A New Zealand Authoress.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5278, 7 June 1895, Page 2

A New Zealand Authoress.

Oar London correspondent sends an interesting account of Mrs Baker'a [ courageous efforts to .secure a foot' hold in the literary world of London. The author of " A Daughter of tbe King" and "The Majesty of Man" appears to have sustained a most heroic struggle against a combination of ad- ; verse circumstances. Shortly after her I arrival in England she was attacked by influenza, and this malady was | followed by bronchitis and aetinna. !" I think," our correspondent writes, i " the struggle this New Zealand lady has ! made against adverse circumstances, com- ! pleting one novel and writing another I whilst racked with mental anxiety and i physical suffering, one of the pluckiest I things of the sort I ever heard or read of. 1 Only those who know the difficulty of [ conscientious literary labour when the least i unwell can realise its significance. Mrs i Baker worked against time whilst pro- | ducing ' The Majeßty of Man/ as the book ! was imperatively required for the spring | publishing season. She wrote fourteen, ! and sometimes Bixteen, hours a day, ! grinding out the 'copy' from her j aching head with infinite difficulty, [ yet persevering steadfastly." The im- | mediate recognition which both Mrs i Baker's stories secured from the Academy, the Spectator, the British Weekly, the Daily Chronicle and other journals, must have greatly enconraged the New Zealand authoress, and we may hope that, with restored health and more pleasant surroundings, she will achieve even greater success. She iB at preeent acting as " reader " for the publishing firm of Mesarß HutchinBon and Co., a position requiring great patience, perseverance and good taste, but will shortly commence a third story, which her friends confidently expect j to surpass her two former efforts.