the days of my life-第21部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


my　studies　at　the　Bar。　Hither　we　came　accordingly　a　little　while　before　the　birth　of　my　eldest　daughter。　She　was　named　Angela　after　the　heroine　of　my　novel；　which　shows　that　at　this　time　it　must　either　have　been　written　or　well　advanced。
There　appear　to　be　three　drafts　of　this　work；　the　first　of　which　（inplete）　is　named　“Angela；”　after　the　heroine；　the　second；　five　hundred　and　fifty…four　closely　written　foolscap　sheets　long（！）；　estimated；　I　observe；　upon　the　title…page　to　print　into　about　a　thousand　pages；　called　“There　Remaih　a　Rest”；　and　the　third；　bound　MS。　（unnamed）；　four　hundred　and　niy…three　foolscap　sheets。　The　history　of　them　is　briefly　as　follows。　With　pain　and　labour　I　wrote　the　work　—　five　hundred　and　fifty…four　foolscap　sheets　do　take　some　labour　in　the　actual　matter　of　calligraphy；　without　considering　the　mental　effort。　Then　I　sent　the　result　to　sundry　publishers　—　who　they　were　I　entirely　forget。　Evidently；　however；　Smith　and　Elder　must　have　been　one　of　them；　as　is　shown　by　the　allusion　to　James　Payn　in　a　letter　from　the　late　Mr。　Cordy　Jeaffreson；　which　I　shall　presently　quote。
These　publishers；　or　their　readers；　had　no　great　opinion　of　“Angela”　or　“There　Remaih　a　Rest；”　by　whichever　title　it　was　then　called。　After　these　rebuffs　most　people　would　have　put　that　mighty　mass　of　manuscript　into　the　fire　or　an　upstairs　cupboard。　But　I　must　have　been　a　persistent　young　man　thirty　years　or　so　ago；　and　I　did　not　take　this　course。　On　the　contrary；　I　consulted　Mr。　Trubner；　with　whom　I　had　bee　personally　acquainted　since　the　publication　of　“Cetewayo　and　his　White　Neighbours。”　Indeed　he　and　I　struck　up　some　kind　of　a　friendship；　as　is　shown　by　the　fact　that　he　gave　me　his　photograph　in　a　little　olive…wood　frame；　which　photograph　has　stood　on　a　shelf　in　my　room　from　that　day　to　this。　It　is　a　clever　old　face　which　is　pictured　there；　and　he　was　a　clever　old　man。　He　used　to　tell　me　anecdotes　in　his　queer；　half…German　talk　about　the　literary　celebrities　of　bygone　days；　and　I　remember　that　his　description　of　George　Eliot　was　extremely　epigrammatic　and　amusing。　This；　however；　I　will　not　repeat。　He　was　good　enough　to　take　some　interest　in　the　story；　and　to　suggest　that　it　should　be　sent　to　the　late　Mr。　Cordy　Jeaffreson　for　his　opinion。　This　was　done；　and　on　April　27；　1883；　Jeaffreson　sent　me　his　opinion；　which　is　so　thorough　and　able　that　I　erely　omitting　his　detailed　criticism　of　the　work。
24　Carlton　Road；　Maida　Vale；　N。W。：
April　27；　1883。
Dear　Sir；　—　I　have　read　your　story　deliberately　and　read　it　with　considerable　interest；　which　would　of　course　have　been　greater　had　I　read　it　in　type。
Payn　was　not　wrong。　Your　opening　chapters　have　a　superabundance　of　action；　and　several　highly　dramatic　positions；　but　they　lack　dramatic　interest；　i。e。　the　interest　that　es　from　an　exhibition　of　the　influence　of　character　upon　character。　Novels　being　what　they　are　just　now；　it　is　small　praise　to　say　that　Angela’s　love…story　is　better　than　two…thirds　of　the　stories　that　are　published。　I　could　say　much　more　in　its　favour。　Still　I　urge　you　not　to　publish　it　in　its　present　rude　form。　Indeed；　the　story　has　caused　me　to　take　so　much　interest　in　its　writer　that　I　could　almost　entreat　you　not　to　publish　it。
