Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-29
JULES VERNE AND HIS EARNINGS
The Writer Did Not Need Money to Be
Esteemed Great.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
The death of Jules Verne, at the age of
seventy-seven years, will be felt as per-
sonal loss by millions of readers through
out the world, for some of his stories have
been translated so widely that he may be
said to have had, in the true sense OF the
expression, an international audience. Liv-
ing for the most part away from the hurry
and hustle of affairs, yet by occasional
travel or visit keeping in touch with them
though careful not to be absorbed thereby
Jules Verne worked on steadily, year after
year. earning money sufficient for his needs,
accomplishing his literary purpose, enjoying
personally q normal, sane existence winch,
to onlookers seemed to approach the ideal
for an author. .
A week ago, referring to the estate left
by the late Lew Wallace. we mentioned the
general understanding that it was derived
nrincipally from the book and dramatic
ROYALTIES of a single work of fiction. he
reverse is true of Jules Verne, who, II Cdr
rent gossip be accepted, contracted nearly
forty wears ago to produce two books a
wear. receiving for each one the equivalent
of $4,000 A question that at once sug-
gests itself is whether General Wallace
would have StriVen, year AFTER year, 10
write other and even better books than that
which made him famous had he sold this
one outright for a comparatively small sum
and whether Jules Verne would have cor
tinued his marvellous productiveness had he
received considerable fortune In royalties
from any of his first books.
This of course, is a question not to be
answered definitely. Under the spur OF
financial need General Wallace might have
written long list of excellent books. Fur,
tbarmore had Jules Verne been enriched
in his early thirties through sales of his
first '.scientific' novel, Five Weeks in a
BALLOON" it is possible that the world might
never have had it's twenty Ihousano
NO Go
World in Eighty Days" But those who
have been interested by Verne's wonderfully
ingenious tales do not like to think of such
a possibility. To them he was energy per-
sonified. the father of invention realized
an eyer-bubbling, sparkling, joyous foun-
tain of youthful spirits and hope, even in
old age That he. worked well under ar
rangement with publisher whereby ne re-
ceiyed moderate but regular income his
career attests, and he is not alone In this
One of the most successful of American
writers for boys-at least from the boys
standpoint and from the puDnsner s.
worried under similar contract for nearly
Generation. excepting that he received 81 ,00t
for each book produced.
We fancy that some of the younger Amer
lean writers-yachting in the Mediterra-
mean. speeding along Fifth avenue In
$40 600 motor car, building castles in New
mort Spain and elsewhere-may think OF
Jules Verne as doubtless they have thought
of Milton; or, If they never heard or Para
disc Lost, as they nave eHousAt VI I1dW-
thorne, Thoreau. Emerson. One can mag
Inc them saying, with sympathetic shake
of the head, Poor old chap! Grinding
away nearly sixty years for beggarly
four thou'i Wonder why the dickens he
didn't try .ad' writing or put the black
smith Jokes together for the ten-twent'-
thirt' shows? They pay pretty well.
It might be worth while for these young
persons to reflect that jules Verne, and
Some Of the Others mentioned were of such
caliber that they did not have to possess
fortunes in order to be great men as well
as highly successful writers.