Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-06
TO LITERARY ASPIRANTS.

 against literary career,'' said Julian Hawthorne, ill a recent conversation with representative of Success, who had asked for his advice to young writers. He also pointed out its hard work and small remuneration. 1 well knew that anything l might write would, as a matter of course, be con- pared with his work, so I became an engineer. My duties included some work on canal located on mosquito belt, where the climate. too, was un- suited to myself and family. I gave It up. and took up my pen simply to try ply hand on q story. I sold it to Harper's Magazine for such a large sum of money that 1 decided then to write for living. My life has since been fraught with the hardest kind of work. E
 The idea that good literary work is done by the talented without great labor-in preparation. at least.-has been exploded time and again. Every one of our great authors has succeeded only after severe application, wrought in spirit of love mingled with the most rigid self-criticism. Without the real itch for writing. and the courage and patience for self criticism. one should never undertake this career.
 The first step is to gain notice The
 
 nor depressed by criticism. If q man of genius listens too much to outside comments. he is lia ble to be influenced and. perhaps. injured by it. Let one not know the public. but be happy i'll his own work. and he will acquire at least the freedom of inspiration and stamp his work with his own individ- ualty.
 That the literature of to-day is not a Ia nd of hn be laid at the door of our great maga- zines, which compel d writer to con- form to their schemes. Write accord ing to inspiration. But, alas. it, pays to write to please the periodicals. Only writers who have gained great popularity can defy the notions of the editors.
 MT Kipling, the greatest short story writer since the early days of Bret Harte, was Fortunate in striking an entirely new vein. He swept. all set rules of story writing to the wiEds, and has succeeded in stamping his work with d masculine vigor. entirely his own. The lDoSt{of 5llis stories are full of fresh life. .~ahd" every year there springs up around him a new crop Of imitatorS. If he has I fault. it is his technicality in giving life to d pieceSof machinery. His minute descriptions ol d InAculne are ipt 5to. com use tlfe average reader s.@s . .:. ,
 Tn the great hurry of. the day, authors who have suddenly achieved popularity hasten ito put their works upon thesmarket. Some dozen chapters are hulriedly wFitten~-ana sent to the press. to be followed by others in like manner.< This is q mistake for a novel should be a well linked. even story, event hanging upon event. The
 
 reality. The great exceptions to this rule are Thackeray and Dickens. In Vanity Fair each chapter is a com plete story within itself. In writing q novel, one idea forces itself upon you aSemore prominent than another. It's prominence should be respected and this often demands a modification of the plot. ;nJ . -. There is but little excuse for the novel with an avowed moral purpose, as it is written today. It's obvious aim enfeebles it, and it's mission is always doubtful. The great delusion of the author is that such q work affects or develops the character of the reader. In the case of MT HowellS. an earnest effort is made. but his beaut- ful style is not sufficient to conceal the defects of this sort of art. It's photographic realism, when not com lnOuplace, IS O1Ion nlueOuS. mus there is a reaction from this sort of work to the historical, an invasion into the field of Walter Scott. Here there is more latitude than in the romantic style untiltered Anthony Hope hap pened upon good idea for the roman tic in placing modern characters in an imaginary country. Stevenson com bned the romantic with the poetic and. with his wonderful literary art and variety of style, gave us that which may truly be called literature.
 '.To acquire goou style, read the Bible and classic literature. study character and learn. to express your self clearly; but beware of too much facility, q serious fault. You can judge of your own writing only after a lapse of time. After your fervor has cooled. you may be able to subject it to impartial criticism. That which you are reasonably sure is passing fair. is only that which you are surprised to see was created by your pen. If you would really learn the value of your books, have them published un- heralded. You may then profit by the reception. on.'-SucceSS. A
 COULDN'T BEAT HIM. 1.'