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419	https://historysoa.com/items/show/419	The Author, Vol. 21 Issue 07 (April 1911)	<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.+21+Issue+07+%28April+1911%29"><em>The Author</em>, Vol. 21 Issue 07 (April 1911)</a>			<a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015039402600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015039402600</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>	1911-04-01-The-Author-21-7					153–182																		<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=89&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=21">21</a>											<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=76&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1911-04-01">1911-04-01</a>							7			19110401	The Elutbor.<br /> (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.)<br /> VOL. XXI.-No. 7.<br /> APRIL 1, 1911.<br /> [PRICE SIXPENCE<br /> CONTENTS.<br /> PAGE<br /> 153<br /> 153<br /> 153<br /> 154<br /> 154<br /> 157<br /> 158<br /> Notices<br /> The Society&#039;s Funds<br /> List of Members ...<br /> The Pension Fund<br /> Committee Notes<br /> Books published by Members<br /> Books published in America by Members ...<br /> Literary, Dramatic and Musical Notes<br /> Paris Notes ... ... ... ...<br /> The Public Domain<br /> Copyright in Fiction and Cinematograph Representations<br /> Magazine Contents .<br /> How to Use the Society<br /> Warnings to the Producers of Books<br /> Warnings to Dramatic Authors ...<br /> Registration of Scenarios and Original Plays<br /> Dramatic Authors and Agents<br /> Warnings to Musical Composers<br /> Stamping Music ...<br /> The Reading Branch ...<br /> Remittances<br /> General Notes ...<br /> Committee Election<br /> General Meetings<br /> Thackeray and the Dig<br /> Literature<br /> Style in Literature<br /> About Edwin Drood<br /> Short Reviews ...<br /> Correspondence<br /> PAGE<br /> 166<br /> 166<br /> 166<br /> 166<br /> 166<br /> 166<br /> 167<br /> 168<br /> 168<br /> 171<br /> 175<br /> 179<br /> 180<br /> 181<br /> 159<br /> 162<br /> 163<br /> 164<br /> 164<br /> 165<br /> 165<br /> 165<br /> PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY.<br /> 1. The Annual Report for the current year. 1s.<br /> 2. The Author. Published ten months in the year (Angust and September omitted), devoted especially<br /> to the protection and maintenance of Literary, Dramatic, and Musical Property. Issued<br /> to all Members gratis. Price to non-members, 6d., or 58. 6d. per annum, post free. Back<br /> numbers from 1892, at 10s. 6d. per vol.<br /> 8. Literature and the Pension List. By W. MORRIS COLLES, Barrister-at-Law. 38.<br /> 4. The History of the Société des Gens de Lettres. By S. SQUIRE SPRIGGE. 18.<br /> 8. The Cost of Production. (Out of print.)<br /> 6. The Various Methods of Publication. By S. SQUIRE SPRIGGE. In this work, compiled from the<br /> papers in the Society&#039;s offices, the various forms of agreements proposed by Publishers to<br /> Authors are examined, and their meaning carefully explained, with an account of the<br /> various kinds of fraud which have been made possible by the different clauses therein. 38.<br /> Addenda to the Above. By G. HERBERT THRING. Being additional facts collected at<br /> the office of the Society since the publication of the “ Methods.&quot; With comments and<br /> advice. 28.<br /> 7. Copyright Law Reform. An Exposition of Lord Monkswell&#039;s Copyright Bill of 1890. With<br /> Extracts from the Report of the Commission of 1878, the Berne Convention, and the<br /> American Copyright Bill. By J. M. LELY. 18. 6d.<br /> 8. The Society of Authors. A Record of its Action from its Foundation. By WALTER BESANT<br /> (Chairman of Committee, 1888–1892). 1s.<br /> 9. The Contract of Publication in Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Switzerland. By ERNST<br /> LUNGE, J.U.D. 28. 6d.<br /> 10. Forms of Agreement issued by the Publishers&#039; Association; with Comments. By<br /> G. HERBERT THRING, and Illustrative Examples by Sir WALTER BESANT. 2nd Edition. 18.<br /> 11. Periodicals and their contributors. Giving the Terms on which the different Magazines<br /> and Periodicals deal with MSS. and Contributions. 6d.<br /> 12. Society of Authors. List of Members. Published October, 1907, price 6d.<br /> 13. International Copyright Convention as Revised at Berlin, 1909. 15.<br /> [All prices net. Apply to the Secretary, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey&#039;s Gate, S. W.]<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 152 (#210) ############################################<br /> <br /> ADVERTISEMENTS.<br /> The Society of Authors (Incorporated).<br /> Telegrapbic Address : &quot;AUTORIDAD, LONDON,&quot;<br /> Telephone No.: 374 Victoria.<br /> PRESIDENT.<br /> THOMAS HARDY, OM<br /> COUNCIL<br /> SIR ROBERT ANDERSON, K.C.B. AUSTIN DOBSON.<br /> AYLMER MAUDE.<br /> SIR WM.REYNELL ANSON, Bart., D.O.L. SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE,<br /> JOSTIN MCCARTHY.<br /> THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD AVE DOUGLAS FRESHFIELD.<br /> THE REV. C. H. MIDDLETON-WAKE,<br /> J. M. BARRIE.<br /> (BOBY, P.C. SIR W. S. GILBERT.<br /> SIB HENRY NORMAN,<br /> SIB ALFRED BATEMAN, K.C.M.G. EDMUND GOSSE, LL.D.<br /> SIR GILBERT PARKER, M.P.<br /> ROBERT BATEMAN.<br /> SYDNEY GRUNDY,<br /> SIR ARTHUR PINERO.<br /> F. E. BEDDARD, F.R.8.<br /> H. RIDER HAGGARD.<br /> The Right HON. SIR HORACE<br /> MRS. BELLOC-LOWNDES.<br /> MRS. HARRISON (“LUCAS MALET&#039;&#039;). PLUNKETT, K.P.<br /> THE RIGHT HON. AUGUSTINE BIR ANTHONY HOPE HAWKINB.<br /> ARTHUR RACKHAM.<br /> BELL, P.C.<br /> E. W. HORNUNG,<br /> OWEN SEAMAN.<br /> MRS. E. NESBIT BLAND.<br /> MAURICE HEWLETT.<br /> G. BERNARD SHAW.<br /> THE REV. PROF. BONNEY, P.R.S. W. W. JACOBS,<br /> G. R. SIMS.<br /> THE RIGHT Hon. JAVES BRYCE, P.O. HENRY JAMES.<br /> S. SQUIRE SPRIGGE.<br /> THE RIGHT Hon, THE LORD BURGH. JEROME K. JEROMR.<br /> FRANCIS STOBR.<br /> CLERE, P.C.<br /> HENRY ARTHUR JONES.<br /> SIR CHARLES VILLIERS STANFORD,<br /> HALL CAINE,<br /> J. SCOTT KELTIE, LL.D.<br /> Mus. Doc.<br /> J. W. COMYNS CARR.<br /> RUDYARD KIPLING.<br /> MRS. HUMPHRY WARD,<br /> KGERTON CASTLE, F.S.A.<br /> SIR EDWIN RAY LANKESTER, F.R.S. SIDNEY WEBB.<br /> EDWARD CLODD.<br /> THE REV. W.J. LOFTIE, F.S.A.<br /> H. G. WELLS.<br /> W, MORRIS COLLES.<br /> LADY LUGARD (MISS FLORA L. PERCY WHITE.<br /> THE Hon. John COLLIER,<br /> SHAW).<br /> FIELD-MARSHAL THE RIGHT Hox.<br /> BIB W, MARTIN CONWAY,<br /> THE RIGHT HON SIR ALFRED THE VISCOUNT WOLSELEY, K.P.,<br /> THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD CURZON LYALL, P.C.<br /> P.O., &amp;c.<br /> OF KEDLESTON, P.C.<br /> MRS. MAXWELL (M. E, BRADDON).<br /> -<br /> ---<br /> -<br /> --<br /> COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT.<br /> Chairman-MAURICE HEWLETT.<br /> SIR ALFRED BATEMAN, K.C.M.G. | W. W. JACOBS.<br /> S, SQUIRE SPRIGGE,<br /> MR. BELLOC-LOWNDES.<br /> AYLMER MAUDE<br /> FRANCIS STOBR.<br /> MRS. E. NESBIT BLAND,<br /> ARTHUR RACKHAM.<br /> SIDNEY WEBB,<br /> J. W. COMYNS CARR.<br /> G, BERNARD SHAW.<br /> DRAMATIC SUB-COMMITTEE.<br /> Chairman-SIR ARTHUR PINERO. Vice-Chairman-HENRY ARTHUR JONES.<br /> H. GRANVILLE BARKER,<br /> Miss CICELY HAMILTON.<br /> CECIL RALEIGH.<br /> J. M, BARRIE.<br /> CAPT. BASIL HOOD.<br /> G. BERNARD SHAW.<br /> R. C. CARTON.<br /> JEROME K. JEROME.<br /> ALFRED SUTRO.<br /> ANSTEY GUTHRIE,<br /> PENSION FUND COMMITTEE.<br /> Chairman-MAURICE HEWLETT.<br /> MORLEY ROBERTS.<br /> MRS. ALEC TWEEDIE.<br /> | M. H. SPIELMANN.<br /> MRS. HUMPHRY WARD,<br /> ANSTEY GUTHRIE.<br /> ANTHONY HOPE HAWKINS,<br /> H, A. HINKSON.<br /> E, J. MACGILLIVRAY.<br /> SIR GILBERT PARKER, M.P.<br /> COPYRIGHT SUB-COMMITTEE.<br /> M, H. SPIELMANN,<br /> | HERBERT SULLIVAN.<br /> SIR CHARLES VILLIERS STANFORD, SIR JAMES YOXALL, M.P.<br /> Mus. Doc.<br /> WAAN<br /> ART.<br /> THE Hox. JOHN COLLIER.<br /> JOHN HASSALL, R.I.<br /> ARTHUR RACKHAM.<br /> SIR W. MARTIN CONWAY.<br /> J. G. MILLAIS.<br /> | M. H, SPIELMANN.<br /> FIELD, ROSCOE &amp; Co., 36, Lincoln&#039;s Inn Fields, W.C.<br /> cround . .. --*.!!<br /> G. HERBERT THRINC. 39. Old Queen Street Storeva Gate, gw } Solicitors.<br /> Solicitor in England to<br /> La Société des gens de Lettres.<br /> Legal Adviser in America—JAMES BYRNE, 24, Broad Street, New York, U.S.A.<br /> OFFICES.<br /> 39, OLD QUEEN STREET, STOREY&#039;S GATE, S.W.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 152 (#211) ############################################<br /> <br /> ADVERTISEMENTS.<br /> -PLAYS<br /> Mr. Forbes Dawson<br /> (Member of the Incorporated Society of Authors),<br /> An Actor of over 25 years&#039; continuous experience of the stage in every class of theatre, and every<br /> class of play in all parts of the world.<br /> Late of:—The Theatre Royal, Haymarket, Prince of Wales&#039;, Vaudeville, Gaiety, Comedy, Wyndham&#039;s,<br /> the new and old Strand, the Playhouse (late Avenue), Terry&#039;s, and the Adelphi.<br /> MASTER OF STAGE CRAFT AND PLAY CONSTRUCTION.<br /> Author of many plays produced in Great Britain and America.<br /> Adapter of several Novels to the Stage.<br /> Gives Practical Advice upon Plays.<br /> Dramatises Books and Short Stories.<br /> NO THEORIES.<br /> No charge for reading and giving a practical report on a play.<br /> NR. FORBES Dawson is qualified to advise upon play construction and stage craft, having gone through a practica<br /> training—not upon the London stage only--but also in the hard and varied mill of the provinces, and the dramatic<br /> stock companies in the Canadas, California, and the United States of America.<br /> ADDRESS: 23, MIDMOOR ROAD, WIMBLEDON, S.W.<br /> ESTABLISHED)<br /> (XVIII. CENT.<br /> The Wessex Press, Taunton.<br /> BARNICOTT &amp; PEARCE<br /> INVITE ENQUIRIES RESPECTING PRINTING.<br /> ESTIMATES OF COST, AND OTHER DETAILS, PROMPTLY GIVEN.<br /> BEING PERSONAL REMINISCENCBS OF<br /> H.M. QUEEN ELISABETH OF ROUMANIA,<br /> SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON &amp; CO., LIMITED.<br /> NOW READY. Demy 8vo, gilt, gilt top, buckram, illustrated. Price 10s. 6d. net.<br /> FROM MEMORY’S SHRINE. By CARMEN SYLVA. 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BELMONT &amp; CO., 29, Paternoster Square, E.C.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 152 (#212) ############################################<br /> <br /> ADVERTISEMENTS.<br /> “The Book Monthly is now enlarged and makes an exceedingly<br /> pleasant and readable publication.&quot;<br /> - CLAUDIUS CLEAR, in the British Weekly.<br /> •<br /> THE ..<br /> BOOK MONTHLY.<br /> BARGAINS IN BOOKS.<br /> Terms—Cash with order. The Tissot<br /> Pictures illustrating the Life of<br /> Christ, £6 6s. net ; Splendid Copy,<br /> absolutely good as new for £3 5s. The<br /> Great Barrier Reef of Australia;<br /> magnificent photographic enlargements<br /> of the illustrations from that well-known<br /> work, of Coral, etc. ; published £4 4s.<br /> net, for £1 9s. 6d. The Twentieth<br /> Century Practice of Medicine; an<br /> international Encyclopædia of Modern<br /> Medical Science by leading authorities<br /> of Europe and America ; 20 volumes,<br /> published 20 guineas; new, uncut,<br /> original binding, £7 iOs. Random<br /> Recollections of a Publisher, by<br /> WM. TINSLEY; 2 vols., demy 8vo, 21s.,<br /> for 58. 9d. A parcel of 12 Six Shilling<br /> Novels, all nearly new and in good<br /> condition, for 78. 6d. Cross cheques<br /> and postal orders L. &amp; S.W. Bank,<br /> Fleet Street Branch.J. F. BELMONT<br /> &amp; Co., 29, Paternoster Square, E.C.<br /> You know the &quot;Book Monthly&quot; by name-you<br /> very often see it quoted in the papers. It is a<br /> brightly written, brightly illustrated magazine<br /> about the books and the literary affairs of the<br /> day. But as yet you have not taken it in!<br /> Well, you are missing something, and you<br /> should at once arrange to get it regularly.<br /> It is an instructing. entertaining &quot;guide,<br /> philosopher and friend&quot; for the reader near<br /> the centre of things or far away. Being now<br /> seven years old, and so grown up, it has just<br /> been enlarged, and made more popular and<br /> practical in contents and style. Read it, and<br /> you will know what to read; what&#039;s what and<br /> who&#039;s who in the book world.<br /> The Book Monthly is published on the first of each month by<br /> Simpkin, Marshall &amp; Co., Ltd., Stationers&#039; Hall Court, London.<br /> It costs Sixpence, and it can be ordered from any Bookseller. Book.<br /> stall, or Newsagent. The Publishers will send it, post free, for a<br /> year, inland or a broad, on receipt of eight shillings. You can<br /> liave a copy of the current number posted to you by forwarding<br /> 6d., or a speciinen back number for nothing.<br /> Save your Numbers carefully until the Volume is complete<br /> “ THE AUTHOR” MECHANICAL BINDER<br /> .. BY USING. .<br /> “The<br /> Euthor&quot;<br /> (The Official Organ of The<br /> Incorporated Society of Authors)<br /> MECHANICAL<br /> BINDER.<br /> Cloth Gilt<br /> with Mechanism<br /> Complete.<br /> Price 2/8 net.<br /> (Symons&#039; Patent).<br /> This useful invention enables subscribers to bind up, number<br /> by number, the numbers of The Author as they are published,<br /> and at the completion of the Volume can be taken off and sent<br /> to the Book binder-leaving the Mechanical Binder free for the<br /> next volume. Whether containing one number or a complete<br /> volume it has the appearance of, and handles the same as, an<br /> ordinarily bound book. It is the only method by which The<br /> Author can be instantly bound with the same facility as a single<br /> leaf, and there are no wires or elastic strings to get out of order.<br /> The whole invention is of English Manufacture. The Cloth<br /> Covers are made by leading London Bookbinders, and the Metal<br /> Fittings by a well-known West End Firm.<br /> Should an accident cause any part of the mechanism to break,<br /> it can be replaced by return of post at the cost of a few pence.<br /> A FEW PRESS OPINIONS.<br /> St. James&#039; Budget:-&quot;The advantages of the Binder are so<br /> obvious ...<br /> Leeds Mercury :-“An ingenious and accommodating inven-<br /> tion.&quot;<br /> Westminster Budget:-&quot;The construction of the Binder is<br /> simplicity itself, and is serviceable from beginning to end.&quot;<br /> Literary World: &quot;A clever device-so extremely simple and<br /> easy in applying.&quot;<br /> Sheffield Daily Telegraph :-&quot;After use we can confidently<br /> recommend.&quot;<br /> <br /> THE BINDER OPEN.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 152 (#213) ############################################<br /> <br /> ADVERTISEMENTS.<br /> THE AGENCY WITH INFLUENCE<br /> Thanks to its straightforward business methods, and its strictly selective principle, the C.L.A. is now<br /> placing literary matter with over 160 (one hundred and sixty) English Publishers and<br /> Periodicals.<br /> THE HIGHEST TEST of an agency&#039;s proficiency is the placing of novels by unknown authors at the<br /> Publisher&#039;s entire risk. Clever FIRST BOOKS, recommended by the C.L.A., have been accepted<br /> by George Allen &amp; Sons, Ouseley Ltd., Greening &amp; Co., Digby Long &amp; Co., Gardner Darton &amp; Co., Newnes Ltd.,<br /> The Century Press, Alston Rivers, Ltd., Andrew Melrose, Longmans, Green &amp; Co., Stanley Paul &amp; Co., John<br /> Long, Ltd., etc., at the Publisher&#039;s entire expense.<br /> Below is reproduced one from many hundreds of generous appreciations :-<br /> Rose Farm, Thornwood Common, Epping, Essex,<br /> Wednesday, Varch 15th, 1911.<br /> DEAR MR. MAGNUS,<br /> I feel it is only due to you that I should write an unofficial letter to thank you for the very excellent terms<br /> you have arranged for me for my first novel. If authors only knew the advantage of employing a Literary<br /> Agent, who has so much more influence than they can possibly have, you would shortly<br /> have to enlarge your offices.<br /> With many and sincere thanks, faithfully yours,<br /> C. JAMES (Lt.-Colonel).<br /> 16-page Prospectus free on application to-<br /> The CAMBRIDGE LITERARY AGENCY, 115, Strand, W.C.<br /> Or by &#039;Phone-1648 GERRARD.<br /> To Authors and Journalists.<br /> WANTED!<br /> AUTHORS&#039; MSS., PLAYS, AND GENERAL COPYING.<br /> Don&#039;t hesitate. Send a trial order now. I guarantee<br /> satisfaction. One Carbon Duplicate supplied gratis<br /> with first order. Terms on application.<br /> C. HERBERT CÆSAR.<br /> Homefield, Woodstock Rd., ST. ALBANS, HERTS.<br /> The writer, whether he aspires to write novels, short stories,<br /> or articles, often spends years in uncongenial work,<br /> rebuffs and drudgery being the only return for the time<br /> and labour spent.<br /> THE COURSE OF LITERARY TRAINING promoted by<br /> the Literary Correspondence College teaches the<br /> aspirant to serve his apprenticeship to Literature in the<br /> briefest time possible.<br /> The College also undertakes Literary Agency business of all<br /> kinds.<br /> For full particulars write at once for Pamphlet D.M. to the LITERARY<br /> CORRESPONDENCE COLLEGE, 9, Arundel Street, Strand, W.C.<br /> AUTHORS&#039; TYPEWRITING.<br /> .<br /> .<br /> 1/1<br /> 1 .<br /> Novel and Story Work .. 9d per 1,000 words ; 2 Copies, 1/-<br /> General Copying<br /> Plays, ruled<br /> Specimens and Price List on application.<br /> MISS A. B. STEVENSON, Yew Tree Cottage,<br /> SUTTON, MACCLESFIELD.<br /> &quot;First Lessons in Story Writing.&quot;<br /> TYPEWRITING.<br /> By BARRY PAIN.<br /> 2nd Edition. 28. 8d. net. 26. 8d. post free.<br /> of this work the Westminster Gazette writes :&quot; The<br /> beginner who takes these lessons to heart may be quite<br /> assured of an advantage over his competitors.&quot;<br /> MISS FOWLER, Maxwell House, Arundel<br /> Street, Strand, W.C.<br /> EXPERT IN DECIPHERING DIFFICULT HANDWRITING.<br /> Extract from Unsolicited Testimonial.-“I send you work com-<br /> pared to which Egyptian hieroglyphics would be child&#039;s play, and you<br /> return the manuscript at the time requested without one single<br /> inaccuracy. It is nothing short of marvellous.&quot;<br /> &quot; How to become an Author.&quot;<br /> By ARNOLD BENNETT.<br /> A Practical Guide ; full of useful hints.<br /> 2nd Edition. 58. net. 58. 4d. post free.<br /> The Literary Correspondence College,<br /> 9, Arundel Street, Strand, W.C.<br /> TYPEWRITING<br /> Undertaken by highly educated Women (Classical Tripos,<br /> Girton College, Cambridge ; Intermediate Arts, London).<br /> Research, Revision, Shorthand.<br /> THE CAMBRIDGE TYPEWRITING AGENCY,<br /> Telephone 2308 City. 5, Duke Street, Adelphi, W.C.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 152 (#214) ############################################<br /> <br /> ADVERTISEMENTS.<br /> 83<br /> www boondocomm<br /> odoooomwww<br /> 0000000ommen bei<br /> YO<br /> COTTERILL &amp; CROMB,<br /> Literary, Artistic, and Dramatic Agents.