| 262 | https://historysoa.com/items/show/262 | The Author, Vol. 02 Issue 11 (April 1892) | <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=%3Cem%3EThe+Author%3C%2Fem%3E%2C+Vol.+02+Issue+11+%28April+1892%29"><em>The Author</em>, Vol. 02 Issue 11 (April 1892)</a> | | | <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927&view=1up&seq=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927</a> | | | | | | | | <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Publication">Publication</a> | 1892-04-01-The-Author-2-11 | | | | | 343–380 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=89&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2">2</a> | | | | | | | | | | | <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=76&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1892-04-01">1892-04-01</a> | | | | | | | 11 | | | 18920401 | Hbe Hutbor*<br />
(The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.)<br />
CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESA1TT.<br />
Vol. II.—No. ii.]<br />
APRIL i, 1892.<br />
CONTENTS.<br />
[Prick Sixpence.<br />
TAQE<br />
Warnings 345<br />
Notices 345<br />
Literary Property—<br />
I.—Transfer of Contract 347<br />
II.—Literary Agents 348<br />
11L—The supposed Increase of Magnalnra 348<br />
IV.—The Output 349<br />
The Authors' Syndicate 349<br />
American Authors—<br />
1.—The American Society of Authors 3S»<br />
II—The Book of the Authors' Club 35'<br />
The Report of 1891 352<br />
The Story or Anita 354<br />
Notes from Paris 35s<br />
Spring. Bv F. Bayrord Harrison 300<br />
T^../..l D««l... .. .. 3OO<br />
361<br />
Useful Books<br />
Notes and News. By Walter Besant<br />
PAOB<br />
An Old Master 3<>4<br />
Scott on the Art of Fiction 365<br />
Author and Editor—<br />
I.—" Advice to Contributors" 367<br />
II. —No Use in Writing 3*8<br />
III. —A Kindness and its Sequel 30S<br />
IV. —Returned Unread 3'9<br />
V.—With no Name 3('9<br />
VI.—Long Kept, and then Returned 369<br />
Correspondence—<br />
I.—Novels on Commission 3&9<br />
II— The Library Stamp 37°<br />
III. —How Books are not Read 37°<br />
IV. —Mr. Traill's List of Poets 37<<br />
V.—The Great Use of a Table of Conteuts 37 ><br />
VI.—Compositors' Errors 37'<br />
"At the Author's Head" 371<br />
New Books and New Editions 373<br />
EYRE AND SPOTTISWOODE.<br />
INVESTMENTS. A List of 1,600 British, Colonial, and<br />
Foreign Securities, with the highest and lowest prices quoted<br />
for the last twenty-two years. 25. 6(7.<br />
"A useful work of reference."—Money.<br />
PHILOSOPHICAL NOTES ON BOTANICAL SUB-<br />
JECTS. By E. Bonayia, M.D., BrigadeSurL-eon, I.M.D.<br />
With 160 Illustrations, a*, 6(7.<br />
KEAL ARMY REFORM, THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDA-<br />
TION OF. By Ioxo-rra. 6d.<br />
"Those who would understand the general argument of those<br />
who favour conscription cannot do better than read this pamphlet."<br />
—Army and Navy Gazette.<br />
MY GARDENER (Illustrated). By H. W. Ward, Head<br />
Hardener to the Right Hon. the Earl of Radnor, Longford<br />
Castle, Salisbury, zs. t>d.<br />
"The l>ook is replete with valuable cultural notes indispensable<br />
to the millions who arc now turning to gardening as a source of<br />
pleasure and profit."—Gardener's Chronicle.<br />
STATE TRIALS, Reports of. New Series. Vol. III.,<br />
1831—40. Published under the direction of the State Trials<br />
Committee. Edited by John Macdonell, M.A. io».<br />
PUBLIC GENERAL ACTS, 1891. Red Cloth, 3s.<br />
Contains all the Public Acts passed during the year, with<br />
Index, also Tables showing the etfeot of the .year's Legislation,<br />
together with complete and elassitied Lists of the Titles of all<br />
the Local and Private Acts passed during the Session.<br />
REVISED STATUTES. (Second Revised Edition.) Royal<br />
8vo. Prepared under the direction of the Statute law-<br />
Revision Committee, and Edited by G. A. R. Fitzgerald,<br />
FORECASTING BY MEANS OF WEATHER CHARTS,<br />
Principles of. By the Hon. Ralph: Abeeceomuy, F.R. Met.<br />
Soc. as.<br />
HYGIENE AND DEMOGRAPHY. Transactions of the<br />
Seventh International Congress of. To be published in thirteen<br />
volumes. Vol. XII. (Municipal Hygiene and Demography).<br />
Now ready, as. (id. List of the Series on application.<br />
METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS, Instructions in<br />
the use of. a«. 6<7.<br />
THE LITERATURE RELATING TO NEW ZEALAND.<br />
A Bibliography. Royal 8vo. Cloth, 2*. (id.<br />
COPYRIGHT LAW REFORM: an Exposition of Lord<br />
Monkswell's Copyright Bill. With Extracts from the Report of<br />
the Commission or 1S78. and an Appendix containing the Berne<br />
Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lelv,<br />
Esq., Itarrister-at-Law. i*. 6(7.<br />
KEW BULLETIN, 1891. Monthly, id. Appendices,<br />
ad. each. Annual Subscription, including postage, )s. gd.<br />
Volume for 1S91, 3s. yr/.. by post.<br />
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. Descriptive Catalogue of<br />
the Musiral Instruments exhibited at the Royal Military Exhi-<br />
bition. 1S90. Compiled by Capt. Day, Oxford Light Infantry.<br />
Illustrated. 21s.<br />
"Unique, as no earlier l»ook exists in English dealing exhaus-<br />
tively with the same subject A very important con-<br />
tribution to the history of orchestration."— Athenaum.<br />
PUBLIC RECORDS. A Guide to the Principal Classes<br />
of Documents preserved in the Public Record Office. By S. R.<br />
Scaegill-Birp. F.S.A. 11.<br />
"The value of such a work as Mr. ScargillBird's con scarcely be<br />
over-rated."— Times.<br />
Esq. Vols. I. to IV. now ready, price 7*. 6(7. each.<br />
TEN YEARS' SUNSHINE. Record of the Registered<br />
Sunshine at 46 Stations in the British Isles, 1881-1890. a«.<br />
Monthly Lists of Parliamentary Papers upon Application. Quarterly Lists Post Free, an".<br />
Miscellaneous List on Application.<br />
Every Assistance given to Correspondents; and Books not kept in stock obtained without delay.<br />
GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL PIHLIKHERS.<br />
KVKK awl SPOTTISWOODE, Her Majesty's Printers, East Harding Street, Loudon, E.C.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 344 (#748) ############################################<br />
<br />
344<br />
ADVERTISEMENTS.<br />
Cfje ^orietg of 8utfiora (finrorporatelO.<br />
PRESIDENT.<br />
The Right Hon. the LORD TENNYSON, D.C.L.<br />
Sir Edwin Arnold, K.C.I.E.<br />
Alfred Austin.<br />
A. W. a Beckett.<br />
Robert Bateman.<br />
Sir Henry Bergne, K.C.M.G.<br />
Walter Besant.<br />
Augustine Birrell, M.P.<br />
R. D. Blackmore.<br />
Rev. Prof. Bonney, F.R.S.<br />
Lord Brabourne.<br />
James Bryce, M.P.<br />
P. W. Clayden.<br />
Edward Clodd.<br />
Hon. John Collier.<br />
W. Martin Conway.<br />
Marion Crawford.<br />
Oswald Crawfurd, C.M.G.<br />
COUNCIL.<br />
The Earl of Desart.<br />
A. W. Dubourg.<br />
John Eric Erichsen, F.R.S.<br />
Prof. Michael Foster, F.R.S.<br />
Herbert Gardner, M.P.<br />
Richard Garnett, LL.l).<br />
Edmund Gosse.<br />
H. Rider Haggard.<br />
Thomas Hardy.<br />
Rudyard Kipling.<br />
Prof. E. Ray Lankkster, F.R.S.<br />
J. M. Lely.<br />
Rev. W. J. Loftie, F.S.A.<br />
F. Max Muller, LL.D.<br />
George Meredith.<br />
Herman C. Merivale.<br />
Rev. C. H. Middleton-Wake, F.L.S.<br />
Hon. Counsel—E. M. Underdown, Q.C.<br />
Pembroke and<br />
J. C. Parkinson.<br />
The Earl of<br />
Montgomery.<br />
Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart.<br />
LL.D.<br />
Walter Herries Pollock.<br />
A. G. Ross.<br />
George Augustus Sala.<br />
W. Baptists Scoones.<br />
G. R. Sims.<br />
J. J. Stevenson.<br />
Jas. Sully.<br />
William Moy Thomas.<br />
H. D. Traill, D.C.L.<br />
Baron Henry de Worms,<br />
F.R.S.<br />
Edmund Yates.<br />
MP.,<br />
A- W. k Beckett.<br />
Hon. John Collier.<br />
W. Martin Conway.<br />
Edmund Gosse.<br />
H. Rider Haggard.<br />
J. M. Lely.<br />
COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT.<br />
Chairman—Walter Besant.<br />
Sir Frederick Pollock.<br />
A. G. Ross.<br />
Solicitors—Messrs. Field, Roscoe, & Co., Lincoln's Inn Fields.<br />
Secretary—S. Squire Sprioge.<br />
OFFICES.<br />
4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C.<br />
PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY.<br />
1. The Annual Report. That for January 1891 can be had on application to the Secretary.<br />
2. The Author. A Monthly Journal devoted especially to the protection and maintenance of Literary-<br />
Property. Issued to all Members.<br />
3. The Grievances Of Authors. (The Leadenhall Press.) 2*. The Keport of three Meetings on the<br />
general subject of Literature and its defence, held at Willis's Kooms, March 1887.<br />
4. Literature and the Pension List. By \V. Morris Colles, Barrister-at-Law. (Henry Glaisher,<br />
95, Strand, W.C.) 3s.<br />
5. The History of the Societe des Gens de Lettres. By S. Squire Sprigge, Secretary to the<br />
Society, is.<br />
6. The Cost of Production. In this work specimens are given of the most important forms of type,<br />
size of page, &c, with estimates showing what it costs to produce the more common kinds of books.<br />
Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C. 2s. 6d.<br />
7. The Various Methods of Publication. By S. Squire Sprigge. In this work, compiled from the<br />
papers in the Society's offices, the various kinds of agreements proposed by Publishers to Authors<br />
are examined, and their meaning carefully explained, with an account of the various kinds of fraud<br />
which have been made possible by the different clauses in their agreements. Henry Glaisher,<br />
95, Strand, W.C. 3s.'<br />
8. Copyright Law Eeform. An Exposition of Lord Monkswell's Copyright Bill now before Parliament.<br />
With Extracts from the Keport of the Commission of 1878, and an Appendix containing the<br />
Berne Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lely. Eyre and Spottiswoode.<br />
i*. 6d.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 345 (#749) ############################################<br />
<br />
^Ibe Hutbot\<br />
(The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.)<br />
CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT.<br />
Vol. II.—No. n.] APRIL i, 1892. [Price Sixpence.<br />
For the Opinions expressed in papers that are<br />
signed or initialled the Authors alone are<br />
responsible.<br />
<br />
WARNINGS.<br />
Readers of the Author are earnestly desired to<br />
make the following warnings as widely known as<br />
possible. They are based on the experience of six<br />
years' work upon the dangers to which literary<br />
property is exposed :—<br />
(1.) Never sign any agreement of which the<br />
alleged cost of production forms an<br />
integral part, until you have proved the<br />
figures.<br />
(2.) Never enter into any correspondence with<br />
publishers, especialli/ with those who<br />
advertise for MSS., who are not recom-<br />
mended by experienced friends or by this<br />
Society.<br />
(3.) Never, on any account whatever, bind<br />
yourself down for future work to any<br />
one firm of publishers.<br />
(4.) Never accept any proposal of royalty<br />
until you have ascertained exactly what<br />
the agreement gives to the author and<br />
what to the publisher.<br />
(5.) Never accept any pecuniary risk or respon-<br />
sibility whatever without advice.<br />
(6.) Never, when a MS. has been refused by<br />
respectable houses, pay others, whatever<br />
promises they may put forward, for the<br />
productionjofjthejwork.<br />
(7.) Never sign away American rights. Keep<br />
them. Refuse to sign an agreement con-<br />
taining a clause which reserves them for<br />
the publisher. If the publisher insists,<br />
take away the MS. and offer it to another.<br />
VOL. 11.<br />
(8.) Keep control over the advertisements by<br />
clause in the agreement. Reserve a veto.<br />
If you are yourself ignorant of the subject,<br />
make the Society your agent.<br />
(9.) Never forget that publishing is a business,<br />
like any other business, totally unconnected<br />
with philanthropy, charity, or pure love<br />
of literature. You have to do with<br />
business men.<br />
Societi/'s Offices:—<br />
4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields.<br />
<br />
NOTICES.<br />
THE Secretary will be much obliged if any<br />
members who have kept the Report for 1890<br />
will kindly send their copies to him.<br />
All persons engaged in literary work of any kind,<br />
whether members of this Society or not, are invited<br />
to communicate to the Editor any points connected<br />
with their work which it would be advisable in the<br />
general interest to publish.<br />
Members and others who wish their MSS. read<br />
are requested not to send them to the Office without<br />
previously communicating with the Secretary. The<br />
utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS.<br />
are read in the order in which they are received.<br />
It must also be distinctly understood that the<br />
Society does not, under any circumstances, under-<br />
take the publication of MSS.<br />
B b 2<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 346 (#750) ############################################<br />
<br />
346<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
The official directions for the .seeming of American<br />
copyright by English authors were given in the<br />
Author for June 1891. Members are earnestly<br />
entreated to take the trouble of reading those<br />
directions.<br />
Members are earnestly requested to forward<br />
agreements to the Society for inspection before<br />
they sign them. Once signed, the mischief is<br />
generally irreparable.<br />
Communications intended for the Authors' Syndi-<br />
cate should be addressed to W. Morris Colics, the<br />
Honorary Secretary.<br />
An American Success.<br />
"There are," writes an American author, "in<br />
our country as in yours, various kinds of success.<br />
Thus, the late Mr. E. P. Roe has obtained a<br />
success ; Mr. Howells is successful; and a certain<br />
writer, whom we will call Mr. Smith, to prevent<br />
jealousies, is also successful. But Mr. Hoe's success,<br />
if it is measured by sales, compared with Mr.<br />
Howells', and that again with Mr. Smith's, may<br />
be represented in the continued proportion of<br />
1,000 : 7 : i.<br />
"The general method of publication with novels,<br />
by which the greatest successes are obtained, has<br />
hitherto been to bring them out at a dollar or a<br />
dollar and a half at first, and afterwards in<br />
paper at i*. or 2s., as a cheap edition. Let<br />
me give you one or two experiences. A novel was<br />
published two or three years ago by one of our<br />
most successful men. It was his most successful<br />
work. He published it first in serial form, for<br />
which he obtained the price of a thousand pounds,<br />
or perhaps more. His English publishers set it up<br />
in this country, and gave him—for sole remunera-<br />
tion—the plates, which he handed to his American<br />
publishers, who allowed him a i5 per cent, royalty,<br />
in consideration of having the plates given to them,<br />
which saved composition. There were sold 2,000<br />
copies at 4s., or one dollar, and 16,000 at I*. You<br />
may easily calculate the royalty to the author. He<br />
got £180 only. His publisher, for his share,<br />
supposing the returns to have been honest, of which<br />
there was no proof, made about £260. And this<br />
with a man who stands in the front rank of American<br />
writers.<br />
"Here is another experience. A novel was<br />
brought out by a new writer. Here was risk, it<br />
may be said. But the publisher owned that he<br />
had sufficient prestige to plant at least 1,200<br />
copies of every work he produced. And in this<br />
case the book was heralded by a letter of praise,<br />
written by one of the best known and best trusted<br />
critics in the country. The author was to receive<br />
10 per cent, on all copies after the first 5oo. There<br />
were subscribed 7,000 copies at a dollar, and<br />
20,000 copies at is. The author obtained £240<br />
for his work. The publisher, for his share, netted<br />
£480 or £5oo—just twice as much. This with a<br />
book about which no risk at all could be pretended.<br />
You English authors will do well to be on your<br />
guard when you deal with our publishers.<br />
"But, above all, do not expect too great results.<br />
A circulation of 2,5oo copies of a dollar book is a<br />
remarkable—a noteworthy—success. That of 5,ooo<br />
copies is a most unusual success. One of 10,000<br />
is phenomenal. Tilings may alter in accordance<br />
with the new Copyright Bill, but let your antici-<br />
pations be moderate and you will not be dis-<br />
appointed. For you, as for us, the serial right will<br />
remain the most valuable,"<br />
The Pantheon.<br />
This is a gratis advertisement for the man<br />
Morgan, for the International Society of Literature,<br />
Science, and Art, and for the official journal of<br />
that institution. Undismayed by repeated exposure,<br />
this precious Association still sends out numberless<br />
circulars, and perhaps still receives a fair proportion<br />
of guineas in return. Blue Books and Bed Books,<br />
Clergy lists, and Calendars have all been ransacked,<br />
with the result that everyone of the slightest<br />
official position has been assured, that by a special<br />
resolution of the Council he can become a Fellow of<br />
the Society, without further formula, upon payment<br />
of one guinea. And now the Pantheon has arrived,<br />
the official organ of the Society. We reproduce<br />
from this sheet part of the article headed, " the<br />
Literary Department." "The Department under-<br />
takes the whole cost of the revision, production,<br />
and publication of Fellows' and Members' work,<br />
where more than usual merit is apparent (even<br />
though it be the Author's//'«Y work), paying to the<br />
Author an agreed share of the profits. In other<br />
cases the Author will be required to pay one-half<br />
of the estimated cost" (whose estimate ?) " taking<br />
one-half of the net proceeds arising from the Sides,<br />
but in no instance will the entire estimated cost of<br />
an accepted Work be required of the Author, as<br />
demanded by ordinary publishers. Works that are<br />
likely to prove a failure will not be undertaken.<br />
Arrangements have been made whereby all Works<br />
published will be reviewed by the press. Thus<br />
Authors will secure the two essentials to success<br />
too often denied them, viz., production of their<br />
first works and publicity." (Italics are the<br />
Pantheon's.)<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 347 (#751) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
34;<br />
To anyone with the least idea of what a bona fide<br />
publishing offer looks like, these suggestions form<br />
a very clear case. But probably many people will<br />
be caught by them. "Here," will the aspirant<br />
siiy, " is my chance. Production and advertisement<br />
secured, with only half the risk to lie run! And<br />
to be dubbed an Author with a capital A ! and to<br />
see my MSS. called Work with a capital \V!" Of<br />
course the Secretary of the Literary Department<br />
will receive MSS. by the thousand. The particular<br />
method is so obvious to readers of the . tut/tor, and<br />
to all who know, that we refer to it apologetically.<br />
A Novel Book Club.<br />
A new kind of Book Club has been started at<br />
Bridgwater. It is designed partly to furnish new<br />
books for the Free Library in that town. A small<br />
library has been founded, consisting of about 400<br />
volumes, selected with some care. Those who use<br />
the library find in every volume one of the deposit<br />
forms used in the Post Office. Every member<br />
affixes a postage stamp before returning the book.<br />
If, therefore, a l>ook is kept for four days and is<br />
then taken out, it will earn, not counting Sundays,<br />
78 pence in the year. Now, with 78 pence, or<br />
6*. 6d., certainly two, and possibly three, books<br />
can be bought for the library. And if there is a<br />
steady circulation of 3oo out of the 400 books<br />
on the shelves, the amount realised would be<br />
nearly £100 a year. Everything depends upon the<br />
honesty of the reader. In these little things<br />
honesty may perhaps be expected, especially pro-<br />
vided the readers feci a certain assurance that they<br />
may be detected in dishonesty.<br />
Here is a circular which runs as follows :—<br />
"Of Paramount Importance, and should be<br />
Bead by every Author!<br />
HINTS TO AUTHORS and LITERARY<br />
ASPIRANTS,<br />
by<br />
Liber.<br />
Cr. 8vo., 6d. a copy, sent post free on receipt<br />
of 7 stamps.<br />
Contents:—<br />
Advice to Authors and Literary Aspirants,<br />
Publisfters and Publishing, on makin;/ a<br />
Booh, Poetry, MSS., Proof-correctimj, SfC,<br />
Remuneration."<br />
It was with an expectant eye that we glanced<br />
over the pages of this little work, for the contents,<br />
as advertised, ought to interest us much, if they<br />
were properly done, and should be of much service<br />
to authors. We give an introductory sentence,<br />
which rendered it unnecessary to read more.<br />
"No one can write poetry, unless they have the<br />
poetic vein or gift, and most assuredly they cannot<br />
write books, or for the press, <$c, unless they have<br />
those natural endowments which ensures an ap-<br />
preciative public."<br />
We did, however, read a little more. The rest of<br />
the work is full of vague encouragement to all<br />
who have MSS. to print them, and in an accom-<br />
panying letter, Messrs. Alder & Co., "who have<br />
twenty years of experience in publishing," offer<br />
to revise MSS. and to generally assist the fortunate<br />
author. We give the firm this credit—it is not likely<br />
that their pamphlet will bring even the youngest<br />
of aspirants to them for advice. Their wording is<br />
too clumsy. When we remember the letters of the<br />
London Literary Society, of the City of London<br />
Publishing Company, of Mr. MeGuire, and of<br />
Messrs. Bevington and Co., and recall the fact that<br />
these letters secured applicants by the score, it is<br />
hard to believe that any lwit can be too coarse.<br />
But " Liber's" utter freedom from syntax would<br />
shake a baby's confidence in his advice.<br />
♦•»••♦<br />
LITERARY PROPERTY.<br />
1.<br />
Transfer of Contract.<br />
"fTMIE Author calls attention to a recent advet*-<br />
I tisement in the Times, in which a firm<br />
of publishers, having more MSS. of novels<br />
in their possession than they can for some time<br />
publish, offer to part with the contracts relating<br />
to several MSS. by good authors (some being<br />
subject on publication to a royalty), and point<br />
out 'this is an admirable opjwrtunity for a young<br />
lirm who want to start with a good lot of<br />
publications without any loss of time,' the adver-<br />
tisement being addressed to 4 Young Publish-<br />
ing Firms or others commencing a publishing<br />
business.' The Author 4 has always been of opinion<br />
that a contract by one author with one publisher,<br />
except in the case of sale, could not be passed on<br />
to another publisher without the author's consent,'<br />
but thinks that the question is one for lawyers to<br />
consider. The general rule as to assignability of<br />
contracts is that all contracts are assignable by<br />
either party on notice to the other, but without the<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 348 (#752) ############################################<br />
<br />
348<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
consent of the other, except in cases where the<br />
individual skill or other personal qualifications of<br />
the assigning contractor were relied on by the<br />
party contracting with him, and the modern ten-<br />
dency of the Courts appears to be in favour rather<br />
of extending than narrowing the assignability of<br />
contracts (see 'Chitty on Contracts,' 12th edit, at<br />
p. 862, citing The British Waggon Company v.<br />
Lea, 44 Law J. Rep. Q. B. 321). In two cases,<br />
however—that of Stevens v. Benning, 6 De G. M.<br />
& G. 2 23, and Hole v. Bradbury, 48 Law J. Kep.<br />
Chane. 673—contracts between author and pub-<br />
lisher have been held not to be assignable. In<br />
Stevens v. Benning, a complicated case arising out<br />
of 'Forsyth on the Law of Composition with<br />
Creditors,' it was held that an agreement on the<br />
half-profit system was of a personal nature on both<br />
sides, so that the benefit of it was not assignable<br />
by either party without the other's consent. In<br />
Hole t\ Bradbury, another half-profit agreement<br />
