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James M. Barrie

JAMES MATTHEW BARRIE is one of that great army of Scotchmen who take general charge of England. He was born at Kirriemuir, May 9, 1860. He was educated at Dumfries Academy and Edinburgh University. He was created first baronet in 1913, but long before that date by universal suffrage he had acquired the title of Prince of Whimsies and First Lord of All Hearts. Unlike other British titles, these latter are perfectly valid in the United States as well as in Great Britain and the dominions beyond the seas.

After the usual skirmishes of a penman to find himself by way of the newspapers, Barrie published "Better Dead," in 1887. Then at intervals of a year or less came "Auld Licht Idylls," "When a Man's Single," "A Window in Thrums," "My Lady Nicotine," "The Little Minister," followed by "Sentimental Tommy," "Margaret Ogilvy" (the infinitely tender story of his own mother), and the immortal "Peter Pan." He soon found his way to the stage (a way all his own) with "The Professor's Love Story," "The Little Minister," "Quality Street," "The Admirable Crichton," "Peter Pan," "What Every Woman Knows," "A Kiss for Cinderella," and "Dear Brutus," and has been most successful with plays, or rather playlets, of the war, such as "The Old Lady Shows her Medals."

His appeal to public imagination was almost instantaneous, and he has continuously held a warm place in the hearts of the whole English-speaking race wherever a tender fancy appeals to loving imagination.