<br /> The Managers of this Agency have exceptional facilities for placing Novels with the best<br /> Publishers. They have also a unique knowledge of the Buying and Selling of Magazine, Periodical and<br /> Newspaper Fiction. During the past six years they have placed Serials, Short Stories, Articles and<br /> Black and White Illustrations in all the leading British, Colonial and American publications on very<br /> favourable terms. New Authors of real promise receive encouragement and helpful advice. Expert<br /> knowledge is brought to bear upon every MS. with a view to placing it to the best advantage. Many<br /> Authors whose names are now well known were introduced to the reading public through the Managers of<br /> this Agency who have a long and close personal and business connection with the principal Publishers<br /> and Editors.<br /> DRAMATIC ADVISER—MR. WILLIAM MOLLISON.<br /> Mr. William Mollison, the well-known London and provincial actor, who acts as dramatic adviser<br /> for Messrs. Cotterill &amp; Cromb, has played Richelieu in &quot; The Musketeers,&quot; at the Haymarket ; Cardinal<br /> Colonne in “ Daute&quot; with Henry Irving at Drury Lane; and Pistol in “ King Henry V.&quot; at the Lyceum ;<br /> and he was for some time in partnership with Lewis Waller. He produced &quot; The Bonnie Briar Rose&quot; at<br /> the St. James&#039;s, and has since played the part of Lauchlan Campbell in the provinces over a thousand times. He<br /> also took on tour John Galsworthy&#039;s remarkable play, “Strife,&quot; which created so profound an impression when<br /> Mr. Frohman produced it at the Duke of York&#039;s Theatre. More recently he made a great hit with a one-<br /> act sketch “ The Touch of the Child.&quot;<br /> Messrs. Cotterill &amp; (&#039;romb&#039;s clients have thus the advantage of Mr. Mollison&#039;s great influence and<br /> experience.<br /> Write for terms to-<br /> 00000000<br /> 000<br /> Odoo<br /> oooooo<br /> Lennox House, Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C.<br /> leng 000000000SL. NULLU00000000000<br /> 01000000000namenuo 00000000<br /> &quot;An indispensable book of reference for authors and<br /> journalists.&quot;-Daily Graphic.<br /> Special Announcement to Authors!<br /> LITERARY YEAR-BOOK (1911)<br /> Crown 8vo.]<br /> Price 6s. net.<br /> [970 pages.<br /> Many would-be Competitors in<br /> Messrs. Hodder &amp; Stoughton&#039;s<br /> new £1,000 Novel Competition<br /> are prevented from entering simply<br /> because they cannot at once spare<br /> the money to have their MS. typed.<br /> REMARKABLE OFFER!<br /> PRINCIPAL CONTENTS : --- Authors&#039; Directory ;<br /> Literary Agents ; Typists ; Indexers ; Translators ;<br /> Booksellers ; Proof-correcting, etc.; Law and<br /> Letters ; British, American, Canadian, and Indian<br /> Periodicals (with a classified index and full<br /> particulars for contributors) ; Royalty Tables ;<br /> Publishers (British and Foreign); Literary Societies<br /> and Clubs ; A classified list of cheap reprints (95<br /> different series), etc., etc.<br /> Opinions of Authors:--&quot;Many thanks for the help which the<br /> Year Book now affords.&quot;--&quot; The Year Book is a great boon to<br /> authors, and this year is better than ever.&quot; _“I have found The<br /> Literary Year Book a very valuable book of reference.&quot;-&quot;I<br /> take this opportunity of telling you how great a help the book is<br /> to me as an author and as a working journalist.&#039;<br /> &quot;A work with a wide reputation and one justly earned.&quot;-<br /> The Author.<br /> If you will send your MS. and<br /> P.O. for 10/-, together with a<br /> promise to pay the balance (at<br /> the rate of 1/- per 1,000 words)<br /> in monthly instalments of £1, Í<br /> will undertake to return you a<br /> perfectly correct type - written<br /> copy. Absolute secrecy guaranteed.<br /> DONT HESITATE! WRITE AT ONCE !<br /> Authors are invited to send their names<br /> and particulars of their publications to<br /> the Editor for insertion in the next issue,<br /> notice of which will be sent them in due<br /> course.<br /> Address : c/o GEORGE ROUTLEDGE &amp; SONS, Ltd.,<br /> 68, Carter Lane, London, E.C. |<br /> C. HERBERT CÆSAR,<br /> Homefield, Woodstock Road, St. Albans, Herts.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 153 (#215) ############################################<br /> <br /> The Autbor.<br /> (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.)<br /> FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT.<br /> Vol. XXI.—No. 7.<br /> APRIL 1ST, 1911.<br /> [PRICE SIXPENCE.<br /> TELEPHONE NUMBER :<br /> 374 VICTORIA.<br /> TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS :<br /> AUTORIDAD, LONDON.<br /> ADVERTISEMENTS.<br /> As there seems to be an impression among<br /> readers of The Author that the Committee are<br /> personally responsible for the bona fides of the<br /> advertisers, the Committee desire it to be stated<br /> that this is not, and could not possibly be, the case.<br /> Although care is exercised that no undesirable<br /> advertisements be inserted, they do not accept, and<br /> never have accepted, any liability.<br /> Members should apply to the Secretary for advice<br /> if special information is desired.<br /> NOTICES.<br /> DOR the opinions expressed in papers that are<br /> T 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 /> THE SOCIETY&#039;S FUNDS.<br /> The Editor begs to inform members of the<br /> Authors&#039; Society and other readers of The Author<br /> that the cases which are quoted in The Author are<br /> cases that have come before the notice or to the<br /> knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that<br /> those members of the Society who desire to have<br /> the names of the publishers concerned can obtain<br /> them on application.<br /> ROM time to time members of the Society<br /> desire to make donations to its funds in<br /> recognition of work that has been done for<br /> them. The Committee, acting on the suggestion<br /> of one of these members, have decided to place<br /> this permanent paragraph in The Author in order<br /> that members may be cognisant of those funds to<br /> which these contributions may be paid.<br /> The funds suitable for this purpose are: (1) The<br /> Capital Fund. This fund is kept in reserve in<br /> case it is necessary for the Society to incur heavy<br /> expenditure, either in fighting a question of prin-<br /> ciple, or in assisting to obtain copyright reform,<br /> or in dealing with any other matter closely<br /> connected with the work of the Society.<br /> (2) The Pension Fund. This fund is slowly<br /> increasing, and it is hoped will, in time, cover the<br /> needs of all the members of the Society.<br /> ARTICLES AND CONTRIBUTIONS.<br /> THE Editor of The Author begs to remind<br /> members of the Society that, although the paper<br /> is sent to them free of cost, its production would<br /> be a very heavy charge on the resources of the<br /> Society if a great many members did not forward<br /> to the Secretary the modest 58. 6d. subscription for<br /> the year.<br /> LIST OF MEMBERS.<br /> Communications for The Author should be<br /> addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old<br /> Queen Street, Storey&#039;s Gate, S.W., and should<br /> reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each<br /> month.<br /> Communications and letters are invited by the<br /> Editor on all literary matters treated from the<br /> standpoint of art or business, but on no other<br /> subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to<br /> return articles which cannot be accepted.<br /> VOL. XXI.<br /> M HE List of Members of the Society of Authors,<br /> 1 published October, 1907, can now be obtained<br /> at the offices of the Society at the price of<br /> 6d., post frec 74d. It includes elections to July,<br /> 1907, and will be sold to members and associates<br /> of the Society only.<br /> A dozen blank pages have been added at the<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 154 (#216) ############################################<br /> <br /> 154<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 1-<br /> .<br /> -<br /> -<br /> :<br /> :<br /> 0 10<br /> 6<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> . end of the list for the convenience of those who<br /> £ &amp;. d.<br /> desire to add future elections as they are chronicled Feb. 21, Rhys, Ernest ,<br /> from month to month in these pages.<br /> Feb. 21, Cameron, Mrs. (Charlotte) . 1 1 0<br /> Feb. 21, Mulliken, Mrs. .<br /> . () 5 0<br /> March 9, Boughton, Rutland . . 0 5 0<br /> March 10, Somers, John . . .<br /> THE PENSION FUND.<br /> 0 5 0<br /> Donations.<br /> N February 1, the trustees of the Pension<br /> 1911.<br /> Fund of the society—after the secretary<br /> had placed before them the financial Jan. 2, Northcote, The Rev. H.. . ( 5 0<br /> position of the fund-decided to invest £250 in Jan. 2, Mackenzie, Miss J. .<br /> 0 50<br /> the purchase of Consols.<br /> Jan. 3, Church, Sir Arthur H. .<br /> 1 1 0<br /> The amount purchased at the present price is Jan. 3, Wasteneys, Lady<br /> 0 5 0<br /> £312 13s. 4d.<br /> Jan. 4, P. H. and M. K. ..<br /> 2 2<br /> This brings the invested funds to £4,377 19s. 4d. Jan. 4, Randall, F. J.<br /> 1 l<br /> The trustees, however, have been unable to recom-<br /> Jan. 5, W. .<br /> 0 10 0<br /> mend the payment of any further pensions, as the Jan. 5, Crellin, H. N.<br /> 0 5 0<br /> income at their disposal is at present exhausted. Jan. 5, S. F. G..<br /> 0 10 0<br /> They desire to draw the attention of the members Jan. 6, Blake, J. P. .<br /> 1 1 0<br /> of the society to this fact, in the hope that by Jan. 7, Douglas, James A. .<br /> 1 0 0<br /> additional subscriptions and donations there will Jan. 9, Grisewood, R. Norman.<br /> 0 5 0<br /> be sufficient funds in hand in the course of the<br /> Jan. 10, Wharton, Leonard C. .. o) 10 0<br /> year to declare another pension in case any im. Jan. 12, Tanner, James T.. .<br /> portant claim is forthcoming.<br /> Jan. 16, Kaye-Smith, Miss Sheila . () 5 0<br /> Jan. 17, Kemp, Miss Emily G.. . 1 1 0<br /> Consols 24%...<br /> ........... £1,312 13 4<br /> Jan. 21, Greenstreet, The Rev. W.<br /> 0 5 9<br /> Local Loans ........<br /> ... 500 0 0<br /> Jan. 26, Blundell, Miss Alice . . 0 5 0<br /> Victorian Government 3% Consoli-<br /> Jan. 28, Benecke, Miss Ida . 0 5 0<br /> dated Inscribed Stock<br /> 291 19 11<br /> Jan. 30, Wilkinson, The Rev. C.J. 1 1 0<br /> London and North-Western 3% Deben-<br /> Feb. 2, Lawes, T. C. .<br /> 0<br /> ture Stock .....................<br /> .<br /> 5<br /> 250<br /> .<br /> 0<br /> 0<br /> .<br /> 0<br /> Feb. 3, Dawson, Mrs. F. .<br /> ( 5 0<br /> Egyptian Government Irrigation<br /> Feb. 3, Tweedie, Mrs. Alec<br /> Trust 4% Certificates ......<br /> Feb. 10, Dale, T. F. . .<br /> Cape of Good Hope 32% Inscribed<br /> Feb. 13, Machen, Arthur.<br /> ( 10 )<br /> Stock ........................<br /> 200 0 0<br /> Feb. 21, Strachey, Lady .<br /> Glasgow and South-Western Railway<br /> Feb. 25, Humphreys, Mrs. (Rita)<br /> 4% Preference Stock.<br /> 228 0 0<br /> March 3, Gibbs, F. L. A. .<br /> ( 10 0<br /> New Zealand 32% Stock ............... 247 96<br /> March 6, Haultain, Arnold.<br /> 1 1<br /> Irish Land Act 23% Guaranteed Stock<br /> 0<br /> •<br /> 258 0 0<br /> March 9, Hardy, Harold .<br /> : 0 10 0<br /> Corporation of London 2% Stock,<br /> March 9, Hutton, E. . .<br /> . . j 0<br /> 1927-57 ...<br /> 438 2 4<br /> March 10, Wilson, Albert .<br /> . 0 5 0<br /> Jamaica 31% Stock, 1919-49. ........ 132 18 6<br /> March 16, Ward, Dudley . . .<br /> Mauritius 4% 1937 Stock............<br /> ( 10 6<br /> 120 121<br /> Dominion of Canada C.P.R. 31% Land<br /> Grant Stock, 1938.......... .......... 198 3 8<br /> COMMITTEE NOTES.<br /> Total ............... £4,377 19 4<br /> DHE March meeting of the Committee of the<br /> Subscriptions,<br /> society was held on the 6th ult., at the<br /> 1911.<br /> £ $, d.<br /> society&#039;s offices, 39, Old Queen Street, S.W.<br /> After the reading of the minutes of the previous<br /> Jan. 3, Yolland, Miss E. .<br /> 0 5 0 meeting, and arising out of them, Sir Alfred<br /> Jan. 3, Bowen, Miss Marjorie . 1 1 0 Bateman stated that he had drawn the attention of<br /> Jan. 9, Bolton, Miss Anna . . 0 5 0 the Advisory Committee on Commercial Intelligence<br /> Jan. 13, Edginton, Miss May . () 5 () of the Board of Trade to the large number of<br /> Feb. 11, Canpan, Gilbert . . . 0 10 6 dramas of British authors which were being<br /> Feb. 15. Reynolds, Mrs. Baillie . 0 5 0 produced in the chief cities abroad. He asked if<br /> .<br /> -<br /> .<br /> -<br /> -<br /> .<br /> .<br /> 200<br /> .<br /> .<br /> - Conduru<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .................<br /> .<br /> . .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 155 (#217) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 155<br /> arrangements could be made by which Consuls or purpose, the secretary was instructed to apply to<br /> Commercial Correspondents could notify to the the member for the fullest information as to th<br /> Commercial Intelligence Branch for transmission ownership of the copyright, date of publication,<br /> to the Society of Authors the title of any English and other particulars necessary to make the case<br /> play mentioned in the local newspapers as being in clear. On the receipt of the opinion the matter<br /> the course of performance, so as to safeguard will be reconsidered by the committee.<br /> British authors&#039; interests. He reported that the The solicitor then furnished the committee with<br /> matter was now being considered by the depart- a report of the work he had in hand for the society.<br /> ments concerned, and he hoped that good might Of ten small County Court cases four had been<br /> result.<br /> settled. In two others default summonses had been<br /> Following this statement, the committee turned issued and served. In one of the remaining cases<br /> to the election of members and associates. Twenty- they were waiting for the affidavit of the member<br /> five were elected, bringing the elections for the before issuing the default summons. One claim it<br /> current year up to seventy-two. There were ten had been necessary to abandon owing to the author<br /> resignations, bringing the resignations for the year being too ill to give evidence, and the two remain-<br /> up to forty-five. The number of elections is rathering claims had been arranged to the satisfaction of<br /> above, and the number of resignations rather below the authors. Three claims had been raised for the<br /> the average.<br /> return of MSS. ; one had been abandoned owing to<br /> Cases. The first case considered by the insufficient evidence. In another the paper had<br /> committee related to an alleged error in a publisher&#039;s gone into bankruptcy and matters were in a state<br /> accounts. In a statement prepared by the member of confusion, so that it was impossible at present<br /> he expressed his desire that the society should to obtain a satisfactory answer, though it was hoped<br /> pay for an accountant to investigate the publisher&#039;s that, in the end, the MS. would be found. In the<br /> books. After careful consideration, the committee last case a portion of the MS. had been returned.<br /> came to the conclusion that the case was hardly and it was hoped that the balance would be<br /> strong enough to justify such a course, and forthcoming.<br /> regretted they were unable to proceed with it, In one claim against a magazine for money due<br /> but stated that if the author could produce any for serial matter supplied, it had been arranged<br /> further evidence to establish his contention, they that some of the instalments should be paid for in<br /> would willingly reconsider the matter.<br /> full, but for the balance, owing to the liquidation<br /> In the next case—that of a bankrupt publisher of the magazine, the author would be bound to<br /> -twelve members were involved. The solicitor of prove in the bankruptcy.<br /> the society, having made a report of the history of After the conclusion of the cases, the committee<br /> the publishing concern, the committee decided, proceeded with the consideration of the ordinary<br /> after some discussion, to take steps to throw the business of the society. The first matter related to<br /> whole concern into bankruptcy, not only for the the Copyright Bill, and a letter from the president<br /> benefit of authors already involved, but also in of the Publishers&#039; Association covering certain<br /> order to save other writers from becoming mixed resolutions from that body was laid before the<br /> up in this company.<br /> committee, together with correspondence that had<br /> The secretary reported a case laid before the passed between the secretary of the society and the<br /> society, by a member, in which he brought a charge permanent secretary of the Board of Trade. The<br /> against one of the big magazines. He stated that secretary was instructed to write to the president<br /> having investigated and considered the papers, he of the Publishers&#039; Association, and also to<br /> had come to the conclusion that no claim could be communicate to the Board of Trade the view of<br /> established against the magazine in question, but as the committee on the important point that was<br /> the member had pressed for the case to go before under discussion.<br /> the committee, he had sent the papers to the society&#039;s The question of expenditure incidental to the<br /> solicitor, and the solicitor had expressed the same summoning of the Dramatists&#039; Conference was next<br /> opinion as that given by the secretary. In the considered by the committee, who sanctioned pay-<br /> circumstances, the committee decided they could not ments for the hiring of the hall, printing of<br /> take the matter further.<br /> circulars, etc.<br /> The next case before the committee arose out of The literary agency agreement drafted by the<br /> the infringement of the dramatic rights of one of secretary was laid before the meeting, and it was<br /> the members, by a cinematograph performance of decided to adjourn discussion of this document, as<br /> the United States. In this case the committee well as the question of establishing a loan fund to<br /> decided to take the opinion of a United States the next meeting, when it was possible both matters<br /> lawyer so as to ascertain what relief (if any) could would be referred to a sub-committee.<br /> be obtained under the United States law. For this The secretary reported that two members of the<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 156 (#218) ############################################<br /> <br /> 156<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> society had become life members ; that Mr. Arnold a correct title, and how when that title is proved it<br /> Haultain had made a donation of £1 ls. to the is impossible to take action if the infringement has<br /> Capital Fund ; and Miss E. M. Ducat a donation occurred before registration. Holders of literary<br /> of £1 to the same fund, out of money recovered by copyright have, at least, the satisfaction of knowing<br /> the society.<br /> that they may register at any time before action is<br /> coinmenced, and thus far they have a considerable<br /> advantage over their unfortunate brethren, the<br /> DRAMATIC SUB-COMMITTEE.