The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1884-04-25
HOW ALPHoNsE DAUDET WORKS.
The Novelist a Tireless Worker.
How He Utilizes Material---Per-
aonaI Annearance.
Paris Cor. Philadelphia Press.1

How He Utilizes Material---Per.
sonaI Appearance.
GParis Cor. Philadelphia Pressl
The famous novelist is tireless worker.
He believes that genius, however great, can
accomplish nothing durable without labor.
He is a rapid composer, but his first compost
ton is always revised and re-revised, often
entirely changed, even reconstructed. Usu-
ally he does not begin new chapter until he
has finished to his satisfaction the one he il
engaged upon. But when his whole manu-
script is complete, he goes over it word for
word, in the most critical spirit. If he finds
anything that he believes he can make better
he tries to mend it, regardless of the time
and toll it may cost him. He is unquestiona-
bly, tormented, as so many great artists have
been, with the passion for perfection.
1t is his habit to write between the two
breakfasts that Frenchmen take-the coffee
and rolls on rising, and the meal about l or
2 o'clock in the afternoon, when meat, eggs,
and wine are served. His hours of compost
ton average from four to six daily,
though they are prolonged when he is anx-
ious to complete chapter or situation that
presses on his mind, and might lose vividness
and force if it were deferred until the NOR
row. No author here or elsewhere is more
absorbed in his calling, which is rarely for
gotten. He never sees or hears anything re-
markable that it does not present itself to his
alert and ever-vigilant mind as material to
be used for his art. It may be said that he is
eternally composing; for, be where he
may, he is regarding his n environ
ment as a possible fragment of a future
story. His memory is singularly retentive,
yet he seldom fails to record any
thought or incident or speech that may be
rendered serviceable. He has any number
of notebooks for the purpose, and does not
go anywhere without one of these on his per-
son. In society, which he seems fond of, he
is rarely SO much interested as not to be
thinking of his trade.
Once when he had sentimental scene
with his wife, something quite dramatic oc-
CURED, as the gossip goes, and he remarked:
"This seems, my dear, like chapter that had
slipped out of novel" 1T is more likely,
Alphonse," was the reply, "to form a chapter
that will slip into a novel," Surely enough,
within year the scene was reproduced in
one of Daudet's stories. She evidently un-
derstands her husbands method of compost
ton.
Daudet is decidedly handsome. He has an
olive complexion, well-proportioned features,
dark, expressive eyes, and dark, thick hair,
flowing whiskers and untrimmed mustaches,
something after the manner of the art
students so prevalent in the Latin quarter.
He looks like a son of the south, and his
vivacity of manner, copious gestures and
changing emotions, when he is moved and
among his intimates, denote the region of his
nativity. In general company, however, he
is often reserved as if he held check upon
himself, conscious of his ferver and tendency
to observation-disclosures.
His writings have been very profitable,
particularly his later ones. Authors who
have 1901 600 francs Qess than 10000 are ac-
counted rich here, and he is reputed to own
a property valued at 2,OOu, 600 francs, Or about
s4OO.OOO, all directly or Indirectly the pro-
duct of his pen. "TheENaboh," the most
popular of his novels, is said to. have yielded
him loo, COO francs, and it is still selling. The
gods have been kind to him.