Realism and romance, and other essays

Front matter

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REALISM & ROMANCE and Other Essays djotnell Uninerattg ffithrarg

^ BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE

Preface

A STRONQ desire having been expressed byfriends and admirers of the late Mr. Henry MacArthur to obtain a permanent memorial of him, a Committee was formed to issue a selection from his writings, and this volume is the outcome of the movement.

Henry MacArthur was born at Bowfield, Howwood, Renfrewshire, on 15th April 1872, and was educated at Howwood Public School, where, according to his teacher, he was facile princeps and the most talerited scholar of his experience. He afterwards attended Hutcheson's Grammar School, Glasgow.

He studied for the Civil Service, sat for the Boy Clerkships examination, taking first place for Scotland, began official work in the service of the Board of Lunacy, was transferred to H.M. Register House, and later to the Exchequer vi REALISM AND ROMANCE

Office, where he remained up till the time of his death on 24th November 1896.

In Edinburgh he took the opportunity of attending various classes at the Heriot-Watt College and the University. At the former he gained first prizes in English Literature, Political Economy, and Greek ; and at the latter also first prizes for Essays in English Literature and Political Economy. He afterwards was a successful competitor for the Lord Rector's and Gray prizes for Essays on Burke and Erasmus, both of which are included in this volume.

These remarkable successes demonstrate his brilliant scholarly attainments ; and the fact that all the essays were written by one so young gives undoubted proof of the possession of distinctive literary abilities, which he was constrained to exercise during his leisure time by his passionate love of learning and literature.

His brief literary career caused great expectation to be entertained of his future work by competent judges. Among these. Professor Masson writes as follows : — ' I had occasion to take strong note of MacArthur, and to conceive high hopes of his future ; and few things have

PREFACE vii

impressed me more, or remain more sadly in my memory, than the unexpected news of his melancholy death.'

Those who knew Mr. MacArthur best agree in ascribing to him the highest personal qualities. Utterly devoid of affectation, and possessed of that saving sense of humour which kept him free from pedantry, he had a quiet but manly presence ; a genuine and unaffected modesty of demeanour ; a kindly, gentle nature ; a thoughtfulness for others ; a pure and high walk and conversation ; a consuming love of what was best in literature and life, and an abiding sense of duty to himself and to his neighbours. These qualities endeared him to all who had the privilege of his society and friendship.

In the first two lines of his last poem, written surely in a prophetic moment, he penned his own epitaph :

' He died too soon, who knew so well to live, That sword-bright spirit, in so frail a sheath.'

It only remains to explain that the essays, with one exception, were written without a view to publication, and they have been printed without editing.

viii REALISM AND ROMANCE

The Committee desire to place on record their best thanks to the Right Honourable J. P. B. Robertson, to the Editor of the Scots Magazine, and to the Secretary of the Gray Trustees, for their kind permission to include the Essays on Burke, Fergusson, and Erasmus respectively. Their thanks are also due to the representatives of Mr. MacArthur for allowing them to print the other papers in the book. They must also acknowledge their indebtedness to Mr. W. L. Carrie of George Watson's College for his kindly assistance and advice in selecting the Essays.

On behalf of the Committee,

JAMES LEISHMAN, Convener.

DAVID WILKIE, Secretary.

Edinburgh, "jth August 1897.