<br /> artists.<br /> There was one claim for the return of MSS., and<br /> A SPECIAL meeting of the Dramatic Sub-Com this has been successful, and two matters came into<br /> mittee was held on Friday, March 3. After thethe Secretary&#039;s hands in regard to the duplication<br /> minutes of the previous meeting had been signed,<br /> of titles. These matters are very often difficult to<br /> the secretary placed before the members a case<br /> settle, but in the present instances, the Secretary<br /> which had recently come into his hands, with refer-<br /> was bound to advise the members that they had not<br /> ence to the infringement of a work of one of the<br /> established any property in their titles by user. In<br /> members by a cinematograph performance in the<br /> most of these cases, if any question arises before the<br /> United States of America. The sub-committee<br /> book is published or the play performed, it is<br /> referred the matter to the Committee of Manage-<br /> possible to come to some arrangement satisfactory<br /> ment, with a strong recommendation that the Com-<br /> to both parties, as the offending party is usually<br /> mittee of Management should give the matter their<br /> an innocent offender and is willing to fall in with<br /> earnest consideration, first, by ascertaining the exact<br /> the views of a brother author, if such views do<br /> legal rights of the member, and, secondly, by guard-<br /> not necessitate a heavy financial loss.<br /> ing those rights by an action for injunction and There were three demands for accounts. One of<br /> damages if it was possible to do so.<br /> these has terminated satisfactorily, and two are still in<br /> The next matter under discussion was a proposal the course of negotiation. There have been two<br /> to call a conference of the dramatists of the Society. disputes on agreements, one of which has had to<br /> It was decided that a vote should be taken with a be transferred to the solicitors, and one has been<br /> view to recommending to the Committee of Manage settled owing to the explanation given by the<br /> ment, candidates for appointment to the Dramatic<br /> publisher.<br /> Sub-Committee for the current year, and that the<br /> Nearly all the cases open from last month have<br /> report of the present Dramatic Sub-Committee either been closed, or placed in the hands of the<br /> should be laid before the conference for discussion, Society&#039;s solicitors. In two cases the Society was<br /> and that other subjects should be put forward on unable to carry the matters further, owing to lack<br /> which resolutions should be moved, one subject of of proper evidence on which to base a legal claim.<br /> particular interest to dramatists being the single Three cases that are still open refer two to matters<br /> licence for music halls and theatres.<br /> in the United States and one to an action in<br /> Germany. In these cases, the negotiations must<br /> necessarily take a long time.<br /> Cases.<br /> DURING the past month sixteen cases have been<br /> in the hands of the Secretary, when it has been<br /> March Elections.<br /> necessary for him to intervene between the author<br /> and the opposite party. The cases have been of Arnold, Mrs. G. 0. .. Broomfield, Sheffield.<br /> various kinds. Of two for accounts and money, Ayscough, John . . The Manor House,<br /> one has been settled and one is still in the course<br /> Winterbourne, Gun-<br /> of negotiation. Of five for money only two have<br /> ner, Salisbury Plain.<br /> been satisfactorily settled, and the remaining three Blair, H. B. . . . 17, Glover&#039;s Road,<br /> are in the course of negotiation. One, however,<br /> Reigate.<br /> is a serious matter which will have to come before Boughton, Rutland , Midland Institute,<br /> the Committee at their next meeting. One case<br /> Birmingham.<br /> dealing with the infringement of copyright, the Comins, Miss Catherine 39, Bond Street, Ealing,<br /> Secretary was obliged to advise the member could May Clapham<br /> W.<br /> not be carried forward owing to a defect in the Hutton, Edward . . 134, Lauderdale Man-<br /> title. It dealt with artistic copyright, and all those<br /> sions, W.<br /> who know anything about Copyright Law know Hynes-Hurst, Mrs. , Writers&#039; Club, 10, Nor-<br /> how hopelessly unsatisfactory artistic copyright is<br /> folk Street, W.C.<br /> for the artist ; how it is almost impossible to prove Kinloch, Alexander Harrow-on-the-Hill.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 157 (#219) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 157<br /> Lowndes, F.S.A. .<br /> Malim, Miss M. C.<br /> . 9, Barton Street, West-<br /> minster, S.W.<br /> . 59, Lee Road, Black-<br /> heath, S.E.<br /> . 96. Wimpole Street,<br /> CLASSICAL.<br /> BEOWULF AND THE FINNSBURG FRAGMENT. A Trans-<br /> lation into Modern English Prose. By John R. CLARK<br /> HALL. Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged. 8 x 5.<br /> 287 pp. Swan Sonnenschien &amp; Co. 78. 6d. n.<br /> Matthay, Tobias<br /> .<br /> W.<br /> DRAMA.<br /> THE ADVENTURE: A Romantic Variation on a Homeric<br /> Theme. By HENRY BRYAN BINNS. 7} x 51. 104 pp.<br /> Firfield. 28. 6d. n.<br /> MUSIC-DRAMA OF THE FUTURE: UTHER AND IGRAINE<br /> CHORAL DRAMA. By R. BOUGHTON and R. R. BUCK-<br /> LEY. 8.1 x 51. 93 pp. Reeves. 28, n.<br /> Montesole, Max . . 1, Gordon Terrace,<br /> Wightman Road,<br /> Hornsey, N.<br /> Noble, T. Tertius. . Minster Court, York.<br /> Nye, Reginald R. . . 35, Westminster Palace<br /> Gardens, Victoria<br /> Street, S.W.<br /> Seaforth, E. A. . . 72, Lewisham Park,<br /> S.E.<br /> Smith, Miss Charlotte 25, Chenies Street<br /> Fell<br /> Chambers, Blooms-<br /> bury.<br /> Somers, John . . Langford Place, Lang-<br /> ford, Bristol.<br /> Southwell, Miss Edith H. Bastia, Corsica, France.<br /> Toye, Francis . . Bath Club, Dover<br /> . Bath Club,<br /> Street.<br /> Veer, Miss Lenore van der<br /> Wilson, Albert, M.D. . 22, Langham Street,<br /> Portland Place, W.&#039;<br /> Whiting, Miss Lilian . The Brunswick, Boston,<br /> U.S.A.<br /> BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS.<br /> FICTION.<br /> MOTHERS AND FATHERS. By MRS. MAXWELL ARMFIELD<br /> (CONSTANCE SMEDLEY). 7.1 X 43. Chatto &amp; Windus.<br /> 68.<br /> Por AU FEU. By MARMADUKE PICKTHALL. 73 x 5.<br /> 374 pp. Murray. 6s.<br /> THE STORY OF CECILIA. By KATHERINE TYNAN. 73 x 5.<br /> 304 pp. Smith, Elder. 6s.<br /> KNIGHT CHECKS QUEEN. By Mrs. L. LOCKHART LANG.<br /> 74 x 5. 325 pp. Alston Rivers, 68.<br /> JUST TO GET MARRIED. By CICELY HAMILTON. 8 x 5.<br /> 309 pp. Chapman &amp; Hall. 6s.<br /> THE PATRICIAN. By JOHN GALSWORTHY. 71 x 5. 339 pp.<br /> Heinemann. 68.<br /> SHADOW SHAPES. By MAUDE ANNESLEY. 73 x .<br /> 312 pp. Methuen. 68.<br /> OIL OF SPIKENARD. By E. M. SMITH-DAMPIER. 78 X 5.<br /> 327 pp. Melrose. 68.<br /> TREVOR LORDSHIP. By Mrs. HUBERT BARCLAY. 78 X 53.<br /> 389 pp. Macmillan. 68.<br /> THE LONELY ROAD. By A. E. JACOMB. 73 x 5. 307 pp.<br /> Melrose. 6s.<br /> A REAPER OF THE WHIRLWIND. By VIOLET TWEEDALE.<br /> 74 x 5. 480 pp. John Long. 6.<br /> CANTACUTE TOWERS. By CECIL ADAIR. 78 X 5. 315 pp.<br /> Stanley Paul. 68.<br /> THE KESTREL. By REGINALD E. SALWEY. 73 x 5.<br /> 288 pp. Digby Long. 6s.<br /> THE SECRET OF THE DRAGON. By MARY L. PENDERED.<br /> 7 x 5. 347 pp. Harpers. 6s.<br /> THE STRANGER FROM IONIA. By W. P. KELLY. 78 X 5.<br /> 426 pp. Routledge. 6s.<br /> A WILDERNESS OF MONKEYS. By FREDERICK NIVEN.<br /> 78 x 5. 283 pp. Martin Secker. 6s.<br /> THE FALLING STAR. By E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM.<br /> 78 x 5. 366 pp. Hodder &amp; Stoughton. 68.<br /> VICTIMISED. By C. E. BASEVI. 78 x 5. 320 pp. John<br /> Long. 6s.<br /> THE GREEN CURVE AND OTHER STORIES. By OLE LUK-<br /> OIE. Cheap edition. 7 X 5. 318 pp. Blackwood.<br /> IMPATIENT GRISELDA. By LAURENCE NORTH. Martin.<br /> Secker. 68.<br /> THE JEWESS. By Mulvy OUSELEY. 306 pp. John<br /> Ouseley. 6,<br /> THE LORD DOLLAR. By HARPER CURTIS. 319 pp.<br /> Blackwoods &amp; Sons. 68.<br /> JANE OGLANDER. By Mrs. BELLOC LOWNDES. 73 x 5.<br /> 268 pp. Heinemann. 6s.<br /> THE INTELLECTUALS : AN EXPERIMENT IN IRISH CLUB-<br /> LIFE. By CANON SHEEHAN, D.D. 84 X 52. 386 pp..<br /> Longmans. 68.<br /> THE BROKEN ROAD. By.A. E. W. Mason. Seventh<br /> Impression. (Second Edition.) 71 X 5. 352 pp.<br /> Smith, Elder. 38. 6d.<br /> WHILE every effort is made by the compilers to keep<br /> this list as accurate and exhaustive as possible, they have<br /> some difficulty in attaining this object owing to the fact<br /> that many of the books mentioned are not sent to the cffice<br /> by the members. In consequence, it is necessary to rely<br /> largely upon lists of books which appear in literary and<br /> other papers. It is hoped, however, that members will<br /> Co-operate in the compiling of this list and, by sending<br /> particulars of their works, help to make it substantially<br /> accurate,<br /> BIOGRAPHY.<br /> IN CASTLE AND COURT HOUSE: Being Reminiscences of<br /> Thirty Years in Ireland. By RAMSAY COLLES. 9 x 53.<br /> 320 pp. Werner Laurie. 128. 6d. n.<br /> TIMOTHE BRICH DOCTOR OF PHISICKE. A Memoir of<br /> &quot; The Father of Modern Shorthand.” By WILLIAM<br /> J. CARLTON. With Photographs and Facsimiles. 87 X<br /> of. 205 pp. Elliot Stock. 108. 6d. n.<br /> BOOKS OF REFERENCE.<br /> THE GREEN BOOK OF LONDON SOCIETY : February, 1911.<br /> Edited by DOUGLAS SLADEN and W. WIGMORE. 71 X 51.<br /> 524 pp. Whittaker.<br /> A CONCISE ETYMOLOGICAL DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH<br /> LANGUAGE. By the Reverend WALTER W. SKEAT,<br /> Litt.D., etc. New and Corrected Impression. 7 X 5..<br /> 664 pp. Oxford: Clarendon Press. London: Frowde. 58. n.<br /> ls. n.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 158 (#220) ############################################<br /> <br /> 158<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> VIXEN. By M. E. BRADDON. 73 X 41. 565 pp. Nelson.<br /> 7d. n.<br /> POTIPHAR&#039;S WIFE. By L. PARKES. (Popular Edition.)<br /> 77 X 44. 303 pp. Milne. 18. n.<br /> THE DWELLER ON THE THRESHOLD. By ROBERT HICHENS.<br /> 71 x 5. 313 pp. Methuen. 68.<br /> KING PHILIP THE GAY. By REGINALD TURNER. 71 x 5.<br /> 349 pp. Greening. 68.<br /> SAMPSON RIDEOUT, QUAKER. By UNA L. SILBERRAD,<br /> 71 x 5. 411 pp. Nelson. 28. n.<br /> THE SWING OF THE PENDULUM. By X. MARCEL BOULE-<br /> STiN and FRANCIS TOYE. 78 X 5. 320 pp. Nash. 68.<br /> NEXT-OF-Kin. By M. BETHAM-EDWARDS. 6 X 4.<br /> 316 pp. Collins. 31d. n.<br /> A BED OF ROSES. By W. L. GEORGE. Frank Palmer.<br /> SHAVINGS. By FRANK RICHARDSON. 78 X 5. 96 pp.<br /> Nash. 28. 6d. n.<br /> POLITICAL<br /> THE DANGER ZONE OF EUROPE : CHANGES AND PROBLEMS<br /> IN THE NEAR EAST. By H. C. WOODS, F.R.G.S. 9X<br /> 54. 328 pp. Fisher Unwin. 108. 60, n.<br /> REPRINT.<br /> THE SENTIMENT OF THE SWORD : A Country House<br /> Dialogue. By the late CAPTAIN SIR RICHARD F.<br /> BURTON. Edited with notes by A. F. SIEVEKING, F.S.A.<br /> 7 X 41. 151 pp. H. Cox. 28. 6d. n.<br /> SCIENCE.<br /> THE ORIGIN OF LIFE: Being an Account of Experiments<br /> with certain Superheated Saline Solutions in Hermetically<br /> Sealed Vessels. * By H. CHARLTON BASTIAN, M.D., F.R.S.<br /> 10 x 61. 76 pp. With ten Plates. Containing numerous<br /> Illustrations from Photomicrographs. Watts &amp; Co.,<br /> Johnson&#039;s Court, Fleet Street. 38. 6d. n.<br /> SOCIOLOGY.<br /> A HISTORY OF FACTORY LEGISLATION. By B. L. HUT-<br /> CHINS and A. S. HARRISON. With a Preface by SIDNEY<br /> WEBB. 83 x 53. 304 pp. P. S. King. 68. n.<br /> 68.<br /> GARDENING.<br /> POPULAR GARDEN FLOWERS. By WALTER P. WRIGHT,<br /> With six illustrations in colour and forty-eight photo-<br /> graphs. 81 x 54. 367 pp. Grant Richards. 68. n.<br /> CASSELL&#039;S POPULAR GARDENING. Part I. Edited by<br /> W. P. WRIGHT. 11 x 8. 48 pp. Cassell, 7d, n.<br /> LAW.<br /> PRINCIPLES OF CONTRACT. Eighth edition. By SIR<br /> FREDERICK POLLOCK, D.C.L. 83 x 51. 812 pp.<br /> Stevens &amp; Sons. 288.<br /> LITERARY.<br /> APPRECIATIONS AND CRITICISMS OF THE WORKS OF<br /> CHARLES DICKENS. By G. K. CHESTERTON. 88 X 54.<br /> 243 pp. Dent. 78. 6d. n.<br /> THE VINDICATORS OF SHAKESPEARE: A Reply to<br /> Critics. By G. G. GREENWOOD, M.P. 71 X 5. 220 pp.<br /> Sweeting. 35. n.<br /> THE BURIED TEMPLE. By MAURICE MAETERLINCK,<br /> Translated by ALFRED SUTRO. (Pocket Edition.) 68 x<br /> 47. 276 pp. Allan. 28. 6d. n.<br /> MILITARY.<br /> THE OUTLINES OF MILITARY GEOGRAPHY. By Col. A,<br /> C. MACDONNELL. Two Volumes. With 19 Maps. 81x<br /> 5. 227 pp. Hugh Rees, Ltd. 128. 6d. n.<br /> MISCELLANEOUS.<br /> LONDON CLUBS : THE HISTORY AND TREASURES. By<br /> RALPH NEVILL. 9 x 51. 316 pp. Chatto &amp; Windus.<br /> MUSIC.<br /> THE LOVE OF THE NIGHT FOR THE DAY. By KITTY<br /> EVEREST, Stanley Webb, 1s. 4d.<br /> TRAVEL.<br /> A SAGA OF THE “SUNBEAM.” By HORACE G. HUTCHIN.<br /> SON. 9 x 51. 211 pp. Longmans. 6s. 6d. n.<br /> SOMALILAND. By ANGUS HAMILTON. 8 X 54. 366 pp.<br /> Hutchinson. 128. 6d. n.<br /> THE DANUBE WITH PEN AND PENCIL. By CAPT. B.<br /> GRANVILLE BAKER. 94 X 61. 191 pp. Swan Sonnen-<br /> schien. 158.<br /> BOOKS PUBLISHED IN AMERICA BY<br /> MEMBERS.<br /> NATURAL HISTORY.<br /> WITH NATURE AND A CAMERA : Being the Adventures and<br /> Observations of a Field Naturalist and an Animal Photo-<br /> grapher. By R. and CHERRY KEARTON. Popular edition.<br /> 83 X 51. 368 pp. Cassell. 58.<br /> PHILOSOPHY.<br /> THE WORLD OF DREAMS. By HAVELOCK ELLIS. 9 X 6.<br /> 288 pp, Constable. 78. 6d. n.<br /> POETRY<br /> THE STORY OF NEFREKEPTA. From a Demotic Papyrus.<br /> Put into verse by GILBERT MURRAY. 98 x 7. 47 pp.<br /> Oxford : Clarendon Press. London : Frowde. 48. 60, n.<br /> SONGS OF THE ROAD. By A. CONAN DOYLE. 7 X 41.<br /> 137 pp. Smith, Elder. 58.<br /> THE COLLECTED POEMS OF MAURICE BARING. 78 x 57,<br /> 237 pp. Lane. 58. n.<br /> ART.<br /> ESSAYS ON THE PURPOSE OF ART ; PAST AND PRESENT<br /> CREEDS OF ENGLISH PAINTERS. By Mrs. RUSSELL<br /> BARRINGTON. 421 pp. New York : Longmans.<br /> $4.25 n.<br /> BIOGRAPHY.<br /> THE LIFE OF OLIVER GOLDSMITH. By F. FRANKFORT<br /> MOORE. New York : Dutton, $3.50 n.<br /> THE FATE OF HENRY OF NAVARRE. By JOHN BLOUN-<br /> DELLE-BURTON. 349 pp. New York : John Lane.<br /> $4 n.<br /> BRAHMS. With 12 Illustrations. By J. A. FULLER-<br /> MAITLAND. 263 pp. New York: John Lane &amp; Co.<br /> $2.50.<br /> THE GROWTH OF NAPOLEON: A Study in Environment.<br /> By NORWOOD YOUNG. With Portraits and Illustrations.<br /> 418 pp. New York : Duffield. $3.75.<br /> FRENCH MEN, WOMEN AND Books : A Series of Nineteenth<br /> Century Studies. With 8 Portraits reproduced by special<br /> permission. By M. BETHAM-EDWARDS. Chicago :<br /> McClurg. $2.50 n.<br /> DRAMATIC.<br /> THE ADVENTURE. A Play by HENRY BRYAN BIxxs.<br /> New York: B. W. Huebsch. $1 n.<br /> THE DOCTOR&#039;S DILEMMA, GETTING MARRIED, and THE<br /> SHOWING UP OF BLANCO POSNET. By G. BERNARD<br /> SHAW. 443 pp. New York : Brentanos. $1.50 n.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 159 (#221) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 159<br /> FICTION.<br /> LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL<br /> MASTER AND MAID. By Mrs. L. ALLEN HARKER.<br /> NOTES.<br /> 315 pp. New York: Scribner &amp; Sons. $1.25 n.<br /> BERENICE. By E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM. 264 pp.<br /> Boston : Little, Brown. $1.25 n.<br /> W E must congratulate the Rev. Prof. Skeat<br /> THE HUMAN CHORD. By ALGERNON BLACKWOOD,<br /> V on the fresh edition of his “ Etymological<br /> 326 pp. New York : Macmillan. $1.50 n.<br /> THE NEW MACHIAVELLI. By H. G. WELLS. New York:<br /> Dictionary of the English Language,”<br /> DUFFIELD. $1.35 n.<br /> published at the price of 58. nett with thick paper,<br /> THE ANDERSONS. By S. MACNAUGHTAN. 372 pp. New<br /> 6s. nett with thin paper, by the Oxford University<br /> York: Dutton. $1.25 n.<br /> THE RIDING MASTER. By DOLF WYLLARDE. 354 pp.<br /> Press. The dictionary was originally published in<br /> New York: John Lane &amp; Co. $1.50.<br /> 1882, and after passing through several editions,<br /> THE VENTURE: A STORY OF THE SHADOW WORLD. By appeared in 1901 so largely rearranged and re-<br /> R. NORMAN GRISEWOOD. New York: R. W. Fenno.<br /> written as to become practically a new book.<br /> TWO ON A TOWER. By THOMAS HARDY. 332 pp. New<br /> The present edition is a revision of the edition of<br /> York: Harper Bros. $1.25 n.<br /> THE GREEN CURVE AND OTHER STORIES. By OLE 1901.<br /> LUK-OIE. 313 pp. New York: Doubleday Page. There is no need to recommend this book to the<br /> $1.20.<br /> English student and the British public. The Rev.<br /> THE GIRL FROM NOWHERE. By Mrs. BAILLIE REYNOLDS.<br /> Prof. Skeat&#039;s position as an English scholar is so<br /> 307 pp. New York : Doran. $1.20 n.<br /> THE LAME ENGLISHMAN. By WARWICK DEEPING.<br /> well known and his work has become so well estab-<br /> 368 pp. New York: Cassell. $1.20 n.<br /> lished that the public is sure to welcome this fresh<br /> TREVOR LORDSHIP. By Mrs. HUBERT BARCLAY. 389 pp.<br /> New York : Macmillan. $1.20 n.<br /> DENRY THE AUDACIOUS. By ARNOLD BENNETT. 350 pp.<br /> Of the two different publications the edition<br /> New York: Dutton. $1.35 n.<br /> with thin paper is perhaps the more satisfactory;<br /> NONE OTHER GODS. By R. H. BENSON. St. Louis : it is easily handled, lighter, and does not lack dis-<br /> Herder. $1.50.<br /> tinctness or careful production.<br /> THE JUSTICE OF THE KING. By HAMILTON DRUMMOND.<br /> “ Oil of Spike nard,&#039; a romance by E. N. Smith-<br /> 335 pp. New York : Macmillan. $1.20 n.<br /> THE ROGUE&#039;S HEIRESS. By TOM GALLON. 315 pp.<br /> Dampier, was published at the end of February by<br /> New York : Dillingham. $1.50.<br /> Mr. Andrew Melrose.<br /> THE PATRICIAN. By JOHN GALSWORTHY. 393 pp. New “Old Chinese Porcelain and Works of Art in<br /> York : Scribner. $1.35 n.<br /> China,” by A. W. Bahr, contains illustrations and<br /> THE DWELLER ON THE THRESHOLD. BY ROBERT<br /> HICHENS. 273 pp. New York: Century Co. $1.10 n.<br /> brief descriptions of pottery, Porcelain, jade and<br /> THE CAMERA FIEND. By E. W. HORNUNG. 346 pp. other artıc&#039;es selected from the first Art Exhibition<br /> New York : $1.25 n.<br /> held in China, viz., at Shanghai in 1908. There<br /> THE SINS OF THE CHILDREN. By HORACE NEWTE.<br /> are 12 coloured plates from the pictures by the<br /> 407 pp. New York : John Lane Co. $1.50.<br /> THE INTELLECTUALS: AN EXPERIMENT IN IRISH CLUB<br /> Chinese artist, Wong Chun Hai, and more than<br /> LIFE. By The Rev. CANON P. A. SUEEHAN. New 100 black-and-white illustrations. Messrs. Cassell<br /> York : Longmans. $1.50 n.<br /> &amp; Co. are the publishers.<br /> “The Great Betrayal,” by Harold Wintle, is a<br /> JUVENILE.<br /> novel that deals with the efforts of a foreign power<br /> WE OF THE NEVER-NEVER. By Mrs. ÆNEAS GUNN, to obtain British State secrets with the connivance<br /> 340 pp. Macmillan. $1.50.<br /> of the Foreign Secretary. Messrs. John Ouseley,<br /> Limited, are the publishers.<br /> LITERARY.<br /> The new edition of Dr. Clark Hall&#039;s “ Beowulf”<br /> LIFE OF JOHN RUSKIN. By ASHMORE WINGATE. 203 pp.