LITERARY LETTER FROM LONDON.

Press, Volume L, Issue 149814, 30 May 1914, Page 9

LITERARY LETTER FROM LONDON.

(rilOM A CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, April 15

G. K. Chesterton, whose latest fantastic novel, "The Flying Inn," remains one ot" the best sellers here, was, like Arnold Bennett, for several years a publisher's "reader," and must have been a perpetual source of refreshment while his duties lasted. Chesterton, "read" for T. Fisher Unwin,- ' and a member of that firm recently showed mc G. K. C.'s verdict upon "Ouida's" last novel, which was submitted to him for judgment. It reads as follows:— "This is, of course, a picturesque, animated, poetic, eloquent, and supremely nonsensical story:'it hs by Ouida; and age,does not wither nor custom staie her infinite lack of variety. Here wo have tho old division of humanity into a vast majority of brutal and brainless modern people and a small minority of beautiful peasants and beautiful patricians. . . In the gorgeous and symbolic colouring, intoxicating to tho eyes, we forget tho silliness of the subjects and tho absurdity of the human anatomy." Eminently Chesterton, isn't it? Ono wonders what Ouida's comment would have been.

No other Englishman of letters is so much in the public eye, just now, as Sir Arthur Oonan Doyle. Tho French critic* are remarking that a French novel, "La Force Mysterieuse," by M. Rosny Ame { must have at least "influenced" Sir Arthur's last book, "The Poison Belt." • *

Monsieur Rosny also tlrinks so, in fact lie seems to think ibat quite a lot of British authors rely upon his work for their plots. "Thero are between the theme of his (Conan Doyle's) story and that of mine certain important coincidences," .ho says, and proceeds.to name some. In view of the extraordinary similarity of subjects, M. Rosny adds, ho was unable to refrain from certain suspicions, among them that, "following the English custom," someone had sold the idea of his story to Sir Arthur.

"But a coincidence is always possible," says the French author, "and, for my part, I incline to be generous. That is why L have always.becn'persuaded that' Wells bad never read my 'Xipehuz,' my 'Legende Sceptiquo," my 'Cataclysrae,' all of which appeared before his fine stories.''

Nevertheless, M. Rosny adds, he thinks it worth while putting these facts on record. One should add at once that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle declares ho never has read "La Force Mysterieuse." This week, besides being practically arc:j.-ed of plagiarism on the one hand, the author of '•Sherlock Holmes" lias been lauded on another for the excellence of his handwriting, a laudation which everyone who has cor-

responded with Mm Trill agree is jrel! deserved. . v Tho (uidrreci) author or yaa compliment to Sir Arthur is another literary knight, Sir Frank Newnes/fceod of the famous publishing firm of that name. Sir Frank, who presided over a. gathering of proof-readers in London thja week, said, that the chief advantage of a reader's Kfo was that ho had to suffer from bad handwriting, adding that the chief offenders in this respect wero some of the most popular novelists of the da#. Ho had, he said, recently questioned readers on the subject. Sir ArthxK Conan Doyle was described as "splendid," and ono of tie men called him "the proof-reader's friend." Mr Wells was described as "goody? while Mr W. W. Jacobs was "very'tricky." But when a reader was asked what he thought of . Charles Qarvico's nandwriting, he went rod and then white, stammered and shuffled, and then said ho was "fairly good." Tho reader, 6fc( Frank believed, was doing his best foe Mr Garvice, and what lie meant was t&at his handwriting was very bad. Charles Garvice said fittat some yoaa ago he happened to go into tbe offic* of a periodical for which he wrote. A man came iv, made a remark to tttt man behind the counter, and wont crtri scowling. Ho (Mr Garvico) asked what the stranger bad said. "Oh, if you wish to know," was the reply, "ho asked mc who you were, and when I tok him he said "1 wish ho was dead.' " Th< man was a proof-reader. Rudvard Kipling's famous "K«e& sional" was sung as a hymn, this week. at a fashionable Mayfair wedding. This reminds mc that I had not known until recently that Kipling gave thi poem as a free gift- to tho Empiro an«i tbe world. When it was published " "Tho Times*' at the Kamond Jubiloo, a cheque for £100 in payment was sanJ to Kipling. Ho returned i£, saying that ho would not accept payment foi his patriotic poem. "Lest we for* get" is non-copyright, and is open f« all the world to print or use.