engine driver only saw the lorry when it was a very few yards away. He was fortunately going very, slowly, and was able to bring the engine practically to a standstill before the lorry ran into it. The impact, however, was so great that the lorry was knocked off the line, and four men were more or less seriously injured. John Johnson, 14, Bute street, foreman of the gang. was so seriously injured that he was conveyed to the Aberdare Hospital, and succumbed on Monday morning. The other men, John Martin. 26, Wind street; John Cooke and John Jones, who are staying at a, Green street lodging-house, are not seriously injured. The inquest on the body of Johnson will be held on Friday morning.

For posters, handbills and cards in connec- tion with concerts and all kinds of meetings, go to the LEADER Office, Market-street, Aber- dare.

Abercynon Police Court, On Wednesday before Sir T. Marchant Williams (Stipendiary). DRUNKS. Morris Williams in Margaret street Abercynon, 5s and costs; Thomas John Thickens in Station road. 5s and costs; Lewis Frame in Herbert street, Abercynon, 5s and costs; William Roberts, in West street, drunk and threatening to strike a tradesman, 10s and costs; Albert Whit- combe in Margaret street, 10s and costs. He was also tried for being a habitual drunkard, and entered on the black list. MEAN THEFTS. James Whelan was charged with stealing a silver albert chain from Richard Albert Jones. Jones said that on November 16th he placed his albert chain on a glass in the' kitchen. Prisoner lodged in the same house as himself then, but left on Thursday morn- ing, November 17th. After he left witness missed the chain. On December 26th he saw him m Bute street, Cardiff. He told him he wanted to see him and took him to a policeman and gave him in charge. The policeman, however, refused to take him to the Police Station, so he (witness) and his friend took him. He asked him if he had stolen the chain, and prisoner replied, "Yes, I am sorry for it. If I had anything about me I would give you something for it." P.C. Jones, Treharris, said that he received the prisoner in custody at Cardiff on Mon- day night last. When charged prisoner replied, I have nothing to say only I took it, and sold it to a man for 3s 6d at Cardiff." Prisoner was further charged with stealing 6s and a flannel shirt, the property of David Charles Smith, 65, Herbert street, Aber- cynon. Smith said that defendant came to lodge at his house on November 18th. He left the following Monday without giving notice. Witness then discovered that a shirt had been stolen, as well as 6s in money. Mrs Smith, prosecutor's mother, said she gave him the use of the shirt while she washed his own shirt. On the Monday he left very early in the morning. She did not see him afterwards until this day, P.C. Jones, who took prisoner into cus- tody, said that prisoner replied when charged, I did take the shirt and left my own there instead." Questioned by the Stipendiary, prisoner, admitted having been in prison for nine months for breaking an entry into a house. He was now sent to prison for one month -14 days for each offence. PUGILISM. Richard Ellis was charged with obstruc- tion. P.S. Rees said that defendant was fighting with a man named John Gough,. who was sent to prison for three months at the Merthyr Court on Monday. Fined 40s and costs. John Williams, Abercynon, was sum- moned for obstructing the police in the execution of their duties. P.S. Rees de- posed that while he was taking Ellis into* custody, a large crowd followed him and assumed a threatening attitude. When, asked to clear away defendant refused. The Stipendiary characterised the offence as a very bad one and inflicted a fine of 40s and costs. WANTED TO BE REVIVED. POLICE STATION MISTAKEN FOR A CHAPEL. George Henry Browning was summoned for being drunk and disorderly in Martin: street, Abercynon. P.C. Jones said that defendant walked into the Police Station one day, and asked if it was a chapel. He was in a drnnken state and witness ordered him out. He refused to go for a while, saying that he wanted to see the revival meeting. He declined to give his name and address and he was locked up. Asked if he had anything to say, defendant said, [ had heard a lot of talk about the Revival, so I thought I would like to see them at it." Stipendiary You wanted to be revived,, did you ? Defendant: Yes. I asked a man where the chapel was and he directed me round, the corner. I went and walked inside the Police Station. When I saw the constable I said to myself that I must have made a. mistake (laughter). Stipendiary: You must have been very drunk to mistake a police station for a chapel. Defendant: It looked like a chapel out- side, sir. Stipendiary: Well, perhaps it does indeed. But it is not like a chapel inside, you see.. You will be fined 5s and costs.

v The Best Remedy for A Heavy Cold I As soon as you feel a cold coming on begin at once with Angler's Emulsion in doses of two teaspoon- fols every two or three hours. Take no other medicine-it is not neces- sary. Within twenty-four hours, cough is lessened, bronchial distress and soreness are less pronounced and expectoration easier. In most cases it requires but a few days' use of Angier's Emulsion to com- pletely cure a case of "cold." It is pleasant to take, aids digestion and builds up strength. If you send 3d. for postage, and mention this paper, we will send you a free sample. Angler's Emulsion h (PBTROLEUM WITH «YP0PH08PHITBS). Of Chemists, 1111, 219 and 416; or post free from ^NGfE^CHEMlGAI^O^ND^HIL^^ONDOII^pl "2- Printing! Printing 11 Printing 1 i! All kinds of Jobbing now executed at the LEADER Office.