<br /> contains, besides a revised translation, a great deal<br /> Scribner. $1.<br /> of matter intended to form a sort of introduction<br /> DIMINUTIVE DRAMAS. By MAURICE BARING. 224 pp. to the study of the poem, and an interesting and<br /> Boston: Houghton Mifflin. $1.25 n.<br /> exhaustive index of the things mentioned in it,<br /> ALARMS AND DISCURSIONS. By G. K. CHESTERTON,<br /> New York: Dodd Mead. $1.50 n.<br /> with numerous illustrations. It is hoped that this<br /> illustrated index will be useful to archæologists as<br /> MEDICAL.<br /> well as to students of Beowulf. As an experiment,<br /> a metrical rendering of the Finnsburg Fragment<br /> ALCOHOL AND THE HUMAN BODY. BY SIR VICTOR<br /> HORSLEY and DR. MARY D. STURGE. 290 pp. New<br /> has been inserted, as well as the prose translation.<br /> York : Macmillan 40 cents n.<br /> Messrs. Swan Sonnenschien &amp; Co. are the publishers.<br /> In “ A Small Collection of Japanese Lacquer,&quot;<br /> SOCIOLOGY.<br /> Mr. James Orage gives a brief account of the<br /> SOULS IN ACTION IN THE CRUCIBLE OF THE NEW LIFE:<br /> history and manufacture of lacquer and of the<br /> Expanding the Narrative of Twice-born Men. By various kinds of lacquer work, followed by a detailed<br /> HAROLD BEGBIE. 310 pp. New York : Doran. $1.25 n. description of the articles, which are of varied<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 160 (#222) ############################################<br /> <br /> 160<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> objects, and include over 60 inros (medicine boxes). form in the summer. An article by the same<br /> All have been examined by Messrs. Y. Imaizumi, writer, entitled “ An Elephant Hunt” appeared in<br /> director, and S. Fujiya, assistant director of the the February issue of The Badminton Magazine,<br /> Department of Fine Arts, Imperial Museum, while Mrs. Vassel&#039;s lecture on the Philippines<br /> Tokyo. A limited edition of the book has been delivered in December, in Manchester, Liverpool,<br /> printed, and the publishers are The Times Book Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Rugby, and else.<br /> Club of 376-384 Oxford Street, W.<br /> where, was published in the Scottish Geographical<br /> Mr. J. C. Wright is shortly to publish through Magazine for February<br /> Mr. Robert Scott, his new book, “ Changes of a Mrs. Vassel is responsible also for the articles on<br /> Century.&quot; This is a continuation of his previous Paris which have been appearing in the Evening<br /> work &quot;In the Good Old Times,&quot; and denls with Standard since June last, and now bear her signa-<br /> topics of social interest not touched in his previous ture. On January 6 she lectured at Burlington<br /> volume, contrasting present day life in England House on Annam for the Royal Geographical<br /> with that of a century ago.<br /> Society.<br /> Mr. T. Werner Laurie has just published Mr. Mr. George Hansby Russell&#039;s new novel will be<br /> Ramsay Colles&#039; volume of reminiscences of thirty published by Mr. John Murray in April or early in<br /> years in Ireland, under the title of “ In Castle and May. The title will be “Ivor,&quot; and the story is of<br /> Court House.&quot; There is, besides the political North Devon and the Island of Lundy.<br /> interest in the book, much literary interest in con- The annual general meeting of the Royal Literary<br /> nection with the Young Ireland literary movement Fund was held on March 9. Sir Alfred Bateman,<br /> and the work of the Dublin University dons. in submitting the report, mentioned that among the<br /> Mr. Andrew Melrose announces the publication Fund&#039;s cases was one of an author, whose name was<br /> of A. E. Jacomb&#039;s new novel “ The Lonely Road.” not unknown, who was receiving only £10 for a<br /> Miss Lilian Whiting has just completed a book novel from his pen. Every month they had cases<br /> on “ The Brownings : Their Life and Art,” in which of authors whose literary work was valuable, though<br /> she has endeavoured to give the complete biography limited in its appeal, and for these writers exist-<br /> of each, separately, before their marriage, and his, ence on the proceeds of their works was impossible.<br /> again after death, from some new material gained The report showed that the income of the fund for<br /> from Miss Whiting&#039;s friendship with their son, the year amounted to £4,088, and that £2,770 was<br /> Mr. Barrett Browning. The book, comes from voted in grants to forty-one applicants. Since the<br /> Messrs. Little, Brown &amp; Co. in the autumn.<br /> society&#039;s foundation in 1790, the total sum dis-<br /> A serial, “ The Emotions of Martha,” by Mrs. tributed in grants was £160,757. Professor W. P.<br /> Maxwell Armfield, has been running in The Girls&#039; Ker seconded the adoption of the report, which was<br /> Own Paper since October. 1910, and will be pub. carried. The chairman announced that the King<br /> lished in book form by the Religious Tract Society had consented to become patron of the society, and<br /> in September, 1911.<br /> that Mr. Birrell would take the chair at the dinner<br /> “The Polar Star&quot; is the title of a new novel by on Thursday, May 18. Lord Tennyson was re-<br /> Lady Helen Forbes, which Messrs. Duckworth &amp; Co. elected president of the society, and Sir Alfred<br /> have just published.<br /> Bateman was elected treasurer on the retirement of<br /> The first number of a new literary and patriotic Mr. Edward Dicey, who had held that post since<br /> journal“ Vestnik” for the promotion of travel, has 1888. Those present included Sir Edward Brabrook,<br /> just appeared in Prague, edited by Fr. Hlavacek. Mr. Percy M. Thornton, Mr. Richard Bentley,<br /> In it, space is given to an article from the pen of Mr. Sidney Lee, Mr. Maurice Hewlett, Mr. Edmund<br /> the Director of the Prague Art Museums, Imperial Gosse, Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins, and Mr. M. H.<br /> Councillor Franz Borovsky, upon the numerous Spielmann.<br /> articles and books by James Baker. In this Miss K. Everest has just published her fourth<br /> article the names of Dr. Herbert Warren, John song, “ The Love of the Night for the Day.” It<br /> Addington Symons, Henry Whatley, the artist, is dedicated to Her Highness the Princess Pretiva of<br /> and Walter Crane are also mentioned.<br /> Cooch Behar. It is to be had from the publishers,<br /> A fourth and enlarged edition has been published Messrs. Stanley Webb, 10, Museum Street, London,<br /> of Mr. F. W. Frankland&#039;s series of short studies on W.C.<br /> theological and metaphysical subjects, under the “Impatient Griselda &quot; is the title of Mr. Laurence<br /> title of “ Thoughts on Ultimate Problems.&quot; Mr. North&#039;s new novel which Mr. Martin Secker has<br /> David Nutt is the publisher.<br /> published recently. Mr. Laurence North has also,<br /> Mrs. Vassel&#039;s book “ On and off Duty in Annam,&quot; in the current number of the Oxford and Cambridge<br /> published by Messrs. Heinemann last year, is now Review, an article on “ The Earlier Oxford<br /> appearing in French in the “ Tour du Monde,” and Magazines.”<br /> will be published by Messrs. Hachette in volume Messrs. John Long have just published a 1s.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 161 (#223) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 161<br /> through Messrs. Constable &amp; Co., à volume called<br /> “Shepherds of Britain : Scenes from Shepherd<br /> Life Past and Present,&quot; from the best authorities,<br /> by Adelaide L. J. Gosset. There are to be sixty<br /> illustrations from drawings and photographs.<br /> edition of Tom Gallon&#039;s popular novel, “ The<br /> Great Gay Road,&quot; a dramatised version of which<br /> has been produced and is now touring the<br /> provinces.<br /> Mr. Robert Scott announces for publication a<br /> new novel by A. P. Crouch (author of “A Wife<br /> from the Forbidden Land &quot;) entitled “ Dick<br /> Comerford&#039;s Wager.” The scene of the story is<br /> laid in the country amidst the hunting gentry of a<br /> hundred years ago.<br /> The committee of the Imperial Club, Hove,<br /> hare arranged with Miss A. E. Keeton and Miss<br /> Keeton and Miss<br /> Grainger Kerr to give one of their studies of<br /> modern British song, at the club&#039;s premises, 2 and<br /> 4 First Avenue, Hove, on Saturday afternoon,<br /> April 8. at 3.15. The illustrations include<br /> works by the following composers: Ernest Austin,<br /> Granville Bantock, Hubert Bath, William Wallace,<br /> R. Vaughan Williams, Dalhousie Young, and many<br /> others. Tickets are procurable from the honorary<br /> secretary of the club by members at 2s. 6d. each<br /> (five tickets half-a-guinea) and by non-members at<br /> 3s. 6d. each (five tickets, 158.).<br /> At the annual meeting of the Bristol District of<br /> the Institute of Journalists held in Bristol on the<br /> 10th ult., Mr. James Baker, F.R.G.S., the special<br /> correspondent and honorary secretary of the British<br /> International Association of Journalists, was<br /> unanimously elected as chairman of the district,<br /> the retiring chairman, Mr. R. J. Mickie, referring<br /> to Mr. James Baker&#039;s work for journalism in many<br /> countries. Mr. James Baker has been asked by<br /> the Comité de Direction to read a paper at the<br /> International Press Congress in Rome in May on<br /> the facilities given to journalists in the English<br /> Houses of Parliament. His novel “ John Westa-<br /> cott” has just been issued in the popular two<br /> shilling series.<br /> “Love&#039;s Privilege,&quot; the mystery story by Stella<br /> M. Düring, which won a £200 prize in the<br /> Chicago Daily News competition, and was after<br /> wards published in book form in America, is to be<br /> brought out in England this summer by Messrs.<br /> Cassell &amp; Co. It has run serially in eight different<br /> English newspapers.<br /> “A Bed of Roses,&quot; by W. L. George, is the<br /> story of a woman&#039;s life, torn to shreds in the mere<br /> struggle for existence a story of shattered ideals<br /> and sorry triumpbs. The title of the novel is<br /> ironical in its application to the heroine&#039;s path,<br /> beset as it is with every kind of difficulty and<br /> danger. The book is published by Mr. Frank<br /> Palmer.<br /> Count Plunkett (author of “Sandro Botticelli,”<br /> &amp;c.) has been nominated a vice-president of the<br /> Royal Irish Academy by the newly-appointed<br /> president, Dr. Mahaffy.<br /> Miss Adelaide L. J. Gosset is shortly to publish,<br /> DRAMATIC.<br /> “ The Adventure&quot; is a play by Mr. Henry<br /> Bryan Binns which was published last month<br /> simultaneously in London and New York, in the<br /> former city by Mr. A. C. Fifield and in the latter<br /> by Mr. B. W. Buesch. It is described as “a<br /> romantic variation on a Homeric theme.&quot; While<br /> the episode which suggested the play is told in the<br /> Odyssey, it belongs to the folk-lore of all times<br /> and races. It is symbolical rather than classical,<br /> and as such Mr. Binns has treated it with some-<br /> thing of the breadth and freedom demanded by its<br /> motive. There is a prospect of the play being<br /> seen on the London stage.<br /> “Rococo&quot; is a one-act farce by Mr. Granville<br /> Barker which was produced at the Court Theatre<br /> last month. The piece relates to a quarrel in a<br /> middle-class home respecting the ownership of<br /> a rococo vase. The caste included Mr. Norman<br /> Page, Miss Kate Bishop, Mr. Montagu Love, and<br /> Miss Agnes Thomas. The same occasion witnessed<br /> the revival of Mr. John Masefield&#039;s play of peasant<br /> life, “The Tragedy of Nan.” It was interpreted<br /> by a company which included Miss Lillah<br /> McCarthy, Mr. Horace Hodges and Miss Mary<br /> Mr. Anthony Hope&#039;s play “The Prisoner of<br /> Zenda ” was revived at the Lyceum Theatre on<br /> March 1, where it was played by a caste which<br /> included Mr. Henry Ainley, Miss Ethel Warwick,<br /> and Mr. Fred Morgan.<br /> A one-act play by Sir William Gilbert, called<br /> “ The Hooligan,” was produced at the Coliseum at<br /> the end of February. Its theme is the agony of a<br /> condemned murderer, who, with apparently but<br /> two hours to live, works himself into such a state<br /> of mind torture that, when at length he learns of<br /> his reprieve, he falls dead. Mr. James Welch and<br /> Mr. Leslie Carter are in the caste.<br /> “The Caravanners,” a comedy in one act, by<br /> Beatrice Heron-Maxwell, was produced for the<br /> first time at the Gaiety Theatre, Hastings, on<br /> February 27. It relates how a lord, travelling<br /> incognito in a caravan, meets the lady of his heart.<br /> Mr. J. H. Lindell and Miss V. Vallis were two of<br /> the caste.<br /> “Peggy,&quot; Mr. George Grossmith&#039;s adaptation of<br /> Xamoff and Guérin&#039;s “L&#039;Amorçage,” was produced<br /> at the Gaiety Theatre on March 4. Mr. George<br /> Grossmith, Mr. Edmund Payne, Miss Gabrielle<br /> Ray and Miss Phyllis Dare are in the caste.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 162 (#224) ############################################<br /> <br /> 162<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> Mr. W. Somerset Maugham&#039;s new comedy The death of Roty, the celebrated French<br /> “ Loaves and Fishes” was produced at the Duke medallist, will be regretted by the whole French<br /> of York&#039;s Theatre on February 24. The chief nation. As M. Roger-Milés very aptly says :<br /> character is a Canon of the Church, and the action “The metallic history of a nation bears the exact<br /> of the piece centres round the various schemes of reflection of the psychology of that nation.” From<br /> this very worldly church dignitary for his social an almost uninhabited part of Africa, some years<br /> advancement. The play was interpreted by a caste ago, in reply to a letter bearing the new French<br /> which included Mr. Robert Loraine, Mr. Athol stamp with Roty&#039;s incomparable design of La<br /> Stewart, Miss Florence Haydon, and Miss Mary Semeuse (the simple figure of a woman scattering<br /> Barton.<br /> seed as she passes along with the rising sun<br /> A copyright performance of Mr. Spencer T. beyond her), I received an eloquent letter ending<br /> James&#039; piece in one act, “ The Death-Trap,&quot; with the words : “ How is it that they do these<br /> took place at the Alexandra Hall, Leeds, on the things so much better in France ? Compare<br /> 18th ult. The story concerns the trapping in a our postage stamps with theirs, our coins with<br /> London flat at midnight of an army officer by the theirs ...&quot; The Semeuse design is, of course,<br /> sister of the girl whom he has ruined.<br /> the best known of Roty&#039;s works. To those visitors<br /> to Paris who wish to study “the metallic history<br /> of the nation,” we would recommend, among other<br /> collections, the series of Roty&#039;s medals in the<br /> PARIS NOTES.<br /> Luxembourg Museum and the interesting series by<br /> Mme. Merignac of the types of peasants in the<br /> various provinces of France, ordered from her by<br /> PRÈS l&#039;Abandon de la Revanche,&quot; by the Mint for the Museum of the Monnaie.<br /> Madame Juliette Adam, describes many At the Sorbonne this winter two American<br /> political events from 1877 to 1880. In a professors are giving a series of lectures, one of<br /> life as active as that of Madame Adam, surrounded which consists of four lectures on Chaucer, Malory,<br /> as she has always been by the men who have made Spenser, and Shakespeare. When will there be an<br /> history, there is naturally very much that is English lecturer on English literature at the<br /> intensely interesting in this volume. The letters Sorbonne ?<br /> which she publishes add greatly to the value of the The French Academy has awarded one of the<br /> book.<br /> Gobert Prizes of nine thousand francs for the<br /> “ Valentine de Milan,&quot; by M. Emile Collas, is “most eloquent piece of French history&quot; to<br /> a biography as interesting as a novel. This M. Brédier, professor at the College of France, for<br /> history of the first Duc and Duchesse d&#039;Orléans his work “ Légendes épiques,” and another of one<br /> takes us back to the beginning of the fifteenth thousand francs to M. Louis Battifol for his work<br /> century. The story of Valentine de Milan is one “Le Roi Louis XIII. à vingt ans.” The reception<br /> of the most fascinating in French history.<br /> of General Langlois by the Academy is arranged<br /> “ La Plus Forte,&quot; by Alain Valvert, is an for June 15.<br /> extremely modern novel. We see the young girl in the Revue hebdomadaire M. Gabriel Hano-<br /> who, as a medical student, imagines her indepen- taux writes an article entitled “Il faut choisir ?<br /> dence is dearer to her than all else in the world. on the subject of the Triple Entente (Russia,<br /> She witnesses the results of the vaunted indepen- France, and England). M. Louis Bertrand pub-<br /> dence of some of her women friends. The whole lishes his lecture on Gustave Flaubert. An excel-<br /> book is an attractive psychological study.<br /> lent series of articles has been organised by this<br /> “ Visions d&#039;Egypte,&quot; by Dr. A. Le Dentu, is Revue on the various French ministries. M. Jules<br /> another volume of impressions by a traveller who Méline writes the first one on the Ministry of<br /> gives us descriptions of the landscape, ruins, life Agriculture. The second article was written by<br /> as it is to-day, together with some notions of the M. René Millet on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<br /> past history, of the legends, myths, religion, and The third on the Colonial Ministry was by M. G.<br /> art of the Egyptians. The volume is written by a Demartial. These articles give the public an<br /> conscientious critic, and is illustrated with about excellent idea of the working of the various<br /> ten engravings.<br /> machines of Government. There is also an<br /> “ Le Milieu médical et la Question médico- extremely interesting article by the Marquis de<br /> sociale&quot; is the title of Dr. Grasset&#039;s latest publica- Massa on General Bourbaki. M. Germain Breton<br /> tion, the summing up of which is contained in the writes on “ The Clergy and Politics,” M. Augustin<br /> last chapters under the heading of “ Necessity for Filon on “Le Prince Impérial,” and Comte Jean<br /> union and collaboration among doctors. Advice d&#039;Elbée on “ Armand de Chateaubriand.”<br /> to future doctors.”<br /> M. Henry Bernstein has withdrawn his play<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 163 (#225) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 163<br /> &quot; Après moi” from the programme of the Comédie<br /> Française.<br /> &quot;L&#039;Oiseau bleu&quot; at the Théâtre Réjane is<br /> the great sensation at present. It certainly is<br /> admirably staged and, with Georgette Leblanc,<br /> Maeterlinck&#039;s play is all that could be desired.<br /> At the Gymnase “Papa,” a three-act play by<br /> MM. Robert de Flers et Armand de Caillavet, is<br /> being given. At the Varietés “ Les Midinettes,&quot;<br /> a comedy in four acts by M. Louis Artus, is still<br /> being played.