1957-09-07 — Page 14

THE

THE : CHINA, MAIL, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER

The bluest stocking PAGE that ever lived

BOOK

Every 19th century "great" loved to bellow in Harriet Martineau's car-trumpet

by A. J. P. TAYLOR

THE LITTLE DEAF WOMAN FROM NORWICH, The Life and Work of Harrint Martineau, By Yora Wheatley Seckor and Warburg. 351,

"WHA

A

\X/HAT do you know of Harriett Martinenu?" asks the dustcover. And then goes on to credit me with more knowledge than I possessed. I knew such person existed. I remember noticing the house she built for herself at Ambleside in the days when the Lake District was the favourite resort of Intellectunia,

Anything more? She wrote tructs

on

criticism. She complained that Ibero was too much of "one passion" in Villette-a, remark that

Charlotte Bronte never furgave,

In Harriel Martineau's life there was perhaps too pussion. She never married and probably never wanted to.

most women fun

I in fortunate for men that over homes and babies and other fivilties. distractions, Fited from such women would beat us right out of the market, as Harriet Mar- tineau did with the men of her time,

-(London Express Service).

KM

HARRIET MARTINEAU

A word in her car... from Wordsworth

A British Crossword Puzzle

and warnen's su

4

15

Bronte and George Ellat,

political wrote in favour of Free Trade, Economy in the guise of demoerney, stories for children. Kurl rage. She wrote a novel which Marx thought this very has been ranked (mistakenly I funny, particularly as he think) with those of Charlotte: disagreed with her economic views. It Reems pretty funny lo me. too. But apparently children enjoyed the stories, and some still do.

Having read this admir- able blography, I now know And I a great deal more. am enthusiastic about both book and subject.

Mrs Wheatley has written a near-perfect blography. I do not mean a masterpiece. There neither

profound psychology

nor fine Writing,

But the book is exactly what it claims to be: the narrative of a women's life. Indeed, Mis Whealley is so austere that she does not give titles to her chapters, but merely puts dates at the head. Every blographer and historian ought to follow her example.

FASCINATION

Whoever ነ። interested in human character or in

19th century will read this book with fascinated admiration from the first page to the lost,

Harriet Martineau may claim to be the bluest Hocking that ever lived. What did she do? The question Is rather what did she not?

She wrote travel borits about the United States and the Near

and alsp Enst,

Complete Guide to the English Lakes. she wrote a solld work of rationalist philosophy and man- aged to turn the ponderous thoughts of August Comte into sense.

11:0

13

14

16

<%

the

great periodicals,

ALWAYS TRUTHFUL

She wrote innumerable lead- for the Daily News und views (40 pages long)

17

18

for

20

There

seems no end to it..

the

knew Carlyles,

With all this she managed to be a dutiful daughter and an affectionate friend. She Wordsworth, Munckton

Mitnes, Florenec Nightingale; poured out letters to them all; and then, quaintly, asked that her letters should be burned-a request which most fortunately

أن

her friends

ignored.

Like Florence Nightingale. the spent the last 20 years of life thinking she was on the punt of death and being more productive than ever from sickroom.

panion

23

25

АСПОКУ

The voice of chance? (0).

4 Practice of much interest

any around to

Cherient material (51.

to Encompassed (41.

chory reeder-17).

her15 Pasiing madil (5).

|

15 Where some are called to The

har (4).

13 will to the money 14)...

for money (5).

20 Performance (7). 21-dweller? (47.

23 Imitate Roman Sguren (5). 21 Fine parchinent (0).

une denial? (6).

It sounds formidable, yet site

# tà delightful com- was in fact par despite being very dent.

time Every great men of the was delighted to bellow into 1er ear-trumpet. She had de- | 20 Prank (8). fccts, of course. Always truth- ful and outspoken, she Was surprised when

her some of She friends took offence ot her

She wrete against the Laws, the Game Law; the Fuc-

Corn

tory Acts, and slavery.

26

21

DOWN

1 Private, wiret (8),

One going abroad (0),

3 National embleın (4).

& Faux pa@. (8),

4.Cvine-back (0),

Not fat 131.

11 Getting ready at stations? (8),

12 Days of tust (8),

13 Not marked (8).

14 Favoure may be this (3).

1 Oyster man? (8).

Miss Lan? (4).

FRIDAY'S CROSSWORD-Across: 3 Adoiale, 3 Peruse, Satiated, I Compares. 12 Sun. 13 Allot, 18 Tired, 19 157, 29′′ Creditor, 24 Retrieve, 24 Ironest. 20 Congçalt. Downi i Spices 2 Palme, à Assault, 4 Dear, 5 Iraq Astate, 7 Siding, to Tenor, 14 Matre, 15 Tenders, 18 Metric, 17 Breton, 20 Atone, 21 Bride, 22 Cite, 33 Evil

1957.

