New-York tribune., 1896-11-15
ENGLISH NOVELS.
DRAMATIC OPENINGS FOR FICTIoN-wRIT-
ERS-MR. GAINES NEW-ENGLAND
ADVENTURES.

The laurels Of novellsts who have unconscious
~ furnished in their stories the plots for success
full plays do not suffer fellow craftsmen to sleep
Since the dramatization Of "Trilby' and The
Prisoner of Zenda." with their highly remuner-
ative runs in England and America, the supreme
literary ambition Of the competing novelist has
been the production Of stories sufficiently dra-
matte i'm situation to be adapted to the stage.
Theatrical managers in their turn have been I'M
pressed by the commercial value Of plays based
upon popular works of fiction. They are not only
eager to receive in advance the publication out
lines of forthcoming stories by successful writer's
with a view to the possibilities Of stage presenta-
tion but they are also employing their leisure In
rereading recent novels in the hope or utilizing
plots which may have drawing power. More
over, when a play like THE Sign OF the Cross
becomes q source Of wealth to its author ne Is
encouraged to believe that 1t can be reworked
into popular novel and sold by the thousand
at the box-ofice. Literature and the stage are
thus acting and reacting upon each other; ana
neither Mr. Du Maurier nor Mr.. Anthony Hope
Gill have lived in vain If. In consequence Of their
good fortune the novels Of the future are more
dramatic in spirit and the plays more literary
in form.
The success of Under the Red Robe at the
pectations Of the adapter, Mr.. Rose and the am
bilious managers. Mr. Cyril Maude and Mr. Fred
eric Harrison. Mr. Stanley Weyman's novel had
been more widely read in America than in Eng
land. and It had not produced anywhere per-
manent impression because his work had been
anticpated by tat Incompatible story OF the
times OF Louis KILL Les Trois Mousquetaires' ;
but there was magic in the name OF Richelieu,
and a plot in the ingenious web Of fiction for
romantic melodrama Playwright and actors
have done their work we'll and Mr.. Weyman Is
now on the high road to prosperity. Under the
Red Robe" promises to be as popular play as
",rhe Prisoner of Zenda." and already new edi-
tions of the book. which had ceased to have a
SALE are required: and the authors other stories
are profitng likewise from this revival OF inter-
est At least four other novels are to be drama
tized for presentation on the London stage pefore
the season ends.
The present adapter- chief is Mr.. Rose, and
he IS well equipped for his work OF combining
scenes and touching up the plot by his Keen
sense Of dramatic situation He Is also capable
OF inventing comica byplay when 1t Is neces-
sary to relieve the sombre effect Of the story.
The ambitious novelist will hardly be content
to retain the services OF the most ingenious
adapter Two bites of ,he cherry Will be one
TOO many for successful story-writer who
aspires to be his own playwright Yet there
are few novelists who can be trusted with the
matization of their own fiction. they cam
not get far enough away from their own work
to obtain a clear sense OF perspective They
are too familiar with 1t In detail and are unable
TO take liberties with either the plot or the
text The plays which they are apt to write are
clogged with dialogue. in futile explanation OK
fia
tlon.
II a novelist aspires to write his own play, ne
cannot do better than to adopt the expedient
which has been employed by Mr.. Gilbert Parker.
Before THE Seats of the Mighty" was written
chapter by chapter as a novel the play. whicn
is soon to be produced in America and Eng
land was clearly outlined act by act and
scene by Starting with this original
dramatic scheme which differs materially from
the plot OF the story, the author has not been
embarrassed by the difficulties with which nov
elists are ordinarily beset when they attempt
to dramatic their own works.
Times have changed since the gloomy tradi-
tions Of Grub Street. when men or letters were
hopeless hacks working for living, at the
mercy OF "heartess publishers" The success
ful novelist is now his own master, with or
without the aid Of the literary agent. lie hits
upon n title for a new story and sells the book
and serial rights for England and America
without writing line or even explaining his
plot verbally to his publisher. In the course OF
time the book will be completed. and during the
interval the publisher Is his banker. making
financial advances to him whenever these are
desired To this position of independence may
soon be added. unless all signs fail. the dis
tinction OF dramatic authorship, with royalties
accruing from successful adaptations OF popu-
lar novels The play will be sold In advance TO
the highest bidder among the theatrical man.
ayers just as the book and serial rights are dis
posed OF In the publishers market; and with
two bankers instead OF one. to draw upon. the
author will complete his dramatic and literary
contracts. Old-time Grub Street, In the widest
flight OF imagination. could not nave forecast
the possibilities of literary independence In
these later days.
Inasmuch as authors attach great Importance
to the names of their leading characters ana
are never satisfied until they have found the
right titles. / am tempted to tell how Mr. han
Caine succeeded In fitting out his hero ana
heroine in The Christian his new story aoou'
to be published in serial FORM When ne Wis
tied America a year ago On his Canauian copy
right mission the plot OF the story was IN MS
mind, but he had not named the two primer
pal characters nor written a single chapter'
While he was at the country home OF nus
American publisher. Mr. w. w. Appleton. in
Massachusetts, he called at President Cleve-
lands cottage. Outside the gates Of Gray Ga
bes there was one OF those pathetic little
churchyards by the roadside which are COM
mon in New England. and he went into 1t for
the express purpose of looking for name Tor
the hero OF his new book On one or the neao
stones was the name storm" which he re-
membered having once seen in churchyard
on the top Of the cliffs In Whtby Yorkshire
Instantly John Storm was adopted a. char,
drama
Not long afterward Mr.. Caine went to Can,
ada, passing through Ottawa and Toronto ana
pausing at Hamilton to attend pubic recep-
ton to which he had been invited by the
Mayor of the city. AS he was leaving the hotei
to go to this reception brusque. stalwart
,.ad ilaa