505 | https://historysoa.com/items/show/505 | The Author, Vol. 15 Issue 08 (May 1905) | <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.+15+Issue+08+%28May+1905%29"><em>The Author</em>, Vol. 15 Issue 08 (May 1905)</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> | 1905-05-01-The-Author-15-8 | | | | | 217–248 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=89&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=15">15</a> | | | | | | | | | | | <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=76&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1905-05-01">1905-05-01</a> | | | | | | | 8 | | | 19050501 | Che Huthor.<br />
<br />
(The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.)<br />
<br />
FOUNDED BY SIR<br />
<br />
WALTER BESANT.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Vou. XV.—No. 8.<br />
<br />
May ist, 1905.<br />
<br />
[Prick SIXPENCE.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
TELEPHONE NUMBER :<br />
374 VICTORIA.<br />
<br />
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS :<br />
AUTORIDAD, LONDON.<br />
<br />
————_—~<+-—<br />
<br />
NOTICES.<br />
<br />
ta<br />
<br />
OR the opinions expressed in papers that are<br />
RK signed or initialled the authors alone are<br />
responsible. None of the papers or para-<br />
graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion<br />
of the Committee unless such is especially stated<br />
to be the case.<br />
<br />
Tue Editor begs to inform members of the<br />
Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author<br />
that the cases which are from time to time quoted<br />
in The Author are cases that have come before the<br />
notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the<br />
Society, and that those members of the Society<br />
who desire to have the names of the publishers<br />
concerned can obtain them on application.<br />
<br />
+<br />
<br />
List of Members.<br />
<br />
Tux List of Members of the Society of Authors<br />
published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and<br />
the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as<br />
a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be<br />
obtained at the offices of the Society.<br />
<br />
They will be sold to members or associates of<br />
the Society only.<br />
<br />
Set tae oe ee<br />
<br />
The Pension Fund of the Society.<br />
<br />
THE Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the<br />
Society’s Offices in February, 1904, and having<br />
gone carefully into the accounts of the fund,<br />
decided to purchase £250 London and North<br />
Western 3% Debenture Stock. Accordingly, the<br />
Mvestments of the Pension Fund at present<br />
<br />
Vou. XV.<br />
<br />
,<br />
<br />
standing in the names of the Trustees are as<br />
follows.<br />
<br />
This is a statement of the actual stock; the<br />
money value can be easily worked out at the current<br />
price of the market :—<br />
<br />
Consols 24% £1000 0 0<br />
EO AOE ee es 500 0 0<br />
Victorian Government 3 % Consoli-<br />
<br />
dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 14<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Waroan 201. 9 3<br />
<br />
London and North Western 3 % Deben-<br />
LOte StOCK 3 6, 250 0 0<br />
Total: oe £2,243 9 2<br />
<br />
Subscriptions, 1905.<br />
& is. ad.<br />
Jan. 12, Anonymous . 0 2 6<br />
Donations, 1905. a<br />
Jan. , Middlemas, Miss Jean 010 0<br />
Jan. , Bolton, Miss Anna : - 0-5 6<br />
Jan. 24, Barry, Miss Fanny . : - 07 6 0<br />
Jan. 27, Bencke, Albert : : - 0 5 6<br />
Jan. 28, Harcourt-Roe, Mrs. . . 010 0<br />
Feb. 18, French-Sheldon, Mrs. . +0 10 0<br />
Feb. 21, Lyall, Sir Alfred, P.C. . . tf 0 0<br />
Mar. 28, Kirmse, Mrs. : - 010 0<br />
April19, Hornung, E. W. . : “25 0 6<br />
————" o> —_____—__<br />
COMMITTEE NOTES.<br />
Bie<br />
<br />
HE April meeting of the committee was held<br />
at the offices of the society on the 8rd ult.,<br />
at four o’clock ; Sir Henry Bergne was in the<br />
<br />
chair. The agenda comprised a large number of<br />
matters and the sitting lasted over two hours.<br />
After the minutes of the last meeting had been<br />
read and approved, the members and associates<br />
whose names were before the committee were<br />
elected. The total number of elections during the<br />
year amounts to 74. The number elected at the<br />
April meeting was 23. The list is printed below.<br />
The committee then considered two cases against<br />
<br />
<br />
18 THE<br />
<br />
the same publisher who, for certain reasons of his<br />
own, had withheld from authors payments shown<br />
to be due on his accounts. As the authors could<br />
not obtain a settlement they invoked the assistance<br />
of the society in order to enforce their demands.<br />
In the first case the matter had to be adjourned.<br />
It was necessary for the committee to be more<br />
fully informed respecting the exact terms of the<br />
agreement before they could come to a decision.<br />
The member, unfortunately, is resident abroad. In<br />
the second case, the committee decided to com-<br />
mence action if the author would undertake to bear<br />
a third of the expenses. This he has undertaken<br />
to do.<br />
<br />
Some months ago a judgment was obtained on<br />
behalf of one of the members of the society against<br />
a travelling theatrical manager. The solicitors of<br />
the society have, on one or two similar occasions,<br />
experienced great difficulty in making the judg-<br />
ment debtor pay. The member in this case com-<br />
plained that the judgment had only been partially<br />
satisfied, and he seemed to get no further. The<br />
committee decided to instruct the solicitors to<br />
exhaust all legal methods with a view to obtaining<br />
the amount still due, and it is hoped that, with<br />
renewed activity, the member and the judgement<br />
will be satisfied.<br />
<br />
The next case before the committee arose out of<br />
the difficulty of an author, who had paid for the<br />
production of his work, to possess himseif of his<br />
property, when the publisher became bankrupt.<br />
The binder claimed a general lien on the stock.<br />
The committee discussed the question very fully,<br />
but adjourned the matter, in order that they might<br />
gain fuller information which would enable them<br />
to decide whether or not action could be taken<br />
with advantage.<br />
<br />
The question of United States copyright was<br />
again brought forward. As the Amending Billhad<br />
passed into law at the end of the session, before it<br />
had been possible to make any satisfactory protest,<br />
the committee decided to adjourn the question until<br />
a fitting opportunity should arise. It has been<br />
reported that at the next session of congress a<br />
consolidation in the United States Copyright Laws<br />
will be taken in hand. If this information is<br />
correct, it is possible that an opportunity will then<br />
arise for taking action. In the meantime, any<br />
movement will be carefully watched. ‘The com-<br />
mittee are in a position to receive the fullest infor-<br />
mation from the most reliable sources.<br />
<br />
‘The chairman reported that the secretary of the<br />
society had been offered the solicitorship in Eng-<br />
land of the famous French Society “la Société des<br />
Gens de Lettres,” and that as the position was<br />
practically honorary, he had sanctioned tle secre-<br />
tary’s acceptance of it. The committee approved<br />
the course the chairman had adopted.<br />
<br />
AUTHOR.<br />
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<br />
A question of international copyright was<br />
placed before the committee, arising from the<br />
adherence of Sweden to the Bern Convention of<br />
1886. Sweden has signed the Convention, but not<br />
the additional Act of Paris of 1896. Article 7 of<br />
the Bern Convention of 1886 runs as follows :—<br />
<br />
“ Articles from newspapers or periodicals published in<br />
any of the countries of the Union, may be reproduced in<br />
original or in translation in the other countries of the<br />
Union, unless the authors or publishers have expressly<br />
forbidden it. For periodicals it is sufficient if the prohi-<br />
bition is made in a general manner at the beginning of each<br />
number of the periodical.<br />
<br />
This prohibition cannot in any case apply to articles of<br />
political discussion, or to the reproduction of news of the<br />
day, or current topics.”<br />
<br />
This Article was altered by the Additional Act<br />
of Paris of 1896, so as to run :—<br />
<br />
“Serial stories, including tales, published in the news-<br />
papers or periodicals of one of the countries of the Union,<br />
may not be reproduced, in original or in translation, in the<br />
other countries, without the sanction of the authors or<br />
their lawful representative.<br />
<br />
This stipulation shall apply equally to other articles in<br />
newspapers or periodicals, when the authors or editors<br />
shall have expressly declared in the newspaper or periodical<br />
itself in which they shall have been published, that the<br />
right of reproduction is prohibited.<br />
<br />
In case of periodicals it shall suffice if such prohibition<br />
be indicated in general terms at the beginning of each<br />
number.<br />
<br />
In the absence of prohibition, such articles may be re-<br />
produced on condition that the source is acknowledged.<br />
<br />
In any case, the prohibition shall not apply to articles on<br />
political questions, to the news of the day, or to miscel-<br />
laneous information.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It will thus be seen that in those countries which<br />
have not signed the Additional Act of Paris, works<br />
which have not the notice “ All Rights Reserved”<br />
printed either generally in the periodical, or pat-<br />
ticularly with the article, may be reproduced with-<br />
out the consent of the author. The society's<br />
correspondent in Sweden has brought before the<br />
notice of the committee the fact that Swedish<br />
newspapers have taken advantage of this, and in<br />
consequence, the committee desire to impress upon<br />
all members of the society who desire to maintain<br />
their market in Sweden, the importance of having<br />
the notice printed with the serial use of short<br />
stories, essays, &c. ‘They also decided to issue a<br />
letter to the editors of the important magazines,<br />
periodicals, and newspapers, pointing out the diffi-<br />
culties that might arise if no notice were printed,<br />
owing to the fact that Norway and Sweden had —<br />
joined the Bern Convention without signing the<br />
Additional Act of Paris.<br />
<br />
The question of Canadian Copyright was further<br />
discussed.<br />
<br />
Readers of Zhe Author may remember that im<br />
the March issue, it was reported that the com mittee<br />
had decided to place the papers relating to a claim<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
’<br />
<br />
<br />
Pee Son Caen een<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
of one of the members of the society in the hands<br />
of a German lawyer. They have now decided to<br />
carry the case through the German courts if neces-<br />
sary. It is hoped, however, that the publisher will<br />
make some reasonable offer of settlement without<br />
this step being necessary.<br />
<br />
The Secretary reported that the chairman had<br />
sanctioned three county court cases, two of which,<br />
however, had not gone into court, one because the<br />
member, at the last moment, refused to commence<br />
action. (This is a difficulty which arises from time<br />
to time, and-sometimes with serious consequences to<br />
the society on account of its loss of prestige). The<br />
other owing to the fact that the publisher said the<br />
debt before the summons was issued.<br />
<br />
The third action is in the course of settlement.<br />
<br />
eg<br />
<br />
Cases,<br />
<br />
Since the last issue of The Author, although the<br />
business before the Committee has been heavy, the<br />
cases which have passed through the secretary’s<br />
hands have been but few.<br />
<br />
There have been two questions concerning<br />
contracts for publication between authors and<br />
publishers. One of these has been satisfactorily<br />
settled. The other may take some time, for the<br />
member involved resides in Australia. There have<br />
been two cases in which members have desired the<br />
return of their MSS. In both cases the MSS.<br />
have been returned by the editors and forwarded<br />
to the members. Three cases where money due to<br />
authors has been in arrears. In one of these the<br />
money has been paid in full; in another the secretary<br />
has received part payment; in the third no answer<br />
has been obtained owing to the fact that it has<br />
been impossible to find any trace of the debtor.<br />
There has been one case of accounts which has<br />
been satisfactorily settled. This makes eight cases<br />
in all during the month.<br />
<br />
All the matters in hand before April have been<br />
<br />
_ cleared up with one exception, which is still in the<br />
<br />
hands of the society’s solicitors for advice, and one<br />
case where money is due. The chairman of the<br />
society has given leave to place the latter in the<br />
solicitors’ hands in order to enforce the members’<br />
rights. It will be a county court case. One of<br />
the county court cases referred to as unsettled in<br />
last month’s statement is now ended. The<br />
magazine paid the amount due before the issue<br />
<br />
of the summons.<br />
—_—t—> +<br />
<br />
April Elections,<br />
Bayliss, Miss Ellen .<br />
Blackmore, Gecffrey , Sander-<br />
Sander-<br />
<br />
“ Glenwood,”<br />
stead load,<br />
<br />
stead, Surrey.<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
Collins, J. Hawksworth .<br />
Cunynghame Francis, J.<br />
de M.<br />
Davies, A. T.<br />
Dryden, Miss ‘<br />
<br />
Farrer, Reginald .<br />
<br />
Hills, Miss Katherine<br />
<br />
Tmeson, W. E.<br />
James, J. Barnard ‘<br />
<br />
Jebb, Richard<br />
<br />
Kay, Richard<br />
<br />
Kindler, Mrs. : :<br />
<br />
Langan, The Rev.<br />
Thomas, D.D.<br />
<br />
Maxwell, W. B. . .<br />
<br />
y Rackham, Arthur. ;<br />
<br />
Robson, A. W. Mayo,<br />
DAS: : : :<br />
<br />
Sanders, Miss E. K.<br />
<br />
Scheu, Mrs. (Chris<br />
Sewell)<br />
<br />
Sewell, Mrs. (Christobel<br />
Hulbert) . : :<br />
<br />
Talbot, Miss L. Agnes .<br />
<br />
Worsley, Miss Alice.<br />
Weale, G. L. Putnam<br />
<br />
219<br />
<br />
The Glebe, Cranbrook<br />
School, Kent.<br />
12, Lincoln<br />
Chelsea, S.W.<br />
<br />
Avon House, Kenysham,<br />
near Bristol.<br />
Kingsfield, Bradford-<br />
on-Avon, Wilts.<br />
<br />
50, Ennismore Gardens,<br />
Ingleborough, Lan-<br />
caster.<br />
<br />
11, Collingham Place,<br />
Kensington, S.W.<br />
<br />
Street,<br />
<br />
Clevedale, Downend,<br />
Gloucestershire.<br />
<br />
The Higher Grange,<br />
Ellesmere.<br />
<br />
Berrington Priory, II-<br />
minster, Somerset.<br />
<br />
420, Lonsdale Street,<br />
Melbourne, Australia.<br />
<br />
Abbeylara, Granard,<br />
Treland.<br />
<br />
Lichfield House, Rich-<br />
mond, Surrey.<br />
<br />
3, Primrose Hill Studios,<br />
Fitzroy Road, N.W.<br />
<br />
8, Park Crescent, W.<br />
<br />
Park House, Curzon<br />
<br />
Park, Chester.<br />
<br />
Towerhurst, Leigh<br />
Woods, Clifton, Bris-<br />
tol.<br />
<br />
The Fourth House, The<br />
Stourport Road, Wrib-<br />
benhall, near Bewdley.<br />
todney Lodge, Clifton.<br />
<br />
Two of the members elected in April do not<br />
desire either their names or addresses published.<br />
<br />
ie<br />
<br />
BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF<br />
THE SOCIETY.<br />
<br />
—_+—~—-_—_<br />
<br />
(In the following list we do not propose to give more<br />
than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books<br />
enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may<br />
serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work.<br />
Members are requested to forward information which will<br />
enable the Editor to supply such particulars.)<br />
<br />
ART.<br />
<br />
sy DuDLEY Hratn,<br />
<br />
208. Tl.<br />
<br />
MINTATURES, 101 x 74. 320 pp.<br />
<br />
Methuen.<br />
<br />
<br />
220<br />
<br />
BOOKS OF REFERENCE,<br />
<br />
Tue STATESMAN’S YEAR Book, 1905. Edited by J.<br />
Scort KnLTie, LL.D. 74 x 43. 142 pp. Macmillan.<br />
10s. 6d. n.<br />
<br />
AurHorR AND Printer. A Guide for Authors, Editors,<br />
Printers, Correctors of the Press, Compositors and<br />
Typists. With full list of abbreviations. By F.<br />
Howarpb CoLLins. 74 X 5.° 408 pp. Frowde. 5s,<br />
<br />
EDUCATIONAL.<br />
<br />
Tun STORY OF THE ENGLISH PEOPLE. A Simple Intro-<br />
ductory Historical Reader. By JOHN FINNEMORE.<br />
7x 43. 167 pp. Blackie. 1s. 6d.<br />
<br />
FICTION.<br />
<br />
QuEER LaDy Jupas. By “Rita.” 72 x 43. 345 pp.<br />
Hutchinson. 6s.<br />
<br />
A Frontier Mystery. By BERTRAM MITFORD.<br />
72 x 5. 307 pp. White. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE YOUNGEST Miss BrowN. By FLORENCE WARDEN.<br />
72x 5, 320 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s.<br />
<br />
A Sporter oF Men. By RicHARD MARSH. 72 xX «5.<br />
306 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s.<br />
<br />
SoRREL-Tor. By E. CRAWFORD (Mrs. J. A. Crawford).<br />
73 x 5. 351 pp. Drane. 6s.<br />
<br />
CAPTAIN BALAAM OF THE “ CORMORANT,” AND OTHER<br />
Sea ComepiEs. By Morney ROBERTS. 73 X 5.<br />
228 pp. Nash. 3s. 6d.<br />
<br />
Li TING oF LONDON AND OTHER STORIES. By Gro. R.<br />
Sims. 64 x 33. 222pp. Chatto & Windus. 1s. 6d.<br />
THE OLD CANTONMENT. By B. M. CROKER, 7] x 5.<br />
<br />
294 pp. Methuen. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE GOLDEN Poon. By R. AUSTIN FREEMAN. 7} X 5.<br />
341 pp. Cassell. 6s.<br />
<br />
Aw INSTINCTIVE CRIMINAL. By GILBERT COLERIDGE.<br />
74x 56. Treherne. 6s.<br />
<br />
DUKE’s Son. By Cosmo HAMILTON. 7} x 5. 279 pp.<br />
Heinemann. 6s.<br />
<br />
MonarcH, THE Big BEAR OF TaLLAc. By ERNEST<br />
THOMPSON SETON. 73 x 6. 214 pp. Constable. 5s. n.<br />
<br />
Grounp Ivy. By Myra Swan, 73 X 5. 332 pp.<br />
Brown, Langham. 6s.<br />
<br />
HEARTS OF WALES. By ALLEN Rate. 7} x 5. 347 pp.<br />
Hutchinson. 6s.<br />
<br />
A CouRrER oF FortunE. By A. W. MARCHMONT.<br />
73 x 5. 384 pp. Ward Lock. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE Master MumMMeR. By E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM.<br />
<br />
. 7% x5. 815 pp. Ward Lock. 6s.<br />
<br />
A Liypsay’s Love. By CHARLES LOWE.<br />
420 pp. Werner Laurie. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE MANITOBAN. By H. H. BAsHForD. Lane. 6s.<br />
<br />
8 x 5h.<br />
<br />
A Town ROMANCE, OR ON LONDON STONES. By Cc. C.<br />
ANDREWS (“CARL SWERDNA”). 73 X 5. 397 pp.<br />
<br />
Messrs. James Clarke. Cheaper edition, 2s.<br />
<br />
HISTORY.<br />
<br />
Tuer CHURCH IN MapRas; being the history of the<br />
Ecclesiastical and Missionary action of the East India<br />
Company in the Presidency of Madras in the 17th<br />
and 18th centuries, chiefly from the company’s own<br />
records preserved at the India Office. By the Ray.<br />
FRANK PENNY, LL.M., late Chaplain His Majesty’s<br />
Indian Service (Madras Establishment). 33 illustrations,<br />
demy 8vo. 9 x 6. 700 pp. including index. Smith,<br />
Elder & Co. 21s. n.<br />
<br />
MEDICAL.<br />
<br />
Tur Foop Inspectors’ Hanppook. By F. VACHER.<br />
4th Edition. Illustrated. 73 x 5. 231 pp. The<br />
Sanitary Publishing Co. 3s. 6d.<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
MISCELLANEOUS.<br />
CHANGE FOR A HALFPENNY; being the Prospectus of the<br />
<br />
Napolio Syndicate. By E. V. Lucas and C. L. GRAVES.<br />
81 x 64. Alston Rivers. 1s. n.<br />
<br />
POETRY.<br />
<br />
PENTHESILEA. By LAURENCE BINYON. 7} X 5. 63 pp.<br />
Constable. 3s. 6d. n.<br />
<br />
POLITICAL.<br />
<br />
RACIAL SUPREMACY. Being Studies in Imperialism. By<br />
J.G. GopARD. 8 x 54. 323 pp. Edinburgh: Morton;<br />
London: Simpkin. 6s.<br />
<br />
STUDIES IN COLONIAL PATRIOTISM. By RICHARD JEBB.<br />
9 x 58. 336pp. Arnold. 12s. 6d. n.<br />
<br />
REPRINTS.<br />
<br />
THe WoRKS OF CHARLES AND Mary Lame. Vol. vi.<br />
Letters 1796—1820; Vol. vii. Letters 1821—1834.<br />
Edited by E. V.Lucas. 9 x 6. 1,025 pp. Methuen,<br />
7s. 6d. each vol.<br />
<br />
SCIENCE.<br />
<br />
A StTuDENT’s TEXT Book oF ZooLoGy. By A. SEDGWICK.<br />
<br />
Vol. Il. 94 x 6}. 705 pp. Sonnenschien. 21s.<br />
<br />
SOCIOLOGY.<br />
<br />
A PECULIAR PEOPLE, THE DouKHOBORS. By AYLMER<br />
MaupeE. 8} xX 5%. 388 pp. Constable. 6s. n.<br />
<br />
A MopErN Utopia. By H. G. WELLS. 7} x 5}. 393 pp.<br />
Chapman & Hall. 7s. 6d.<br />
<br />
SPORT.<br />
<br />
An AnGurr's Hours. By BH. Tf.<br />
8i x 54. 264 pp. Macmillan. 63.<br />
<br />
SHERINGHAM.<br />
<br />
THEOLOGY,<br />
<br />
THE BIBLE IN MopEeRN ENe@uisH. Old Testament,<br />
Four Vols. Introduction and Critical Notes (2nd<br />
Edition). 214+187+245+346 pp. New Testament in<br />
Modern English with some Critical Notes. One Vol.<br />
(8rd Edition of the Gospels and Seventh of St. Paul's<br />
<br />
Epistles translated afresh), 255 pp. By FERRAR<br />
FENTON, F.R.A.S. 73 x 5. Partridge.<br />
<br />
THE TRIAL OF JESUS. By G1ovANNI Rosapi. Trans-<br />
lated from the third Italian edition. Edited by Dr.<br />
Emin Reicw. 73 x 54. 342 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. 0.<br />
<br />
THe CHRIST IN THE TEACHER. Four Addresses given<br />
in the Chapel of Keble College, Oxford, January 14th.<br />
and 15th, 1905. By J. HUNTLEY SKRINE. 7} X 43.<br />
46 pp. Simpkin, Marshall. 1s. 6d. n.<br />
<br />
—————_—_o ro —_—<br />
<br />
LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL<br />
NOTES.<br />
<br />
— ><br />
<br />
E understand that the annual dinner of the<br />
London Shakespeare League will be held<br />
on the 6th of May.<br />
<br />
honorary secretary to the-dinner, at the price<br />
of 8s. 6d. to members and their guests and<br />
10s. 6d. to non-members. All enquiries concerning<br />
<br />
Tickets may be —<br />
obtained of Mrs. Gomme, who is acting a8<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
¢) the dinner should be made of Mrs.<br />
© 24, Dorset Square, N. W.<br />
<br />
“The Irish Bee Guide,’ by the Rev. J. C.<br />
‘| Digges is a new book on bees and bee-keeping,<br />
containing 150 illustrations. It can be obtained,<br />
in“a paper cover, for 2s, nett, and in art linen for<br />
/© 3s. nett, from Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall & Co.,<br />
«i in London; and Eason & Son, Ltd., Dublin.<br />
<br />
Mr. J. M. Stuart Young is accumulating material<br />
o| for a new negro novel.<br />
<br />
Mr. Fisher Unwin has recently published a new<br />
work by Mr. Barry Pain, entitled ‘‘ The Memoirs of<br />
Constantine Dix.” The book narrates the career<br />
of a professional thief who keeps three banking<br />
© accounts as well as houses in Bloomsbury and<br />
Brighton, and is, moreover, a philanthropist<br />
v2 greatly interested in the reclamation of the lower<br />
> classes.<br />
<br />
“The Double Rose,” by J. W. Boulding, is the<br />
<br />
29 title of a play, originally performed at the Adelphi<br />
i= Theatre, which Messrs. Jarrold & Son, have now<br />
we issued at the price of 1s. The play is of historical<br />
‘ai interest, dealing with the fortunes of the houses of<br />
of York and Lancaster.<br />
<br />
: ““Marjorie’s Mistake” is the title selected by<br />
* Miss Bertha M. M. Miniken (author of “Where<br />
) the Ways Part,” “Through Life’s Rough Way,”<br />
.* “An English Wife,” etc.) for her new novel,<br />
6 dealing with life in the south west of England,<br />
“© mainly. It will be issued about May 18th, by Mr.<br />
») George A. Morton, Edinburgh.<br />
<br />
; “The Young Preacher’s Guide,” by the Rev.<br />
1) Gilbert Monks, with a preface by the Archdeacon<br />
_1- of London, which was published recently by Mr.<br />
19 Elliot Stock, is divided into two parts, the first part<br />
* dealing with the preparation of the sermon, andthe<br />
© second part with the mode of delivery.<br />
<br />
t Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall & Co., have recently<br />
“a: published a work entitled “Darwinian Fallacies,”<br />
% by John Scouller. As its title indicates, Mr.<br />
© Scouller’s book is mainly devoted to an exposure of<br />
“19 what, in his opinion, are the fallacies inherent in<br />
4%) Mr. Darwin’s theory of evolution. He has, how-<br />
¥ ever, in addition, given a demonstration of those<br />
<br />
szomme, at<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
“principles which, he considers, will bring the.<br />
<br />
ef doctrines of modern science into complete harmony<br />
10) with the teachings of Christ.<br />
<br />
a Rennie Rennison, the author of “ George’s<br />
o> Georgina,” has written another novel ‘“ Mixed<br />
) Relationships,” which Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall<br />
¥ + & Co. published in April. The story is one of<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
> recent times, the Jocale changing from the worsted<br />
<br />
2) districts of Yorkshire to the cotton districts of<br />
<br />
“® Lancashire ; mill life—as viewed by the manager<br />
<br />
“rather than the operative—is to a certain extent<br />
