New-York tribune., 1919-10-03
Books
By Haywood Broun

ta
assume that just because an autho.
composes slowly he must have sometime
worth saying. And yet facts hardly seem
to bear out any such conception CT the "a
lation Of speed to style and subject matter
Of course, are not talking of newspapsrt
writer's, all of whom, with tho possible exI
ception of space men, would be only too readJ
to admit that they write too much and tooI
hurriedly. But compared 70 the averagd
newspaperman even the most prolific author
turns out u comparatively small amount of
copy. Wells, in his busiest year has hardly
furnished the public with more than 30oooo
words, which amounts to less than thon.
sand words day; surely no great stint for
a man of active mind.
1t seems to US that most of the best worl
of to-day in the field Of letters has been
turned out rapidly. Nor are we willing IA
admit that much Of it is marrsd by mark,
of haste Wells is prodigous worker.
Though we have had little from Shaw in
recent years there was a time when two o,
three plays year was his average assign.
ment. Galsworthy produces steadily. Ches.
terton tosses off deal of stuff. Arnold Benz
ing Harrington finds time for novels. piav,
and short stories. And, if We may dart bach
and upward, it might be pertinent to caNf
to mind the huge stack Of volumes which,
Balzac gave to the world in day whonN
there no typewriters and no shorthand
secretaries.
When anybody speaks as if speed aiwaya
implied imperfection and leisurely writing
literature, are reminded that in The years
in which Wells was turning out "Mr Brithn-
Sees 1t Through" The Undying Fire.
"Joan and Peter" 'sThe Soul of a Bishop.s
"God the Invisible King" and several others.
Harold Bell Wright produced just one
book, called "The Recreation of Brian
Kent"
We ready to admit that Shaw and
Wells might have written quite differently
if they had written more slowly. but we ara
by no means sure that they would have
written better. Suppose, for instance, that
Shaw had held everything he set down for
six months before submitting it for publica-
ton and at the end Of that time had gone
over it carefully with an eye to revision: Is
here and there to exclaim, "Isnt that Just
shade extravaganza" or ''Let me see, this
little bits amusing. but after ALL is ii
worth while to run the risk of hurting any
body's feelings?" still, with vicious
sweep of the pencil, Really, this preface
is just bit Thick? And if Shaw had
done that don't you think the result
would have been deplorable? Wouldn't
the world have been poorer if his second
thoughts had bred amendments?
We might have lost even more if Wells
had been = man to null over every para-
graph ant TO scrutinize each passage inter-
minably Most of his best work, it seems
to u.s. comes in sudden bursts 1t took fine
free rush of fancy to discover God as Wells
did. Only a swift enthusiasm could havo
carried him through "Joan and Peter" hot
with the inspiration that the world Nigh.
yet be saved if biology were moro adequately
taught in the high schools of England It ia
only when a man permits himself TO gush
that you know him thoroughly. 1t is only
in such expansive moments that an author
gives you all his dreams and his heart and
soul. It's also an excellent system for sweep
ing out the subconscious mind.