New-York tribune., 1902-02-19

bundles and at last had the sense to give up
that idea and let myself go. as have let my
self go from start to finish in my Sea Lady
which VIII appear this summer. When this
work didn't right itself to speak, I put il on
one side and went back TO II later elaborately
avoiding plan and construction things l am
convinced hamper and limit my distinctive
qualities
I have been thinking rather much of these
things lately. and my disposition is TO believe
that while in the last few years I have been
trying 10 bring my work into line with the work
Of certain great complex and formal writer's
BalZac, Dickens. Turgenieff. Hardy. George
Moore, Gissng. Mrs Humphrv Ward-using
these names-Evithout presumption you Will
understa and-merely 10 indicate a type OF BOOK,
have been making a mistake I now more
and more disposed to take my work deliberately
along another line. the line of the spontaneous,
informal writer. the line Of Rabelais, Sterne,
Swift as CULVER, Peacock. and the Carlyle OF
Sartor Resartus using none Of these names.
You understand. TO represent anything put the
form OF the book and with comparison Of
any sort with the quality of the matter OF those
writer's. In that direction lies the Book, with
capital b which 1 have always been seeking,
and have so far failed to get-my Book. am,
l think, at rather cardinal point for me, at the
point where am parting from any further at,
tack upon the formal novel or the designed
romance, and am turning myself toward kind
of lax romance of individual type, in which
fancy and humor, we'll as imagination can
have an unrestricted scope.
NO my work is not Influenced by seasonal
difference. Sometimes I have three or four good
days followed by kind of stupidity or Incidence
and distraction Then, perhaps, comes one day
winch Is good ana a week OF nOtninSneSt. II Is
ALL l have intimated. a question of the At
mosphere being right.
LAS for my other methods. I may say. that I
used 70 keep q notebook when was a journal
ist and have drawers full of ideas for short
stories, but l never use them. II | do not use
idea within week or two after II comes, II
gets stale in some mysterious way and goes
bad. and is rarely Of any use 10 me whatever.
And / never use ideas offered me by other peo
pie. OF all bOres. the bore with idea that
will just suit is the one l most fear and de-
test. If you will put that down. this interview
may not be altogether in vain.
i am lot only breaking away into new Things
in the matter of form, but I getting now, I
think. more solid and consistent in my general
view OF things than | have ever been before.
This has been brought about largely by 'AntiCi-
pations.' where, under the guise of a review of
an inventory Of the contents Of my own mind,
and got what l have felt the need Of for
long time. a consistent system of thinking about
several spacious questions. That book is really
my ThirtyNire Articles, my confession Of faith,
my standpOint-with a kindly remark here and
there about the Standponts of people. Not haV
ing had any other standard Of opinion before.
my earlier work was often quite simply the re-
suit of falling in love with an effect and writing
for it. Thus in The Island Of DR.. Moreau l
was impressed through certain incidents of that
time with the underlying element of the bestial
in man and of cruelty in law and the tone Of
unrelieved pessimism in that book is out of all
proportion the general tenor of my thought.
No, tobacco does not help me- for do not
smoke now. though | used to Smoke-as writ
ing man gets smoke the whole day long
partly of tobacco. partly of matches. and partly
found had for my throat, bad for my lips bad
for my digestion and I gave it up. But, don't
think tobacco is bad for most people-it happens
TO be bad for me-"