The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-13
A PICTURE OF IBSEN.
Living Like a Student in Bach
elor Quarters in Munich.
A VISIT TO THE NOVELIST.
Shabby Clothes, Unkempt Hair and Dis
ordered Whiskers-His Opinion OF
Zola-His Hard Struggle.

The latest news about Ibsen is that he
mas left Munich for short stay in some
norwegian summer resort; but il is uncer-
tam whether he will return or not. The
little Hat where he has spent most of his
TIME and the rooms where he penned
down "RosmerhoIm," 1.-THE Wild Duck"
The Lady of the Sea" and "Hedda Cab
Ter Will most likely shelter Munich
burgher family.
now well does the writer of these lines
remember his quarters in the Macmillan
stfasse' One afternoon visit in particular
recurs wildly 10 his memoryi
An Old woman, apparently his house
keeper, opens the door.
is Herr lhsen at homer" asked.
She nodded and led me. without an
nouncing my visit, TO his study, which
also served him as a bedroom, and was
most plainly furnished, without any signs
of luxury
His ear instantly caught the sound Of
the opening door and he turned Quickly.
with an expression Of impotence and sur
prise. |, however, advanced toward him.
Il hope | do not disturb youl"
Then he put on his spectacles. as he is
very short sighted. and grumbled:
''Oh, it is you" and very likely remem-
bering my introduction by Paul Hevse. n.
continued: Excuse my appearance. but
did not expect visitorsr'
But if disturb you"
you have disturbed me already. SO IL
does not matter!''
He wore grey trousers, large felt slim
pers, and an old, rather shabby looking
dressing gown. and his apparently un-
kempt grey hair, standing up straight. was
IN great disorder. So was his huge side
whiskers, which he has a great habit of
pulling ont sideways He has a comical
face, which would make some peopIe
laugh at the first glance, but in a short
time they would perceive what a line of
satire lies between his clean shayen Inns
anu what Indignation can illumine his
eyesl
On the table stood cup of coffee which
he now and then stirred absorbed in
thought.
Paul Heyse tells me your are studvine
to become an author? Probably belonging
to the young school?" he said. with a
slight sneer. 'Zola and the rest. Ell, Rut
say it is absurd that Zola's Partisan lar
gon should be the poetry of the futurel 1t
is mere slander!"
II believe that literary student. conld
profit by the study of lola as well as. for
instance, of Paul Heyser' | ventured TO
argue.
"Heyse" calculated Ibsen, at respect
for his talent. But he is a seminarist-
don't tell him, or, just as well, do tell
him."
What do you mean by seminarist? ?"
"Scandlnavians call seminarist a man
who has read but two books, a large and a
small one; and for the only purpose of
condensing the big one into the small one
and enlarging the small one into the big
ore! L say those romantiCists and ideal
lists. they own no morality except their
feeling of beautyn' he continued, bursting
out with vehemence and some disagreeable
remembrance that seemed to come sud
denly TO his mind
blow hate those conservatives here
he spat out IN such a clever way that any
American drummer would have enyied
him, those autocrats and bureaucratic
how L love the radicalsl The one march
onward like the Vikings, spear in hand.
and the others tOtter backward like pur-
pie rags, slouching about their rotten
heels! The world belongs to Spencers and
Matthew ArnOIds rather than to Schopen
hauers and Heyses."
He took few cigars. scrutinized them.
picked out what seemed the best. lit IL
and, without offering me one. began smok-
ing. Then he paced up and down the lit
tie dusty room, noiselessly as he was in
slippers, and with hands crossed on his
back, skilltuliy avoiding the table covered
with manuscripts and cuts of newspapers:
books and undergarments lay about. show
ing only too clearly that no loving female
hand was near.
He resumed, biting his pale, blue lips.
which seemed to be another peculiar habit
of his. II belong TO the new and 10 the
DID, The new school because build NV
theories on psychological basis, and To the
old because my principal aim is the moral
devotion of my readers"
There was long pause in the converse
ton. Then at last | advanced the idea
that at present, when every body is scrib-
bling, IL Is most difficult for young au-
thor 10 become prominent.
Everybody who has anything 70 saw
will ind an opportunity sooner or later. [
have waited almost forty years" His We
hemence had left him, and he talked with
dry. cool seriousness.
There were days when doubted
whether was meant for a poetl have
known poverty and hunger" he said very
slowly.
And he stopped pacing up and down and
stood staring at the door. He very likely
saw himself IS the ambitious apprentice
IN the drug store at Grimstad, who studied
at night, and later on as the poor student
at the Chrisrlania university.
That was the time when Biornson
wrote about You, when meeting you the
first time in the lecture room:
Pale as gypsum. sat in q corner Henry
Ibsen!" | continued the conversation.
- How 2'' ne as
repeated it.
Then a smile glided for one short second
over his face; it seemed TO please him that
| had studied his biography.
Then he remarked: "Bjornson has been
lucky fellow u he recognized so soon,
while | had TO live in exile, far from faith
eriand. wife and children"
"Are you married2'' | asked.
"Yes," he answered and so abruptly that
il indicated his aversion 10 talking OF fam
ilv affairs Nevertheless | ventured 10
ask:
is it true that you dislike the associa-
ton of Women?"
Who said so?' be queried, pulling his
whiskerS. The critics 20
'W hat DO they know" | will show you
al | have written about my wife and he
opened a bundle OF manuscripts and
fambed about the contents until ne
showed me an oi4 scrap of paper. L read
the following;
Her grieH were the obstacles
Laid n MY way;
Her joys were the spirits
That lifted me hight
He pushed his spectacles up on his fore
head and turned his head quickly from