The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-24

ful authors OF the year. and yet how diff
ferent In looks. In style and constructive
method. In fact, they seem almost an
tipodal, get the great public enjoys
both. II seemed 10 mo that the Same
personal difference found parallel In
the subjects OF their novels md 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 the verge Of animality.
Bellamy's novels are, on tho contrary,
OF more or less intricacy In plot, and,
like himself, Of a delicate, sensitive
organism. OF about the med.iim height,
Mr.. Bellamy is rather slender In build.
Ills dark, grave face is illuminated by a
pair Of kindly gray eyes, which have at
times a shrewd, and occasionally quizzi-
cal, look ebout their corners. His fore
head Is large and finely formed. a
heavy, dropping mustache covers his
mouth. He talks in warm, sympa-
thetic voice, which Immediately com
mands attention. In manner he is quiet,
and liable to be interpretive. His whole
appearance, when in repose. stamps him
as the man Of imagination. Any one
who has read his shorter stories Of re-
cent date, "To Whom This May Come
and "a Positive Romance" or his earlier
works, "Miss Ludington's Sister and
"Dr. Heidenhofs Process" must admit
that in him is present delicate. playful
and exuberant imagination such as is
possessed by no modern author since
Hawthorne. His Looking Backward"
considered simply as work Of the
imagination, commands the respect even
OF the enemies Of its theories.
Ho has often told the writer that he
had never read any book on social ques-
tons before he wrote Looking Back
ward" and believed that he never would
have written it if he had read them, for
his mind would have then been confused.
Although comparatively wealthy now,
no 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 a
trip to Cuba for several months. He has
orders for a number Of books that he
cannot yet see his way to write, and is
now engaged on a dramatization Of
Looking Backward" This winter he
hopes 10 write a work which shall pre-
sent i'm didactic form the social theories
contained in that book He is now about
80 wears Of age. and lives with his charm
Ing family in the old homestead at Chico
pee Falls, Mass. An enormous mail
comes to this little postoffice for him
from all over the world. Many Of his
literary brethren in and near Boston have
expressed a great desire TO meet him, and
were he in good health he would be over
loaded with c0urtesies 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" Ga pirated edition, by the
wav) is selling there very rapidly, 1905
copies having been disposed of at the
shilling rate.
Like Porter. no has served in news
paper work. having been for eight years
actively engaged on Springfield and
New York papers. he, in addition, han
been admitted to the bar, but has done
but little practicing Both men are Of
old New England stock.
Such is a hasty pen picture of the two
most talked about authors of the day
and the men who, with but one or TIVE
notable exceptions. are making the mos
money out Of fiction.
docs novel writing pay?
With Bellamy making $50 900 a yea
and Porter $1,000. what is your answer
CYRUs FIELD WILLARD.