The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-02

SHORT SKETCH OFASUCcESSFuL MAN
OF LITERATURE.

Writing-The Greenwood Incident Shows
That There Is Sometimes Something In
a 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 medi4val-tone of
nature that dominates him.
AS young man he proposed to fol-
low architecture as profession and
studied with diligence. He went into
tho office of the we'll known architect,
Sir Arthur Bloomfield, A. r. A., in
London. While equipping himself for
his future career, he used his spare mo-
ments i'll writing a novel that he called
Desperate Remedies. I" This book, aft
er several refusals, at last found pub
Usher, but it did Hardy no moro good
than harm. Meantime, following his
architectural work, he carried out his
first mmission-naturally modest
one, as young architects are not usually
intrusted with cathedrals. Although his
comparative failure, his zeal was un-
abated, for he Immediately wrote Gun
der the Greenwood Tree"
At the time his book appeared Fred
erick Greenwood, now the distinguish
ed student of European policies, edited
The Cornhill Magazine 1t is n 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"
For the sake Of its name he picked it
up. paying a few pence for it. The able
editor saw at glance that there was
genius in that neglected and discarded
work, and, finding out Hardy, then III
his thirty-tirst year, he commissioned
him to write n novel for The Cornhill.
1t was then that Hardy, forced by cir
cumstances as well 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"
book that now stands with few others
among tho lasting literature achieve.
ments of this century.
Though he is neither listloss nor Ian
guild, Hardy's appearance is that of
man who has lately recovered from an
illness. His checks are slightly sunken
and his skin is sallow, speaking of sed-
entary labors, the midnight lamp and
OF q constitution that could not suDport
the sustained strain of an arduous task
Yet his eyes tell another tale and pos
sess that phcsphorcscent light that indi-
Gates energy. The solution of these con-
Trajectory marks must DO that he is
mentally as robust as ho is physically
delicate, or it may be that the strong
mind has sometimes to struggle against
the dropping of tho body.
Hardy is neither tall nor commanding
i'll stature. His manner is free from
nervousness, showiness or excessive
movement; indeed, tranquil, thought
full 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 brOnacd hair, now tinged
with gray and brushed back, is becom-
ing thin. His slender mustache adds
point to his finely modelled features AL
though spare i'll type, his shoulders arc
broad and give him tho appearance of
being larger than he is whom he is seen
sitting down.
As Is the case with many English
writer's, Hardy lives in the country and
goes to London once every year for Il
few weeks to brush away the cobwebs
by contact with men who keep the rust
from their steel and the tarnish from
their silver. Hardys quiet home is not
far away from tho pretty little town of
Dorchester, i'll Dorsetshirc, his native
county.
This home is entirely tho work of his
own hands. Every room, window and
hall; every alcovo, cupboard and door
way is designed to suit his own and his
wifos fancy. Tho house stands Oh n
small piece of land and is surrounded
by few acres of garden and lawn The
manner i'll which the land camo into
his possession is interesting.
Tho particular piece of ground he
wanted was part of Il large tract belong
ing to n land company of which tho
Prince of Wales was president. Though
tho prince did not know Hardy person
ally. he greatly admired his work. On
ono occasion tho directors of the land
company met, tho prince presiding, and
when tho report was read Mr.. Hardy IS
application for 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
Tho prince said: "What Hardy is it:
Not tho author?" Eyes Thomas Har-
dy," was the reply. "Then why not
let him have tho few acres?" said the