The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-14
A Novelist Who Need Not go Into
Foreign Lands For Recog-
nition.
George Meredith, His Mysticisms
and the Careful Finish Of
His Work.
Other Good Things In Literary London
The Berlin Cable Letter-Interest-
ing Foreign News.

Especial Correspondence of The INDEPENDENT.1
LONDON, Nov. 29.-In one of the innumer-
able Christmas numbers with which our
bookstalls are just now crowded, there ap-
pears series of sketches protesting to
show How one wrestled with George Mere
dith, ESD, and was thrown" They are
the work of Mr.. Bernard Partridge who,
am told, has just accepted remunerative
post upon the regular artistic staff of
Punch. They depict the ordinary reader
setting out with cheerful countenance to
read one of Mr.. Meredith's novels-Dians
of the Crossways, perhaps-and finishing
by throwing away the book in utter despair
of ever being able to understand what the
novelist is driving at. This, of course, is a
fancy picture, although it must be con-
fessed Mr.. Meredith has written some
things which even his most devoted disci-
pies fail to understand. One Of these disci-
ples-Mr. Richard LIE Gallienne, to-wit-
has just published volume-entitled,
George Meredith: Some Characterization
in which the novels and poems are intelli-
gently discussed. I may remark in passing
that it is very good book, which may be
recommended to all who desire to read
Meredith with profit and not merely pour
passer le temps.
But it is not of Mr.. LeGallienne's book
but rather of Mr.. Meredith himself that I
wish here to speak. He stands alone among
fiction turn out their stories because they
have certain income to make every year,
and these stories are the only means where
by this income can be made. do not for a
moment suggest that they wilfully subord-
mate art to the desire of gain; merely
point out that their position and circum-
stances are such as to keep the question of
making money ever present to their minds.
Such is not the case with Mr.. Meredith. A
man of few and simple tastes, living in q
very quiet way in a small cottage near
Dorking, he writes not because he must
make an income, but because he has mes
Hence there are no signs of hasty workman
ship about his books; on the contrary one
of their faults is over elaboration. The
Journalists-not 1.-THE Journalist" as il is
always quoted-was announced at least two
years ago; but it still remains unfinished.
Indeed when I saw Mr.. Meredith last he
was not more than half way through the
book. Since then he has finished One of
the Conquerors, the story now appearing by
installments in the Fortnightly Review.
Mr.. Besant and Mr.. Payn write on an aver
age three volume novel every year, be-
sides filling in spare time with literary and
journalistic work. Mr.. Meredith devotes
years to single book. Hence, no doubt,
tho m n nifaak 0f 10 ALoA
of most of his contemporaries.
Mr.. Meredith lives at Box Hill in Surrey.
Here he has little cottage on the side of
the hill near the railway station, and here
from time to time his many literary and
journalistic friends visit him. Mr.. III. d.
Traill, Mr.. John Morley, Mr.. Frederick
Greenwood and Mr.. w. 7. Steai-to men
ton few only of the latter-may from
time to time be seen there enjoying the
great novelist's hospitality. Some of the
newspaper men referred to will appear
thinly disguised in Mr.. Meredith's novel,
The Journalistic. ALI his work is done in
a little chalet which he has had built at the
top of his garden just at the foot of large
wood. This was put up some years ago,
when he wanted the quiet for his work
which the presence of his boys and girls
made it impossible for him to obtain in
doors, and he has slept and worked there
ever since. 1t consists OF two rooms-one
q study and library, the other sleeping
apartment. The chalet is a delightfully."-
quiet place to work in and the doorway
commands an extensive and beautiful view
Of Box Hill and the country beyond. Mr..
Meredith's library, may remark, is ex-
ceedingly rich in editions of the Greek and
Latin poets.
Personally, Mr.. George Meredith's most
striking characteristic is his conversation,
He is great talker, in the sense that Ma
caulay and Carlyle were great takers. He
has magnificent flow of language and his
talk is at once rich in metaphor and spark
ling in wit, in word, brilliant in every
teresting "reminiscences of the literary men
whom he has known; of Carlyle, whom he
met soon after the publication of Richard
Feverel, "a book which Mrs. Carlyle read
with great deliRh:); of Thackeray, and of
Charles Dickens. Tennyson has often vis-
tied, and Browning was one of his dearest
friends. A greater intellectual treat than a
discourse with George Meredith-or more
correctly. discourse from George Mere
dith-cannot we'll be imagined. His health.
am sorry to say. is but poor. He suffers a
good deal from locomotor ataxia. brought
on. as he thinks, by too much walking in
his younger days.
very valuable historical work will he
issued by Messrs. Macmillan & Co. earlv
next month. 1t will be called the Royal
House OF Stuart; and will consist OF a series
OF forty folio plates, representing more than
eighty OF the most interesting relics associ-
ated with the Stuart dynasty, together with
brief descriptions from tho pen Of Mr.. a.
John Hope. Mr.. William Gibb. the artist
has been afforded every facility for makin1
his sketches by the executive committea n3
the Stuart exhibition, by the Maronis of
Lothian, who, as secretary for Scotland has
the custody OF the Scottish repalia. and Inv
many noble and eminent persons. inclndino
the queen, to whom some of the relics hee
long. have seen some of the plates which
really are among the finest reproductions
in color ever made. They are Of home
manufacture having been Autographed not
III Germany but in Scotland. Stranpe to
sag the artist is Scotchman, the Iitho-
Rrapher Scotchman, the printer Scotch
man ana the binder Scotchman. This ia
as it should be. 40 40
Mrs. Wood. the author of v;,,..a
Tragedy, book which attracted cons;day0
able attention some two or three vsars s,o
is hard at work upon another novel ~
which Esther VOhhomrigh- Ya,,easa
Will be the central figure. There are
great possibilities in the subject and shalI
be surprised ii Mrs. Wood does not produce
an interesting story. Mrs. Wood. bv the
way, IL the wife OF the president Of Trinity
college. Oxford, and, like Mrs. Humnhrey
ward, OF Robert Elsmere fame. the Vic Of
another Oxford professor, she Il fraii and
encate looking little woman. Her house