The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-02

ne replied: We'll, not exactly, though
concert OF Madam PATHS In Aipert nan
minds me he added quickly. "of a note
thai I had from lady In Boston tne
other day. She said that the doc,oIs
OF Boston had been discussing tne poln ION,
whether Trilby' really eould hd deecr9bed
taught to sing by hypnotism as de CT, a.
in the story. and they agreed that ~
was possble. OF course. she had peen
nnder the hypnotic influence Tor "a v 9a,
the stage. and. besides, the chords or tt inc
throat had been trained. IL would nave
been quite different IL she had >, Deem
hypnotiZed just for the occasion.
of a man in New York who had never
learned to play the piano. but on one
occasion had played 1t in public. whl .';
under hypnotic influence, with the SKI,
thing" he cried. But the case OF the
pianist seemed to me even more remark
able than "Trilby's case for 1t was
unprecedented.
hypnotism' in general and Mr.. Du Maui
rier remarked that he had not given the
subject very much study though he was
interested In II.
"A rather prominent physician told me
the other day" he said, that IL was OF
very little practical use and he thought
that In the treatment Of disease II dld
more harm than good; II gave the pa,
tent a worse disease than he had had
before. weakened his will among other
things. But psychical subjects are very
fascinating. and in my next book ! want
to treat something OF the kind blending
II with perfectly human characters, you
know, with every day life for back
ground But ! mustn't say anything more
about that" he added with smile.
There are not many men who are able
TO carry on two occupations at once and
! had often wondered how busy artist
like Du Maurier had found time to write
pOVQig himself
explanation. II often hear authors COM
plain OF the labor OF writing. ne SAID
but I've found it great pleasure: Per
haps that 1t because I'm only an amateur
writer. ] presume that If | had begun
as novelist / should find my drawing
which is extremely difficult, to me,
recreation. The two stories / have writ
ten quite absorbed me. ! fairly lived with
them except when at work on my pic
lures. When | went out to walk on the
heath my characters came with me.
'Trilby' fairly wrote itself i'm six weeks"
six weeks" | repeated in astonish-
ment.
yes. really six weeks, though there
were three months between the day
began It. and the day | wrote the last
line. Four days in the week | devoted
to drawing; the rest Of the time l was
free to write"
Here MIR. Du Maurier quoted the IA
miliar saying about easy writing and
added that he doubted If it always were
hard reading. Indeed, his own work
proves that II is not, for more readable
style than his could hardly be imagined
French authors to whom Mr. Du Maurier
is kin. Just how much his style owes
it's Elasticity to his French origin and
training il would be interesting 10 know
Both Of his books show how much he
still loves Paris, where he spent most Of
his first twenty years.
But, it's the old Paris ] love" he said,
when | spoke of this THE Paris of to-
N
IS very dear 10 me; | spent many happy
6,ys there. The attn quarter that /
describe in 'Trlby' was the quarter that
] knew between the ages of twenty-five
and twenty-three and the life there that
I've described was the life | saw then.
Three years before, ] had ended my
studies at the Sorbonre and then had
teft for England. and remained in
England till | returned to Paris. But
when | go back now it all seems SO differ
emit Paris is not nearly so beautiful or
interesting as II was then. / remember
what a shock ] had when / first saw the
Champs Elysees after they cut down the
trees there. or course. the Place de la
ConCorde is still fine, but not so fine as
ii used TO be in the old days. The only
things in Paris that reminds me of old
times now are the Madeleine and a few
other public buildings and monuments.
AS for the Latin quarter, that has be-
come very respectable. fancy it's the
only part Of Paris that is respectable"
Mr.. Du Maurier has so many friends
in America that | asked him If he had
not been urged TO cross the Atlantic for
a visit. "Oh yes" he said. they want
me to go over and lecture. But I'm
afraid the journey would be too fatiguing.
You see. have TO take pretty good care
of myself. I'm not over-vigorous and my
eyesight too. has been weakening dur
ing the past few years. | am now obliged
to make my drawings much larger than
used to do"
But in spite Of the difficulties he has
to contend with. Mr.. Du Maurier is still
full of enthusiasm, and before very long
will undoubtedly have another book rea-
dy. He has not as yet begun Il. but IL
is shaping itself in his mind and will
soon spring out as "Trilby" did The
public will not be satisfied until he has
written every one of those other stories
he has i'm his brain. JOHN y. BARRY.