The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-19
A SPLENDID AUDIENCE
Trims OUT To HEAR THE NOVELIST.
WILLIAM DEAN HOwELLs.
ma. subject Is "NoveIs and Novel;
Nrifing"-Mr. HoweIls Talks for an
Hour-A Chat at the Hotel.

and fashion and wealth of Indianapolis
filed Plymouth Church last night and
listened for an hour TO William Dean How
els give instructions in the art of writing
hooks. Mr.. Howells delivered his lecture,
Novels and Novel Writing" under the
auspices Of the different literary clubs of
the city
The audience was distinctly a Howells
gathering, and was certainly an apprecia-
tive one. The main auditorium of the
church was packed by o'clock, and by the
time the lecturer began speaking the gal
leries were we'll filled. 1t was a brilliant
audience in point of dress. Many of the
men were IN evening dress, and the women
wore their prettiest gowns. There were old
women and young women, and girls not yet
out Of school. There was rustling silk and
satin and roses in profusion. 1t was evil
dent from the applause the lecturer re-
ceived that there were few people in the
audience who had not at some time dis
covered and admired some of HoweIis's
characteristics.
The novelist was accompanied to the plat
form by Rev. G.. A Christensen, who intro
Guced him to the audience. Whether we
he idealists or realists," said Mr.. Carsten-
SEN we are all agreed that the ideal de-
light has its realization in seeing and hear
The novelist read his lecture and dis
CUssed for hour on the work of fiction
writer's and of the people who read their
stories. Mr.. HoweHs is thoroughly Amer
ican and he delights 10 take his little fling
az S---ie I'D. He did several times last
night IN keenest satire. 1t has been said by
some that women do not like HOwells be-
cause he is too analytical in dealing with
the feminine character. Others have said
he is disliked by women because he tells
the truth about them. But if there is an
Indianapolis club woman who bears the
charming novelist grudge and was present
last night she did not indicate it by refus-
ing TO smile at his satirical comments.
GLAD To BE HERE.
'I don't think" said Mr.. Howells in be-
ginning, that there is one in this audience
who Is more delighted at being here than
J." This sentiment was applauded. The
rcvelist declared that fiction is the main in
tellectual influence Of our time. He would
almost go further, he said. and declare that
it is the great moral influence. when 1
get day off from my own work. Mr..
Howells asserted, Il like TO read some one
eIse's novels 1 would rather read my own
than none, think, and I guarantee that 1
have read my own stories more times than
said the real reason one novelist has for
reading the work of anothar is to study
methods THE reader who Is not an au-
thor" he asserted, considers solely what
the book is when he reads il. The novelist
who is a reader considers how book has
been done.
Il make truth the prime test of a novel"
Mr. Howells again asserted. There cannot
be beauty without TRUTH In the course Of
his lecture Mr.. Howells mentioned many
authors, referring to the different types of
literary work. I'VE Americans, he said.
have excelled the English in form. but
iS
thinks il is the authors of short stories who
seem to be writing the long-desired Amer
lean novels. He mentioned Octave Thanet.
William Allen White, Mrs. Wilkens and
others. He asserted that the real novel is
picture life as it is The work of George
standard. Romance Mr.. Howells said.
types rather than characters. The ro-
nances of Hawthorne were cited by the
b said a benS my fhe hg de fea vpe of
fiction. II / could would have novels sub
jtcted 10 the principles that govern an
the truth about life
NEVER SATISFIED.
Mr. Howells said he had never yet sue
ceeded in his work quite to his satisfaction.
He said that when he began writing novels
he realized that he must get some things
from life in his books that had never been
put into fiction before. The novelist told of
his first effort at novel writing, when as
boy he set the types for his story in his
fathers own printing office. The story was
printed IN the county paper in serial form.
After few inStallments had been printed
the story began TO drag. and one day
farmer came into the office and the young
that he h dd not 1f think much of the story.
because II did not seem to be getting any
where" Young Howells concluded he had
better end the story az once, and the only
way out OF it that he could see was to kill
OFF the heroine. In doing this he employed
ist' That brain fever was a common af-
Fiction among heroines.' Mr.. HowellS Ia
mented the fact that Dickens and Thack-
cray are not read more these days. The
latter author. he said. is read chiefly by
very young men who are fond OF imagining
Mr.. HoweIls frankly admitted that he
does not know what 1t is that makes a
novel pleasing. He declared that a good
deal OF the love making in novels Is both
better. however, than love scene when 1t
tbst e ves G1h ago When he walked Win Henry
James a Cambridge they talked Of schemes
by which they might put lovers in books
10 others as they were TO themselves The
lecturer quoted Emerson, who says that
We dc DO If thew are nice lovers Mr.. How
els said that when he began to write novels
he, with other novelists, was under the ro-
mantle delusion that the lover must save
his sweetheart from something violent. and
II not this, must at least be nursed by her
through a prolonged spell Of sickness. He
looked about among his married acquaint-
anceS and found many happy pairs-1ne
men and charming women-who had never
enjoyed the thrilling experiences of the
lovers in his books. He found by inquiry
that these men had done nothing more vio-
lent than TO send a few boxes of flowers 10
these young women. after having attended
them through a season or two of dancing,
and had then asked the recipients of these
favors TO marry them. Among young PEG.
ple,' said Mr.. HowellS, Il understand that
this simple conquest Is still going on. be-
lieve IL is much superior TO the old, danger
way OF winning a woman's hand, which
might end in a marriage and might end in
funeral"
WOMEN READ NOVELS.
Mr.. Howells is Of opinion that the great
est number of novel readers are women
No novel can succeed without them. He
believes that novels are read mostly in the
country, away from the heavy population
In the Cities" he said. people do not read
books. but read about them" Next to wom-
en-, the novelist thinks lawyers are the
greatest readers of fiction. He related an
instance Of y0uno Woman who wrote TO