The San Francisco call., 1910-11-06
The Creators

by Msy Sinclair. suthor % The Divine
Fire. etc. Published by The Century Co,
New York Price Sl-3o
The greatest work yet done by May
Sinclair is found in The Creators her
new novel 1t is a strong story Of lit
erary London and the characters are as
real as flesh and blood can make them.
The creators are folk who write, men
and women Of genius, a little coterie
who recognize each others peculiar
talents and whose interest in each
others work has no tinge of Jealousy.
Work is the handspring Of existence
for these children OF genius and the
study Of their character is OF fasclnat-
ing interest.
Jane Holland is a successful writer.
She is. according to George Tanqueray'
in danger of becoming popular. She is
also so good natured and amiaoIe
George SAYS weak that she allows
herself to be lionized by the little
people" This tires her out, interrupts
her work and disturbs her mental
calm. She and George are in fine sym
pathy with each other He is always
an inspiration to Jane and she TO hlm'
but though Jane is in love with George
and George with Jane he viii not tell
her so. for he thinks it would be de-
struction TO their work TO marry. An
other OF this little band OF creators Is
in love with George, Nina Lempriere,
who has keen analytical mind and
an infinite capacity for sufrerlng-
George appears TO know everything
going on in his little circle. He is the
greatest living novelist" but not pop
ular success nor a best seller. de
solves the problem quickly for Jane
and Nina by marrying poor little lg-
norant girl, the niece Of his landlady.
il is done on impulse. She has nursed
him during sickness and besides she
is pretty Jane and Nina, in burst
OF confidential talk. argue and analyze
the whole situation into something like
sanity A. the end Of their tax Nina
says.
Doesn't il look. Jimmy. as If genius
were the biggest curse a woman can
be saddled with? It's giving you an
other sex inside you, and stronger
one. TO plague YOU When we want a
thing we can't sit still like a woman
and wait till IL comes to US, or does
not come We go after il like a man.
and if we cant get Il peaceabIy we
night for It. as a man fights when he
isn't a coward or fool And because
we fight were done for. And then,
when were down. the woman in US
rurns and rends Us. But If we got
what we wanted wed be Just like any
other woman. AS long as we
wanted IT, / believe, If any
woman is TO Go anything stupendous II
means Virginity. But / know il means
that for YOU and me.
This talk between Jane and Nina is
the keynote OF the whole story. Is 1t
possible for the man or woman OF
genius TO marry and sacrifice neither
family happiness nor success in ere
ative work? Each character in this
little circle plays his part Importantly
in the story. Not one Of them could be
left Our; each is a study Of a peculiar
type and each one very real and hu-
man. owen Prothero q poet and
great genius. living years in advance
of his day, can't make living and
won't be appreciated until years after
lis death. but he tries his best and
only after noble effort does he know
his failure. His little wife is brave
and clever and sensible. She has first
q DOOR old father with softening of the
brain left on her hands 70 support. She
can write charming child ~e7's stories
and fantastic creations, not TO
order However, she must Ike, and SO
earns mere pittance doing paragraphs
for the newspapers, which grinds al
most ali the genius out OF her There
is still another type OF poet, Arnott
Nicholson. who has the soul of a poet,
but lacks the ability TO put his inspi-
rariors into words. He is not suffering
for the goods Of this world as is the
real genius. and be lives in an ideally
beautiful home in suburb, but never
can see why his stuff" doesn't take. 1t
is ira aEically pathetic. for ali his little
circle love him and appreciate his good
qualities and can not bear TO tell him
the truth about his work
There lis an editor. Hugh Brodrick.
who wins the readers love. respect. in
terest. dislike, irritation and condem-
nation. sometimes, one and sometimes
another. He is very real and human
and leaves q stronger impress upon the
reader than perhaps any other charac-
ter
These very interesting creators ask