<br />
' discussed.<br />
<br />
‘The “Minor Masters of the Old British School<br />
of Painting” is the title of a work by George H.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
221<br />
<br />
Shepherd, which contains the name, birthplace,<br />
date of birth and death, and branch of art of over<br />
one hundred artists. It is published by Messrs.<br />
Shepherd Bros., 27 King Street, St. James’s,<br />
<br />
Messrs. J. B. Lippincott Co. have recently<br />
published a work entitled “The Diseases of<br />
Society ” by G. Frank Lydston, M.D. The special<br />
object of Dr. Lydston has been to indicate the<br />
origin, development, and influence of the anarchist,<br />
criminal and sexual pervert, and that class of<br />
offenders against the moral law who frequently do<br />
not fall under the ban of criminal or civil law.<br />
<br />
Mrs. F. E. Penny, whose last year’s novel “'The<br />
Sanyasi ” is now in a second edition, is publishing<br />
through Messrs. Chatto and Windus another novel<br />
called “Dilys.” It is a South Indian romance, in<br />
which some typical old soldiers of the East India<br />
Company, pensioners living in the cantonment<br />
bazaars, play a part.<br />
<br />
The sale of the first edition of Mr. Howard<br />
Collins’s “ Author and Printer, a Guide for Authors,<br />
Editors, Printers, Correctors of the Press, Com-<br />
positors and Typists” (Henry Frowde) was so<br />
satisfactory that within five days of publication<br />
the second edition—or rather impression, as there<br />
will be no alteration in it—was put in the hands of<br />
the printers, the Oxford University Press, and it is<br />
hoped will soon be ready for sale. That the work<br />
is of practical use, may be gathered from the fact<br />
that in one of the largest printing establishments<br />
in the provinces--employing nearly a thousand<br />
hands—-the compositors have requisitioned the<br />
principals to adopt and use it all through the<br />
works.<br />
<br />
Mademoiselle Helene Vacaresco has published<br />
with Harper Bros., London and New York, “Songs<br />
of the Valiant Voivode,” collected from Roumanian<br />
peasants. The author states in her preface that<br />
she has wandered through Roumania from village<br />
to village and gathered the strange stories that<br />
grow there like flowers in the country. The tales<br />
are drawn from Latin, Dacian and Asiatic sources,<br />
while the mysticism of the Slavonic race may<br />
sometimes be traced in them.<br />
<br />
Mr. Morton has recently published a new novel<br />
by Mr. Robert Aitken, author of ‘‘ Windfalls.”<br />
The title of the work is ‘The Redding Straik.”<br />
<br />
The Early English Text Society is now bringing<br />
out Part II. of Mrs. Mary L. Banks’ edition of the<br />
‘“Alphabetum Narrationum” formerly attributed<br />
to Etienne de Besancon. Part III. will contain<br />
glossary and notes and is to come out later.<br />
<br />
Messrs. Smith, Elder have had to go to press with<br />
a third impression of Mrs. Humphry Ward’s novel,<br />
“The Marriage of William Ashe,” with a fifth<br />
impression of ‘ Peter’s Mother,” by Mrs. H. de la<br />
Pasture ; and with a fifth and thoroughly revised<br />
edition of Mr. Sidney Lee’s “ Life of Shakespeare.”<br />
<br />
<br />
222<br />
<br />
The scene of “The Dryad,” by Justin Huntley<br />
M‘Carthy, is Athens, but not the classic Athens,<br />
nor the Athens of to-day, which have often found<br />
their chroniclers. Mr. M‘Carthy has chosen the<br />
dawn of the fourteenth century, when Greece was<br />
governed by splendid French adventurers, whose<br />
courts were centres of wealth and chivalry. Messrs.<br />
Methuen & Co., are the publishers of this work.<br />
<br />
The same firm have also issued “ Miniatures,” by<br />
Dudley Heath, a history of the Art of Miniature<br />
Painting from its earliest origin and development in<br />
the I!luminated Manuscript under Byzantine, Carlo-<br />
vingian, Celtic, and Saxon influences, and in the<br />
French, Flemish, and Italian schools of the<br />
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, showing the<br />
growth of realistic expression in the Miniature,<br />
and tracing its subsequent history as an indepen-<br />
dent art of portraiture “in little” down to the<br />
present day.<br />
<br />
Messrs. Constable & Co. have recently published,<br />
at the price of 6s., a book by Mr. Aylmer Maude,<br />
entitled “A Peculiar People: the Doukhobors.”<br />
The work, which contains seventeen illustrations,<br />
is a history and description of the remarkable<br />
Russian peasant sect, more than 7,000 of whom<br />
have settled in Canada, and whose virtues and<br />
eccentricities have attracted much attention.<br />
<br />
“ Alice-Sit-by-the-Fire,”’ by J. M. Barrie was<br />
produced at the Duke of York’s theatre, on<br />
Wednesday, April 5th. The piece, which is<br />
whimsical in tone, shows how an extremely young<br />
lady, applied her knowledge of human nature—<br />
derived from five visits to the theatre—to an<br />
entirely innocent action of everyday life, with un-<br />
fortunate results, which are not set right till the<br />
fall of the curtain. The caste included Miss Ellen<br />
Terry, Miss Irene Vanbrugh and Mr. Aubrey<br />
Smith.<br />
<br />
An original farcical comedy in three acts entitled<br />
“Daniel Dibsey,” by George Blagrove, , will be<br />
produced at the Royal Albert Theatre, on Monday<br />
evening, May Ist.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
—__—_—_+—<——__—_.<br />
<br />
PARIS NOTES.<br />
<br />
—<br />
<br />
HE name of Jules Verne has for years past<br />
been a household word in many countries.<br />
His books have been translated into most<br />
languages, including Arabic and Japanese. It<br />
appears that he commenced his literary career by<br />
publishing in a review some stories imitated from<br />
those of Edgar Poe. One of them, “ Un Drame<br />
dans les Airs,” attracted attention and, encouraged<br />
by his success, he at once commenced a novel.<br />
M. Hetzel was so convinced of his talent that<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
he advised him not to depart from the style he had<br />
adopted, and offered to sign a contract with him —<br />
<br />
for two novels a year. ‘This was agreed upon, and<br />
<br />
Jules Verne from that time forth produced the two<br />
<br />
books annually. In spite of the Revolution, the<br />
Franco-German War, and all other outside events,<br />
<br />
the work was accomplished scrupulously. He was<br />
<br />
a most conscientious author, and the despair of his<br />
<br />
printers, as he sometimes revised and corrected ‘<br />
passages nine or ten times before finally approving ae<br />
them. Strange as it may seem, the writer of such —— #'"<br />
adventurous stories was not a traveller. He wrote<br />
<br />
most of his books at his home in Amiens, and his _<br />
<br />
longest journey was probably an excursion in his aff<br />
yacht to the Mediterranean and the English Channel, at<br />
He owned a planisphere on which he had com<br />
menced to trace the voyages of all the heroes of hi piel<br />
books. He had a well-filled library, and quantiti<br />
of journals of travel and scientific publications 0<br />
all kinds, both French and foreign.<br />
<br />
M. Adolphe Brisson tells us that “ Twenty tho<br />
sand Leagues under the Sea” was suggested to hi<br />
by George Sand in one of her letters to him.<br />
<br />
“T hope,” she writes, “that you will soon take<br />
us down into the depths of the sea, and that yo<br />
will let your personages travel in a diving apparat<br />
which with all your science and imagination yo<br />
will be able to improve for the occasion. . .<br />
Thanks a thousand times for the happy moments<br />
I have spent with your books in the midst of my<br />
troubles.”<br />
<br />
Some critics in France declare that Jules Ve<br />
had the gift of second sight. He prophesied<br />
admirably, fifty or twenty-five years ahead, about<br />
many of the most marvellous scientific inventions.<br />
Before there were any railways he affirmed that<br />
voyage round the world would require eighty da<br />
and at present it requires seventy-five. At about<br />
the same time his Captain Nemo goes down into<br />
the depths of the sea in his submarine boat, and<br />
in another of his books, “‘ Robur le Conquérant,<br />
we have the conquest of the air for travelli<br />
purposes.<br />
<br />
In an article on the works of Jules Verne, :<br />
Rzewuski says : “He shows us in his marvellow<br />
series of paradoxical studies how interesting @<br />
picturesque this modern world is, in spite of all<br />
vulgarities and injustices, and how many<br />
elements of beauty, originality and activity<br />
manifested, changing every day the aspect of ti<br />
<br />
lobe.”<br />
<br />
M. Adolphe Brisson considers that there is som<br />
thing more than this in the books of J ules Ver'<br />
“ By taking his young readers into all parts of<br />
world,” he says, ‘he awakens their intelligence<br />
showing them something of life, and he gives the<br />
an idea of the relativity of things, which in 108<br />
is the source of all wisdom and kindliness.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
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<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
ogo) teaches his readers that in every climate and conntry<br />
oi} the eternal terrestrial comedy is always being played,<br />
and that everywhere mankind aspires to a happier<br />
fature of justice and love, to some far-off ideal<br />
which may be chimerical like that of Captain<br />
Hatteras, but the prestige of which we cannot<br />
(se entively abolish. For forty years Jules Verne has<br />
os¢ been more than a savant, vulgarising his science<br />
' a0) for the younger generation. He has been a novelist<br />
ow who at the same time was an idealist.”<br />
I He led an extremely simple life. He was an<br />
ise early riser, and had finished the greater part of his<br />
‘ysh day’s work before luncheon. In the afternoon he<br />
ses read, and then went to do his duty as a citizen,<br />
640) for as a member of the Municipal Council of Amiens<br />
se he took a keen interest in public matters. Twice<br />
»ow & & week he accompanied his wife to the theatre, and<br />
) ed: the other evenings he usually retired early.<br />
‘1. His long list of books are too well known for<br />
‘mec comment. At the time of his death he had a book<br />
| @ in preparation entitled “ L’{nvasion de la Mer,”<br />
» ofl the subject of which occurred to him on seeing<br />
» 9d; the crumbling of the cliffs of Normandy and of<br />
seo those between Dover and Folkestone when on a<br />
i998" recent yachting excursion.<br />
oo: A subscription is being raised for a monnu-<br />
iaoa ment to Jules Verne by his young readers and<br />
us admirers.<br />
i? “ Le Serpent Noir,” by Paul Adam, is one of the<br />
,joeP strongest and, at‘thesame time, most delicate of this<br />
oMmauthor’s novels. The scene is laid in Brittany<br />
oo: and the story is essentially modern. A doctor<br />
» es{ has discovered a marvellous serum, but has no<br />
-<0@ money to spend on the necessary publicity for<br />
sls making the most of his discovery. The serpent<br />
“iit enters his paradise in the form of a certain man<br />
oly who is always on the look-out for commercial<br />
|i enterprises. By specious arguments he endeavours<br />
‘7 ® to persuade the doctor into a divorce in order to<br />
“%8@ marry a wealthy young widow. The great interest<br />
| of the book lies in the psychology of the chief<br />
‘a characters. The devotion and self-sacrifice of the<br />
¥wife, the utter unscrupulousness of the financial<br />
‘onS schemer, and the struggles of the scientist and<br />
“i husband. In the end the doctor realises the base-<br />
» “9sness of the other man’s arguments, and appreciates<br />
eithe devotion and abnegation of his wife. ‘The<br />
wy dénouement is a triumph over the individualism<br />
‘which tramples ruthlessly over all obstacles in its<br />
Yes way.<br />
__ Among the new books are: “ Le Millionnaire,”<br />
-Tby J. H. Rosny; “La Conquérante,” by Georges<br />
aeohast , “ L?Impossible,” by Jean de la Brete ;<br />
al me *Drames de l’Histoire,” by M. le Comte Fleury ;<br />
“1 * La Société francaise du XVI° au XX° Siécles,”’<br />
y M. Victor du Bled ; “ Bonaparte et Moreau,”<br />
«yoy M. Picard ; “Memoires du Comte de Ram-<br />
/Miputeau,” published by his grandson; “ Sophistes<br />
<br />
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<br />
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<br />
223<br />
<br />
francais et la Reévolution européenne,” by M.<br />
Th. Funck-Brentano ; “Le Pape et l’Empereur<br />
(1804—1815),” by M. Henri Welschinger ; “ Au<br />
Service de lAllemagne,” by M. Maurice Barrés ;<br />
“Une Année de Politique Extérieure,” by M.<br />
René Moulin ; “Quatre Cents ans de Concordat,”<br />
by M. Bandrillart.<br />
<br />
In the reviews M. Emile Ollivier writes in<br />
favour of the “Concordat ” in the Correspondant.<br />
<br />
In the Nouvelle Revue Gilbert Stenger writes on<br />
“Le Clergé sous le Consulat.”<br />
<br />
The Marquis de Ségur publishes in the Revue des<br />
Deur-Mondes “ lies Années de Jeunesse de Julie<br />
de Lespinasse,” and M. Pierre Leroy Beaulieu<br />
examines “ La Situation et les Perspectives écono-<br />
miques de la Chine.”<br />
<br />
The Revue de Paris continues the publication of<br />
Wagner’s letters from Paris and from Vienna.<br />
<br />
In the theatrical world we have had “ Scarron,”<br />
by Catulle Mendeés, a great success at the Théatre<br />
dela Gaité ; “L’Age d’aimer,” a comedy in four<br />
acts, by Pierre Wolff, at the Gymnase; “Le<br />
Meilleur Parti,” by Maurice Maindron, a piece<br />
in four acts, at the Théatre Antoine.<br />
<br />
La Duse has had the triumphs of the month at<br />
the Nouveau Théatre.<br />
<br />
Madame Sarah Bernhardt, after “ Angelo,” has<br />
been giving a series of performances of ‘ Esther.”<br />
<br />
“ Monsieur Piégois,” by Alfred Capus, is another<br />
success for the author of “ La Veine.”<br />
<br />
ALYS HALLArp.<br />
<br />
SPANISH NOTES.<br />
<br />
—<br />
<br />
HE recent catastrophe of the bursting of the<br />
reservoir in Madrid has plunged the city in<br />
mourning. Senor Vadillo, the Minister of<br />
<br />
Works, will institute a searching inquiry into the<br />
reason of the disaster, as it has been said that it was<br />
preceded by many ominous signs. However, amid<br />
all the tragic scenes of the disaster, the fact that<br />
the young sovereign, in company with the Prince<br />
of Asturias, hastened in his motor-car to give his<br />
personal assistance to the rescue of those sub-<br />
merged in the ruins, and subsequently visited the<br />
sufferers in the hospitals, and added his royal<br />
mother’s and sister’s names to his liberal donations<br />
on their behalf, has been a ray of sunshine in the<br />
panic and gloom which has pervaded the city, _<br />
<br />
A catastrophe often gives rise to reforms, and in<br />
this case the well-known engineer Don Carlos<br />
Santamaria was appointed to present plans for the<br />
new reservoir which is so urgently required in<br />
Madrid.<br />
<br />
<br />
224<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It was thought that the national disaster of the<br />
bursting reservoir might have led to the postpone-<br />
ment of the royal visit to Valencia, but the King<br />
rightly decided that a delay would cause a great<br />
deal of expense to the city when the preparations<br />
were so far advanced. Moreover, it was not only<br />
in such fétes as the beautiful battle of flowers, etc.,<br />
that the Valencians did honour to their sovereign,<br />
but they had begged his Majesty to lay the first<br />
stone of the lighthouse on the dike to the north<br />
of the harbour ; and it was a great satisfaction to<br />
Don José Canalejas, the eminent politician, who<br />
has combined with General Pando and Don Ramon<br />
Castro in the institution of thirty-six perfectly<br />
sanitary houses at a moderate rent for workmen,<br />
to show the successful result of the labours to the<br />
king.<br />
<br />
Don Benito Galdos is generally associated with<br />
the historical romances which have become classics<br />
in Spanish literature, but his comedy Realidad<br />
marked him as a dramatist some time ago, and<br />
the judgment recorded by the well-known critic,<br />
Leopold Alas, who came from Oviedo on purpose<br />
to be present at the performance, set the seal to<br />
its success. So it was with great interest that<br />
it was heard that a new play from the pen of<br />
“dear Don Benito,” as he is generally styled in<br />
Madrid, was to be performed.<br />
<br />
The drama shows the power of the great writer<br />
to set forth the small details as well as the ruling<br />
passions of life ; and it is thus that the play, which<br />
takes its name from the heroine, “ Barbara,” never<br />
ceases to interest the audience, although her crimes<br />
naturally savour of Sicilian life in the nineteenth<br />
century, in which epoch it is laid. The story goes<br />
that the lady, in desperation at her husband's<br />
prutalities, managed to compass his death, and<br />
although the fact of the murder of this governor of<br />
Syracuse was known to the deputy Horace and two<br />
others, they all preserved silence in the hope that<br />
Barbara would marry the murdered man’s brother,<br />
who had returned from the East with a great<br />
fortune. The heroine’s love for Leonardo, an<br />
unpractical mystic, was a serious barrier to this<br />
plan, but the obstacle was removed by the plotters<br />
accusing the unhappy man of the murder of<br />
Barbara’s husband, and after a powerful scene<br />
between the two lovers, Leonardo suffers the result<br />
of the crime of his beloved, while she ultimately<br />
marries the rich man from the East. It is only<br />
the acute suffering of Barbara which seems to<br />
counterbalance in any way such “triumphs of the<br />
wicked,” and it requires the pen of a genius, with<br />
very powerful acting, to show that such triumphs<br />
are not synonymous with happiness.<br />
<br />
The present illness of Don Juan Valera, the well-<br />
known writer, is evoking much sympathy and<br />
interest in the social as well as the literary<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
world, where the veteran author is a well-known<br />
figure. ‘ Pepita Jiménez” was one of his books,<br />
which had an immense influence in society.<br />
When an illustrious lady, who was known for her<br />
worldliness once complained to the author that<br />
she could not put the work into the hands of her<br />
daughters, who were two veritable angels, the<br />
author replied: ‘‘I have not written the book,<br />
madam, for daughters such as, yours, but for<br />
mothers such as you are.” Valera has always had<br />
a contempt for politics, and when some years ago<br />
Canovas and Castelar were using their opposing<br />
influences with regard to the Restoration, Valera<br />
remarked that Canovas was stimulated in the<br />
struggle by the clever speeches directed by Castelar<br />
against his scheme, and that Castelar’s eloquence<br />
would never have reached such perfection had it<br />
not been brought to bear against such a powerful<br />
opponent, without whom he would have been like<br />
a fiddler with no audience. When approached by<br />
America to write a treatise on the reason of the<br />
decadence of Spain, Valera refused the offer,<br />
lucrative as it would have been. “No,” he<br />
replied, “ you ask me to write a satire on my<br />
mother. I have no pen with which to do it, and<br />
if I had, it would pierce my heart.” Valera was<br />
taken ill whilst engaged on a scientific work on<br />
Cervantes, and it will be a loss to the literary out-<br />
put of this season, so filled with tributes to the<br />
seventeenth century author, if it cannot celebrate<br />
the result of a student of such renown on the<br />
subject.<br />
<br />
It is interesting to note the stride now made by<br />
woman in Spain in literature. “Mis Flores”<br />
(My Flowers) is the title of a book just published<br />
by a poetess of the name of Concha Espina de<br />
Serna, and in the prologue from the pen of<br />
Enrique Menendez Pelayo, the writer says: “These<br />
verses are the spontaneous outcome of a woman's<br />
<br />
sensible, tender, loving, and ductile mind, swayed —<br />
by the breeze of life, and responding like a sensitive —<br />
<br />
plant to the emotions of the spirit.” Ricardo<br />
Leon, moreover, remarks that this authoress has<br />
<br />
the gift of Andersen for seeing stories in the —<br />
commonplace things of life, so that an old clock, a _<br />
<br />
table, or a girl reading at a window, assumes &<br />
new interest under the magic power of her pen.<br />
<br />
“To posible,” now placed on the boards ab —<br />
Madrid, shows that Linares Rivas has by Ro ~<br />
<br />
means exhausted his versatility.<br />
<br />
Eusebio Blasco’s last volume of verses entitled —<br />
“ Poesias Festicas” has just been published, and as —<br />
one of the critics says, “ He is, indeed, a poet, and |<br />
<br />
moreover, a modern human poet, who idealises the<br />
things of every-day life in a way unknown to the<br />
uneducated. His style is untrammelled by being<br />
<br />
that of any particular school, and it has am<br />
<br />
attraction peculiar to itself.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-against 2,072 new editions for 1903.<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR. 225<br />
<br />
The ovation just accorded to Luis Morote shows<br />
that the Spaniards are very ready to give tribute<br />
to intelligence and pluck, and if I gave the names<br />
of all the celebrities assembled to do honour to<br />
the writer on his return from Russia, it would take<br />
two columns of print ; and the fact of Canalejas,<br />
the well-known democratic and liberal monarchist,<br />
making a speech in favour of the guest of the<br />
evening, shows the broad-minded nature of the<br />
assembly. The journalist’s accounts of his inter-<br />
views with Tolstoi, Gorky, ete., were listened to<br />
with the deepest interest, and as he told in simple<br />
language the story of his efforts in pursuit of his<br />
profession, it was felt that the Socialist only spoke<br />
the truth when he declared that whereas Valencia<br />
is his country, his life lay in the Spanish Press.<br />
<br />
RAcHEL CHALLICE.<br />
<br />
$$? > —_______<br />
<br />
UNITED STATES BOOK PRODUCTION<br />
IN 1904.<br />
<br />
——+<br />
<br />
(Reproduced from the United States Publishers’<br />
Weekly.)<br />
<br />
HE number of books recorded by The<br />
Publishers’ Weekly in 1904, through its<br />
“Weekly Record of New Publications,”<br />
<br />
was 8,291. The new editions of standard works,<br />
<br />
and the additions to series are included in this<br />
<br />
total, of which 6,971 are new books and 1,320<br />
<br />
new editions. The whole number of books put on<br />
<br />
record in 1904 by the Weekly exceeded the number<br />
for 1903 by 426, when the total was 7,865. The<br />
<br />
table shows 1,178 more new books than in 1903,<br />
<br />
when the figures were only 5,793, and 752 less<br />
<br />
new editions ; that is, 1,520 new editions for 1904<br />
<br />
The in-<br />
<br />
creased proportion of new books over all previous<br />
<br />
years illustrates in a marked degree the steady,<br />
<br />
normal growth of the publishing business in a<br />
<br />
year—a Presidential year—when great things were<br />
<br />
not looked for. The analytical table, dividing the<br />
year’s output into twenty classes, betrays few<br />
notable changes. Fiction keeps its old place at<br />
the head of the list, with one of the largest majori-<br />
ties it has had in many years. Theology and<br />
<br />
Religion, which in 1903 lost its position as the<br />
<br />
second in number to Fiction, regained it in 1904,<br />
<br />
being followed closely by Literature and Collected<br />
<br />
Works, Education and Law. Juvenile books were<br />
<br />
not as abundant as in 1903, Poetry and the Drama<br />
<br />
-and Biography both taking a step above this class.<br />
<br />
Physical and Mathematical Science moved to a<br />
<br />
position above History, while Description, etc.,<br />
<br />
fell two steps lower than it has usually held.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
TABLE No, 1.<br />
CLASSES.<br />
Fiction ... oe se ae oe a S16 644 | 1,007 $14<br />
Theology and Religion ee 233 280 | 7B de<br />
Literature and Collected Works 8| 331] 644] 538<br />
Education = < a Db]. 721 6991 36<br />
Law se re i i 98 | 606 | s<br />
Poetry and the Drama ao 25) 530 | 8<br />
Biography, Correspondence ... 45 | 416 21<br />
Be 42/ 408] 11<br />
land Mathematical Science 245 322 | 52<br />
Bae oe ote is 7 315 42<br />
Political and Social Science See 12 297 | 39<br />
Medicine, Hygiene... aes 97 186 92<br />
Fine Arts: Illus. Gift Books 13 230 23<br />
Description, Geography, Travel 25 215 | 25<br />
Jseful Arts ae ae 26] 144) 3)<br />
sand Amusements 16 110 4<br />
Works of Reference 17 87 1<br />
Domestic¢ and Rural 15) 72) 8<br />
Philosophy ae 8| 54] 4<br />
Humour and Satire 4) 6] | 4<br />
Totals 9,793 | 2,072 | 6,971 | 1,320<br />
2,072 | 1,320 |<br />
7,865<br />
<br />
| $,291 |<br />
