The Portland daily press., 1892-07-09

to-day does not depend upon fiowery
phrases, upon overloaded sentences and
skillful clifnaxes. The thought with
him is of more Importance than such
rhetorical ornaments. With the orator,
as with the writer, the simpler his
methods the greater his effects.
During the other visit, Mr. Howells
opened the conversation by discoursing
upon the present tendency of literature
In the United States. He said, "When
the copyright law was passed we got out
our ascension robes and were prepared
for wonderful things. We expected too
much, however, and naturally there
have been some disappointments. 1t is,
however, a step in the right direction.
1t is of greater advantage to the foreign
author than to the American, for as
Mark Twain truly said, 'We used to
steal pounds from them where they stole
pennies from u.s."
Mr.. Howells thought that one of the
best developments in this country was
in the writing of short STORIES He
thought in this the American writers ex-
celled. The critics who are enchanted
with the work of Guy Maupassant and
who set him up as an example of perfec-
ton in description and as the ideal short
story writer, could find his equal among
the short story writers of this country
Mr.. Howells thought that the work of
Miss Wilkins in power of description, in
pathos, and in dramatic action was fully
the equal of the best work of the great
French writer. The short stories of Sa-
rah Orne Jewett could compare favorably
with the best work of the foreign writer's.
Mr.. Howells did not go into great de-
tail for the moment beyond the exam
pies cited above. He thought the most
encouraging thing was the general ex-
cellence developer throughout the
country. The abgty to write and to
write well, was becoming universal. It
was not such very long time ago when
the ability to write even ordinary prose
or poetry was considered wonderful
and exceptional gift. To be able to
compose even in an ordinary way, was
held to be a great accomplishment, and
OF the utmost credit to it's possessor.
The British classics were filed with
rubbish that would not have been pre-
served If it had not been composed dur
ing period when all writing was re-
garded as more or less wonderful. MANY
of the compositions of that period if
presented now, would not secure publ
cation, or attract attention if published.
Mr.. Howells thought that there was a
most encouraging growth in the direc-
ton of poetry in this country. He said,
I'VE receive very good poetry from
widely varying sources and the standard
of the contributions in this field is very
high
Mr.. Howells said that he regretted
very much to see that two features of
literary work were apparently going
out These are the essay and the travel
sketch. There was nothing more de-
lightful to him than a good trNvel
sketch, yet the tendency OF writers WIS
to ignore such subjects because they
say that everybody travels now-a-days.
and consequently the subjects of travel
are no longer new, and consequently
less attractive. He thought this wzs
mistake. The fresh eye and the point
of view were what constituted the in
terest in a travel sketch. People who
have travelled are always more interest
ed in reading about the places thew
have seen when described by some one
else than those who have never made
any voyages. Mr.. Howells said that he
noticed that in any great transition
nari0d in Er trIr how l..
"We are going now through transition
period. 1t is most interesting one.
There is great literary activity through
out the country. New writer's are con-
stantly coming to the 'front.' In this
change and activity, the loss, Mr. How
ellis thought lay in the direction of lit
erary nicely and in forms of expression.
"Perhaps," said he, "as we grow older
we become more fastidious. A friend
of mine said the other day that he found
as he advanced toward middle life that
there were not nearly SO many pretty
women in the world as when he was
young" He would not think of indoors
ing that opinion of his friend. but per-
haps, as he grew older in the study of
h1cIdouTcs Hc ptcdu6 100 particular.
He illustrated his point by telling a
little story of witty speaker at a re-
cent college reunion. The gifted speak
er who was called upon to explain why
there were fewer and fewer marriages
among the graduates, said: Gas we
grow older, we become more and more
fastidious," and then, with a pause,
'1ess desirable"
Mr.. Howells, in speaking of his own
methods of literary work, said: 81 have
long ago learned to distrust and utterly
to disbelieve in the idea of losing ones
self in one's work. Whenever have
given way to the so-called inspiration
Of the movement and have worked with
reckless enthusiasm, I have always
found the next day that my work was
rubbish and all lost. The writer must
not lose himself In his characters or in
his story. He mnst retain his self pos
session, his self-control, and be con-
stantly in the position of an outsider
studying carefully his effects. He must
be saying to himself, is this naturals
is this right in order to obtain the
proper gauge of the values of his pic