Conrad and James Pinker

On October 26th, 1898 the Conrad's moved again. This time to a house near Hythe / Kent, named 'Pent Farm'. The next thirteen years should become the most productive and significant period of his time as a writer. Almost all the great works were published in the years between 1898 and 1911, such as 'Heart of Darkness', 'Lord Jim', 'Nostromo' and 'Under Western Eyes'.

But it was not only his writing problems, which caused agony and despair for him, but also the problems from the financial side bothered him. For many years his agent James Pinker supported him to a remarkable extent. As late as 1914 the popularity of Conrad had reached a level which enabled him not only to live from his writings, but to pay his debts also. Conrad wrote more than 1000 letters to Pinker, most of them carrying the wish for more patience. 'I am not one of your 25 year old geniuses', he wrote to him in anger, when Pinker insisted in the delivery of a new story.

After 'Lord Jim' was finished in July of 1900 the Conrad's went on a five week vacation to Belgium. About the finishing of 'Lord Jim' he wrote to Galsworthy:

'The end of 'Lord Jim' has been pulled off with a steady drag of 21 hours. I sent my wife and child out of the house (to London) and sat down at 9 a. m. with a desperate resolve to be done with it. Now and then I took a walk round the house, out at one door in at the other. Ten-minute meals. A great hush. Cigarette ends growing into a mound similar to a cairn over a dead hero. Moon rose over the barn, looked in at the window and climbed out of sight. Dawn broke, brightened. I put the lamp out and went on, with the morning breeze blowing the sheets of (the manuscript) all over the room. Sun rose. I wrote the last word and went into the dining-room. Six o'clock I shared a piece of cold chicken with Escamillo *) (who was very miserable and in want of sympathy, having missed the child dreadfully all day). Felt very well, only sleepy; had a bath at seven and at 1:30 was on my way to London.'

*) the dog of the Conrad's

The novel 'Lord Jim' received some euphoric critisism. Yet it was not a big success. The novel appeared first in 'Edinburgh Monthly Magazine' and was published as a book on October 15th, 1900. Only a few people bought it.

First edition of 'Lord Jim'; 1900