Esoteric V10: July 1896 - Iapsop.com

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1896.] Ilow I CAME TO WunE Jh~N·IIUR. 107
create become living creatnt·es to them. It was so with me.
The characters of "Ben-I Iur" were living beings. I knew
them hy theit· features. I talke1l to them and they answet·e1l
me. Some of them I detested, atHl others I loved, and li\•ml
with them in constant companionship. They knew me equally
a.~ well. Think of the society to which this companionship
admitted me. The ride with Balthasar in the desert, the company
of the mystet·ious Three, the journey to .Jesus an1l the
cave of Bethlehem: hearing Herod in conversation. Think of
lying with the slwphenls in their sheepfold on that cold, dear
starlight night, walking with .Joseph past the tomb of Rachael,
and mm·e than all, of being in dose IHillltHunion with that lowly
maid who aftet·wards, in the good old Catholic phrase, was
called the " .\!other of God."
\Veil, I finishe1l the serial I then tnoposed to write and put
it away until I shouhl find courage to make use of it. In all
this time the thought had not once occurred to me to make of
my notes a full-gwwn book. This may be sUI·prising to many
people. an1l, if so, I woultl ask critical examination of the be-·
ginning of Book II. It will be found to he the beginning of a
novel. It is even possible for Ill~ to fix the place arul hour of
it.