between Canon Hole and Messrs. Bradbury and<br />
Evans for the production of 'A Little Tour in<br />
Ireland, with Illustrations by John Leech,' was held<br />
also to be personal, and to be put an end to by a<br />
complete change of partnership in the publishing<br />
firm. From the language of Lord Justice Fry in<br />
delivering judgment, it is clear that that learned<br />
and literary judge was of opinion that, except<br />
where the copyright passes, the contract between<br />
author and publisher is personal and not assignable,<br />
but that there is a great distinction arising if the<br />
copyright is sold to the publisher, and in such a<br />
case we cannot but think that as a copyright is<br />
assignable ad infinitum, a contract to produce<br />
copyright must be assignable ad infinitum also,<br />
but assignable by the publisher only, and not by<br />
the author also. At any rate, authors would do<br />
well, in contracting to produce a work of which<br />
they sell the copyright and receive no further re-<br />
muneration, to restrain the assignability of the<br />
contract in some reasonable manner, as it is obvious<br />
that publishers must differ very much from one<br />
another in capability to get a book sold.''<br />
In ordinary cases, therefore, publishers' contracts<br />
are not assignable, and those authors who find their<br />
works passing into the hands of publishers others<br />
than those with whom they originally contracted,<br />
will do well either to consult their own solicitors<br />
or to apply to our secretary forthwith. It seems<br />
also to be worth while to restrict assignability in<br />
cases where the copyright is sold, otherwise an<br />
author who expects to be published in London may<br />
suddenly find himself published in Cornwall, and<br />
in Cornwall only.—Law Journal (March 19).<br />
II.<br />
Literary Agents.<br />
Two or three letters have been received on the<br />
subject of literary agents and their use in the<br />
literary world. A good deal of doubt and of mis-<br />
understanding exists on the subject. For instance,<br />
those, who think that an agent can succeed in<br />
placing work that has l>een already refused by<br />
editors and publishers arc certain to be disap-<br />
pointed. They may get the agent to make the<br />
attempt; in the end they will grumble at paying for<br />
services which have proved useless; they may<br />
suspect that these services have never been rendered<br />
at all. No one—not a literary friend, not a well-<br />
known man of mark, not an agent—can succeed in<br />
getting editors to accept MSS. unsuitable, or pub-<br />
lishers to produce work of no commercial value.<br />
No one can help the author but himself. He alone<br />
has to besiege the fort. Very often he has to<br />
retire; in some few cases the fort presently sur-<br />
renders. Of what use, then, is the agent? Of<br />
every use to the writer tcho has already created a<br />
demand. The agent undertakes his work, esti-<br />
mates his market value, keeps him out of mischief,<br />
and leaves him free from money worries. There<br />
are so few, comparatively, who have succeeded in<br />
creating this demand for their work, that they may<br />
reasonably Ijc siipj>osed to know the agents who<br />
can be trusted. A bad ageut—one who plays into<br />
the hands of fraudulent publishers—audits and<br />
passes fraudulent accounts—is a worse shark than<br />
the most dishonest of publishers. Beware of him!<br />
In a word. Let no one go to any agent on the<br />
faith of an advertisement. And let no one who<br />
is not already on the ladder of popularity go to<br />
any agent at all.<br />
III.<br />
The supposed Increase of Magazines.<br />
On the subject of magazines, we are always<br />
ready to cry out at the increase in their numbers<br />
of late years. The following, however, is a list of<br />
monthly magazines published in the year 1807,<br />
with their prices. It will be observed that, com-<br />
paring the population of Great Britain in 1807 with<br />
that of 1892, there were many more magazines in<br />
proportion to population than there are now; and<br />
comparing the proportion of reading classes, very<br />
many more. And if we consider the Colonies and<br />
India, there is no comparison possible. Then iu<br />
1807 the population of England alone was 9,000,000.<br />
In 1892, it is 27,000,000, or three times that of<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 349 (#753) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
349<br />
the former year. Now, consider the magazines of<br />
1807. They were :—<br />
Athenaeum, 2*. Monthly Repository,<br />
Agricultural, is. 6d. is.<br />
Britannic, 1*. Methodist, 6d.<br />
Botanical, 3s. Monthly, is. 6d.<br />
Christian Observer, is. Monthly Mirror, is. 6d.<br />
Evangelical, 6d. Naval Chronical, is.Sd.<br />
European, is. 6d. Naturalist's Miscellany,<br />
Gentleman's, is. 6d. 2*. 6d.<br />
Gospel, gd. Orthodox Churchman,<br />
Literary Recreations, is. 6d.<br />
is. 6d. Philosophical Mining,<br />
Literary Panorama, 2s. 6d.<br />
2s. 6d. Philosophical, 2s. 6d.<br />
Ladies', is. Repertory of Arts and<br />
Ladies'Museum, is. Manufactures, 2s.6d.<br />
La Belle Assemblee, Records of Literature,<br />
2S. 6d. 2 s. 6(7.<br />
Le Beau Monde, 2s. 6d. Sporting, i». id.<br />
Medical and Physical, Theological and Bibli-<br />
2s. 6d. cal, 6d.<br />
Universal, is. 6d.<br />
Besides these there were the reviews:—<br />
The Annual, £1 is. Literary, 2s. 6d.<br />
Anti-Jacobin, 2s. 6d. Monthly, 2s. 6d.<br />
British Critic, 2s. 6d. Medical and Surgical,<br />
Critical, 2s. 6d. is. 6d.<br />
Eleetric, is. 6d. Oxford, 2s. 6d.<br />
Edinburgh, 5s.<br />
In short, there were in 1807,40 magazines to<br />
9,000,000 people. But, at the very least, five-sixths<br />
of these, rustics, children and the working classes,<br />
read nothing. That makes one magazine for every<br />
40,000 people. Observe again that these magazines<br />
touched only the better class. At the same rate<br />
we ought now to have 700 magazines of the higher<br />
class.<br />
IV.<br />
The Output.<br />
The autumn harvest of books is followed by a<br />
spring gathering almost as rich. The Laureate,<br />
our President, contributes his new drama, advertised<br />
for the last day of March. Lord Lytton's posthu-<br />
mous volume " Marah " is out. Sir Edwin Arnold<br />
has produced his " Potiphar's Wife "; Dr. Abbott,<br />
his book on the "Anglican Career of Cardinal<br />
Newman"; Mr. Molesworth, his "Stories of<br />
Saints for Children "; Prof. Earle, his "Deeds of<br />
Beowulf "; the Dean of "Winchester, his " History<br />
of France "; Prof. Jebb, the " Fifth Part of his<br />
Sophocles"; Archdeacon Farrar, his new Volume<br />
of Sermons; Grant Allen, his new novel, the<br />
"Duchess of Powysland"; a popular edition of<br />
Mrs. Oliphant's "Life of Laurence Oliphant";<br />
Mr. S. Baring Gould, his new novel, " Margery of<br />
Quether"; Mr. Dubourg, whose silences are too<br />
prolonged, is ready with his romantic drama<br />
"Angelica"; "Melmoth the "Wanderer" is revived<br />
once more; Mr. George Gissing produces his<br />
"Denzil Quarrier"; Churchill's "Rosciad" is<br />
reprinted. And when we consider the long lists<br />
which are not advertised in the ordinary channels<br />
and never appear in the Saturday, the Spectator,<br />
or the Athaneum, there is little reason to doubt<br />
that the output of 1892 will equal that of the<br />
preceding years. All the more reason to keep<br />
hammering into the minds of those who are terrified<br />
at this output the fact that it is intended for an<br />
enormous multitude of readers, every day growing<br />
greater and more greedy for literary food. Wc<br />
need not l>e afraid about the quantity; that concerns<br />
the purveyors only; as for the quality, let us<br />
remember that it is what our educators make it.<br />
If the quality is low, raise the standard by<br />
education—or by example. Meantime, let us do<br />
our Iwst to prevent the publishing of books worth-<br />
less and not wanted.<br />
THE AUTHORS* SYNDICATE.<br />
THE progress of this offshoot of the Society<br />
has already fulfilled the expectations of those<br />
who are responsible for its formation and<br />
management. An Honorary Council is now formed,<br />
and the work is being put on an extended basis,<br />
so that it may now undertake the management of<br />
all forms of literary property. The difficulties<br />
which had to be overcome at the outset were not<br />
inconsiderable. The natural distrust of a new and<br />
unknown organisation, the active competition of<br />
rivals, and the overt or covert opposition of a few<br />
who regarded the association as " superfluous " were<br />
so far successful that they prevented progress from<br />
being as rapid as could be desired. Much time<br />
was occupied in establishing business relations with<br />
publishers and with the periodical press in all parts<br />
of the world. Our agents and travellers have been<br />
actively engaged in introducing the association and<br />
explaining its method of working. The result so<br />
far is as satisfactory as could be wished. A large<br />
number of publishing houses in this country<br />
and in America have not only expressed their<br />
willingness to co-operate but have entrusted tlx?<br />
Syndicate with negotiations on their behalf. It<br />
is not perhaps putting it too high to say that<br />
we have the ear of the British Press throughout<br />
the world. We are efficiently represented in<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 350 (#754) ############################################<br />
<br />
35°<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
America by agents of tried integrity. From this<br />
it will be seen that the encouragement which the<br />
association has received is highly promising. Many<br />
publishers, nearly every journal of standing in the<br />
kingdom, many journals in the colonies, and in<br />
India, and either directly, or through our agents,<br />
a large number of established journals in the<br />
United States have requested that we will keep<br />
them constantly informed of the rights we have to<br />
offer. In addition, a large number of periodicals<br />
have expressed their willingness to deal through<br />
the Syndicate, provided it can supply them with<br />
the material they require. Only two journals and<br />
one magazine have expressed any unwillingness to<br />
do business, in each cast; simply on the ground<br />
that their conductors object to the intervention of<br />
such an intermediary. The applications which<br />
reach the Syndicate for the work of the best<br />
writers are steadily increasing. There is, too, a<br />
small but growing demand for work on its merits,<br />
apart from name, and the Syndicate has even been<br />
asked to send out work of all kinds with its<br />
imprimatur. When the necessary arrangements<br />
have been completed a reading staff will be esta-<br />
blished, whose recommendation shall be given with<br />
as much jealousy as that of a publisher's reader.<br />
It is obvious that work which secures so valuable<br />
a recommendation is certain to receive favourable<br />
attention. Again, the knowledge possessed by the<br />
advisers of the Syndicate of the markets for literary<br />
property will be, at least, instrumental in sparing<br />
members much disappointment.<br />
It must bo understood that this department is<br />
quite distinct from the reading department of the<br />
Society. The Syndicate does not give an educa-<br />
tional opinion, but passes judgment upon the<br />
commercial value of a MSS. submitted to it.*<br />
The Syndicate, it must lie repeated, acts merely<br />
as the agent of members, and its e.\j>enses are met<br />
by a commission charged upon moneys received. It<br />
is now in a position to look after all rights that may<br />
be entrusted to it. The information accumulated<br />
in the archives of the Society is at its service, and<br />
it is simply impossible to exaggerate the value of<br />
that information. Its conductors are by means<br />
of this knowledge acquainted with the methods of<br />
business of every publishing house in the trade.<br />
The future of the Syndicate now depends only on<br />
the support it receives from the members of the<br />
Society, and it is hoped that they will, in their own<br />
interests, strengthen the hands of its conductors.<br />
Members who receive applications for work from the<br />
manager will materially advance the interests of the<br />
Syndicate if they will endeavour, as far as possible, to<br />
meet its demands, although these must, necessarily,<br />
* No MSS. whatever must be sent to the .Syndicate<br />
without previous communication with the secretaries.<br />
often be somewhat peremptory. None of the work<br />
of the association is more important than that it<br />
should, as far as possible, satisfy the needs of its<br />
clients. It has been objected that the Syndicate is<br />
designed to sow distrust between authors and<br />
editors or publishers. Nothing could be further<br />
from the fact. The jiersonal relations of publishers<br />
and editors with authors will most certainly con-<br />
tinue cordial so long as their business negotiations<br />
are conducted for them by means of such an asso-<br />
ciation as our own. Nothing is so conducive to a<br />
rupture of the entente cordiale as those misunder-<br />
standings which constantly arise when an author<br />
conducts his own business for himself. The<br />
history .of literature is full of such misunderstand-<br />
ings and quarrels. It is a preposterous condition<br />
to insist that a distinguished author shall do his own<br />
"marketing." And it must be remembered that<br />
the only way in which authors can act with each<br />
other, and for themselves, is by means of such an<br />
association as this, in which they are not e.rploites<br />
for the advantage and interests of one |>erson. It<br />
is the interest of the Syndicate to advance the<br />
position of everyone who takes advantage of its<br />
services. There are no traps or secret profits.<br />
W. M. C.<br />
<br />
AMERICAN AUTHORS.<br />
I.<br />
The Amekican Society of Authors.<br />
Prospectus:<br />
PltOTECTION of authors and of literary<br />
property.<br />
First. By advice before publishing; by arbi-<br />
tration or by appeal to law in all cases<br />
where members have been swindled or<br />
oppressed by publishers.<br />
Second. By enacting here the French statutes<br />
in regard to!literary property; in particular<br />
that one which compels the publisher to<br />
affix to each book printed by him a stamp<br />
furnished by the author of said book<br />
and inflicting legal penalties if he neglects<br />
or refuses to do so. (A law which would<br />
do away entirely with the wholesale<br />
cheating of the author by the publisher<br />
in the return of books sold.)<br />
Third. Extension of the present term of copy-<br />
right to the lifetime of the author, or fifty<br />
years.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 351 (#755) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
35*<br />
Fourth. Carriage of literary property (MSS.)<br />
through the mails at the same rates<br />
charged for property not literary.<br />
Fifth. Co-operation with the British Society<br />
of Authors for needed amendments to<br />
the present International Copyright Law.<br />
Sixth. Cultivation of a fraternal spirit among<br />
writers by monthly meetings for discussion<br />
and the reading of papers on literary<br />
topics, and by the publication of a monthly<br />
journal devoted to the interests of authors<br />
and of the Society.<br />
Seventh. Reading of MSS. for authors, and<br />
opinions as to its value, &c.<br />
Membership.<br />
All persons, male or female, who have written a<br />
book, or are engaged in writing for the press, to<br />
be eligible to membership.<br />
Annual Dues.<br />
Limited to $5 (the dues of the British Society),<br />
in return, each member to be entitled to legal and<br />
expert advice gratis, and, if wronged, to have his<br />
case prosecuted by the Society; also to one year's<br />
subscription to the Society's journal.<br />
Officers.<br />
A President, Secretary, and Board of Managers,<br />
to be elected by members at an annual meeting, the<br />
Secretary to be executive officer, the Board of<br />
Managers to control the affairs and shape the policy<br />
of the Society.<br />
The above prospectus is followed by a letter, of<br />
which the following is an extract:—<br />
"We ought to have in America a society of at<br />
least 5,ooo members. If such a society did nothing<br />
more than force Congress to enact the French<br />
statutes (noticed above), it would prove abundantly<br />
its "raison d'etre." But it could do much more.<br />
Will you join us in creating such a society, by<br />
pledging your name as a member when organised,<br />
and, if convenient, by attending a meeting for<br />
organisation, to be held privately in New York not<br />
later than May 1 st? If 100 favourable replies to<br />
this circular are received, it is proposed to organise<br />
such a society at once.<br />
"To those who fear to incur the resentment of<br />
publishers by joining such a society, we would say<br />
that its proceedings and lists of members could be<br />
kept secret, if desired, but no publisher would be<br />
so foolhardy as to antagonise such a body, since<br />
with the British Society (whose co-operation is<br />
VOL. 11.<br />
pledged by their Committee) and the French Society,<br />
it would control nearly the entire literary output<br />
of the world.<br />
"Charles Burr Todd,"<br />
Author of "Life and Letters of Joel Barlow."<br />
"Story of the City of New York."<br />
"Story of Washington, D.C."<br />
II.<br />
The Book of the Authors' Club.<br />
An erroneous account of a project recently<br />
entered upon by the Authors' Club appeared in<br />
several of the New York daily papers a few days<br />
since. The enterprise has proceeded so far that its<br />
success is no longer problematical, but the Club<br />
was not quite ready to announce it. Now, how-<br />
ever, the Critic is authorized to set forth the<br />
matter as it is.<br />
The Club will publish a sumptuous volume,<br />
made up of stories, poems, essays, and sketches,<br />
written specially for it by 100 or more of the<br />
members. One hundred and six have definitely<br />
promised to contribute. The length of the con-<br />
tributions will vary from one page to a dozen pages.<br />
Those contributors who are artists as well as<br />
authors arc asked to illustrate their articles. The<br />
volume will be as handsome typographically as the<br />
De Vinne Press can make it. The head of that<br />
establishment, by the way, is himself an author and<br />
a member of the Club, and will contribute to the<br />
book an article on " Typographic Fads." But one<br />
edition will be printed, and that one limited to 251<br />
numbered copies, 25o of which are to be sold to<br />
subscribers. In every copy of the book, each<br />
article will be signed, in pen and ink, by its author.<br />
The subscription price is 8100, and the Club may<br />
reserve the right to raise the price after the first<br />
100 copies have been sold.<br />
Type-written copies of the articles are prepared<br />
for the printer; and the original manuscripts, clean<br />
and whole, are to be bound up by themselves and<br />
sold to the highest bidder.<br />
About 5o of the contributors have already placed<br />
their articles in the hands of the Committee.<br />
These include, among others, essays by Poultney<br />
Bigelow, James Howard Bridge, Andrew Carnegie,<br />
George Cary Eggleston, Henry R. Elliott, George<br />
H. Ellwanger, Parke Godwin, Laurence Hutton,<br />
Rossiter Johnson, Albert Mathews, Brander<br />
Matthews, Oscar S. Straus and Charles Dudley<br />
Warner; poems by Henry Abbey, Elbridge S.<br />
Brooks, John Vance Cheney, Richard Watson<br />
Gilder, Arthur Sherburne Hardy, Henry Harland<br />
(" Sidney Luska "), John Hay, James B. Kenyon,<br />
Walter Learned, William Starbuck Mayo, James<br />
Herbert Morse, David L. Proudfit, Clinton Scollard<br />
C c<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 352 (#756) ############################################<br />
<br />
35*<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
and "William Hayes Ward; stories by William H.<br />
Carpenter, John D. Champlin, Jr., Maurice F.<br />
Egan, Harold Frederic, Charles Ledyard Norton,<br />
Horace Porter, Theodore Roosevelt and George E.<br />
Waring, Jr.; sketches by Samuel L. Clemens<br />
(" Mark Twain "), Moncure D. Conway, Thomas<br />
W. Knox, James M. Ludlow and Horace E.<br />
Scudder.<br />
The intention is to carry the book through the<br />
press during the spring and summer, and have it<br />
ready for delivery next autumn. The Club has not<br />
yet formally opened a subscription list, but a good<br />
many subscriptions have been sent in. Letters re-<br />
lating to it should be addressed to the Secretary of<br />
the Club, Mr. Rossiter Johnson, i, Bond Street,<br />
New York. The money to be raised by this publi-<br />
cation will be held as the nucleus of a building<br />
fund; but as the Club has never been in debt, and<br />
its finances have always been managed remarkably<br />
well (belying the popular dictum that literary men<br />
do not understand business), it is not probable that<br />
a clubhouse will be erected very soon.—New York<br />
Critic.<br />
<br />
THE REPORT OF 1891.<br />
f | ^HIS Report is, in every respect, the most<br />
i satisfactory that the Society has had to show.<br />
There is advance in every direction. First,<br />
as regards numbers. The election of over 200<br />
during the year; the loss, by death or retirement,<br />
of no more than 3o or so; the increase of members<br />
to 800; these are very satisfactory figures. They<br />
have not, as yet, assumed the proportions which<br />
we desire, but a list of 800 means a very consider-<br />
able advance in power. We now have among our<br />
members nearly all the best known writers of the<br />
day. The opposition which we formerly received<br />
has, in great measure, disappeared. It still pleases<br />
certain journals persistently to misrepresent the aims<br />
and the work of the Society. They have, no doubt,<br />
their motives and their inspiration. Meantime, it<br />
is now generally understood that our chief raison<br />
d'etre is the definition and the maintenance of<br />
literary property. With this end in view, we have<br />
investigated the exact meaning of the various<br />
systems of publication—" half-profits," royalties,<br />
&c.—and have shown what these mean to publisher<br />
and to author, and have exposed the various frauds<br />
practised under their methods.<br />
Wc therefore continually and earnestly entreat<br />
everyone who has nn agreement submitted to him<br />
to ascertain, before he signs it, what proportion in<br />
the returns of his own property is offered him, and<br />
what is reserved for the publisher. If he has any<br />
doubt on the point, let him ask the publisher for<br />
an estimate of this proportion on the supposition of<br />
certain results. Or, which is simpler, let him refer<br />
the agreement to the Secretary, remembering to<br />
forward not only the agreement, but the length of<br />
the MS. and the kind of form in which it is to<br />
appear.<br />
There has been, from the beginning of the<br />
Society, a persistent attempt made to represent it<br />
as hostile to publishers. This is, of course, the<br />
trick of the fraudulent publisher in order to cover<br />
his own iniquity. He pretends that not only he<br />
himself, but all the fraternity, are attacked. We<br />
will repeat, if necessary, with every number of the<br />
Author, that the Society fully recognises the<br />
necessity and the justice of allowing the publisher<br />
his just fees and share of the property whose rents<br />
he collects and which he manages. Like the<br />
solicitor, too, he must be paid first- But he must<br />
not make secret—which are fraudulent—profits.<br />
And in every agreement it must be clearly<br />
understood what share he is to receive, without<br />
any other secret—and fraudulent—profits. What<br />
is this share? Is it possible to arrive at a<br />
method of publishing which can be applied to every<br />
form of book alike, whether cheap or dear, large<br />
or small? Perhaps. Let us try. We will state<br />
the problem in plain language, and refer it to our<br />
members. Perhaps between us all an answer<br />
may be found. Suppose that answer will not be<br />
accepted by publishers? Well, in the present<br />
competitive condition of business no method based<br />