THE IMPRESSIONISTS ARE BIG BUSINESS "TODAY,"' BUT BEHIND THE ROOM THERE IS A DELIBERATE CAMPAIGN

Is Any Modern Picture Worth £104,000?

How does it come about that a man will buy something

what believe is happening more and more in the sale roome. Normally shrewd men have lately paid astonish ing prices for French Impressionist paintings.

h Paris, Mr Basli Goulendris, bidding against another Greek shipowner, Mr Stavros Niarchon, pays £104,000 for a Gauguin, ki London there is a sale at Sothe- by's of the paintings collected by the Dutch - boin Americce millionaire William Weinberg.

Big rises

-by-

Quentin Crewe

which would bring a glow to any advertising agency.

With skilful calculation they built up modern Frutch pakiting this sale, Vin Gogh's until it became ce of their Factories at

Now they are Clichy, which was greatest exports. sold in Berthi in 1928 soy £1,800, reapher their reward and lying felehed £31,000. A Renoir of n off the painters whom they dis- young woman ka rod went for honoured during their lifetime. £22,000. A flower painting by Today these artists have reach- Fentin Latour, sold for £245 in ed an antiated value which would 1037, get £4,500.

make evul Mr Thoneyeroll

Prestige

Why do these French point- Coggle. ingy fetch Meredible prices while recently Iwo delightful Fra Angelico panels, also rolci al Sotheby's, Tealised only £7,8007 No other schont

of painting

it is due to a deliberate would make Mr Goulardris uk French campalin. Never has a Mr Nluchos apparently lose group of painters been more their heads as they did over the lored thru the French Impres- Gaugui sulats during their lifetime.

Not recognised

The critics belaboured them The dealers rejected them. Their work brought them no profit. They died in penury.

But aller their deaths the Frooch awoke to their possibili

les. Here was a school of paint- whose art was light and please. There was a plooiful supply of their work and it could be bought cheaply.

It is true they are rivals, tue also thit there is prestige in gel- tag the best Gauguin to be perpetually rocked about and sprayed with salty air cu your echt. But this pleture was sold only three years ago at Wilden- steais for £25,000." And without disrespect Wildensteg is bargain basemcru?.

110

been

Nor would there have such a general losing of heads had the Weeberg collection been of any other schoo

For the Weberg collection

The French set about selling was not grest. Perhaps only me the Impressionists with a zeal of the paintings-the Selirat

CRIME SHELF

SHELF by Philip

Oakes

was worth what was paid for li,

not a good collector. He was not willing to pay the price for real- ly good pictures. He bought the

second rate.

Big doubt

But the ballyhoo which Bar- rounded the ralę drove up the prices. I went to the viewing. There I found mray people with puzzled Inces. "Arc these pletures really as good as they are supposed to be?" cne be- wildered man asked me.

They were not. But the sales- manship of Frence had deve its work. The avetion fetched £928,520—the highest total for 30 years.

My belief in thất many of the buyers at the Weinberg aale will be sadly disappointed if they wish to tell their purchases in 10 years' time.

This is cot' the Best craze for fne school of painting that has rwept the world. In the 1890's it wes the Barbizon school. People pold thousands of pounds for Theodore Rousseaus, Drubignye und lule Comis, which would row barely be worth one-fourth of what was paid for them.

Jul

Discoveries

of these

Canada, eaches nitists are still found 1 out-of- the-day Fall tries bought by bencfactors at the right af their fame,

In the 1920's, that most re- markable of all art dealers, Joseph Duveen, artificially In- nated price of English portraits

On the wall of the mombig room of my home when I was young, hung four portraits by Reynolds two of Mrs Crewe, ine of her daughter send one of her son dressed as Henry VIII.

Whe Duvern was selling portraits, with slippery skill të Anerizau ilcanciers, these fouT pictures were worth m least £250,000. Their market value today would be hardly more than $100,000 and most of that would be from the picture of the little boy.

THE PRISONER. By Pierre • THE BRAVE BAD GIRLS.

When en obsession scizes the Bolteau and Thomas Narcelae. By Thomas B. Dewey. Board-

art market there are never Hutchinson. 128. 6. Disquieting man. 108. Gd. First-rate enough

of the best pictures thriller about an escapce from Chandler-style thriller, with to go round. Lesser worka sour ki German prison camp. who tough private eye standing arm in price to make up the Impersonates his dead friend, against a witch-hunting million-deficiency.. and ends up as a frightened y aire, Off-Lest romance with in Use grip of three female an ex-policewoman, and well- spiders. Smoothly mounting handled violence In the right suspense and a ne translation places and proportions. Highly by Geoffrey Sainsbury.

recommended.

The best will always mainta their value, but even tafletion will not protect the man who buys the second-rate

~~(London. Express Service).

PHILIPS

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COPR. 1957 BY GENERAL FEATURES

COAP, THE WORLD RIGHTS RESERVED.

THE EARLY START

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