<br /> M. Camille de Sainte-Croix, founder of the<br /> Théâtre Shakespeare, gave “ Love&#039;s Labour&#039;s Lost”<br /> to a crowded house for two performances, and he is<br /> at present rehearsing “ The Merchant of Venice.”<br /> A Shakespeare League is now being formed, and<br /> M. Dujardin-Beaumetz, Sous-Secrétaire d&#039;Etat<br /> aux Beaux Arts, and M. d&#039;Estournelles Constant,<br /> Chef du Service des Théâtres, have both joined<br /> the Shakespeare Committee. As English delegate<br /> of this French Shakespeare League I should be so<br /> glad if any readers could give us particulars of<br /> existing Shakespearean Societies in England or in<br /> any other country.<br /> ALYS HALLARD.<br /> 60, Rue de Vaugirard, Paris.<br /> &quot;Après l&#039;Abandon de la Revanche&quot; (Lemerre).<br /> &quot; Valentine de Milan&quot; (Plon).<br /> &quot;La Plus Forte” (Perrin).<br /> &quot; Visions d&#039;Egypte&quot; (Perrin).<br /> &quot;Le Milieu médical et la Question médicosociale” (Ber-<br /> nard Grasset).<br /> some such name as Savourot. Let us call him<br /> Savourot.<br /> The question for the publisher was to resuscitate<br /> Savourot. Yes; but, as a fact, was Savourot dead ?<br /> There was no date on the book, which would help<br /> to form an approximate idea on the point; and the<br /> encyclopædias, eagerly consulted, were mute on the<br /> subject. A publisher&#039;s name certainly figured on<br /> the fly-leaf, but it was that of an unknown book-<br /> seller, of whom dozens come to light and die during<br /> the year. There was nothing to be found out in<br /> that direction.<br /> And yet there was one question, an all-important<br /> one, that arose : had Savourot&#039;s work become public<br /> property ? Certainly, the typographical appear-<br /> ance of the book and the author&#039;s style furnished<br /> some indications, but a respectable publisher cannot<br /> content himself with uncertain information. The<br /> courts protect—and rightly so— literary property.<br /> Now, we know that a work does not become public<br /> property until fifty years after the author&#039;s death.<br /> How was it to be ascertained whether fifty years<br /> had elapsed since the day when Savourot had<br /> departed this life? Without consulting the death<br /> registers of every parish in France and the colonies,<br /> it was not to be thought of.<br /> My friend was compelled, much against his will,<br /> to abandon his project; and at the same time the<br /> public was also deprived of an interesting literary<br /> exhumation.<br /> This demonstrates that the laws governing<br /> public property in the field of literature are<br /> defective. In what way are they defective ? In<br /> this respect, that the termination of literary copy-<br /> right ought only to be based upon the age of a<br /> work, and not on the death of its author.<br /> One literary work, in the event of its author<br /> dying the day after publication, remains private<br /> property for fifty years only ; whereas another, by<br /> the mere fact of the author living fifty years after<br /> its publication, will remain private property for a<br /> century. This is an anomaly which nothing can<br /> justify.<br /> The common-sense remedy would be to compel<br /> publishers to print on each volume the date* of<br /> publication ; and to decide that during a number<br /> of years, to be determined (say sixty years), the<br /> property of a literary work shall be vested in the<br /> author or his representatives. After sixty years<br /> the work should become public pr perty. In this<br /> way there would no longer be any uncertainty. On<br /> opening a book we should know immediately what<br /> was its position with regard to the public.<br /> It would be at once simple and quitable—two<br /> very good reasons against its adoption.<br /> THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.<br /> [Translated from an article signed Fred Isly, appearing<br /> in Le Pèle. Véle, 92, rue St. Lazare, Paris, of March 12,<br /> 1911, headed “ Domaine Public.”<br /> NE day a friend of mine, a publisher, was<br /> U looking through some second-hand books<br /> in a suburban brooker&#039;s shop; and so as<br /> not to disappoint the dealer, who was very attentive,<br /> he purchased a few volumes at random.<br /> In this there is nothing remarkable ; what is<br /> more remarkable is that he had the curio-ity to<br /> read these literary derelicts. And a still more<br /> remarkable thing is that one of these books seemed<br /> to him to be a very valuable work. The discovery<br /> of a masterpiece is always a treat for a publisher;<br /> and my friend at once conceived the idea of reveal-<br /> ing this neglected writer, who had fallen into<br /> oblivion, to the public.<br /> I have forgotten the writer&#039;s name. When I<br /> recall the incident, the most that comes into my<br /> mind is a vague sound which formulates itself into<br /> Date of first publication is probably meant, although<br /> the writer does not specify..<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 164 (#226) ############################################<br /> <br /> 164<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> COPYRIGHT IN FICTION AND CINEMATO fusion. Anyone who named his work · Les<br /> GRAPH REPRESENTATIONS. Misérables&#039; would be certainly intending to profit<br /> by a reputation that has been already made.&quot; M.<br /> Marcel Prévost, M. Francis de Croisset, Madame<br /> M WO cases in which the copyright of well Alfonse Daudet, and Madame Claude Farrère all<br /> 1 known French novels was alleged to have expressed similar opinions. M. Leon Gandillot<br /> been infringed by cinematograph represen- declared, “ Success causes a title to cease to be<br /> tations have recently come before the French commonplace, and gives it a particular value.”<br /> courts, and present some features of interest.<br /> Such a consensus of opinions was, however,<br /> In the first case Madame Hémon, who holds insufficient to convince the court. The sentence<br /> rights in works by Prosper Mérimée brought an decreed that the success of a norel or a play (which<br /> action against “La Société des anciens établissements was really the point under discussion) has no<br /> Pathé Frères” for having published, and offered influence on the commonplace nature of a title, and<br /> for sale in a catalogue, under the title of “ Châti- rejected the demand of M. Paul Féval fils respecting<br /> ment de Corse,&quot; a cinematograph film reproducing the title “ Bossu.” At the same time it ordered<br /> the striking episodes of the well-known story that the bills exposed at the entrances of cinemato-<br /> “ Matteo Falcone.&quot;<br /> graph halls should in all cases exhibit the names<br /> The &quot; Société Patbé” admitted the fact, and of the authors of the scenes represented ; and<br /> pleaded that the damage did not amount to more condemned the “ Société Pathé ” to pay costs.<br /> than 200 francs. The court, however, reaffirmed<br /> the decision that the reproduction of a work for<br /> the cinematograph constitutes an infringement of<br /> an author&#039;s rights, and condemned the defendants<br /> MAGAZINE CONTENTS.<br /> to pay Madame Hémon one thousand francs<br /> damages.<br /> In the second case the same “Société Pathé”<br /> BOOKMAN.<br /> was proceeded against by M. Paul Feval fils. The<br /> Arnold Bennett: An Appreciation. By F, G, Bettany.<br /> work&#039; in question was à novel entitled “ Bossu.” Mark Twain as Psychologist. By Professor John Adams.<br /> The Société Pathé had given this title to a A great American Journalist. A Note on the Centenary<br /> cinematograph film, which, however, had no con- of Horace Geeley. By A. St. John Adcock.<br /> nection with M. Paul Feval&#039;s celebrated novel. In<br /> Book MONTHLY.<br /> a previous action against “ La Société Gaumont &quot;<br /> Burns in London.<br /> respecting the title “ Le Fils de Lagadère &quot;M. Paul<br /> CONTEMPORARY.<br /> Feval had obtained a sentence that there was a<br /> distinction between a commonplace title, which<br /> What is Impressionism. By Wynford Dewhurst.<br /> Ben Jonson and Shakespeare. By the late Mary<br /> might be freely used, and a title of some originality s<br /> which was entitled to the protection of the law. Literary Supplement : Dame Eleanor and Lady Macbeth.<br /> The question now arose whether “Bossu&quot; By J. E. G. de Montmorency.<br /> (Hunchback) was to be regarded as an original<br /> ENGLISH REVIEW.<br /> title. The great majority of authors had no doubt<br /> about the answer which should be given. The Renan : The Romance of Religion. By Frank Harris.<br /> counsel conducting M. Paul Feval&#039;s case produced<br /> FORTNIGHTLY.<br /> a number of letters from leading literary men of the<br /> day addressed to his client. M. Clarette wrote, “ It<br /> Christina Rossetti. By Ford Madox Hueffer.<br /> would be a very bold thing to assert that any word<br /> The Musician as Composer. By Filson Young.<br /> The Theâtre Français in the Fifties. By Francis Gribble.<br /> becomes &#039;commonplace. &#039; Le Cid&#039; would be<br /> Björnstjerne Björnson. By Robert Machray.<br /> commonplace and · Le Misanthrope.&#039; It is true<br /> that an author cannot annex the dictionary when<br /> SCALE FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.<br /> he chooses a name or a word. But the celebrity<br /> attained by the word constitutes a property which<br /> (ALLOWANCE TO MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY 20 PER CENT.)<br /> ought to be respected.” M. Edmond Rostand<br /> Front Page<br /> wrote, “ As you ask what are my views regarding<br /> Other Pages<br /> ... ... 300<br /> property in the title of literary works, I am of Half of a Page ...<br /> Quarter of a Page<br /> ... O 15 0<br /> opinion that a title, howsoever commonplace it may<br /> 0 7 6<br /> Single Column Advertisements ...<br /> per inch<br /> be, becomes the property of the author when it has<br /> 60<br /> been consecrated by such a success that a stranger<br /> Reduction of 20 per cent. made for a Series w Six and of 25 por cont. for<br /> Twelve Insertions.<br /> by adopting it reckons upon doing so to his<br /> All letters respecting Advertisements should be addressed to J. F.<br /> personal advantage, and hopes to profit by the con- BELMONT &amp; Co., 29, Paternoster Square, London, E.C.<br /> CU VIVIC VI DIVIS&quot;au<br /> Suddard.<br /> ..<br /> ...<br /> 1 10<br /> Eighth of a Page<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 165 (#227) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 165<br /> HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY.<br /> 1. D VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive<br /> 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&#039;s opinion without<br /> any cost to the member. Moreover, where counsel&#039;s<br /> opinion is favourable, and the sanction of the Committee<br /> is obtained, action will be taken on behalf of the aggrieved<br /> member, and all costs borne by the Society.<br /> 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright<br /> and publishers&#039; agreements do not fall within the experi.<br /> ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use<br /> the Society.<br /> 3. Before signing any agreement whatever, send<br /> the document to the Society for examination,<br /> 4. Remember always that in belonging to the Society<br /> you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you<br /> are reaping no direct 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 /> 5. The Committee have arranged for the reception of<br /> members&#039; 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 the safe. The Society now offers :<br /> (1) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action<br /> upon them. (2) To keep agreements. (3) To enforce<br /> payments due according to agreements. Fuller particu-<br /> lars of the Society&#039;s work can be obtained in the<br /> Prospectus.<br /> 6. 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 /> 7. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. This<br /> must be done within fourteen days of first execution. The<br /> Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members.<br /> 8. 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 /> 9. The subscription to the Society is £1 18. per<br /> annum, or £10 10s. for life membership.<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 /> II. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of<br /> agreement).<br /> In this case the following rules should be attended to:<br /> (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro-<br /> duction forms a part without the strictest investigation.<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 /> (3.) Not to allow a special charge for &quot;office expenses,&quot;<br /> unless the same allowance is made to the author.<br /> (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental<br /> rights.<br /> (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights.<br /> (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher.<br /> As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor op<br /> doctor!<br /> III. The Royalty System.<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 /> truth. From time to time very important figures connected<br /> with royalties are published in The Author.<br /> IY. A Commission Agreement.<br /> The main points are :-<br /> (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production.<br /> (2.) Keep control of the advertisements.<br /> (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book.<br /> General.<br /> All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four<br /> above mentioned.<br /> Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author,<br /> Never sign any agreement without competent advice from<br /> the Secreta<br /> the Secretary of the Society.<br /> Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp.<br /> Avoid agreements by letter if possible.<br /> The main points which the Society has always demanded<br /> from the outset are :<br /> (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement<br /> means.<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 /> (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright.<br /> WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS.<br /> WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS<br /> OF BOOKS.<br /> N 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. It is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for<br /> the production of a play with any one except an established<br /> manager,<br /> 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays<br /> in three or more acts:<br /> (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This<br /> is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into<br /> such a contract should 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 /> TTERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an<br /> n agreement. There are four methods of dealing<br /> with literary property :-<br /> I. Selling it Outright.<br /> This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 166 (#228) ############################################<br /> <br /> 166<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> DRAMATIC AUTHORS AND AGENTS.<br /> (6.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to<br /> perform on the basis of percentages on<br /> gross 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 /> (o.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to<br /> perform on the basis of royalties (i.e., fixed<br /> nightly fees). This method should be always<br /> avoided except in cases where the fees are<br /> likely to be small or difficult to collect. The<br /> other safeguards set out under heading (6.) apply<br /> also in this case.<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 /> 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 /> 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but<br /> should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction<br /> is of great importance.<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 /> 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed.<br /> ingly valuable. They should never be included in English<br /> agreements without the author obtaining a substantial<br /> .consideration.<br /> 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully<br /> drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced.<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 /> 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 /> 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 /> D RAMATIC authors should seek the advice of the<br /> Society before putting plays into the hands of<br /> agents. As the law stands at present, an agent<br /> who has once had a play in his hands may acquire a<br /> perpetual claim to a percentage on the author&#039;s fees<br /> from it. As far as the placing of plays is concerned,<br /> it may be taken as a general rule that there are only<br /> very few agents who can do anything for an author<br /> that he cannot, under the guidance of the Society, do<br /> equally well or better for himself. The collection of fees<br /> is also a matter in which in many cases no intermediary is<br /> required. For certain purposes, such as the collection of<br /> fees on amateur performances, and in general the trans.<br /> action of frequent petty authorisations with different<br /> individuals, and also for the collection of fees in foreign<br /> countries, almost all dramatic authors employ agents; and<br /> in these ways the services of agents are real and valuable.<br /> But the Society warns authors against agents who profess<br /> to have influence with managers in the placing of plays, or<br /> who propose to act as principals by offering to purchase<br /> the author&#039;s rights. In any case, in the present state of<br /> the law, an agent should not be employed under any<br /> circumstances without an agreement approved of by the<br /> Society.<br /> WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS.<br /> the words.<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 /> 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. The musical composer has very often the two<br /> rights to deal with-performing right and copyright. He<br /> should be especially careful therefore when entering into<br /> an agreement, and should take into particular consideration<br /> the warnings stated above.<br /> STAMPING MUSIC.<br /> The Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on<br /> behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part<br /> of 100. The members&#039; stamps are kept in the Society&#039;s<br /> safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the<br /> Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the<br /> members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble.<br /> THE READING BRANCH.<br /> REGISTRATION OF SCENARIOS AND<br /> ORIGINAL PLAYS.<br /> CEMBERS 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 /> 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 /> REMITTANCES.