s that he
would rather stop writing for days and weeks than to compose without
inclination, and he tells us that whenever he attempts to work "_sans
inclination_" as the French say, the result is unsatisfactory, and the
effort strains both mind and body. He seldom spends more than eight
hours a day at the writing-table.

To the many with whom it is customary to do literary work in the daytime
must be added Johannes Nordmann, one of Vienna's most able novelists and
newspaper men. He writes more during the winter than in the summer time,
most of which he spends in travelling. He never recopies prose. For
poems, however, he first makes an outline, and then files the verse till
it receives his approbation. While driving the "quill," he smokes
cigars. He writes with remarkable speed and ease after the subject in
hand has ripened in his thoughts. He often forces himself to do
newspaper work, when he would fain do anything else; and is totally
unable to compose fiction or poetry when not disposed to.

Moncure D. Conway burns daylight, never the midnight oil, and rarely the
evening oil. Generally he works with his pen eight hours a day, tries
to take two walks, and in the evening to get some amusement,--billiards
or the theatre, of which he is very fond. He smokes as he begins work,
but does not keep it up, and uses no other stimulant at work. He loves
work, and never has had to force himself to labor. He generally makes
some outline of what he means to write, but often leaves it, finding his
thoughts developed by stating them. Conway has to be alone when writing,
but does not care for noise outside of his study. He is a slow writer,
and is always waiting on a nursery of slowly-maturing subjects.

Kate Field, the well-known editor and lecturer, prefers the daytime for
literary work, for the reason, she says, that the brain is far clearer
in the morning than at any other time. This refers, of course, to a
normal brain, independent of stimulants. She thinks that, under
pressure, night work in journalism is often more brilliant than any
other; but that it is exceptional. She makes no outline in advance; and
never uses stimulants, hot water excepted. She has no particular habit
when at work, except the habit of sticking to it; and has no specified
hours for work. She spends no time at a desk, as she writes in her lap,
a habit which was also a peculiarity of Mrs. Browning. Miss Field
maintains that it is far easier for her, and pr