The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-08-06
HOW AUTHORS COMPOSE.


HOW AUTHORS COMPOSE.
The difference in the methods adopted
By different authors 10 as great rs the
difference in their choice of subjects,
There is story quoted in illustration Of
the different characteristics of three great
nationalties which equally illustrates the
different paths which may be followed in
any intellectual enterprise.
IN Englishmau, Frenchman and q
Gs >an, competing for prize offered
for the best essay on the natural history
of tho camel, adopted his own method of
research on tho subject. The German,
laying in stock of tobacco, retired to
his study in order to evolve from the
depth of his philosophic consciousness
the primitive notion Of o camel. The
Frenchman resorted to the nearest IL
brary, and ransacked it's contents with n
view to collect all that other men had
said upon the subject. The Englishman
packed his carpet.bag and set sail for the
East, that he might study the habits of
the animal in its original haunts. The
blending of these three methods il tho
perfection of study hue the Frenchman's
method Is not unknown even among
Englishmen. Nor is 1t to be absolutely
condemned. The man who reads hun.
dred books upon subject, in order to
write one, coafers real benefit upon 30
ciety, provided he does his work we'll.
But some very capital work has been
written without the necessity either Of
research or of original investigation.
Trollope drew his famous .ArchdeacLn.
He never lived in any cathedral city,
except London; Archdeacon Grantly
was child Of "moral consciousness"
alone; he knew nothing, except indirect.
ly, about Bishops and Deans. In fact,
The Warden was conceived not primarily
as q clerical novel, but as novel which
should work out dramatic situation;
that of an honest, amiable man who was
the holder, by no fault of his own, of an
endowment which was in itself an abuse,
and on whose devoted head should fall
the thunders of those who attacked the
abuse.
Bryan Waller Prcator had never seen
the ocean when he wrote The Sen neith-
CT Schiller nor Rossini had seen Switzer.
land when they wrote their William
Tells. George Cruikshankes, sketches of
the Boulevards and Palais Royal, elabo.
rated from sketches furnished to him,
were wonderfully spirited aud true,
although he had never been across the
Channel. Indeed, he never got beyond q
French seaport in the course of his long
life. A day at Boulogue comprshended
all his continental experiences.
Harrison AinBworth, the Lancashire
novelist, when he wrote Rookwood and
Jack Shepherd relied absolutely on his
power of reading up and assimilation,
and never had the slightest intercourse
with thieves in his life.%s 1t ia said that
when he wrote the really admirably ride
Of .Turpin to York, he only ysont at
great pace over the paper with q road
front of him. It was only.when he heard
everybody say how truly the country was
described, and how faithfully he had
observed distances and localities, that he
actually drove over the ground for tho
first time, and declared, thnt it was more
like his account than he could have i'm
agined.es .
asA man would do. Rellto carry pen.
thoughts sof the; moment. These that
valuable, and should be secured, because
they seldom return This was the ad.
vice Of Lord Bacon, whose example has
been followed by many eminent men.
For instance, it lis said of Hobbs thn.,
when he composed hia Leviathap,, he
walked much, and lnusea 40 he walked,
and that he had in the head Of his cane
q pan and Ink horn, and q note book In
his pocket. u Aa soon kssa thought darted
into hisimind hos entered It In his book.
Miss Martineau has recorded that Barry
Cornwall's favorite method was indulged
when alone In ln crowd, and best IL the
atreets of London. Ho also bad q habit
of running into S1shop 10 write down his
verse;. Tom Moore's custom was to
compose as he walked. He had q table
in bis garden, on while he wrote down
his thoughts, When the weather was
bad he paced up and down bis small
study. HI isE extremely desirable. that
thoughts anouiis fbo written as they risa
In the mind, becapse If they are not
recorded az that time they may never,
return. 3. 81 attach 90 muIh importanceS
to the ideas which come daring the night
or IN che N efnIng, u aaid f3aston sPlanta,.
the 5celebrate nEinser, athat I have
always. ptst The head az my bed, !, paper
! and speacii aspandad by string, by the:
{ help or which e write every morning the
ideas i have been ablo 20 conceive, par
:ticnlarly on subjects of scientific research.
D STWrfte these notes In slseGsity, !, and de-
8cipher and develop them ia the morning,
J ren Ia hand :, The phi ilosopher ErneF:
{ son took similar pains To- catch "a leatiDg
I though, 9dr, Wh heaetes l,d bad happy
q sfdeGs hs wrote fe down; and when Mrs
Emerson, startled in ths night BY come
Inusnai sound erie 4 W hat;!s the mat.
*ter9 Arc + you III f,,.s The philosopher
goftly tsllisd .s.s ny aesr a EonIy :.u an