Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-26

How He Abandoned Architecture For Story
writing-The Greenwood Incident Shows
That There L. Sometimes Something In
Name.
Much has been said and written about
Thomas Hardy's work, but very little
indeed is generally known of the man
himself. An obvious reason is the nov
elist's dislike of personalities, his shrink
ing from public curiosity, and the SIM
pie, serene-almost mediRval-toneo Of
nature that dominates him.
As young man he proposed to fol-
low architecture as q profession and
studied with diligence. He went into
the office Of the well known architect,
Sir Arthur Bloomfield, A. r. A., in
London. While equipping himself for
his future career, he used his spare mo-
ments in writing a novel that he called
Desperate Remedies. - This book, aft
er several refusals, at last found q pub
Usher, but it did Hardy no more good
than harm. Meantime, following his
architectural work, he carried out his
drst commission-natural q modest
one. as young architects are not usually
Entrusted with cathedrals. Although his
maiden effort in letters had met with
comparative failure, his zeal was un-
abated, for he Immediately wrote Gun
der the Greenwood Tree"
At the time this book appeared Fred
erick Greenwood, now the distinguish
ed student of European policies, edited
The Cornhill Magazine. 1t is habit
with Mr.. Greenwood occasionally to
"prowl" about old bOokstalls Looking
over basketful Of cheap books all
thrown together, he CHANGED to light
upon Under tho Greenwood Tree. I"
For the sake Of its name he picked it
up, paying few pence for it. The able
editor saw at glance chat there was
genius in that neglected and discarded
work, and, finding out Hardy, then in
his thirty-first year, he commissioned
him to write o novel for The Cornhill.
1t was then that Hardy, forced by cir
cumstances as we'll as impelled by his
love for letters, abandoned architecture,
and, throwing himself into his work
with perfect singleness of purpose, wrote
Far From the Madding Crowd" a
book that now stands with a few others
among the lasting literature achieve
ments of this century.
Though he is neither listless nor Ian
guild, Hardy's appearance is that of q
man who has lately recovered from an
illness. His cheeks are slightly sunken
and his skin is sallow, speaking Of sed-
entary labors. the midnight lamp and
of constitution that could not support
the sustained strain of an arduous task.
Yet his eyes tell another tale and pos
sess that phosphorescent light that indi-
Gates energy. The solution of these con-
Trajectory marks must be that he is
mentally as robust as he is physically
delicate, or it may be that the strong
mind has sometimes to struggle against
the dropping of the body.
Hardy is neither tall nor commanding
in stature. His manner is free from
nervousness, showiness or excessive
movement; indeed, a tranquil, thought
ful spirit is characteristic of him, and
there is nothing in his presence that is
strong enough to intimate the quality
OF his mind. The most that can be said
is that his face is exceedingly keen and
clever. His bronzed hair, now tinped
with gray and brushed back, is becom-
ing thin. His slender mustache adds
point to his finely modelled features. AL
though spare in type, his shoulders are
broad and give him the appearance of
being larger than he is when he is seen
sitting down.
As Is the case with many English
writers, Hardy lives in the country and
goes to London once every year for a
few weeks to brush away the cobwebs
by contact with men who keep the rust
from their steel and the tarnish from
their silver. Hardy's quiet home is not
far away from the pretty little town of
Dorchester. in Dcrsetshire, his native
county.
This home is entirely the work of his
own hands. Every room, window and
hall; every alcove. cupboard and door
way is designed to suit his own and his
wife's fancy. The house stands on a
small piece Of land and is surrounded
by few acres of garden and lawn. The
manner in which the land came into
his possession is interesting.
The particular piece of ground he
wanted was part Of large tract belong
ing to land company of which the
Prince Of Wales was president. Though
the prince did not know Hardy person
ally, he greatly admired his work. On
one occasion the directors Of the land
company met, the prince presiding, and
when the report was read Mr.. Hardy's
application for a few acres of the COM
pany's land was alluded to, but merely
incidentally. with the remark that it
would, OF course, have to be declined.
The prince said: what Hardy is Il?
Not the author!" Eyes; Thomas Har-
dy," was the reply. "Then why not
let him have the few acres?" said the
prince. HE would not have asked had
ne not set his heart ON the spot. Yes;
let Kim have them. Cor. Boston
Transcript.