第35部分(第6/7 頁)

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