TALKS WITH AUTHORS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7027, 15 January 1910, Page 11

TALKS WITH AUTHORS

BEATRICE HARK ADEN ON THE CENSORSHIP OP'BOOKS. SCHOLAR AND . VIOLIN-MAKER. (By Ethel H. Cooper, of New Zealand.) LONDON, December 3. Picture a room luxuriously though quietly upholstered in dark greens ami blues, with roomy lounges end great armchairs, an ebony writing-table, u few choice picture# on. the walls,, vases filled -with violets and white narcissi, a bright fire burning in a'quaint fireplace, a beautiful round window that extends over one end of the room, giving a splendid view over' Hampstead. Then you have Beatrice Hturraden’s room, and it is obvionsly the equivalent of a man’s beloved ‘‘deni." There are two bookcases, one within hand’s reach of the writing table, and having. uncovered shelves of books that speak their own tale of being dear—the other, at the . other end of the room, a tall, proper looking and dignified array of tomes. , BORN STUDENTBeatrice Harradeu—tiny in stature and very fragile looking—is a scholar. . That is one’s first and last conclusion of her; many other things she is, but her personality—a rare and fine one—is that of-the bom student, to whom the world is on ever open book, and men and women, scenery and ■ things, living chapters. One gets into one’s head when talking to this sweet-voiced women the. impression that, though she takes an. active part in all in which she is mterasted, she is yet a being apart from the bustling life of to-day; there is a-certain spirituality about her. liven when the is most enthusiastic and truly sympathetic, the phrase, "in the- world, but not of it," ■ comes to one’s mind, 1 , and seems strangely applicable. ' •

This attribute of the "writer's-person-ality I think possibly accounts for " the Eeculiar repose in tho atmosphere of er stories; They are powerful in conception and as literature, and so far—they are .great;' all great!, books, how ever, are not widely sympathetic, but through a work like "Ships That Pass in the Night,'' there runs ; a thread of philosophy and humanriess—rather, perhaps, than humanity—that is exquisite in its fulness and in its broad appeal. SLOW WORKER^

'On discussing methods.of work.l was surprised to hear that Miss Harraden is not a quibk worker.

Bjdeed, I work very slowly," she said, "the story I am writing is in no way preconceived—though, of course, the main characters in it arer-and I create as I wsrite. Sometimes I may h'avo been working very hard all the morning and yet not have added more than four or five lines to. what I had .done before. Sometimes half a chapter will represent a whole week's work....

"Fortunately, I have never been assailed by the temptation to turn out more books than I cun (put good work intoy arid my public - has come to know that two, and; perhaps three years; will probably elapse before one novel follows another. -

"It seems to me that one should only give of one's very best, or nothing. It means a great exercise 'of patience, of course,, but a good result is worth that. I generally begin working at about 'a quarter to nine in the morning, and go on till half-past eleven, when I go out for a walk." -

Hiss Harraden is a keen) supporter of tha militant suffragettes, and for this cause eho works very hard, giving much time to helping it forward. I knew, ■ 'beforohand, that eho wus a musician, and, had I not known' it, the' 'cello resting? 'against a wall and something of an atmosphere of music in my hostess and her room, would have made evident the fact. She is indeed a de-

voted lover of music, and—a. somewhat, ’unusual' adjunct—she is keenly interested: in the actual mechanism of musicalinstruments and, herself, knows how to make a violin. ''lnterplay/' her last hook, is the result of- her own, knowledge. , - ! , ■ . COLONIAL LIFE. 1 Travel, too,' is one of her recreations, and on the Continent and ; in America she, has journeyed widely. For four years, she lived on a ranch in California,’ ‘and. from . that experience she has always been, and is, glad to -come -in. contactwith colonials. I found her interested' in New - Zealand,-and with an accurate knowledge of the independence and individuality, that aloofness from - other lands—such as we .must know .in -New Zealand—creates in [islanders. ■ We Leir.to talking of books, and I was surprised'to hear her views on preser.itday literature. ' - “I may be quite, wrong," she said, "but L do not think that the age of fiction is going; to be a lasting’thing—it seems to me that this is U day of action rather than leisure, and the demand of readers is affected : by the spirit of the age. Certainly thousands of novels ate being- written,. but I think that there is, not eo keen;-a love . .for fiction as there was. For myself I do not care overmuch for fiction/' “The Times," on the morning of the day that I saw Miss Harruden, brought out a leader that discussed the proposed censorship of novels .before they are put on-sale, and I asked my hostess waether she had noticed the article. LONDON TO WORK IN, / "Indeed, yes,” she replied earnestly, "and it seems to me to open up a subject that should bring forth • much comment. I ‘shall be interested in reading the correspondenca that 'will result." Do you think that there should be a censorship of books? “Who is to exercise'the rights of censor, and what are to be his qualifications for juch a post?” she asked, answermg my question by another. "Few publishers would agree, and the matter is too big to be lightly dealt with. Some of the books that have come to take first rank as literature might never have •S* the y had to pass a committee. -• Like Dickens, Miss Harraden finds she works nest in London, and her flat in Netherhall Gardens, where she. lives bv herself, though it is luxuriously situated, looks out over the great city and its t wonderful moving army of troflic find humanity. MADAME PATTI MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN OF SONG TO * YOUNG ASPIRANTS. Madame Adelina Patti’s jubilee as an opera singer has created wide-spread interest .in musical circles. , She ils still regarded as the "Queen of Song” by thousands of ardent admirers, so that the following message, which she recently sent -to an English paper in response to a congratulatory telegram, will he read with great interest:—. The reasons of my successful career have been various, but as a wol d for young aspirants I may say that none of my great triumphs has been won without hard work and a mind full of enthusiasm and love of my art. ADELINA PATTI CEDERSTROM. Craig-y-nos Castle; ■ , ’ . Mme. Patti was onlv sixteen years of age when she made her, debut, and her reception was as enthusiastic then as it has been on every occasion since. A man caught cheating at cards is kicked out of his club. A woman caught cheating is elected president, of hers, like as not. It is good for a girl to have a big brother; and! it is also good for the brother, ....... ■