I　take　it　you　are　a　young　man。　You　are　certainly　a　novice　in　literature：　and　like　most　beginners　in　the　really　difficult　art　of　novel…writing　you　have　plied　your　pen　under　the　notion　that　novels　are　dashed　off。　Inferior　novels　are　so　written；　but　you　have　the　making　of　a　good　novelist　in　you；　if　you　are　seriously　bent　on　being　one。　It　would　therefore　be　ill　for　you　in　several　ways　to　make　your　debut　with　a　tale　that　would　do　you　injustice。　I　don’t　counsel　you　to　try　again　with　new　materials。　I　advise　you　to　make　your　present　essay；　what　it　might　be　made；　a　work　of　art　and　a　really　good　performance。
You　have　written　it　with　your　left　hand　without　strenuous　pains；　you　must　rewrite　it　with　your　right　hand；　throwing　all　your　force　into　it。　If　you　produce　it　in　its　present　crude　state　you　will　do　so　only　to　regret　in　a　few　weeks　you　did　not　burn　it。　If　you　rewrite　it　slowly　with　your　right　hand　—　suppressing　much；　expanding　much；　making　every　chapter　a　picture　by　itself；　and　polishing　up　every　sentence　so　that　each　page　bears　testimony　to　the　power　of　its　producer　—　the　story　will　be　the　beginning　of　such　a　literary　career　as　I　conceive　you　to　be　desirous　of　running。　Get　the　better　of　the　mon　notion　that　novels　may　be　dashed　off　—　by　remembering　how　often　Lord　Lytton　rewrote　“Pelham；”　thinking　over　every　part　of　it；　now　pressing　and　now　expanding　the　narrative；　before　he　ventured　to　give　it　to　the　world。　Go　to　the　Charles　Dickens　rooms　in　the　S。　Kensington　Museum　and　observe　the　erasures；　the　insertions；　the　amendments　of　every　paragraph　of　his　writing　。　。　。　。
Here　follows　a　long　and　able　criticism　of　the　story。
Having　read　your　MS。　I　have　packed　it　and　will　do　anything　you　like　with　it　—　with　the　exception　of　sending　it　to　a　publisher　in　its　present　state。　You　will　succeed　in　literary　enterprise　if　it　will　be　your　ambition　to　do　so。
Your　story　disposes　me　to　think　you　have　that　ambition。　It　also　causes　me　to　hope　that　I　may　make　the　author’s　acquaintance。　If　you　call　on　me　when　you　are　in　town　I　shall　be　delighted　to　ask　your　pardon　for　writing　to　you　with　such　unmannerly　frankness　and　self…sufficiency。
Believe　me　to　be；　my　dear　sir；
Yours　very　sincerely；
John　Cordy　Jeaffreson。
What　an　extraordinarily　kind　heart　must　have　been　that　of　Mr。　Jeaffreson！　He　was　a　very　busy　man；　producing　as　he　did　works　of　fiction　and　of　biography；　in　addition　to　his　antiquarian　labours　that　involved　the　deciphering　of　thousands　of　old　documents；　by　means　of　all　which　toil　he　earned　a　moderate　ine。　Yet　he　found　time　on　behalf　of　an　individual　totally　unknown　to　him；　or　to　anybody　else　in　this　country；　to　labour　through　several　hundred　not　too　legible　sheets　of　manuscript；　and　to　write　a　masterly　criticism　of　their　contents。　Moreover；　for　all　this　trouble　he　refused　to　accept　any　reward。　Certainly　it　has　been　my　fortune　to　make　acquaintance　with　much　malice　in　the　world；　but　on　the　other　hand　I　have　met　with　signal　kindness　at　the　hands　of　those　engaged　in　literary　pursuits；　and　of　such　kindnesses　I　can　recall　no　more　striking　example　than　this　act　of　Mr。　Jeaffreson；　of　whom　I　shall　always　entertain　the　most　affectionate　memory。