upon fair play is in the least likely to be refused by<br />
the better houses. If it were refused, the next<br />
step would be easy.<br />
In point of fact, men and women of letters have<br />
their independence in their own hands, if they<br />
choose to accept it on the only possible terms.<br />
They must cease, absolutely and at once, from<br />
believing that the material side of literature is a<br />
branch of gambling; they must cease from prating<br />
nonsense about publishers' generosity—a jargon<br />
as degrading to letters as it is mischievous and<br />
false in fact; they must regard their work as<br />
property for the administration of which they<br />
must pay; they must regard those who want to<br />
administrate it as they regard solicitors, of whom<br />
some are good and honourable, some indifferent,<br />
many dishonest and incapable; and, above all,<br />
thev must desist from talking as if the material<br />
side was beneath their dignity. The material side<br />
is everything; properly treated it gives indepen-<br />
dence and freedom to the artistic side; it must be<br />
watched jealously, closely, continually. Where<br />
wealth is gathered, thither flock the thieves;<br />
where property is to be administered, thither flock<br />
the rogues who hope to steal that property. Not<br />
to watch over property is the attitude of a madman;<br />
<br />
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## p. 353 (#757) ############################################<br />
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THE AUTHOR.<br />
353<br />
to drop contentedly into the nttitudc of a mendi-<br />
cant is the act of a slave. What literature—what<br />
art—comes from the bondsman? What—where<br />
—of what quality—are the fruits of Grub Street?<br />
All this is very different from clutching greedily<br />
after guineas. One does not desire that literature<br />
should be followed as a means of acquiring<br />
immense fortunes, nor does one envy in the<br />
least a successful publisher who honourably<br />
accumulates an immense fortune. But we must<br />
no longer ask what a publisher will give; the<br />
question henceforth must be what the book will<br />
bring in—if anything—on a definite system. That<br />
this will be the attitude—this the question—of the<br />
future admits of no doubt. That it will become<br />
immediately the attitude of all writers is matter of<br />
considerable doubt. Let those begin, at least, who<br />
have already achieved such a measure of success as<br />
will make that attitude possible.<br />
Consider, for a moment, the change which will<br />
be effected by the adoption of a common and<br />
recognised method of publishing. The author will<br />
have no trouble in bargaining; he will simply offer<br />
his book; he will understand his own popularity—<br />
if ho has any; the extent and nature of his own<br />
following; he will be in true partnership with his<br />
publisher; be will be under no delusions; ho will<br />
suspect no tricks; the accounts which concern his<br />
work will be his own, for inspection whenever he<br />
pleases. There will be no affectation of generosity<br />
on the one hand, no attitude of mendicancy on the<br />
other; there will bo no suspicion of trickery; both<br />
parties to the agreement will stand upright, man<br />
with man. Compare this independence, this<br />
openness, with the sullen suspicion, the jealousy,<br />
the smouldering wrath, the outspoken accusations<br />
which prevail at the present day. Listen to the<br />
talk of authors among themselves; listen to the<br />
stories they whisper or suggest of fraud and<br />
treachery ; some of them get into these columns, but<br />
not a fiftieth of what arc told. Are they all true?<br />
Those that we give are true, not all the rest; but<br />
they are all founded on suspicion, or on cases that<br />
are, unhappily, true to the letter. One would have<br />
thought that men engaged in this business would<br />
catch at anything—anything—that promised to<br />
relieve them of this atmosphere of suspicion. This,<br />
however, has not generally proved to be the case.<br />
Everything is in the hands of men and women<br />
of letters. But they must learn to act together,<br />
with common objects and that amount of confidence<br />
which springs from the possession of common<br />
interests. The Society has from the outset re-<br />
garded common action as one of the most inq>ortiint<br />
objects to be realised. Understand. No con-<br />
cession of individual freedom is desired. In the<br />
world of letters, foolishly called a Bepublic, where<br />
there is no equality jwssible, every man must stand<br />
apart and individual. But every man is not<br />
necessarily the enemy of every other man. There<br />
are common interests. Where these are concerned<br />
let us be friends; where they are not concerned,<br />
we need not be deadly enemies to each other, even<br />
though there may be disagreements. It is time<br />
that the old brutal slogging and hammering of<br />
author by author should cease—most of it, indeed,<br />
has ceased; it is more than time that men<br />
of letters should adopt those outward forms<br />
of respect towards each other which are enforced<br />
in the professions of the law and medicine. This<br />
does not preclude criticism. When a man sends<br />
his book to be criticised, he invites a judgment;<br />
he has no right to complain if that judgment is<br />
harsh; he has invited an opinion. But for a man<br />
to go out of his way in order to attack, wantonly,<br />
spitefully, and maliciously a man of the same calling,<br />
deliberately to sit down unasked, unprovoked, in<br />
order to stab a member of the same calling; deli-<br />
berately to besmirch a reputation by throwing mud,<br />
like a dirty little schoolboy; deliberately to insult<br />
another writer for the mere enjoyment of insult—■<br />
all this is plainly and simply brutal and black-<br />
guard. A barrister who should dare to do such a<br />
thing would be disbarred; a physician would be<br />
expelled the college; in private life a man who<br />
should wantonly insult another man at a club<br />
would have his name removed. There ought to bo<br />
—there must be—found some way in which such<br />
men shall be made to feel that they arc exactly in<br />
the same position as those lawyers, physicians, or<br />
club men who have been expelled from the society<br />
of their brethren. Who, it may be asked, does<br />
such things? Perhaps, no one. The question<br />
may be answered by any reader for himself.<br />
The dependence of writers is, no doubt, greatly<br />
increased by the continual influx of those who have<br />
no business to take up literature as a profession, and<br />
no capacity to do more than the production of<br />
books which are not wanted, and of literary work<br />
which is purely hack. There must always be such<br />
writers. Let us do our best to urge and persuade<br />
those who would swell the unhappy ranks that in<br />
any other line—any other—a more easy living,<br />
with more money, more independence, more self-<br />
respect can be obtained than in the lowest walks of<br />
literature. If they must and will write—the<br />
impulse is sometimes as strong for the incompetent<br />
as for those who have the gift—let them take up<br />
some other position and give to writing their spare<br />
hours.<br />
Every member who sends his yearly guinea<br />
enables the Society to act for other members.<br />
This is the first step towards common action in<br />
matters connected with law and property. The<br />
creation of public opinion as regards literature as a<br />
calling has yet to be achieved. It may prove<br />
C c 2<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 354 (#758) ############################################<br />
<br />
354<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
difficult, but so much has been done already, owing<br />
to the efforts of the Society, that it does not seem<br />
impossible. And we look for the co-operation of<br />
editors in the enforcement of these outward forms<br />
of respect. Without them, indeed, the profession<br />
of letters would long since have been an arena<br />
of maddened gladiators.<br />
The newly formed Authors' Club will also prove<br />
of assistance in this respect. The club, even if it<br />
does nothing more, will make it difficult for men<br />
who meet in friendliness to go away and stab each<br />
other in spite and malice. The newly formed<br />
Writers' Club should exercise a similarly beneficent<br />
effect upon ladies.<br />
We have spoken of the work already effected by<br />
this Society. It. has already taught those who<br />
have work to produce what it will cost to produce;<br />
it has enabled them to understand, for the first<br />
time in the history of literature, what agreements<br />
mean. And it has made publishers far more care-<br />
ful in the agreements which they submit to authors.<br />
The old cynical impudence with which arrange-<br />
ments, ridiculously unfair, used to be offered, has<br />
almost vanished, while certain firms which a year<br />
or two ago were remarkable for barefaced trading<br />
on the ignorance of their clients, are now offering<br />
agreements which leave little to desire. The<br />
Society does not propose to arrogate to itself the<br />
functions of a judge; it neither protends to punish,<br />
nor does it bear malice; where fair agreements are<br />
offered, the past may be forgotten. But it does its<br />
best to keep away from fraudulent houses as much<br />
work as it possibly can. This course it has<br />
pursued for seven years with satisfactory success;<br />
it. has mulcted certain houses in many thousands of<br />
pounds; it has taken out of their hands authors<br />
by the dozen j and this course it will still continue<br />
to pursue.<br />
«~*-»<br />
THE STORY OF ANITA.<br />
IT became ridiculous; it became proverbial; it<br />
became maddening. What was there in the<br />
commonplace work of this commonplace girl<br />
—they liked the double use of the adjective-<br />
commonplace, they said—that caused her work<br />
to be taken by magazines—paid for properly,<br />
mind, with good sound substantial cheques—to<br />
be accepted by publishers and issued in series<br />
which included some of the very biggest names?<br />
Other maidens with similar ambitions, curiously<br />
turned over the leaves of her stories and tossed<br />
them contemptuously one to the other. Some<br />
said, " Well!" and it was as if there were rivers<br />
and lakes dammed up behind. Others said, " Ah!"<br />
and it was as if a cataract was ready to leap<br />
and bound. Others again looked round them and<br />
asked of the silent heavens, the patient earth, and<br />
the unsympathetic ocean, " Can anyone tell me<br />
why?" For it could not be denied, even by<br />
Anita's worst enemies, to say nothing of her most<br />
bosomly friends, that her tales were commonplace<br />
in the conception, slovenly in their execution, and<br />
vulgar in sentiment; that her plots were old, feeble,<br />
and ridiculous, and the style was what is commonly<br />
called that of the school girl.<br />
"Anita Palaska has got a story in the Chcapside<br />
this month!" It was in one of the halls of the<br />
British Museum. There were half-a-dozen girls<br />
talking together. She who spoke had the dis-<br />
cordant tones of envy.<br />
"She had one in the Hat/market last month!"<br />
With a wail of pain.<br />
"And one in the Regent Street the month<br />
before!" The voice was that of one who prefers<br />
an accusation against fate.<br />
"And she is doing a weekly fashion letter for<br />
the Young Ductess!" This in a minor key, as of<br />
one reciting a Penitential Psalm.<br />
"And oh !" cried another, "Mr. Cyril Muckle-<br />
more is announcing a new novel by Anita Palaska.<br />
'Preparing. Will be ready in a month.' Ah!<br />
Can anyone—will anyone—anyone tell me why?"<br />
It was as the cry of a Lost Soul, antl along the<br />
sonorous ceiling of that vast hall rolled the notes,<br />
echoing as they rolled, " tell me why—why—hy—y<br />
—y—y."<br />
"I have read everything Anita has ever written,"<br />
said one, " and there is not a lino, or a sentence, or<br />
a character—not a situation or a thought—which<br />
is not feeble and commonplace. Not one. All<br />
as commonplace as her appearance."<br />
"Well, my dear," murmured a bosom friend,<br />
"you certainly ought to be a judge of the<br />
commonplace." But she said aloud, "I have<br />
tried to read our Anita, and I confess that I<br />
cannot."<br />
They all had desks and drawers and chests and<br />
boxes full of MSS.—these inky Graces.<br />
They were all mad—insatiably mad—for literary<br />
fame. They were all poor, badly dressed, and<br />
insufficiently fed; they wanted dollars almost as<br />
much as they wanted literary fame. And here was<br />
Anita—one of themselves—who twelve months<br />
before had been in the same quagmire of neglect<br />
and contempt with themselves, now blossoming<br />
into a popular author. The thing called for a<br />
universal sniff to begin with—wrath could come<br />
after, but the sniff came first—a thing so absurd,<br />
so foolish, so unjust—a popular—popular—Hear!<br />
Oh Heavens! Anita Palaska was already a<br />
popular—popular—popular author, while they—<br />
they—they—the unsuccessful—those of the inky<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 355 (#759) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
355<br />
fingers—were as much on the outside as the Foolish<br />
Virgins! What did it mean? By what magic did<br />
Anita persuade editors to take her stuff? Let the<br />
truth be told plainly—her skimble skamble, foolish,<br />
futile, commonplace, weary, dreary, languid,<br />
miserable, copied, imitated, second-hand, humbug-<br />
ging stuff—while her sisters had their works—far<br />
better—everyone knew it, and was not ashamed<br />
to say it—better? Gracious! Comparison was<br />
out of the question.—Their lovely work returned,<br />
hurled back in their faces, with a slap of contempt,<br />
so that all the cheeks of all these maidens were<br />
always red and glowing, and their eyes aflame<br />
with rage, and their tongues like forked serpents<br />
charged with venom and hatred, and spite, and all<br />
uncharitablcness. There is nothing in the world<br />
for these cpialities like a disappointed literary<br />
woman, unless it is the disappointed literary man.<br />
It will be readily understood tiiat whenever<br />
these angry and defeated ladies met together the<br />
conversation speedily turned on the success—<br />
tenqwrary only — everyone agreed upon that—<br />
of their more fortunate sister. And the talk<br />
always assumed such a character as that indicated<br />
above.<br />
One day, then, while three or four of them were<br />
gathered together in the luncheon room of the<br />
Museum, that Tavern with the sign of the Inky<br />
Finger, the Spirit of Envy being in their midst,<br />
the subject of their discourse appeared. She<br />
opened the door and stood there for a moment<br />
smiling. By the quick snap of all the mouths;<br />
by the quick glance of all the eyes; by the little<br />
shudder which ran round the group; by the little<br />
blush of shame; by the sudden silence, it was<br />
plain to Anita, being a woman of at least ordinary<br />
intelligence, that they were talking about her. At<br />
this she was not surprised; she knew even the<br />
kind of discourse they would be holding about<br />
her. In such matters a girl has but one rule of<br />
judgment. She puts herself in the place of the<br />
others.<br />
Anita Palaska was a tall and rather fine-looking<br />
girl — her friends said that her real name — but<br />
that matters nothing. She looked English and<br />
had a foreign name—a Servian name? A Polish<br />
name? A Czetch name ?—what does it matter?<br />
Almost a handsome woman, large and generous in<br />
her proportions, and about 24 years of age.<br />
"Commonplace in her appearance," said her friends.<br />
Not quite. These ladies were not, perhaps, the<br />
best judges of what is attractive in a woman<br />
where man is concerned. Nor did they understand<br />
in the least—certainly they had never had an oppor-<br />
tunity of observing—the latent power in Anita's<br />
eyes. They could not even guess how those eyes<br />
could dilate; how they could tremble; how they could<br />
fascinate; how they could flicker; how they could<br />
mean wonderful inexpressible things; how they were,<br />
as she pleased, persuasive, coaxing, innocent, limpid,<br />
loving, fresh, candid, sincere, alluring, promising,<br />
saintly. Her friends never even suspected the<br />
magic, and said she was as commonplace in her<br />
style as in her manner. Poor deluded girls! As<br />
for literary style, that may be conceded. For her<br />
manner, however—<br />
"I have been correcting my new proofs," she<br />
said, addressing the assemblage. "My story is<br />
going into the Cheapside this month."<br />
"So we see," said the eldest of the damsels,<br />
with a little prolongation of the sibilant. "We<br />
were just asking each other if you would be kind<br />
enough to tell us the secret of your success, which,<br />
indeed, we cannot understand. Your stories, of<br />
course, are taken on their merits. . . ." She<br />
tossed her head.<br />
Anita laughed softly. "Outside the profession<br />
I should say, ' Send in good work and it will be<br />
taken.' To you I cannot say that."<br />
"No, no." They all hastened to exclaim<br />
assent. Had they not all—to a female—sent in<br />
good work which had been sent back to them?<br />
And Anita had sent in bad work and it was<br />
accepted.<br />
"No. To you I say this: There are just a few<br />
living writers who really have got the art of writing<br />
attractively. They are very few. Everybody<br />
wants their work, and there isn't enough to go<br />
round. Then there are a great many who all write<br />
up to a certain level, and that a low level. Now<br />
do you begin to understand?"<br />
They did not. They shook their heads. Each<br />
one felt that she, in fact, was a good bit above<br />
the level achieved by her sisters.<br />
"Well, it is so, however. And the great diffi-<br />
culty of editors is to select from this vast expanse<br />
of commonplace something a little better than the<br />
rest. Now do you see?"<br />
She spoke very sweetly, and they began to see,<br />
and the gleam of that new light brought fire into<br />
their hearts which burned them up, internally.<br />
"I am not a ltudyard Kipling nor a Barrie,"<br />
Anita went on, modestly, " I don't pretend to such<br />
great ness. But I may be—you see—a little—just a<br />
wee bit—above the general level of those who send in<br />
contributions. That is why I am accepted. Only<br />
ever so little above the commonplace. The expla-<br />
nation is quite easy. You have only to be a little,<br />
very little, bit above the average level." She<br />
nodded pleasantly, and took a table by herself,<br />
where she taxed the resources of the establishment<br />
for her selfish gourmandise. And the rest felt<br />
themselves—all—all—lying on the low, cold, watery,<br />
despised levels of incompetence. They crept back<br />
to their work, one after the other, unhappy, crushed,<br />
trodden upon.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 356 (#760) ############################################<br />
<br />
356<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
Anita, luncheon despatched, took a MS. out of<br />
her hand bag, and run through it hurriedly. "I<br />
think it will do," she said. "At all events, if it<br />
won't do he must make it do. If it is not good<br />
when he's dressed it up, it is his fault, not mine."<br />
She put it back—rose—and walked away.<br />
The editor of the Ilaymarltct sat in his room<br />
at work. It was a cosy room, with one or two<br />
comfortable chairs and a bright fire and the appear-<br />
ance of seclusion, with a window which looked<br />
out upon a quiet churchyard, not yet turned into a<br />
playground. A boy brought him a card. He read<br />
it; he changed colour; he put it down. "I am<br />
busy," he said. "Lady says she can wait any<br />
time," replied the boy. "She's taken a chair and<br />
a book." "In that case—show her up," replied the<br />
editor desperately.<br />
She came in smiling sweetly. She gave him<br />
her hand; nay, she pressed his hand tenderly with<br />
her softly gloved fingers. For purposes of pres-<br />
sure, the persuasive cover of a Swede is better than<br />
the nudity of bony and knuckly fingers.<br />
"Best of editors," she murmured.<br />
"What can I do for you, Miss Palaska?"<br />
"Fie! last time it was Anita—so—now we are<br />
friends again. Between friends everything is easy.<br />
I have brought you—" she opened her bag and af-<br />
fected not to hear his groan—"a MS. This is really<br />
very, very much better than the last. Oh ! I know<br />
there were weak—terribly weak—points about that<br />
tale, though your beautiful touches improved it so<br />
wonderfully. This, however, is much better. It<br />
is quite, quite an original story. I will tell it you in<br />
brief. There are two most charming lovers—girl like<br />
me, you know—and the man—vain creature! you<br />
look in the glass! They are separated by a horrid<br />
lack of money. There is little hope, but when<br />
things arc desperate, her long-lost uncle comes<br />
from India. Oh! it is beautifully original and full<br />
of pathos. I know you will like it. I wrote it on<br />
purpose for you—for you—my best of editors.<br />
She laid the MS. on the table, and touched his<br />
hand with her's accidentally. Were there ever<br />
such eyes, so full of admiration, of respect, of<br />
humble handmaidenly devotion? Was there ever<br />
a face so full of tender interest and sympathy?<br />
"You are quite well?" she asked, "Quite—<br />
quite well? Do they watch you enough? You<br />
are not working too hard or anything? You are<br />
not in love, are you?" She laughed softly and<br />
consciously. Now this wretched man had a wife—<br />
but he trembled and he reddened, and he murmured,<br />
"Except with you, Anita? Impossible."<br />
He leaned his face; he kissed her forehead. She<br />
held his hand, and her eyes lay upon his face like<br />
sunshine, filling it with glow and radiance.<br />
Then she rose. "You will put it in the very<br />
next number? Dear friend! make any altera-<br />
tions—any. Farewell!"<br />
She left him. The moment after she left the<br />
room, the spell of those eyes died away. He took<br />
up the MS.—looked into it—fell into a blind rage<br />
over it—hurled it on the floor and jumped upon it.<br />
Then he picked it up and smoothed it out, and<br />
spent the rest of that day and the whole of the next<br />
in correcting it and re-writing it. But it still<br />
remained, after his corrections, about as bad a paper<br />
as the magazine had ever seen. And he knew that<br />
unkind things would be said about it, and perhaps<br />
the proprietor might ....<br />
Anita went away with a dancing step and a<br />
laughing eye. This time she was going to see the<br />
publisher of her new novel, Mr. Cyril Mueklemore.<br />
He was an aged gentleman whose brows had long<br />
been frosted. As for his reputation, it was like unto<br />
that of the nether millstone. Anita possessed an<br />
agreement-signed by Mr. Cyril Mueklemore—the<br />
beautiful Christian name inspired confidence—in<br />
which the firm agreed and bargained to give her a<br />
deferred royalty. She was to receive 16s. a copy after<br />
the first 500 had been sold. It was a noble offer.<br />
No other house, Mr. Cyril Mueklemore assured<br />
her, would possibly make such an offer. In fact,<br />
as the libraries did not give him so much for a<br />
copy, it was what the world would call princely.<br />
Mr. Mucklemore's record is full of such princely<br />
episodes. But the good and generous patron of<br />
literature could very well afford these noble terms,<br />
because, you see, he knew very well that 3oo copies<br />
would be the very utmost that he could cram down<br />
the throats of the libraries, and nobody outside<br />
the libraries would buy one single copy. Therefore<br />
he had had an edition of 35o, and no more, printed,<br />
and he had already distributed the type. But<br />
this he did not tell the author. When the proper<br />
time came, he would be the first to lament the failure<br />
of the work, and to express regrets more on the<br />
author's account than on his own. As a matter<br />
of fact, he proposed to make a nice little profit of<br />
£100 and more, to the author's double duck's egg.<br />
"You think," said a certain adviser of Anita—a<br />