|<br />
<br />
There was little Philosophy in the year’s make-up,<br />
and even less Humour. Out of the whole total<br />
of 8,291 books recorded, 3,750 were received at<br />
this office, against 3,549 of 1903, being an increase<br />
of 201. The balance represents titles gathered<br />
from copyright entries, from information sent<br />
by publishers, and in various other ways. ‘There<br />
were of these 4,541 against 4,316 of the same<br />
class in 1903, an increase of 225. Table No. 1<br />
gives in classes the figures, approximately, of the<br />
book production in this country in 1904, with<br />
those of 1903 for comparison.<br />
<br />
Table No. 2 attempts to show the number of<br />
books manufactured in the United States in 1904—<br />
first, those by American authors ; second, those by<br />
English or other foreign authors made in this<br />
country according to the demands of copyright<br />
law; and third, the books in English imported<br />
bound or in sheets, these three classes comprising<br />
the book production of the United States in<br />
1904. The first and second classes are almost<br />
all copyright books. This table, like the former,<br />
scarcely claims to be exactly correct, as it is<br />
impossible always to trace the history of a<br />
work, from its author to its final publication.<br />
The table shows 5,978 books by American authors<br />
against 5,621 of 1903 ; 1,288 books by English or<br />
other foreign authors (made here), against 1,356<br />
of 1903; and 1,025 books or sheets imported,<br />
against 888 of 1903. The reprints were, as usual,<br />
the largest in fiction, amounting to 491, far less,<br />
however, than in several years previous, when<br />
almost double that number of English or other<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
226<br />
<br />
foreign novels were reprinted. The most evident<br />
fact demonstrated by this table is the great number<br />
of books by American authors published in 1904<br />
in all classes of literature.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
TaBLe No. 2.<br />
<br />
CLASSES.<br />
<br />
Fiction .... os a<br />
Theology and Religion... ee<br />
Literature and Collected Works<br />
Education : ee Si<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Law es ae oN<br />
<br />
Poetry and the Drama... ane 68<br />
Biography, Correspondence, «Xe. 121<br />
Juvenile ... ave os a tes 35<br />
Physical and Mathematical Science... 79<br />
History... oe Ses, aes a 75<br />
Political and Social Science ... 51<br />
Medicine, Hygiene aS oe 13<br />
Fine Arts: Illus. Gift Books 94<br />
Description, Geography, Tra vel 75<br />
Useful Arts a Fon a 36<br />
Sports and Amusements is<br />
Works of Reference 8<br />
Domestic and Rural 4<br />
Philosophy ae 13<br />
Humour and Satire 1<br />
<br />
Totals<br />
<br />
Oo<br />
<br />
RUSSIA AND POLAND: THEIR AUTHORS<br />
AND THEIR COPYRIGHT LAW.<br />
<br />
—_——+—<br />
<br />
§ Russia had given birth to such eminent poets<br />
as Puschkin, Lermontoff, and Kryloff, such<br />
dramatists as Griboedoff and Gogol, such<br />
<br />
novelists as Dostoyevsky, Turgenief, and Nekrasoff,<br />
in the first part of the past century, it was natural<br />
to believe that after such splendid promise the<br />
future should bring even more eminent authors<br />
to the knowledge of mankind, but the result of<br />
these expectations was rather disappointing.<br />
To-day there is neither poet nor dramatist of any<br />
exceptional merit, and the novelists and short story<br />
writers are not so numerous as the huge develop-<br />
ment of. literature gave a right to expect.<br />
<br />
Outside the writers best known to the English<br />
public, Tolstoy, Tschechof, Korolenko, and Gorky,<br />
there are only a few who merit special mention :<br />
H. Jasynsky and the well-known war correspon-<br />
dent, Nemyrovytz-Datschenko, and perhaps Mrs.<br />
Nadejda Vladimirovna Yakovlef, better known<br />
‘ander her nom de plume of “ Lanskaya,” who is the<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
authoress of an excellent novel translated into<br />
many European languages, “ Obrusyteli.” There<br />
is algo the humourist Leykin, who in his excellent<br />
sketches gives, very well indeed, satirical and comic<br />
pictures of various classes in Russian society.<br />
<br />
The development of the Russian press at the<br />
end of the last century and in the present one<br />
has been very great, when we consider the<br />
colossal number of the illiterate in Russia. Over<br />
700 periodicals have been issued, and out of<br />
these over 100 dailies, which command a large<br />
sale. Out of about one hundred millions of<br />
people* who can speak Russian, no more than<br />
twenty millions can be taken into account as<br />
readers of books and newspapers. The develop-<br />
ment of the press was helped by the cheap postal<br />
rates, and there are newspapers published and sent<br />
post free for a year for the sum of 8s. 6d., the<br />
postal payment being taken monthly, 20 per cent.<br />
of the subscription price for dailies, and even less:<br />
for other periodicals.<br />
<br />
Such an enormous journalistic output followed<br />
by large demands for books, without an adequate<br />
supply of original works, created the necessity of<br />
translating the work of foreign authors. The first<br />
in the field, of course, were the Polish novelists<br />
and playwrights whose writings were adapted;<br />
practically there is not a single Polish novelist,<br />
playwright, or short story writer worth mentioning,<br />
whose works were not published in the Russian<br />
papers or in book form. Next came the adaptation<br />
of the works of French and English authors, and<br />
these are translated and published in Russia, not<br />
only in single volumes, but in complete editions,<br />
accompanied sometimes by copies of the original<br />
illustrations which appeared in the English edition.<br />
The most popular English author in Russia at<br />
present is Mr. Jerome K. Jerome, whose books are:<br />
issued in Russia immediately after their produc-<br />
tion in England, often by several publishers.<br />
<br />
With the production of plays by foreign authors<br />
the same practice obtains. The Government<br />
stage is the first to set the example of pirating<br />
operas, comic operas and plays, without dreaming<br />
of paying any royalty ; of course, this malpractice<br />
is imitated by others. :<br />
<br />
But while in the case of the novelist the name<br />
of the author remains in the Russian adaptation,<br />
the adaptor or rather the translator of the play<br />
often omits to mention the name of its author, or<br />
the language from which he has taken it.<br />
Occasionally he may make some alteration to<br />
avoid detection, and will pose as an original play-<br />
wright.<br />
<br />
os<br />
<br />
ee<br />
<br />
* Out of a total of 125,680,682 persons living, in Russia,<br />
only 55,667,469 axe really Russians according to official<br />
statistical returns from census of 1897 just published.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
Lately, on the same principle, a good many<br />
scientific works have been published at very low<br />
prices to popularise science.<br />
<br />
A society called “the Union ” formerly existed,<br />
composed of authors and journalists, whose aims<br />
were similar to those of the members of our<br />
* Authors’ Society,” but for political reasons it<br />
was closed last year by the Government. *The<br />
existing copyright law does not materially protect<br />
authors, as it is very difficult to prove plagiarism<br />
or infringement of copyright. According to the<br />
law, one sheet, equal to sixteen pages of an<br />
ordinary-sized book, can be quoted without in-<br />
fringement of copyright, and as no special size of<br />
type has been settled upon as legal, even this law<br />
may entail much controversy. Articles and short<br />
stories can, of course, be borrowed legally ; trans-<br />
lation from foreign languages is sanctioned by law<br />
even of books and publications issued in Russia in<br />
the numerous languages of the various peoples<br />
conquered by the Russian nation. Only in the<br />
republication of original books more than one<br />
sheet is forbidden ; the performance of plays as<br />
long as they are not published in book form can be<br />
forbidden, if the original language in which the<br />
play was written is used.<br />
<br />
Knowing that the author of “Madame Sans<br />
Géne” + had taken all strict precautions when the<br />
play was produced in Paris to prevent any Russian<br />
theatrical managers from obtaining copies of the<br />
work, M. Korsch, the richest theatrical owner in<br />
Russia, travelled specially to Paris. Finding the<br />
price asked for the right of performing the play in<br />
Russia too high, and having been refused a copy<br />
of the work by the prompter (although he offered a<br />
thousand francs for it), the disappointed purchaser<br />
attended the theatre during a few performances,<br />
wrote down the play, and afterwards produced it<br />
in Moscow. Usually foreign operas and plays for<br />
the Imperial stage are bought from prompters ; the<br />
musical scores of “the Geisha” were bought from<br />
a touring company in Austria for a few pounds.<br />
When the Government leads the way in dishonour-<br />
able transactions, no wonder that its imitators are<br />
equally unscrupulous.<br />
<br />
Notwithstanding this unenviable condition of<br />
affairs in Russian Poland, owing to the strict<br />
censorship which rules there, Polish literature is<br />
prospering, and may justly claim the third place,<br />
after English and French, in European literature.<br />
Not only does the number, but the quality, of its<br />
authors give it this right.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately the world at large knows little of<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
.A book on Russian copyright law was published<br />
some years ago by an eminent lawyer, Spasovitch.<br />
<br />
t+ The English version is called, I think, “ Duchess of<br />
Dantzig,”<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
227<br />
<br />
the rank which Polish authors have attained in<br />
the sphere of letters, for, with the exception of all<br />
the works of Sienkiewicz, one novel of Glowacki,<br />
and two novels of Miss Rodziewicz, nothing has<br />
been translated into English. Two novels of an<br />
eminent author are at this moment in course of<br />
publication.<br />
<br />
The yearly output of Polish books is over two<br />
thousand, and is considerably above a million of<br />
copies. There are over five hundred Polish periodi-<br />
cals, of which eleven daily papers and ninety-two<br />
weeklies and monthlies are published in Warsaw<br />
alone. In the United States, seven dailies and<br />
forty-three weeklies are published ; in Brazil three<br />
weeklies, two in Paris, one in Switzerland, and one<br />
in Italy ; all the rest are issued in provincial towns<br />
of Russian, Ausfrian, and German Poland. If it is<br />
said that the figures quoted are not large for a<br />
nation of over thirty millions of people, out of<br />
which twenty millions are in Russia, three millions<br />
in America, and the remainder divided between<br />
Austrian and German Poland, let the political<br />
situation be remembered, especially the fact that<br />
in nine provinces of Russian Poland no Polish<br />
publications are allowed, that even in Warsaw<br />
there was a time when permission for new publica-<br />
tions was refused by the Government, and that<br />
even now this is difficult to obtain; then it will<br />
be conceded that the results are astonishing. The<br />
development of Polish literature under such<br />
depressing circumstances is wonderful. Its many<br />
shades are well represented ; history and fiction<br />
have authors of standard va'ue as well as the<br />
largest number of representatives.<br />
<br />
Towards the end of the third quarter of the last<br />
century, between 1870 and 1900, the output of<br />
Polish fiction was not only meagre in quantity,<br />
but in value, for some of the greatest novelists,<br />
like Joseph Korzeniowski, had died; Kaczkowski<br />
was silent ; Kraszewski (the father of the novel in<br />
Poland, who had written more than 750 volumes<br />
of romances, poetry, and history) was in exile ;<br />
Sigismund Milkowski, another great writer of fic-<br />
tion, though still alive, had been forced to live<br />
in Switzerland, for he was a member of the late<br />
National Government of 1863. At this moment<br />
the first book of Henry K. Sienkiewicz, the<br />
author of “Quo Vadis,” appeared, and simul-<br />
taneously those of Alexander Glowacki, the Polish<br />
Dickens, Clemens Junosza Szaniawski, the writer<br />
who has faithfully described the nobility of the<br />
country as well as the country Jews in Poland,<br />
and Adolf Dygasinski, an excellent novelist, whose<br />
special art consisted in describing the heroism of<br />
animals, and who is unique in the world’s literature.<br />
Historical novels were represented in addition to<br />
the above by Adam Krechowiecki and T. Jeske-<br />
Choinski, all of them standard authors, whose<br />
<br />
<br />
228<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
works were translated into many foreign languages,<br />
especially Russian and German. If we do not<br />
reckon Sienkiewicz, only one novel, the last of<br />
Alexander Glowacki’s, ‘‘The Pharaoh and the<br />
Priest,’ has been published in the English language<br />
and appeared in America three years ago ; all the<br />
others are unknown to the British public. At the<br />
same time, Mrs. Elize Orzeszko began to write.<br />
Some of her best novels, as “ Eli Makower” and<br />
“ Meir Ezofowicz,” are mainly concerned with<br />
descriptions of Jewish society. The subject is<br />
treated without prejudice and with great talent.<br />
<br />
The number of ladies who are novelists is very<br />
large, but two names merit special mention: Mrs.<br />
Gabriel Snieszko-Zapolska, the Polish George Sand,<br />
and Miss Mary Rodziewicz, whose novels ‘‘ Anima<br />
Vilis” and “ Distaff” are known to the English<br />
public, having been brought out*in English by<br />
a London publisher.<br />
<br />
The appearance of so many first-class stars on<br />
the Polish literary horizon had its effect on the<br />
previously large output of French novels, and the<br />
development of the literary movement was followed<br />
by an increasing demand of unprecedented strength,<br />
The end of the last century was marked not only<br />
by the appearance of a very large number of<br />
authors, but by their extraordinary talent, so that<br />
were one asked to name the greatest novelist in<br />
Poland, it would be impossible to select one from a<br />
dozen whose genius is pre-eminent. Dombrowski’s<br />
novel “ Death” is a masterpiece of its kind. Un-<br />
fortunately his other works suffer by comparison,<br />
and he will be celebrated as the author of one<br />
book.<br />
<br />
Waclaw Gasiorowski has written a whole series<br />
of novels from the time of Napoleon, two of which,<br />
one dealing with a descendant of the Stuarts and<br />
another called “‘ Countess Walewska ” (the mother<br />
of the Prime Minister of Napoleon III.), are in<br />
course of publication in London. The Polish<br />
Manchester “‘ Lodz” has been immortalised by<br />
Wladislaw Rejmont as “The Promised Land.”<br />
The Government, by sending Waclaw Sieroszewski<br />
to Siberia, unwittingly gave to that region a Polish<br />
Kipling, who discovered unknown nations in that<br />
vast country and depicted them with great talent<br />
in his novels and stories. Stefan Zeromski is the<br />
Polish Gorky, except that he has no personal<br />
experience of slum life. With the addition of the<br />
names of Baron Weyssenhoff and Casimir Glinski<br />
and Tetmajer, the list of great Polish authors may<br />
be complete.<br />
<br />
The most popular author of all is of course<br />
Sienkiewicz, but not as the author of ‘Quo<br />
Vadis,” but of “With Fire and Sword” and<br />
other historical novels which were found in the<br />
houses of the poorest peasants, and are the best<br />
defence against the Germanisation and Russification<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
of Poles. In this respect Sienkiewicz stands alone ;<br />
his work is partly shared by Alexander Glowacki,<br />
some of whose books are very popular among the<br />
working classes in the towns of Poland.<br />
<br />
One peculiar fact should be noted, viz., that all<br />
the leading novelists belong to the very oldest noble<br />
families of Poland, and in other branches of litera-<br />
ture the same class is conspicuous among the chief<br />
authors. History mostly dealing with national<br />
events is a very popular study in Poland, and the<br />
number of writers is extensive. The authors most<br />
widely known are ‘Tadeusz Korzon, Szymon<br />
Askenazy, Oswald Balzer, and Alexander Briickner.<br />
Essayists and critics are also numerous, Julian<br />
Klaczko, who is not only well known in Poland,<br />
but also in France, where his work on Pope<br />
Julius IJ. won him Continental fame, deserves<br />
special mention. Dr. Matlakowski’s work on<br />
Shakespeare belongs to the best of its kind in world<br />
literature, and most able studies may be found on<br />
Tennyson as reviewed by Dr. Swiecicki, Byron<br />
and Shelley by Matuszewski, French literature by<br />
Wladyslaw Jablonowski, Polish poets by Ferdi-<br />
nand Hoesick.<br />
<br />
All the English leading authors are not only<br />
well known to the reading public in Poland, but<br />
their works are discussed in periodicals and hand-<br />
books of literature, while many have their merits<br />
reviewed in essays, even such modern writers as.<br />
Hall Caine, Kipling, Hardy, and others.<br />
<br />
An excellent book on England was written:<br />
by Tadeusz Smarzewski entitled “Holidays in<br />
England.” It is by far the best study of life and<br />
manners in this country which has appeared in<br />
Poland; its judgment is sound, and the author's.<br />
appreciation is correct.<br />
<br />
Poetry also has many representatives, the<br />
leaders being Mrs. Konopnicka (also a very gifted<br />
short-story writer), Miss Jadwiga Luszczewska,.<br />
and Miss Terpilowska, whose poem ‘ Borys,” being<br />
unfortunately banned by the censor, is little<br />
known, but is a work of rare merit. As it dealt<br />
with the history of Rome, it was supposed to<br />
affect the Tzardom injuriously, and was therefore<br />
forbidden. Among the men the chief poets are<br />
A, Lange, K. Glinski, Arthur Uppman, Kasprowicz,<br />
and others. As arule short poems are the more<br />
numerous.<br />
<br />
Comedy is in course of revival.<br />
<br />
has many gifted authors who deal generally with<br />
local subjects. Of these the principal are Feldman,<br />
Jaroszynski, Kisielewski, Swietochowski, K. Zaleski,<br />
and Wyspianski.<br />
<br />
There is not a subject which has not been dealt<br />
with by distinguished authors. Even the cats<br />
found a historian in M. Jacques de Vermond<br />
Leonard, a Polish writer with a foreign name.<br />
<br />
In former —<br />
years Poland had her Moliére in Fredro ; now she —<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
The statement made in the Evho de Paris con-<br />
cerning the predominance of French literature in<br />
Russia caused me to look up statistics relating to<br />
foreign books published in Poland. The catalogue<br />
of Messrs. Gebethner and Wolff (large Polish pub-<br />
lishers) gives 1138 works, of which 222 are trans-<br />
lations. This makes two in ten to be foreign,<br />
more than half of which are English, a little less<br />
than a quarter French, the remainder being trans-<br />
lations from Spanish, Italian, Scandinavian,<br />
Russian, or other languages. The majority of<br />
foreign books are not novels, but publications<br />
for children or scientific works.<br />
<br />
Polish literature is very poor in popular scientific<br />
books or those which deal with trades of all kinds,<br />
as well as manufacturers’ manuals. In Poland<br />
there are more than 600 booksellers and above<br />
100 publishers; over 2,000 works are published<br />
by the authors themselves, and given to Messrs.<br />
Gebethner and Wolff or any other leading book-<br />
seller (who also publishes on his own account) for<br />
sale on commission. The method of dealing between<br />
authors and publishers is exceedingly primitive:<br />
no agreement is made, but the author receives a<br />
certain amount of money in advance, gives a<br />
receipt for it in which he says that he has sold his<br />
book, or an edition of it, for such a price. The<br />
number of copies in an edition is usually limited,<br />
but no one can control the number the publisher<br />
may choose to issue. The publisher gives no<br />
written agreement to the author, but after five<br />
years from the publication of the work the author<br />
may legally sell it for the issue of a second edition<br />
to another publisher.<br />
<br />
The majority of authors are not professional<br />
writers ; they are landowners or have other means<br />
of living. Those who earn their bread by their pen<br />
are few, unless they work as journalists. Mr.<br />
Barrie’s two novels brought him larger profits than<br />
all Sienkiewicz’s works put together yielded to him,<br />
or indeed the combined publications of any vther<br />
five leading Polish novelists. With the exception<br />
of Sienkiewicz, no author would refuse £500 for a<br />
novel, most would accept £200 with pleasure, while<br />
the majority would sell their book for from £30 to<br />
£50. Ifan author is fortunate enough to secure the<br />
publication of his novel serially in a daily paper in<br />
Austrian or German Poland, and simultaneously in<br />
a Warsaw daily, he may hope to make from £150<br />
to £200 in addition to what the publisher will<br />
pay. Many authors after aserial run are unable to<br />
find a publisher. With the exception of one daily,<br />
the Warsaw Courier, in most publications there<br />
is usually one original novel by a Polish author<br />
and one foreign one, generally an English one, as at<br />
the present time outside England there are not<br />
Many great novelists on the Continent. A trans-<br />
lator is only paid from £5 to £10 for his work ;<br />
<br />
229<br />
<br />
such novels, even of the best authors, are gel-<br />
dom published in book form. At the present<br />
moment “The Prodigal Son” is published by a<br />
Warsaw weekly, and a Warsaw daily is about to<br />
give serially “The Return of Sherlock Holmes.”<br />
Some of Kipling’s short stories are published in<br />
Lemberg. In book form I have seen the works of<br />
J. M. Barrie, T. Hall Caine, Sir Arthur Conan<br />
Doyle, H. Rider Haggard, A nthony Hope Hawkins,<br />
E. Hornung, Marion Crawford, Rudyard Kipling,<br />
Sir Gilbert Parker, and Mrs. Humphrey Ward.<br />
<br />
In Poland one may find many reference books.<br />
This is not the case in Russia. “The only Russian<br />
encyclopedia is about to be issued by Messrs.<br />
Brockhaus in Leipzig, but the Poles possess not<br />
only many general encyclopedias, but different ones<br />
on special subjects, as education, agriculture,<br />
Church, ete., and also many dictionaries of the<br />
Polish language, while the Russians have only one,<br />
and this was edited by a Pole, Dr. Baudoin de<br />
Courtenay, who is also editor of the new dictionary<br />
of the Polish language. Poland can also boast of<br />
the largest encyclopedia in the world, far larger<br />
than that published by the Zimes. The publica-<br />
tion of this work began in 1890, and up to the<br />
present forty-five volumes have been brought out,<br />
yet practically only a little over half the work has<br />
been achieved. The most wonderful fact is that<br />
the book is now published without a publisher!<br />
The Polish Harmsworth, Mr. Granowski, who<br />
from £20 made a fortune of £50,000 in a few<br />
years by the publication of various periodicals<br />
and farthing (not halfpenny) dailies, seeing that<br />
the encyclopedia did not pay, made a gift of<br />
it to the editors, who continue its publication. The<br />
work itself will be of great value, but owing to the<br />
lack of capital, with about 4,000 subscribers, the<br />
illustrations are scarce, and most of the contributors<br />
write for the credit of helping such a splendid pub-<br />
lication to a successful end. The work not only<br />
surpasses any other encyclopedia in the world, but<br />
has many original articles by 300 of the best Polish<br />
specialist authors.<br />
<br />
The Poles have in addition to this a good<br />
“ Literary Year-book,” in which not only the names<br />
and addresses of authors, periodicals, and publishers<br />
are given, but also those of the corps de ballet.<br />
The editor probably had heard something of the<br />
criticism of the Routledge Year-book, and to avoid<br />
a similar notice gave more than was wanted. One<br />
valuable fact given in the book is the particulars of<br />
all Polish libraries. A Polish weekly is published<br />
in St. Petersburg, but, being a pro-Government<br />
paper, is despised by the Poles. Unfortunately it<br />
is a masterpiece of editorship, and is read by all who<br />