Well；　I　took　his　advice。　From　a　tiny　note　on　the　first　page　of　the　manuscript　it　would　seem　that　I　began　to　rewrite　“Dawn”　or　“Angela；”　as　it　was　then　called；　on　May　15；　1883；　and　finished　the　last　of　the　four　hundred　and　niy…three　foolscap　sheets　on　September　5th　of　the　same　year。　That　is；　in　just　under　four　months；　in　addition　to　my　legal　studies　and　other　occupations　and　the　time　taken　in　attending　in　London　to　eat　my　dinners　at　Lincoln’s　Inn；　I　wrote　nearly　two　hundred　thousand　words。　Nowadays　the　average　length　of　a　novel　may　be　put　at　seventy…five　thousand　words；　or　even　less；　though　mine　are　longer。　But　in　the　early　eighties；　when　stories　were　brought　out　in　three　volumes　and　readers　had　more　patience　than　at　present；　it　was　otherwise。　I　toiled　at　that　book　morning；　noon；　and　night；　with　the　result　that　at　length　my　eyesight　gave　out；　and　I　was　obliged　to　finish　the　writing　of　it　in　a　darkened　room。
Still　I　did　finish　it　notwithstanding　the　pain　in　my　eyes；　and　then　went　to　London　to　see　an　oculist。　To　my　relief　he　told　me　I　was　not　going　blind　as　I　feared；　but　that　the　trouble　came　from　the　brain　which　was　overworked。　He　ordered　me　plete　rest　and　change；　during　which　I　was　not　to　read　anything。　So　we　went　for　a　month　to　Switzerland；　where　we　took　lodgings。　The　only　occupation　that　I　had　there　was　to　walk；　or；　when　this　was　not　feasible；　like　a　child　to　throw　a　ball　against　the　wall　of　the　room　and　see　how　often　I　could　catch　it　on　the　rebound。　However；　the　treatment　proved　effective。
The　book　being　finished；　or　nearly　finished；　and　the　heroine；　Angela；　rescued　from　the　untimely　death　to　which　she　was　consigned　in　the　first　version　and　happily　married　to　her　lover；　once　more　I　sought　the　assistance　of　Cordy　Jeaffreson；　who　gave　me　a　letter　introducing　me　to　Mr。　Arthur　Blackett　of　the　firm　of　Messrs。　Hurst　and　Blackett。　It　runs：
Dear　Blackett；　—　Some　months　since　I　read　the　MS。　of　a　novel　of　which　the　bearer　of　these　presents；　Mr。　Rider　Haggard　of　Ditchingham　House；　Bungay；　is　looking　for　a　publisher。　Mr。　Haggard　having　distinguished　himself　in　another　field　of　literature；　I　was　not　surprised　to　find　his　first　essay　in　prose　fiction　a　thing　of　no　ordinary　power。　It　was　a　tale　of　character；　pathos；　incident；　and　new　ground：　so　good　that　had　it　been　less　I　should　have　advised　him　to　publish　it　as　it　came　to　me。　The　goodness　of　the　story；　however；　made　me　urge　him　to　rewrite　it；　so　that　every　chapter　should　be　in　harmony　with　its　best　and　strongest　parts。　He　has　acted　on　my　advice；　and　if　the　result　of　his　renewed　labour　answers　my　anticipation；　he　has　produced　a　work　that　will　make　your　reader　rub　his　hands　and　say　“This　will　do。”　。　。　。
Messrs。　Hurst　and　Blackett　wrote　to　me；　and　well　do　I　remember　the　jubilation　with　which　I　read　the　letter：
We　shall　be　very　happy　to　undertake　the　publication　of　your　novel　on　the　following　terms。　To　produce　the　work　at　our　own　expense　and　risk。　To　pay　you　the　sum　of　40　pounds　on　the　sale　of　four　hundred　copies　and　30　pounds　on　the　sale　of　every　hundred　copies　after。　The　title　“Angela”　has　been　used　before　。　。　。　。