male novelist—" that old Mueklemore mains to<br />
let you have any money? Not he. I know his<br />
tricks and his ways. Not a penny will you ever<br />
get out of him." In fact, this good old man had<br />
the warm heart and the kind word of every author<br />
who had ever gone to him. Hence his princely<br />
fortune; hence, too, or closely connected with the<br />
warm heart and the kind word, was his eminent piety,<br />
for he was of a very advanced and stalwart form of<br />
Christianity, and in his will he has endowed a<br />
college for decayed—but this is anticipating the<br />
charitable intentions of a good and great man.<br />
"I think," said Anita, "that Mr. Mueklemore will<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 357 (#761) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
357<br />
be persuaded to give me a cheque on account."<br />
Her adviser laughed scornfully. Anita smiled<br />
darkly, mysteriously. "If you are a witch, Anita<br />
. . ." She smik'd again, and she sallied forth.<br />
"Dear Mr. Mucklemore !" said Anita, sinking<br />
into a chair and holding the hand of this Christian<br />
person in her own. "You are well? You look<br />
anxious. Do they consider you enough? Do they<br />
watch over you? You are not worried about<br />
anything? Have wicked men written you angry<br />
letters? You are not—Oh! you are not—anxious<br />
about my little book, are you? Dear Mr. Muckle-<br />
more! I could never forgive myself if I thought<br />
you were going to lose money over my little<br />
venture."<br />
"No, I shall not lose much money," said Mr.<br />
Mucklemore. A benevolent smile stole over his<br />
countenance. "Not more than I can afford, over<br />
your little book, Miss Palaska." He looked down<br />
upon her with a certain growing interest. The<br />
damsel was comely, and she met bis wrinkled old<br />
eyes with looks so full of sympathy, that he began<br />
to forget his seventy years. She certainly did show<br />
for him a tenderness and a consideration—and,<br />
could he be seventy? Those eyes—those eyes—" I<br />
feel your kindness so much, dear Mr. Mucklemore<br />
—Oh! so very, very much. I feel almost like a<br />
daughter to you."<br />
"Yet I can never feel like a father to you,"<br />
replied the Inflammatory Old.<br />
"No? Well you are quite as kind as a father to<br />
me, anyhow. You may call your kindness what<br />
you please, dear Mr. Mucklemore."<br />
They were quite alone. Mr. Mucklemore<br />
melted. He felt less and less like a father. He<br />
told her that she reminded him of his young days,<br />
and that she made him lament his youth, and that<br />
he thought such an interest in a girl as he now felt<br />
had long since gone, and presently he had his<br />
benevolent old arms round her slender waist.<br />
Nobody would have recognised at that beatific<br />
moment the saintly Mr. Mucklemore.<br />
Presently Anita drew herself slowly away from<br />
this glimpse of Eden. "Dear Mr. Mucklemore,"<br />
she murmured, "you must not take advantage of<br />
woman's weakness. But you will always be young<br />
in heart."<br />
"Um—urn—urn," murmured the Inflammatory<br />
over her fingers.<br />
"And oh!" continued Anita, "How good it is<br />
when one no longer—quite—so young is so young."<br />
"To you, Miss Palaska—Anita "—he became<br />
poetical with passion—the Passionate Publisher—<br />
"Methusalem would be young, and old Parr<br />
himself a boy in buttons."<br />
"Flatterer! But why did I call here this<br />
morning? You make me forget everything, even<br />
that I am wasting your most valuable time, and<br />
outside—outside," she said this without a ghost<br />
of a smile, "there are a dozen people at least<br />
waiting to bless your generous heart." Ho caught<br />
her by the hand, again murmuring his " Um—um<br />
—um." "What I came to say is only this, dear<br />
Mr. Mucklemore. You have given me an agree-<br />
ment by which you promise me a royalty—a most<br />
generous royalty—of 16s. a copy when ooo have<br />
been sold. You are the only man in the profession,<br />
everybody tells me, who would ever make such<br />
a splendid offer to a novelist. How can I ever<br />
sufficiently thank you? Meanwhile sit down, my<br />
dear friend, and write me a cheque for a £100—a<br />
little £i5o — that will do—in advance, and on<br />
account of those royalties."<br />
He did it. He did it without a word, as if it<br />
was the most natural thing in the world to do, and<br />
yet, as you have heard, he had only printed 35o<br />
copies, and the type was already distributed.<br />
Now you understand the secret of Anita's<br />
success, and yet they said she was as commonplace<br />
in appearance as in style.<br />
Something has happened, however. No one<br />
knows how these things do happen. Some one<br />
must have communicated the thing under promise<br />
of secrecy; then it got whispered in a club smoking-<br />
room—but nobody knows. Only one day, when<br />
Anita called with a new MS. upon one of her<br />
editors, she was coldly received, and was presently<br />
informed in plain words that her work could no<br />
longer be received in exchange for the pressure of<br />
a hand, and the kindly light of pretty eyes. She<br />
went away, feeling sad, and called on another editor.<br />
The same reception awaited her, almost in the<br />
same words. And good old Mr. Cyril Mucklemore<br />
has gone, and his heir has discovered that Anita's<br />
last novel resulted in a real loss.<br />
"I am going"—Anita was sitting with her<br />
friends, the Children of Defeat, in the Tavern of<br />
the Inky Finger at the British Museum—" I am<br />
going very soon to New York. I have been very<br />
much disgusted of late about several little things.<br />
I thought that editors were gentlemen. Well, you<br />
will hardly believe it, but I have met once or twice<br />
with things—things, you know—one of them once<br />
actually wanted to kiss me."<br />
"Imposs sible," cried the young lady who<br />
had called Anita commonplace.<br />
"True—and another—and another. What is<br />
the world coming to? Well, of course I cannot<br />
any longer offer to contribute when such insults<br />
have been attempted, and I have been considering.<br />
Now, I find that the American magazines are far<br />
better, richer, and finer than our own; that they<br />
welcome good work ."<br />
Everybody coughed slightly.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 358 (#762) ############################################<br />
<br />
358<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
"Work above the average, when they can get it<br />
—they pay four times as well—and their editors<br />
are high-souled gentlemen, incapable of insulting a<br />
lady. Oh! America is fast becoming the only<br />
country in the world for a gentlewoman. Chivalry<br />
has a new and a better home in Broadway."<br />
She got up and went away, conscious that she<br />
could not make a better exit. Yet they had called<br />
her as commonplace in style as in manner!<br />
"Oh!" cried one of them, who spoke for all,<br />
"what does it mean? Can anyone—anyone—tell<br />
me why?"<br />
Along the lofty walls and along the cornice of<br />
the panelled ceiling rolled, and rang, and echoed<br />
her question, "Tell me—tell me—why—why—by<br />
—hy—y—y—y—."<br />
——-—♦-♦-«<br />
NOTES FROM PARIS.<br />
SEVERAL paragraph-writers, commenting on<br />
what I wrote last month about Ishmael<br />
sweating Ishmael, have asked me why I did<br />
not give the names of the " reputed author " who<br />
sweated, and of the " unfortunate youth" who was<br />
sweated in the case I cited. My principal reason<br />
was to avoid giving offence to the latter, who, being<br />
now a successful feuilletonist on his own account,<br />
would hardly have; liked the record of his early<br />
struggles made public. A secondary reason was<br />
that the "reputed author" would certainly have<br />
sent me a challenge, and I have had all the duelling<br />
I care for. It is not dangerous, but each duello<br />
cost you—for landau, refreshments, doctor's fee for<br />
attendance, and lunch to one's seconds at the Cafe<br />
Anglais after the affair—a matter of £i5, and,<br />
what is worse, obliges you to rise at the unearthly<br />
hour of half-past live. Now I do not think I could<br />
get up at half-past five even to be guillotined.<br />
Apropos of duelling, it is perhaps to be regretted<br />
that the fashion of it has gone out so completely<br />
in England. I fancy if it existed still the critics<br />
of one's works and persons would be more civil.<br />
I could not help thinking this as I read the notices<br />
about Mr. John Gray's translation of " Lc Baiser,"<br />
produced at the beginning of this month at the<br />
Independent Theatre, and the abominably offensive<br />
personalities which were indulged in against him.<br />
I understand that he has commenced one suit for<br />
libel, but the majority of the critiques were not<br />
such as could be attacked in a court of law, and<br />
in this way would very summarily have been dealt<br />
with.<br />
English literary criticism, by the way, is a thing<br />
which French men of letters are totally unable to<br />
understand. I remember reading some of those<br />
malevolent critiques, for which a particular paper<br />
has gained a reputation and a sale amongst our<br />
splenetic fellow citizens, to a very prominent<br />
novelist here. He said, "If a Paris newspaper<br />
were to publish such critiques, everybody would be<br />
convinced that it was attempting to blackmail<br />
either the author or the publisher." I had con-<br />
siderable difficulty in persuading him that these<br />
notices were written with a certain amount of bona<br />
fides on the part of their authors.<br />
There is little or no criticism of general literature<br />
in Paris. In sending you a book for review the<br />
Paris publisher also sends you his card, and—with<br />
a priere (Tinserer-—a small printed notice of the<br />
book. If one can find room the notice goes in, if<br />
not it does not. One would never think of reading<br />
the book for the sake of writing a few lines<br />
about it, unless the author were a friend and one<br />
wanted to oblige him. It would not pay to do so.<br />
Three hours is the least one would spend in<br />
gaining an honest opinion of a book, and there are<br />
very few books on which, in justice to one's journal<br />
and to one's public, one could write a critique of<br />
more than, say, twenty lines. Fourpenee a line is<br />
the maximum rate for articles in a leading Paris<br />
paper, so that the remuneration for three hours of<br />
such labour would amount at the utmost to eight<br />
francs. Three francs would, however, be nearer<br />
the average. With coals at 5os. the ton in Paris,<br />
men of letters cannot work at those rates, and so<br />
literary critiques are not supplied to the Paris<br />
papers. Of course, when any big novel or book—<br />
a Daudet or a de Maupassant, a Zola or a Dumas<br />
—appears, all the papers review it. It is the<br />
actuality and is dealt with in the leading article or<br />
premier Paris. But the minor authors do not get<br />
reviewed at all and seem none the worse for it.<br />
Spiteful criticism of the kind which helps to sell<br />
a number of moribund publications in England is<br />
practically unknown here. It would soon be put a<br />
stop to were any innovator to introduce it. That<br />
innovator would have to be getting up early most<br />
days in the week, to have an excellent balance at<br />
his bank, or to have a very tough hide. The only<br />
man of letters here who is attacked in the British<br />
fashion of attack is George Ohnet, who is a cripple<br />
and cannot defend himself. It is all the more cniel<br />
that he feels it deeply. I have often found him<br />
almost prostrate with mortification at spiteful<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 359 (#763) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
359<br />
tilings which have appeared against him. I<br />
remember his once pathetically exclaiming to me,<br />
"I wonder why they so hate me, I am sure I have<br />
never done anything wrong. I never stole any<br />
spoons, and am a decent lived man as a whole." I<br />
suppose it is the phenomenal success of his books<br />
stirs the gale. It is fair to say that the attacks<br />
are made by nonentities, the same class, I presume,<br />
who harass the British author.<br />
George Ohnet works three hours a day regularly,<br />
during which time he writes four pages of small<br />
MS., amounting to about one thousand words. He<br />
then revises carefully, and, having finished his<br />
corrections, hands his MS. to his wife, who makes<br />
a beautifully neat fair copy for the printer. She is<br />
an immense admirer of his talent, but never allows<br />
herself to make any suggestions.<br />
A thing which always astonishes French men of<br />
letters is to hear a British author talking about the<br />
number of words his novel is to consist of. When<br />
you tell him that custom has it that a book to be<br />
sold at such a price has to contain a minimum of<br />
so many words, incredulity first, and then pity<br />
comes into their eyes. The commercial side of<br />
literary production is what they never can and<br />
never want to grasp.<br />
It may be accepted as a general rule that all<br />
lwoks, other than those of authors who have made a<br />
name, which are published in Paris are produced<br />
at the author's cost. A French publisher would<br />
never dream of risking a farthing in a publication.<br />
When Charpentier settled a small income on Emile<br />
Zola, to enable him to have leisure to write, he did<br />
a most unusual thing. On the other hand, I have<br />
never heard of any Parisian publisher practising<br />
the frauds by which most British amateur authors<br />
are victimised. An ordinary French novel or<br />
volume of poems will be produced in good style at<br />
from £20 to £32. As soon as a man gets a little<br />
known the best he can hope for is a sum of £10<br />
on account of royalties for a novel or a volume of<br />
poems. The author in Paris who wants to make<br />
money tries for the newspaper serial stories.<br />
These are splendidly remunerated. The majority<br />
of French authors and poets, however, write for<br />
glory. It would be considered lunacy on a man's<br />
part to look for a living to the production of books.<br />
Those here—barring a few exceptions—who live<br />
by their pens are engaged in journalism or in<br />
writing for the stage. Many well-known writers<br />
VOL. II.<br />
follow commercial or professional pursuits. Huys-<br />
mann, for instance, is employed at one of the<br />
Government offices, and is partner in a bookbinding<br />
business.<br />
Alexander Dumas is tired of life in Paris. He<br />
is selling his mansion in the Avenue Villiers, and<br />
all the art treasures it contains, and is about to<br />
retire definitely to the country. Most enviable<br />
Alexander, tired of worlds to conquer.<br />
The catalogue of the books in the French<br />
National Library has at last, after years of labour,<br />
been completed. Some time, however, must elapse<br />
liefore this most interesting work can be published.<br />
It appears that the money for its publication is not<br />
forthcoming, and cannot be hoped for for some<br />
time. Yet France spends £40 a minute on her<br />
army.<br />
I wonder if ever we shall succeed in getting the<br />
author's rights to the benefit of his work as fully<br />
recognised in England as they are in France. Here<br />
is an instance of this recognition in France. A<br />
friend of mine, who is just now collaborating with<br />
Catulle Mendes on a play, told me a night or two<br />
ago that he receives annually a few sous as heir of<br />
his grandfather, who many years ago wrote the<br />
libretto of a certain operette, of which Offenbach,<br />
I think, wrote the music. Of this operette only<br />
one air has survived the change of taste, and it is<br />
constantly being fitted to fresh words of topical<br />
interest. During the Exhibition, for instance, it<br />
was to this tune that a song about the Eiffel Tower<br />
was set. The original libretto in general and the<br />
song to this air in particular have long since been<br />
forgotten, but French justice holds that the writer<br />
of the libretto to some extent suggests the music<br />
to the composer, and is therefore entitled to a<br />
certain share in the proceeds of the music, even if<br />
his words are no longer used. Accordingly, when-<br />
ever that song is sung, the heir of the man who<br />
wrote the original words to it is credited by the<br />
agencies with a certain per-centage of the composer's<br />
droits cTauteun<br />
I hear from Madrid that the widow of de<br />
Gonzales has just died in an almshouse. Gonzales<br />
was the Dumas of Spain, and his works are still<br />
immensely popular. He received very large sums<br />
from his publishers, but was a sad spendthrift, and<br />
would only work when need pressed him. At last<br />
his publishers agreed to give £12 a day against so<br />
much copy to be delivered daily. He used to fetch<br />
D d<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 360 (#764) ############################################<br />
<br />
36°<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
his money every evening at six, then hasten off<br />
to a cafe and keep it up all night till five in the<br />
morning. Then he would begin dictating to a<br />
couple of secretaries, and his task lx'iug finished,<br />
would go to bed until the time came for fetching a<br />
fresh supply of doubloons. As a rule, he never<br />
had enough money left to pay the cab that took<br />
him to his publishers. These, by the way, are all<br />
millionaires, chiefly thanks to the Gonzales copy-<br />
rights. Why did they let his widow die in a work-<br />
house?<br />
It may not be generally known that Mr. Oscar<br />
Wilde is by maternal descent the grand-nephew of<br />
Charles Maturin, where " Melmoth the Wanderer"<br />
is at List attracting attention in England. I say<br />
"at last," inasmuch as it has been a classic for<br />
nearly sixty-five years in France and Germany. It<br />
won for its author the admiration of Balzac, and<br />
was a livre de chevet of Baudelaise. It contributed<br />
greatly to the literary movement in France in<br />
i83o.<br />
In the course of a conversation I had the other<br />
day with Mr. Ernest Renan, I happened to ask<br />
him his opinion about Emile Zola's work. These<br />
are his own words: "Zola! Nay, Monsieur, you<br />
must not ask me about him, for I have no opinion<br />
on him. It is low, far away, beneath. It is the<br />
mud, and a pity for French literature. I have a<br />
horror for what is coarse. At Pompeii, all that<br />
was coarse was secreted and hidden away. It is a<br />
pity we do not do the same in these days. I confess<br />
that I cannot understand how the French, so<br />
lettered, so scholarly and so full of taste, can<br />
tolerate such horrors as are the modern French<br />
novels." I must now ask Zola what he thinks of<br />
Mr. Renan's work.<br />
SPKING.<br />
Oil! to wake at early morning, and to hear the thrushes<br />
sing,<br />
To watch the steady sunshine stealing over everything.<br />
And to know that now, at last, is come the first wann day<br />
of spring!<br />
Oh! to open wide the window, and to taste the scented<br />
bree/e—<br />
Sweet and pungent from the breathing of the flowers and<br />
tlie trees,<br />
And to listen to the humming of the discontented bees!<br />
Oh! to step out on the grassplot and to note the sprinkled<br />
dew,<br />
To look above the lurk's song at the deep unfathomed blue,<br />
And to feel the world is still the same as springs ago we<br />
knew!<br />
Oh! to sit at noontide idle in the chestnut's flickering<br />
shade,<br />
To hear the cuckoo calling from every knoll and glade,<br />
And to catch the perfect harmony by Nature's discords<br />
made!<br />
Oh! to wander in the evening, with the pink clouds over-<br />
head,<br />
To listen to the nightingale when his song is freely shed,<br />
With one companion by my side, one dear friend, long<br />
since dead!<br />
Oh ! to tell out all my thoughts to her, my loneliuess and<br />
pain,<br />
Pale hopes and glowing memories, the toil of heart and<br />
brain,<br />
And all my deep delight and grief that Spring is come<br />
again '.<br />
Oh 1 to lie at night and listen to her solemn whispering,<br />
While I strain my soul to try and hear what tidings she<br />
may bring,<br />
And to learn if I may dare to look for everlasting Spring!<br />
F. Baykord Harrison.<br />
<br />
USEFUL BOOKS.<br />
It is reported that the Parisian publishers are<br />
organising an immense lottery by means of which<br />
to rid themselves of huge accumulations of unsold<br />
stock. The prizes will lie assortments of reading<br />
with a work of art (cruel distinction) thrown in.<br />
One publisher declares himself ready to contribute<br />
one hundred thousand volumes. And still the pens<br />
run on<br />
Robert H. Shekard.<br />
Paris, March, 20th, 1892.<br />
ACORRESPONDENT recently suggested the<br />
formation of a list of useful books, i.e.,<br />
books useful to those engaged in literary<br />
work. Here is a contribution to such a list. No<br />
doubt others will help to swell the list and to make<br />
it really serviceable :—<br />
P. M. Roget. Thesaurus of English Words and<br />
Phrases. (Longmans.)<br />
T. Stormonth. Etymological and pronouncing<br />
Dictionary of the English Language. (Black-<br />
wood.)<br />
Webster's Complete Dictionary of the English<br />
Language. Authorised and unabridged<br />
Edition. New Edition. (Bell and Sons.)<br />
T. Walker. The Rhyming Dictionary of the<br />
English Language. (Routledge.)<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 361 (#765) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
361<br />
W. B. Hodgson. Errors in the use of English.<br />
(Edinburgh. Douglas.)<br />
E. A. Abbot. How to write clearly. (Seeley,<br />
Jackson, and Halliday.)<br />
Chambers's Encyclopaedia. New Edition.<br />
(Chambers.)<br />
E. C. Brewer. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.<br />
Cassell.<br />
E. C. Brewer. The Header's Handbook. (Chatto<br />
and Windus.)<br />
W. J. Lowndes. Reference Catalogue of Current<br />
Literature.<br />
(t. K. Portescne. Subject Index of Modern<br />
Works added to the Library of the British<br />
Museum from 1880 to 1885.<br />
W. J. Stead. Annual Index of Periodicals and<br />
Photographs.<br />
E. B. Sargeant and B. Whitshaw. A Guide Hook<br />
to Books.<br />
NOTES AND NEWS.<br />
THE literary event of the month, the appear-<br />
ance of the President's Drama, occurs just<br />
as these proofs have been ptssed, too late for<br />
notice here.<br />
American rights, long sighed after, have now<br />
become American expectations. We have been<br />
accustomed to think of the United States as<br />
the author's land of milk and honey. Every-<br />
body who produces a book now looks to its<br />
reproduction and a wide popularity in America.<br />
With this view every publisher and most editors<br />
in the States are deluged with offers, and books<br />
are given to newspapers for nothing in order<br />
to get copyright. -Time will, of course, bring its<br />
experiences and its disappointments. It will be<br />
discovered that it is not enough to lie a British<br />
author in order to command success; but that one<br />
must also write what the American public want,<br />
anil that will be done very largely for them by their<br />
own authors. In the. case, however, of the men<br />
thev do want, an American author, on p. 346, shows<br />
pretty clearly what they may expect. The figures<br />
will come to some of us as a revelation.<br />
I commend for our very serious consideration<br />
certain passages in Mr. Itoliert Sherard's Notes<br />
from Paris in this number. French men of letters<br />
are, he says, wholly unable to understand the<br />
criticisms, spiteful and cruel, which appear in cer-<br />
tain English papers. The love of insult is kept in<br />
check by the fear of the duel. No French publisher<br />
ever dreams of risking a farthing in the production<br />
of a book. Strange! Every English publisher is<br />
vol.. n.<br />
always dreaming that he risks immense sums.<br />
Perhaps Mr. Sherard will give us more information<br />
on this side of French literature.<br />
Here is a very curious and complete coincidence.<br />
One day last year an unfortunate girl connected<br />
with one of the theatres in London committed<br />
suicide on account of some love disappointment.<br />
Just, before this event a story was given in at the<br />