desire reliable information as to what is going on<br />
in Poland and in the world. Really the Kraj is<br />
the best edited weekly paper in the world, being<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
228<br />
<br />
works were translated into many foreign languages,<br />
especially Russian and German. If we do not<br />
reckon Sienkiewicz, only one novel, the last of<br />
Alexander Glowacki’s, “The Pharaoh and the<br />
Priest,’ has been published in the English language<br />
and appeared in America three years ago ; all the<br />
others are unknown to the British public. At the<br />
same time, Mrs. Elize Orzeszko began to write.<br />
Some of her best novels, as “ Eli Makower ” and<br />
“ Meir Ezofowicz,” are mainly concerned with<br />
descriptions of Jewish society. ‘The subject is<br />
treated without prejudice and with great talent.<br />
<br />
The number of ladies who are novelists is very<br />
large, but two names merit special mention : Mrs.<br />
Gabriel Snieszko-Zapolska, the Polish George Sand,<br />
and Miss Mary Rodziewicz, whose novels ‘‘ Anima<br />
Vilis” and “Distaff” are known to the English<br />
public, having been brought out* in English by<br />
a London publisher.<br />
<br />
The appearance of so many first-class stars on<br />
the Polish literary horizon had its effect on the<br />
previously large output of French novels, and the<br />
development of the literary movement was followed<br />
by an increasing demand of unprecedented strength.<br />
The end of the last century was marked not only<br />
<br />
by the appearance of a very large number of<br />
<br />
authors, but by their extraordinary talent, so that<br />
were one asked to name the greatest novelist in<br />
Poland, it would be impossible to select one from a<br />
dozen whose genius is pre-eminent. Dombrowski’s<br />
novel “ Death” is a masterpiece of its kind. Un-<br />
fortunately his other works suffer by comparison,<br />
and he will be celebrated as the author of one<br />
book.<br />
<br />
Waclaw Gasiorowski has written a whole series<br />
of novels from the time of Napoleon, two of which,<br />
one dealing with a descendant of the Stuarts and<br />
another called “ Countess Walewska ” (the mother<br />
of the Prime Minister of Napoleon III.), are in<br />
course of publication in London. The Polish<br />
Manchester “Lodz” has been immortalised by<br />
Wladislaw Rejmont as “The Promised Land.”<br />
The Government, by sending Waclaw Sieroszewski<br />
to Siberia, unwittingly gave to that region a Polish<br />
Kipling, who discovered unknown nations in that<br />
vast country and depicted them with great talent<br />
in his novels and stories. Stefan Zeromski is the<br />
Polish Gorky, except that he has no personal<br />
experience of slum life. With the addition of the<br />
names of Baron Weyssenhoff and Casimir Glinski<br />
and Tetmajer, the list of great Polish authors may<br />
be complete.<br />
<br />
The most popular author of all is of course<br />
Sienkiewicz, but not as the author of “Quo<br />
Vadis,” but of “With Fire and Sword” and<br />
other historical novels which were found in the<br />
houses of the poorest peasants, and are the best<br />
defence against the Germanisation and Russification<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
of Poles. In this respect Sienkiewicz stands alone ;<br />
his work is partly shared by Alexander Glowacki,<br />
some of whose books are very popular among the<br />
working classes in the towns of Poland.<br />
<br />
One peculiar fact should be noted, viz., that all<br />
the leading novelists belong to the very oldest noble<br />
families of Poland, and in other branches of litera-<br />
ture the same class is conspicuous among the chief<br />
authors. History mostly dealing with national<br />
events is a very popular study in Poland, and the<br />
number of writers is extensive. The authors most<br />
widely known are Tadeusz Korzon, Szymon<br />
Askenazy, Oswald Balzer, and Alexander Briickner,<br />
Essayists and critics are also numerous. Julian<br />
Klaczko, who is not only well known in Poland,<br />
but also in France, where his work on Pope<br />
Julius IJ. won him Continental fame, deserves<br />
special mention. Dr. Matlakowski’s work on<br />
Shakespeare belongs to the best of its kind in world<br />
literature, and most able studies may be found on<br />
Tennyson as reviewed by Dr. Swiecicki, Byron<br />
and Shelley by Matuszewski, French literature by<br />
Wladyslaw Jablonowski, Polish poets by Ferdi-<br />
nand Hoesick.<br />
<br />
All the English leading authors are not only<br />
well known to the reading public in Poland, but<br />
their works are discussed in periodicals and hand-<br />
books of literature, while many have their merits<br />
reviewed in essays, even such modern writers as<br />
Hall Caine, Kipling, Hardy, and others.<br />
<br />
An excellent book on England was written<br />
by Tadeusz Smarzewski entitled “Holidays in<br />
England.” It is by far the best study of life and<br />
manners in this country which has appeared in<br />
Poland; its judgment is sound, and the author's.<br />
appreciation is correct.<br />
<br />
Poetry also has many representatives, the-<br />
leaders being Mrs. Konopnicka (also a very gifted<br />
short-story writer), Miss Jadwiga Luszczewska,<br />
and Miss Terpilowska, whose poem “ Borys,” being<br />
unfortunately banned by the censor, is little<br />
known, but is a work of rare merit. As it dealt<br />
with the history of Rome, it was supposed to<br />
affect the Tzardom injuriously, and was therefore<br />
forbidden. Among the men the chief poets are<br />
A, Lange, K. Glinski, Arthur Uppman, Kasprowicz,<br />
<br />
and others. As arule short poems are the more<br />
<br />
numerous.<br />
<br />
Comedy is in course of revival. In former<br />
<br />
years Poland had her Moliére in Fredro ; now she<br />
<br />
has many gifted authors who deal generally with |<br />
local subjects. Of these the principal are Feldman, ©<br />
<br />
Jaroszynski, Kisielewski, Swietochowski, K. Zaleski,<br />
and Wyspianski.<br />
<br />
There is not a subject which has not been dealt<br />
with by distinguished authors. Even the cats<br />
found a historian in M. Jacques de Vermond<br />
Leonard, a Polish writer with a foreign name.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
The statement made in the Evho de Paris con-<br />
cerning the predominance of French literature in<br />
Russia caused me to look up statistics relating to<br />
foreign books published in Poland. The catalogue<br />
of Messrs. Gebethner and Wolff (large Polish pub-<br />
lishers) gives 1138 works, of which 222 are trans-<br />
lations. This makes two in ten to be foreign,<br />
more than half of which are English, a little less<br />
than a quarter French, the remainder being trans-<br />
lations from Spanish, Italian, Scandinavian,<br />
Russian, or other languages. The majority of<br />
foreign books are not novels, but publications<br />
for children or scientific works.<br />
<br />
Polish literature is very poor in popular scientific<br />
books or those which deal with trades of all kinds,<br />
as well as manufacturers’ manuals. In Poland<br />
there are more than 600 booksellers and above<br />
100 publishers; over 2,000 works are published<br />
by the authors themselves, and given to Messrs.<br />
Gebethner and Wolff or any other leading book-<br />
seller (who also publishes on his own account) for<br />
sale on commission. The method of dealing between<br />
authors and publishers is exceedingly primitive :<br />
no agreement is made, but the author receives a<br />
certain amount of money in advance, gives a<br />
receipt for it in which he says that he has sold his<br />
book, or an edition of it, for such a price. The<br />
number of copies in an edition is usually limited,<br />
but no one can control the number the publisher<br />
may choose to issue. The publisher gives no<br />
written agreement to the author, but after five<br />
years from the publication of the work the author<br />
may legally sell it for the issue of a second edition<br />
to another publisher.<br />
<br />
The majority of authors are not professional<br />
writers ; they are landowners or have other means<br />
of living. ‘Those who earn their bread by their pen<br />
are few, unless they work as journalists. Mr.<br />
Barrie’s two novels brought him larger profits than<br />
all Sienkiewicz’s works put together yielded to him,<br />
or indeed the combined publications of any other<br />
five leading Polish novelists. With the exception<br />
of Sienkiewicz, no author would refuse £500 for a<br />
novel, most would accept £200 with pleasure, while<br />
the majority would sell their book for from £30 to<br />
£50. Ifan author is fortunate enough to secure the<br />
publication of his novel serially in a daily paper in<br />
Austrian or German Poland, and simultaneously in<br />
a Warsaw daily, he may hope to make from £150<br />
to £200 in addition to what the publisher will<br />
pay. Many authors after aserial run are unable to<br />
find a publisher. With the exception of one daily,<br />
the Warsaw Courier, in most publications there<br />
is usually one original novel by a Polish author<br />
and one foreign one, generally an English one, as at<br />
the present time outside England there are not<br />
Many great novelists on the Continent. A trans-<br />
lator is only paid from £5 to £10 for his work ;<br />
<br />
229<br />
<br />
such novels, even of the best authors, are sel-<br />
dom published in book form. At the present<br />
moment “The Prodigal Son” ig published by a<br />
Warsaw weekly, and a Warsaw daily is about to<br />
give serially “The Return of Sherlock Holmes.”<br />
Some of Kipling’s short. stories are published in<br />
Lemberg. In book form T have seen the works of<br />
J. M. Barrie, T. Hall Caine, Sir Arthur Conan<br />
Doyle, H. Rider Haggard, Anthony Hope Hawkins,<br />
E. Hornung, Marion Crawford, Rudyard Kipling,<br />
Sir Gilbert Parker, and Mrs. Humphrey Ward.<br />
<br />
In Poland one may find many reference books.<br />
This is not the case in Russia, "The only Russian<br />
encyclopedia is about to be issued by Messrs.<br />
Brockhaus in Leipzig, but the Poles possess not<br />
only many general encyclopedias, but different ones<br />
on special subjects, as education, agriculture,<br />
Church, etc., and also many dictionaries of the<br />
Polish language, while the Russians have only one,<br />
and this was edited by a Pole, Dr. Baudoin de<br />
Courtenay, who is also editor of the new dictionary<br />
of the Polish language. Poland can also boast of<br />
the largest encyclopedia in the world, far larger<br />
than that published by the Zimes. The publica-<br />
tion of this work began in 1890, and up to the<br />
present forty-five volumes have been brought out,<br />
yet practically only a little over half the work has<br />
been achieved. The most wonderful fact is that<br />
the book is now published without a publisher !<br />
The Polish Harmsworth, Mr. Granowski, who<br />
from £20 made a fortune of £50,000 in a few<br />
years by the publication of various periodicals<br />
and farthing (not halfpenny) dailies, seeing that<br />
the encyclopedia did not pay, made a gift of<br />
it to the editors, who continue its publication. The<br />
work itself will be of great value, but owing to the<br />
Jack of capital, with about 4,000 subscribers, the<br />
illustrations are scarce, and most of the contributors<br />
write for the credit of helping such a splendid pub-<br />
lication to a successful end. The work not only<br />
surpasses any other encyclopedia in the world, but<br />
has many original articles by 300 of the best Polish<br />
specialist authors.<br />
<br />
The Poles have in addition to this a good<br />
“ Literary Year-book,” in which not only the names<br />
and addresses of authors, periodicals, and publishers<br />
are given, but also those of the corps de ballet.<br />
The editor probably had heard something of the<br />
criticism of the Routledge Year-book, and to avoid<br />
a similar notice gave more than was wanted. One<br />
valuable fact given in the book is the particulars of<br />
all Polish libraries. A Polish weekly is published<br />
in St. Petersburg, but, being a pro-Government<br />
paper, is despised by the Poles. Unfortunately it<br />
is a masterpiece of editorship, and is read by all who<br />
desire reliable information as to what is going on<br />
in Poland and in the world. Really the Kraj is<br />
the best edited weekly paper in the world, being<br />
230<br />
<br />
a kind of weekly Review of Reviews, with the best<br />
bits of other papers, in addition to contributions<br />
of some 200 correspondents from all parts of the<br />
world, and good literary original articles.<br />
<br />
« ALMAR.”<br />
<br />
+—~<>_ -—__-<br />
<br />
IMPERIAL POSTAL CHARGES.<br />
<br />
——<br />
<br />
INCE the short article that appeared in the last<br />
number of Ze Author on Canadian Postal<br />
Rates was written, the report of the debate in<br />
<br />
the Canadian Senate has come to hand from our<br />
Canadian correspondent. We have taken the<br />
liberty of reprinting Sir George Drummond’s<br />
speech as it puts forward much more clearly and<br />
lucidly than we could attempt to do, the exact<br />
position of Canada as regards the United States<br />
and as regards Great Britain.<br />
<br />
It is hoped that the action of Canada will once<br />
again arouse some interest in this discussion in<br />
Parliament.<br />
<br />
The resolution proposed was : ‘“‘ That the atten-<br />
tion of the government be directed to the local,<br />
foreign and imperial postal charges, with the view<br />
of remedying certain ‘inequalities therein, and the<br />
Senate affirms the principle that the conveyance of<br />
letters, newspapers, books, periodicals, &c., should<br />
be at a lower scale of charges within the empire<br />
than at the time ruling with any foreign country.”<br />
<br />
Sir George Drummond spoke as follows :<br />
<br />
“In rising to propose this resolution I have to ask<br />
the indulgence of honourable members while I sub-<br />
mit some facts and figures bearing on the case. I<br />
desire to draw the attention of this House to one<br />
or two of the existing charges between this country<br />
and the United States and the United Kingdom,<br />
and to show, if itis possible to do so—as I think you<br />
will agree it is—that there are very wide and serious<br />
discrepancies in the rates current as between these<br />
countries. In Canada two cents per ounce is the<br />
present rate for the conveyance of letters all over<br />
the continent, both in this country and in the<br />
United States, while to England and the empire<br />
two cents covers only half an ounce; in other<br />
words, the rate is double that charged on letters to<br />
the United States. My resolution calls for an ex-<br />
pression of the opinion of this honourable House<br />
that the rates within the empire should be lower<br />
than those at the time ruling with any foreign<br />
country. The same discrepancy exists with<br />
regard to post cards. In Canada and to the<br />
United States they are conveyed for one cent each,<br />
while to England and the empire generally, the<br />
rate is two cents, again double. But the most<br />
serious discrepancy occurs in the postage rates for<br />
newspapers, magazines, and periodicals, which<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
Canada conveys to England at the rate of half cent<br />
per pound, while the rate from England to Canada<br />
is no less than eight cents per pound, and the rate<br />
from the United States to Canada is one cent per<br />
pound. It is difficuit to imagine on what principle<br />
the imperial government proceeds in charging a<br />
rate of eight cents per pound. It is in itself a<br />
monstrous rate, equivalent to $175 per ton, or<br />
say £36 per ton. In these days of cheap convey-<br />
ance such a rate is absolutely unjustifiable. It is<br />
quite true that mails from the United Kingdom<br />
have to cross the ocean, but it is equally true that<br />
the cost of conveyance across the ocean is much<br />
less than land conveyance, and if you take the<br />
extent of the United States and of Canada itself, if a<br />
rate of one cent per pound covers the cost of the<br />
land carriage, there is certainly something seriously<br />
wrong in charging eight cents per pound for con-<br />
veying the mails across the ocean. But I shall<br />
proceed to show that this rate, which the Post-<br />
master-General of England iniagines is a source of<br />
revenue, is evaded in substance and in fact. I am<br />
rather amused, and you will be I have no doubt, at<br />
the following remark of the Postmaster-General<br />
in the 49th report of the Post Office Department<br />
in 1903, the last bearing any reference to the<br />
subject. The Postmaster-General says :—<br />
<br />
“In reference to representations from the Cana-<br />
dian Post Office, I have agreed to accept news-<br />
papers and other periodicals from Canada for<br />
delivery in the United Kingdom prepaid only, at<br />
the Canadian domestic rates of postage. I regret<br />
that I have been unable to recommend to your<br />
Lordship the adoption of these very low rates in<br />
the reverse direction. I am of opinion that any<br />
rate of postage adopted for Canada must be eventu-<br />
ally applied to all other parts of the British Empire<br />
and I do not see any present justification for so<br />
wide and costly an extension of this unremunerative<br />
post.<br />
<br />
I have already said that I really believe that<br />
instead of the rate being unremunerative, it is such<br />
an exaggerated rate that, as in all such cases, it is<br />
sure to be evaded, and evaded it is. An institution<br />
called the American News Company, doing business<br />
in New York, imports all this literature by express<br />
at two dollars per hundred pounds to New York,<br />
that is two cents a pound, and then posting it by<br />
the United States post at one cent a pound, delivers _<br />
it in Canada for three cents a pound, so that the<br />
Postmaster-General is to this extent cheated out of<br />
his revenue. Probably, if he reduced the rate to<br />
three cents, he would command the business and —<br />
make a handsome profit, but he charges eight cents —<br />
a pound and kills the goose that lays the golden<br />
eco,<br />
I ask this honourable House to consider the<br />
effect of this prohibitive rate, as compared with<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
the rate charged by the United States, on the<br />
Canadian bookseller and distributors. The Cana-<br />
dian bookseller has this before him: If he accepts<br />
an order for a subscription for an English magazine<br />
or illustrated paper, he is in the first place charged<br />
eight cents a pound by the British Post Office, and<br />
then he has to pay to the Canadian Post Office<br />
one cent a pound in addition for the purpose of<br />
having his wares distributed, unless, indeed, he and<br />
the subscriber happen to be in'the same city, when<br />
he can do it by hand without the intervention of<br />
the post office. So he has to compete with an<br />
institution which can do business for three cents<br />
a pound, while if he employs the legitimate post<br />
office facilities, the postage on his wares amounts<br />
to nine cents a pound. Now that is a very serious<br />
thing. You ask, probably, as it occurred to<br />
me, cannot the Canadian bookseller evade the<br />
English Post Office in the same way that the<br />
United States bookseller does ? but he is met by<br />
the express company, which is, so far as I know,<br />
a United States institution ; while they carry such<br />
wares to New York for two dollars per hundred<br />
pounds, they charge four dollars to Montreal, and<br />
a proportionately high rate to other parts of the<br />
Dominion. Altogether, it appears to me that this<br />
rate is destructive to the business of the Canadian<br />
bookseller. It affects other classes also. I call<br />
every member of this House to witness, if he has<br />
not observed for himself, that the supply of read-<br />
ing matter of alight character is almost entirely<br />
monopolized by United States publishers, and the<br />
majority of English papers and magazines which<br />
come into this country are reprints coming from<br />
the United States and filled with United States<br />
advertisements. A Canadian magazine is almost<br />
an impossibility. Canada is flooded with United<br />
States literature and Canadian manufacturers are<br />
met with the free distribution of the advertisements<br />
of United States wares. This outrageous condi-<br />
tion of things is productive of many serious con-<br />
sequences. The United States magazine comes in<br />
filled with advertisements of the United States<br />
wares illustrated freely and distributed gratis,<br />
because out of the one cent a pound charged for<br />
the conveyance by post, the Canadian Post Office<br />
gets nothing. The charge of one cent a pound<br />
goes entirely to the United States government. If<br />
the publisher of a magazine in this country, with<br />
a limited circulation, struggling with the opposi-<br />
tion so improperly created by the flooding of the<br />
country with United States literature, has to im-<br />
port materials of any kind, type plates, prints or<br />
process plates, which are now so common, he is<br />
charged duty on them, but if a book is made up<br />
and printed on United States paper it comes in<br />
free. An arrangement made with the United<br />
States for the conveyance of this literature seems<br />
<br />
231<br />
<br />
a very easy thing. It seems fair to say to this<br />
country, as no doubt they do, if you will exchange<br />
rates with ourselves, we will carry all your maga-<br />
zines that you may send to us, and you will carry<br />
all we can supply to you; but in working it out,<br />
look at the discrepancy which results. The num-<br />
ber of publications, including newspapers, maga-<br />
zines and periodicals of all kinds, published in the<br />
United States, according to the census of 1900<br />
was 22,072, of magazines monthly and quarterly<br />
8,181 ; while the total number of publications in<br />
Canada is 1,227, of magazines, 169, so in entering<br />
into an arrangement of that kind we have to<br />
consider this difference.<br />
<br />
In addition, I have looked up some facts<br />
with regard to some of the magazines which<br />
circulate in this country. I am_ not going<br />
to trouble the House with details or statistics<br />
of the whole or even any considerable number<br />
of them. I will take only two. One magazine<br />
weighs 14 ounces, and is carried, as above<br />
stated, for seven-eighths of one cent to all parts<br />
of Canada. It contains 159 pages of reading<br />
matter and 106 of advertisements, on which there<br />
are 303 advertisements. Another magazine weighs<br />
19 ounces, is carried for one and three-sixteenths<br />
cents, contains 112 pages of reading matter and<br />
183 pages of advertisements, on which are pub-<br />
lished 457 separate advertisements. The more<br />
popular of the English magazines are now printed<br />
in the United States, and while they do not have<br />
anything like the number of advertisements to<br />
which I have alluded, they still have a fair pro-<br />
portion of United States advertisements. As<br />
against that we have nothing to offset, no quid pro<br />
guo, and I must say that it appears to me the<br />
manufacturers and producers in this country have<br />
a reasonable cause for complaint when they see the<br />
advertisement of rival wares to their own distri-<br />
buted at the expense of our government gratis,<br />
while if they, on their side, attempt to distribute<br />
advertisements or catalogues, they have to pay to<br />
their own government two cents per ounce. The<br />
difference is very material, but if they are satisfied<br />
with it, I have nothing more to say. A strong<br />
representation made to England, backed by the<br />
weight of this Senate, might probably fortify the<br />
hands of our government in dealing with this<br />
question, and do infinite good. I have no cog-<br />
nizance of the representations which have been<br />
made to the British Post Office on the subject, but<br />
the inference is very plain that if we are willing to<br />
carry our magazines and literature of that kind<br />
to England for one-half cent per pound, as against<br />
the eight cents per pound charged by the imperial<br />
government, our government is not to blame.<br />
I. have, in my resolution, made this statement,<br />
that—<br />
232 THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
The Senate affirms the principle that the con-<br />
veyance of letters, newspapers, books, periodicals,<br />
&e., should be at a lower scale of charges within<br />
the empire than at the time ruling with any foreign<br />
country.’<br />
<br />
Does that require any long argument? To my<br />
mind, it does not. This country has already shown<br />
how it stands by its preferential tariff, which, while<br />
I have always maintained it was rather a crude<br />
method of settling the difficulty, at least showed<br />
what the feeling of this country was, and I know<br />
that the country was behind the Government when<br />