Needless　to　say　I　accepted　the　offer　with　gratitude　and　promised　to　find　another　title。　Three　days　later　the　agreement　arrived　under　which　I　sold　the　copyright　to　Messrs。　Hurst　and　Blackett　for　a　period　of　one　year　only　from　the　date　of　publication。　In　their　covering　letter　they　informed　me　that　they　only　proposed　to　print　five　hundred　copies　in　the　three…volume　form；　leaving　me　at　liberty　to　make　any　arrangements　I　liked　for　a　cheap　edition；　if　one　should　be　demanded。
About　this　time；　namely　just　after　he　had　read　the　MS。　of　“Angela；”　I　received　the　following　interesting　but　undated　letter　from　Mr。　Jeaffreson：
Dear　Sir；　—　Can’t　you　arrange　to　dine　with　us　at　seven　o’clock　on　the　10th　of　next　month？　We　could　talk　all　round　the　literary　question　over　a　cigar　in　my　study　after　dinner。　Could　you　succeed　in　literature？　Certainly　up　to　a　certain　point：　unquestionably　up　to　the　point　you　indicate；　though　you　might　never　earn　as　much　money　as　the　two　novelists　you　mention；　for　in　that　respect　they　have　been　singularly　fortunate。　But　you　may　not　hope　to　succeed　in　a　day。　You　might　bee　famous　in　a　morning；　but　you　may　not　entertain　the　hope　of　doing　so。　You　must　hope　only　to　succeed　by　degrees；　—　by　steady　work；　slow　advances；　and　after　several　disappointments。　Moderate　success　in　literature　is　easily　attainable　by　a　man　of　energy；　culture；　and　resoluteness　who　can　afford　to　work　steadily　and　play　a　waiting　game。　At　twenty…one　a　man　is　necessarily　impatient；　at　twenty…six　a　man　has　neither　the　excuse　of　youth　nor　the　excuse　of　advancing　age　for　impatience。　How　I　envy　you　for　being　only　twenty…six。　I　am　old　enough　to　be　your　father。　I　could　not　have　written　as　good　a　novel　as　Angela’s　story　when　I　was　twenty…six。　I　have　already　perused　your　“Cetewayo。”　It　is　a　far　more　difficult　thing　to　interest　readers　in　imaginary　persons　and　incidents　than　to　entertain　them　with　writing　about　facts　and　characters　in　which　they　are　already　interested。　It　was　because　I　saw　you　really　knew　your　characters　that　I　urged　you　to　make　the　most　of　them。　Do　e　and　see　me。
Yours　cordially；
John　Cordy　Jeaffreson。
The　following　letter　from　myself　to　my　sister　Mary；　which　she　found　and　returned　to　me　a　few　years　ago；　throws　some　light　upon　the　above：
Ditchingham　House：　May　5　＇1883＇。
My　dearest　Mary；　—　The　enclosed　letters　may　interest　you。　I　consider　Jeaffreson’s　very　encouraging　on　the　whole；　though　he　is　inflicting　a　lot　of　extra　labour　on　me。　However；　after　I　have　been　up　for　this　examination　I　will　go　at　it；　and　hope　to　finish　the　book　in　from　two　to　three　months。　I　do　not　altogether　agree　with　Mr。　Jeaffreson’s　ideas　as　to　changing　the　end　of　the　book；　indeed　my　own　sentiments　about　it　are　much　the　same　as　those　expressed　by　Miss　Barber　＇a　schoolfellow　of　my　wife’s　who　was　more　or　less　living　with　us　at　the　time。　She　is　a　sister　of　the　late　Marjorie　Barber；　“Michael　Faireless；”　the　well…known　author　of　“The　Road…Mender；”　etc。；　and　afterwards　married　my　brother；　John　G。　Haggard；　R。N。＇　in　the　letter　that　I　forward　you；　because　it　puts　the　other　side　of　the　question　very　well。　I　wrote　and　asked　Jeaffreson　what　he　meant　when　he　said　that　I　could　succeed　in　literature；　and　if　in　his　opinion　I　could　hope　to　pete　with　men　like　Payn　and　Blackmore；　and　in　the　very　nice　letter　that　he　sent　me　in　answer　he　said　that　“unquestionably　I　could　succeed　to　the　point　I　indicated。”　This　is　of　course　encouraging；　but　I　am　not　so　sure　about　it。