<br /> OCENARIOS, typewritten in duplicate on foolscap paper<br /> D forwarded to the offices of the Society, together with<br /> a registration fee of two shillings and sixpence, will<br /> be carefully compared by the Secretary or a qualified assis-<br /> tant. One copy will be stamped and returned to the author<br /> and the other filed in the register of the Society. Copies<br /> of the scenario thus filed may be obtained at any time by<br /> the author only at a small charge to cover cost of typing.<br /> Original Plays may also be filed subject to the same<br /> rules, with the exception that a play will be charged for<br /> at ibe price of 28. 6d. per act.<br /> The Secretary of the Society heys to give notice<br /> that all remittances are acknowledged by return of posi.<br /> All remittances should be crossed Union of London and<br /> Smiths Bank, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered<br /> letter only.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 167 (#229) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 167<br /> GENERAL NOTES.<br /> It has been the custom lately at Christmas to<br /> produce beautiful illustrated books in editions<br /> limited to 250 to 500 copies. The prices of<br /> ALTERATIONS IN AUTHORS&#039; MANUSCRIPTS.<br /> these books range from £2 28. to £5 5s. The<br /> THE society has always contended that no tax, therefore, that is laid upon these editions, if<br /> editor or publisher has a right to alter an the book is £5 58., would be £26 58. ; if the book<br /> author&#039;s MS.<br /> Indeed, on behalf of one of the<br /> Indeed, on behalf of one of the<br /> is £2 28., the tax would be £10 10s.<br /> members of the society a very important case was<br /> This is a serious item to be considered by the<br /> taken through the Courts on this basis. An editor publisher and author in working out their financial<br /> of a responsible paper, who is also an author, has<br /> statements.<br /> been known to state that an editor has absolute<br /> right to alter an author&#039;s MS. should he so desire<br /> THIRTY-SIX DRAMATIC SITUATIONS.<br /> without reference to the author. On being asked<br /> what he would say if his own MS. during publica-<br /> An interestimg correspondence has been recorded<br /> tion was altered he is reported to have answered<br /> in the Chicago Dial with regard to thirty-six<br /> that the issue was not the same. We have only<br /> original dramatic situations.<br /> quoted this instance to show how authors rightly<br /> It appears that Goethe, in his conversation with<br /> consider any alteration in their MSS. as a personal<br /> Eckermann, under date of February 14, 1830,<br /> matter. In the days of duelling, no doubt, such<br /> attributed to Gozzi the statement that there could<br /> alterations might have been looked upon as a<br /> be but thirty-six “tragic&quot; situations. This state-<br /> personal insult. But still cases do occur, and one<br /> ment of Goethe set Schiller off to see if he could<br /> has come to the notice of the society recently where<br /> not discover any more, but, according to the record,<br /> an anthor produced a book in England and America. he could not find so many, though he took much<br /> In England it was produced exactly as the author pains to do so.<br /> had meant it to be. For special reasons he had<br /> The question it appears was followed up by<br /> carefully avoided any headings to the chapters.<br /> Georges Polti, who published in 1895 in Paris a<br /> In America, however, some proof-reader, think-<br /> reader Think book called “ The Thirty-six Dramatic Situations.&quot;<br /> ing he knew better than the author how the<br /> In this book he digested the whole subject not only<br /> book should be laid before the public, at his own<br /> from the point of view of the drama, but from the<br /> discretion headed all the chapters. We are glad to<br /> point of view of literature and history. The<br /> report that the publisher has made amends<br /> correspondent of the Chicago Dial has set down the<br /> for this mistake, but at the same time we<br /> brief headings under which each group is analysed,<br /> think it necessary to call the attention of authors<br /> but suggests that such a list does but scant justice<br /> to the fact that such things as alterations in<br /> to Monsieur Polti&#039;s ingenuity and skill.<br /> authors&#039; MSS. still occur.<br /> The list is as follows:-1. Supplication ; 2. The<br /> Saviour; 3. Vengeance pursuing crime ; 4. To<br /> avenge kinsman upon kinsman ; 5. The fugitive<br /> hunted ; 6. Disaster ; 7. A prey ; 8. Revolt ; 9.<br /> LIBRARY COPIES.<br /> Daring effort ; 10. Carrying off; 11. The riddle ;<br /> We see that a Deputation from the Committee 12. To obtain ; 13. Hatred of kinsmen; 14.<br /> of the Welsh National Library was received by Mr. Rivalry of kinsmen or friends ; 15. Murderous<br /> Sydney Buxton. The deputation asked that in the adulterer ; 16. Madness ; 17. Fatal imprudence ;<br /> new Copyright Bill there should be an obligation 18. Involuntary crime of love ; 19. To kill a kins-<br /> upon authors to send copies of their books to the man before recognition ; 20. To sacrifice to-<br /> Welsh Library. We can only trust that no extra the ideal ; 21. To sacrifice for kinsmen ; 22. To<br /> tax will be placed upon authors and publishers in sacrifice all to passion ; 23. To be obliged to<br /> the matter of supplying gratis copies. As the law sacrifice one&#039;s kinsmen ; 24. Rivalry of unequals ;<br /> stands at present, the tax comes very hard. If 25. Adultery ; 26. Crimes of Love ; 27. To learn<br /> any steps were taken, they should be towards the dishonour of one who is loved ; 28. Loves<br /> reducing rather than increasing the burden ; but, obstructed ; 29. To love an enemy; 30. Ambition ;<br /> perhaps, the Government will find it impossible to 31. Struggle against God; 32. Mistaken jealousy :<br /> go back upon the rights that have already been 33. Judicial error ; 34. Remorse ; 35. Recovery ;<br /> granted by statute to the five libraries.<br /> 36. To lose one&#039;s kinsmen.<br /> In most cases the cost of supplying these gratis<br /> books comes heavier on the publisher than on<br /> the author, but still the matter is serious for the<br /> COPYRIGHT DURATION.<br /> author, and if he produces an expensive book In another column we publish an article taken<br /> in a limited edition the tax is almost impossible. from a French paper dealing with the question of<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 168 (#230) ############################################<br /> <br /> 168<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> the duration of copyright. The author thinks it<br /> GENERAL MEETINGS.<br /> would be a better thing for copyright to run for a<br /> fixed time from the date of publication of the book<br /> I.<br /> rather than for the life of the author and a fixed<br /> time after his death, and his deduction is, that if<br /> THE COUNCIL MEETING.<br /> copyright runs for a fixed time after the death of<br /> D RIOR to the annual general meeting, held at<br /> the author, if the book is published just before<br /> f the Royal Society of Arts on Thursday,<br /> the author&#039;s death, it might only last for fifty<br /> March 23, the general meeting of the share-<br /> years. But in this argument he misses the chief holders, the Council of the Society, was held. The<br /> object of copyright legislation in all countries. meeting was a formal one to pass the annual<br /> namely, to secure to an author and his family the<br /> report of the Committee of Management, to elect<br /> benefit of that author&#039;s work for a certain time. If,<br /> the accountants for 1911, and to adopt the accounts<br /> therefore, perpetual copyright is outside the range<br /> for the past year.<br /> of practical politics, then the French author&#039;s sug.<br /> As the report and accounts had been circulated<br /> gestion is wholly unsatisfactory when the main<br /> they were taken as read, and the three items on<br /> object of copyright protection is kept in mind for,<br /> the agenda, put from the chair, were duly carried,<br /> if the copyright should run from the date of pub-<br /> Messrs. Oscar Berry &amp; Co. being re-elected<br /> lication and it was the author&#039;s first book, his<br /> accountants.<br /> descendants might reap but little, perhaps no value<br /> from the length of duration, and that which the<br /> II.<br /> legislature set out to acquire would be lost. In addi-<br /> tion, the difficult question of the date of publication<br /> THE SOCIETY.<br /> would be constantly cropping up, and it might be The general meeting of the society was held on<br /> necessary to confirm the author&#039;s property to him- Thursday, March 23, at 4 p.m., Mr. Maurice<br /> self by registration, and any formalities tend to Hewlett, chairman of the Committee of Manage-<br /> endanger his position. Whereas, under the present ment, presiding.<br /> arrangement for a certain fixed time, the descen- The agenda on the paper were :-(1) To receive<br /> dants of an author must benefit by the work he has and, if desired, to discuss the accounts and report of<br /> done if it has any power of survival. We cannot the Committee of Management ; (2) To elect a<br /> help thinking that the present method, which is member of the Pension Fund Committee under the<br /> promulgated by the Berlin Convention, is the best scheme for the management of the Pension Fund,<br /> under existing conditions.<br /> Mrs. Alec Tweedie having resigned in due order,<br /> but submitting her name for re-election, while the<br /> name of no other candidate had been put forward ;<br /> (3) To appoint scrutineers to count the votes under<br /> the society&#039;s constitution.<br /> COMMITTEE ELECTION.<br /> The chairman proposed, as last year, to take<br /> Nos. 2 and 3 before proceeding to the main business<br /> of the meeting. No other candidate having been<br /> THE following is the signed statement of the proposed for the vacancy on the Pension Fund<br /> scrutineers, recording the votes for 1911 :-.<br /> Committee, Mrs. Alec Tweedie was automatically<br /> W. W. Jacobs .<br /> 267<br /> re-elected. With regard to the appointment of<br /> Maurice Hewlett<br /> 262<br /> scrutineers, no name being put forward and seconded<br /> Sir Alfred Bateman.<br /> at the meeting, the chairman announced that the<br /> Aylmer Maude . .<br /> 209<br /> necessary appointment would be made by the<br /> committee.<br /> Mackenzie Bell . .<br /> 123<br /> This business having been despatched, Mr.<br /> It may be worth while to repeat that one-third Hewlett said that the present occasion was the<br /> of the committee retires annually. Therefore, of a second time that he had presided over the general<br /> committee consisting of twelve members, four meeting of the society. It would als be the last,<br /> members have to retire. The committee have the as his annual tenure of office now closd. He con-<br /> right of nomination, or any two members of the fessed that it was with mixed feelīgs that he<br /> society may nominate a third member.<br /> looked back on the past year. The hairmanship<br /> The thanks of the society are due to the Reverend was a very difficult post, and one in &#039;hich it was<br /> Henry Cresswell, Mr. Francis Gribble, Mr. P. W. very easy to make mistakes. But he is glad to be<br /> Sergeant, and Mr. E. H. Lacon Watson, for their able to think that, thanks to the assiance of his<br /> kindness in sacrificing their time in order to act as colleagues on the committee and to M Thring, he<br /> scrutineers in the election.<br /> had kept the ship under way and off le rocks.<br /> CONSUILUIon.<br /> THE<br /> 244<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 169 (#231) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 169<br /> Turning to the report, Mr. Hewlett pointed to intervene in all schemes affecting literature in this<br /> the continued increase both in the membership of country.<br /> the society and in its income, which was now only Having alluded to the subject of the Pension<br /> £6 short of £2,000. Nevertheless, the member- Fund Committee and the gratitude which every<br /> ship of the society ought to be larger than it is, member of the society was bound to feel with regard<br /> for there were a great many more authors in to the generous action of Miss May Crommelin,<br /> England than in the ranks of the society. Also recorded in the report, Mr. Hewlett concluded by<br /> the society was liable to very heavy increases in its very sincerely thanking his colleagues on the Com-<br /> expenditure, which rendered necessary a consider mittee of Maoagement, and Mr. Thring, now as<br /> able increase in its income. With regard to this always the committee&#039;s right hand, for the sapport<br /> he felt hopeful, and he was confident that it would which they had given him throughout his second<br /> follow upon the growth of the society&#039;s prestige. term of office.<br /> He would not attempt to deal with the immensely At the close of the chairman&#039;s address, Mrs.<br /> difficult subject of copyright which was mentioned Humphry Ward raised again in the general meet-<br /> in part of the report. He would, however, say that ing, as she had already done in council, the question<br /> the new Bill did at least attempt to collect in one of the adequacy of the consultation of the society<br /> ambit or circuit of Parliament every process of with regard to the action taken in the formation of<br /> copyright. But the details of the Bill were now the Academic Committee. She submitted that a<br /> under consideration of the Government, and it paragraph in The Author was not sufficient official<br /> could not be hoped for this year. He had recently notice of intended action. She thought that the<br /> had an instructive conversation with his friend, Mr. authority and prestige of the society would be more<br /> William Heinemann, on the subject, and he sug. likely to be raised in the manner hoped for by<br /> gested that Mr. Heinemann should be invited to Mr. Hewlett if the council and the society in general<br /> attend a meeting of the Committee of Management were more fully consulted on important business.<br /> to discuss the very important objections to the Bill The Academic Committee, as it now stands, Mrs.<br /> as it now stands.<br /> Ward continued, had no representative authority,<br /> After calling attention to what the report had to personally distinguished though its members no<br /> say on the subject of the Musical Agreement as doubt were. The unfortunate procedure adopted<br /> settled between the society and Messrs. Stainer &amp; stood in the way of the trust which ought to have<br /> Bell, Mr. Hewlett came to the appointment of the been given to the Academic Committee by the<br /> Academic Committee by the Royal Society of general body of authors. Then, as to the question<br /> Literature, on which matter he felt that he ought of women on the nominating committee, there cer-<br /> to speak as being partly responsible for the action tainly ought to have been a substantial representa-<br /> the society had taken in the matter. He said that, tion on that committee of the women of the Society<br /> being a member of the Council of the Royal Society of Authors. Mistakes had been made. Was it<br /> of Literature, he attended a meeting of that body impossible now to go back and, beginning again,<br /> in November, 1909, when it was proposed to form to form a really representative Academic Committee.<br /> an Academy of Letters, subsequently modified into Mrs. Baillie Reynolds, after complaining of the<br /> an Academic Committee. He had explained that sparse attendance at the general meeting, indicative<br /> as chairman of the Society of Authors he could not of the lack of interest on the part of the members,<br /> regard any such proposal as practical in which that supported Mrs. Humphry Ward.<br /> society was not considered. His name having then Mr. Bernard Shaw said that the members of the<br /> been added to a sub-committee to deal with the Committee of Management felt more strongly than<br /> whole question, finally a request was made to the anyone else the apparent impossibility of inducing<br /> Committee of Management of the Society of Authors most of the members to take any interest in the<br /> to recommend fourteen members of the society for society except when they wanted it to get them out<br /> nomination upon the Academic Committee. Mr. of some personal trouble. Mrs. Humphry Ward&#039;s<br /> Douglas Freshfield and he, having been selected by attempt to agitate the question of the Academic<br /> the Committee of Management as a sub-committee Committee was a case in point. The chairman put<br /> for this purpose, drew up a list of names and then that question fully before the council at a council<br /> joined the sub-committee of the Royal Society of meeting at the annual meeting of that body. Over<br /> Literature, in joint session with whom they prepared and above the members of the Committee of<br /> a list of twenty-eight names. Nothing was done Management there was exactly one member of the<br /> without the approval of the Committee of Manage council present; and that member was not Mrs.<br /> ment of the Society of Authors, and Mr. Hewlett Humphry Ward. Mrs. Ward later on appealed<br /> did not believe that, convinced as he was of the specially to the council to support the views she<br /> importance and influence of the society, he could had just expressed, and to censure the Committee<br /> have done otherwise than insist upon the right to of Management. The result was a council meeting<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 170 (#232) ############################################<br /> <br /> 170<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> so thinly attended that the committee was in an views on the suffrage question, what other con-<br /> overwhelming majority, and the vote of censure clusion could be come to than the one he had<br /> could have been carried only by the votes of the expressed ?<br /> censured. No doubt this showed the confidence of Mr. Douglas Freshfield said he would only refer<br /> the society and of the council in its committee; to two points. In the first place, the Committee of<br /> but if the society and the council left everything to Management was in no way a free agent in the<br /> the committee, they must not complain when the matter of the constitution of the Academic Com-<br /> committee acted on its own responsibility. On the mittee : all that was possible was to make the best<br /> point raised by Mrs. Humphry Ward, however, she use of an invitation from the Royal Society of<br /> was virtually quite right ; the Academic Committee Literature to join in iis constitution and to<br /> had not been democratically constituted by the Society nominate a certain number of members to it out<br /> of Authors ; but the fault lay outside the society. of our own body ; next, that (as he had been at<br /> The chairman, in promptly insisting on the rights pains to point out in The Author) it was incorrect<br /> of the Society of Authors when the proposal was to allege that women had been excluded from the<br /> sprung on him, had done precisely the right thing constituting committee since every step taken by<br /> (Hear, hear); and the next steps were the forma the delegates of our Committee of Management<br /> tion of a provisional committee, the drawing up had been submitted to and ratified by the whole<br /> of a constitution for the proposed Academy, and Committee, two of the members of which were<br /> finally a list of the Academicians. These could women.