The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-10-10
H0wLLLS THE AoVE1Isr

Back From EurOpc-He Chats A bout III
Trip, His Work In General and Isl
New Novel.
Mr.. W. D. Howells, the popular novelist
has Just returned to Boston from ten
months trip to Europe. A reporter OF thu
Boston Herald called upon him and, find
ing him at work, said:
"Your new novel, l suppose, Mr.
Howells? ?"
"Yes, II is the opening OF It." was the
reply. st will deal with American char
acters, but 1t is somewhat premature to gay
anything more about it at present. You
see l have only reached the sixty seventh
page"
The reporter glanced at the half-writter
stake" Of copy. The chirography was of q
moderately fne, free, running variety, with
plenty Of space between the lines.
My working hours" continued Mr..
Howells, in response TO inquiries, faro
from IA. NJ. to Pr 81, and am man oil
leisure for the rest Of the day. On an av-
erage cover abont ten Of these half sheets
in the course OF morning; there are times
when ] do more work, as 10 supplying the
concluding chapters Of "A Modern In
stance turned out some twenty-five chap
tiers day, but that ia exceptional. One Of
the pages, ! should say, would make stick
twenty lines) OF nonpariel. You seq
write very deliberately indeed. Yet do a
great deal OF revising, changing words
making elisions, insertions, etc. Some
times rewtite whole chapter, and have
on occasions condensed a chapter into a
paragraph. The manuscript OF "A Forgone
Conclusion was entirely rewritten, and in
some respects, | think It's workmanship is
better than that oil my other books"
Your foreign trip must have been ex.
ceedingly pleasant. You first visited Lon
don, believe"
"Yes; and it seemed very homelike
place to me, as it must to all Americans,
for we are, after all, OF the same blood with
the Eogish, and eau claim right aud a
recognition at the great metropolis Of the
race. The very smoke OF the city reminded
me OF home, for | was born in that part OF
Ohio where there Ia good deal OF bitumen
in the air, and, Us Dr.. Holmes has remark
ed, there seems to be some sort OF associa-
ton between the memory and the sense OF
perfume. While in London, we tried the
English lodging house plan, in which you
hire furnished suite oil rooms, with some.
body TO take care Of them and prepare all
your meals. while you provide only the
raw materials. II WAS very comfortable, a
Sind 81 housekeeping without any ofits re-
sponsibilities."
II suppose, Mr.. Howslls, that while
abroad you heard something OF the hub.
bub OF criticism occasioned in both E1g.
land and America by your references in /
critique OF MIR. Henry James to the fine.
ness Of the art Of novel writing at the pres
ent day, as compared with the work OF
Dickens and Thacksray?"
81 heard some echoes OF the criticisms
you refer to. There is fashion ia novels,
as in everything else, and | simply called
attention to the fact that in some respects
the fashion had changed. In good time,
when opportunity occurs, = shall probably
express myself on the subject a little mere
fully and explicitly"
rs not Thackeray fayorite with you?"
Certainly. It Is absurd 10 think that
should attempt to decry him. Why, l first
met novel ofhis when was sixteen years
old; the .Newcomes' was then being pub.
lishcd in Harpers. 1 think. read il ed.
Htrly; II opened new world to me, and
have read all that he has written, many
times over, with great delight and the
highest sense OF his mastery. What [
chiefly criticised in him was bis conf.
dental attitude, his coming down 10 the
footlights to explain his characters, to SYM
lathiZe with poor So-and-So and to pat
brave So-and.So on the back. 1t seems 10
ME that it is not the province Of the nov
elist to speak for his characters
in that way. The novelist should
keep himself out OF view, as the
jramatlst does The other sort Of thing is
what we expect in an essay, and there it is
delightful; but a novel should not BIZ an
essay. For the latest development OF &c.
ton I'm inclined 10 think that We should
nave 10 go 10 the Russian novelist, Tur-
genet, or TO lola, or the great Norwegian,
BjorusVn, VINO 10 q poet and a finer artist
than either in some respects. The news.
% -IG nave much to say about VIII they
term the "ideal novel," That phrase is q
contradiction in terms. You should bear
in mind the distinction between the novel
aud the romance. The letter treats oil
types, and is essentially idealistic; the for.
mer treats of characters, and is essentially
realistic.
"Apropos OF the novel Of the future, dc
you think that the element oil love.making
will he IS prominent as in the novel OF the
past and present."
II think not, as regards the better class
Of novels. That is only an incident in g
mans life, though q pretty important one
Of course, and should be made more Incl.
dental and subordinate in The novel, which
should portray the passions and expert
ences Ct life in their natural proportion