I　am　going　to　dine　with　him　on　the　10th；　when　I　shall　try　to　modify　his　views　about　changing　the　end　of　the　book。　。　。　。
To　this　day　I　often　wonder　whether　Jeaffreson　was　right　in　making　me　turn　my　story　inside　out　and　give　it　a　happy　ending。　My　idea　was　to　present　the　character　of　a　woman　already　sweet　and　excellent　in　mind　and　body；　and　to　show　it　being　perfected　by　various　mortal　trials；　till　at　length　all　frailties　were　burnt　out　of　it　by　the　fires　of　death。　In　the　second　version　I　continued　to　carry　out　this　scheme　as　well　as　I　could；　only　the　final　fires　through　which　the　heroine　had　to　pass　were　those　of　marriage　to　a　not　very　interesting　young　man。　I　have　always　found　young　men　—　and；　if　they　are　to　fill　the　position　of　heroes；　the　novel…reader　insists　that　they　must　be　rather　young　—　somewhat　difficult　to　draw。　Young　men；　at　any　rate　to　the　male　eye；　have　a　painful　similarity　to　each　other；　whereas　woman　is　of　an　infinite　variety　and　therefore　easier　to　depict。　With　elderly　men；　such　as　old　Allan　Quatermain；　to　take　an　instance；　the　case　is　different。　With　these　I　have　had　no　trouble；　perhaps　because　from　my　boyhood　my　great　friends　have　always　been　men　much　older　than　myself；　if　I　except　the　instances　of　Sheil　or　Brother　Basil；　and　that　other　friend　who　died；　of　whom　I　have　already　written。　Now　I　am　reaping　the　sad　fruits　of　this　idiosyncrasy；　since　nearly　all　of　those　to　whom　I　was　deeply　attached　have　gone　before　me；　although；　thank　Heaven！　a　few　still　remain；　such　as　Arthur　Cochrane；　Andrew　Lang；　and　Charles　Longman。
My　criticism　on　“Dawn”　considered　as　a　whole　—　that　is；　so　far　as　I　recollect　it；　for　I　have　not　reread　the　book　for　many　years　—　is　that　it　ought　to　have　been　cut　up　into　several　stories。　However；　it　has　pleased；　and　apparently　still　continues　to　please；　a　vast　number　of　persons；　and　not　long　ago　I　was　much　amused　to　see　in　an　article　in　The　Times　that　at　Pekin　—　or　Hong…Kong　—　it　is　one　of　the　favourite　subjects　of　study　among　the　Chinese　students　of　English　literature。　Perhaps　an　old　aunt　of　mine；　who　still　lives　at　the　age　of　nearly　a　hundred；　was　right　when　she　declared　that　the　book　was　too　full　of　“amateur　villains。”
However；　in　due　course　it　appeared　in　charming　type；　such　as　we　do　not　get　in　novels　nowadays；　and　three　nice　volumes　bound　in　green；　which　I　admire　as　I　write。　Certain　of　the　reviews　of　it　still　remain　pasted　in　a　book。　They　were　not　very　many　nearly　thirty　years　ago；　or　perhaps；　as　there　were　no　Press…cutting　agencies；　one　did　not　see　them。　On　the　whole；　however；　they　seem　to　have　been　fairly　favourable。　Since　1883　I　have　read　hundreds；　if　not　thousands；　of　reviews　of　my　books；　good；　bad；　and　indifferent；　but　I　can　safely　say　that　few　if　any　of　them　have　pleased　me　more　than　that　which　appeared　of　“Dawn”　in　The　Times。
“Dawn”　＇said　The　Times＇　is　a　novel　of　merit　far　above　the　average。　From　the　first　page　the　story　arrests　the　mind　and　arouses　the　expectation。　。　。　。　This　is；　we　repeat；　a　striking　and　original　novel；　breathing　an　elevated　if　somewhat　exaggerated　tone。
I　wonder　who　wrote　that　notice！　Be　he　living；　which　is　scarcely　probable；　or　dead；　I　offer　him　my　gratitude。　And　yet　I　know　not　whether　I　should　be　grateful　to　this　kindly　critic；　since　his　words；　more　than　any　other　circumstances；　encouraged　me　to　try　another　novel。
