Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-23
NEW YORK LETTER.
4 WRITER WHO SPEAKS OPENLY
ABOUT HIS PROFESSION.
Jay Could's Sea-Cook Talks-rhe Plea
sures aud rribulations OF Caterer
on MIllionaIrc's Steam Yacht.
ronrro.ponasnce Of Tho Richmond pI.pa,cn.I
NV York. June %, 1899.


simmer home near Boston. just before no
started had the rare good fortune to meet
him socially. and he entertained me Tor
something liketwo hours with talk largely
of personal nature, which am conhdeht
all lovers of this eminent writer VIII De Only
too glad 60 know about. The author OF
THE Undiscovered Country" and Tho
Rise of Silas Iapham.n Is one of the most
unaffected of mortals in every way posi-
bic. both in personal appearance and IN
what he has to say.
Recalling that Boston people had always
felt a lust pride IN the fact that MIR. HOW
ellis had resided for 80 many years IN thelr
midst. and that the press OF that CITY rom
time 60 time OF late had given expression
20 the opinion that their former townsnan
was only contented with a residence at the
Hub, vcntuTed to inquire Of NJ. Towels
how he Was enjoying life IN the Metropolis.
NEW YORK ATTRACTIVE.
"Oh. very much" was his ready re-
sponse. II regard New York rs an espe-
cially attractive city in which 20 reside
even moro So than London or Pans. les,
like New York my work Is here, and mere
am content 20 live and toll. | 20 away
with my family very soon 70 one OF tnc
suburban towns near Boston 20 pass me
summer. bat We shall be back again III Tue
autumn
Can literature be made profession to-
dav. the same as any other -
" don't see why Il cannot be. Win
me II Is a profession. wholly SO. and, IN
fact Il has always been, at least ever since
| seriously took up the work of writing
However. ! suppose I'm the only person III
Tins country to-day who makes literature
strictly profession. Still, III the case OF
one VINO has the necessary adaptation 10
the work with the same energy and zeal
expended AS IN any other pursuit | DO not
see why Authorship may not be made pro-
fes-ion or business the same ~ anything
else Ii Is simply question Of fitness and
pcrsistency, and that alone
POETRY or TO-DAY.
AT the present time what is the ont
look for poetry IN tins country!
"Of course this may be- regarded as
period when the drift OF taste Is almost
entirely IN the direction of the novel or
short story. Yet | would by no means
seek 70 discourage any one from attempt
ing verse as the medium of expression,
though regarded from a pecunlary stand
point tho returns are very slight. We nave
IN this country some writers OF VerSc-I
refer to the younger pOets-WhO are DONG
most excellent work, and certainly they
ought TO receive more encouragement
from the public
HIS FIRST EFFORT.
Il recall very pleasantly. Mr.. HOwells,"
I remarked, "a little poem of yours which
came across in some papers many years
ago Ii bore no name, and ran as follows;
'Once on my mothers hreast child. crept' "
"Yes." he returned with smile. " re-
member IT. IL was the work OF my early
years, away back in the days when my
great ambition was 10 become poet. mat
and several other poems Of mine came 10
the notice Of the editor OF the Atlantic
MOna41y. and ne gave them a place III the
pages of the magazine. thinking OF those
verses now, especially Of the one you refer
TO. n seems almost incredible that | wrote
them. IL seems To me II would be next 70
impossible for me to write them nov. My
yift, rude as II Is lies III quite another dl-
Iection. Some time ago lady friend Of
mine impOrtuned me 10 write poem Tor
ler for given pgrIpse and after good
deal Of labor | succeeded IN my efforts,
but II really amounted 10 a struggle
sToRY-wRITING.
Did story-writing come easy to you at
first ?"
Dear me. no. | remember very dis
tinctly the first story attempted 10 write,
= he only one, in fact, before the one en-
titled Their Wedding Journey though
The latter is hardly IN the nature of story,
being more properly % serious of sketches.
il WAS long ago as / lived IN Ohio. Al the
time was assisting my father IN editing
paper / got along very we'll with my story
uuul wanted 70 draw II "a "A close, and IN
my efforts 20 do 80 | got into most horri-
bic condition of affairs
Il suppose it Is comparatively easy for
YOU 10 write q story nOwadays!"
oh. very far from II. Why. returning
to "a story after l have left II for only
few honrs, find it exceedingly difficult 70
Nsaaa-
have come TO me during the interim that
il is impossible to know for some time IN
what way 10 use the material. With me,
at the best. composition Is slow and Ia
lorious, and vet there Is something about
il that renders II very fascinating. But
few of Us are constituted a. Anthony
1rollope was. who could perform given
amount OF work each day during the en-
tire wear, and keep IL up year after year
'lTollope was man not merely of wonder
ful system, but of great physical endurance,
IN NY own case ] ain far from strong, and
am obliged - limit my work 10 the cOLdl-
tiOn of my health and state of mind. As
general thing three and four hours day Is
an the time feel able Ia gave 20 my work;
the rest Of my time devote 10 outdoor eX-
ercise Of a moderate character, aside from
a few hours set apart tor reading and social
enjoyment"
WRITERS FIELD.
"Do Won consider II advantageous for a
literary worker - reside East-that -, III or
near the great centresi"
Most assuredly 20. A writer so situ-
ated can take his work IN person from one
editor 10 anDther, IN cases where II has
been declined. Then, too, writer residing
IN or close by the great centres, ike Boston
or New York for instance, has an oppoTtu-
nifty 10 be thrown more into social contact
j. .. g hoe Tf- frr..l q
advantages"
do YOU mean 10 have me understand
that editors like to have writers submit
their contributions III person.
WHY, editors don't like 10 have manu-
scripts submitted any way, but rs they are
dependent on contributions IN order 10
Keep the magazines IN existence | see no
reason why they should object in the least
20 this method of receiving contributions
more than in the other case"
MAGAZINE EDITORS.
as there any reason for the theory adj
vanced 10y some persons 10 the effect that
magazine editors do not read all cOntribu-
t.ons sent them z"
81 A. "a rule all articles are carefully eX-
amined. no matter from what source they
cmanate OF course there are certain eN-
ceptiOns. a. for instance the subject of
given article may not strike an editor Ia
y DThNlN. or ne MAY nave AlAl'IldA Oh manu-
bearing upon the subject. Again. after read
ing few lines Of an article an editor very
often can decide respecting Its availability.
The style of the article may be against IT,
and the practical editor rarely ever makes
mistake in judgment. But editors are
always on the outlook for new material as
well AS new writers. and are only too glad
20 get hold of something which Is fresh and
original, even If IL chances 20 cOme--as It
often does-fTom a person who Is wholly
unknown"
THE SCHOOL OF REALISM.
"What about the School of Realism. Of
which yOn are, 50 10 speak, in this country
the apostleI"
"Oh, do not know that am altogether
entitled 70 that distinction. There are
Others working in the same line For ex-
ample, there are Miss Jewett, Mary +. VII
lins, Lathrop, and several Others whom |
could mention. In certain SENSE AldIich
j. not realIst and % some extent Cable Is "
Yes. Mr.. Howolls. but You were the ono
to take the initiatOry step"
Possibly that Is true, because / could
not help regarding Realism as the true
method IN fiction"
- But the poetry element Is not 80 mark
- II. IL. -. Il D 4.