New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-08

NAARTEN MARTENS.
n distinguished air lie lives mainly IN the
South Of Europe. but his summer home Is the
Chateau de Zuylestein. near LeersuIn' HoHand.
lie leads there the ordinary life or a country
gentleman among Heighbors whom he laugh
inglv describes as convinced of his utter inca
pacity as shown in all discussions of rates ana
roads al vestry meetings
"A practically useless. but harmless. and not
unbenevolcnt, individual he will add, with
bright smile whom fortune has spared the
humiliation of futile attempts at earning
livelihood
He has passion for rural scenery. and even
solitude Not long ago he passed winter high
in the Alps in a large log hut among endless
wastes of snow under a deep blue sky-"a very
paradise in splendors of scenery. beauty or
climate and limitation of population" But or
dinary he is content with the tranquil rural
scenes Of Holland with his library and his
garden as his chief pleasures. and with an oc-
ca.ional break in his quiet life when he visits
either London or Paris.
Mr. Martens Is known in London by his lit
erary name. since the human memory Is treach-
erous instrument and nobody Is so Venturesome
al to attempt to introduce him by his real name.
That name Is J. NJ. " van der Poorten- Schwartz,
and he wisely suppressed 1t when he made his
first appeal to the English reading public as
novelist He was porn in Holland about thirty
seven years ago, and was the son OF a Clergyman
Dutch words were the first which passed his
lips In his childhood and that language has re-
NAMED his mother tongue in common use while
he Is at home But his works are written In
English and then translated by Others into his
native language. well as into German. lie
could have written them with equal facility in
Dutch English or German, because he learned
the three languages when he was at school. and,
indeed, French also From an early age he was
accustomed to think or speak In whatever lam
guage turned uppermost; but he has preferred
English as the most suitable one for addressing
the largest number OF readers. and speaks 1t
without the faintest suggestion o. foreign accent.
disclosing In his OF words and in pronuncia-
ton refinement of purity
AS he describes his youth. there was MOI much
boyhOod and perhaps too much philosophy ana
theology. He sent at an early age to a
school in England. and subsequently TO highe:
schools in Germany. Parents and tutors were
all that could be desired There was plenty OF
daily bread and jam and OF schooling and read
ing; but more engross.ng than real life was the
life Of the imagination. From his earliest youth
he entertained himself with a mimic stage with
elaborate self-invented plays: yet he had not
a
Of occasional poetry. after the age of ten. His
education was completed at the University Of
Utrecht where he took honors and studied law.
For A brief period he delivered law lectures at
the university, and he was admitted to practice
as barrlster For political career he seemed
TO be destined, although only briefiess lawyer;
but the muses. proposed diversion. and he ulti-
matey devoted his talents to literature.
This was partly from his natural bent but
mainly from the force Of circumstances. After
his marriage ne was compelled TO pass large
part OF every year in Southern Europe on account
Of his wife's health. the Northern climate being
too rigorous for her powers of endurance. While
ne was in the Riviera. or at other winter re-
sorts. he lacked occupation. and being a man Of
force Of character and irrepressibe energy he
began to write novels. because he could not
main idle He had written poetry. essays and
book reviews in a desultory way at home: but his
first serious and important work done in
Paris, where mis- novel THE Sin OF Joost Ave
lingh," was begun and finished in 1889 during one
OF these enforced vacations
His second story was written in Holland;
but his third. and best-known book, Gods
FOOL" was begun and completed at Wesbader
In like manner his fourth novel, THE Greater
Glory" was written while he was living In the
Alps Wherever he might be his thoughts in
bly, reverted to his dearly loved coun-
try when he planned a new story. Life in Hol-
land was the life which he knew best, and he re-
mained always upon his own familiar ground SO
that his work had always the racy. trenchant
qualities of the home soil He has travelled
widely in Europe, and he has written his Dutch
stories in English; but he has never gone far
afleld for characters. incidents plots. His at
tachment 10 MS own country has been strong
enough to keep him among the peasants lawyers
and merchants Of Holland when he was working
out the psychological problems and moral pur-
poses Of his imaginative tales.
Mr.. Maartens's fist novel was offered 10 Eng
lish publishers as the work Of an unknown writer,
and It declined with thanks by one house
after another II did not. perhaps make the
rounds Of the trade; but II was rejected so often
that the author despaired OF finding publisher
who would undertake the risk OF printing even
a small edition. The authors faith in his work
was happily so strong that he decided to issue II
at his own expense Under these adverse CON
ditions The Sin of Joost Avellngh" first saw the
light, and II was received with many signs OF
public favor in England, and pirated editions OF
it were sold abroad. SO marked was It's success
that when II was followed by a second venture.
IAN Old Maids story" there was sharp compe-
tition among the publishers for It, Mr. Bentley
securing 1t.
GODS F1ol was published serally in Temple
Bar and large editions have been sold in both
England and America. The Greater Glory" and
MY Lady Nobody" have been published serIallv
on each side Of the Atlantic All these books
have been translated into Dutch and German In
the short period OF SIX years this unknown
author. writing home'y stories Of Dutch life in
and h.Q tppip