The San Francisco call., 1898-01-30
CHAT ABOUT ANTHONY HOPE

rT THEN Rudolph Rassendyl be-
 "A f came being of modern hc-
 nI ton then the world knew that " " it had a new novelist. At tlrst
 many good people of literary
 proclivities would not read ."rhe Prisoner of Zenda" because if was much talked about and, therefore, not a thing on which to waste time. But finally they did read it. And then the ambition of Mir. Hawkins to become great politician or a great lawyer was destroyed. In fact, Anthony Hope flaw kins, who had given George N. Curzon such a hard fight for the place of Mem Der for the Southern Division of south Bucks, disappeared and the world only knew Anthony Hope.
 America appreciated Anthony Hope be- fore England did: but that is hardly worth recording, for they are rather slow of appreciation over there of late. An thony Hope Hawkins is the son or clergyman Of the Episcopalian church, and his father used to keep school in one of the London suburbs Anthony was brought up to look forward to the law as his walk in life, and, after being at an English public school and at Oxford, duly followed out the course marked down for him and was admitted to the bar.
 He did not have many clients, and In
 
 a criminal case, his nervousness con- victed the whole batch of his clients Then he went in for politics and practiced law Ion the side" When he was 26 years old-that is, in 1SS9-he first began to write for publication. Why he wrote he him. self does not know, for when he offered his book for publication he was still of the idea that he was destined to make his mark as a lawyer or a politician, or both. lite had 1.-The Pilgrims Progress" This book he used to take to bed with him when he was a child; and it shows the power that is inherited in every one of rising above the influences of their youth, that he should ever have been able, after such a handicap, to write the Prisoner of Zenda."
 When Anthony Hope" was at the Marlborough school and at Oxford he was first-class football player. He did not stand high at the preparatory school, but did pretty well at Oxford. His first book. "A Man of Mark he had to publish at his own expense, and it was not a finan- cial success at the time. When fame came to him, however, he republished the book, and more than got square with the world, financially, for its former lack of appreciation.
 In 1890 he published his second book, Father Stafford which also fell fiat at the time and is now much admired. The lack of financial success in the matter of literature did not daunt MT. Hawkins, and he went to writing short stories. He had lost money on his books and he did not get rich on his short stories. In 1892 he published MT. Wits Widow" and that was his first success. But that was not glaring one. Then he wrote "A Change of Air" and Half Hero,' and finally "The Prisoner of Zenda."
 After that he became a fixed star in the literary Armament and has reluctant ly given up the idea of being Lord Chan cellor or Prime Minister except in such kingdoms as Ruritania. After The Pris- oner of Zenda,' he wrote "The Dolly Dialogue" "The God in the Car" and ''The Indiscretion of the Duchess all of which were well received. Mir. Hope does not find time to do much reading but when he does read he prefers novels and his favorite authors are George Mere dith, Kpling and Stevenson. As to poetry he rarely reads it, and, still more won derful, has never written any.
 His work room, where he thinks and writes, is far away from his home. and he goes to it every morning as a lawyer would go to his office. His "den' is in ar old house at No IS Buckingham street London. and he reaches there every week day at 9:45 and works until or in the afternoon. He does not set himself any fixed task for the day, but writes what he feels in the best mood for, taking. a. he says, anything that the Lord sends. He never rewrites, but corrects his manu script carefully
 MT. Hope" received several offers tc lecture in America soon after the success. of "The Prisoner of Zenda," but kept saying to his tempters, 'I will go to the States some day; there is plenty of time TOT that" Now he has yielded and i. with us.