The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-08
William Allen White: The Man and His Faith

NO. II 'SlOfy won Stdnu OtIhS
talked about, it won't stand writing. II
/ let the eat out of the bag can see
better what the eat is like; and if the
cat runs away l can see better whert to
chase it." o..
Probably you learned something Fl ON
your last bookf'
II have. Probably I've learned more
than anybody else will. l was nearly
seven years in doing that book. Six hun
dred pages is no small thing, either be-
tween friends or enemies. l did In the
Heart of Fool first in 1911, before the
Progressive campaign. Any one who las
read the first part of the book nfHA
something about how the story, cnan yed
and evolved. l did the booS over twice
before it stood as il now IS Pm glad
/ did. At last ] was wise enough not to
let the hero marry the doctors girl. I've
cooled off since the book went to the pub
Usher I've learned that it's a mistake
to hate your villain. Better to hate your
hero a little and give him some bad
points That villain would have been
better villain if he'd had a few good
points. The hero is a dub. I've learned
that hero is a better hero if he has some
bad points. That seems to be about the
way we're made. | was fonder OF the
minor characters IN the book than any
others. One thing I'm proud of. The
labor programme the British Government
has Just adopted is in almost every re
spect substantially the social programme
1 framed in 1911 and set forth in TINS
book"
you've reached the final faith that a
novel should have a purposef SIS
Il believe a novel should have a paIr-
pose, a theme. 1t ought to be an inte-
gral part of the whole thing. 1t shouldn't
be obvious preaching. 1t ought not to be
thrust down the throat of the reader with
both hands as I've done it in this book.
But to be worth writing I think novel
ought to have basic idea, some impulse,
moral or aspiration that teaches life
something"
v.
Since this conversation Mr.. White and
Francis Haekett have engaged in an n
teresting published exchange of views on
purpose in art, Mr.. Hackett, of course,
holding that novels should be like the
lilies of the field and achieve beauty with
out knowing how they grow.
My own leaning is toward the reason
ing of Bosanquet and Hackett. There Is
a considerable difference between Mr..
White and Mr.. Hackett, but still they ere
nearer agreement than either knows. A
difference in the use of terms makes the
one vital difference seem greater than it
is. Mr.. White likes the term Puritn
and uses it loosely. Mr.. Hackett dislikes
the term and insists that it must be used
strictly, historically. Mr.. White has gone
forward since m the Heart Of Foil
He didn't say-though once In seeking
alternative words for purpose" and
"moraP' he almost said it: that norel Is
the best which is the deepest rsuelati,n
Of spiritual porer,- and in which tie
purpose is no other than that trhicb cos-
stitutes its oun Utmost nature. take it
that that is about what he has learned
from In the Heart Of a Fool, while ne
still makes didactic use of the terms "A
great impulse, purpose, moral, aspirl-
: ton, JOY, propaganda or heaven knows
what of inspiration"
He sees this, but he is gentle, sweet
tempered, whimsical man himself, inter-
ested in new political, economic and in
ternational morals. And the question is
whether Mr.. White as a novelist is goirg
to get the best of his morality, or whethT
his morality is to get the best Of him.