MR H. G. WELLS AT HOME.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 110, 1 February 1908, Page 13

MR H. G. WELLS AT HOME.

Mr. H. G. Wells, , the novelist (says Mr. Harold Spender in the "Pa]l Mall Magazine") looks and is still Very youthful, being barely over forty, with a . very boyish laugh and mapper • for, a man ivho has produced some two -books a year for twelve years, past. At first you will note a-slim, quifit, almost retiring figuro.- . vExoept in the brilliancy, of tho keen, kindly eyes and the quizzical smile .that plays round tho mobilo mouth, you will scarcely realise, tho presence of a raro 1 personality.; thensuddenly, in his quiet -way, ho. will! jutter some large, searching criticism of society," or'some perfectly simple but daring forecast of the future.'Thero is no lovo ot par;i(lqx, • aiul no cynicism. Mr; Wells has,escaped both these-.pitfalls of. a writer iii a - jaded,age.: 1 - With'Uitl tho charming play of and fancy that illumines his talk- and writing, lie is always jprofo'uiidly and passionately serious. He believes in humanity and' ,-tliq future, and takes a tremendous, enthralling interest in the world. ' : Ho faces the future—what' is to many of us at, present.tho terrifying, appalling future—without a' touch of fear. .■, ■. ■ . .

.•Mr. Wells's life-story is' typical of his enterprising naturo. ■ He has fought and overconic almost every obstacle—physical, social,; and. intellectual—that can face a man. Ho has seen the inner life of almost every 'class. His ..first' experience of lifo. Syas' of ~ a small home-with :nr.n-ow means, parents bravely :stniggji!)gi'against immeii3o. economic forces which they:• but half , cpmprehende'd, tho' tragedy, of the ;small .shop, the baffling fight agaipst, debt.'i > : Tho.result to the boy was schooling suddenly'cut short, tho life behind tho counter, tho effort to find a living first iir the shop, then as : assistant . iii tho small school. He ; has given us the shop-life himself in' several of his best novels—iii "Tlie'Wheels of Chance," in ','Kipps," and tho'-assistant master,in "Love and Mr. Lewisham\" Mr. WeJls niado 'hisway by his own efforts from, the * priyate scliciol rto 'tho ■ Royal' College of Science,' : and spoilt" there three/ ill-nou'rished, : under-exorcised, vehemently studious years/ Then a : briais—but lot .liini tell hisVown B^7^- r;V''.' ,' ,1" Looking; at myself', oiio day in tho glass'.' ; '—this) diilp.presentment ,is .but a" summary of his. own: yivjdyplirasing—"l (realised,that I was thiii and i]arrow-chcsted, was growing up. somotliing less than, a presentable mail.! I.:determined- tp'.givo, myself: a cli f ance, to .take ;a ; year or ,so for air and exorcise,' itn(l fled .'to• Wales', wh'ero.l became assistant in a school.; • I plunged' into'fflotball, and' sustained' a- grievous 'injury which ■ nearly 'ended me at; once. I came back to London, and was for a long t>.no very jll. • Biit.it was this illness that led mb tor writing. j. I had taken up .<>cipnce, .earned a First Class Hon-, ours iii zoology; became a London B.Se., But 'shut mo' out from following up this career in tho .natural,"'proper, professional becoming.a respeqtablo schoolmaster. or professor, v Icould '.not ; stand London and' class-teaching. Writing was really, tho : dnly way out..' So I took to it, wrote hard for. tho "Pall Mall Gazette"— ; light things : —might , have becomo quito a respectablo 'occ.'' journalist. Then .tho editor changed—such, tiling? happen—and it • seemed a .bore. to.propitiate, a fresh one. Wo sor to—my, 'wifo and,.l—arid wrote 'Tho .limc^Maehinp'—wrote.it in. a few! weeks.' Wo sent it to Henley, who had taken very kindly to somo. of my ea'rlier''papers. He sent it back tho hrst no placed for it. But then ho was-jsot on to. start ' the' ''National Observer," • hp s.mlclonly"thought of it— telegraphed for it.; . We'sent; it. ' ' It made a hit. Wo started another story. Wo could ]pave ; Londori-r-and' jierhaps livo. , So wo left —went on writing—l got well, and' here wo are.".: , ' '.• ■ *, ...:' •: ■;