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avidity upon any incidents； surprising or mysterious； in the career of those
who have at all distinguished themselves from their fellows； and invents a
legend to which it then attaches a fanatical belief。 It is the protest of
romance against the commonplace of life。 The incidents of the legend
become the hero's surest passport to immortality。 The ironic philosopher
reflects with a smile that Sir Walter Raleigh is more safely inshrined in the
memory of mankind because he set his cloak for the Virgin Queen to walk
on than because he carried the English name to undiscovered countries。
Charles Strickland lived obscurely。 He made enemies rather than friends。
It is not strange； then； that those who wrote of him should have eked out
their scanty recollections with a lively fancy； and it is evident that there
was enough in the little that was known of him to give opportunity to the
romantic scribe； there was much in his life which was strange and terrible；
in his character something outrageous； and in his fate not a little that was
pathetic。 In due course a legend arose of such circumstantiality that the
wise historian would hesitate to attack it。
But a wise historian is precisely what the Rev。 Robert Strickland is not。
He wrote his biography＇3＇ avowedly to 〃remove certain misconceptions
which had gained currency〃 in regard to the later part of his father's life；
and which had 〃caused considerable pain to persons still living。〃 It is
obvious that there was much in the commonly received account of
Strickland's life to embarrass a respectable family。 I have read this work
with a good deal of amusement； and upon this I congratulate myself； since
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The Moon and Sixpence
it is colourless and dull。 Mr。 Strickland has drawn the portrait of an
excellent husband and father； a man of kindly temper； industrious habits；
and moral disposition。 The modern clergyman has acquired in his study
of the science which I believe is called exegesis an astonishing facility for
explaining things away； but the subtlety with which the Rev。 Robert
Strickland has 〃interpreted〃 all the facts in his father's life which a dutiful
son might find it inconvenient to remember must surely lead him in the
fullness of time to the highest dignities of the Church。 I see already his
muscular calves encased in the gaiters episcopal。 It was a hazardous；
though maybe a gallant thing to do； since it is probable that the legend
commonly received has had no small share in the growth of Strickland's
reputation； for there are many who have been attracted to his art by the
detestation in which they held his character or the compassion with which
they regarded his death； and the son's well…meaning efforts threw a
singular chill upon the father's admirers。 It is due to no accident that
when one of his most important works； ；＇4＇
was sold at Christie's shortly after the discussion which followed the
publication of Mr。 Strickland's biography； it fetched POUNDS 235 less
than it had done nine months before when it was bought by the
distinguished collector whose sudden death had brought it once more
under the hammer。 Perhaps Charles Strickland's power and originality
would scarcely have sufficed to turn the scale if the remarkable
mythopoeic faculty of mankind had not brushed aside with impatience a
story which disappointed all its craving for the extraordinary。 And
presently Dr。 Weitbrecht…Rotholz produced the work which finally set at
rest the misgivings of all lovers of art。
＇3＇ 〃Strickland： The Man and His Work；〃 by his son； Robert
Strickland。 Wm。 Heinemann； 1913。
＇4＇ This was described in Christie's catalogue as follows： 〃A nude
woman； a native of the Society Islands； is lying on the ground beside a
brook。 Behind is a tropical Landscape with palm…trees； bananas； etc。
60 in。 x 48 in。〃
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The Moon and Sixpence
Dr。 Weitbrecht…Rotholz belongs to that school of historians which
believes that human nature is not only about as bad as it can be； but a great
deal worse； and certainly the reader is safer of entertainment in their hands
than in those of the writers who take a malicious pleasure in representing
the great figures of romance as patterns of the domestic virtues。 For my
part； I should be sorry to think that there was nothing between Anthony
and Cleopatra but an economic situation； and it will require a great deal
more evidence than is ever likely to be available； thank God； to persuade
me that Tiberius was as blameless a monarch as King George V。 Dr。
Weitbrecht…Rotholz has dealt in such terms with the Rev。 Robert
Strickland's innocent biography that it is difficult to avoid feeling a certain
sympathy for the unlucky parson。 His decent reticence is branded as
hypocrisy； his circumlocutions are roundly called lies； and his silence is
vilified as treachery。 And on the strength of peccadillos； reprehensible in
an author； but excusable in a son； the Anglo…Saxon race is accused of
prudishness； humbug； pretentiousness； deceit； cunning； and bad cooking。
Personally I think it was rash of Mr。 Strickland； in refuting the account
which had gained belief of a certain 〃unpleasantness〃 between his father
and mother； to state that Charles Strickland in a letter written from Paris
had described her as 〃an excellent woman；〃 since Dr。 Weitbrecht…Rotholz
was able to print the letter in facsimile； and it appears that the passage
referred to ran in fact as follows： It is not thus that the Church
in its great days dealt with evidence that was unwelcome。
Dr。 Weitbrecht…Rotholz was an enthusiastic admirer of Charles
Strickland； and there was no danger that he would whitewash him。 He had