<br /> have been submitted to a general meeting of the Mrs. Humphry Ward rose a second time to<br /> Society, which could thus have become one of the make a personal explanation, Mr. Shaw having<br /> constituents of the new body. But whilst this apparently misunderstood her. Whatever her<br /> was in progress—whilst drafts of statutes were objections to certain activities of women, she had<br /> actually being circulated among members of our the very strongest desire to see them represented<br /> Committee of Management—somebody wrote to in every way in the intellectual sphere.<br /> the Times announcing the provisional committee No other members having expressed a desire to<br /> as a full-fledged British Academy of Letters. speak, Mr. Hewlett said he would like to point out,<br /> This stroke of the anarchism characteristic of with reference to what Mrs. Ward and Mr. Shaw<br /> men of letters was completely successful. The had said, that the Society&#039;s sole part in the business<br /> Society of Authors could have immediately repu- of the Academic Committee was to nominate<br /> diated the whole affair and withdrawn from the members. It could not call upon the Academic<br /> project, as Mr. George Trevelyan did ; but that Committee to overhaul its past action. The<br /> would have simply knocked the whole affair on Society had no right or authority to do so. Its<br /> the head for a generation. There was nothing to róle was over when it had recommended names for<br /> be done but accept the situation, and allow the appointment to the committee. As for the repre-<br /> Academic Committee to make the best of itselfsentation of women, there was nothing to prevent<br /> without calling attention to its illegitimate origin. their being elected to the committee and there<br /> After all, there was no harm done as far as the was not the slightest doubt they would be elected.<br /> men were concerned : the Society could not have Mr. Charles Garvice moved à vote of thanks to<br /> improved materially on the present list, which the retiring chairman, and expressed a doubt as to<br /> contained a sufficient number of eminent men of whether the Society would be able to get anyone<br /> letters to give it dignity and authority. As to so good to succeed him. With regard to Mrs.<br /> the women, that exclusion was a scandal : an Baillie Reynolds&#039; complaint, be said that members<br /> English Academy of Letters without women on it of this society were like those of all others—too<br /> was an absurdity. But even here the quaint apt to leave everything to the committee. He<br /> difficulty had arisen that Mrs. Humphry Ward, exhorted them to show an interest in the society&#039;s<br /> who championed the claims of the women of the affairs at other times than at the annual general<br /> society, wished to keep them off the committee. meeting.<br /> (Mrs. Humphry Ward dissented, explaining that Mr. Mowbray Marras seconded the vote of<br /> she had not dealt with that point, but had confined thanks, which was carried unanimously.<br /> herself to the question of the right of the women of Mr. Hewlett having briefly acknowleged this and<br /> the society to representation on the provisional com- again referred to the help he had received through-<br /> mittee.) Mr. Shaw, continuing, said that he had out his term of office, the meeting terminated.<br /> urged Mrs. Humphry Ward to secure the rote of The members present included : (Chairman) Mr.<br /> the council meeting in favour of having women Maurice Hewlett, E. S. Bates, C. (). Burge,<br /> Academicians, offering to support her if she would Mackenzie Bell, Dr. T. P. Beddoes, Sir Alfred<br /> move that. She had declined to do so ; and when Bateman, Mrs. Belloc-Lowndes, Miss R. M. Blods<br /> her refusal was taken along with her well-known L. N. Chase, Mrs. L. N. Chase, Miss B. Clements-<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 171 (#233) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 171<br /> Henry, Mrs. Herbert Cohen, Joseph Fisher, of Stiggins in ‘Pickwick&#039; was intended as an insult<br /> Douglas Freshfield, Charles Garvice, Anthony to all dissenters ; or that all the attorneys in the<br /> Hope Hawkins, Frank Hamel, J. F. Hunter, Miss empire were indignant at the famous history of<br /> E. M. Hine, Hubert Haes, Mrs. Willoughby Hodg- the firm of Quirk, Gammon, and Snap. Are we to<br /> son, C. Lincoln, Miss Mary G. Lowry, Mowbray be passed over because we cannot afford to be<br /> Marras, Gilbert S. Macquoid, H. G. Marshall, laughed at ? And if every character in a story is<br /> Conal O&#039;Riordan, Charles Pendlebury, D. H. to represent a class, not an individual—if every<br /> Mountray Read, Mrs. Baillie Reynolds, P. W. Ser- bad figure is to have its obliged contrast of a good<br /> geant, G. Bernard Shaw, Mrs. G. Bernard Shaw, one, and a balance of vice and virtue is to be<br /> Francis Storr, Miss E. Tiddemann, Miss Grace struck—novels, I think, would become impossible,<br /> Toplis, G. F. Wilson, W. R. Walkes, E. S. Wey- as they would be intolerably stupid and unnatural,<br /> mouth, Mrs. Humphry Ward, W. H. Williamson. and there would be a lamentable end of writers and<br /> readers of such compositions.” Thirdly, he laughed<br /> to scorn the notion that men of letters as a class<br /> were looked at askance by the non-literary class.<br /> THACKERAY AND THE DIGNITY OF “Does any man who has written a book worth<br /> LITERATURE.<br /> reading—any poet, novelist, man of science--lose<br /> reputation by his character for genius or for learn-<br /> ing?” he asked. “Does be not, on the contrary,<br /> By LEWIS MELVILLE.<br /> get friends, sympathy, applause-money, perhaps ?<br /> all good and pleasant things in themselves, and not<br /> HACKERAY was always proud to hold a brief ungenerously awarded, as they are honestly won.<br /> 1 for the dignity of his calling, and it was, That generous faith in men of letters, that kindly<br /> is therefore, with no little irritation that one regard in which the whole reading nation holds<br /> day early in 1850 he found himself arraigned by them, appear to me to be so clearly shown in our<br /> two London papers, the Examiner and the Morning country every day that to question them would be<br /> Chronicle ; by the latter for “ fostering a baneful as absurd as, permit me to say for my part, it<br /> prejudice” against literary men ; by the former would be ungrateful. What is it that fills mechanics&#039;<br /> for“ stooping to flatter” this prejudice in the public institutes in the great provincial towns when<br /> mind, and condescending to caricature his literary literary men are invited to attend their festivals ?<br /> fellow-labourers in order to pay court to “the Has not every literary man of mark his friends and<br /> non-literary class.&quot; The attack was based upon his circle, his hundreds, or his tens of thousands, of<br /> the portrayal of the literary men who figured in readers ? And has not every one had from these<br /> the novel of “Pendennis.&quot; Thackeray&#039;s reply was constant and affecting testimonials of the esteem<br /> very much to the point. In the first place he in which they hold him ? It is, of course, one<br /> denied that the characters were exaggerated. “I writer&#039;s lot, from the nature of his subject or of his<br /> have seen the bookseller whom Bludyer robbed of genins, to command the syınpathies or awaken the<br /> his books ; I have carried money, and from a noble curiosity of many more readers than shall choose to<br /> brother man-of-letters, to some one not unlike listen to another author; but surely all get their<br /> Shandon in prison, and have watched the beautiful hearing. The literary profession is not held in<br /> devotion of his wife in that dreary place,” he wrote. disrepute ; nobody wants to disparage it; no man<br /> “Why are these things not to be described if they loses his social rank, whatever it may be, by prac-<br /> illustrate, as they appear to do, that strange and tising it. On the contrary, the pen gives a place in<br /> awful struggle of good and wrong which take place the world to men who had none before-a fair place,<br /> in our hearts and in the world ? ” In the second fairly achiered by their genius, as any other degree<br /> place, he expressed the opinion that he was entirely of eminence is by any other kind of merit.” The sub-<br /> justified in what he had written. “I hope,&quot; he stance of this passage he repeated when in the follow-<br /> said, “ that a comic writer, because he describes ing year he replied for literature at the Royal Literary<br /> one author as improvident and another as a Fund&#039;s Annual Dinner. “We don&#039;t want patrons,<br /> parasite, may not only be guiltless of a desire we want friends ; and I thank God we have thein ;<br /> to vilify his profession, but may really have its and as for any idea that our calling is despised by<br /> honour at heart. If there are no spendthrifts or the world, I do, for my part, protest against and<br /> parasites amongst us, the satire becomes unjust; deny the whole statement,” he declared. “I have<br /> but if such exist, or have existed, they are as good been in all sorts of society in this world, and I have<br /> subjects for comedy as men of other callings. I never been despised that I know of. I don&#039;t believe<br /> never heard that the Bar felt itself aggrieved there has been a literary man of the slightest merit<br /> because Punch chose to describe Mr. Dunup&#039;s or of the slightest mark who did not greatly advance<br /> notorious state of insolvency; or that the picture himself by uis literary labours. I see along this<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 172 (#234) ############################################<br /> <br /> 172<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> august table gentlemen whom I have had the get are not so high as those which fall to men of<br /> honour of shaking by the hand, and gentlemen other callings—to bishops, or to judges, or to opera<br /> whom I should never have called my friends but singers and actors ; nor have they received stars<br /> for the humble literary labours I have been engaged and garters as yet, or peerages and governorships<br /> in. And therefore I say, don&#039;t let us be pitied of islands, such as fall to the lot of military<br /> any more.”<br /> officers.” Anthony Trollope has stated that<br /> Thackeray had little patience with those men of Thackeray held strong views that much was due by<br /> letters who suffered from the impression that they the Queen&#039;s Ministers to men of letters, and he<br /> were despised and with those who made strenuous added that Thackeray “no doubt had his feelings<br /> efforts to combat a prejudice that was non-existent. of slighted merit because no part of the debt was<br /> “ Instead of accusing the public of persecuting and paid to him. Thackeray probably would have<br /> disparaging us as a class, it seems to me that men liked a baronetcy or a barony, and as a representa-<br /> of letters had best silently assume that they are as tive man of letters he might well have been created<br /> good as any other gentlemen, nor raise piteous con- Lord Thackeray of Brompton. It was not, how-<br /> troversies upon a question which all people of sense ever, that he was particularly desirous of any such<br /> must take to be settled. If I sit at your table, I distinction for himself, but he thought if titles and<br /> suppose that I am my neighbour&#039;s equal, as that he stars and ribands are good for soldiers and sailors<br /> is mine. If I begin straightway with a protest and statesmen and artists and civil servants, why<br /> of “Sir, I am a literary man, but I would have you should they be withheld from authors ? He attri-<br /> to know I am as good as you,&#039; which of us is it that buted the fact that the fountain of honour did not<br /> questions the dignity of the literary profession-my play upon men of letters to their comparative<br /> neighbour, who would like to eat his soup in quiet, poverty. “ Directly men of letters get rich they<br /> or the man of letters, who commences the argu- will come in for their share of honour too,” he<br /> ment ? ” Indeed, he thought the man of letters declared.<br /> received more sympathy than was due to him. “A While Thackeray thus declared that men of<br /> literary man,&quot; he wrote in “Pendennis,&quot; “ has often letters should share in the rewards for meritorious<br /> to work for his bread against time, or against his services distributed by the Government, he con-<br /> will, or in spite of his health, or of his indolence, or fessed frankly that he did not see how these honours<br /> of his repugnance to the subject on which he is were to be distributed. “I have heard, in a lecture<br /> called to exert himself, just like any other daily about George the Third, that, at his accession, the<br /> toiler. When you want to make money by Pegasus king had a mind to establish an Order for literary<br /> (as he must, perhaps, who has no other saleable men,” he wrote in a “Roundabout Paper.&quot; “lt<br /> property) farewell poetry and aerial flights : Pegasus was to have been called the Order of Minerva-I<br /> only rises now like Mr. Green&#039;s balloon, at periods suppose with an owl for a badge. The knights<br /> advertised beforehand, and when the spectator&#039;s were to have worn a star of sixteen points and a<br /> money has been paid. Pegasus trots in harness, yellow ribbon, and good old Samuel Johnson was<br /> over the stony pavement, and pulls a cart or cab talked of as President, or Grand Cross, or Grand<br /> behind him..Often Pegasus does his work with Owl of the society. Now about such an Order as<br /> panting sides and trembling knees, and not seldom this there certainly may be doubts. Consider the<br /> gets a cut of the whip of the driver. Do not let us, claimants, the difficulty of settling their claims, the<br /> however, be too prodigal of our pity upon Pegasus. rows and squabbles amongst the candidates, and<br /> There is no reason why this animal should be exempt the subsequent decision of posterity. Dr. Beattie<br /> from labour, or illness, or decay, any more than any would have ranked as first poet, and twenty years<br /> of the other creatures of God&#039;s world. If he gets after the sublime Mr. Hayley, would, no doubt, hare<br /> the whip, Pegasus very often deserves it, and I for claimed the Grand Cross. Mr. Gibbon would not<br /> one am quite ready to protest . . . against the have been eligible, on account of his dangerous<br /> doctrine which some poetical sympathisers are free-thinking opinions; and her sex, as well as her<br /> inclined to put forward, viz., that men of letters, republican sentiments, might have interfered with<br /> and what is called genius, are to be exempt from the knighthood of the immortal Mrs. Catherine<br /> the prose duties of this daily bread-wanting, tax- Macaulay. How Goldsmith would have paraded<br /> paying life, and are not to be made to work and pay the ribbon at Madame Cornelys&#039; or the Academy<br /> like their neighbours.”<br /> dinner! How Peter Pindar would have railed at<br /> If, on the one hand, Thackeray vehemently pro- it! Fifty years later the noble Scott would have<br /> tested against the idea that those who followed the worn the Grand Cross and deserved it, but Gifford<br /> pursuit of letters required pity and sympathy, on would have had it; and Byron, and Shelley, and<br /> the other he was the first to admit that the status Hazlitt and Hunt would have been without it; and<br /> of men of letters as a class might be improved. had Keats been proposed as officer, how the Tory<br /> “The money prizes which the chief among them prints would have yelled with rage and scorn!<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 173 (#235) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 173<br /> Had the Star of Minerva lasted to our present dition of literary men might be very soon changed<br /> time—but I pause, not because the idea is dazzling, by a manly literary union of this kind.&quot;<br /> but too awful. Fancy the claimants, and the row Thackeray towards the end of his life laid down<br /> about their precedence ! ..Fancy the once for all the qualities that ensure the dignity of<br /> struggle! Fancy the squabble! Fancy the dis- the calling to which he belonged. “What ought<br /> tribution of prizes !”<br /> to be the literary man&#039;s point of honour nowa-<br /> The bestowal of pensions was open to the same days ?” he wrote in a “ Roundabout Paper.&quot;<br /> objections. “Even that prevailing sentiment “Suppose, friendly reader, you are one of the craft,<br /> which regrets that means should not be provided what legacy would you like to leave to your<br /> for giving them leisure, for enabling them to children ? First of all (and by Heaven&#039;s gracious<br /> perfect great works in retirement, that they should help you would pray and strive to give them such<br /> waste away their strength with fugitive literature, an endowment of love, as should last certainly for<br /> etc., I hold to be often uncalled for and dangerous,&quot; all their lives, and perhaps be transmitted to their<br /> Thackeray had written in his appreciation of children. You would &#039;(by the same aid and<br /> Blanchard. “I believe if most men of letters blessing) keep your honour pure, and transmit a<br /> were to be pensioned— I am sorry to say I believe- name unstained to those who have a right to bear<br /> they wouldn&#039;t work at all ; and of others, that the it. You would, though this quality of giving is<br /> labour which is to answer the calls of the day is one of the easiest of the literary man&#039;s qualities-<br /> the one best suited to their genius. Suppose Sir you would, out of your earnings, great or small, be<br /> Robert Peel were to write to you, and, enclosing a able to help a poor brother in need, to dress his<br /> cheque for £20,000, instruct you to pension any wounds, and, if it were but twopence, to give him<br /> fifty deserving authors, so that they might have succour. . . . You will, if letters be your vocation,<br /> leisure to retire and write &#039;great&#039; work, on whom find saving harder than giving and spending. To<br /> would you fix ?”