it established that preference. It shows that the<br />
doctrine that there should be a preference within<br />
the bounds of the empire was the practically<br />
unanimous sense of this country ; not only so, but<br />
we led the way in the policy of reprisals adminis-<br />
tered to a powerful European government, a policy<br />
which was, in 1867, inaugurated by Bismarck him-<br />
self, when the German government had to deal<br />
with other countries. He put it in the most<br />
specific shape that resorting to reprisals, as he<br />
termed it, was the only way of dealing with foreign<br />
countries which discriminated against the exports<br />
of Germany. I am not going to deal with the<br />
general imperial question, but this I will say, that<br />
imperial sentiment, which is the deliberate policy<br />
of this country as affirmed, is the strongest and<br />
most effective bond of union in the empire.”<br />
<br />
Hon. Mr. Scott—‘ Hear, hear.”<br />
<br />
Hon. Sir George Drummond—“ And that in<br />
dealing with it in the miserable haggling way the<br />
British post office does, they are trifling with an<br />
important factor in the spread of imperial feeling<br />
and sympathy.<br />
<br />
The facts above stated prove that the present<br />
rates are in their operations unjust, partial, and<br />
prejudicial to the interests of several classes of our<br />
fellow citizens :—<br />
<br />
Ist. To the booksellers and distributors of<br />
literature who are sacrificed in favour of American<br />
organisations having the same business ends ;<br />
<br />
2nd. To our manufacturers and producers who<br />
find the wares of their rivals in the United States<br />
advertised broadcast and distributed at the expense<br />
of the government of Canada ;<br />
<br />
3rd. To the British publishers who have to meet<br />
the competition in this market of literature arti-<br />
ficially cheapened at the expense of the American<br />
and Canadian governments ;<br />
<br />
4th. To the literary men and publishers of our<br />
own country, who have to maintain an unequal<br />
struggle against a flood of foreign productions ;<br />
<br />
Finally. In regard to the motion I have placed<br />
on record and hope to obtain the acceptance of by<br />
this honourable House, the imperial note with<br />
which it concludes is, I think, in strict accord with<br />
the present policy and practice of this country.<br />
<br />
Every one of my hearers knows that our rela-<br />
tions with the motherland and other portions of<br />
the empire are largely governed by sentiment.<br />
The debates now going on in England are almost<br />
entirely taken up with this subject, and the col-<br />
lateral one of retaliation.<br />
<br />
Now in this country we are in both subjects in<br />
advance of the parent state, we are in the fore-<br />
front in the practical adoption of a preferential<br />
tariff. We have shown the way to a policy of<br />
reprisal in our tariff relations with a great Euro-<br />
pean power, and I cannot conceive that any<br />
reasonable objection can exist to the terms of my<br />
motion.<br />
<br />
The party debates now running their course in<br />
Great Britain, centre on the proposal to give a<br />
fiscal preference within the bounds of the empire.<br />
Both sides recognise the value of the imperial<br />
sentiment evinced by the colonies, or affect to do<br />
so, but while one party advocates a tariff preference<br />
as a means of fostering this bond of union, by the<br />
consolidating influence of mutual interest, the<br />
other scouts any such step as a needless sacrifice,<br />
preferring to leave things to their own course.<br />
Indeed, the leader airily waves aside all such pro-<br />
posals as ‘ squalid bonds.’<br />
<br />
Needless to say the latter view is not the view<br />
held in this country, but having made our prefer-<br />
ence and maintained it for years, having shown the<br />
practical value of the principle, even at some con-<br />
siderable sacrifices, we wait the answer of the<br />
mother country without excitement or haste.<br />
<br />
Now, I have nothing to say about the quality of<br />
the supplies we receive ; there are good, bad and<br />
indifferent examples, with, I am prepared to say,<br />
a preponderance of the best; but it is not Cana-<br />
dian nor is it English in tone, temper or tendency,<br />
occasionally very much the reverse, and generally<br />
and quite naturally, exhibiting a spirit of propa-<br />
gandism of American ideas and influences.<br />
<br />
The extent to which this supply has monopolised<br />
our market is largely due to the absurd, even<br />
monstrous, exactions of the English post office. I<br />
thank God that the good sense of our people has<br />
hitherto resisted and kept them immune to in-<br />
fluences of this kind, but I cannot believe that any<br />
statesman ean regard with indifference the continu-<br />
ance of this condition of things. ‘ Continual<br />
dropping wears the stone’ is a very old and a very<br />
true saying.<br />
<br />
You will observe that I do not advocate any<br />
exclusion of American reading-matter, but I do<br />
most earnestly protest against the practical ex-<br />
clusion—so far as prices can exclude—of the<br />
literature and news of our own country by postal<br />
regulations and imposts which are not justifiable,<br />
and which benefit the revenues of neither our own<br />
nor the mother country.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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i<br />
‘<br />
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4<br />
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dg<br />
slag 4<br />
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<br />
THE AUTHOR. 233<br />
<br />
MR. GRANT RICHARDS’<br />
<br />
os<br />
<br />
UMMARY of the debtor’s statement of affairs<br />
at 17th January, 1905, date of receiving<br />
<br />
BANKRUPTCY.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
preparation for his autumn productions was greatly<br />
In arrear, and that to supply the necessary funds<br />
he borrowed £8,000 of the creditors, now treated<br />
as fully secured, on charges covering the series of<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
order :— books entitled “The World’s -Classics ” ; the<br />
Gross LIABILITIES. | Expected to rank | SSETS istimate<br />
liabilities. (As stated and estimated by debtor.) for dividend. | (As stated ee ee by debtor.) pres<br />
La | | a |<br />
£ sll d. fc sd. ee)<br />
44,301 | 0 | 8 | 368 Creditors unsecured... .| 44,301 | 0 | 8 | Stock-in-trade Ae ee STi 0 0<br />
8,000 | 0 | 0 | 2 Creditors fully | bo | (Estimated cost £23,000.) :<br />
Lo secured £8,000 0 0 | Trade fixtures, fittings, utensils,<br />
| | | Estimated | &e. ee 150} 0 | 0<br />
fed value of Copyright and publishing rights | 12,514 | 4 | 6<br />
I securities... 16,920 10 8 | Lease of Smartt’s Building ~ 700] 0/0<br />
| ——_——_ | Shares in a company ete 200/010<br />
Surplus, to 1,004 Book debts— pet<br />
contra £8,920 10 8 | Good .--£6,994 6 10 |<br />
| — Doubtful 1,285 19 10<br />
| 1 Liability on 3 Bad 108-12: 1<br />
| Bills discounted SS<br />
other than (Charged to fully secured<br />
| debtor’s own | creditors. )<br />
be | acceptances for | | Estimated surplus from securities |<br />
620 | 0 | Oj cvalue cc. £620 0 0 | | held by creditors fully secured 8,920 |10 | 8<br />
a | ————_— |_|<br />
Of which it is expected will | 41,195 |15 | 2<br />
rank se i 250} 0 | 0 | Deduct Creditors for distrainable |<br />
} | rent, and for preferential rates,<br />
3 Creditors for rent, | &ce., per contra ... 213 | 0 | 6<br />
213 | 0 | 6) rates, &e. | es<br />
bo = | 40,982 |14 | 8<br />
| | | Deducted contra. | Deficiency 3,568 | 6 | 0<br />
ie i | a nee<br />
eee | 1} 2 | £44,551 | 0 | 8 44,551 | 0|8<br />
| | |<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
OBSERVATIONS.<br />
<br />
1. The receiving order was made on the petition<br />
of creditors, the act of bankruptcy being notice by<br />
the debtor at a meeting of his creditors on the 10th<br />
November, 1904, that he had suspended, or was<br />
about to suspend, payment of his debts.<br />
<br />
2. The debtor states :—<br />
<br />
(i) That from 1888 to 1890 he was employed by<br />
a firm of publishers, and between 1890 and 1896<br />
was on the staff of The Review of Reviews ; that in<br />
1897, with £1,400 borrowed of a firm of bankers<br />
and a friend, and since repaid, he commenced to<br />
trade as a publisher at 9, Henrietta Street,<br />
Covent Garden, W.C., and that from time to time,<br />
as the necessities of the business demanded, fur-<br />
ther sums were advanced to him by friends and<br />
others, some of whom are now creditors of the<br />
estate.<br />
<br />
Gi) That the business grew very rapidly, the net<br />
profits since its establishment amounting to nearly<br />
£19,000 ; that in February, 1904, he was taken<br />
seriously ill, and for four months was unable to<br />
attend to business ; that on returning he found his<br />
sales had considerably decreased, and the work of<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
leases of 2, Park Crescent, and 48, Leicester Square ;<br />
two life policies, and the book debts, and an<br />
accommodation bill for £1,000.<br />
<br />
(iii) That his illness caused certain firms to<br />
restrict his credit, and his expezses having been<br />
greatly increased by the rent of a new warehouse<br />
and a larger staff, he was unable in October, 1904,<br />
to meet his engagements ; that he then consulted<br />
his principal creditors, but owing to their inability<br />
to agree as to the proper course to be adopted, and<br />
to the mortgagees having obtained the appoint-<br />
ment of a receiver, negotiations for an arrange-<br />
ment broke down, and these proceedings were taken.<br />
<br />
3. The debtor attributes his failure and insol-<br />
vency to his want of capital, over-trading, loss of<br />
profits owing to illness during the season of 1904,<br />
the refusal of his largest unsecured creditors to<br />
consent to a moratorium of sufficient length to<br />
enable him to recover his position, and household<br />
and personal expenditure, which, although ap-<br />
parently warranted by the profits, proved to be too<br />
heavy a draft on working capital. The debtor’s<br />
deficiency account is inaccurate, but he has under-<br />
taken to amend it.<br />
<br />
<br />
234<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
4. The usual books of account have been produced.<br />
Many entries in the cash book require further and<br />
better explanation, which the debtor has been<br />
required to furnish.<br />
<br />
5. The unsecured liabilities include £6,916 in<br />
respect of money lent; £11,259 for printing ;<br />
£10,913 for binding ; £4,713 for paper ; £1,576<br />
for other trade supplies and expenses ; £5,048 for<br />
royalties due to authors; £1,220 for household<br />
accounts; £2,000 due to the trustees of the<br />
debtor’s marriage settlement, and £685 for sun-<br />
dries. A number of the creditors claim general<br />
and special liens over stock in their hands for<br />
binding and printing, and these liens are now<br />
under investigation by the trustee.<br />
<br />
6. The debtor has been adjudged bankrupt.<br />
<br />
7. The Official Receiver will be glad to receive<br />
from creditors any information respecting the<br />
debtor and his affairs.<br />
<br />
8. The first meeting of creditors was held on<br />
the Ist February, 1905. Mr. A. H. Moncrieff, of<br />
19, Ludgate Hill, E.C., accountant and trade valuer,<br />
was appointed trustee, with a committee of<br />
inspection.<br />
<br />
Ecerton 8S. GREY,<br />
Official Receiver.<br />
<br />
—_—____—__+—~>—_<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
FOREIGN PRESS-CUTTING AGENCIES.<br />
aes<br />
A USTRIA-HUNGARY.<br />
Concordiaplaz.<br />
<br />
BeLaium.—Bruxelles, European Press, 3, Place<br />
Royale.<br />
<br />
DrnmaRK.—Copenhagen, On Dit, Hobrogade, 13.<br />
<br />
France.—Paris, Le Courrier de la Presse, 21,<br />
Boulevard, Montmartre.<br />
<br />
GermAny.—Berlin, Berliner —_Litterarische<br />
Bureau, 127, Wilhelmstrasse, 8.W., 48.<br />
Hotianp.—Amsterdam, Handels<br />
Bureau Marcurius, Steenmeyer et Cie.<br />
<br />
Norway.—Christiania, Norske Argus, 21, Pruss-<br />
engade. :<br />
<br />
Sparn.—Madrid, Prensa de Madrid, 28, Calle de<br />
Serrano.<br />
<br />
SweEDEN.—Stockholm, Argus, Mlle.<br />
Andreson Observator, 5, Hamngaten.<br />
<br />
SwiTzERLAND.—Geneva, Agence de coupures de<br />
journeaux, case Stand 57.<br />
<br />
Unrrep States.—New York, American press<br />
information bureau, World Building, 61, Park Row.<br />
<br />
Vienna, Observer,<br />
<br />
Informatie<br />
<br />
A. IL.<br />
<br />
~—_+____—-<br />
<br />
MAGAZINE CONTENTS.<br />
1<br />
BLACKWooD’s MAGAZINE.<br />
The Kingdom of Bath. By J. H. Lobban.<br />
<br />
The Scottish Religious Revolution. By Andrew Lang.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Book MONTHLY.<br />
<br />
3y W. P. Ryan.<br />
CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL.<br />
The Grammarian of York.<br />
<br />
On Tavas’ Hill.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
CONTEMPORARY REVIEW.<br />
<br />
The Bankruptcy of Higher Criticism, IT.<br />
Reich.<br />
<br />
The Reconstruction of Belief. Py W. H. Mallock.<br />
<br />
Liberal Chnrchmen and “The Reproach of Christ.”<br />
By A. W. Hutton.<br />
<br />
Parliamentary Reporting : A Reply. By A. P. Nicholson,<br />
<br />
CORNHILL MAGAZINE.<br />
<br />
Autor d’Evelina: Some Unpublished Letters of Fanny<br />
Burney’s. By Walter Frith.<br />
<br />
Reprints and Their Readers. By Joseph Shaylor.<br />
<br />
Compulsory Classics. By the Hon. John Collier.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
By Dr. Emit<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Sa ee OE<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Schools and Colleges: A Dialogue. By Magister<br />
Artium.<br />
<br />
Mr. G. B. Shaw and the British Public. By Stephen<br />
Gwynn.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Maxim Gorky and the Russian Revolt. By R. L.<br />
<br />
Japanese Poetry. By T. C. Balet and L. Defrance.<br />
<br />
The Poetry of Thomas Moore. By Arthur Symons.<br />
<br />
Sir Thomas Lawrance’s Love Affairs By J. B. Firth,<br />
<br />
INDEPENDENT REVIEW.<br />
<br />
The Tragedies of Voltaire. By G. 8. Strachey.<br />
<br />
Stanzas to Tolstoy. By Herbert Trench.<br />
<br />
“ De Profundis.” By G. Lowes Dickinson.<br />
<br />
The Appeal to the First Six Centuries.<br />
Huntley Skrine.<br />
<br />
Caidan. By E. M. Forster.<br />
<br />
MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE.<br />
<br />
Matthew Arnold as a Critic. By H. H. Dodwell.<br />
<br />
The Fellow Workers of Voltaire. By 8. G. Tallentyre-<br />
II.—D. Alembert.<br />
<br />
Ruskin at Hawarden. By W. Sinclair.<br />
<br />
The Ladder of Education. By Geo. Bourne.<br />
<br />
MONTH.<br />
<br />
Freethought. By the Rev. John Gerrard.<br />
“ De Profundis.” By M. D. Petre.<br />
MONTHLY REVIEW.<br />
<br />
Beethoven. By Arthur Symons,<br />
<br />
Popular Songs of Old Canada. By Geo. Stewart.<br />
<br />
The Later Bourbons. By G. W. P.<br />
<br />
Sainte-Beuve. By Ferdinand Brunetiere.<br />
<br />
NINETEENTH CENTURY,<br />
<br />
Musical Hours. By H.M. the Queen of Roumania<br />
(Carmen Sylvia).<br />
<br />
The Heart of the Mikado. By Suyemutsu.<br />
<br />
The Commemoration of Shakespeare. By Sidney Lee.<br />
<br />
The Public as Seen from the Stage. By Gertrude<br />
Kingston.<br />
<br />
The Luminists. By Arthur Nicholson.<br />
<br />
‘An Artists’ Love Story. By Eliza Priestley.<br />
<br />
The Art of Classical Quotation. By J. H. C, Welldon.<br />
<br />
TEMPLE BAR.<br />
Hans Christian Andersen. By Arthur L. Salmon.<br />
The Last of Les Jeunes. By Laurence Jerrold.<br />
WorRLp’s WORK.<br />
<br />
Commerce in Literature and Music.<br />
Standing.<br />
<br />
There are no articles dealing with literary, dramatic or<br />
musical subjects in the Bookman, Longman’s Magazine,<br />
National Review, or Pall Mall Magazine. ‘<br />
<br />
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By John<br />
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By Perey Cross<br />
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THE AUTHOR. 2<br />
<br />
WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCER<br />
OF BOOKS.<br />
<br />
3 —<br />
<br />
ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an<br />
H agreement. There are four methods of dealing<br />
with literary property :—<br />
<br />
I. Selling it Outright.<br />
<br />
This is sometimes satisfactory, if a@ proper price can be<br />
obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a<br />
competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of<br />
the Society,<br />
<br />
IJ. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of<br />
agreement),<br />
<br />
In this case the following rules should be attended to:<br />
<br />
C1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro-<br />
duction forms a part without the strictest investigation.<br />
<br />
(2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the<br />
profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements<br />
in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise-<br />
ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements.<br />
<br />
(3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,”<br />
unless the same allowance is made to the author.<br />
<br />
(4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental<br />
rights.<br />
<br />
(5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights.<br />
<br />
(6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher.<br />
As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or<br />
doctor !<br />
<br />
III. The Royalty System.<br />
<br />
This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form<br />
of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know<br />
what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now<br />
possible for an author to ascertain approximately the<br />
trnth. From time to time very important figures connected<br />
with royalties are published in Zhe Author.<br />
<br />
IY. A Commission Agreement.<br />
<br />
The main points are :—<br />
<br />
(1.). Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production.<br />
(2.) Keep control of the advertisements.<br />
<br />
(3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book.<br />
<br />
General.<br />
<br />
All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four<br />
above mentioned.<br />
<br />
Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author.<br />
<br />
Never sign any agreement without competent advice from<br />
the Seezetary of the Society.<br />
<br />
Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp.<br />
<br />
Avoid agreements by letter if possible.<br />
<br />
The main points which the Society has always demanded<br />
from the outset are :—<br />
<br />
C1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement<br />
means.<br />
<br />
(2.) The inspection of those account books which belong<br />
to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the<br />
nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or<br />
withheld.<br />
<br />
(3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright.<br />
<br />
a<br />
<br />
WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS.<br />
<br />
Se<br />
EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the<br />
Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com-<br />
petent legal authority.<br />
2. [t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for<br />
the production of a play with anyone except an established<br />
manager.<br />
<br />
235<br />
<br />
3. There are three forms of dr<br />
in three or more acts :—<br />
<br />
a i * . :<br />
<br />
(4.) vo the Pesformiing right. This<br />
a cane So ie ww who enters into<br />
f act sh stipulate in the contract<br />
for production of the piece by a certain date<br />
and for proper publication of his name on the<br />
play-bills,<br />
<br />
(2.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to<br />
perform on the basis of percentages on<br />
toss receipts. Percentages vary between 5<br />
and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a<br />
percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts<br />
in preference to the American system. Should<br />
obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed<br />
date on or before which the play should be<br />
performed.<br />
<br />
(¢.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to<br />
perform on the basis of royalties (i.e., fixed<br />
nightly fees). ‘his method should be always<br />
avoided except in cases where the fees are<br />
ey to be small or difficult to collect. The<br />
other safeguards set out under heading (0, oly<br />
also in this case. oo<br />
<br />
4. Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is<br />
better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum<br />
paid in advance of such fees in any event, It is extremely<br />
important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should<br />
be reserved.<br />
<br />
5. Authors should remember that performing rights can<br />
be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and<br />
time. This is most important.<br />
<br />
6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but<br />
should grant a licence to perform. ‘I'he legal distinction is<br />
of great importance.<br />
<br />
7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a<br />
play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager<br />
holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot<br />
print the book of the words.<br />
<br />
8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed-<br />
ingly valuable. hey should never be included in English<br />
agreements without the author obtaining a substantial<br />
consideration.<br />
<br />
9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully<br />
drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced.<br />
<br />
10. An author should remember that production of a play<br />
is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of<br />
delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract.<br />
He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in<br />
the beginning.<br />
<br />
11. An author must remember that the dramatic market<br />
is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object<br />
is to obtain adequate publication.<br />
<br />
As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on<br />
account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con-<br />
tracts, those authors desirous of further information<br />
are referred to the Secretary of the Society.<br />
<br />
amatic contract for plays<br />
<br />
ee ee<br />
<br />
WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS.<br />
<br />
5 eae<br />
<br />
ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the<br />
assistance of producers of books and dramatic<br />
authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as<br />
<br />
a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical<br />
composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan-<br />
cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic<br />
property. ‘he musical composer has very often the two<br />
rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
236<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
should be especially careful therefore when entering into<br />
an agreement,and should take into part.cular consideration<br />
the warnings stated above.<br />
<br />
1<br />
<br />
HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY.<br />
<br />
--—<>— + —<br />
<br />
1, VIERY member has a right toask for and to receive<br />
K advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub-<br />
lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his<br />
business or the administration of his property. The<br />
Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any<br />
special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the<br />
Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they<br />
deem it desirable, will obtain counsel's opinion. All this<br />
without any cost to the member.<br />
<br />
2. Remember that questions connected with copyright<br />
and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi-<br />
ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use<br />
the Society.<br />
<br />
3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past<br />
accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The<br />
Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new<br />
or old, for inspection and note. The information thus<br />
obtained may prove invaluable.<br />
<br />
4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send<br />
the document to the Society for examination.<br />
<br />
5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society<br />
you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you<br />
are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are<br />
advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting<br />
the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer.<br />
<br />
6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception<br />
of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire-<br />
proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as<br />
confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary,<br />
who will keep the key of thesafe. ‘The Society now offers :<br />
—(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give<br />
advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements<br />
in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep<br />
agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to<br />
agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work<br />
can be obtained in the Prospectus.<br />
<br />
7. No contract should be entered into with a literary<br />
agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society.<br />
Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful<br />
consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to<br />
them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit<br />
them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary<br />
of the Society.<br />
<br />
This<br />
The<br />
<br />
8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements.<br />
must be done within fourteen days of first execution.<br />
Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members.<br />
<br />
9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from<br />
referring matters to the Secretary of the Society ; so<br />
do some publishers. Members can make their own<br />
deductions and act accordingly.<br />
<br />
10. The subscription to the Society is £1 1s. per<br />
annum, or £10 10s for life membership.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS.<br />
<br />
—+— +<br />
<br />
HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on<br />
behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or<br />
part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the<br />
<br />
Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct<br />
with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to<br />
the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble.<br />
<br />
1 +-_____-<br />
<br />
THE READING BRANCH.<br />
<br />
—+——» —<br />
<br />
EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this<br />
branch of its work by informing young writers<br />
of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and<br />
<br />
treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term<br />
MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry<br />
and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under<br />
special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The<br />
Readers are writers of competence and experience. The<br />
fee is one guinea.<br />
<br />
Bg<br />
<br />
NOTICES.<br />
<br />
=<br />
<br />
HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of<br />
<br />
a the Society that, although the paper is sent to them<br />
<br />
free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a<br />
<br />
very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great<br />
<br />
many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest<br />
5s. 6d. subscription for the year.<br />
<br />
Communications for “The Author” should be addressed<br />
to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s<br />
Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the<br />
2ist of each month.<br />
<br />
All persons engaged in literary work of any kind,<br />
whether members of the Society or not, are invited to<br />
communicate to the Editor any points connected with their<br />
work which it would be advisable in the general interest to<br />
publish.<br />
<br />
Communications and letters are invited by the<br />
Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on<br />
no other subjects whatever. very effort will be made to<br />
return articles which cannot be accepted.<br />
<br />
— 1+<br />
<br />
The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice<br />
that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post,<br />
and he requests members who do not receive an<br />
answer to important communications within two days to<br />
write to him without delay. All remittances should be<br />
crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent<br />
by registered letter only.<br />
<br />
——_—_——_+—>—_+___——_-<br />
<br />
LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE 2<br />
<br />
SOCIETY.<br />
<br />
— +<br />
<br />
ENSIONS to commence at any selected age,<br />
either with or without Life Assurance, can<br />
be obtained from this society.<br />
<br />
Full particulars can be obtained from the City —<br />
<br />
Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance<br />
Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, B.C.<br />
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THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
AUTHORITIES.<br />
<br />
— +<br />
<br />
THE Dinner of the society has been fixed for<br />
May 16th, at the Hotel Cecil. Members will by<br />
now have received notice to this effect.<br />
<br />
As this is the twenty-first anniversary of the<br />
incorporation of the society, it is hoped that there<br />
will be a good attendance in order to celebrate the<br />
event.<br />
<br />
The first beginnings of the society took place in<br />
September, 1883, when a small company of fifteen<br />
men met in Mr. Scoones’ chambers in Garrick<br />
Street in order to form an association for the<br />
protection of literary property. The society was<br />
actually incorporated on June 30th, 1884, so that<br />
on June 30th, of this year it will have been in<br />
existence in its incorporated form for twenty-one<br />
years.<br />
<br />
It is unnecessary to put before the members the<br />
steady growth of the society and its constant<br />
increase. The larger its membership the ereater<br />
the power possessed by the society not only in<br />
moral force; but also in those very necessary<br />
sinews of war, capital and subscriptions.<br />
<br />
In 1892 the society numbered 870 members. It<br />
has now almost doubled that number and is still<br />
steadily increasing.<br />
<br />
The aim of the founders of the society will,<br />
however, not have been completed, until all those<br />
who write, whether composers, dramatists, or<br />
authors, technical or otherwise—whether they<br />
adopt writing as a sole means of livelihood or as<br />
a means of supplementing their income—have<br />
joined its ranks. This would mean a membership<br />
of not less than 3,000. We appeal to the good<br />
fellowship of those who write, and to that esprit des<br />
corps which ought to exist, amongst those who<br />
adopt the art of letters, as amongst the followers of<br />
any other art or profession.<br />
<br />
We hope that long before the society reaches its<br />
jubilee this by no means improbable dream will<br />
have become an actual reality.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
During the last three months we have had<br />
reason to comment on some exceedingly bad agree-<br />
ments which have been submitted to authors.<br />
The fact presents itself that on many occasions<br />
authors come to the society after they have<br />
entered into their agreements, and after they have<br />
bound themselves to accept unreasonable terms.<br />
<br />
There is no excuse for members of the society who<br />
get into this difficulty, for not only are warnings<br />
printed every month in “ 7e Author,” explaining<br />
some of the many difficulties, but these warn-<br />
ings are constantly repeated in different forms in<br />
‘articles which appear in the columns of this<br />
<br />
paper.<br />
<br />
237<br />
<br />
There is, however, some difficulty in reaching<br />
the younger field of authors. It not infrequently<br />
happens that those young in authorship are<br />
ignorant of the society’s existence. Even when<br />
they have produced their first book it is almost<br />
impossible to find out their address. Publishers<br />
do not make it an invariable rule to forward letters<br />
addressed to their care.<br />
<br />
We must therefore request members to insist<br />
that their friends whom they hear of in the<br />
springtime of authorship, should join the society.<br />
<br />
ON another page we publish some interesting<br />
details of the Book Market, taken from the United<br />
States Publishers’ Weekly. During the past year<br />
the output of books has largely increased. During<br />
the same period in England also the activity in<br />
the Book Market has been considerable. ‘One<br />
point in the list is especially interesting—the<br />
statement of those books in English and foreign<br />
languages manufactured in the United States, and<br />
particulars of those works of English authors im-<br />
ported in editions. Of the latter there were 1,025.<br />
It is quite possible if the Government of the United<br />
States had joined the Berne Convention, or had<br />
thought fit to rescind the printing clause or simul-<br />
taneous publication, that these books imported in<br />
sheets might have been actually produced by the<br />
printers of the United States. When once the<br />
copyright is lost it is useless going to the expense<br />
of printing across the water, and it is cheaper to.<br />
introduce sheets.<br />
<br />
REFERRING to the authority printed in the<br />
April number of Zhe Author on the question of<br />
Russian piracy, a Polish member is kind enough<br />
to send us the following paragraph :—<br />
<br />
“In the last Author the statement made in<br />
the French paper, Lcho de Paris, was repeated oe<br />
that out of every nine books published in Russia<br />
six are French; this is far from correct. In the<br />
months of March and April, 1904, 298 books and<br />
pamphlets were published in Russia, of which<br />
30 were translations from English authors (four<br />
books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and one by<br />
Jerome K. Jerome, etc.) 25 from German, 21 from<br />
different European languages—Polish, Italian,<br />
Scandinavian, Spanish, etc.—and only 17 from<br />
French. Thus in all, 93 books were of foreign<br />
origin, or more than three out of every ten<br />
published in Russia and more than one in ten was<br />
English. These statistics applied to the whole<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
year of 1904 will give exactly the same figures.<br />
In periodicals, English authors also lead, followed<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
238<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
German and Polish and then only by French<br />
The most popular novelist in Russia is<br />
<br />
by<br />
authors. 1<br />
not a Frenchman but Mr. Jerome K. Jerome.<br />
<br />
Next to him stands Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. One<br />
reason that fewer French works are translated into<br />
Russian than English and German is that publica-<br />
tions in these languages generally embrace not<br />
only novels but books on scientific subjects, and in<br />
this field the French are not regarded as authorities;<br />
another explanation may be found in the fact that<br />
a great part of the Russian reading public can<br />
read French authors in the original, therefore the<br />
demand for Russian translations is comparatively<br />
small.<br />
<br />
“What the Echo de Paris says regarding plays is<br />
more correct, although I do not know where the<br />
2ussian found five hundred essentially Russian<br />
plays, and he omits to mention the number of<br />
English, Polish, and Italian plays which are also<br />
in the Russian repertoire. Is it necessary to look<br />
for them among French plays, or those essentially<br />
Russian ?”<br />
<br />
So much has been written in the papers during<br />
the month of April about Hans Christian Andersen<br />
and his position in the world of literature that<br />
the repetition of his life work is superfluous.<br />
We think, however, it is our bounden duty to<br />
insert a paragraph drawing attention once again<br />
to the fact that April 2nd, 1905, was the centenary<br />
of the birth of the great story teller.<br />
<br />
There is no writer of fairy tales possessed of the<br />
same poetic instinct. There is no writer of fairy<br />
tales who has been able to write with such deep<br />
insight into human nature.<br />
<br />
There is hardly a story which has not two<br />
meanings—its conscious meaning and its sub-<br />
conscious meaning. As in the parables of old so in<br />
these stories. Those who desire to remain ignorant<br />
of their hidden beauty can read them with infinite<br />
delight merely as children’s fairy tales, but those<br />
who search for truth can find the beautiful reality<br />
beneath. To the latter class of readers Hans<br />
Andersen’s stories will always be a valued treasure<br />
house. It is needless to quote examples, but some<br />
of the most self-evident are stories like “The<br />
Emperor’s New Clothes” or “The Ugly Duckling”<br />
or ‘The Snow Queen.”<br />
<br />
From whatever source he may have obtained his<br />
suggestions he still possessed a power in his treat-<br />
ment, entirely his own, and entirely beautiful. In<br />
the same way as Shakespeare was a plagiarist<br />
Hans Andersen was a plagiarist, but plagiarism in<br />
the hands of a genius is one of the greatest proofs<br />
of originality.<br />
<br />
Hans Andersen’s special appeal to future genera-<br />
tions will be made through his fairy tales.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE GENERAL MEETING.<br />
<br />
oe<br />
<br />
HE meeting of the council (the shareholders)<br />
of the Society of Authors, was held at<br />
20, Hanover Square, on March 30th, at<br />
3.45, to consider and to pass the annual report.<br />
<br />
After the meeting of the council, the general<br />
meeting of the members of the society was held,<br />
when the following members were present :—<br />
<br />
A. W. « Beckett, the Hon. Mr. Justice Ameer<br />
Ali, Harold Avery, Mrs. Ada 8. Ballin, J. Tyrrell<br />
Baylee, the Rev. F. W. Bamford, Miss Clementina<br />
Black, R. Warwick Bond, C. E. Buckland, Miss<br />
Rachel Challice, Miss E. E. Charlton, Miss Ellen<br />
Collett, Miss Marian Roalfe Cox, Basil Field,<br />
R. Austin Freeman, Miss Hain Friswell, Walter<br />
M. Gallichan (“Geoffrey Mortimer”), Hubert Haes,<br />
C. Gasquoine Hartley (Mrs. W. Gallichan), Eyre<br />
Hussey, the Rev. H. N. Hutchinson, C. T. Jacobi,<br />
A. M. Jasienski, Mrs. Lechmere, the Right Hon.<br />
Sir Alfred Lyall, P.C., Miss M. M. Macpherson,<br />
Aylmer Maude, Miss Jean Middlemass, Miss K. L,<br />
Montgomery, W. Booth Pearsall, Mrs. Romanes,<br />
Charles Weekes, and J. H. Yoxall.<br />
<br />
Sir Henry Bergne, the chairman for 1905,<br />
opened the proceedings by proposing that, as<br />
usual, the report, which had been circulated to<br />
members of the society, should be taken as<br />
read.<br />
<br />
He then proceeded to comment on the most<br />
salient items. He thought the members might<br />
congratulate themselves on the satisfactory position<br />
of the society, for during the past year 233<br />
members had been elected. This was the largest<br />
number of elections during any year with the<br />
exception of 1892 and 1893, when the elections<br />
totalled 260 and 246 respectively. The present<br />
membership of the society had reached the high<br />
figure of 1630. Sir Henry next dealt with the<br />
subject of copyright, and stated how fully the<br />
committee realised its importance to members of<br />
the society; that it had been impossible with any<br />
advantage to bring forward the question of<br />
domestic copyright during the past year, and that<br />
even if a favourable opportunity occurred, there<br />
were many great difficulties surrounding its dis-<br />
cussion, especially those connected with the position<br />
of the self-governing colonies.<br />
<br />
Turning to international copyright, he con-<br />
gratulated Sweden on its recent adhesion to the<br />
Bern Convention. ‘The list of countries which<br />
are now signatories to the Convention is as<br />
follows :—<br />
<br />
Great Britain, France, Belgium, Germany,<br />
Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Switzer-<br />
land, Japan, Luxembourg, Tunis, Haiti, and<br />
Monaco.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
The society had, through the government, en-<br />
deavoured to persuade Roumania to join the Con-<br />
vention, but, unfortunately, without success.<br />
<br />
He regretted that one country whose market was<br />
of vast importance to English authors, was as yet<br />
outside the Convention. He referred, of course, to<br />
the United States. In this case, as in the case of<br />
domestic copyright, Sir Henry pointed out the<br />
many difficulties that had to be met, and explained<br />
that the committee earnestly desired to place the<br />
members’ interests prominently forward with a view<br />
to a solution of the problem whenever an oppor-<br />
tunity should arise. He considered that the<br />
gradual education of public feeling in the United<br />
<br />
States might, however, prove a surer means to a_<br />
<br />
change in the present United States law than any<br />
representations from this side, and he certainly<br />
thougbt it would be highly inexpedient that any<br />
steps should be taken which could possibly provoke<br />
international controversy on the subject.<br />
<br />
Turning to the domestic affairs of the society<br />
he drew attention to the fact that the memorial to<br />
Sir Walter Besant had been placed on the<br />
Embankment.<br />
<br />
Finally, he dealt with the question of the society’s<br />
finances, and explained that the heavy expenses<br />
attending the loss of the action of Aftlalo v.<br />
Lawrence and Bullen, had made severe inroads on<br />
the society’s resources, but he was glad to announce<br />
that the matter had been met without the sacrifice<br />
of any of the society’s investments. He drew<br />
attention to the sum of £512 due to the society’s<br />
Solicitors. Of this amount £200 had already been<br />
paid, and it was hoped to pay a further instalment<br />
before the expiration of the year 1905. It had<br />
been necessary for the accountants to obtain an<br />
approximate estimate of the solicitors’ charges to<br />
the end of 1904, but as a matter of fact the bills<br />
for that year had not yet been delivered and would,<br />
probably, not be delivered till the autumn. It<br />
might, therefore, fairly be stated that this unex-<br />
pected strain on the society’s resources had been<br />
met without any serious inconvenience, and ex-<br />
pressed the hope that it might, ere long, be wiped<br />
out altogether, when the society would be financially<br />
_ stronger than ever.<br />
<br />
In confirmation of this statement he showed<br />
that although the balance against the society<br />
appeared in the balance sheet at £862, yet this<br />
was in reality covered, as the liabilities—legacy<br />
account £450, and life membership account<br />
<br />
£615—existed for the accountant’s purposes and<br />
could not be recognised as actual liabilities.<br />
<br />
He paid a well deserved tribute to the zeal and<br />
ability of his predecessor, Mr. Douglas Freshfield,<br />
for the manner in which he had conducted the<br />
affairs of the society during his two years of<br />
office.<br />
<br />
239<br />
<br />
Finally, he mentioned that in the case of the<br />
bankruptcy of Mr. Grant Richards, through the<br />
action of the society, an author’s representative—<br />
Mr. Aylmer Maude—had been appointed to the<br />
committee of inspection. This was the first time<br />
that the position of 7'he Author had been recognised<br />
In a question of this kind, and he congratulated<br />
the society on the event. He concluded by asking<br />
for any comments or suggestions from the members,<br />
which he stated would be carefully considered by<br />
the committee. :<br />
<br />
As no one desired to make any comments, he<br />
proceeded to the next matter on the agenda—the<br />
election by the members of the society of their<br />
representative to the pension fund committee.<br />
Mrs. Alec Tweedie, who withdrew under the rules<br />
of the fund, submitted her name for re-election,<br />
<br />
and was unanimously re-elected.<br />
<br />
Mr. A. W. a Beckett proposed a vote of thanks<br />
to the chairman, pointing out how important it<br />
was for the society to have as its representative,<br />
one so intimately acquainted with Copyright and<br />
international affairs.<br />
<br />
The vote was carried unanimously and the pro-<br />
ceedings terminated.<br />
<br />
ee<br />
<br />
UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT.<br />
<br />
4<br />
<br />
T the beginning of the year there was a con-<br />
siderable stir among those interested in<br />
copyright property, owing to the fact that<br />
<br />
the United States proposed to pass an amendment<br />
to the Copyright Act, giving foreigners a delay of<br />
twelve months in which they might secure copy-<br />
right for translations. This produced a series of<br />
letters in The Standard from English authors on<br />
the present position of United States copyright as<br />
far as it dealt with the works of English writers.<br />
This correspondence again gave rise to considerable<br />
discussion in publishing circles and among those<br />
allied trades that were interested in the production<br />
of books in the United States.<br />
<br />
Mr. William Heinemann, the English publisher,<br />
happened to be in the United States at the time,<br />
and he was overwhelmed with questions, discussions<br />
and arguments in connection with the whole con-<br />
troversy. He explained to Mr. George Haven<br />
Putnam and other publishers that Great Britain<br />
naturally resented the unreasonable treatment<br />
English authors had received in the matter, and<br />
pointed out the lack of real reciprocity between<br />
the two nations.<br />
<br />
He was referred by the publishers to the heads<br />
of the typographical unions, which really could<br />
do more to push forward fair reciprocity than<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
240<br />
<br />
anyone else in the United States. At present<br />
the dread on their part of losing the printing<br />
business stood in the way of reform. There<br />
are over four hundred typographical unions in<br />
the United States, the most important lying<br />
in New York and Philadelphia. Mr. Heine-<br />
man commenced his negotiations by entering into<br />
communication with typographical Union No. 6,<br />
which is the New York typographical union, and<br />
endeavoured to demonstrate that he, as well as<br />
they, were desirous of making money, and that<br />
their present attitude was against his and their<br />
best interests.<br />
<br />
After he had gone into the matter in some<br />
detail with the heads of Union No. 6, it was<br />
decided to hold a meeting and call together the<br />
representatives of all those trade combinations in-<br />
terested. Accordingly, on March 2nd a meeting<br />
was held at the Aldine Association, at which the<br />
following gentlemen were present: Mr. Scott<br />
(Century), President American Publishers’ Asso-<br />
ciation, in the chair; Mr. George Haven Putnam ;<br />
Mr. Charles Scribner ; Mr. Sullivan, International<br />
Typographical Union, Washington ; Mr. Donnelly,<br />
Typographical Union No. 6; Mr. Jackson, Typo-<br />
graphical Union No. 6; Mr. William Green,<br />
President Typothete, City of New York; Mr. 8.<br />
H. Eggers, chairman executive committee, Typo-<br />
thete; Mr. H. V. Boyar, recording secretary,<br />
Typothete ; Mr. William Heinemann.<br />
<br />
Mr. Scott opened the proceedings. He stated<br />
they had met to discuss certain proposals which<br />
had been made to them with regard to the obtain-<br />
ing of American copyright on English books and<br />
he would ask Mr. Heinemann to outline the plan.<br />
<br />
Mr. Heinemann said that he found on arriving<br />
in New York a good deal of curiosity with regard<br />
to the apparent indignation of English authors<br />
as expressed in a recent correspondence in<br />
the Standard. It would appear that under the<br />
amendment concerning copyright in translations<br />
which passed congress on February 28th, foreign<br />
authors would be at an advantage over English<br />
authors inasmuch as they would have twelve<br />
months grace before a copyright need be completed.<br />
As a matter of fact the amendment as passed gave<br />
only a very moderate sort of protection, although<br />
in its original form it certainly would have seemed<br />
as if it favoured continental authors over English<br />
authors. Mr. Heinemann expressed an opinion<br />
that, if a provisional copyright could be obtained<br />
by entering a work at Washington, with the option<br />
of completing the copyright within a period of<br />
say two or three months, that would be a very<br />
helpful measure and one which would certainly<br />
reduce the feeling of injustice that many English<br />
authors and publishers cherish at the present<br />
moment.<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
Mr. Putnam, who had been instrumental in<br />
getting most copyright acts passed in the United<br />
States, suggested that the only means of obtaining<br />
such a measure of relief would be by enlisting the<br />
co-operation of the typographers of America and<br />
he suggested that as Mr. Heinemann was in America<br />
