The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-11-06

tention to the Bible or religion. My life
had been full and l had overlooked mat
ters of the soul. l then decided that these
were the great questions for man to study
and also that every man must investigate
them for himself.
II began at once to read the Bible. de-
voting my time chiefly to the New Tesla
ment. n the life and sayings of Christ.
l did not pay much attention to the
apostles nor the gospels. but l did try to
study Christ and his works. E.
The result was that l came to believe
In the Bible. 1 gave up all doubt of the
existence OF a God. and that fact is as
firmly settled in my mind as the fact of
my own existence. l ana also to believe
in Christ as the best embodiment of the
Divine Spirit in man and to accept him as
my model. This study caused me to re-
model my plan of 'Ber-Hur.' ] changed it
throughout and the whoc book. with the
exception of the first chapter. was. you
may say, influenced by my talk with In
serscil.'
HOW HE WROTE "BEN-HuR."
General Wallace's work on 'Ben-Hur"
lasted seven years. He started the book as
a novelette,. thinking it might be a serial
for Harper's Magazine. but became more
and more interested in 1t as he went OH
with his studies of Christ.
''One of the remarkable things about 1t
Is its vivid pictures of Palestine. notwith-
standing it was published before General
Wallace ndU visited Snat country. L re-
ferred to this. whereupon General Wallace
said:
II doubt If any novel has ever had more
careful studies for Its background ard life
that the novel would be criticised by men
who had devoted their life to biblical lore,
and 1 studied Palestine through maps ard
books.
~ read everything in the way of travel.
scientific investigation and geography. l
had scores of maps and worked with them
about me. My best guide was a relief map
of Palestine made in Germany. This was
hung on my wall. and by means of it ]
took my characters through the passes Of
the mountains and up and down the hills.
measuring their daily travel by the scale
of mics.
II also made studies of the bird and ami
NAL life of the time. and nlace. Indeed.
my work of this kind was 50 thorough
that have. | believe. made only one mis-
take in the book"
What mistake was that. General" 1
asked.
ut was in the smoking of vesuv!us.'
was the reply. II had the mountain in
burst forth. l afterward looked up the
date and found it fixed BY the time of
Pliny's death. Pliny. ycu know. went out
to describe the VOLCANIC ns and vas never
later than the time of the incident men
toned in my story
GARFIELD AND TURKISH MISSION.
1t wa the writing Of "Ben-Hur' that
made General Lew Wallace Minister to
Turkey. This is how it occurred, as he
told me yesterday:
President Garfield and I had been
friends for years. and when he was elect
ed President he sent for me to come to the
White House.
Our relations were such that he usual
ly called me Lew, or Wallace. As | en-
tered his room he said that he was anx-
trts- fr hor-a v~A" ~ n M ~
and that he thought of making rne Minis
ter to Uruguay or Paraguay.
II replied that 1 knew but little of South
America. and did not think that my going
or myself.
He then replied that he would send me
to Con%stantinople on condition that |
would write a book during my stay. Said
he: I want you TO give the world another
novel as good as 'Ben-Hur.'"
But. Mr.; President. said i. If am
little leisure to write books. My time will
be taken up In diplomatic work
That matter will arrange ITSELF said
Garfield. If you will take the appoint.
ment we will see that you have plenty OF
well. 1 thought it over. and decided to
20, and shortly afterwards received my
commission With the words nps and initials nS
corner. I then sailed for Europe, and
when l reached there received a cable
saying that Garfield had been shot during
my voyage.
II carried out President Garfield's sug-
gestion. however. as to Turkey. AS soo;l
as / was settled at my post l began to
study the country and its people. / read
all I could find about Turkey. went every
where and mixed with all classes of the
MohRmmedans.
"All the while 1 made voluminous notes,
ard upon my return / wrote The Prince of
India 1t Is the result CT my mission to
Constantinople, and I feel that in writing
it | have carried out my implied contract
with Garfield"
TWO LITERARY SUCCESSES.
WAS 'rhe Primo of India as successful
as 'Ben-Hur?'"
Not in the number of copies Sold" re-
piled General Wallace. but it has had a
large sale. n my copyright arrangements
are such that 1t has paid me we'll. Ben
Hur' has had an enormous circulation.
II ann say just how large, for il has
been published in many foreign countries
by persons with whom I have no connec-
ton. There were several editions in Great
Britain arc the Colonies. n the sales
there were as large as in the United
Status.
,rTAe scok mas been Issued in French