SOURCE: “Sir Hall Caine,” in The Bookman, Vol. LXXI, No. 483, December, 1931, pp. 166-67.

In the following essay, Steuart reminisces about his relationship with Caine and assesses the author's place in contemporary English literature.

When I first knew him Hall Caine was already in the full blaze of his remarkable popularity; that is to say, he was the most popular novelist-of the day. For a little while Miss Marie Corelli was a hot rival; but her rivalry, if exciting and spectacular, was brief. With readers in general Meredith was not in the running; nor was Hardy, at any rate until Tess unexpectedly boomed; and that was but a single success out of a series of comparative failures as judged by sales. Stevenson's great vogue was mostly posthumous. For more than thirty years Caine went from triumph to triumph in popular favour. His real popularity began with The Deemster when...