G.A. Henty occupied so large a place in the hearts of boys that, when
his active life all too soon came to a close, it seemed desirable that
those readers whom he had entertained for so many years should have an
opportunity of knowing something more of the man himself than was
contained in his books. Every writer, consciously or unconsciously,
reveals himself in his work, but nevertheless it cannot fail to be
interesting to boys to read of the actual experiences of the sturdy war
correspondent--those experiences which furnished him with many a vivid
background for his romances. It was at once the fascination and the
value of his tales that, while nominally fiction, they were built up on
a solid substratum of fact. When the present writer, however, was asked
to undertake this memoir of his old and valued friend, he was confronted
with a grave difficulty. Of few men of George Henty's eminence is less
known about their private lives. A staunch and loyal friend, he yet
strongly believed, to use the old Cockney phrase, in "keeping himself to
himself." His letters were never autobiographical, and about himself he
was never very communicative. Little more than his vivid letters from
foreign countries exist to give an insight into the man and his
character.
In his many absences from England during his career as a war
correspondent, Henty contented himself with the briefest of home
communications, and these told little more than where he was and what
was the state of his health. He always said that those he loved could
refer to the newspaper he represented for the rest.
To the courtesy of Mr C. Arthur Pearson, the present proprietor of _The
Standard_, who placed the whole of the files of that paper unreservedly
at his disposal, the writer is very greatly indebted, while for much
valuable information he would like to thank the editors of _The
Captain_, _Chums_, _The Boy's Own Paper_, _Great Thoughts_, _Young
England_, and _Table Talk_.