office of the New York Herald, for the London<br />
Sunday edition, in which the life of this girl—of<br />
whom the author had never heard—her love<br />
business, and her suicide were all faithfully pour-<br />
trayed, anil her very name, with one vowel wrong,<br />
was also used. This curious coincidence happened<br />
to Mr. Joseph Forster. It was mentioned in the<br />
New York Herald—in the American edition—nt<br />
the time, but seems not to have attracted any<br />
attention.<br />
The New York Critic, referring to a certain<br />
paper on the work of the Society of Authors in<br />
the Forum for March, sums up the situation by<br />
saying that "the cases brought forward against<br />
certain publishers could very easily be parallelled in<br />
every other branch of business." That is very<br />
likely. Does that, however, concern us? Do a<br />
thousand wrongs justify one other wrong? But<br />
there are certain considerations which make our<br />
position different from that of other producers.<br />
We are for the most part robbed under the guise of<br />
friendship; the fraudulent publisher will not, if he<br />
can help it, allow the business to be treated as<br />
business; he must be considered as the confidential<br />
adviser and friend—the generous, disinterested,<br />
large-hearted friend. If these things, and things<br />
like them, go on in all other lines of business, then<br />
a time will come when the whole edifice of cor-<br />
ruption will fall to pieces; and if these things are<br />
done in the holv name of religion, then it is the<br />
worse for that, religion, and for the people who<br />
should be guided by that religion.<br />
Walt Whitman is dead. It is a long time since<br />
we heard that he was paralysed, though he has<br />
gone on working almost to the end. When, many<br />
years ago, his earliest volume came over here, it<br />
was handled at first by critics and by readers with<br />
disgust and contempt. Then came a reaction: the<br />
book so gross, so coarse, so misshapen, was found<br />
to have great thoughts in it. The reaction pre-<br />
vailed; the reputation of Walt Whitman has been<br />
growing steadily higher. He is said to have, now,<br />
more readers in this than in his own country.<br />
E e<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 362 (#766) ############################################<br />
<br />
362<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
On Wednesday, March the 9th, a bust of Richard<br />
Jefferies, executed by Miss Margaret Thomas, was<br />
unveiled in Salisbury Cathedral by the Bishop in<br />
the presence of the Dean and a small company.<br />
The inscription on the bust is as follows :—" To<br />
the memory of Richard Jefferies, born at. Coate,<br />
in the Parish of Chiseldon and County of Wilts,<br />
6th November 1848. Died at Goring, in the<br />
County of Sussex, 14th August 1887. Who, ob-<br />
serving the works of Almighty God with a poet's<br />
eye, has enriched the literature of his country, and<br />
won for himself a place among those who have<br />
innde men happier and wiser."<br />
The Bishop made a short speech, followed by the<br />
Dean, who spoke; at greater length.<br />
It is very much to be regretted that not one of<br />
those who had promoted the acquisition of this<br />
monument, nor a single man of letters, except Mr.<br />
Lcith Derwent, who resides in Salisbury, was present,<br />
on this occasion. Not even the sculptor was in-<br />
vited to be present or informed of the time at which<br />
the ceremony would take place. The committee<br />
were absolutely ignored. This discourtesy, or<br />
neglect, was the sole cause of the absence from the<br />
ceremony of those who would otherwise have<br />
marked their respect and affection to the illustrious<br />
author by their presence.<br />
The chief credit for the idea of this bust must<br />
be assigned to Mr. A. W. Kinglake, of Haines<br />
Hill, Taunton. He it was who conceived the idea<br />
and would have carried it out single handed, but<br />
for ill-health, which obliged him to hand over the<br />
matter to a London committee. It is not the last,<br />
one hopes, of the many acts of national recognition<br />
which have been instituted by the creator of the<br />
Somersetshire Valhalla.<br />
The placing of the bust of Jefferies in Salisbury<br />
Cathedral reminds us of the great increase of<br />
interest in everything connected with the world<br />
of Fields and Hedges. To be sure, he was only<br />
one of a succession—Gilbert White of Selborne,<br />
Thomas Burrows, Jefferies—a very fine procession,<br />
not to speak of the scientific explorers, Romanes,<br />
Lubbock and others. But the succession has not<br />
ceased, it is carried on by more than one diligent<br />
and peacef ul lover of nature. One of the new books,<br />
by one of Gilbert White's successors, is in my<br />
hands. It is " Nature's Fairy Land," by H. W. S.<br />
Worsley-Benison, already in its fourth edition; a<br />
book that one may take up in the evening for<br />
a quiet hour; which carries you away into country<br />
scenes, and to lovely places; on the sands; among<br />
the gorse; in the garden. If one who is not a<br />
student of nature, yet a humble reader of books on<br />
nature—may name with commendation such a book,<br />
I venture to do so. It is never tedious; nor is it a<br />
catalogue, as some of Jefferies' earlier books were<br />
cruelly said to be; it is always pleasant, and always<br />
instructive.<br />
The late Lord Lytton died, pen in hand, correct-<br />
ing and finishing the verses which, under the name<br />
of " Marah," have just been produced in a collected<br />
form, and in a daintily bound volume (Longman).<br />
One more poem still remains to be published, after<br />
which there will be no more of Owen Meredith.<br />
Perhaps many of the readers of the Author may<br />
like to possess this volume as a memento of a<br />
man who valued the Society so highly, and hoped<br />
so much for its future. The following lines are<br />
from the Epilogue :—<br />
1<br />
My songs flit away on the wing;<br />
They are fledged with a smile or a sigh;<br />
Anil away with the songs that I sing<br />
Flit my joys, and my sorrows, and I.<br />
2.<br />
For time, as it is, cannot stay,<br />
Nor again as it was, can it be;<br />
Disappearing and passing away<br />
Are the world, and the ages, and we.<br />
3.<br />
Gone, even before we can go,<br />
Is our past, with its passions forgot,<br />
The tears of its wept-away woe,<br />
And its laughters that gladden us not.<br />
4-<br />
The builder of heaven and of earth<br />
Is our own fickle fugitive breath;<br />
As it comes in the moment of birth,<br />
So it goes in the moment of death.<br />
5.<br />
As the years were before we l>egan<br />
Shall the years be when we are no more;<br />
And between them the years of a man<br />
Are as waves the wind drives to the shore.<br />
6.<br />
Back into the Infinite tend<br />
The creations that out of it start;<br />
Unto every beginning an end,<br />
And whatever arrives shall depart.<br />
7-<br />
But I and my songs, for awhile,<br />
As together away on the wing<br />
We are borne with a sigh or a smile,<br />
Have been given this message to sing.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 363 (#767) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
8.<br />
The Now is an atom of sand,<br />
And the near is a perishing clod;<br />
But Afar is as Faery Land,<br />
And Beyond is the Bosom of God.<br />
In a talk on things literary, one chanced to say,<br />
"I am convinced that an uncomfortable pen, or<br />
paper of a kind to which I am not accustomed,<br />
makes twenty per cent, difference in the quantity<br />
I write under ordinary circumstances in a given<br />
time. I know that it is absurd to be affected by<br />
such trifles—but that is so." "It is not absurd<br />
at all," replied the other, a man of science, " but<br />
perfectly natural. You speak of the point of a<br />
pen, or the degree of rugosity of the surface<br />
of the paper as small things. Have you ever<br />
considered how very much smaller things are the<br />
molecules of the brain, and the infinitesimal changes<br />
taking place in them that are all the time guiding<br />
your hand and thought? It is only reasonable to<br />
suppose that living fibres of a delicacy so infinite<br />
would bo very much affected by finding their<br />
operations hindered by objects comparatively so<br />
large as the point of a pen, or the grain of the<br />
surface of a sheet of paper."<br />
Those who have visited the Shakespeare house<br />
at Stratford-on-Avon of late years will regret to<br />
learn that the curator who did so much to give<br />
interest to every object preserved there, Mr. Joseph<br />
Skipsey, has resigned the post. He has returned<br />
to his native country, and now resides at Newcastle.<br />
A volume of his collected poems has just been pub-<br />
lished by Walter Scott . Many of the pieces have,<br />
no doubt, been seen already by the poet's friends.<br />
The whole form a collection of singular interest.<br />
The charm of the verse lies chiefly in its simplicity<br />
and purity. The source of inspiration is the<br />
village, the country, the coal mine, the village<br />
beauty. For instance—there are certainly poems<br />
of a higher flight than this, but everybody will<br />
recognise the sweetness and simplicity of the<br />
following lines :—<br />
Coal black are the tresses of Fanny;<br />
But never a mortal could see<br />
The coal-coloured tresses of Annie,<br />
And be as a body could be.<br />
White, white is her forehead, and bonnie;<br />
And when she goes down to the well,<br />
The beat of the footsteps of Annie,<br />
The wrath of a tiger would quell.<br />
Bed, red are her round cheeks, and bonnie;<br />
And when she is knitting, her tone—<br />
The charm of the accents of Annie,<br />
Would ravish the heart of a stone.<br />
Nay, rare are her graces and many;<br />
But nothing whatever can be<br />
Compared to the sweet glance of Annie,<br />
The glance she has given to me.<br />
At the dinner held in aid of the Booksellers'<br />
Provident Institution, Mr. F. Macmillan, the chair-<br />
man, in support of his contention that MSS. are<br />
really read and considered, made an interesting<br />
statement. Out of 166 books, including new<br />
editions, issued by his firm last year, no fewer<br />
than 22, he said, were printed from 3i5 MSS.<br />
sent in without being invited. I have always stated<br />
my own conviction that in the more important<br />
houses all MSS. are fairly read and honestly<br />
considered, and it is satisfactory to obtain this<br />
confirmation of my view. There are, of course,<br />
only some people can never be persuaded of this,<br />
houses and houses, publishers and publishers, just<br />
as there are lawyers and lawyers. From informa-<br />
tion received one is quite certain that in some firms<br />
MSS. are not properly considered. The per-cent-<br />
age of books accepted, 22 out of 315, or 7 per cent.,<br />
is much higher than that which other publishers<br />
have reported as the result of careful reading.<br />
Mr. F. Macmillan is reported to have dwelt<br />
with some emphasis on the identity of interests<br />
of author, publisher, and bookseller. It was rather<br />
dangerous, unless the chairman was willing to<br />
accept the logical consequence, to dwell too strongly<br />
on identity of interests, though no one in this<br />
Society has ever questioned this identity. For, if<br />
we are all agreed, as we should be, alxwt this<br />
identity of interests, we must therefore be agreed<br />
upon the necessity of a mutual understanding as to<br />
a just division of these interests. At present<br />
things are so constituted that the publisher knows<br />
the share of interest which goes to the bookseller,<br />
but the bookseller does not know the share that<br />
goes to the publisher. In the same way the author<br />
knows his share, but has l)een hitherto care-<br />
fully prevented from knowing the publisher's share.<br />
What recognition of identity of interests is that<br />
in which the publisher stands in the middle and<br />
says to the bookseller, "Here, my identically in-<br />
terested friend, is your share," and to the author,<br />
"Here is your share out of our identical interests.<br />
Mine? Oh '. mine is my own affair to myself."<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 364 (#768) ############################################<br />
<br />
364<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
Here, for instance, is a little sum for booksellers<br />
and authors alike to consider. For book, our old<br />
friend the 6s. novel. A successful book. Cost<br />
of production, say iod., in order to be liberal.<br />
The bookseller gives, say, 3s. ^d. for it, and sells it<br />
for 4.S. 6d. The author gets, say, 2d. in the<br />
shilling, or is. a copy. The publisher pays iorf.<br />
for it to the printer, binder, paper maker, and<br />
advertisements. lie gives the author is., and he<br />
gets 3s. \d.<br />
The interest of all three parties are identical, says<br />
Mr. F. Maemillan. Quite so. Identical must, I<br />
apprehend, be taken to mean equal. If not, what<br />
does it mean? Here, then, are the actual shares<br />
of the three persons concerned in the publication<br />
of that book :—<br />
The publisher gets 15. 6d.<br />
The bookseller gets 1*. zd.<br />
The author gets 1 s.<br />
Suppose it were agreed—no fraudulent cost of<br />
production being allowed, no charging for adver-<br />
tisements where nothing has been paid—to make<br />
the interests of all three actually identical, then<br />
each would make is. 3d. by every copy on a large<br />
sale. Shall we "go" for a real identity of<br />
interests? But in many cases the trade pays more<br />
than 3s, $d., and in many cases the author does not<br />
get so large a royalty as a sixth.<br />
Walter Besant.<br />
<br />
AN OLD MASTER.<br />
AMONG the best books of this season is<br />
"Melmoth the Wanderer," of which Messrs.<br />
Bentley and Son have just issued a new edi-<br />
tion, together with a portrait of the author, a very<br />
interesting account of his life, a chronology of<br />
his work, and a scholarly estimate of his literary<br />
position.<br />
"Melmoth the Wanderer" has been known to<br />
most readers by name, and many attracted by the<br />
chance mention of the work in the writings of—<br />
among others—Scott, Thackeray, and especially<br />
Balzac, have promised themselves that at some time<br />
or another they would read Maturin's masterpiece.<br />
Few, however, have carried out this resolution, for<br />
the book has been very hard to come by. One or<br />
two incomplete versions have been presented to the<br />
public in cheap form, hut for most of the people<br />
whose curiosity had been stimulated by Balzac,<br />
such editions have no existence, and for many<br />
years " Melmoth the Wanderer" has been rather a<br />
book-collector's prize. It has never fetched any<br />
maniacal price, but its rarity has l>een sufficiently<br />
pronounced to make it a stimulating object for a<br />
collector, and to preclude any wide knowledge of<br />
the story. And now that the story is offer*! to<br />
the public in a complete, convenient, and hand ome<br />
form, it will be interesting to see in what spirit it<br />
is read, and, indeed, if it is widely read at all. For<br />
undoubtedly "Melmoth" l>elongs to an old-<br />
fashioned class of books. It is one long record of<br />
horror and mystery, and the author's designs to<br />
produce thrills are such as are now-a-days likely to<br />
have but little effect. Satanic compacts and the<br />
crimes of the Inquisition have had their day, with<br />
the terrors of oubliettes and of madhouse cells.<br />
The latter have been pictured for us now so often,<br />
that they have not only lost through familiarity<br />
their power of shocking, but they have actually<br />
become forbidden subjects for an author, taking<br />
their place in the category of rescues from mad-<br />
bulls or rapidly incoming tides, of the heroine's<br />
sprained ankle, and of mistakes in the identity of<br />
twin-brethren. And of treaties with the devil,<br />
what is to be said? Does the consideration of these<br />
blood-signed contracts cause the skin to tighten or<br />
the scalp to lift? No longer. It is to be feared<br />
that our growth in wisdom has led to serious dimi-<br />
nution of our happiness in many ways, notably, that<br />
what we have gained in solid knowledge we have<br />
lost in airy illusion. A story of diablerie, to be<br />
successful as such, must at this time have something<br />
of the sad, cynical, humourous, extravagant touch,<br />
for as a l>ogey-man Satan has got behindhand.<br />
"Melmoth the Wanderer," though it is extravagant<br />
enough, is certainly not sad, humourous, or cynical.<br />
Yet it is very possible that the book will be a popular<br />
success, though its subject is rococo, its incidents<br />
familiar, and its treatment not too artistic. Then<br />
the Reverend C. Robert Maturin is about to enjoy<br />
at the end of the century some little measure of the<br />
fame that he enjoyed at its commencement. For<br />
the hare-brained Irish parson has a magnificent<br />
power of story-telling. His romancing is consistent<br />
and spontaneous, and the action of his drama is so<br />
quick that the absurdities pass unnoticed in the<br />
whirl of events. Though the mysterious appearance<br />
of the "Wanderer" may not bring terror to our<br />
souls, nor the baleful glare of his eyes seem to us to<br />
gain in malignity by the origin that is suggested for<br />
it, yet the note of horror is struck—even for us.<br />
And it is the author's triumph that this should l>e,<br />
for our own horror is a direct tribute to his skill in<br />
telling the story. It means that the reader has<br />
been convinced that what frightens all the bold<br />
bad men in the book so really and so terribly, must<br />
have its real and terrible side. He takes this for<br />
granted, and hurries on to see what is going to<br />
happen.<br />
It is something in the nature of an experiment to<br />
issue such a book in these davs, but it is more than<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 365 (#769) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
365<br />
possible that the excellence of the story will outweigh<br />
its absurdities, and will secure for it a big public.<br />
The cheap mutilated editions seem to have had a<br />
vogue, and was certainly directed rather to meet<br />
the demands of an uncritical public, asking only for<br />
a good interesting story, than to supply cultured<br />
taste with a curio to speculate over, or a text upon<br />
which to hang essays in celebration of the improve-<br />
ment of fiction. This new issue, with its elaborate<br />
and trustworthy editorial additions, should secure for<br />
Maturin a fresh crop of admirers.*<br />
O. J.<br />
<br />
OBSERVATIONS ON "THE TALE-TELLING<br />
ART" IN SIR WALTER SCOTT'S<br />
INTRODUCTIONS TO THE "WAVERLEY<br />
NOVELS."<br />
11.<br />
HAVING learned what, in Sir Walter Scott's<br />
opinion, constitutes perfection in a romance,<br />
and in what quarters an author should<br />
seek for the elements of his stories, it will be<br />
natural next to enquire what Sir Walter Scott has<br />
to say respecting the choice of subjects. Here,<br />
may well be placed first an observation, which,<br />
though it says no more than Horace's—<br />
Sumite materiam vestris, qui scribitis, scquam<br />
Viribus.f<br />
and indeed, contains but a very trite truism, still<br />
expresses happily a fact with which all authors<br />
must reckon.<br />
"It is not sufficient that a mine be in itself rich<br />
and easily accessible; it is necessary that the engi-<br />
neer who explores it should himself, in mining<br />
phrase, have an accurate knowledge of the country,<br />
and possess the skill necessary to work it to<br />
advantage."—(Introduction to St. Ronan's Well.)<br />
In several passages bearing generally upon the<br />
choice of subject, Sir Walter Seott insists upon<br />
attaching paramount importance to novelty. This<br />
is not novelty in the sense of some theme or motif<br />
never before attempted. That kind of novelty,<br />
indeed, many would assert to be impossible of dis-<br />
covery: though it seems more temperate to doubt<br />
whether all the possible combinations of human<br />
existence could ever be exhausted; whilst La<br />
Fontaine has pertinently remarked—<br />
La feinte est an pays plcin de terres desertes,<br />
Tons les jours dos autcurs y font des decouvertes.J<br />
* Maturin, Charles Eobert. "Mclmoth the Wanderer."<br />
Bcntley. A new edition from the original text with n<br />
memoir and bibliography of Maturin's works. Frontispiece.<br />
3 vols.<br />
t Ars Poetica, 38. J Fables, Livre 3, 1.<br />
The novelty, however, upon which Sir Walter<br />
Scott insists, consists in the choice by an author of<br />
subjects of a sort that he himself has never pre-<br />
viously treated. This the great novelist seems to<br />
hold indispensable to success. It would be inte-<br />
resting to know how far the experience of the<br />
living novelists of the present day corroborates or<br />
goes against Sir Walter Scott's view. Do they<br />
really find that they recruit additional readers, and<br />
increase the circulation of their works when they<br />
quit the particular kind of romance in which they<br />
have hitherto laboured, to attempt a story of an<br />
entirely different description? Or is their ex-<br />
perience quite the contrary? Certainly, it is a very<br />
common thing to hear the enthusiastic readers of a<br />
well-known author cry out at once, when he quits<br />
the themes with which be has hitherto dealt to<br />
break some new ground. "So-and-so's new book,"<br />
they promptly declare, " is not a bit like any of the<br />
others. It is just like a tale by such-an-onc." And<br />
the speaker almost always goes on to say that he hates<br />
such-an-one's books. This seems to indicate that<br />
to continue to excel in stories of the type an author<br />
has found most congenial to his taste should lie his<br />
aim, rather than to attempt novelties. And that is<br />
what most of our present authors appear to do.<br />
But Sir Walter Scott very distinctly expresses his<br />
opinion, that no author should write many books of<br />
the same kind, and that, if he wishes to maintain<br />
his popularity, new departures are indispensable.<br />
So, after the publication of his Scotch novels,<br />
commencing with "Waverley," and ending with<br />
"The Bride of Lammermoor," Sir Walter Scott<br />
writes in the preface to " Ivanhoe "—<br />
"The author of the 'Waterley Novels' had<br />
hitherto proceeded in an unabated course of popu-<br />
larity, and might, in his peculiar district of lite-<br />
rature, have been termed L'Enfant Gate of success.<br />
It was plain, however, that frequent publication<br />
must finally wear out the public favour, unless<br />
some mode could be devised to give an appearance<br />
of novelty to subsequent productions. Scottish<br />
manners, Scottish dialect, and Scottish characters<br />
of note being those with which the author was<br />
most intimately and familiarly acquainted, were<br />
the groundwork upon which he had hitherto relied<br />
for giving effect to his narrative. It was, however,<br />
obvious that this kind of interest must in the end<br />
occasion a degree of sameness and repetition. . . .<br />
Nothing can be more dangerous for the fame of<br />
a professor of the fine arts than to permit (if ho<br />
can possibly prevent it) the character of a mannerist<br />
to be attached to him, or that he should be supposed<br />
capable of success only in a particular and limited<br />
style."<br />
In his very next novel, " The Monastery," he is<br />
again in quest of something new.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 366 (#770) ############################################<br />
<br />
366<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
"There was a disadvantage ... in treading<br />
the Border district, for it had already been ran-<br />
sacked by the author himself, as well as others,<br />
and, unless presented uuder a new light, was likely<br />
to afford ground to the objection of crambe bis<br />
cocta. To attend the indispensable quality of<br />
novelty, something, it was thought, might be<br />
gained by contrasting the character of the vassals<br />
of the Church with those of the dependants of the<br />
Barons."—(Introduction to " The Monastery.")<br />
And again, in the "Introduction to St. Ronan's<br />
Well ": "This style of composition was adopted<br />
by the author rather from the tempting circum-<br />
