New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-03

borders he successfully resided. he cultivated that
taste and tolerance. and that width Of view and
sympathy-ihe only true "cosmopotanism In art
which are such importan, factors in hs success OF
to-day.
lie was destined for political life. for which. how
ever he betrays a certain contempt Throughout his
works. He refused. ne has told me. 10 practise AZ
the bar after taking his degree he could never
make up his mind 10 call white black and prove %
TO the satisfaction OF judge and lury-for that, omit
ting IDEALS is after all the barriscr's career. iie
was advancing rapidly on MS own way mt which
period his cacoeihes scrihendl already Induced him
10 contribute the literature OF the law when the
continued ill-hcalth his Young wife rendered Il
necessary that the lite household should seek some
more genial winter climate than Holland could
offer. The Riviera selected. and from the
consequent periods OF enforced id,cncss Martens
sought relief In the pen and sollce by the practice
OF II. But he not "Maartcn Martens then
The fine young fellow ~ engaging appearance a
young officer. you would think. dplomaiist. or
anything but literary artist OF the popular lmagn-
ing-was still known exclusively by his own name.
and this day there many - his ac1uainianccs
who harbor no suspicion that In their friend or
relative s 10 be found. II they only knew the mys-
torious Identity Of the famous Ang!o~)uichman
whose pseudonym is familiar sound through
out the best part OF two continents.
But had he not been born TO luxury ana case It
Il doubtful whether Maarten Martens wouid ever
have existed az n literary personality for the pre-
lininary experience OF his debut was that orthodox
rejection which seems to be- the appointed te"i or
genius Try as he would he could not get a hearing.
Nevertheless. the story forced into print. and
THE Sin Of Joost Avelingh" met with an immediate
and striking success. Since that moment All mas
been plain sailing.
With the exception OF An old Maids Love
which was written "at home" In his chateau dur
ing thu summer time in Holland. the books have
In all been wrought when with his wife ana ms
little daughter. the author has been sojcurnng III
Nice or In Cannes. In Latour. Wiesbaden, OF In the
Alps: and In the lady whose command OF our IAN
guaee is almost as remarkable az his own, he mas
found a critic gentle and wise. He has usually
written his stories In "A rush. after having '"ne'
them well in his mind and elaborated win
the greatest their wcll-desgned constructions
and he has thus been enabled TO alternate half
a years work with half years rest. II may b"
OF interest 10 add that he never works late INTO
the night, but proceeds entirely rational
creature. calling up his happy thoughts AZ w
requires them. and never. az most novclsts 40
Charles Reade chief among their number. max
ing notes OF spontaneous wittcisms and we'll
turned phrases when elsewhere than at their desk.
Most important OF all. he had the courage ana the
crowning end grace TO address In "A Language
he knows perfectly vastly greater audience
than ne could hope TO reach through the mfhium
OF his native tongue just az Reinont van ReXeiaer'
I'm THE Greater Glory" chose that OF France az
the wider channel Of his literary expression.
Nor was the greater audience the only induce
ment In "A Question OF TASTE" he tells us thar
there Is mo country In the world In which literature
liz so hopeiessly in disgrace and disgust as In hoi-
land. II is not very highly honored anywhere per
haps but nowhere else does II expose its enthusiasts
to such depths OF poverty and insult The social po
sitlon must be beyond all reproach Of the daring
individual who would venture to stretch out his
fingers and touch its pchy shrine" SO Maarten
Martens" evolved. and English literature
gained a great RECRUIT through Hollands literary
apathy Within a short time OF it's publication
'Joost Avcngh" was translated into various Tor
eign languages including Dutch. OF course. ana inc
other stories in due course. They have an extremely
wide. II not exactly dense. circle OF readers ana
the vigorous. strongly painted scenes of modern
Dutch lfe with all their humor and all their pathos.
are familiar and women far beyond the
usual lounging- ground of the British novel-reader;
II IL not In the nature OF things that the secret OF
well Kept His success has made that almost inn
possible; and the fact that with NJ lola he has
Of fe LONDON sd1tu and With the late Robert louis
son of the Authors club of New-York tcomplments
he greatly Appreciated has done good deai "
IN the ysil o. anonymity The chief result IS q n:
ppwakened to his existence and is decourng his
ovels not 80 much out OF pride In the cmmsn!
Of finding themselves or their friends put in, or
most most impersonal worker. '
my books suggests to me any other name than the
statement. however publicly repeated, matters not
one lot TO Dutch society. II IL sufficient for them
that the name OF a character begins with letter
OF the alphabet (which surely Is hardly avoidabe)
for all the people whose initial letter corresponds TO
eycIaim He means mel" 1t In nothing to them
that the author has given his word to the contrary;
thsv believe that II is the nature OF "A romancist
to romance. They read him to find out the unhnda-
hle and they hearken TO him only TO dsbelieve.
perhaps II is the characteristic OF small commu-
nity ''The smaller our world" says Martens
somewhere 1.-THE larger are Its ears"
He loves his own country, too for all that he raj