The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-06
co1laborate over plot which was SIM
1al11 tho stor1z of tho Prodioal Son wit b a.

collaborate over plot which was sim
ply the story of the Prodigal Son with va
riations." Ready Money Mortiboy" was
the result That meant fame, but even
then not actual riches. And Besant
places his own share of the proceeds,
from the beginning to the end, at not
more than E25O. But the collaboration
was to endure ten years and become more
profitable. Out of the many well-known
novels it produced. Besant records The
Chaplain of the Fleet as his own fayor1te.
Rice died in April 1882 Of cancer in the
throat. After that Walter Besant was
to be, as he himself described it, ''The
Novelist With Free Hand
eve worked without disagreement, !"
thus Sir Walter sums up the methods OF
this famous literary partnership; there
was never any partnership between us in
the ordinary sense Of the word The col
laboration went on from one story to an
other, always without any binding condi-
lions, always liable to be, discontinued;
while each man carried on his own in
dependent literary work, and was free to
write fiction if he pleased by himself.
The Growing Horde of Writers.
Much is written in these pages about the
methods and delights of novel writing.
We fear it may have an exactly contrary
effect to that intended by the genial au-
thor. What can be more harmful than
this account of the last eighteen years Of
Sir Walters life, when he worked at 1c-
ton single-handed?
During that time l have always been en-
gagged for three years in advance; have been
relieved from every kind of pecuniary anxi-
ETY.; my income has been multiplied by three
at least: and I have had the. offer
of a great deal more work than could I'M
dertake.. .
AT the same time he does not minimize
II the hardships and the heart-breaking cpl
sodes of the calling, any more than he
cloaks the malignancyj of reviewers, for
whom, indeed, in this imperfect world, no
one ever seems to have kindly word.
It is in no spirit of retaliation that he
suggestion is hazarded that perhaps this
autobiographist is too much of the wade
mecum' for rising authors, and speaks
too little of the risen authors and distin-
guished people whom Sir Walter Besant
met in his distinguished career.
The delinquencies of some publishers
and the consequent foundation Of the So
siety Of Authors are also matters which
receive their fair share of attention. The
good works of that society in protecting
the young author from the depredations
of unscrupulcus nliddlemen are manifest
to-day. In Its defence let Sir Walter speak
himself: e
l. Wo nave Deen accused OF fostering the am
billions of the incapable. and of helping te
flood the market with trash. Far from 1t
we dissuade by every means in our power
the incapable; we have readers who give them
the plain truth; we advertise warnings
against paying for the publication of manus-
crtpts. But confess that we can do little
to keep down the swelling stream of aspi-
rants Thousands of pens are flying over the
paper at this moment, and every moment pro.
ducing bad novels and worse poetry. We
check some OF them: the rest must learn by
bitter disappointment
Yet Sir Walter complains elsewhere
that novels are reviewed in patches.
| The Peoples Palace.
| ct all began with novel. the writer
says, difidently, referring to the noble en-
lthusiasms stirred. by his pen to such good
purpose in the east end OF London.
| In 1880 and in 1851 I spent a great deal Of