The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-09
METHODS OF FRENCH WRITER'S.

Amusing Stories of Noted Men In the
Throes Of Literary Creation.
From the PhiIddelDhia Daily EVENING Tsts-
graph.
PARIS. Feb. 1--we have recently been
treated to some amusing information con-
corning the way in which the great French
authors do, or have done, their work. Vio-
tor Hugo. for instance, always wrote stand
ing at high desk, especially constructed
for him, throwing of sheet after sheet as
fast as he filled il, till be would be quite
showed up in leaves OF foolscap. He often
rose in the middle of the night TO
note down an idea Of verse. He got
up for the day usually at O'Clock, and
would devote from six 70 eight hours per
diem to bis work. He made but few cor
rections, his poems being thought out COM
plete in mis- brain before be put pen to paper.
1t is a well-known fact that he INDUCED in
the arduous task Of composition while ira
versing the streets Of Paris on the top of an
omnibus When working out some great
conception he would spend hours in this
way.
The elder Dumas used to begin work by
taking eff his coat. He would then roll his
shirt sleeves up to the elbows and would
seat himself at mis- writing table, covering
with dizzy velocity sheet after sheet of blue
Office paper with the delicate caligraphy,
legible as copperplate and fine as thas of a
fashionable lady. which bad proved his first
bread winner In his early days. His son
also uses blue glazed paper of the largest
size, and always writes with quill pen,
several dozens OF which are prepared aud
placed In neat bundles on the
desk In his library. He likes, he says, 10
hear the quill pen scream" on the paper.
hli comedies are executed in the silence and
seclusion OF the country. Alphonse Daudet
spends whole days at his desk, trying in the
ardor Of IMPOSITION, to distract his
thoughts from the fortunes inflicted upon
him by the chronic rheumatism that has
afflicted him for long years past He is so
very near-sighted that he writes with his
head bent down close to the paper, almost
touching it with his nose
Emile Zola's habits are extremely regular.
He takes walk every morning, usually
leaving his house, whether at Medan or at
Paris, about 9 o'clock. He lunches at mid
day, and writes from l O'Clock till 6, re-
ceiving no visitors and transacting no bus
iness in the afternoon. He has par ticular
liking for large aud massive pieces of
furniture, SO his writing table and his library
chairs are of colossal proportions, as is also
his inkstand, which is in bronze ard repre-
sents lion.
De Musset always wrote at night In
room brilliantly lighted up with lamps and
candles. Sardou receives callers before
luncheon, and is invisible from l o'clock to
dinner time, being absorbed in writing. He
writes a very minute hand, corrects,
changes and alters his work continually,
and is far from being satisfied with what be
has doae even when it finally leaves his
hand. He is an incompatible stage director
for his own plays, and often makes on the
margin of his manuscripts rough sketches
OF the scenery and of the attitudes of the
personages that he considers necessary for
certain important situations.
George Sand always wrote at night, aud
when the fever of composition was upon
her she was wont to work all night There
is story told of her finishing a novel at
o'clock in the morning, and Immediately
taking up fresh quire Of paper and writ
Ing the first chapter of a new one before
she retired to rest. Like Victor Hugo,
Francois Coppee has need of motion when
composing his poetry, and works ont his
ideas while taking long walks through
the streets of Paris. Guy de Maupas-
SAINT planned out his novels and stories
while on his yacht, and once returned to
land, he put his matured ideas upon paper
with great rapldity. Henri Rochefort is an
excitable writer. He begins his work al
ways In very correct costume. Then, as
he proceeds, he will first tear off his coat,
next bis waistcoat and then the collar and
cravat. It is fortunate if he does not ruin
his shirt front by pulling it open, regard
less or buttonholes and studs.