Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-11-23

W. u. howeiis ana severai otner au.
thors and newspaper men were present,
by tho difference between him and Por-
ter. They are two Of the most success
ful authors Of the year, and yet how dif.
ferent In looks, in style and constructive
method. In fact, they seem almost an.
tipodal, yet the great public enjoys
both. II seemed to mo that the same
personal difference found q parallel in
the subjects Of their novels and the man.
ner In which they were treated. Porter's
personal outlines have been already
given. His novels are a succession OF
pictures, devoid Of plot, and are realistic
and Zolaesque to tho verge Of animality.
Bellamys novels are, on tho contrary.
Of more or less intricacy in plot, and,
like himself, Of delicate, sensitive
organism. or about the medium height,
Mr.. Bcllamy Is rather slender in build.
His dark, grave face Is illuminated by
pair Of kindly gray eyes, which have at
timce shrewd, and occasionally quiEyi-
cal, look about their corners. His fore.
head is large and finely formed. A
heavy, dropping mustacho covers his
mouth. He talks In a warm, sympa-
thetio voice. which immediately com.
mands attention. In manner he Is quiet,
and liable to be retrospective. His whole
appearance, when in reposc, stamps him
a. the man Of imagination. Any ono
who has read his shorter stories Of re-
cent date, ITO Whom This May Come"
and "A Positive Romance" or his earlier
works, "Miss Ludington's Sister, and
CDR. Heidenhofs Process" must admit
that In him Is present n delicate. playful
and exuberant imagination such as Is
possessed by nO modern author since
Hawthorne. His Looking Backward"
considered simply as a work Of tho
imagination, commands the respect even
Of the enemies OF its theories.
Ile has often told the writer that he
had never read any book on social ques-
tions before he wrote Looking Back
ward" and believed that he never would
have written 1t II he had read them, for
his mind would have then been confused.
Although comparatively wealthy now,
he is not happy, as he is long and pa
tient sufferer from that old fashioned
New England disease, dyspepsia. On
this account he will this winter take
trip to Cuba for several months. He has
orders for number Of books that he
cannot yet see his way to write. and IL
now engaged ON dramatization OF
Looking Backward" This winter ho
hopes to writa work which shall pre-
sent In didactic form the social theories
contained in that book. He il now about
30 years Of age. and lives with his charm.
ing family In tho old homestead at Chico
pee Falls, Mass An enormous mail
comes to this little postofllce for him
from all over tho world. Many Of his
literary brethren In and near Boston have
expressed great desire to meet him, and
were he in good health he would be over
loaded with courtesies from them. In
vitations have also come across the sea
from England from several prominent
literary men and artists asking him to
come over there. Already Looking
Backward" IN piratcd edition. by the
way) Is selling there very rapidly, 5000
copies having been disposed Of at the
shilling rate.
Like Porter, he has served In news.
paper work, having been for eight years
actively engaged on Springfield and
New York papers. He, In addition, has
been admitted TO tho bar, but has done
but little practicing. Both men are oi
old New England stock.
Such Is hasty pen picture OF tho twe
|. most talked about authors OF the day,
and the men who. with but one or two
notable exceptions, are making the most
money out Of fiction.
Does novel writing payy'
With Bellamy making SEQ, 900 q yoal
and Porter 1000, what IL your answerl
CYRus FIELD WILLARD.