The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-04

age. And a novel to sell must be strong.
l don't think people buy a book because it
ia sold for a shilling. Any book will sell
we'll if it has a good nhme to it."
"Do you think novelists have as good a
chance To- as they did when your father
wrote?"
"What do you mean by novelists? Do
you mean Dickens or any ordinary writer OF
fiction?
example,"
II think such a one had a better chance
then than now. There is more demand for
hat class of work, but on the other hand
there are a great many more people to sup
ply that demand"
Women ! believe do a great deal Of this
work in England?"
Eyes, u very great deal. l believe that
women can do just as we'll as men except
when they are impedod by their physical
weakness. They are not suited for press
work simply on this account. They can't
stand the wear and tear that the average
writer or newspaper man has to put up
with"
"With regard to newspaper work, you
have served an apprenticeship to the news
paper?" !.
Eyes, / have done my share. In fact /
have had a turn at every branch of literary
work. l have been at it for four and twenty
years"
"And would you advise a young man or
woman, with fair talent, to 60 in for a lit
erary life?"
''That, of course. depends on their fitness.
There 10 NO doubt that it is a very hard life.
and 1t 10 not too we'll paid. More fail than
succeed. II is precarious."
"You have rather Il psssimistic opinion of
literature as q bread winner?"
'That's because I've seen a lot of it, l
suppose. However, l can't object to it very
strongly, as my son is my shb-cditor on
both my periodicals, and my daughter
writes novels for u.s."
.'Do you think the standard of literary
work now produced is as high Us it was for
merlyY"
mo, 1 do not. To use All expression that
Americans will understand very well. we
have some pretty. good tall hills. but there
is no MT. Shasta That is about what the
matter is on both sides of the water"
Elbow do you account for this? Do you
think it 10 the high pressure at which work
has to be produced nowadays?"
mo, l don't think 1t is that. ! don't be-
love in the high pressure. People do a
great deal OF work, but they do it in q
they take q great many moro holidays. !
suppose il is the simple fact that we can't
be always producing the same excellen-
cies."
You have positive views on American
literature?" .
"Well, / can't say that l lave any, except
that | don't care much about the HowellB-
James echool of writing. But in point OF
fact l dom read very many novels for
pleasure. ] have to read no many aS II mat
ter OF business that II docs not give me any
pleasure to read Il novel at I'LL. always
feel inclined to take my blue pencil and OUT
them about 4 good bit M my eyes wander
| over the pages; / read them from an editor
iRl point of view, which is OF course disas-
trous to any comfort or satiafaction."
"Americnn poetrvY" .
"Americn has produced very many good
poets. For myself, l have always been fond
OF Longfollow. | think he was tho best
| poet America has producsd."
"What of poetry ns II paying commodity
lis thera amy demand for itY"
Very poor. l don't think the present
generation cares very much for poetry.
There are 20 many people who Gnu wt, ave
poetry. that there In no demand for verse
unless the writer strikes II new note. Take
it allin all, writing for the public Ia not