Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-14

Strange are the beginnings OF some au'
thors! According to an interview WIN wiz,
whom Miss Ellen Thorneycroft Fowicr
Mrs. Felkin) has lately been talking the
last thing for which she believed she was
intended was a novelist. But one day
firm of publishers conceived me luea
that a novel dealing with Methodism ana
Society would be asuccess. ana; on iooh
Inc for writers acquainted at first hand
with both subjects. their first choice tel
on Miss Fowler. When their represents,
tive called and explained what he Wali.eu
she said II can't write a novel, aI .,
what is more, I've never tried TO-. she
was adjured to try and four months later
she had written Concerning Isabel Car
naby."
"A Girl of Today" by Elizabeth Duer,
Is the novelette, in Ainsee's for Decempel.
It is q thoroughly artistic production.
coherent plot. fascinating ; S.ifir, ~" #
nuts one on familiar terms with the more
conservative element of the '4co.
Mr. collingwood. in his lately published
hook on .Ruskin Relics" tells of a trend
who came to him some time alter Rus
kins death with bundle Oh Iiai ~ SCI ~
saving: Some of them are In ms hana-
writing but | don't know what TO make
Of the rest" The manuscript turned out
to be that of the second volume OF MOO
ern Painters" 1t seems that Kuskln
handwriting varied with almost icy, eoef +;
writing to his father. another In his let
tiers to his mother and third IN cofnpoS-
ing his books
Now and then a writer appears who
possesses that precious quality known as
''horse sense" Mr.. Edward Cooper, an
English novelist. sends to the London
Daily Mail some reflections on :, th E., pre- Ss-
lieves. II Is boring the public ana put'ins
libraries to no end of useless troupie. ne
cannot sec, why an author should go on,
year after year writing annually ut least
two novels. For one thing. as he is care
full to point out it is only in the rarest in
stances that anybody makes q living out
Of this sort of enterprise. Indeed. MT,
Cooper Is hardly less interested in the
commercial than in the literary aspects
Of the situation which he finds so alb
sslrd. We can forgive his dwelling on the
Of the delightful idea WHICH he presents
to his fellow noveiists. 1t is that 40 or 81
Of them in France. and England (and why
not III Afnerica?) should bind themselves
to publish no more novels for five years.
or course, the first-question asked by the
recipients Of this Invitation viii be, How
are Ne. to-, iye2"4a But do these gentry
now support themselves by their literary
oftorts?, we have the strongest doubts oil
the subject Anyway. Mr. Cooper ar
ranges everything for them very nicely.
'.Journa iism." he says. is open to those
Of them who must ma ,s h iv.n % by ar she
ii use for broken novelists, a sense of
Joyous possibilities inclines us TO grant
Mr.. Cooper anything when he adds, They
might criticise novelists outside the
league New York Tribune.
Colonel. George B. Mcclellan, the newly
elected mayor of New York city, has
written book entitled The Oligarchy
of Venice" which is to be published next
spring by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
Julian Hawthorne's description of the
friendly but. curious relations subsisting
between his father and Emerson is one of
"Hawthorne and His Circle" My father
read Emerson with enjoyment writes
the son, though more and more, as he
advanced in life. he was disposed to ques
ton the expectancy of stating truth in a
diSembodied form; he preferred it incar-
nate. as it appears in life and story.