Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1889-07-15

White" 1860; "No Name" 1862, which.
IS well as the preceding novel, original
~ appeared in the columns Of All the
Year Round. q periodical published at
that time. From 1868 % 1888 ho was
quite active, presenting to tho reading
public many interesting tales. the most
prominent being "Armadale," Man and
Wife" Miss or Mrs." 1.-The Law and
the Lady," 1.-THE Fallen Leaves" "a
Rogue's Life from His Birth to His Mar
riage" and Heart and ScieLce."
Host of Dir. Collins books have been
translated into French, Italian. German,
Dutch, Danish and Russian. Mr.. Col
Inns also tried his hand ut writing plays;
he wrote the Lighthouse" first played
in private ut Tavistock house and after
wards produced at the Olympic theatre,
London. In 1857 bis unpublished drama,
THE Frozen Deep" was acted by anna
tours with great success. In 1888 Rank
and Riches" was produced at the Adelphi
theatre, London, and met with n COM
plcte failure.
In 1887 a young American wrote Will
kie Collins asking him about his methods
of work, his plans for plots, how he
wrote his books. Following are few
extracts from the interesting letter he
wrote her:
which book shall we choose as a specimen
Shall it be the most popular book, Very well i
have now 10 tel you how wrote The Woman In
White"
BY first proceeding IL 10 get my central idea
the pivot on which the story turns, ..
Tho central idea OF THE Woman IN White" Is
the idea of a conspiracy Ia private life in which
circumstances arc SD handled as 20 rob q woman
Of Eer Identity by confouniag her with another
woman sufficiently like her IN personal appear
once 10 answer the wicked purpose The cestruc-
ton OF her identity represents first division OF
tho story; tho recovery o. her identity marks a
second division
NY central idea next suggests some Of my chief
characters clever devil must conduct the con
spiracY Male devil " female devils The sort OF
wickcdpeSs wanted seems 10 BE- a mans wicked
ness Perhaps n foreign man. Count fosco faint
ly shows himself To me before know his name I
let him wait and begin 20 think about the two
women They must b. both innocent and both IN
tcr-siing Lady Clyde dawns on inc as one ~ the
innoccut victims | try 70 discover the other 49,
and fail try what a walk wlll do for me-aad
fail 1 devote the eveuing 10 a new sffort-ant
fail. Experience tells ne TO take no more trouble
about T.. and leave that other WOMAN 20 come q
her own accord. Tho next Inornlng. before have
been awake IN my TED for more than ten minutes.
my porverse brains st 70 work without consulting
me- Poor Anna Cathcrick comes into the room
and says Try me-"
have got an IDEA; have Eot three q my char
acterS What u there - 10 now NJ next pro
ccedfny Is % begin bsiilliaE up the story
Here ny fsvorite three efforts must be encoun-
tered First effort. to begin at the beginning
Second effort u keep the story always Advancing
without Teyin tie smallest attention % the SRA
division IN parts % - the book publications IN
voeIuIes Third effort; 70 deoids o. to end AT
this - dcne - my father used - paint his skis
ia BIS famous SEA pseces. Al one heat a. yet /
90 not enter into details. merely set tIp my land
EIarks n doing this fhs main situsfions = The
stO-y present themselves and Al tue same Tins
AZ my Characters In al sorts 81 reE sspects-
These discoveries lead me- nearer an nssrsr 70
h2,iinS the right end