at the present moment that he might advantage-<br />
ously meet the representatives of the different<br />
typographical unions and see what reception they<br />
would give to such a plan.<br />
<br />
Mr. Heinemann thereupon wrote to typo-<br />
graphical union No. 6, requesting a representative<br />
of that Union to meet him, and after meeting first<br />
Mr. Jackson of typographical union No. 6, and<br />
then Mr. Jackson again, and also Mr. Donnelly,<br />
representing the typographical No. 6, it was<br />
thought well to call a meeting representing all the<br />
interests at stake and ask Mr. Heinemann to out-<br />
line the suggestion which he had originally made<br />
to Mr. Putnam.<br />
<br />
The present meeting was the outcome of this<br />
invitation, and Mr. Heinemann wished to empha-<br />
size the fact that this meeting was an entirely<br />
informal one and that none of those present were<br />
in any way able to pledge their Associations, so he<br />
also, although vice-president of the publishers’<br />
association of Great Britain and Ireland, spoke in<br />
his private capacity and with no mandate from<br />
the publishers’ association of Great Britain and<br />
Ireland.<br />
<br />
Mr. Heinemann pointed out that his wish would<br />
be that a copyright could be applied for in America<br />
in the same way that a patent was applied for—on<br />
specification with a period of say to or three months<br />
to complete the copyright. He pointed out that<br />
the typographers of America could only benefit by<br />
supporting this proposal and, in order to show it,<br />
developed the theory that whereas books, the sale<br />
of which was quite assured, would always be copy-<br />
right in America, those commanding only a limited<br />
sale or exceedingly expensive in manufacture<br />
would always be manufactured in the country of<br />
their origin as they are now—so that the only<br />
books which it was necessary to discuss in this<br />
relation were those which had a moderate success<br />
assured (not sufficient to warrant two independent<br />
settings) and experimental books. Of the latter a<br />
few might, if Mr. Heinemann’s suggestion was<br />
adopted, be lost to American printers, but he had<br />
found only a very small number, and a decreasing<br />
one, of such books which were experimentally<br />
published in England and had proved sufficiently<br />
attractive to be reprinted unauthoritatively in<br />
America. There remained then the large number<br />
of books which were set with no view to American<br />
copyright under the present manufacturin<br />
clause. These generally published in Englan<br />
<br />
with no reference to the American edition were<br />
<br />
LEELA RE RI<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
:<br />
i<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR. 241<br />
<br />
usually under the present arrangement, imported<br />
either in sheets or in the shape of English<br />
plates, whereas in many cases it would be worth<br />
while to take out American copyright after<br />
the market had been tested in England, could<br />
in the firsst instance a provisional copyright be<br />
obtained. This then was what Mr. Heinemann<br />
asked for, aud he dwelt on the fact that it would<br />
constantly enable the English publishers to bring<br />
out a book at the psychological moment, which<br />
under present conditions was frequently lost<br />
through the delay in taking out American Copy-<br />
right. Most frequently this was the case, of<br />
course, in the rush of Christmas business, when it<br />
very often happened American copyright had to<br />
be sacrificed in order to place the book on the<br />
market in time for the season’s sales. Mr. Heine-<br />
mann contended that a great deal of type-setting<br />
would be acquired by American printers, and a<br />
great advantage given at the same time to English<br />
authors and publishers by the adoption of his<br />
suggestion. ~<br />
<br />
Mr. Scribner suggested that it would be quite<br />
necessary, if such an amendment were proposed to<br />
the copyright act, that some provision should be<br />
made for the supply of the English edition during<br />
the interim period, and he thought that the words<br />
“with the consent of the owner of the copyright ”<br />
should be added to the section of the present copy-<br />
right Act permitting the importation of two copies<br />
of any book for use but not for sale.<br />
<br />
Mr. Putnam drew a comparison to the present<br />
proposal with the proposal which now had become<br />
a law concerning the rights of translation, and he<br />
was not sure whether the period that ought to be<br />
allowed should not be thirty daysrather than longer.<br />
A general discussion ensued in which it seemed to<br />
be generally agreed that the period of sixty days<br />
was the most practical period.<br />
<br />
In conclusion Mr. Scott, on behalf the American<br />
publishers, intimated that they would support<br />
such a measure, provided a proper means could be<br />
found to regulate the importation of the English<br />
edition during the period between application and<br />
completion of copyright.<br />
<br />
Mr. Sullivan, on behalf of the typographical<br />
unions, intimated that the typographers would<br />
equally support such a measure, which was bound<br />
to bring printing into the country, and which<br />
would foster the good feeling and business relations<br />
between English publishers and authors and<br />
American publishers and printers, so long as no<br />
attempt was made to place the English edition on<br />
the market in the interim period and then try to<br />
obtain American copyright. It would be necessary<br />
to make quite clear that the measure was asked in<br />
order to give the fullest possible latitude to those<br />
wishing to obtain copyright without the risk of<br />
<br />
infringing the manufacturing clause to which they<br />
always would most jealously adhere.<br />
<br />
Mr. Green, on behalf of the typothete, agreed<br />
with Mr. Sullivan, and Mr. Heinemann, in con-<br />
clusion, assured the meeting that it had:never been<br />
his intention to ask for. this present measure<br />
with a view to circumventing the manufacturing<br />
clause, irksome as it was and always would be to<br />
English publishers and authors.<br />
<br />
—_—————+ += —<br />
<br />
ROBBING PETER TO PAY OUT PAUL.<br />
<br />
—<br />
<br />
HE Music Publishers’ Association on Friday,<br />
7th April, unanimously agreed, as a protest<br />
against musical piracy, to issue no further<br />
<br />
new works by composers, to make no more con-<br />
tracts with executive musicians to exploit such<br />
publications, and to cease advertising the pieces<br />
already on their hands.<br />
<br />
This, assuredly, is a very drastic measure.<br />
Because certain tatterdemalions have made them-<br />
selves obnoxious by hawking about cheap and nasty<br />
reprints of copyright music, it is monstrous to turn<br />
round and smite the innocent composer by way of<br />
expressing disapproval of the law or conduct of the<br />
gutter-merchant.<br />
<br />
Mr. Carnegie has stated that Great Britain is<br />
not organised for commerce. With greater truth,<br />
he might have said that it is not organised for art.<br />
So taken up are composers in evolving harmonious<br />
effects from combinations of notes that they seem<br />
to give no thought to the value of social combina-<br />
tions for the protection of their business interests.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, musicians have no Sir Walter<br />
Besant amongst them. Sir Arthur Sullivan, had<br />
he been alive now, would surely have taken up the<br />
cudgels on their behalf, not alone because of his<br />
sympathy with his professional brethren, but also<br />
on account of the pride he took in the dignity of his<br />
calling. To judge by the comments one hears, Sir<br />
Arthur, had he now been with us, would have<br />
resented the helm of the musical ship being taken<br />
possession of by the tradesman. The composer of<br />
the “Golden Legend” at this juncture seems to<br />
exemplify in the minds of a good many people the<br />
personage of whom the Waterloo veteran, Daddy<br />
Brewster, was so fond of saying, “ By Gosh! It<br />
wouldn’t ha’ done for the Dook ; the Dook would<br />
ha’ had a word to say over that!”<br />
<br />
There is no question here of the writer having<br />
any private axe to grind. THe is on friendly terms<br />
with several music publishers. In his limited<br />
dealings with them he has been satisfied with the<br />
results. The question of these lines being written<br />
<br />
<br />
' 242<br />
<br />
with any hostile intent against music publishers as<br />
a body may consequently be dismissed, together<br />
svith the idea which certain composers entertain,<br />
that, because they have come off second best in<br />
their dealings with publishers, the latter have an<br />
individual spite against them. Again, it must not<br />
be thought that the writer sides with Mr. Caldwell<br />
or approves of the tricks of the pirates. The point<br />
is that if wholesale infringements of copyright are<br />
grossly unfair to publishers, there is no reason to<br />
be unjust to the creators and originators of the<br />
works in question.<br />
<br />
A big meeting was recently engineered by the<br />
publishers at Queen’s Hall. At it much was said<br />
about the crusade against the music-pirates being<br />
mainly in the interests of the composer. It was<br />
necessary to emphasise this in order to create<br />
public sympathy. But does anyone imagine that<br />
the publishers, if they had not been primarily<br />
affected by the pirates, would have incurred the<br />
expense of organising a monster gathering simply<br />
to draw benevolent attention to the grievances of<br />
composers ? If so, the most credulous should be<br />
undeceived by the unanimous agreement now come<br />
to by the Publishers’ Association to stop summarily<br />
the sale of any new works. What with the devilish<br />
tricks of the pirate king on the one hand, and the<br />
deep schemes of Associated Publishers on the<br />
other, it would appear that the unenviable Briton,<br />
who happens to live by composing music is, at the<br />
present time, between the devil and the deep sea.<br />
Hitherto, nothing has prevented his casting his<br />
bread upon the waters of the deep sea on the<br />
chance of its being returned to him after many<br />
days in the guise of royalties. Now even this<br />
small consolation is ruthlessly taken from him.<br />
<br />
Composers themselves have a right to inquire<br />
whether the trade received the sanction of the<br />
heads of the musical profession before discharging<br />
such a bomb-shell in their midst.<br />
<br />
Have Composers BEEN CONSULTED ?<br />
<br />
Can it be possible that the trade have been<br />
counselled by musicians as a body to place this<br />
Mount Ossa of their (the latter’s) unpublished<br />
works upon the Mount Pelion of the pirates in<br />
order to enable the publishers to scale the heavens<br />
of their business with more facility ? Robert Adam,<br />
the Scots writer, many years ago, maintained that<br />
“we show wisdom by decent conformity to social<br />
etiquette.” If there is no “ Dook” to say a word for<br />
composers, the Publishers’ Association would have<br />
shown wisdom, when announcing to the world their<br />
decrees regarding what they intended to do with<br />
the brain productions of musicians, if they had been<br />
able to preface the display of their own names by<br />
stating that the resolution come to had been<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
recommended by Sir Hubert Parry, Sir Alexander<br />
Mackenzie, Sir Frederick Bridge, Sir Villiers<br />
Stanford, Sir Edward Elgar, Dr. Cowen, Dr.<br />
Prout, Dr. Cummings, Dr. José, Dr. Culwick,<br />
Messrs. Macfarren, Algernon Ashton, German,<br />
Hamish McCunn, Tosti, Stephen Adams, Lionel<br />
Monckton, Sidney Jones, Leslie Stuart, and other<br />
distinguished men, who, in reality, ought to steer<br />
the ship of music in this country. Had this<br />
been done, it would have given to the manifesto<br />
what Dr. Johnson calls ‘‘ the true effect of genuine<br />
politeness.” Yet it is scarcely to be believed that<br />
composers as a body would have voted in favour of<br />
this resolution. If, thoughtlessly, individual musi-<br />
cians, on being assured that all the others have<br />
sanctioned the step taken, have agreed to it, it<br />
would appear that the recent valiant talk at Birm-<br />
ingham and elsewhere, about the coming school<br />
of British composers, has been naught save a vain<br />
flow of idle words.<br />
<br />
Assuming that the firms constituting the Music<br />
Publishers’ Association are able to do as they please<br />
with the composers, the instinct of self-preservation<br />
should impel the latter to cultivate more of the<br />
spirit of self-help which the late Samuel Smiles<br />
declared ‘‘ constitutes the true source of national<br />
vigour and strength.” It is futile for the com-<br />
poser, whose source of income can be cut off at any<br />
time by the fiat of the Publishers’ Association, to<br />
cry out that “nothing can be done against the<br />
publishers.” It were better for him if he remem-<br />
bered how Beethoven altered the pious inscription<br />
put by Moscheles at the end of his arrangement of<br />
“Fidelio.” It was “Finale, WITH GOD’s HELP.”<br />
To this Beethoven added “O man, help thyself.”<br />
This is precisely what the publishers are doing.<br />
Being men of business, they are helping them-<br />
selves. If the rank and file of composers were<br />
more wide-awake, they would do the like. They<br />
will not realise that limited liability business<br />
houses are not philanthropic institutions. The<br />
business man is in trade to make money, and indi-<br />
viduals born with the money-making gift take<br />
advantage of every circumstance to that end.<br />
<br />
When Cecil Rhodes arrived at Kimberley and<br />
witnessed hundreds of competitive miners engaged<br />
in extracting carboniferous gems from the earth,<br />
he realised that, under such circumstances, the<br />
supply would soon exceed the demand. It was<br />
evident to him that, as soon as the gems were no<br />
longer precious, they would go out of fashion and<br />
the mining community would suffer. What did<br />
he do? He persuaded the many competitive firms<br />
to combine as certain of the publishing houses<br />
have combined. Then some of the mines were<br />
closed down, even as, at the present time, the<br />
publishers have drastically stopped the output of<br />
new music. By thus controlling the market the<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
prices of Kimberley diamonds were raised, and Mr.<br />
Rhodes, together with his associates, realised<br />
enormous fortunes. In doing this they inflicted no<br />
sufferings on dead diamonds ; but the clever com-<br />
poser happens to be a living creature. If his<br />
activities are stopped, mental and physical distress<br />
follows.<br />
<br />
An apt parallel in regard. to the stoppage of<br />
artistic output obtains to-day in Paris. According<br />
to Frances Keyser, “it is an open secret that the<br />
Autumn Salon is, in a great measure, manceuvred<br />
by the picture dealers.” The Rue Laffitte virtually<br />
controls the output of the artist. From among<br />
the hundreds of talented and obscure painters<br />
living in garrets called studios, one is selected by<br />
the fraternity of dealers, who possesses the qualities<br />
of originality and prolificacy. A couple of fur-<br />
coated delegates visit the poor artist and make a<br />
bid for all his work. The canvasses which have<br />
been accumulating in his garret after rejection by<br />
everyone to whom they have been shown, are will-<br />
ingly sold. A contract to buy up prospectively at<br />
a price all pictures the artist can paint is gladly<br />
entered into. The dealers next proceed to make a<br />
market for these productions. Invitations are sent<br />
to a select circle of amateurs to view privately the<br />
new “impressionist ” paintings. Public curiosity<br />
is aroused by paragraphs in the newspapers. Next,<br />
one of these much talked about pictures is included<br />
in a collection offered at a fashionable auction.<br />
The dealers bid against each other. They buy the<br />
picture at a high price, dividing the loss amongst<br />
themselves. Such tactics are pursued until a<br />
genuine bidder intervenes, and a huge profit is<br />
made. The syndicate, who possess all the pictures<br />
by the same artist, then proceed to reap their<br />
harvest. “This,” says Frances Keyser in her<br />
article, “ Parisians of Paris,” published in Zhe<br />
King some months ago, “has occurred with the<br />
unfortunate and talented Dutch painter, Jongkind,<br />
with Sisley and others, who died in poverty whilst<br />
the Rue Laffitte filled its coffers.”<br />
<br />
I cite these examples with no hostile spirit<br />
towards any person in the music trade, but merely<br />
to emphasise how, in business, it is to the interest<br />
of composers to look after themselves. It takes<br />
two to make a bargain. If it is to the advantage<br />
of dealers or publishers to get the control of the<br />
output of certain composers, and shut down the<br />
market as regards all the others, it is equally the<br />
concern of the creators of musical works to take<br />
care that no such injustice to the profession as<br />
a body can possibly happen. From the stand-<br />
<br />
point of the tradesman who is in business to<br />
make money, and therefore to buy at the lowest<br />
possible price and sell at the highest figure, he<br />
is perfectly justified in taking advantage of cir-<br />
cumstances to make a corner in any commodity,<br />
<br />
243<br />
<br />
whether it be wheat or music. If his conscience<br />
is troubled he has merely to repeat mentally the<br />
dictum of Diogenes that ‘ No man is wronged but<br />
by himself.” I maintain that the composer is<br />
being wronged at the present time by himself. If<br />
his leaders are asleep and utter no protest against<br />
the publishers for arrogating to themselves the<br />
right of vetoing the creations of the musical mind<br />
being made public, those adversely affected may<br />
well exclaim with old Daddy Brewster, “It<br />
wouldn’t ha’ done for the Dook! No, by Jimini!<br />
the Dook would ha’ had a word there.”<br />
<br />
Some years ago Sir Walter Besant gave a<br />
dinner at the Saville Club. It was attended by<br />
Sir Hubert Parry, Sir Villiers Stanford, Sir Alex-<br />
ander Mackenzie, and other stars of the musical<br />
firmament. Amongst the guests, if I mistake not,<br />
was the Secretary of the Incorporated Society of<br />
Authors. For the enlightenment of musicians I<br />
beg to be permitted to note here that he is a<br />
solicitor, who, for thirteen years, has devoted him-<br />
self to the study of intricate questions of copyright,<br />
and the way they affect producers of literary,<br />
pictorial, dramatic, or musical works.<br />
<br />
Seeing how much writers and dramatists had<br />
benefitted by the work of the Society of Authors,<br />
Sir Walter Besant was anxious that the aid given<br />
to creators of literary, pictorial and dramatic<br />
works should be extended to musical composers.<br />
In the course of his duties with the members of<br />
the Authors’ Society, the Secretary had noticed<br />
not one but many agreements between composers<br />
and publishers—for a few musical composers are<br />
members—which showed that most musicians<br />
lacked even a rudimentary knowledge of business<br />
whatever their artistic abilities might be. It was<br />
apparent that certain composers were unable to<br />
protect their own interests, because they failed to<br />
understand the wording of the documents they<br />
signed, and the legal effect of many of the<br />
technical phrases.<br />
<br />
The outcome of that meeting at the Saville Club<br />
was the formation of a music sub-committee in<br />
<br />
connection with the Incorporated Society of /<br />
<br />
Authors. Its purpose was, before composers had<br />
their works published, to advise them in an expert<br />
manner, so that, while they made the best bargain<br />
possible, their interests should be legally pro-<br />
tected. In addition the Society undertook to<br />
check and sign, on behalf of composers, all copies<br />
printed by publishers before they were offered for<br />
sale. In cases of infringement of copyright the<br />
machinery of the Society was also placed at the<br />
disposal of musicians. Surely there was some<br />
practical advantage to be derived by the musical<br />
community from such a proposal.<br />
<br />
Yet, the fact remains that, whilst the sub-<br />
committees dealing with Literary Copyright, Art<br />
<br />
<br />
244<br />
<br />
_ and Drama have done good work and prosper, the<br />
| Society being strongly supported by many in these<br />
branches of art, the sub-committee on music has<br />
died through lack of interest or inability to under-<br />
stand its importance. That this should have<br />
happened seems strange, when it is difficult, at<br />
the present time, to meet a musical composer who<br />
has not some sort of grievance or dissatisfaction<br />
with regard to his published works which weighs<br />
heavily on his mind. It would appear that whilst<br />
the soul of the musician organises his brain and<br />
fingers to give shape to the most artistic dreams<br />
imaginable, he is so obsessed by these dreams that<br />
he wilfully disregards the desirability of collective<br />
organisation with his fellows in order that, when<br />
it comes to negotiating matters of business which<br />
affect the pocket, he may be regarded as belonging<br />
to a strong instead of a disunited and weak<br />
community.<br />
<br />
MusicaL ORGANISATIONS.<br />
<br />
I shall perhaps be answered that the Union of<br />
Graduates in Music, the Musical Association, The<br />
Incorporated Society of Musicians, the Musicians’<br />
Company, and the Orchestral Association already<br />
provide all the necessary organisation. Do<br />
they ?<br />
<br />
Those institutions, indeed, command respect.<br />
First, the “ Union of Graduates” worthily upholds<br />
the dignity of all who have taken University<br />
degrees and, under the energetic leadership of<br />
Mr. Southgate, exposes anyone who lays claim in<br />
public to bogus honours. Secondly, the learned<br />
“Musical Association,” which devotes its attention<br />
to the reading, discussing and publication of<br />
addresses dealing with the history, principles and<br />
criticism of music, is a dignified body which has<br />
done, unostentatiously, good work. ‘Thirdly, the<br />
“Incorporated Society of Musicians,” with its two<br />
thousand members, provides valuable opportunities<br />
for social intercourse between qualified professional<br />
musicians. It maintains an orphanage, gets re-<br />
ductions from railway companies and at hotels for<br />
its members, conducts excellent examinations<br />
throughout the Kingdom, advocates the registra-<br />
tion of all bond fide music teachers, and has made<br />
itself indispensable in many ways to those who<br />
belong to it. Fourthly, the Musicians’ Company,<br />
especially of late, has accomplished a good deal in<br />
promoting the cause of music by holding an<br />
exhibition of priceless manuscripts and ancient<br />
instruments, supplementing these by a series of<br />
lectures at Fishmongers’ Hall. It also bestows<br />
yearly a coveted reward alternately on the best<br />
student of the Royal Academy of Music, Royal<br />
College, and Guildhall School. Lastly, the<br />
“Orchestral Association”? busies itself with the<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
affairs of orchestral musicians, and is a very<br />
useful body,<br />
<br />
But the executive of none of these organisations<br />
has taken up the work of giving legal advice to<br />
composers regarding questions of musical copy-<br />
right, the drawing up of mutual business-like<br />
agreements with publishers, or of obtaining redress<br />
when the rights of composers have been infringed.<br />
To carry out such work successfully requires special<br />
knowledge and proper legal machinery, and none<br />
of the societies in question possesses among its<br />
officers an expert in the laws of copyright and<br />
cognate matters whose chief duty it is to advise<br />
individual members of the organisations alluded<br />
to.<br />
This fact seems to strike home to not a few<br />
musicians at the present time, when the Pub-<br />
lishers’ Association have decided to do as they<br />
please with composers. The want of legal pro-<br />
tection against street piracy is, of course, a matter<br />
calling for remedy. For the grievance to be re-<br />
dressed by the publishers making a scapegoat of<br />
the guiltless composer shows that the chief need<br />
of the latter is his lack of a business knowledge of<br />
how to take care of himself. It is as bad as if a<br />
bank manager, because a burglar pilfered the safe,<br />
turned round and gave his senior partner a black<br />
eye<br />
<br />
Surely, if forcible measures had to be taken, the<br />
first people to have been asked about it should<br />
