New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-26
MR.. HOWELLS.
HIS CARER. HIS PRESENT WORK. AND iil'
LITERARY OPINIONS.
c,r,r,on,, 1892, BY The Tribune A"oc'ano"'


have recently had two interviews with MI
W. d. IIowells. and have obtained rom I'm
things which will interest his friends ana aonne.S
~ ron &c ,bose who are curious about literary
matters. r,
Mr. Uowpls found his university IN EUROPE
The influence Of Europe came to him at the 1orina-
tive stage of life. lie came back before nc Voc
denntionalized. and has visited Europe Only o"0o
since. In this he differs essentially from u'"y
OF our literary people who make Europe inc"
| home and use this country only as niai "e' W.
their wares The best outline OF nlr' Ho"ch'
early life will be found In his book ent'lcu
| BOYS Town" The bit OF chance or eoo"
| fortune which turned Mr.. lfowels INTO the P''',
way of European leisure and study came '''rous"
the friendship OF Messrs Nicolay ana nay, WIN
we're the private secretaries to ffesloeh. hin0o"'
when Mr. Howcls was first stirred WIN d" an''
biton 20 20 to Europe. The latter app'ieu ior O,e
C.,,,., - xfup,ch lie was then we'll
,r,or,noa country youth. His father was the
editor OF a country newspaper IN Ohio. MT HOW
ellis learned the trade of printer in his fathef
| office Some Of hts first articles were set az inc
cose HIS father gave him good common school
| education The young man had great love lor
| hooks and tendency in the direction OF the
| stud,, NJ lanpuooes lie first acquired goOd
| knowledge of Latin, and then learned the run
| ments of Greek From these he went TO french
| end German and picked up Sood readn3 hho"r
| edge Of Spanish. II was his knowledge Oh "er-
| man which turned his mind in the direction OF INV
| Consulate AT Munich. If he had succeeded III
attaining that onnointment the German life would
undoubtedly have had a great influence upon h'
| career lie certainly would have made a dihereh'
| writer II he had been finished OF III the German
school instead Of the italian, where the fortune OF
! politics sent hin.
| When he arrived in Washington TO push his
| opplication for Munich he had the sympathetlc
support OF the two secretaries Of Lincoln. l"'y
knew Of him and his newspaper work lhey were
| anxious to help him. The President, however,
gave tie Munich appointment 70 some one ere' ana
told his secretaries that their friend Mr.. lIowels
| conld have the Consulate At Rome. This was
carly in the history of the War Of the Rebellion.
| In looking up this consulate, Mr.. llowells fouhd
that IT'S fees were only $500 year. lie was then
unmarried. with very modest ideas and great
| ambition TO 60 to Europe to study, but he did
| not think he could live on that amount of money,
| 50 he appcard again TO his friends in the White
House They secured for him the Consulate at
Venice which was then worth $3.50 year, ana
MS Southern privatcrrs were at that time becoming
objects Of interest in foreign ports MessrN Nc
olay and Hay able 10 Obtain the increase
of tie pay Of this post to $500 ye1r IBIS
macriil, eni SIM more than satisfied Mr.. l"Wei.s
He accepted she pos; with JOY. and tie following
year his wife mct rim in Paris. where they were
married lie remained at this post for four years.
and during that time acquired an accu-
rate knowledge OF the Italian Ian qua %. His book
| Venetian DAYS" written as the result OF his
lifc In Venice is to-day the guldc-book Of every
American tourist who vsits this city, AMI has
~ i,,-h Mr.
ellis.
Mr.. towels is In the neighborhool Of City
yc,rs # age. H. talking with him you give him
,hc benefit Of hcIag 81 the right side Of iity, no
! matter what his biography may sly. lie is OF
medium height and j. quite stout, round, and
con.en'ed looking. His face i round Nearly
all the lines u HE ng1rc IRE curved. His hands
are fa' ana ii:nolcd Ills round face Las the look
OF refinement experience Of the world. the good
| ra,ured Indifference md the cynically happy dis
belief Of diplomat Of experience and high posi-
lion HIS eyes are dark gray. and deeply sci.
| His forehead Is broad and high, covered nearly
TO his eyebrows with lron-gray hair, comocd down
In what might be called bang, il there wcr' not
a -cmblancc of a parting 10 destroy the character
~ such a definition An ron-gray mus'ache
.ha .cs his irm-lined mouth. The nose is straight
| ard not larsc His chin Is smooth slavcn and
forccful III voice Is very agreeable. There
certain notes OF contcntlncnt in the tones of his
| voice which aranc that Mr.. Ilowels Is satisfied
| with his career and with the sncceSs he has made
| IN life.
Whrn at his new post joint editor 81 The
! Cosmopolitan Magazine" he occupies a small den
In the Mndi'on SIuarc Pank Building where there
| Ia room Tor n huge dc.k. a stuffed leather chair
| fer Mr. fnwc!S. and for three or fcul chairs FOR
| the literary a-piran;s who come In trembling to
| Submit 10 his Judgment the samples of spring
| poetry essays and stories which come in endless
procession to every recognized publication.
Sketches OF proposed illustrations standing care
| csqly about relieve the plainncsS Of the Office.
which il riqid.v business looking. much like the
| corner Of the average managing editor " "A daily
newspaper
My interview with Mr.. lTowclls was not con-
| nnrd Ia one visit The questions were asked dur
| ing two visits. There many left - be asked.
but It would have been unreasonable % push his
courtesy too far. lie much more frank than
| IA politician. He refused 20 answer no questions
| put 20 him These questions covered number
| Of widely varying topics. He first asked what
| led him 10 adopt literature as profession lie
| said lie could not answer such question as that
and gave a specific reason. lie could not rrmcm-
| Der time when he was not In literature He
| could not recall the day when he began 10 read
SO far back as his memory goes, he has always
| known how to reaG. Ills father was man of
| books, and in the printing Office OF the elder
| li0we'ls his literary tastes were stimulated lie
said that his first writing was an essay upon the
subject Of life. This was not written, but was
composed at the case. He does not know what
has lecOme OF this contribution 70 American
| literature. His next step in the direction of
| literary study was when he discovered the laws
of prosody. That opened up TO him the possibility
of writing poetry, and lot of precious rubbish
he said il was that he composed at that time
| In speaking of his career In literary develop
ment, Mr.. Howclls dwelt upon Europe as his
university. lie thought nothing chat could have