A NOVELIST WORKING AGAINST TIME.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1543, 10 August 1886, Page 3

A NOVELIST WORKING AGAINST TIME.

Writing in “ Lippincott’s Magazine," Mr Jnlian Hawthorn says that he remembers that on one occasion he wrote for iwenty-six .consecutive hours withouta pause. This was daring his residence in London, shortly after he had entered upon a literary career. He had agreed to have a story done by a certain hour on a certain day, and, as is very apt to be the way with young men, ho had put off the work until the eleventh hour. Then, confronted by the uncomprising fact that be must do the work or lose his money, ho set. himself at the task with all his might and main. He started in at nine o’clock one morning and stuck hard at work until nearly noon the next day. He says he found no difficulty in writing after the first hour; his thoughts came freely, and his hand worked mechanically. He remembers that when he finished' the story he became aware that his little children were playing about the room where he had been writing; he neither saw nor heard them while he was at work, and now they looked more like shadows than . real, tangible forms. He did not feel particularly worried, but his brain seemed to be strangely confused ; so, instead of going to bed, as a man naturally think of doing, he pot on his hat and overcoat andi set out for a long walk. He remained out of doors until dusk; then, upon his return homo, ho ate a light supper, drank two bottles of a’e, and went to bed. The bodily exercise had cleared his head, his brain was as cool and quiet as could ba wished, and he slept eighteen Lours as soundly and peacefully as a child.