Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Wednesday 22 December 1926, page 12


THE BOOKMAN

LIFE OF RIDER HAGGARD

"THE DAYS OF MY LIFE."

(By Sir H. Rider Haggard.)

'A rumour led to this extremely inter-esting autobiography. In 1910 Sir Rider Haggard's secretary received an inquiry by telephone from a London newsagency as to whether he was dead, there being a persistent report in London that this was the case. The secretary replied that Sir Ridor was out walking "in an aver-age state of health." but the incident made a deep impression on the author, who forthwith began to write the story of his life, which he completed in 1912

and placed in the hands of his publishers for release on his death, which occured

last year,

The book has episodes as exciting as

any in "King Solomon's Mines" or "She." | here is a story of the execution of a

Kaffir chief of high blood who was re-sponsible for the killing of a Mr. Bell so as to avoid the payment of taxes:

'I cannot recall his name. He was a most dignified and gentleman like per-son. At the execution the interpreter asked him if he had anything to sav be-

fore he died. He began to repeat his version of the affair, with which we were already acquainted, and on being stopped, remarked, I have spoken; I am

ready.' The hangman and the sheriff were both unmistakably drunk, stood by, and I had to stand over the execu-

tioner, to see he performed the last sad |

offices in a fitting manner. Thus died this brave Swazi gentleman."

Of his books and his travels in many lands, the author writes vividly : -

"While we were at Norwood a little

incident occurred which resulted in my becoming a writer of fiction. At the church which my wife and I attended we saw siloing near us one Sunday a sin-gularly; beautiful ¿and pure-faced young lady. Afterwards we agreed that this .semi-divine creature-on whom to the best of my knowledge,I have never prt eyes again from that day, to this-ought to become the heroine of a novel. So

then'and there wo took paper-.and each of us began to write'tho said novel. I think that .after she had completed two or three folio sheets _ my 'wife ceased

from her fictional labours. > ? But, grow-ing interested, I'continued''mine, which resulted in the story-called -Dawn! '.

Successful'as1' his1 careor"was, Sir Rider often regretted'his Incursion into Action, as he found that it impededMiis SU<JC<\SS as'a lawyer, people apparently not put-ting thoir trust in one .whose imagina-tion was so highly devoloped. "King Solomon's Mines'' 'ho wrote in six weeks and very, nearly sold outright for £100,

being' saved by the warning of -, a jiub llslier's clerk._ ^ \ ^

The author's life'was'a .crowded one. His work on "Rural England," and on various Government missions he valued

moro than the popular'works which won him fame. This autobiography shows him as one who always tried to do good. It is pleasantly free from the, malice and i uncharilableness which have character-

ised not a few works of a simitar kind, and it can only mci case the admiration of tho.se who know his'book's.