stance of its offering some novelty in his com-<br />
positions, and avoiding worn-out characters and<br />
positions."<br />
It seems, therefore, that, in Sir Walter Scott's<br />
opinion, novelty in choice of subject is indis-<br />
pensable.<br />
Some general remarks upon how Sir Walter<br />
proceeded in the construction of his plots, con-<br />
tained in the "Prefatory Letter—Dr. Dryasdust<br />
to Captain Clutterbuck," preceding "Peveril<br />
of the Peak," have been already quoted in the<br />
previous paper. To these may be added a con-<br />
siderable number of hints and passages, some of<br />
them too long to be here quoted at full length,<br />
bearing upon several different sorts of romance.<br />
Historical romance may be first mentioned. On<br />
this important kind of fiction, in the opinion of<br />
many the highest form of which romance is<br />
capable, Sir Walter Scott has written a complete<br />
short treatise in the "Dedicatory Epistle to the<br />
Rev. Dr. Dryasdust," preceding "Ivanhoe." In<br />
the "Introduction to Ivanhoe" this letter is<br />
mentioned as a formal statement of the author's<br />
views respecting historical romance—"expressing<br />
the author's purpose and opinions in undertaking<br />
this species of composition." It is full of remarks<br />
of the highest suggestiveness, but the reader must<br />
be referred to it. The "Letter" is too long to be<br />
quoted in extenso, and the connection of the whole<br />
so close that the value of the remarks it contains<br />
would be seriously impaired by the separation of<br />
selected passages from the context. The " Letter"<br />
deals with most of the difficulties of historical<br />
romance, and, whilst replying to many of the ob-<br />
jections that have been raised against this form<br />
of fiction, enunciates those general principles which<br />
now seem to be pretty widely accepted as rules<br />
of the legitimate treatment of historical facts in<br />
fiction.<br />
Respecting stories whose date is, to quote the<br />
dramatist, "the present," Sir Walter Scott nowhere<br />
offers any particular suggestions, saving a few<br />
remarks upon " St. Ronan's Well," in the Introduc-<br />
tion to that story, which will be again mentioned<br />
presently. In the first chapter of "Waverley,"<br />
however, he makes a remark which shows his<br />
opinion to have differed from that of more recent<br />
authors, who have found themes for successful<br />
fiction in every epoch.<br />
"A tale of manners, to be interesting, must,<br />
either refer to antiquity so great as to have<br />
become venerable, or it must bear a vivid reflec-<br />
tion of those scenes which are pissing daily before<br />
our eyes, and are interesting from their novelty."<br />
We seem to possess no English equivalent for<br />
the expressive German term Tendcnz-Roman.<br />
"The novel with a purpose" is undeniably an<br />
awkward phrase. Of the value of "the novel with<br />
a purpose" opinions differ widely. Not even<br />
Horace's dictum—<br />
Ouine tulit punctual, qui miscuit utile dulci.*<br />
can persuade some people to like powders in their<br />
jam. And it would seem that these may claim Sir<br />
Walter Scott as a supporter of their opinion. In<br />
the "Introduction to the Fortunes of Nigel " he<br />
writes, "I am, I own, no great believer in the<br />
moral utility to be derived from fictitious composi-<br />
tions." In the "Introductory Epistle " preceding<br />
the same work, he says frankly, " I write, I care<br />
not who knows it, for the general amusement."<br />
Romance with a supernatural element is at<br />
present extraordinarily popular. Respecting this<br />
supernatural element Sir Walter Scott has a good<br />
deal to say in the " Introductory Epistle—Captain<br />
Clutterbuck to Dr. Dryasdust," placed before " The<br />
Fortunes of Nigel" (dated 1822; "The Monas-<br />
tery" was published in 1820), and in the " Intro-<br />
duction to the Monastery " (dated 183o). All has<br />
reference to the " White Lady of Avenel," of whom<br />
he writes, "There is a general feeling that the<br />
AVhite Lady is no favourite." "The formidable<br />
objection of incrcditltis odi was applied to the<br />
White Lady." In the "Introductory Epistle"<br />
Sir AValter Scott makes rather merry over his<br />
unsuccessful introduction of the supernatural,<br />
confessing the White Lady " too fine drawn for<br />
the present taste of the public," and promising that<br />
his next novel shall contain "no dreams, or<br />
presages, or obscure allusions to future events.<br />
Not a Cock-lane scratch, my son—not one bounce<br />
or drum of Jedworth—not so much as a poor tick<br />
of a solitary death-watch in the wainscot. All is<br />
clear and above board—a Scots metaphysician<br />
might believe every word of it." Writing the<br />
"Introduction to the Monastery" eight years<br />
afterwards, Sir Walter Scott enters into a more<br />
serious discussion of his "White Lady," concluding<br />
by saying —<br />
"Either . . . the author executed his pur-<br />
pose indifferently, or the public did not approve of<br />
* Ars Poetica, 340.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 367 (#771) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
367<br />
it. For the White Lady of Avenel was far from<br />
being popular. He does not now make the present<br />
statement in the view of arguing readers into a<br />
more favourable opinion on the subject, but merely<br />
with the purpose of exculpating himself from the<br />
charge of having wantonly intruded into the<br />
narrative a being of inconsistent powers and<br />
propensities."<br />
This certainly reads as if Sir Walter Scott<br />
would have liked to find his supernatural incidents<br />
acceptable to the public, even whilst he keenly felt<br />
the force of Horace's terrible incredulus odi.<br />
Indeed, the tone of the "Introduction to the<br />
Monastery" contrasts strongly with the scathing<br />
satire which Henry Fielding, in the first chapter of<br />
the eighth book of " Tom Jones," pours upon " that<br />
species of writing which is called the marvellous."<br />
The "Introduction to the Pirate " contains an<br />
interesting remark on "the explained super-<br />
natural." It refers to Morna.<br />
"The professed explanation of a tale, where<br />
appearances or incidents of a supernatural character<br />
are explained on natural causes, has often, in the<br />
winding up of the story, a degree of improbability<br />
almost equal to an absolute goblin tale."<br />
To come to the plots of particular novels. Four<br />
prefaces present features of more interest than<br />
others. The "Introduction to the Monastery"<br />
relates the whole genesis of that romance from the<br />
selection of the first elements upon which it was<br />
built. The "Introduction to the Fortunes of<br />
Nigel" is much more brief, but of a similar<br />
character. Sir Walter Scott himself says that it<br />
presents " the materials to which the author stands<br />
indebted for the composition of the . . novel."<br />
The short "Introduction to the Pirate" plainly<br />
shows that romance to have been principally sug-<br />
gested by a locality and its scenery, whilst some of<br />
the dramatic elements the author has worked into<br />
his tale are contained in the "Advertisement."<br />
Finally, the short "Introduction to St. Ronan's<br />
Well" affords a few hints of how the elements of<br />
Sir AValter Scott's one tale of contemporary man-<br />
ners were selected. It is impossible to present the<br />
substance of these Introductions in any form better<br />
than that in which they stand, and the reader is<br />
therefore referred to them.<br />
The result of a novelist's labours in shaping his<br />
plot is his scenario. Sir Walter Scott only twice<br />
alludes, incidentally, to any kind of sketch or plan<br />
of his romances. Waverley was written without a<br />
scenario.<br />
"I must frankly confess that the mode in which<br />
I conducted the story scarcely deserved the success<br />
which the romance afterwards attained. The tale<br />
of " Waverley " was put together with so little care<br />
that I cannot boast of having sketched any distinct<br />
plan of the work."—(General Preface to the<br />
Waverley Novels.)<br />
In the " Introductory Epistle " preceding " The<br />
Fortunes of Nigel" Sir AValter Scott speaks of<br />
finding a great difficulty in keeping to the scenario<br />
after he had made it.<br />
"You should take time at least to arrange your<br />
story," observes the captain.<br />
"Author. That is a sore point with me, my son.<br />
Believe me, I have not been fool enough to neglect<br />
ordinary precautions. I have repeatedly laid down<br />
my future work to scale. . . . But I think<br />
there is a demon who seats himself on the feather<br />
of my pen when I begin to write, and leads it<br />
astray from the purpose. Characters expand under<br />
my hand; incidents are multiplied; the story<br />
lingers, while the materials increase; my regular<br />
mansion turns out a gothic anomaly, and the work<br />
is closed long before I have attained the point I<br />
proposed."<br />
Some remarks of Sir Walter Scott's on characters,<br />
titles, and a few other matters remain, and shall<br />
form the subjects of another paper.<br />
Henry Cbesswell.<br />
AUTHOR AND EDITOE.<br />
1.<br />
"Advice to Conthiijutors."<br />
THE " advice to contributors " published in the<br />
March number of the Author, although good,<br />
is not, in my opinion, the best that could be<br />
given to the ordinary or casual contributor, for (i)<br />
if you, a comparatively unknown writer, suggest a<br />
good subject to the editor of a magazine or news-<br />
paper he probably knows someone who will treat the<br />
subject in a manner which will surely commend<br />
itself to him, whilst with your treatment of it he<br />
may not be satisfied, consequently it often happens<br />
that the only reply received to a suggestion or offer<br />
of this kind is that the same subject is being<br />
treated by one of the regular staff, or that an<br />
article upon it is already in hand. (2.) To put<br />
any price on your contribution is a sure method of<br />
obtaining its prompt return unread and without<br />
thanks. To the third and fourth rules no objection<br />
can be raised, but with respect to the fifth,<br />
whether you keep one copy, or fifty, of your MS.<br />
is nothing whatever to do with the editor, although<br />
some editors assume that you do keep a copy, and,<br />
consequently, take less care of MSS. sent in.<br />
The best advice that can be given to intending<br />
contributors is that they obtain a personal intro-<br />
duction to the editor of the magazine to which they<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 368 (#772) ############################################<br />
<br />
368<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
wish to contribute. To produce good work,<br />
readable work, marketable work, is not to obtain<br />
the open sesame of the market, the entrance to<br />
which can be effected easily by the intervention of<br />
one of the select few in possession of it. This<br />
method is that usually followed, and is the plan<br />
adopted by many now successful writers; an<br />
entrance may be forced, but in this few succeed.<br />
Why should editors treat MSS. so badly? What<br />
right have they to scrawl hieroglyphics and ciphers<br />
of their own upon a neatly named and signed<br />
manuscript? What right have they to scribble<br />
"Declined with thanks upon paper which is not<br />
theirs? Is it editorial etiquette or sheer careless-<br />
ness that results in MSS. being returned stained<br />
with coffee and porter; torn and creased, and<br />
without a wrapper; with the author's name scrawled<br />
by an office lx>y on the back thereof, and a postage<br />
stamp of the lowest denomination affixed thereto,<br />
although the correct postage for return was<br />
forwarded?<br />
Publishers of the highest standing and editors<br />
of the most successful periodicals are the worst<br />
offenders: the second-rate men cannot afford to be<br />
rude: those wonderfully kind letters which the<br />
great literary men are said to write when they are<br />
forced to return a manuscript are things we never<br />
receive, but of which we frequently read. As<br />
often as not MSS. are returned without a word,<br />
printed or otherwise, sometimes with a stereotyped<br />
refusal, still less frequently they are refused by<br />
postcard; a most reprehensible method, although<br />
practised by at least one London quarterly and one<br />
London monthly.<br />
At the Authors' Club there should be an album<br />
for the original " D. W. T." forms of all periodicals;<br />
the future generation of editors may then learn<br />
which to avoid. There is enough and to spare of<br />
editorial etiquette in London, but the home of<br />
editorial courtesy is, at present, north of the Tweed,<br />
as the place aVhonneur will be accorded to the<br />
Scotch firms.<br />
G. W.<br />
If.<br />
No Use in Writing.<br />
"I have had so much trouble to get my MSS. stories<br />
out of the Family Hearthrug that I must give you<br />
my experience, and beg you, if you have not had<br />
yours back, to act somewhat as I did. First, I<br />
wrote and called in all five times. Then I wrote<br />
saying I should be obliged for an answer, 'Yes'<br />
or 'No' as to whether they had the MSS. or had<br />
lost them, and enclosed a stamped envelope. Still<br />
dead silence. Then I sailed down to the office<br />
with a new novel—not in MS.—under my arm,<br />
and said I had come to stop until my packet was<br />
found, or till the editor could give me an explana-<br />
tion. The man in charge was exceedingly rude,<br />
but I did not care in the least. I sat down on a<br />
shelf in front of the counter (not at all uncom-<br />
fortable if you get your back against the window),<br />
pulled out my book, and read steadily from 11.4.5<br />
till 2 o'clock, without speaking or stirring, except<br />
to cut the page. At 2 p.m., the man in charge, who<br />
had spent the time in staring at me, and shuffling<br />
in and out of a back hole (where presumably the<br />
editor was hiding), suddenly found my story and<br />
handed it to me, but with no explanation. I<br />
thanked him, and begged him to request the editor<br />
to accept the stamped envelopes I had showered on<br />
him, as a slight recognition of his trouble, and caine<br />
off triumphant. I tell you all this, because I am<br />
convinced that you will not get your story back by<br />
writing for it."<br />
[The lady to whom this letter was written sent it<br />
on to us, and we are happy to reproduce it for the<br />
benefit of other people who may be thinking of<br />
sending manuscripts to the Family Hearthrug, so<br />
that they may consider before doing so, if they are<br />
of the temperament to stand such treatment, if they<br />
can afford to give stamps away by the hand-full,<br />
and to spend half a working day in recovering their<br />
own property from a person who proposes to keep<br />
it. There is also another point on which we must<br />
add a few lines of warning. When the MSS. have<br />
once been despatched, we arc often powerless to<br />
help the author. If they have been destroyed we<br />
cannot recover them. If it should be denied that<br />
they have ever been received, we cannot prove the<br />
opposite. If they have been lost we cannot find<br />
them. But if the author will only consult us before<br />
sending his MSS. to the editor at all we can advise<br />
him as to the course he should pursue.]<br />
III.<br />
A Kindness and its Sequel.<br />
Here is a case of kindness not often met with<br />
and worthy of record. Years ago I sent a MS. to<br />
an editor, who, declining it for his own paper, told<br />
me he had sent it on to a friend who would print<br />
it, and pay the same price per column. This was<br />
my first entrance into a periodical which has<br />
printed a number of articles during some 10 or 12<br />
years.<br />
The periodicals were published respectively in<br />
New York and Boston; the editors were, or rather<br />
are, both Americans. Is such kindness only to be<br />
found across the ocean? Such certainly is my<br />
experience.<br />
S. B.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 369 (#773) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
369<br />
IV.<br />
Returned Unread.<br />
"I should like to relate my recent experiences<br />
with MSS. I was careful to observe the rules of<br />
the magazine to which I sent them. I had them<br />
type-written, so that they should be clear to read.<br />
I then started the MS. on their travels, forwarding<br />
in my letter an addressed postcard to acknowledge<br />
the arrival of the parcel. One editor used the<br />
postcard to state that the work was not suitable,<br />
und sent it back without opening the parcel. Most<br />
editors stated that they were flooded with con-<br />
tributions, and unable to consider anything for<br />
months. Only two attempts were made to read<br />
the MS. Now, I conduct a provincial journal.<br />
Whenever I put in work of my own the circulation<br />
increases. My work, therefore, suits my readers.<br />
Why not the general mass of readers? How can<br />
I, however, get editors to consider it?"<br />
V.<br />
With no Name.<br />
May I call attention to a fact in my literary<br />
exi>erience which has puzzled me a good deal, but<br />
which some of your readers may be able to explain.<br />
Here it is. I have contributed verse of a<br />
lyrical type to a certain high class, well-known<br />
London journal. I was most liberally and promptly<br />
paid by them. But—and here the shoe pinches—<br />
they would not append either my name or initials to<br />
the poems. This omission, to a poet feeling his way,<br />
as it were, amid the labryinths leading to Fame's<br />
Temple, is a fatal one. The increase of reputation<br />
was the desideratum in my case, even more than<br />
the "jingle of the guineas," and I may safely<br />
say, my reputation would have been increased<br />
materially, owing to the high standing of the<br />
journal in question, had only my name appeared.<br />
The omission seems to me rather "rough" on<br />
the contributor. What should we think of a pub-<br />
lisher who accepted a volume of poems from a<br />
young author, conditionally on his name not<br />
appearing on the title page? The author might<br />
tell his friends, of course, but the world at large<br />
would be in the dark, unless he turned egotist, and<br />
wrote to all the papers avowing the authorship!<br />
His reputation would not be increased one jot, at<br />
any rate, for some time. The puzzle for me lies<br />
in the reason the editor in question had for omit<br />
ting my name or initials. I cannot conceive any<br />
possible reason. If good enough for insertion, why<br />
conceal the writer's name.<br />
B.<br />
VI.<br />
Long Kept, and then Returned.<br />
Here is a case in which a writer was invited by<br />
the editor of a certain magazine to send him a<br />
paper on a definite subject. This he did. The<br />
paper was kept for three years and a half (!) and<br />
then returned with a curt note to the effect that<br />
the editor could not use it "this year," and there-<br />
fore returned it. What is to be done in such a<br />
case? Obviously, a claim for compensation, for<br />
the editor was bound, having invited the work, to<br />
return it if it was not suitable within a reasonable<br />
time.<br />
<br />
CORRESPONDENCE.<br />
I.<br />
Novels on Commission.<br />
Sir,<br />
You have advised many an author on the<br />
production of his own books, and by far the most<br />
frequent advice that you have felt it your duty<br />
to give him has been—do not do it. "Our first<br />
impulse," says the Author of January last, "has<br />
always been to try and turn him (the would-be<br />
author) from his project, because it is our general<br />
experience that these undertakings end in dis-<br />
appointment." But although you thus make it<br />
your usual rule to dissuade authors from publishing<br />
upon commission you allow that in more than one<br />
special case it is to the author's advantage to bear<br />
the cost of production himself, and, indeed, in the<br />
article from which I have just quoted you pointed<br />
out—to me convincingly—that this was the right<br />
course to pursue with regard to certain scientific<br />
and professional books. I should like to persuade<br />
you to go one step further, and admit that it may<br />
be the right course to pursue when an author's<br />
first novel is the work under consideration.<br />
I recognise that it would be a dangerous ad-<br />
mission for our Society to make, and that once<br />
made it would expose the Society to the insinuation<br />
that it was ready to encourage incompetency—<br />
for a consideration. Now, Sir, as this is exactly<br />
what I understand we do not do, and as for one<br />
person who wants to publish a scientific treatise<br />
there must always be 20 who want to publish<br />
a romance, I venture to think that some steps<br />
might be taken to assist them in this object—some-<br />
times. Not generally, but sometimes. In fact, I<br />
think there should be added to the classes of books<br />
where the author is encouraged by you to take the<br />
actual cost upon himself—scientific books and<br />
trade books—a third class, viz., first novels. At the<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 370 (#774) ############################################<br />
<br />
37°<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
risk of taking up too much of your valuable space,<br />
I have set clown a few facts which appear to iue<br />
to support my proposition :—<br />
(i.) It is extremely difficult for a new author—<br />
good, bad, or indifferent—to get an immediate<br />
hearing.<br />
(2.) Yet every distinguished author—good, bad,<br />
or indifferent, and some distinguished writers are by<br />
no means good writers—must have been a new<br />
author at the beginning.-<br />
(3.) It is a fact that more than one master-piece<br />
of fiction, in more than one language, has been<br />
rejected by publishers, and only readied the public<br />
after much delay, with infinite mortification to the<br />
author.<br />
(4.) At the present day a work of fiction does<br />
not require to be a masterpiece at all, to be a very<br />
saleable piece of property: certainly more copies<br />
have been sold of The Mystery of a Hansom Cab<br />
in five years, than of Rhoda Fleming in over twenty<br />
years.<br />
I think it must appear from those that there are<br />
arguments in favour of occasionally relaxing your<br />
rule, and of occasionally encouraging the new<br />
author to publish his own romance for himself.<br />
If a book is not good enough for a good publisher,<br />
it may be urged that it is not good enough for the<br />
public. But the public is not as critical either as<br />
the young critic would have it, or as the first-class<br />
publisher seems to consider it, and surely our<br />
society must beware, lest in attempting to act as a<br />
check upon the excesses of the incompetent, we<br />
withhold from the public, matter that it would have<br />
welcomed. And more care will have to be exer-<br />
cised on this point from day to day, as more people<br />
begin to wield a facile and fluent pen, and, as by<br />
the spread of education a larger public is provided,<br />
whose hunger for fiction is not attended with an<br />
over-critical palate.<br />
I believe that many a story-teller—no great<br />
genius, no possessor of a Vanity Fair or a Jane<br />
Eyre—but still able to write as good a book as<br />
many that are in print, might with advantage be<br />
encouraged to try his luck for himself. There is<br />
much against him, but if he does not do this, how<br />
is be to start, yet, once started, though, as I have<br />
said, no great genius, he may fill a want and make<br />
nn income. And what matter that two or three<br />
people fail, if the Society should be the means of<br />
one such success.<br />
I would respectfully urge that every new author's<br />
MS., when it has been read by one of our readers,<br />
and has met with some commendation, should be<br />
looked at by our secretary, or by a sub-committee<br />
appointed for the purpose. If on such scrutiny<br />
the work appeared saleable—not, perhaps, a work<br />
of high genius, if I may be excused the repetition,<br />
but saleable—the author may be encouraged, nay,<br />
helped to publish at his own risk, if no publisher<br />
could be found for him. Again, if such a com-<br />
mittee proved instrumental in placing on the market<br />
