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A NOVELIST ON NOVELS




_BY THE SAME AUTHOR_

NOVELS:

  A BED OF ROSES
  THE CITY OF NIGHT
  ISRAEL KALISCH[1]
  THE MAKING OF AN ENGLISHMAN[2]
  THE SECOND BLOOMING
  THE STRANGERS' WEDDING
  OLGA NAZIMOV (Short Stories)

MISCELLANEOUS:

  WOMAN AND TO-MORROW
  ANATOLE FRANCE
  DRAMATIC ACTUALITIES
  THE INTELLIGENCE OF WOMAN ETC.

[Footnote 1: Published in the U.S.A. and Canada under the title, 'Until
the Day Break']

[Footnote 2: Published in the U.S.A. and Canada under the title, 'The
Little Beloved']




  A NOVELIST
  ON
  NOVELS

  BY
  W. L. GEORGE

  LONDON: 48 PALL MALL
  W. COLLINS SONS & CO. LTD.
  GLASGOW MELBOURNE AUCKLAND

  Copyright 1918




NOTE


The chapters that follow have been written in varying moods, and express
the fluctuating feelings aroused in the author by the modern novel and
its treatment at the hands of the public. Though unrelated with the
novel, the chapters on 'Falstaff,' 'The Esperanto of Art,' and 'The
Twilight of Genius' have been included, either because artistically in
keeping with other chapters, or because their general implications
affect the fiction form.

A half of the book has not before now been published in Great Britain
and Dominions.




CONTENTS


                                                                    PAGE

  A DECEPTIVE DEDICATION                                               1

  LITANY OF THE NOVELIST                                              24

  WHO IS THE MAN?                                                     62

  THREE YOUNG NOVELISTS:

      1. _D. H. LAWRENCE_                                             90

      2. _AMBER REEVES_                                              101

      3. _SHEILA KAYE-SMITH_                                         109

  FORM AND THE NOVEL                                                 118

  SINCERITY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE POLICEMAN                         124

  THREE COMIC GIANTS:

      1. _TARTARIN_                                                  147

      2. _FALSTAFF_                                                  161

      3. _MUeNCHAUSEN_                                                177

  THE ESPERANTO OF ART                                               191

  THE TWILIGHT OF GENIUS                                             208




A Deceptive Dedication


I

I have shown the manuscript of this book to a well-known author. One of
those staid, established authors whose venom has been extracted by the
mellow years. My author is beyond rancour and exploit; he has earned the
right to bask in his own celebrity, and needs to judge no more, because
no longer does he fear judgment. He is like a motorist who has sowed his
wild petrol. He said to me: 'You are very, very unwise. I never
criticise my contemporaries, and, believe me, it doesn't pay.' Well, I
am unwise; I always was unwise, and this has paid in a coin not always
recognised, but precious to a man's spiritual pride. Why should I not
criticise my contemporaries? It is not a merit to be a contemporary.
Also, they can return the compliment; some of them, if I may venture
upon a turn of phrase proper for Mr Tim Healy, have returned the
compliment before they got it. It may be unwise, but I join with
Voltaire in thanking God that he gave us folly. So I will affront the
condemnatory vagueness of wool and fleecy cloud, be content to think
that nobody will care where I praise, that everybody will think me
impertinent where I judge. I will be content to believe that the
well-known author will not mind if I criticise him, and that the others
will not mind either. I will hope, though something of a Sadducee, that
there is an angel in their hearts.

I want to criticise them and their works because I think the novel, this
latest born of literature, immensely interesting and important. It