The Washington times., 1932-05-31
\ Million Good Words
The Journal. M

the Viking Press runs from 1896 to 1910, from the
time Bennett began to be writer to atter the puOh,
cation of his greatest novel, 'The Old Wives Tale.
Two further volumes will be issued; the second VIII
take him to America and through the war, in which
he of the heads of propaganda @ Tor time;
and the third to the time of his death That man
who wrote prodigousy for publication should nave ex
pended the pure overflow of his passion for writing IN
Journal of over million words is itself remarkable
That the Journal is always clear bright and interesting
makes it one of his primary literary works ltse1
AS writer contracted to "do" about 100000 words
a wear I am naturally fascinated by everything Ben
nett saws of his methods his difficulties his prowess
his and his failures. But these constltute
special interest and only small part OF the book me
rest is full of things and people, and full OF Arnold
Bennett himself who must have been endIeSsV
absorbing to his friends.
Everything Goes
He wrote &" the smell of the earth, the taste of
fruit and of hisseshese things unaffected by the
Vaccinations of trusts and the hysterla OF stock ex-
changes" and the Westminster Gazette left out the
words and of kisses Bennett notes the omission with
smile He travels in Switzerland and is as severe on
his countrymen Americans are on theirs: Ihey
would have liked whole population to await there "a
rural station) ready to start into life and serve them
when they happened to pass He speaks OF tne
perversty and corruption of the faces OF the Par-
slams: he records anecdotes of old farmers he dis
cusses the chastity of Oxford dons-and wonder II
this is of the passages omitted from tne Engsn
edition He talks to survivors of the siege OF Paris IN
preparation for the fine characters IN The Old wives
Tale and the emptiness of their reports lets us IN to
the miracle OF what ne tlnally mace OIL tHeIh'
Genesis Of Masterpiece
The germ of this book came to him five years before
he wrote it. He was in restaurant and opposite his
favorite seat was crotchety, fussy, old woman who
complained of everything changed her place and be-
came the butt of everyone in the room including the
Mattresses "She repulsive one could like her
or sympathize with her. But thought-she has been
Young and slim once. And Immediately thought OF
long ten or fifteen thousand words short story Ihe
History of Two Old Women. l gave this woman a
sister, fat as herself. One should have lived ordi-
narily married prosaically and become a widow
Both have been overtaken by fat And they live to-
gether again in old age not too rich nuisance to
themselves and to others. Neither has any imagina-
ton. ="
A~Lesson for Others
"And Immediately thought" he wrote that same
night His mind worked that way, quickly, seeing
long way ahead The of the novel is in that
ongsh short story he planned. is great novel be-
cause of the swift illumination which came to him.
"she has been young and slim once 1t is superb
Our noveists who worry themselves into nervous break
downs trying to think out tricks, combina
tons of stale speakeasy and penthouse situations, can
learn the whole secret of creativeness in these few