one or two good books, there are many publishers<br />
who would seriously consider MSS. vouched for by<br />
people who had shown their discrimination.<br />
A Member op the Society.<br />
[The Syndicate can always find for such a work<br />
an honourable publisher, who will take it on com-<br />
mission. The warning offered every month against<br />
paying for publication is directed against the ac-<br />
ceptance of the terms proposed by low-class firms,<br />
who delude their victims with hopes of great<br />
returns when failure is certain. In the case<br />
suggested by our correspondent, of a work well<br />
thought of by readers, yet refused by good houses,<br />
prolwbly on the ground of risk, and also refused<br />
by editors of magazines, it might be the best thing<br />
possible for the author to get it—with the advice and<br />
help of the Syndicate—printed at his own expense,<br />
and placed in the hands of a publisher on com-<br />
mission. This, for example, is exactly what was<br />
done by myself twenty years ago with my<br />
collaborateur in our first novel, with admirable<br />
results.—Ed.]<br />
II.<br />
The Library Stamp.<br />
A number of copies of my first book were taken<br />
on approval by a certain library, but as some of<br />
them failed to be sold, they were ultimately returned.<br />
All these were stamped with the ineffacable name<br />
of the library. Now, sir, when a person buys an<br />
old library book from this firm, an additional stamp<br />
is made on the fly-leaf, " Sold." Anyone, however,<br />
who now buys these returned copies of my book<br />
finds nothing but the name of the library<br />
embossed inside, and to all intents and purposes it<br />
would appear as though they had purloined them.<br />
I do not think it fair on the part of the firm<br />
thus to deface the books.<br />
It may be of interest to note, perhaps, that I<br />
have just had an article accepted by a magazine to<br />
which I forwarded it twenty-two months ago.<br />
Everything comes to him who waits.<br />
A Waiting One.<br />
III.<br />
How Books are not Read.<br />
The last number of the Author contained an<br />
interesting reply to a correspondent who wished<br />
to know "bow books get read." Recently I met<br />
with an amusing instance of how books come not<br />
to be read.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 371 (#775) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
371<br />
I was witli a young lady, a great novel reader,<br />
in the chief circulating library of a large and<br />
fashionable watering place. My fair companion<br />
was complaining that she could find nothing new<br />
to read, and I suggested a recent novel, in my<br />
opinion a very good one, by a well-known author.<br />
"What, one of So-and-so's books!" exclaimed the<br />
lady indignantly. "As if I would read anything<br />
written by that man! Why, he lircs here!"<br />
IV.<br />
Mr. Traill's List of Poets.<br />
To my note of omissions in Mr. Traill's list of<br />
poets I would now add Mr. Joseph Skipsey " the<br />
poet of the coalfields," Mr. Alexander Anderson,<br />
"the railway surface-man," and, may I be per-<br />
mitted? Mr. Traill himself. Presumably Mr.<br />
Traill does not intend his list to include, living<br />
hymn writers, however excellent their work, or it<br />
would be easy to mention the Rev. Sabine Baring-<br />
Gould, Dr. Walsham How, the Rev. H. R. Haweis,<br />
and others.<br />
Mackenzie Bell.<br />
V.<br />
The Great Use of a Table of Contents.<br />
Permit me to congratulate the Author on the<br />
very good example it has set in having a good<br />
table of contents printed on the page which soonest<br />
meets the eye.<br />
Why do not all newspapers, magazines, and<br />
reviews do this? Some of them come out with no<br />
tables of contents at all, with the result that an<br />
author who wishes to consult some back number<br />
for information valuable to him may have to expend<br />
an hour on a search which ought not to take up<br />
more than a minute.<br />
I suppose the reason for placing a table of con-<br />
tents either in a bad place or in no place at all is<br />
that the best place is wanted for advertisements.<br />
But surely advertisers might fairly be asked to pay<br />
a little more for space in a page to which readers<br />
would be so much more frequently sent by a good<br />
table of contents.<br />
SCRIPTOR IgNOTUS.<br />
VI.<br />
Compositors' Errors.<br />
In the "long ago," before I had ventured to<br />
tread the thorny paths of authorship, or to<br />
commit my "flights of fancy" to the public<br />
gaze, I was accustomed, in all good faith, to<br />
attribute whatever mistakes or absurdities appeared<br />
in story or article to the carelessness or ignorance<br />
of the author, and many were the derisive<br />
epithets and contemptuous criticisms launched, in<br />
consequence, at his unconscious head. I no longer<br />
make that mistake; experience, aggravating and<br />
reiterated, has taught me to "saddle the right<br />
horse," which is (in nine cases out of ten) the<br />
compositor. Not, I hasten to add, in wholesome<br />
dread lest the present philippic should never see the<br />
light, your compositor in particular, Mr. Editor,<br />
but everybody's compositor. For from all quarters<br />
of the scribbling world the cry goes up. Even<br />
across the sacred pages of the Author itself is seen<br />
the "trail of the"—again discretion stays my<br />
hand.<br />
Now, in accordance with the axiom, old as<br />
the hills—older—that "where there is smoke<br />
there must bo fire," so, for a practice thus widely<br />
extended, there must be a reason. What is it?<br />
"The reason is soon given," replies the cynic,<br />
"you authors write so execrably that the unfortu-<br />
nate compositor, in despair of deciphering, makes<br />
a dash at the nearest word."<br />
Well, "I'm no denyin'," as Mrs. Poyser says,<br />
that some authors do write execrably, and some—<br />
do not—yet the result in print, is so nearly the<br />
same that there is no difference. My own cali-<br />
graphy, for instance, has frequently been " awarded<br />
honourable mention "; yet, when in a praiseworthy<br />
endeavour to be abreast of the times, I ventured to<br />
transform an ancient "spook" into a "Kama<br />
Rupa," Mr. Compositor swooped down upon the<br />
(presumably) unknown word, and promptly changed<br />
"Ka " into' " Ye "! By what peculiar obliquity of<br />
mental or physical vision he " mistook" such utterly<br />
dissimilar letters I do not pretend to say, but<br />
"Icama Rupa" the unfortunate ghost appeared<br />
—and remains. Should it meet the eye of any<br />
wandering tlicophist, I shall get the credit of<br />
having discovered (or invented) a new denizen of<br />
the " Astral Plane " !" You expect too much of<br />
the genus compositor," urge other apologists," they<br />
do not profess to be highly educated men, nor to lie<br />
gifted with an intuitive perception of the ortho-<br />
graphy of strange and obscure words."<br />
Granted. Then why not, in doubtful cases, act on<br />
the supposition that possibly the author may be the<br />
best judge of what he intended to convey, and just<br />
content themselves with copying the letters of the<br />
text? To illustrate once more from my own<br />
experience—it is nearest to hand, wherefore the<br />
egotism—I am addicted to the (from a compositor's<br />
point of view) reprehensible practice of occasionally<br />
using out-of-the-way words. People say 'tis<br />
"characteristic," which may be intended as a<br />
compliment—and may not. Anyway it is slightly<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 372 (#776) ############################################<br />
<br />
372<br />
THE A UTHOR.<br />
disconcerting when reading over one's productions<br />
in print, to find the word upon which one had<br />
relied to give a touch to the picture, or point to<br />
the story, transformed into something altogether<br />
different. "Homey," for instance (meaning home-<br />
lihe), invariably appears as "homely"; a good<br />
enough word in its way, but not at all carrying the<br />
meaning I wished to convey. Again, why should<br />
a compositor when "setting up " a chatty descrip-<br />
tion of a country ramble, substitute "lump" for<br />
"tump "(my "Is" and "ts " are not identical)?<br />
"Tump" means, as even his attendant imp could<br />
have told him, a " hillock"; while " lump" might<br />
be anything (from putty to pudding), but one would<br />
scarcely choose to sit down upon it! Then why,<br />
oh why, should the well-known process of expelling<br />
an obnoxious member from clubland be transformed<br />
into " blackmailing," suggesting Hounslow Heath<br />
rather than Piccadilly.<br />
But now the apologist waxes wrath and demands,<br />
"Did it never strike you that compositors often<br />
discharge their duties under extreme pressure,<br />
especially in newspaper work, which renders<br />
mistakes unavoidable? You would substitute a<br />
wrong letter now and then with the ' devil' waiting<br />
importunately at your elbow." I should—more<br />
than one! And doubtless hurry has much to<br />
answer for. I am sure it had when a devout old<br />
lady, who figures in a story for which I am respon-<br />
sible, was represented as indulging in "irreverent<br />
(irrelevant) remarks "! But, Inn ing conceded so<br />
much, I return to the charge, and, on the strength<br />
of accumulated evidence, culled from observation<br />
no less than experience, I assert (sealing thereby<br />
the fate of this article !) that " compositors' errors"<br />
are not chiefly due to bad writing, to ignorance,<br />
nor to haste, but to the compositor's overweening<br />
conceit. He thinks he knows better than the<br />
author, and "acts accordin'." On what other<br />
possible supposition could that unfortunate "spook"<br />
have been re-christened?<br />
Sylvia Neun.<br />
-c->oc<br />
"AT THE AUTHOR'S HEAD."<br />
"rpHE ^aw of the Press," by Joseph E. Fisher,<br />
I B.A., and James A. Strahan, LL.B., is a most<br />
valuable work, and editors and proprietors of<br />
newspapers are strongly recommended to keep a copy<br />
by them. The whole of the law relating to the<br />
press in this country has been gathered into a<br />
single volume, and the result is not only a compre-<br />
hensive but a lucid digest. The book contains<br />
the answers to numerous questions that have been<br />
put to us at this office, different chapters being<br />
devoted to the registration of newspapers, to the<br />
postal regulations, to lottery advertisements, to<br />
copyright of articles, to contributors' piracy, to<br />
libel as a civil injury, to criminal libel, i-.nd to the<br />
foreign press laws. The want of such a book must<br />
often have been felt by persons connected with the<br />
press, to whom a knowledge of their legal rights<br />
and of the responsibilities incurred in their business<br />
must be very valuable. The book is published by-<br />
Messrs. Clowes and Sons at 27, Fleet Street.<br />
A volume of short stories by the late Mr. Bales-<br />
tier, "The Average Woman," is to be issued, with<br />
a memoir by Mr. Henry James.<br />
Mrs. Edmonds has translated another Greek<br />
novel, which will be published by Fisher Unwin.<br />
Its title is "The Herb of Love," and it is a tale of<br />
peasant life laid in Eubcea. The customs and<br />
superstitions of that district form the groundwork<br />
of the story.<br />
Mr. Horace Victor's novel "Mariam" has been<br />
issued by Macmillan & Co. simultaneously in<br />
England and America. A Colonial edition has<br />
also been prepared.<br />
Messrs. Bentley and Son have done the lovers of<br />
old books and old fashions of sensation a veritable<br />
kindness in reprinting Maturin's "Melmoth the<br />
Wanderer." It is the book of the month, and its<br />
anonymous editor must be heartily congratulated<br />
on his prefatory notes.<br />
Mr. Evelyn Ballantyne contributes a paper on<br />
"Some Impressions of the Australian Stage" to<br />
the April number of the Theatre.<br />
An article on "The Milky Way," by Mr. J. E.<br />
Gore, F.R.A.S., appears in the Gentleman's<br />
Magazine for March; and another on " New and<br />
Variable Stars," with especial reference to the new<br />
star which recently blazed out in the Milky Way<br />
in Auriga, will appear in the same magazine for<br />
April.<br />
Messrs. Jarrold and Son have published "A<br />
Charge to keep," by Mr. P. A. Blyth; and the<br />
Religious Tract Society have published "The<br />
Inheritance of Little Amen," and "A Tale of a<br />
Sign Post," by the same author.<br />
Mr. Alfred H. Miles, editor of "The Poets and<br />
Poetry of the Century," is about to issue a new<br />
volume. It will discuss the women poets from<br />
Joanna Baillie to Mathilde Blind. The principle<br />
contributors of articles are Dr. Garnett, Mr. Ash-<br />
croft Noble, Dr. Japp, and Mr. Mackenzie Bell.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 373 (#777) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
373<br />
.Mrs. Grimwood's first novel begins this week<br />
(April 2ii<l) in Mrs. Stannard's periodical, Winter's<br />
Magazine, as a serial. The profound impression<br />
created by the heroism of Mrs. Grimwood at<br />
Manipur, and the immense success of her book<br />
"My Three Years in Manipur," will doubtless<br />
cause her first effort in fiction to be read with<br />
unusual interest and curiosity. The story will<br />
afterwards be issued in volume form by Messrs. F.<br />
V. White & Co.<br />
John Strange Winter's latest shilling story has<br />
just made its appearance under the title of "Mere<br />
Luck." This is the twenty-first novel published by<br />
Messrs. White & Co. for this author. During the<br />
present month the same publishers will bring out<br />
.her long novel, which is now running in Lloyd's<br />
News under the title of "Justice." It will be<br />
remembered that Mr. Herbert Spencer produced a<br />
book under this title a few weeks before John<br />
Strange Winter's story began in Lloyd's New.<br />
Mr. Spencer very courteously waived all objection<br />
to the title being retained—thereby avoiding the<br />
great expense and inconvenience a change of title<br />
at the last moment would have involved. When<br />
the book appears in two-volume form next week<br />
it will bear the title of "Only Human."<br />
A new work of fiction by Mr. J. A. Steuart will<br />
appear during the present month. It will be<br />
published in the "Whitefriars' Library of Wit<br />
and Humour " under the title of "Life's Medley:<br />
or the Order of the Jolly Pashas." Mr. Steuart's<br />
last novel, " Kilgroom: a Story of Ireland," besides<br />
being very favourably received by the press,<br />
attracted the attention of Mr. Gladstone, who wrote<br />
to the author that " The praises deservedly given<br />
to Miss Lawless for her ' Hurrish' " were due to<br />
him," but in a higher degree for a fuller and better<br />
adjusted picture." Mr. Gladstone adds that he<br />
finds the story " truthful, national, and, highly inte-<br />
resting." The book is receiving attention abroad<br />
too. The Allr/cmcine Zeitung, in reviewing it the<br />
other day, called it a "striking romance," and,<br />
speaks of "the fine flow of the narrative, and the<br />
delicate characterization of the individual person-<br />
ages," adding that it gives an "unusually vivid<br />
picture of the Ireland of to-day." A new edition<br />
of "Kilgroom" will shortly be issued.<br />
♦-»•♦-—<br />
NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS.<br />
Theology.<br />
Davidson, Rev. A. B., D.D. The Book of the Prophet<br />
Eiekiel. With Notes and Introduction. "Cambridge<br />
Bihlc for Schools and Colleges." At the University<br />
I'ress. 5*.<br />
Ellicott, C. J., D.D. A New Testament Commentary for<br />
English readers. Edited by. Part I. Cassell.<br />
Paper covers, yd.<br />
Fleming, Canon, D.D. The Clcud of Witnesses. A<br />
Sermon preached at Windsor Castle on Sunday morn-<br />
ing, Feb. 28. Lamer ;md Stokes, Chester Square.<br />
Paper covers. 6d.<br />
Fowler, Rev. G. H. Things Old and New. Sermons<br />
and Papers by the. With a Preface by the Rev. E.<br />
S. Talbot, D.D., Vicar of Leeds. Percival. 5s.<br />
Huntingdon, Rev. S. P., and Metcalf, Rev. H. A. Tho<br />
Treasury of the Psalter. An aid to the better under-<br />
standing of the Psalms. Compiled by. With a<br />
Preface by the Bishop of Central New York. Third<br />
edition, revised and enlarged. Eyre and Spottiswoodo.<br />
Cloth, 7.5. 6d. Leather, lot. 6d.<br />
James, Rev. C. C. A Harmony of the Gospels, in the<br />
Words of the Revised Version, with copious references,<br />
tables, &c. Arranged by. C. J. Clay, Ave Maria<br />
Lane. 5s.<br />
Lewis, W. Sutherland, M.A. Festival Hymns. "Church<br />
Monthly " office, New Bridge Street, K.C.<br />
Lias, Rev. J. J. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians.<br />
With Notes and Introduction. "Cambridge Greek<br />
Testament." At the University Press.<br />
Liddon, H. P., D.D. Sermons on Some Words of Christ.<br />
Longmans. 55.<br />
Mollot, J. F. The Faiths of the People. Ward and<br />
Downey. 2 vols. 21*.<br />
Moore, Canon Aubrey L. From Advent to Advent.<br />
Sermons preached at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall.<br />
Percival. 6s.<br />
Percival, Henry R. The Doctrine of the Episcopal<br />
Church so far as it is set forth in the Prayer Book.<br />
Digested and arranged by. G. P. Putnam, is.<br />
Scott-Holland, H., M.A. Sermons. The Contemporary<br />
Pulpit Library. Swan Sonnenschein.<br />
Vauohan, C. J., D.D. The Faith and the Bible and Tho<br />
Sympathy of Jesus Christ with Sickness and Sorrow.<br />
Sermons preached in the Temple Church on February 7,<br />
and on January 514 (the Sunday after the funeral of<br />
the Duke of Clarence and Avondalc). Macmillan.<br />
Paper covers.<br />
Wakefield, Bishop of. The Knowledge of God and<br />
other Sermons. Preachers of the Age series. With<br />
Portrait. Sampson Low. 3*. 6d.<br />
Whitehousk, W. F., M.A. The Redemption of the<br />
Body. An examination of Romans viii. 18-23.<br />
Elliot Stock.<br />
History and Biography.<br />
Abbotts, Evelyn, M.A. A History of Greece. Part II.<br />
From the Ionian Revolt to the Thirty Years' Peace,<br />
500-445 B.C. Longmans. 10s. 6d.<br />
Browning, Oscar. The Flight to Varcnncs, and other<br />
Historical Essays. Swan Sonnenschein.<br />
Cassell's History of England. The Jubilee Edition.<br />
Vol. V. From the Peninsular War to the death of Sir<br />
Robert Peel. Text revised throughout and illustrated.<br />
Cassell. 9s.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 374 (#778) ############################################<br />
<br />
374<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
Cook, Theodore Andrea, B.A. Old Touraine: the Life<br />
aud History of the famous Chateaux of France,<br />
z vols. Percival and Co. 16s.<br />
Fane, Violet. Memoirs of Marguerite de Valois, Queen<br />
of Navarre; written by her own hand. Newly trans-<br />
lated into English, with an Introduction and Notes.<br />
With Eight Portraits from contemporary engravings.<br />
John C. Nimmo, King William Street, Strand. 211.<br />
net.<br />
Graetz, Prof. H. History of the Jews, from the Earliest<br />
Times to the Present Day. Specially revised for this<br />
Euglish edition by the Author. Edited, and in part<br />
translated, by Bella Lowy. Vols. III., IV., and V.,<br />
concluding. David Nutt.<br />
Griffith, Rev. H. A History of Strathfield Sayc. Com-<br />
piled by. Murray. 10*. 6d. net.<br />
Jessofp, Kev. Augustus. The Coming of the Friars, and<br />
other Historic Essays. Fifth Edition. Fisher Unwin.<br />
3s. 6d.<br />
TiEckv, W. E. II. A History of England in the Eighteenth<br />
Century. New edition. Vol. III. Longmans. 6*.<br />
Lydk, L. W. A History of Scotland, for junior classes.<br />
Percival and Co.<br />
Matthew, James E. Manual of Musical History. With<br />
Illustrations, Portraits, and Facsimiles of rare and<br />
curious works. H. Grevel, King Street, Goveut<br />
Garden. 10s. 6</.<br />
Oliphant, M. O. W. Memoir of the Life of Laurence<br />
Oliphant and of Alice Oliphant, his Wife. New<br />
edition. Blackwood. 75. 6<i.<br />
Sharp, William. The Life and Letters of Joseph Severn.<br />
Sampson Low.<br />
Shindler, Kev. K. From the Usher's Desk to the<br />
Tabernacle Pulpit: the Life aud Labours of Pastor<br />
C. H. Spurgcon. Passmore and Alabaster. 25. 6d.<br />
Sienkiewiez, Hkxry K. With Fire and Sword: an<br />
Historical Novel of Poland and Kussia. Translated<br />
from the Polish by Jeremiah Curtin. Osgood,<br />
M'llvaine.<br />
Sutherland, J. Middleton. William Wordsworth: the<br />
Story of His Life, with critical remarks on his writings.<br />
Second edition, revised and enlarged. Elliot Stock.<br />
Worthy, Charles. The History of the Suburbs of Exeter.<br />
Henry Gray, Leicester Square, W.C 8s.<br />
Fiction.<br />
Adair-Fitzgerald, S. J. The Wonders of the Secret<br />
Cavern: an original fairy whimsicality. With illus-<br />
trations. Sutton, Drowlcy. 2s. 6d.<br />
Barrie, J. M. The Little Minister. 1 vol. Cassell.<br />
7s. 6d.<br />
Barr, Robert (Luke Sharp). In a Steamer Chair, and<br />
other shipboard stories. Chatto and Windus.<br />
Carpenter, Edward. Towards Democracy. T. Fisher<br />
Unwin. 5s.<br />
Chilton, H. H. Woman Unsexed: a Novel. Foulsham<br />
and Co., Pilgrim Street, Ludgate Hill, E.C.<br />
Conway, Hugh. A Cardinal Sin: a Story. Eden<br />
Remington.<br />
Corelli, Marie. The Soul of Lilith. 3 vols. Bcntley.<br />
Cregan, Conway. A Strange Case of a Missing Man:<br />
a Romance. Gale and Polden, Amen Corner. Paper<br />
covers, is.<br />
Dickinson, Evelyn. A Vicar's Wife: a Story. Methuen.<br />
Doyle, A. Conan. The Doings of Raffles Haw. Cassell.<br />
5s.<br />
Francis, Francis. Eternal Enmity: a Novel. 2 vols.<br />
F. V. White.<br />
Foster, Hanna. Zululu, the Maid of Anahuae. G. P.<br />
Putnam.<br />
Glyn, A. L. Fifty Pounds for a Wife. Arrowsmith.<br />
3s. 6d.<br />
Gordon, J. E. H. Eunice Anscombe: a Story. Sampson<br />
Low.<br />
Grken, Anna K. The Old Stone House, and other Stories.<br />
G. P. Putnam, is.<br />
Hale, Edward E. Sybil Knox j or, Home Again.<br />
Cassell. 7s. 6d.<br />
Harland, Marion. His Great Self. F. Warner. 6s.<br />
Harris, J. Chandler (" Uncle Remus "). A Plantation<br />
Printer: the Adventures of a Georgia Boy during the<br />
War. Osgood, M'llvaine.<br />
Howard, B. W., and W. Sharp. A Fellow aud His Wife.<br />
Osgood, M'llvaine. 6».<br />
Hungerfohd, Mrs. Nor Wife, nor Maid: a Novel.<br />
3 vols. Ileinemann.<br />
James, Fred. Fred James under a Spell. Illustrated.<br />
Tin; Lcadenhall Press.<br />
Lawless, Hon. Emily. Grania: the Story of an Island.<br />
2 vols. Smith, Elder, and Co.<br />
Lib, Jonas. The Commodore's Daughters. Translated<br />
from the Norwegian by H. L. Brcekstad and Gertrude<br />
Hughes. Volume of the International Library.<br />
William Heinemann. Paper covers, 2s. 6d.; cloth,<br />
3s. 6d.<br />
Lucas, Reginald. Dunwell Parva. F. Warne. 3s. 6d.<br />
Maartens, Maarten. The Sin of Joost Avelingh. 1 vol.<br />
Beutley and Son. 6s.<br />
MacDonald, George. Castle Warlock: a Homely<br />
Romance. New edition. Kcgan Paul.<br />
Macquoid, K. S. Maisie Derrick: a Story. A. D. Inncs<br />
and Co. 21s.<br />
Manville Fenn, G. King of the Castle: a Novel. 3 vols.<br />
Ward and Downey.<br />
Marks, Mr. Alfred. Dr. Willoughby Smith. 3 vols.<br />
Bentley.<br />
Mathers, Helen. T'Other Dear Charmer: a Novel.<br />
F. V. White. Paper covers, is.<br />
Maturin, C. R. Melmoth the Wanderer. A new edition<br />
from the original text, with a memoir and bibliography<br />
of Maturin's works. 3 vols. Bentley. 24s.<br />
Meredith, Owen. Marah. Longmans. 6s. 6d.<br />
Mouat, James. The Rise of the Australian Wool Kings:<br />
a Romance of Port Phillip. Swan Sonneuschein.<br />
Mr. Facey Romford's Hounds. By the author of<br />
"Sponge's Sporting Tour." The "Jorrocks" edition.<br />
Bradbury, Agnew.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 375 (#779) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE A UTHOR.<br />
375<br />
Naillen, A. Van der. On the Heights of Hiinalay: a<br />
Theosophical Novel. Illustrated edition. Gay and<br />
Bird. 3s. 3d.<br />
Oliphant, Mrs. The Marriage of Elinor. 3 vols. Mac-<br />
millr.ii.<br />
Page, Thomas Nelson. Elskct, and other Stories.<br />
Osgood, M'llvaine. 3s. 6d.<br />
Philips, F. C. Jack and Three Jills: a Novel. New<br />
edition. Griffith, Farran. Paper covers. is.<br />
Boss, Clinton. Improbable Tales. G. P. Putnam.<br />
is. M.<br />
The Adventures of Three Worthies. G. P.<br />
Putnam, as. 6d.<br />
"Boy Tellett." Pastor and Prelate: a Story of Clerical<br />
Life. 3 vols. Blackwood.<br />
Warden, Florence. Balph Byder of Brent: a Novel.<br />
3 vols. Bcntlcy.<br />
