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WRITINGS ON LITERATURE AND ART
by G.W.Russell (AE)
Edited and introduced by Peter Kuch
George William Russell, or AE as he was more familiarly known, was mentor and friend to three generations of Irish writers. To visit or to be sought out by AE was to be assured of a place in Irish literary history. The young James Joyce knocked on his door at midnight; Lady Gregory looked forward to his visits to Coole; Patrick Kavanagh walked from Inniskeen to Dublin to meet him; Yeats regarded him as his 'oldest friend'; Liam O'Flaherty sought his patronage; Frank O'Connor asked his advice.
As if to guarantee Russell would not be forgotten, George Moore concluded his engaging, gossipy account of the literary movement, Hail and Farewell (1911-14), with a benediction for 'AE and the rest'. Whether aspiring, accomplished, real or imaginary, Irish writers inevitably found themselves indebted to his practical help and inspired by his spiritual and critical insights. Even Stephen Dedalus admits to himself AEIOU.
This scrupulously researched volume brings together for the first time all of Russell's writings on poetry, prose, drama and painting—writings central to understanding the role of literature, theatre and art in Ireland's quest for self-realisation. Included are reviews, prefaces, introductions and articles; letters to the press on censorship and the Irish Academy of Letters; and The Honourable Enid Majoribanks, a hitherto unpublished play. Extensive notes drawing from published and unpublished sources situate each item in terms of text, intertext and context.
PETER KUCH is the inaugural Eamon Cleary Professor of Irish Studies at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. The Director of the Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies at Otago, he is also an Honorary Professor attached to the John Hume Institute for Global Irish Studies at the University of New South Wales, Australia. He holds an Honours degree from the University of Wales and an M.Litt and D.Phil from Oxford, where he studied with Richard Ellmann and John Kelly. He has held posts at the University of Newcastle, Australia; Université de Caen, France; and the University of New South Wales, Australia; and been a Visiting Fellow at the Humanities Research Centre at the Australian National University, and the Anthony Mason European Fellow at Trinity College, Dublin. The author of Yeats and AE: 'the antagonism that unites dear friends' (1988), also published by Colin Smythe, he is currently researching a cultural history of the performance of Irish theatre in colonial Australasia.
Pp. xx, 472 £45.00 stg
ISBN 978-0-901072-45-0
CONTENTS
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xix
Introduction 1
1. "The Poetry of William B. Yeats" 32
2. "A New Irish Poetess": review of Eva Gore-Booth, Poems 36
3. "Literary Ideals in Ireland" 39
4. "Nationality and Cosmopolitanism in Literature" 42
5. Review of Eleanor Hull, The Cuchullin Saga in Irish Literature 47
6. Review of Edward Martyn, The Heather Field and Maeve 53
7. "Politics and Character" 56
8. "Fiona Macleod's New Book": review of The Dominion of Dreams 60
9. Review of Fiona Macleod, The Divine Adventure 63
10. "A Note on William Larminie" in Stopford Brooke and T.W. Rolleston, eds., A Treasury of Irish Poetry 66
11. "The Dramatic Treatment of Heroic Literature" 68
12. "The Character of Heroic Literature": review of Lady Gregory, Cuchulain of Muirthemne 72
13. "A Poet of Shadows" The Poetry of William Butler Yeats 76
14. "A Book about the Earth Life": review of Ethel Longworth Dames, Myths 79
15. "A Note on Standish O'Grady" in Justin McCarthy, ed., Irish Literature 81
16. "Preface" to New Songs 85
17. "A Note on Seamus O'Sullivan" 86
18. Review of T.W. Rolleston, The High Deeds of Finn 89
19. "The Poetry of James Stephens" 91
20. "The Boyhood of a Poet" 98
21. "A Tribute to Standish O'Grady" 100
22. "On Quality of Sound" 106
23. Foreword to Shan F. Bullock, Mors et Vita 110
24. Foreword to Liam O'Flaherty, The Black Soul 112
25. Foreword to F.R. Higgins, Island Blood 114
26. Foreword to Hugh Alexander Law, Anglo-Irish Literature 116
27. "Address to the Thirtieth Annual Dinner of the American-Irish Historical Society" 118
28. "The Censorship in Ireland" 130
29. Introduction to Oliver St. John Gogarty, Wild Apples 134
30. Foreword to Katharine Tynan, Collected Poems 136
31. Review of Humbert Wolfe, Snow 140
32. Introductory Essay to Hugh MacDiarmuid, First Hymn to Lenin and Other Poems 144
33. "An Essay on the Character in Irish Literature" in Frank O'Connor, The Wild Bird's Nest: Poems Translated from the Irish 148
34. "The New Irish Academy – AE replies to Father Gannon" 151
35. "The Irish Academy of Letters: Letter from AE" 155
36. "The New Irish Academy: Letter from AE" 158
37. "The New Irish Academy: Letter from AE" 160
38. "Oliver St. John Gogarty: An Appreciation" 165
39. Foreword to Oliver St. John Gogarty, Selected Poems 168
40. Introduction to Seamas O'Sullivan, Twenty-five Lyrics 172
41. Introduction to Irene Haugh, The Valley of Bells and Other Poems 174
42. Memories of A.R. Orage" 175
43. "An Appreciation" of Ruth Pitter, A Mad Lady's Garland 178
44. Foreword to Joseph O'Neill, Land Under England 180
45. "The Sunset of Fantasy" 183
46. Deirdre: A Legend in Three Acts 191
47. The Honourable Enid Majoribanks: a Comedy 219
48. "Art in Ireland" 239
49. "An Irish Sculptor" 242
50. "The Spiritual Influence of Art" 245
51. "Two Irish Artists" 249
52. "An Artist of Gaelic Ireland" 253
53. "Art and Literature" 257
54. "Art and Barbarism" 269
55. "The Lane Bequest" 272
56. "An Appreciation" of J.B. Yeats, Essays: Irish and American 273
57. Hugh Lane's Pictures" 276
58. "Some Irish Artists" 277
Appendices:
Preface to Some Irish Essays 280
Prefaces to Imaginations and Reveries 280
"Nationality or Cosmopolitanism – 1925 text" 281
The Countess of the Wheel 287
Britannia Rule-the-Wave: A Comedy 289
"AE's Oration: George Moore" 294
"An Artist of Gaelic Ireland – 1908 text" 295
Abbreviations used in Glossary of Mythological References and Notes and Commentary 301
Glossary of Mythological References 304
Guide to Notes and Commentary 311
Notes and Commentary – Literary Writings 312
Notes and Commentary – Writings on Art 406
Notes and Commentary – Appendices 453
Bibliography 457
Index 459
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