THE AUTHOR OF "LOOKING BACKWARD.”

Temuka Leader, Issue 2045, 13 May 1890, Page 3

THE AUTHOR OF "LOOKING BACKWARD.”

The British Weekly of a recent date gives the following description of the author of “ Looking Back ” : In the little village of Chicopee Balls, Mass,, on a rainy day the other week, a reporter found Mr Edward Bellamy, the originator and leader in the growing Nationalist movement. The celebrated author of “ Looking Backward ” is a wiry-looking man yet in the thirties. There are but a few strands of silver in his dark hair, and his frank face is illuminated by a pair of honest brown eyes. Every lineament bespeaks kindheartedness and geniality. “I was born,” began Mr Bellamy, “in Chicopee Balls. My youthful days were passed in much the same manner as those of the ordinary boy. I had my share of the tops and marbles, fights and kites, though really I do not think the public will feel interested in any portion : of my personal career. After attending school at the old Union College in Schenectady for some time I went to Germany for a year. Upon my return I studied law in Springfield, and was admitted to the Bar, but did not practise. I went into the field of journalism, and in 1871 became an outside editorial writer on the Springfield Union. My health gave way in 1877, and I went lo the Sandwich Islands ; here I remained for a year. I have always written more or less for magazines, and in 1878 I produced my first novel, ‘ A Nantucket Idyl,’ which was published by the Putnams. ‘Dr. Heidelhoff’s Process’ came next, and was published by Appleton in 1880. Four years later the Tieknors produced ‘ Miss Ludington’s Sister. My last book, ‘Looking Backwards’, which appeared in 1888, was the outgrowth of a deep conviction that the great mass of American people are blind to the perils into which they are drifting. Up to the beginning of the recent year not over 10,000 copies had been disposed of. In January last there came a boon, and since that time almost 200,00 Q copies) haye beep sold. J have not expected any great pecuniay harvest, but I am gratified beyond measure at the broadcast seeds of warning which the book is sowing. The work has been translated into German, Danish, and French, and the sales in England are quite as large as in America. Opt qf thjs boqk has gro vpn a party lyh'ose aim’is the nationalisation of great industries, and the ultimate conduct ©f all business by the people and for the benefit of the people.” Mr Bellamy did not talk like a blind believer jp $ yisiqnary qreecl, ipit gather, as the calm apostle of a reasonable theory. Continuing he said: —The coming parth will bs satisfied with nothing but a fraternal basis of industry, and an equality of rights and advantages. This is pot a class movement. It appeals to all bpsiness men and no one is so much interested as the small tradesmen themselves. We are not at all rabid. We are simply obeying a natural law of economics. We do not want to hang monopolists and capitalists, but we simply desire ts put an end to the system which permits them to exist.”