<br />
have been the composers. Perhaps it was not<br />
to the interests of publishers to ask for such per-<br />
mission, music trade houses being run with the<br />
object of making money and not as benevolent<br />
institutions. Creators of literary, dramatic and<br />
other, works of commercial value have already<br />
found that out. Until those producers protected<br />
themselves, tradesmen had a tendency to take the<br />
affairs of the artist into their own hands and do<br />
with them as they pleased. There are other ways<br />
of amending copyright laws than by taking away<br />
the bread and butter from the composer.<br />
<br />
How Composers CAN REMEDY THEIR GRIEVANCE.<br />
<br />
To establish a new and representative society to<br />
deal with this matter is out of the question at a<br />
time when taxation and local rates press more<br />
severely on the composer of average merit and<br />
ability than on almost any other class, he having<br />
to keep up appearances, codite que covite.<br />
<br />
To expect the most prominent men in_ the<br />
musical world, whose time is fully oceupied, to<br />
worry over the business and legal affairs of their<br />
less fortunate brethren is unreasonable, and advice<br />
on such subjects is of little use unless it is given<br />
by an expert.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THER AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
What is wanted is that a representative of a<br />
responsible office, acquainted with business routine,<br />
<br />
who understands the requirements and views of<br />
<br />
composers and has their confidence, should be<br />
available for consultation at stated hours.<br />
<br />
The office of the Incorporated Society of Authors<br />
is always available for that purpose, whether<br />
it is supported by a musical sub-committee or<br />
not, and its exceptional knowledge of copyright<br />
law could be utilised by the musical community.<br />
They would then find themselves able to give<br />
expression to their wishes in a collective way, as<br />
they ought to be given at the present time, so<br />
that their rights, as a body, could neither be played<br />
with nor ignored.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most practical step would be for the<br />
leading composers again to come together, and<br />
asking the Society once more to elect the musical<br />
sub-committee to joinina body as members. They<br />
would by this means not only strengthen the<br />
position of themselves and other members of their<br />
profession, but they would possess a united strength<br />
which they do not now.<br />
<br />
ALGERNON SIDNEY.<br />
<br />
$< —e_____<br />
<br />
REVIEWS AND REVIEWERS.<br />
ae<br />
<br />
T seems as if it were becoming the fashion<br />
for women writers to attack the reviewers.<br />
We have been made acquainted with Miss<br />
Marie Corelli’s opinion of the latter folk: they<br />
are venial or incompetent, or both. Last year in<br />
a weekly paper appeared a series of articles in<br />
which the novelist who hides her identity under<br />
the pseudonym of “ Rita,” to quote the title,<br />
“exposes critics.’ Even more aggressive is Lady<br />
Florence Dixie, who has delivered herself of an<br />
onslaught in the March number of Zhe Author<br />
on what she calls “The Reviewing Sham.”<br />
Lady Florence Dixie asks if it is not time that<br />
reviewing should cease, inasmuch as it is a<br />
sham. She assures us half the books noticed are<br />
never read, “being merely skimmed through,<br />
quoted from, condemned or praised, at the whim<br />
of the reviewer.” She tells of a bundle of books<br />
sent her for review, which she returned, having<br />
neither time nor inclination to read them: ‘To<br />
have read conscientiously through each and pro-<br />
nounced an honest opinion of the contents would<br />
have taken me three hundred and sixty-five days<br />
instead of three hundred and sixty-five minutes,<br />
which is about the usual time allotted by the<br />
ordinary reviewer to the same number of books.”<br />
<br />
245<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
_ Now, in the name of Truth—with a capital T,<br />
just out of her well—how has she made this<br />
calculation? Is it based upon fact? or is it a<br />
guess inspired by prejudice? And who, in her<br />
opinion is the ordinary reviewer? Is it Mr.<br />
Andrew Lang, or Mr. M. H. Spielmann, or the<br />
writer of notices for a small provincial newspaper ?<br />
Really I cannot help thinking we have some right<br />
to expect further disclosures.<br />
<br />
But Lady Florence Dixie excels herself when<br />
she continues : “I am not blaming the ordinary<br />
reviewer. ‘This personage reviews for cash.” How<br />
true! But why stop here? Why not tell us that<br />
the novelist writes novels for money, and the<br />
dramatist plays, and that the poet and even the<br />
poetess write verses without being averse to<br />
the receipt of mundane reward? But perhaps<br />
Lady Florence Dixie would prefer that only those<br />
who possess a competence should be permitted to<br />
pursue the literary calling.<br />
<br />
Does the reviewer ‘“‘scamp” books? I am<br />
inclined to think the man who writes for a<br />
high-class paper does not do so. This is an age<br />
of specialists, and books are sent to writers versed<br />
in the different subjects. A book on Dickens is<br />
sent to an authority on the life and writings of<br />
that novelist, who does not require to read every<br />
line of the volume to discover its merits and<br />
defects. Much old material will be included, and<br />
he will naturally pass by the letters and quotations<br />
with which he is familiar. Remember, too, the<br />
reviewer's business is with books. He reads<br />
quickly : some would say with incredible rapidity.<br />
It is a matter of training. The child spells his<br />
words, the lad reads a word at a glance, the critic<br />
sentences. In the case of novels the reviewer, by<br />
long practice, detects “padding” and can quickly<br />
arrive at the conclusion whether or no the book be<br />
worthy of serious consideration. If the book be<br />
valuable it will not be ignored. He has to peruse<br />
so much trash that a story above the average is<br />
read with avidity. It is an axiom that the<br />
reviewer is anxious to discover and proclaim<br />
talent, if only for the selfish reason that it<br />
redounds to his credit. He has the advantage<br />
over the publisher’s reader that it is not his<br />
business to consider whether it will sell.<br />
<br />
“Rita” complains, and with justice, of the<br />
reviewer who fills the space allotted to him with<br />
a list of misprints. ‘The man who does this<br />
irritates the reader, for he is so occupied with the<br />
compilation of the catalogue of trifling errors that<br />
he forgets to say anything worth hearing about<br />
the book. I think this class of reviewing is<br />
<br />
dying, as I trust is that which devotes itself<br />
chiefly to falling foul of the author’s preface to<br />
the exclusion of a discussion of the merits of the<br />
work.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
246<br />
<br />
Belated criticism is another of “ Rita’s” griev-<br />
ances. But all books cannot be noticed at once, if<br />
for no other reason than that of the limitations of<br />
space; and, if a review have any value, it will<br />
secure the desired effect even a month or two after<br />
the issue of the work. I have said, ‘if a review<br />
have any value,” because “ Rita” holds it valueless.<br />
“Does it not stand to reason that an author is<br />
quite aware of his own merits as of his own limita-<br />
tions ?”’ she asks. Well, I think there are few who<br />
will agree with her Some readers are excellent<br />
judges of their books, but as a guide for my<br />
reading I would rather follow the critic than the<br />
author. But ‘ Rita’ goes on to tell us that the<br />
author could never be laudatory, because the book<br />
written that seemed as perfect in accomplishment<br />
as it seemed in inspiration would never be written<br />
by any possessor of genius, “ for genius means that<br />
sublime discontent with achievement which praise<br />
cannot satisfy or blame discourage.” I fear I do<br />
not number any geniuses among my friends, but<br />
when any writer has proved he is the possessor of<br />
genius I will be guided by him as to the merits<br />
of his books. In the meantime I will pin my<br />
faith to the critics, as, I think, most readers<br />
will do.<br />
<br />
Much has been said concerning the effect of<br />
advertisements upon the reviewing columns.<br />
“Rita” assures us that an editor who receives a<br />
large and steady income from a firm of publishers<br />
takes good care that the books issued by that<br />
firm are tenderly handled by his staff. Perhaps<br />
there may be such editors. My experience as a<br />
reviewer is comparatively small, but so far I can<br />
say I have never been asked to judge a book<br />
gently because the publisher’s advertisement<br />
appeared in the paper, nor have I ever been<br />
handed a book to “cut up”; and, though I<br />
number among my acquaintance many critics, I<br />
cannot find one who has met with either practice.<br />
<br />
Reviewers are no longer, if indeed they ever<br />
were, the men who have failed in literature and<br />
art. ‘To attack reviewers is practically to indite<br />
the entire literary calling, for to-day the majority<br />
of writers are critics. There is the great man of<br />
letters who steps down into the arena to praise<br />
some book that has delighted him; there is the<br />
author-reviewer, who maybe is only an occasional<br />
critic ; and there is the journalist-reviewer. But<br />
there are few who live by reviewing alone. There-<br />
fore, when I read the attack of an author upon<br />
critics, I always want to know what papers he<br />
has been reading, Take the quarterlies, the best<br />
class of monthlies and weeklies: Zhe Mortnightly,<br />
Contemporary, Nineteenth Century, Speaker, Spec-<br />
tator, etc.; the great dailies: Z%mes, Chroniele,<br />
Telegraph, News, Morning Post, Standard. It is<br />
difficult to find fault with the vast majority of<br />
<br />
- aims.<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
reviews in these organs. An individual critic may<br />
be too easily pleased or too severe, but he writes<br />
to the best of his judgment. Those who complain<br />
forget that the literary editors would not tolerate<br />
dishonest reviewers on their staff. They will not<br />
send a book to a critic, who is a personal friend or<br />
enemy of the author, nor will they hand a work to<br />
a man who is notoriously out of sympathy with its<br />
Of course, when a man on a minor journal<br />
has to take all literature for his field, there may be<br />
cause for complaint ; for, though he may be an<br />
excellent judge of some class of work, he may not<br />
be able to form an opinion of any value concern-<br />
ing another. But, just as one does not derive<br />
one’s opinion of current fiction from the novels of<br />
Mr. or Miss Dash, so it is distinctly unfair to<br />
point to “ The Blankshire Herald” as a typical<br />
critical journal. I believe, however, that criticism<br />
is more honest in England than in any other<br />
country in the world, and the critic less likely to<br />
give expression to personal dislike of the author.<br />
Reviewers, being human, have likes and dislikes<br />
for different schools of writings, as every man of<br />
letters has his literary prejudices. To expect a<br />
reviewer to have tastes so catholic as to be in<br />
sympathy with all works of literature is to ask for<br />
the unattainable.<br />
Lewis MELvVILLE.<br />
<br />
1+<br />
<br />
“ K NEW BOOK FOR AUTHORS AND<br />
<br />
PRINTERS.*<br />
<br />
—_—<br />
<br />
R. HOWARD COLLINS has certainly done<br />
<br />
| \ this job extraordinarily well—so well, that<br />
there is really nothing to be said about it<br />
<br />
except to recommend his book unconditionally to<br />
all authors and printers, journalists and typists,<br />
proof-readers and compositors. In the matter of<br />
technical treatises authors have been half spoiled<br />
and half starved. Dictionaries, encyclopedias and<br />
gazetteers have been heaped on them ; imper-<br />
tinences about style and grammar come in a con-<br />
stant stream from people who cannot write to<br />
people who can ; but a codification of typographic<br />
usage has hitherto been lacking, except in Mr. —<br />
Hart’s little pamphlet, which was not in the<br />
general market. As to the ordinary school text-<br />
books of English composition (some of them<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
* « Author and Printer: A Guide for Authors, Editors,<br />
Printers, Correctorsof the Press, Compositors, and Typists.””<br />
With full list of abbreviations. An attempt to codify the<br />
best typographical practices of the present day. By F.<br />
Howard Collins, author of “ An Epitome of the Synthetic<br />
Philosophy of Herbert Spencer.’ (London, Edinburgh,<br />
Glasgow, New York, and Toronto: Henry Frowde, 1905).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR. 247<br />
<br />
actually in use at the universities), and the catch-<br />
penny guides to correct punctuation and the like,<br />
most of them would set every purchaser ridicu-<br />
lously and disastrously wrong if it were humanly<br />
possible to remember—or indeed in any real sense<br />
tc read—their ignorant and arid lessons. What<br />
was wanted was a man with literary faculty enough<br />
to write a bearable book, with judgment and common<br />
sense enough to hold the balance between usage<br />
and logic, with that rather special technical sense<br />
which enables a man to see the importance of<br />
apparently little and dry tidinesses, with an en-<br />
lightenéd appetite for socially useful work, and<br />
with means and leisure to devote himself to it. In<br />
short, a man in a million. Fortunately, he has<br />
been found; and his name is Howard Collins.<br />
<br />
The book is well planned technically. It is not<br />
a heavy shelf book of reference, useless to nomadic<br />
authors. It weighs only fifteen ounces, fits in the<br />
jacxet pocket, and yet contains éver four hundred<br />
well packed pages, more legible without spectacles<br />
than most dictionaries. In form it is a dictionary<br />
and literary encyclopedia, set in double columns.<br />
If you write “beleiveable,” and it strikes you as<br />
not looking all you expected, you turn the word<br />
up and find “believable—nof -able.”’ If you are<br />
in a difficulty about punctuation, or do not know<br />
how to mark corrections in your proof, you turn<br />
up Proofs or Punctuation, as the case may be, and<br />
find as many rules on these subjects as anyone can<br />
safely claim authority for. There are blank pages<br />
at the end of each letter to supply new references,<br />
or make good omissions, if you can find any. The<br />
price is five shillings.<br />
<br />
It is impossible to give a complete list of all the<br />
headings under which the references fall, for Mr.<br />
Collins has employed that elusive gift of the born<br />
indexer, an imaginative divination, often apparently<br />
whimsical, of the puzzles presented by the prepara-<br />
tion of books for the press, so that he helps you not<br />
only in your rational difficulties (which experience<br />
soon provides for), but in those addleheadednesses<br />
which often paralyze an author without rhyme or<br />
reason, Just as Roget’s Thesaurus is valuable<br />
because Roget was an oddity, so is Mr. Collins,<br />
too, in that sense, an oddity who knows that the<br />
right station for a lifebuoy is not always the most<br />
obvious place for falling into the water.<br />
<br />
As I began writing for the printer thirty years<br />
ago, [have not approached Mr. Collins’s book in<br />
the spirit of a learner; yet the first thing my eye<br />
lit on was something I had never noticed before:<br />
namely, that I have never in my life spelt M‘Gregor<br />
according to usage, always using the apostrophe<br />
instead of the turned comma, which, it appears, is<br />
right in O'Neill. I say “according to usage”,<br />
because in this, as in many other matters, there<br />
is neither right nor wrong. If there were, I could<br />
<br />
have argued the case out for myself. Usage in<br />
printing is like etiquette: it is mostly a matter af<br />
usage, not of morals or manners. The thing to<br />
be done is not important ; but it is highly impor-<br />
tant that everybody should do it, and be able to<br />
depend on everybody else doing it in the same<br />
way. In matters where reason enters, Mr. Collins<br />
does not hesitate to vote with the reasonable<br />
minority against the thoughtless majority. Take<br />
for example the usage as to whether inverted<br />
commas should follow or precede stops. In a<br />
sentence in which a quotation occurs there can be<br />
no question that it is simply a logical error to<br />
place stops belonging to the main sentence within<br />
the quotation marks instead of after them. But<br />
the contrary usage is so common that I have<br />
hardly ever had my copy accurately followed in<br />
this respect. Mr. Collins prescribes the correct<br />
way, following the careful usage of the few and not<br />
the thoughtless usage of the many.<br />
<br />
I do not praise Mr. Collins’s rules because they<br />
are invariably my own. ‘They are not. Every<br />
writer of dramatic dialogue soon finds that usages<br />
founded on the art of the essayist and historian<br />
defeat his attempts to convey a vivid impression<br />
of excited speech: for instance, that a torrent of<br />
questions and explanations cannot be represented<br />
by the stately series of separate sentences into<br />
which an inquiry into the characteristics of Marcus<br />
Aurelius can be broken. Yet even here I find that on<br />
the points at issue, Mr. Collins qualifies his rule so<br />
as to provide for me. Then again, every author<br />
with an eye for the appearance of a page of type<br />
(if any such there be) must by this time have<br />
several artistic quarrels with usages which have<br />
grown up during the period of desolating Philis-<br />
tinism which separates Caslon from Morris.<br />
<br />
Ever since Morris awakened our artistic con-<br />
science to the fact that a book has to be looked at<br />
as well as read, and that the most enchanting<br />
poem or absorbing story in the world may be made<br />
into a disgusting spectacle by vile manufacture<br />
and base materials, or, even more effectually, by<br />
elaborate and costly snobbishness, certain typo-<br />
graphical practices which are rational enough<br />
(however unnecessary), have become less and less<br />
bearable. Jor instance, inverted commas and<br />
apostrophes are so ruinous to the appearance of a<br />
printed page that people with cultivated eyes will<br />
finally refuse to buy editions in which The Merchant<br />
of Venice is printed ‘he Merchant of Venice’’;<br />
and don’ts and won’ts and haven’ts and: didn’ts (all<br />
quite harmless, pretty, and characteristic without<br />
the apostrophe) are peppered all over the page.<br />
Since Morris’s death the finest books produced in<br />
England, as far as I know, are the Ashendene<br />
Press books of Mr. Hornby, and the Doves Press<br />
books of Cobden Sanderson and Emery Walker.<br />
<br />
<br />
248<br />
<br />
But why did the Doves Press begin with a Latin<br />
Text to shew the noble type it designed on the<br />
lines of Jensen? And why did it go on to the<br />
Doves Bible now in progress ? No doubt because<br />
Latin and Scripture do not require the pepper pot.<br />
<br />
Mr. Collins leavesall this out of account. He even<br />
prints his title page in at least six different types,<br />
an outrage for which Morris would have slain him<br />
where he stood. But whilst I note the omission I<br />
do not blame it : on the contrary, I highly applaud<br />
the judgment and resolution with which Mr.<br />
Collins has resisted the enormous temptation to<br />
give a helping hand to pet reforms under the<br />
pretext of codifying usage. But he has not made<br />
the necessary rule an excuse for countenancing the<br />
slipshod abandonment of old usages, which are<br />
both handsome and correct. He insists on the<br />
use of z instead of s in the termination ize. He<br />
points out that £ should follow the pounds figure<br />
instead of preceding it. Both these usages are<br />
traditional as well as correct.<br />
<br />
Yet Mr. Collins is human enough to commit<br />
one crime. The blood-curdling vulgarism of pro-<br />
gramme for program is expressly prescribed by him.<br />
I must really send him a telegramme containing<br />
an appropriate epigramme on the point.<br />
<br />
G. B.S.<br />
<br />
0 —— 0<br />
<br />
CORRESPONDENCE.<br />
<br />
—1-—~—<br />
Tar ExtRAVAGANT DINNER.<br />
<br />
Srr,—It may be remembered how, in the spring<br />
of 1899, considerable dissatisfaction was expressed<br />
inthe columns of Zhe Author anent what was then<br />
regarded as the excessive cost of tickets for the<br />
Society’s annual dinner. I imagine such objec-<br />
tions will be renewed more forcibly, and with even<br />
greater reason, this year, when the coming of age<br />
of our popular combine is to be celebrated.<br />
<br />
It certainly seems to me, as it may occur to<br />
some fellow-members, that for so noteworthy an<br />
event reduction rather than increase in price would<br />
have been desirable. Thus the great army of<br />
scribes to whom half a guinea, with trimmings,<br />
is a distinct consideration might find it both con-<br />
venient and comfortable to attend in force so<br />
pleasant a function. I fear the price for many<br />
must prove prohibitive. Is it too late to hope that<br />
the cry of the less affluent penman be heard and<br />
suitably answered ?<br />
<br />
Authors’ Club, S.W.<br />
<br />
—— 9 ——<br />
<br />
Oup Birp.<br />
<br />
WantTED—— !<br />
<br />
Sir,—When reading 7he Author I have often<br />
been struck by the want of something, which<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
may have occurred to other readers, though<br />
I have never seen any allusion made to it. We<br />
have the most interesting ‘“ Paris Notes,” from<br />
time to time we have the “ American Notes,” or<br />
“Cape Notes,” and latterly there have been the<br />
equally interesting ‘‘ Notes from Spain ;” but how<br />
does it come to pass that there are never any<br />
“Notes from Germany”? We surely owe a debt<br />
of gratitude to Germany for her literature, as well<br />
as for her deep scientific and philosophic research,<br />
and it is a matter of some surprise that no allusion<br />
should ever be made in the pages of The Author<br />
to the productions of modern German literature.<br />
Is there no member of the Society who could con-<br />
tribute a monthly paper on the subject, similar to.<br />
the French and Spanish papers which we already<br />
have? One of our highest aims should surely be<br />
to become more international—wider in our views.<br />
and opinions, and two of the strongest forces.<br />
towards the attainment of this end must ever be<br />
science and art. These know no limitations of<br />
race, and although literature—expressing itself as.<br />
it does through the medium of language—must<br />
be at a slight disadvantage in comparison with<br />
the other arts, yet in these days of rapid trans-<br />
lations even that barrier has been practically<br />
removed.<br />
<br />
There is one other form of literature upon which a<br />
competent paper would surely be welcome, though<br />
probably far more difficult to obtain, and that is<br />
the literature of modern Japan; not the old<br />
romances or living impressionist lyrics to which,<br />
for instance, B. H. Chamberlain and Lafeadio<br />
Hearn allude, and which they sometimes quote, but<br />
the war literature, the expression of the sentiments<br />
of an artistic people, with whom loyalty is nothing<br />
short of a religion. This were surely worth having,<br />
could we but obtain a reliable account of it, since<br />
in no other way can we, who have slowly evolved<br />
our civilization through centuries of experiment<br />
and failure, hope in the remotest degree to. enter<br />
into the feelings of a nation new-born from<br />
medigvalism, a child-prodigy amongst the grey-<br />
beards of the west—a true people of the Rising<br />
Sun. And by this entering into the heart and<br />
thought, the very soul of other nations, we join in<br />
and help to advance that great work for which so<br />
<br />
many are striving nowadays, the unifying of the<br />
<br />
nations. Not only every international congress,<br />
<br />
arbitration, or commission of enquiry, not alone —<br />
<br />
every welcome to some foreign soverign, shall help<br />
5 2<br />
<br />
towards this end, but—though more silently, it<br />
<br />
may be even more efficiently—the deepening of<br />
individual interest in the thoughts and ideals of<br />
other nations, the realisation of the deep underlying<br />
unity which is ours by virtue of a common<br />
humanity.<br />
<br />
M. Twycross. | https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/505/1905-05-01-The-Author-15-8.pdf | publications, The Author |