As　regards　“Dawn”　itself；　it　was　more　or　less　of　a　failure　—　of　course　I　mean　at　that　time；　for　in　after　years　it　became　extraordinarily　successful。
One　of　the　most　appreciative　and　indeed　enthusiastic　readers　of　this　tale　at　the　time　was　old　Mr。　Trubner；　whose　advice　had　encouraged　me　to　make　the　attempt　of　its　writing。　Indeed　I　was　told　by　one　of　his　relatives　that　he　continued　its　perusal　to　within　a　few　hours　of　his　actual　death。　Whether　he　finished　it　or　not　I　cannot　now　remember。　Scoffers　might　say　that　it　finished　him。
The　new　novel　upon　which　I　embarked　ultimately　appeared　under　the　title　of　“The　Witch’s　Head。”　Failing　to　find　any　magazine　that　would　undertake　it　serially；　in　the　end　I　published　it　with　Messrs。　Hurst　and　Blackett　on　practically　the　same　terms　as　they　had　offered　me　for　“Dawn。”　Although；　except　for　the　African　part；　it　is　not　in　my　opinion　so　good　a　story　as　“Dawn；”　it　was　extremely　well　received　and　within　certain　limits　very　successful。　Indeed；　some　of　the　reviews　were　quite　enthusiastic；　although；　as　I　may　here　remark；　I　was　unacquainted　with　a　single　person　who　made　a　business　of　reviewing　fiction；　or　indeed　with　anyone　connected　with　the　Press。　Never　did　a　writer　begin　less　equipped　with　friends　who　were　likely　to　be　able　to　do　him　a　good　turn。　All　I　could　do　was　to　cast　my　fictional　bread　upon　the　literary　waters。
The　notices　of　“The　Witch’s　Head”　naturally　delighted　me；　indeed；　after　the　lapse　of　more　than　a　quarter　of　a　century　they　still　make　pleasant　reading。　Also　they　caused　the　book　to　go　quickly　out　of　print　and　to　be　pirated　in　America。　But　this　success　would　not　tempt　my　publishers　to　reissue　it　in　a　cheaper　form；　a　venture　that　they　thought　too　risky。　I　hawked　the　work　about　and　eventually　found　some　other　publishers　—　who　have　long　since　ceased　to　publish　—　who　agreed　to　bring　it　and　“Dawn”　out　each　in　a　two…shilling　edition；　and　nobly　promised　me　one…third　of　the　profits。　But　in　that　generous　agreement　was　a　little　clause　that　afterwards　nearly　proved　my　ruin。　It　bound　me　to　allow　this　firm　to　republish　any　other　novel　I　might　write　during　the　five　following　years；　in　the　same　form　and　on　the　same　terms。　To　such　a　document　as　this　in　my　ignorance　—　there　was　no　Authors’　Society　in　those　days　—　did　I　set　my　hand；　with　results　that　shall　be　told　later。　These；　however；　did　not　alarm　me　at　the　time；　if　I　really　considered　them；　as；　having　then　passed　my　final　examination　for　the　Bar　without　any　assistance　in　the　way　of　coaching；　I　determined　to　abandon　the　writing　of　fiction　and　devote　myself　entirely　to　my　profession。
Three　works　had　I　produced；　namely；　one　history　and　two　long　novels。　The　history　had　cost　me　50　pounds　to　publish；　and　for　the　two　novels　I　had　received　exactly　the　same　sum　in　all；　in　short；　the　　returns　were　at　that　time　nothing；　and　this　for　books　that　have　since　sold　by　the　ten　thousand　copies；　not　to　mention　pirated　editions。　Thus　I　find　that；　during　six　months　of　the　present　year；　4204　copies　of　“Dawn”　and　5656　copies　of　“The　Witch’s　Head”　were　sold　in　a　cheap　edition；　besides　others　at　a　higher　price；　which；　as　thes