The morning call., 1893-06-25
JULES VERNE.


: u REA L NOVELS
/ have always at least ten novels in my
head in advance. subjects and plots
thought out, so that, you see, if l am
spared, shall have no difficulty in COM
pleting the eighty novels which spoke of
But it is over my proofs that [ spend most
time. | am never satisfied with less than
seven or eight proofs and correct and cor
rect again, until ii may be safely said the
last proof bears hardly any traces of the
original manuscript This means a great
sacrifice OF pocket as well as of time, but
have always tried my best for form and
style though people have never done me
justice in this respect"
We sat together in the room of the
Societe Industrielle. On one side of Mr.
Verne was a pile of proofs, ''the sixth
set, he said, and on the other a long
manuscript, which | had looked at with
interest, but which," said the novelist
with his genial smile. "is merely a report
which | am addressing to the Municipal
Council of Amiens, of which | am men,
Der. L lake great interest in the affairs Of
the town"
| had asked Mr.. Verne to tell me OF his
life and work and he said that he would
tell me of things that had never been told
before. My hrst question was about his
youth and home and this is what he said:
Il was born in Nantes on the Sth of
February, 1928, so that am to-day in my
sixty-six1h year, and it should be rather
on my impressions of old age than on my
souvenirs of child that l should be
asked to speak. We were most tappy
family. Our father. who was an admira-
bic man. was Partisan by birth, or rather
by education, for he was born in Brie but
was educated in Paris, where he passed his
university career and took his degree as a
harrister. My mother was Bas- Bretonne
from MorlalX. so that | am a mixture Of
Breton and Partisan blood"
These particulars are interesting from
psych illogical point OF view and assist one
to understand the character of Jules
Varne, who unites with the gayety and
saVoir-vivre and joy Of life Of the b0ule-
vardier-ClaTetie wrote abOut him, she is
a bouleyarder to the tips of his fingers
the love of solitude. the righteousness and
alteration of the sea OF the Breton.
Il had very happy youth. My father
was solicitor aud barrister at Nantes
and in a good position OF fortune. He was
man of great culture, and of great liter
airy taste. He wrote songs al a time when
songs were still written in France, that is
to say, between 1920 and 1910. But he was
a man of no ambition, and though ne
might have distinguished himself in let
terS mad he chosen 10 put himself forward
he avoided all publicity. Ills songs were
sung in the family; very fe " Of them ever
got into print. l may remark that none
of US have ever been ambitious. We have
tried to enjoy our lives and tn do our work
quietly NV father died in 1871, aged 49,
You see he might have said I was 2 syears
old when this century was born in dis
tiuction from Victor Hug0's famous re-
mark about the date of his birth.
My mother died in 1885 leaving thirty
two grandchildren, and, if one counts the
cousins and c0usins-german, ninety-seven
- IA
Is 10 say. death has not removed any one
of the i've children. There were two boys
and three girls, and they are al! alive TO-
day. Men and women are of solid build
in Brittany. My brother Paul was and is
my dearest friend. Yes, | may say that lie
is not only my brother. but my most init
mate friend. Ana our friendship dates
from the first day that ! can remem Der.
hat excursions we used TO take together
in leaky boats on the Loire. At the age of
10 there was not nook or corner on the
Loire right down to the sea that we had
not explored. What dreadful boats they
were and what risks we no doubt ran.
Sometimes l was captain, sometimes it
was Paul. But Paul was the better Of the
two. You know that afterward he en-
tered the navy. and might have become a
very distinguished officer had he not been
Nerne-that is to say, had he had any
ambition.
Il began to write at the age of II. It
was all poetry then. aud dreadful .oetry
too. Still l remember that an address
which | composed for my fathers birth
day, what we call a compliment in
France, was thought very good and / was
so compimented that felt quite proud. l
remember that even at that time l used TO
spend long time over my writings, copy
ing and correcting and never really salts
fed with what | had done
Il suppose that one may see in my love
for adventure and the water what
was to be the bent of my mind in later
years. Certainly the method of work
which I had then has clung to me all
through my life. | don't think l have
ever done piece Of slovenly work.
mo, l cannot say that was particularly
taken with science. Indeed l never have
been; that is to say. have never prac-
tically studied or experiment ted in science.
But while l was quite lad | used to
adore watching machines at work. My
father had country house at Chantsnay,
at the mouth of the Loire. and near there
is the Government machine factory of
Indret. l never went to Chantenay with