The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-11
He LIKES "QUO VADIS"
F. Marion Crawford Says It's
a Great Book.
HOW AUTHORS WORK
Mr.. Crawford Has Never Used
a Typewriter.
WORK

F. Marion Crawford, the novelist, came
IN yesterday morning on the fast mail
from Topeka, and Iectured last night in
the opera. house on Pope Leo XIII. A
representative of the Eagle called upon
him at his room in the Carey hotel.
Mr. Crawford, it is not often that Wich
Eta has the honor of a visit from so dis
tinguished an author and next to the i'm
mediate interest in your lecture tonight
the students of literature here would like
10 know what you think of the book Quo
Vadis"
1T is a wonderful book, wonderful book.
And its doing a great deal Of good. 1t
focuses the events Of Nero time TO the
modern eye. We get all the main Incl
dents of Quo Vadis' in history, but his
tory is a mass Of events all out Of focus.
1t is a wonderful book, but 1 liked better
the short story by the same author Let
Us Follow Him" Have you read it? No?
Not many people have. and do not know
why unless it has been collapsed by the
larger work 1t is the lesson of QUO
rs it true, Mr.. Crawford, that you have
written all your books with one pen
holder?'
Yes sir; there it is"
Nh Crawford picked up large penhold-
er, "Esterbrook's Falcon" in which was
a very large steel pen with a very small
point.
Il have written thirty books with
that" and he made the statement as if it
is very commonplace tc be an author of
books Of international fame.
The raised brass letters on the holder
were worn down till only one or two of
the upper ones were visible. The words
"Esterbrook" and Falcon" were parallel
and read toward the top of the holder,
but only the ks Of "Esterbrook's" and
the "on'' of Falcon" could be seen. He
had worn them off with his fingers in six
teen years work.
The brass is getting very thin" he
said land 1 am looking for the holder to
collapse any day, so I am carrying a new
one with me. l DO not like it so well as
the old one. 1t doesn't balance quite and
is hardly Of the right weight"
why haven't you ever used type
writer"
Mr.. Crawford laughed. and said:
Il was at dinner just few days ago
with W. D. Howells, Charles Dudley War
ned and some others, and we discussed
that question. We agreed that none i US
had ever known an author that had sue
ceeded who had ever used 2 typewriter.
Mr.. Howells and Mr.. Warner both do
their own work with a pen. So does Cen
eral Lew Wallace and lola, whom 1 knew
quite well in France.
Il never dictate. No man can dictate
a first class literary work. Such work
takes a mans best thought, and dictation
is entirely too rapid for that. Besides, no
man speaks as he writes"
"A book appeals TO the mind through
the eye. What might sound well spoken
from the platform might be a fiat fail
IRE before the eye. My lecture. which is
very favorably received, is not at all ex-
pressed as I would put it into a book. A
mans thoughts and expression are modi-
fed by his own voice. What he would like
as it sounded to himself in debating it
would probably disappoint him in print.
Books are for the eye"
DO you think the use Of the typewriter
modifes expression
Il DO not know. As 7 have never used
one. An argument against it is that you
FAINT carry a machine in your vest pocket
and take it out and play upon it at any
time. When you use a pen and ink you
can put in the odd hours. The whole
page IS before you when you use a pen
ind you can go back at any time and
change a sentence. which it not d very
easy matter with a typewriter"
Mr.. Crawford is writing now a work on
Roman history and was writing page
yesterday of his essay on Julius Caesar.
He writes a very small, close hand and
works some every day.
Mr.. Crawford is probably not far from
six feet in height and is IS years old He
has A cordial way that makes his callers
feel at home. The most ardent admirer
of Crawford, the author, would be even
much more pleased with Crawford the
man.