The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-06-15
The Origin Of Ben HuL

Wallace, asked him:
How did you come to be sent at minister
to Turkey?'
Well. Il was Ettle strange just how
was selected. Mr.. Garfield was president
ard he had read my book Ben Hur' with
some delight. One day he sent me tele-
gram TO call on him. / did 50. and he told
| me he had concluded TO send me abroad
and that while there he wanted me to write
another book laughed and asked:
Mr.. President, where are you going to
send me-?
" To Uruguay was the answer, but
said in all good hunor: No, Mr.. President
/ will not go there Then he said, there
IS only one ether place left open. and that
| is Turkey. II you viii take that it's yours.
Il accepted tina, gladly. and when my com
mission reached me. down in the lower left
hand corner was written: Ben Hur,' ]. A
G."
How did you come to write Ben Hur?' 4"
We'll, IL was q matter Of growth with
me somewhat ] first set out to write a ro-
nance Of the birth of Christ for Harper
Brothers and II met with 30 much favor
was seized with firm resolve to write
an account Of the death Of our Saviour and
blend all into a romance. / began the
l was not familiar with the many subjects
TO be mastered before could safely at
tempt 10 write the story, for I knew very
well II / should make statement that
could be criticised. such as a description
OF the country wherein the scenes should be
enacted, the habits and the character OF
the people of the time my story should
treat, or IN any other way should be faulty,
my work would be a failure ] therefore
began course of hard study. / read
everything bearing on the scope of the
story and came to know each detail with
familiarity, so that as wrote felt l was
N no fault OF essential facts, and was only
left to blend the romance into II all. II
was most engaging task for me, I can
assure you, though ordinarily it woull
have been onerous. but my crations came
TO be living beings and L kept them with
me constantly
Where did you get the name Ben Hur,'
aud how did you come to select it for the
title Of your story?"
We'll, in the first place Il was a short
name. You know one OF the most frequent
criticisms OF my book, the Fair God,' was
because Of the long unpronounceable names
it contained. was determined to avoid this
In my new book and so searched for a short
task. In old works of fiction 1 looked; in
Jewish history I pored day and night. but
no name came TO me. Then took up the
book OF Genesis, the earliest history Of the
world. / found II there. Hur, one of those
who was with Joshua in his wars. a MEM
ber of an old family. and one which must
have been Of great respectabiEty at least
since Joshua had selected him as an aid,
seemed the name / wanted. II was short
and of pleasant sound. II was odd, too, and
by adding Ben, which means a son Of there
l had II; a son of Hur, and hence the title
Ben Hur.'"
one OF the clirnaxes was when Ben Hur
accidentally causes a title to fall on the
head of a Roman soldier. which is the begin
ming OF all his trouble-how did you hit
upon that turning point?" asked
The general got UP and went to a mantel
where he picked up tile somewhat in the
shape Of an hourglass. hollow and burnt
hard. and holding Il up ne said:
Now. here is the king OF q tile had In
mind when wrote that part Of Ben Hur
You see 1t is not fiat as people generally
suppose. but IS hollow and allows ventila-
ton when desired IN a wall made Of them
This one came from Jerusalem. and I keep
It to show just the kind Of tile Ben Hur
is supposed TO have pushed down onto the
Roman soldiers head"
Il suggested I was in ignorance OF the
full meaning of the word 'perpol.' which is
used frequently through the story Of Ben
Hur.' The general laughed and said many
had asked about the word
''Perpol is a Latin word OF strong excla-
nation, such as our word zounds or the
phrase great heavens. and used il because
n re pSSit ots
the name Tizarn--it is Biblical
There was much more talk about Ben
Hur," and one could see that General Wal
lace spoke of the work as OF favorite
child. He suggested that one reason OF the
great popularity of the work was because
of the subject being one OF paramount in
terest to so many people-the Jew and gen
tile, Greek and Turks, Protestants and
Catholic-all In some degree being interest
ed in the character of Christ.
then brought up the subject Of mis- latest
book, ''The Prince of india" stating that
1t had interested me fully as much as Ben |
Hur." This seemed TO please him, and he |
said: II am glad TO hear you say that"
The Prince of India Is the result of the |
suggestion made by President Garfield for |
me 10 write another book. I labored long |
and hard with II, and the statements OF |
detail therein ! have verified 10 a do. by |
personal examination In most eases. II I |
name the number OF steps down TO the /
edge of the sea i have counted them: the |
distances from place TO place have CON-
puted; the depts of the sea, the force of the /
winds. the heighth of the mountains all are
as stated. so that Ii IS a work OF most per-
feet statement OF fact. The story is one OF
a new religion, or a readjus,ment f old re-
- - ~ - Y
Prince of India meets by appointment the
Emperor Constantine to presen, his idea
II basis for universal religious union
Brethren Of the holy orders are there and
he pince sets forth in clear terms the doc
rine of religion OF God only The rein
,arnatioa Of ''the only begotten son OF
jcd'' IS suggested as having been mani
estej az different periods before our Christ
md. this becomes a subject OF great mo-
rant 20 those who hear the Prince Of
rdia"
As sat and listened to tire great story
writer speak Of al this fe,; that TIE one
'u-pose OF the book who to announce q
universal religious union for this age and
irne. and when suggested the most liberal
Consideration for all religious oeeefs he as
s-tei there was good II them al. ard in
erred he doubted Il any one had any claim
Z perfection over the others ] could rec
hat the Eea of a reincArnated Son Of God
vas uppermos; In hts mind. and thss Jed
De to believe he was not inclined 20 say
ugh; against the regsioa.sts OF any sse
ha, taught virtue, honor ard b-oiher,y I
i've. Hence the TURKS could have Dc hzlrei .
Or this man, since be would 70. ceay Ire
ooi teaching OF Hoham-nei. ard the sui !
Al found n the strange Christian one
Tso-n re desired for his chief captain or f,
lse h.s vi>cst counselor. As ] thought %
u this sr5e rlorA. I asked rnys>f. ~as :