Wills, C. J. His Sister's Hand: a Novel. 3 vols.<br />
Griffith, Farran. 3 is. 6rf.<br />
Winter, John Strange. Mere Luck : a Novel. F. V.<br />
White, is.<br />
General Literature.<br />
Adams, Francis. Australian Life. Chapman and Hall.<br />
Aknold-Forstkh, H. O. Our Home Army. A reprint of<br />
letters published in the Times in November and<br />
December, 1891, with a preface and notes, to which<br />
are appended suggestions for remedying some of the<br />
existing defects in the condition of the British Army<br />
on the Home Establishment. Beprinted by permission<br />
of the Editor of the Times. Casscll. Paper covers.<br />
IX.<br />
The Badmington Library.—Skating. By J. M. Heath-<br />
cote and C. G. Tebbutt. Figure Skating. By T.<br />
Maxwell Withaui. With contributions on Curling<br />
(the Bev. John Kerr), Tobogganing (Ormond Hake),<br />
Ice Sailing (H. A. Hack), Bandy (G. C. Tebbutt).<br />
Illustrated. Longmans. Large paper. i5o copies<br />
only.<br />
Beattt-Kingston, W. Intemperance: its causes and its<br />
remedies. Second edition. Boutledge. Paper covers.<br />
6d.<br />
Buckland, F. O. Health Springs of Germany and Austria.<br />
Second edition. W. H. Allen.<br />
Burke, Edmund. Thoughts on the Present Discontents,<br />
and Speeches. Casscll's National Library. Cloth.<br />
6d.<br />
Buxton, Sydney, M.P. A Handbook to Political Questions<br />
of the Day, and the arguments on either side, with an<br />
introduction. Eighth edition, revised, and with new<br />
subjects. John Murray, 10*. 6d.<br />
The Clergy Directory and Parish Guide for 1892.<br />
J. S. Phillips, Fleet Street, E.C. 4s. 6rf.<br />
Coohlan, T. A. The Wealth and Progress of New South<br />
Wales, 1890-91. Petherick and Co., Sydney and<br />
London.<br />
The Complete Annual Digest of every Beported Case<br />
in all niE Courts for 1891. Edited by Alfred<br />
Emden, compiled by Herbert Thompson, M.A., assisted<br />
by W. A. Briggs, M.A., all of the Inner Temple.<br />
Clowes. 1 5j.<br />
Davies, D. C. A Treatise on Metalliferous Minerals aud<br />
Mining. Fifth edition, revised and enlarged by his<br />
son, E. H. Davies. With illustrations. Crosby Lock-<br />
wood.<br />
Dowsett, C. F. The Ground Values Delusion. Dowsett<br />
and Company, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Paper covers.<br />
3rf.<br />
Engels, Frederick. The Condition of the Working<br />
Class in England in 1844. With a preface written in<br />
1891. Translated by Florence Kclley Wischncwetzky.<br />
Swan Sonnenschein. 3s. 6d.<br />
The English Catalogue of Books: an alphabetical list<br />
of works published in the United Kingdom, and of the<br />
principal works published in America, with dates of<br />
publication, indication of size, price, edition, and<br />
publisher's name. Vol. IV. January 1891 to<br />
December, 1889. Sampson Low.<br />
Falkneh, Edward. Games Ancient aud Oriental and<br />
How to Play them. With photographs, diagrams, &c.<br />
Longmans, lis.<br />
Greville, Lady. The Gentlewoman's Book of Sports. I.<br />
Edited by. Henry, Bouverie Street. 6s.<br />
Harrison, Mary. Cookery for Busy Lives and Small<br />
Incomes. Longmans, is.<br />
Heales, Major A. The Architecture of the Churches cf<br />
Denmark. Kegar. Paul.<br />
Heron-Allen, E. I)e Fidiculis Bibliographia: the basis<br />
of a bibliography of the violin. Part II. Book sections<br />
and extracts, (■rillitli, Farnin. Paper covers.<br />
Hultzsch, E. South Indian Inscriptions. Edited and<br />
translated by. Vol. II., Part I. (Archaeological Survey<br />
of India.) W. II. Allen. Four rupees.<br />
Hyndman, II. M. Commercial Crisis of the Nineteenth<br />
Century. Swan Sonnenschein. 2s. 6d.<br />
Inglis, Hon. Lady. The Siege of Lucknow. A Diary.<br />
Osgood, M'llvaine. 10s. 6<l.<br />
Lowndes, F. W. Beasons why the Office of Coroner<br />
should be held by a Member of the Medical Profession.<br />
J. and A. Churchill, New Burlington Street, W. Paper<br />
covers. 6d.<br />
Marsh, John B. St. Paul's Cross, the most famous spot<br />
in London. Baithby, Lawrence, and Company,<br />
Imperial Buildings, Ludgate Circus, E.C.<br />
Middletok, J. H. The Lewis Collection of Gems and<br />
Bings, in the possession of Corpus Christi College,<br />
Cambridge; with an Introductory Essay on Ancient<br />
Gems. C. J. Clay, Cambridge University Press.<br />
Millais, J. G. Game Birds and Shooting Sketches.<br />
Illustrating the Habits, Modes of Capture, Stages of<br />
Plumage, and the Hybrids aud Varieties which occur<br />
among them. Containing coloured plates, woodcuts,<br />
and autotypes, with frontispiece by Sir J. E. Millais,<br />
B.A. Henry Sotheran, Piccadilly. SI. 5s. net.<br />
Morley, Henry. English Writers—an Attempt Towards<br />
a History of English Literature. VIII. From Surrey<br />
to Spencer. Cassel. 5s.<br />
Mi nro, JonN H. M. Soils and Manures. With chapters<br />
on Drainage and Land Improvement by John Wright-<br />
son, M.B.A.C. Casscll's Agricultural Text-book<br />
Scries. 2s. 6d.<br />
Nicknames and Traditions in the Army: the most<br />
complete record ever published. Third edition. Gale<br />
and Polden, Amen Corner. Paper covers, is.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 376 (#780) ############################################<br />
<br />
37$<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
Pensions for all at Sixty and an Eight Hours Day.<br />
By the Chairman of a. Yorkshire School Board.<br />
Sampson Low. Paper covers. 6c/.<br />
Pickard, A. S. The Labrador Coast: a Journal of Two<br />
Summer Cruises to that Begion. With maps and<br />
illustrations. Kegan Paul.<br />
Pott, Mrs. Henry. Francis Bacon and His Secret Society:<br />
an attempt to collect and unite the lost links of a long<br />
and strong chain. Sampson Low.<br />
Public Opinion on hie Intended Interference with<br />
the New Forest, under the Ranges Act, 1891. Issued<br />
by the New Forest Association (Morton K. Peto, Hon.<br />
Sec., Littlecroft, Lyndhurst). Paper covers.<br />
Bansome, J. S. Capital at Bay. Articles reprinted from<br />
the Globe. S. II. Cowell, Ludgate Hill. Paper<br />
covers. 6rf.<br />
Begistkk of Weather. (Forms for daily registration of<br />
thermometer and barometer readings, remarks, &c.)<br />
Duncan Campbell, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow.<br />
Kunciman, James. The Ethics of Drink and other Social<br />
Questions: or Joints in Our Social Armour. Dodder<br />
and Sloughton. 3s. (id.<br />
Eye, Walter. The Bights of Fishing, Shooting, and<br />
Sailing 011 the Norfolk Broads. Considered by.<br />
Jarrold, Paternoster Buildings, is.<br />
Salford, Bishop of. A Catechism on the Bights and<br />
Duties of the Working Classes, arranged by the.<br />
Burns and Oates. Paper covers, id.<br />
Shore, Lt. the Hon. H. N. Smuggling Days and Smug-<br />
gling Ways, or, The Story of a Lost Art. With plans<br />
and drawings by the author. Cassell. 7s. Oil.<br />
Sinnett, A. P. The Rationale of .Mesmerism. Began<br />
Paul.<br />
Smith, A. H., M.A. A Catalogue of Sculpture in the<br />
Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities—British<br />
Museum. Vol. I. Printed by order of the Trustees.<br />
Snei.l, Simeon. Miners' Nystagmus, and its relation to<br />
position at work and the manner of illumination.<br />
Sinipkin, Marshall.<br />
Spender, J. A., M.A. The State and Pensions in GUI Age.<br />
With an introduction by Arthur H. D. Acland, M.P.<br />
Swan Sonnenschein. 18. 6d.<br />
Stevenson, E. H. and Borstal, E. K. Metropolitan Water<br />
Supply, considerations affecting its adequacy and<br />
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covers, is.<br />
Streeteu, E. W. Precious Stones and Gems: their History<br />
Sources, and Characteristics. Illustrated. Fifth edi-<br />
tion, revised and largely re-written, with chapters on<br />
the Ruby Mines of Burma. George Bell. 15s. 6d.<br />
The Statesman's Year Book, statistical and historical<br />
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by J. Scott Keltic, Librarian to the Royal Geographical<br />
Society. Bcvised after official returns. Macniillan.<br />
1 os. fid.<br />
Ward, H. Marshall. The Oak: a Popular Introduction<br />
to Forest Botany. "Modern Science " Series. Edited<br />
by Sir John Lubbock. Kegan Paul.<br />
Warner, Charles Dudley. The American Italy (Our<br />
Italy). With illustrations. Osgood, M'Hvaine.<br />
Warner, G. F. The Nicholas Papers: Correspondence of<br />
Sir Edward Nicholas, Secretary of State. Edited by.<br />
Vol. 2. January i653—June 1655. Printed for the<br />
Camden Society.<br />
Wiixson, Heckles. Harold: An Experiment. Fifth edi-<br />
tion. Globe Publishing Company, Bream's Buildings,<br />
Chancery Lane. Paper covers.<br />
Wintringham, W. II. The Birds of Wordsworth, Poeti-<br />
cally, Mythologically, and Comparatively examined.<br />
Edition limited to 2S0 copies. Hutchinson & Co.<br />
I os. 6d.<br />
Yorke-Davies, Dr. N. E. Foods for the Fat : the Scientific<br />
Cure of Corpulency. Fourth edition, 14th thousand.<br />
Chatto and Windus.<br />
Educational.<br />
Crellin, Philip. Hook-keeping for Teachers and Pupil:-.<br />
Whittaker and Co.<br />
Davis, J. F. Army Examination Papers in Mathematics,<br />
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Enc.i.emann, Dr., and Anderson, W. C. H. Pictorial<br />
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Goodyear, W. H. A History of Art, for classes, art<br />
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G res well, Eev. W. P. Geography of Africa, South of<br />
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Lockie's Marine Engineers' Drawing-book, adapted to<br />
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By John Lockie, C.E. (Whitworth Scholar). Crosby<br />
Lockwood. 3s. 6rf.<br />
Marshall, Alfred. Elements of Economics of Industry,<br />
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Macniillan. 3s. 6</.<br />
Oughton, Frederick. Students' nnd Amateurs' Note-<br />
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Paige, Warwick Lane, Paternoster Bow. is.<br />
Pruen, G. G., M.A. Latin Examination Papers. Specially<br />
adapted for the use of Army Candidates. Whittaker<br />
and Co.<br />
Storb, F., B.A. The School Calendar and Handbook of<br />
Examinations, Scholarships, and Exhibitions, 1892,<br />
with a Preface by. George Bell. is.<br />
Swan, H. Travellers' Colloquial Italian. Idiomatic Italian<br />
phrases with the exact pronunciation, represented on a<br />
new system, based upon a scientific analysis of Italian<br />
sounds. David Nutt. is.<br />
Tisdall, Bev. W. St. Clair. A simplified Grammar of<br />
the Gujarati Language, with a short Beading-book and<br />
Vocabulary. Kegan Paul.<br />
U.nderhill, G. E. Plutarch's Lives of the Gracchi.<br />
Edited, with introduction, notes, and indices by.<br />
Clarendon Press. 4s. 6d.<br />
<br />
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## p. 377 (#781) ############################################<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
377<br />
Poetry and the Drama.<br />
Aizlewood, J. W. Warbeck: an Historical Play, in two<br />
parts, partly founded on "The Perkin Warbeck of<br />
Ford." Kegan Paul.<br />
Arnold, Sib E. Potiphar's Wife and other poems. Long-<br />
mans. St. net.<br />
Buchanan, Kobkkt. The Buchanan Ballads, old and new.<br />
Haddon and Co., Salisbury Square, K.C. is.<br />
Gipps, L. M. Jael and other Poems. David Stott.<br />
3«. 6d.<br />
Leioh-Joynes, James. On Lonely Shores and other<br />
Rhymes. Printed for the Author at the Chiswick<br />
Press. Ss.<br />
Old English Drama, Select Plays: Marlowe, " Tragical<br />
History of Dr. Faustus ": Greene, "Honourable<br />
History of Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay." Edited by<br />
Adolphus William Ward, Litt.D., Principal of the<br />
Owens College. Third edition, revised and enlarged.<br />
Clarendon Press. 6s. 6d.<br />
Pinero, A. W. The Hobby-horse. A Comedy in three<br />
Acts. Heinemann. Paper covers, is. 6d. Cloth,<br />
is. id.<br />
The Song op Dermot and the Earl, an old French Poem.<br />
From the Carew Manuscript, No. 596, in the Arehi-<br />
episcopal Library at Lambeth Palace. Edited, with<br />
literal Translation and Notes, a Facsimile and a Map,<br />
by Goddard Henry Orpen, late Scholar of Trinity<br />
College, Dublin, and of the Inner Temple, Barrister-at-<br />
Law. Clarendon Press. 8s. 6d.<br />
Law.<br />
Anson, Sir William R. The Law and Custom of the<br />
Constitution, Part II. The Crown. Clarendon Press.<br />
14s.<br />
Bodkin, A. H. Wigram's Justices Note Book. Sixth<br />
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Lely, J. M., M.A. Wharton's Law Lexicon, forming an<br />
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Stevens, Chancery Lane. 38*.<br />
Manson, Edward. The Law of Trading and other<br />
Companies formed or registered under the Companies<br />
Act, 1862. Clowes.<br />
Neale, J.A., D.C.L. An Exposition of English Law by<br />
English Judges. Compiled for the use of layman and<br />
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Clowes. 12*. 6d.<br />
Smith, J. W., B.A. A Handy Book on the Law of Banker<br />
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6». bd.<br />
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Parliamentary Papers.<br />
Supplement to the 20th Annual Report of the Local<br />
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Industrial and Provident Societies (8|d.). The Annual<br />
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perary (is. 6d.). Supreme Court of Judicature (Ire-<br />
land—Accounts in respect of the Funds of Suitors in<br />
the year to September 3o, 1891 (Jd.). Accounts<br />
relating to Trade and Navigation of the I'nited King-<br />
dom for February (6d.). Consolidated Fund. Abstract<br />
Account, 1890-91 (2d.). Irish Land Commission<br />
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Railway Bills (id.). On the North-Eastern Railway<br />
(Hull Docks) Bill (Jd ). On the Southampton Docks<br />
Bill (id.). And of the Proceedings of the Board as<br />
to Piers aud Harbours (1 id.). Amendment to Statute 13<br />
of Corpus Christi College, Oxford (Jd.). Navy Esti-<br />
mates for 1892-93 (is. Sjd.). Estimates for Civil<br />
Services for the year ending March 3i, 1893 (2d.).<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 378 (#782) ############################################<br />
<br />
3;8<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
Civil Service Estimates, 1892-93, Class L, Public<br />
Works and Buildings (7(1.). Memorandum of the<br />
Financial Secretary to the Treasury relating to the<br />
Civil Service Estimates, 1892-93 (2d.). Alien Immi-<br />
gration Return for February (id.). Accounts of the<br />
Russian, Dutch, Greek, and Sardinian Loans (id. each).<br />
Reports on the Malago Vale Colliery Explosion (jd.).<br />
Imperial Defence Act, 1888 (Naval Section), Austral-<br />
asian Agreement, Account, 1890-91 (\d.). Report<br />
of the Hoard of Trade on the Cork Harbour Pilotage<br />
Dill (id.). Amendment to the Statutes of Corpus<br />
Christi College, Oxford (id.). Further Correspondence<br />
respecting Anti-Foreign Riots in China (is. Sd.).<br />
First Report from the Select Committee on the House<br />
of Lords Offices (id.). Civil Services, 1890-91,<br />
.Statement of Excesses (^d.). Eastbourne Improve-<br />
ment Act, 1885 (Prosecutions for Open-Air Services,<br />
&c), Return of Charges under the Act between<br />
June 1, 1891, and February 18, 1892 (iJ.). Trustee<br />
Savings Hanks Inspection Committee Scheme (id.).<br />
Nationality in Brazil—Article 69 of the Brazilian<br />
Constitution (id.). Census of Ireland, Part I.,<br />
Vol, II. Minister. No. 4. Limerick (is. id.).<br />
Return as to Schools in Ireland (3s. id.). Census of<br />
Ireland, Part I., Vol. 2, Minister, No. 3, Kerry (n.).<br />
Returns as to Loans raised respectively in India and<br />
in Kugland, Chargeable on the Revenues of India out-<br />
standing at the beginning of the half-year ended<br />
September 3o, 1891 (id. each). Petitions of Univer-<br />
sity and King's Colleges, praying for the grant of<br />
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during the third and last quarters of 1891 (id. each).<br />
Naval Manoeuvres, 1891—The Partial Mobilization of<br />
the Fleet and the Manoeuvres of Last Year j Civil<br />
Services and Revenue Departments, Appropriation<br />
Accounts, 1890-91 (4s. Sd.). Civil Services Estimates,<br />
1892-93, Class II., Salaries and Expenses of Civil<br />
Departments. Report of the Commissioners appointed<br />
to inquire into the Redemption of Tithe Rentcbarge in<br />
England and Wales (i^d.). Colonial Reports, Annual,<br />
Victoria: Digest of Statistics for 1890 (3id.). Jamaica j<br />
Report for 1889-91 (20!.). Income Tax: Return of<br />
assessments by Counties from 1884-90, and of other<br />
particulars (10!.). Estimates for Civil Services and<br />
Revenue Departments, 1892-93 ; Votes on Account<br />
(id.). Deer Forests, Scotland (return substituted for<br />
that previously circulated) (id.). Supreme Court of<br />
Judicature (Circuit Allowances, &c.) (id.). Education<br />
Department Code of Regulations for 1892, with<br />
Schedules and Appendices (6d.). Glebe Lands<br />
(Sales) (^d.). Mr. Hastings—Record of his Trial<br />
(id.). Teachers Pension Fund (Ireland), Memorandum<br />
on the Position of the Fund on December 3i, 1890<br />
(Jd.). Statistical Tables of Corn Prices for 1891, with<br />
comparative tables for previous years (3</.). Report<br />
of the Committee on Questions connected with the<br />
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Officers of Health appointed by County Councils (i|d.).<br />
Return as to Courts Martial in 1890 (id.). Civil<br />
Service Estimates, Class IV., Education, Science, and<br />
Art (7<Z.). Foreign Office, Annual Series—Trade of<br />
Tonga (1890) (id.). Trade of Zanzibar (1891 sup-<br />
plementary) (i^d.). Trade of Suakin (1891) (\d.).<br />
Miscellaneous Series—Netherlands; Report on the<br />
Effects of the Law of 1889 for the Protection of<br />
Women and Children engaged in Factory and other<br />
Work (2d.). Contracts entered into by the Admiralty<br />
by virtue of the Naval Defence Act, 1889, section 7<br />
(id.). Civil Sen-ice Estimates, 1892-93, Class V.,<br />
Foreign and Colonial Services (4$d.). Class VI., Non-<br />
effective and Charitable Services (3|d.). Parcel Post<br />
(United States of America and Great Britain), Corre-<br />
spondence (2d.). Foreign Office, Annual Series—Trade<br />
of Galveston (1891) (lid.). Miscellaneous Series—<br />
The Aloe Fibre Industry of Somaliland (Egypt) (id.).<br />
Report on the Administration, Finances, and Condition<br />
of Egypt, and the Progress of Reforms (4|d.). Report<br />
to the Secretary of State for the Home Department on<br />
the Explosion of Fireworks on a Floating Magazine<br />
below Gravesend (i.'.d.). Index to the Estimates for<br />
Civil Services, 1892-93 (2d.). Further Papers relating<br />
to the Malay States. Reports for 1890 (lojd.).<br />
Revised Instructions to Her Majesty's Inspectors of<br />
Schools and Applicable to the Code of 1892 (4d.).<br />
Elementary Education (Schemes of Charity Commis-<br />
sioners applying funds to, since 1870) (3d.). Return<br />
of Railways comprised in the Railway Rates and<br />
Charges Orders Confirmation Bills, 1 to 26 (id.).<br />
Accounts of the Lighthouses maintained in British<br />
Possessions Abroad (id.). Bank of England, applica-<br />
tions made for Advances to Government from January<br />
5, 1891, to January 5, 1892 (jd.). Return of the<br />
Court Martials on Non-Comniissioned Officers for<br />
Gambling in 1888-89-90 (id.). Foreign Office, Mis-<br />
cellaneous Series; Report on Legislation for Protection<br />
of Women and Young Children Employed in Factories<br />
in the Netherlands (id.). Mr. Magan, Correspondence<br />
(2id.). Board of Agriculture—Report of Proceedings<br />
under various Acts, 1891 (l\d.). Yeomanry Cavalry<br />
Training Return, 1891 (id.). National Debt<br />
(Military Savings Banks)—cash account ({d.). Return<br />
of Proceedings under the Augmentation of Benefices<br />
Act, from February 21, 1891, to February 18, 1892<br />
(id.). Intermediate Education (Ireland)—Rules<br />
(|d.). Ordnance Factories Estimate, 1892-93 (id.).<br />
Army Estimates of Effective and Non-Effective Ser-<br />
vices for 1892-93 (2s.). Statistics of the Colony of<br />
New Zealand for 1890. Didsbury, Government<br />
Printer, Wellington, N.Z. Census of Ireland, Part I.,<br />
Vol. 2, Munster; No. 2, Cork—County and City<br />
(2s. 3d.). Returns of licences for the Sale of Opium<br />
and Intoxicating Liquors issued in Upper Burma since<br />
January i, 1888 (6<f.). Foreign Office, Annual Series,<br />
Trade of Mozambique (Portugal), 1891 (ijd.). Trade<br />
of Guayaquil (Ecuador), 1891 (id.). Budget of the<br />
German Empire for 1802-93 (id.). Trade of Galatz<br />
(ltoumanin), 1891 (ijd.). Miscellaneous Series.—<br />
Roumanian Trade, Agriculture and Danube Navigation<br />
from 1881 to 1890 (id.)—Eyre and Spottiswoode.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 379 (#783) ############################################<br />
<br />
379<br />
THE AUTHORS' SYNDICATE.<br />
THIS Association is established for the purpose of syndicating or selling<br />
the serial rights of authors in magazines, journals, and newspapers. It<br />
has now been at work for more than a year, and has transacted a very<br />
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The following points are submitted for consideration :—<br />
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4. The Syndicate has an American agent.<br />
5. The Syndicate will only work for members of the Society.<br />
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7. Authors are warned that no syndicating is possible for them until<br />
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8. The Syndicate acts as agent in every kind of literary property.<br />
4, Portugal Street,<br />
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W. MORRIS COLLES,<br />
Honorary Secretary.<br />
<br />
<br />
## p. 380 (#784) ############################################<br />
<br />
380<br />
ADVERTISEMENTS.<br />
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## p. 381 (#785) ############################################<br />
<br />
^Ibe Hutbor.<br />
(The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.)<br />
CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT.<br />
Vol. II.—No. ij.]<br />
MAY 2, 1892.<br />
[Price Sixpence.<br />
CONTENTS.<br />
PAGE<br />
• 3«3<br />
■ 3*3<br />
• 3«.<<br />
. 386<br />
. 3H6<br />
Warnings<br />
Notices<br />
The Authors' Syndicate<br />
The Lnirrolliad<br />
"Porta Nascitur, Noli Fit"<br />
Literary Property—<br />
I.—Literary Theft 3»6<br />
II.—Mr. James Knowles 3»7<br />
III. —Anthony Trollope's Life 3J7<br />
IV. —" Baby Lifting extraordinary 3*7<br />
V.—American Piracy 3j>-j<br />
Tho American Society of Authors »»<br />
Agencies<br />
Editing and Reviewing:—<br />
1.—The Value of a Favourable Review<br />
II.—About Reviewing<br />
III.—Magazines and Editors<br />
3*9<br />
S90<br />
391<br />
391<br />
3t><br />
393<br />
Hew .192<br />
VII.—With no Name 393<br />
TJneut Leaves 391<br />
The Literary Agent 393<br />
IV.—(<br />
V.—I-ong kept and then returned<br />
VI.—From the Editor's Point of Vie<br />
I'scTnl Books<br />
Author and Publisher<br />
Generosity, Litienility, and Equity ..<br />
Young anil Old<br />
Notes and News. By Walter Besant<br />
Feuilletou<br />
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PAGR<br />
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383<br />
AD VERTISEMENTS.<br />
Cfje Jswtetg of gutljors (fincorporatrtO*<br />
PRESIDENT.<br />
The Kight Hon. the LORD TENNYSON, D.C.L.<br />
Sib Edwin Arnold, K.C.l.E.<br />
Alfred Austin.<br />
A. W. a Beckett.<br />
Robert Bateman.<br />
Sir Henry Berone, K.C.M.G.<br />
Walter Besant.<br />
Augustine Birrell, M.P.<br />
R. D. Ulackmore.<br />
Rev. Prof. Bonnky, F.R.S.<br />
Lord Brabourne.<br />
James Bryce, M.P.<br />
P. W. Clayden.<br />
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Hon. John Collier.<br />
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Marion Crawford.<br />
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COUNCIL.<br />
The Earl of Dksart.<br />
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John Eric Erichsen, F.R.S.<br />
Prof. Michael Foster, F.R.S.<br />
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Richard Garnett, LL.D.<br />
Edmund Gosse.<br />
H. Rider Haggard.<br />
Thomas Hardy.<br />
Rudyard Kipling.<br />
Prof. E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S.<br />
J. M. Lely.<br />
Rev. W. J. Loftie, F.S.A.<br />
F. Max Mullee, LL.D.<br />
George Meredith.<br />
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