New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-05
JAMES PAYN THE NOVELIST


Mr. porn was intended for the ChuiCh. but. hay
nr call In the opposite direction. never got qui.e
so far as ordination. From Elton he was SCI ~
the ROYAL Military Academy az No0iWIoli', .i u1
tho discussing and degrading life OF the old-time
Military Academy he was transferred 70 thas c l
~ +Te same private tHtOr who coached NI'
Eronl, Rurnond and who seems to have been sue
cessfu in mplanting literary tastes ana y
I'm his pupils. From his tutors he vert 10 ItIttttf'
where he found himself a contemporary d ~ 80
liam Harcourt. Lord Harrington. ana Mr. ft1l-
James stephen and IN a society a. widely dlHtTent
from that Of WOOlwlch a. one pole - Irgu tuY.
Not long after taking his degree, MI avn 49,
that connection with The brothers Chambers WhcA
was destined 10 last for many years us ~ IN
siderable. success was with " Lost SIR Masslhe-
- n atorv which showed plainly that 10 was
written by young hand. but neyer'heiesS 49,
evidence Of a certain power ana Rro"-tH@o Ut
drqmae GSP't .nrsod is broRer Chambers as
much rs the author, who shortly atterw9ru De-
came editor OF their JournqL Is curious thaI De
tween Lost Sir Massin9Qe anu 10y ~. - =,
n verv successful story published II DeiGr0rN there
should have Intervelcd nearly twenty 9'aI0 ~
Sard woris during which the author wrote the
greater part of his thirty-tve three-volume n"yeIs
In was not till after the death or NE hooeiI
Chambers that his connection with the mouse OF
Chambers ceased and that With another great Hrul
~ nnblisher, began For Mr.. Pawn has, IN audi
ton 10 his numerous literary ana Journalistic en-
ployments one which gives an ADVANTAGE oFer
even stern reviewers anC fastllously anle e'l'tIr
literature and tea have this bond Of AFFINITY, 'lae
both before purchase must be submitted - .
tasterp The tasters name is kept az secIS. as
j. ta,terr 10 a firm Of some renoWn ana Ills ~
tom Of an afternoon Is 70 taste the various
works submitted 70 the house Win We" 10 pun
In addition TO the writing Of three-v olume
novels, which he turns out at the rate q one anu
a half per annum. and the tasting o. otneis ~
ductions M Payn gets through an lnnnlty OF ~
erarv work of various kinds. 10 frequently
writes articles in The Nineteenth Century, ana ttSl9
out a humorous story nearly every month lor pee
800, fhe Ia said ~ write many of the light articles
In The Times in the season OF Vacatohi any =
special correspondent for newspapers n he.
| bourne Paris and Nev-York II Is dlhcuIt 70 We
eve that ali this work is got through by the ap-
| parentlv easy going gentleman VINO appears 20 pe
| always telling stories and MAKING l0Hes AZ tue
Reform Clubs but the TACT undouo'euy ''in"ii''
r - lone on the system the fashion Of which
was set In this country by Dlckrns, anu ON " ~
| bv Mr. Anthony TrollOpe, OF Worklng TOT 80 ulHni
| hours Or doing ia certain minimum QuaHIIs "
! work every day 1t was tried long ago III + rance
by Heine and aftcrward " Alex lnnIe uU .t ' :,
| Everybody recollects poor Heines complaint klaV
nothing Tiled his mind with sucb IIoiouHu mean. .
choly as the sight OF number Oi sheets ~ A"1!
| white paper The elder Dumas had plan 81
counting the number OF Slips ne ougA 70 .nIi,
and sticking TO his w Ork till lt was done Llcsu
had a fixed time 70 SIT at his desk Thstner ne pr
| duced much or little copy : and Nr an EEnonS
| Trollope has a minimum OF quantity. MI. Ray H.
| following the system OF those great masters, ue
votes the three Hours between 10 ana IN eVfry
| day 10 the composition OF orlgina. or lmaghatiVe
matter as distin gshed from tasting computation,
and such commonpHcing ana reading as lourlpi
are compelled 70 Undergo HIS gaY Is culloGsIy
! mapped out Believing in much sleep as an aDso-
inte necessity for persons employed II brain ~ orA;
| he sleeps as many would think. an extraFaSaht
time. Of thoroughly domestic HABITS ne escneW
Evenings from home. loving 70 eat his dinner VI
| his wife and the seven daughters VINO, win Ip1
| voung SON compose his Family. shorty AFTER tHss
evening post comes In the last pipe Is ighted' sho
! at 10 O'clock The household Is wrapped IL sIul,oeI
! The Illustrous novelist does not appear u4I
! o'clock the next morning and ny ten ne mas Ivau
his newspapers breaktasted, and l. seateO "a Ils
| tasting Office with the design, however OF 4lV'
ing the first three hours 20 Original coiAlos4VIo'
mainly at stories, short or .ohS: - a;, .
| II is curious eXemphhoatlon or thr scrla4
! system 20 much IN vogue among Us. tIat ne HA'
| never published but one noVri eACePl III 80 ,
Bar this industrious and prudent WORKER u9.s no,
permit himself as some OF the greater writer's ol
serials have formerly dOle, osbe run race oy lnt
printer. AL his novels are hplshed before ltl9 -.
them il printed SO that he Is never hurried MOI
| anxious concerning them. The dread OF Illness Oh
| of breaking down never presses upon MIN
There j. another advantage in tnl- haol' OF ltN
all written before 10 IS delivered 70 te prlIrt =
| gives an exceptional opportunity tor making ar
Fragments for.advarce sheets with distant colonies
| and such remote spots a. Japan
+ will naturally be asked why Mr.. Pawn has no
| addressed himself exclusively 70 comic writing
whyl he i not the prime fdfcfNr OF tAe 'saN' ~
! answer flashes out with bright glance pom unde
| the spectaCles: HumOr does not pay IN" novelist
| Mr. Pawn viii reply; IL Is tor private circulation
| only. You know iw4at THE noveI-reaG4n- pu"Hc
composed of-yOung married women ana uninal
lied women Of all ages. NO writer can ma "a
| LIVING out Of them by hUmOr alone. Inc uhIt,1 ~
! is not humorous nor does II care much Tor p4o' q
dramatic construction. Ii likes iOest those par
OF the book which ,are mot humorous III lact III
sentimental part and the Hong roy e-uaAIIs stcc'
which may be easy 20 people 20 read, Out ar'
well, difficult 70 write
THE PoLITENEsS or OUR F0REFA TIERS