The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-02
THE MAKING OF FICTION.
Hall Caine Took Ten Barrels of
Notes for ''The Christian"

Hall Caine Took Ten Barrels of
Notes for "The Christian"
From the Providence Journal
The fact that some one who describes
himself as a successful novelist has been
advertising FOR an apprentice, sets liter
allure to wondering how such an arrange.
ment works. rs the apprentice" it asks
allowed to try his hand at the easier
chapters? Or does he still confine him
self to trudging to the museum or TO the
library, and filing notebooks with local
eolor?" There may be those who can
turn off stories without drudgery, but TO
most writer's the composition of novel IL
genuine hard work. Thackeray used to
wish for competent subordinates who could
manage with correctness all the trifiing
details upon which critics insist when
they have no other fault to find. Dumas,
as is well known, actually employed COL
labora tors. and was called by malicious
enemy "Maison Alexandra Dumas ct Gle"
But when these cola borators tried TO sch
up in business on their own account, they
very soon went into literary bankruptcy.
Whatever they may have done. the hand
of the master was obviously necessary TO
crown the work.
Who the successful novelist may be In
this case there is no way of finding out.
II might be Mr. Crockett. He has reach
ed the point of turning out two novels a,
a time, and it is known that he has two
specially constructed typeWriters. If he
works single handed, would he need more
than one? Surely he cannot write upon
more than one al time! II may be of
course, that he keeps the paper fowins
through both by alternate sentences in
each novel-a theory which Is justified by
internal evidence. since every reader of
his later books must have noted the highly
fragmentary nature of the English (by
courtesy) they contain. Then there is
Mr.. He'll Game 1t is on record that he
took ten barrels of notes for The Chris
tan" What herculean labor! and what
a waste Of the time and energy of a Great
Man, Mr.. Game should certainly have
had an assistant Furthermore. think OF
the advantages to the public if a bright
young man were "understudy." so to
speak, to the author of "'The Christian"
No one could ever hope to equal the orig
inal: but something of the manner, some
dim reflection of the light of genius might
be caught; and the world would have
its supply of Cane-Hke literature even
after the inventor had passed away. Can
any lover of his kind bear to look for
ward to the time when the Cranes and
Corellis shall have persisted from the
earth? Heaven forbid.
Perhaps one day." says Literature. no
| new noNellSI Will pc content unless ne can
put on his first ttle-page Formerly with
the author of Boys Bletherings. ~"
This would certainly imply a better train
| ing than could be gained by any merely
| theoretical instruction in the art of fiction.
| such as that put forth from time to time
| by the excellent Slr Walter Besant. Col.
| laboration between equals has its advan-
| tages a times. But the apprentice system
would surely in time raise the tone OF the
business, and give the beginner a start i'm
| trade gratifying both 10 him and to the
| patient public, which now has to put up
with him in his untried state. II is great
| ly to be desired that our popular noveusts
should give the matter careful considera-
| ton.