<br /> save be your endeavour too, against the night&#039;s<br /> The dignity of literature, however, depends not coming when no man may work ; when the arm<br /> on its rewards but upon the dignity of the men of is weary with the long day&#039;s labour; when the<br /> letters, and the contempt that was felt for Grub brain perhaps grows dark ; when the old, who can<br /> Street in the eighteenth century was, as Thackeray labour no more, want warmth and rest, and the<br /> was at pains to point out, largely the fault of Grub young ones call for supper.” In yet another<br /> Street, too many of the inhabitants of which “ Roundabout Paper &quot; Thackeray, writing after<br /> were intemperate, improvident, and far from the deaths of Washington Irving and Macaulay,<br /> respectable, and not only the minor lights but some was happy to point his arguments on the dignity<br /> of the great men also. Things, happily, have of literature by showing how they fulfilled his ideal<br /> changed, and if Grub Street is still with us it is a of what a man of letters should be. “Be a good<br /> more temperate, more clean-living neighbourhood man, my dear! One can&#039;t but think of these last<br /> than ever it was before, and its inhabitants also, as words of the veteran Chief of Letters, who had<br /> well as the literary man in general, have a lofty ideal tasted and tested the value of worldly success,<br /> of their calling. Jealousy was once the bane of admiration, prosperity. Was Irving not good,<br /> the calling ; to-day that noxious passion is kept, and, of his works, was not his life the best part ?<br /> on the whole, well under control. The Croker- In his family gentle, generous, good-humoured,<br /> Macaulay feud could not to-day be fought out in the affectionate, self-denying ; in society, a delightful<br /> quarterlies. “Human nature is not altered since example of complete gentlemanhood ; quite un- ,<br /> Richardson&#039;s time, and if there are rakes, male and spoiled by prosperity ; never obsequious to the<br /> female, as there were a hundred years since, there great (or, worse still, to the base and mean, as<br /> are in like manner envious critics now, as then,” some public men are forced to be in his and other<br /> Thackeray wrote in his paper on Fielding. “How countries) ; eager to acknowledge every contem-<br /> eager are they to predict a man&#039;s fall, how un- porary&#039;s merit ; always kind and affable with the<br /> willing to acknowledge his rise! If a man write a young members of his calling ; in his professional<br /> popular work he is sure to be snarled at; if a bargains and mercantile dealings delicately honest<br /> literary man rise to eminence out of his profes- and grateful; one of the most charming masters<br /> sion all his old comrades are against him. They of our lighter language; the constant friend to us<br /> can&#039;t pardon his success : would it not be wiser for and our nation ; to men of letters doubly dear, not<br /> gentlemen of the pen to do as they do in France, for his wit and genius merely, but as an exemplar<br /> have an esprit de corps, declare that their body and of goodness, probity, and pure life. ... Here<br /> calling is as honourable as any other, feel their own are two examples of men most differently gifted :<br /> power, and instead of crying down any member of each pursuing bis calling ; each speaking his truth<br /> their profession who happens to light on a prize, as God bade him ; each honest in his life ; just<br /> support him with all their strength! The con- and irreproachable in his dealings ; dear to his<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 174 (#236) ############################################<br /> <br /> 174<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> friends ; honoured by his country ; beloved at his out sword, and have at him.” In this passage<br /> fireside. It has been the fortunate lot of both to Thackeray outlined his own course. Truth was<br /> give unaccountable happiness and delight to the the first consideration in his eyes, and it was the<br /> world, which thanks them in return with an want of truth in such works as are commonly<br /> immense kindliness, respect, affection. It may grouped as the Newgate School of Fiction that make<br /> not be our chance, brother scribe, to be endowed him attack them as being dishonest and therefore<br /> with such, merit, or lewarded with such fame. immoral. “If truth is not always pleasant, at any<br /> But the rewards of these men are rewards paid to rate truth is best, from whatever chair-from those<br /> our service. We may not win the baton or the whence grave writers or thinkers argue, as from<br /> epaulettes ; but God give us strength to guard the that at which the storyteller sits,” Thackeray<br /> honour of the flag !&quot;<br /> wrote in the Preface to “Pendennis,&quot; and else-<br /> To such qualities as these two men, to mention where, in the lecture on “ Charity and Humour,&quot;<br /> no others, possessed, fame comes second. Fame is he enlarged on the theme. “I can&#039;t help telling<br /> an accident, a happy glorious accident, for those the truth as I view it, and describing what I see.<br /> upon whom its mantle falls. It may come with To describe it otherwise than it seems to me would<br /> a first book ; it may come in middle life; it be falsehood in that calling in which it has pleased<br /> may come at the end of a career hitherto Heaven to place me ; treason to that conscience<br /> obscure ; it may come after death ; it may come which says that men are weak ; that truth must be<br /> and go ; it may not come at all. A man can told ; that fault must be owned ; that pardon<br /> but do his best, and take such reward as may come must be prayed for ; and that Love reigns supreme<br /> his way. “The literary character, let us hope or over all.” Thackeray took his profession very<br /> admit, writes quite honestly, but no man supposes seriously, and never undervalued the responsibilities<br /> he would work perpetually but for money. And as of the writer, even of the novelist, who, in his<br /> for immortality, it is quite beside the bargain,&quot; opinion, should be a teacher. “I assure you these<br /> Thackeray wrote. “Is it reasonable to look for it, tokens of what I can&#039;t help acknowledging as<br /> or pretend that you are actuated by a desire to popularity, make me humble as well as grateful,<br /> attain it? Of all the quill drivers, how many have and make me feel an almost awful sense of the<br /> ever drawn that prodigious prize ? Is it even right to responsibility which falls upon a man in such a<br /> ask that many should ? Out of a regard for poor station. Is it deserved or undeserved? Who is<br /> dear posterity and men of letters to come, let us this that sets up to preach to mankind, and to<br /> be glad that the great immortality number comes laugh at many things which men reverence ? I<br /> up so rarely. Mankind would have no time other hope I may be able to tell the truth always, and to<br /> wise, and would be so gorged with old masterpieces, see to it aright, according to the eyes which God<br /> that they would not occupy themselves with new, Almighty gives me. And if, in the exercise of my<br /> and future literary men would have no chance of a calling, I get friends and find encouragement and<br /> livelihood.&quot; There are great men and little men sympathy, I need not tell you how very much I<br /> working in the field of letters, as in other fields, feel and am thankful for this kind of support.<br /> and all cannot hope for the spoils that come to the Indeed, I can&#039;t reply lightly upon this subject or<br /> victor. “In the battle of life are we all going to feel otherwise than very grave when people praise<br /> try for the honours of championship ? If we can me as you do.” Thus he wrote to Dr. John Brown,<br /> do our duty ; if we can keep our place pretty who had been instrumental in organising a testi-<br /> honourably ihroughout the combat, let us say Laus monial to him ; and in reply to the Rev. Joseph<br /> Deo at the end of it, as the firing ceases, and the Sortain, who had sent him a volume of sermons,<br /> night falls upon the field.” Thus the weekday “I want too,” he wrote, “ to say in my way that<br /> preacher on the chances of the literary profession. love and truth are the greatest of Heaven&#039;s com-<br /> * To do your work honestly, to amuse and instruct mandments and blessings to us ; that the best of<br /> your reader of to-day, to die when your time comes us, the many especially who pride themselves ou<br /> and go hence with as clean a breast as may be, their virtues most, are wretchedly weak, vain, and<br /> may these be all yours and ours, by God&#039;s will. selfish ; and to preach such a charity at least as a<br /> Let us be content with our status as literary crafts- common sense of our shame and unworthiness<br /> men, telling the truth as far as may be, hitting no might inspire, to us poor people.&quot; Therein may<br /> foul blow, condescending to no servile puffery, be found &quot;Thackeray&#039;s confession of faith as a<br /> filling not a very lofty, but a manly and honourable novelist and weekday preacher.<br /> part.”<br /> LEWIS MELVILLE.<br /> “Ah! ye knights of the pen ! May honour be<br /> your shield and truth tip your lances ! Be gentie<br /> to all gentle people. Be modest to women. Be<br /> tender to children. And as for the Ogre Humbug,<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 175 (#237) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 175<br /> STYLE IN LITERATURE.<br /> will become apparent later on. Meanwhile, it<br /> suffices to speak of examples which, in truth, are<br /> BY ARCHIBALD DUNN.<br /> here just as convincing as any logic. For, what<br /> would you say to the mathematician who wrote in<br /> I.<br /> the flowery language of the poet, or to the<br /> TF literature in its broadest meaning is to be bumourist who explained his joke as he went with<br /> I reckoned the written expression of a thought all the nice exactness of a scientific treatise ?<br /> —and I know of no better definition than Even a Scotsman—who, by the way, has been<br /> this—then the measure of style in literature can be much libelled in this matter of jokes--would not<br /> neither more nor less than the measure of expres- stand that. Then, again, there is the absurdity of<br /> siveness with which it conveys that thought. obscuring a simple subject - say, a text-book on<br /> Here is some fact or fancy, one supposes, in the come outdoor exercise-- with the incessant intro-<br /> author&#039;s brain ; it is to become equally fact or duction of quotations from the classics. I have<br /> fancy before the reader.<br /> such a book by me on the table and, despite a<br /> To this end, it may be said, there are two means, certain excellence, I have come to see nothing in<br /> Construction and Description; that is, first the it now but irritation ; for, when a man starts out<br /> marshalling of all the testimony into an effective to study cricket or golf, or whatever it may be, he<br /> order and then, with this accomplished, the subse- is not too well pleased to be interrupted on almost<br /> quent setting forth of that testimony in effective every page by Shakespeare&#039;s views on some other<br /> terms—a plan to begin with, whether in an essay subject. Apart from the distraction, it is a waste<br /> or in a fairy tale, then the expounding of that of time under the circumstances and a clear<br /> plan through the medium of written words. annoyance. So, too, with preciosity, with pom-<br /> Hence, to be a stylist in literature is to be a stylist posity, and with all the exaggerated verbiage so<br /> twice over. A mere mastery of language, a neat common amongst the earlier writers. These are<br /> dandling of words and epithets, a stringing the deadly sins that cannot be forgiven.<br /> together of musical phrases just as pretty as ever S o far, then, the position is obvious. But, now,<br /> you please, will not do when standing alone; a more troublesome issue arises when we ask our-<br /> admirable though it be and delightful enough to selves to decide the extent of an author&#039;s right to<br /> the æsthetic sense, here is an incomplete thing, a introduce his personality into his work? Of<br /> duty but half fulfilled. The real need, it is clear, course, understand me, I ain distinguishing be-<br /> goes beyond this again and the further demand tween personality and individuality.. Individuality<br /> comes that the stylist in authorsbip shall be —the natural habit of the man, the instinctive<br /> master. too, of a šrmpathetic selection in the method of thought and of expression, which<br /> treatment of his subject.<br /> must be different from the common method-<br /> Of this latter aspect of the question something is the first requisite in the equipment of<br /> has been said in another place. * It was there an author ; more than anything else, perhaps,<br /> pointed out that only a sympathetic temperament it can raise him from the ruck and, for better<br /> could ensure a sympathetic treatment and that, in or worse, stamp him indelibly as himself.<br /> fact, the artistic result would be limited in all Indeed, so highly is the virtue rated that, on the<br /> likelihood by the degree of artistic instinct evidence of our own eyes, it is the goal for which<br /> inherent in the writer. At the same time there the scribe is struggling day by day; and, as the<br /> remain certain practical considerations which can commodity is scarce and not to be attained by<br /> not be ignored; for, whilst a man may fail to see merely trying, so is the end of the pitiful hunt too<br /> all the beauties tbat are possible in treatment, he olten only cheap-jack mannerisms, affectations by<br /> may still with study and care aroid the perpetra- the score, or tricks of speech learnt parrot-wise<br /> tion of the ugly and the unsuitable. And though from better men. But, where this valuable asset<br /> this, perhaps, is not to achieve much, it is at any is a genuine property, where it is of that quality<br /> rate something ; one step forward, however small, which can distinguish rather than belittle, then,<br /> well in the right direction.<br /> surely, the more of it the better. Of course and<br /> The obligation then is clear, in the first place, this must never be forgotten—there is nothing in<br /> that a writer must rary his entire style with the all the world that cannot be overdone at times,<br /> circumstances and adapt it faithfully to the and there is no prompting of a man&#039;s soul which<br /> necessities and characteristics of the work on does not need to be held in check—that is why<br /> which he happens to be engaged at the moment. every art is governed by rules. But, admitting<br /> The philosophical reasons for this are simple and this restriction, it would be safe to believe that<br /> individuality should be played for all that it is<br /> * See papers in The Author, November, December, 1907; worth. Is the same to be said of personality ?<br /> February, March, May, June, 1908.<br /> May an author obtrude himself freely on the<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 176 (#238) ############################################<br /> <br /> 176<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> printed page? And, if not, what are his statement of facts, without any skill in their pre-<br /> limitations ?<br /> sentation, without deception, without finesse, a clear<br /> Well, I don&#039;t know that anyone is going to and unmistakable exposition, in short, of a writer<br /> answer this question with any marked degree of writing a book, in what respect, I ask, are we<br /> confidence ; beyond doubt, it is something of a playing the game of make-believe? It is too<br /> conundrum. But, in discussing it, we may start thin, is it pot? A bit too obvious, a bit too plain<br /> off upon the assumption that the character of the and aboveboard, this pulling of the Peter-Waggies<br /> composition must have a bearing on the subject. by a string! Of course, were we children it might<br /> For instance, consider the different conditions not matter; for you may take away the heartbrug<br /> which obtain in an essay and in fiction. Here we which a child is laboriously crawling over for a<br /> touch upon the two extreme poles, as it were, of Sahara Desert and shake it out before his eyes and<br /> the writer&#039;s art—the former, an attempt to convey dust it and replace it and never trouble his faith in<br /> facts (sometimes, perhaps, of a speculative nature); that Sahara for a moment ; in two seconds he is<br /> the latter, an attempt to give fancies the semblance back again, crawling over it as laboriously and<br /> of facts, to impart an air of life to a set of imagined as delightedly as before ; because, you know, he has<br /> people and of reality to imagined incidents. The a strange and weird power of self-deception and<br /> one depends for its success, we see, primarily on can run the pleasantry off his own bat. But, later<br /> the extent to which it can convince the reason ; on, in a few short years, that blessed imagination<br /> the other, primarily on the extent to which it can will have passed away, scotched by the hard and<br /> stir up and convince the imagination.<br /> practical experiences of life, and when that child<br /> In the construction of an essay, therefore, the comes to read your novel he will look upon it,<br /> introduction of an author&#039;s personality, or the believe me, with the matter-of-fact eye ; he will see<br /> omission of it, would seem of small account.* Of merely the novelist in your clumsiness and sim-<br /> course, his individuality of thought—that is, if he plicity, the poor devil of a scribe earning his bread<br /> has any–will show itself at every turn. But, and butter and, as is right and proper in the case,<br /> whether he elect to make his address in the first precious little jam.<br /> person singular or (like Macaulay and the inflated How, then, will an author stand who advances<br /> critics of his time) in the more imposing plural; boldly to the footlights, sets his hand upon his<br /> whether he appear as “I” or as an amusing heart, and says in effect, “ Here am I, and I&#039;m<br /> company called “we”; or whether he finally busy writing this book, remember, and I think<br /> decide to discard both and efface himself entirely, this, and I think that, and I think the other ! ”<br /> I do not know that anyone is going to care a single How does he stand when he ventures upon this<br /> solitary brass farthing. How can it matter, from without any attempt whatever at concealment? It<br /> the point of view of construction, how the subject is a delicate question, I know, because it throws<br /> of an essay be approached, provided only that the down the glove to many who are famous, and<br /> main need is attended to-that, in the end, we deservedly famous, in literature. There is<br /> have a sequence of ideas easy to follow, a clearness Thackeray, for example.<br /> which shall admit of no misunderstanding, a Now no one, I suppose, will deny that Thackeray<br /> brevity which shall expound the meaning with is a great writer ; no one will challenge his powers<br /> completeness and no more? This is the practical of observation, his knowledge of humanity, of the<br /> aim of the whole business that the facts shall be virtues and weaknesses of men and women, or his<br /> brought most comprehensively before the reader&#039;s ability to set these forth fairly and squarely upon<br /> mind.<br /> paper, together with an unmistakable picture of<br /> But with fiction it is, of course, another story. the period. That much, at least, must be conceded,<br /> Indeed, in a tale, in a romance which is to give a and these qualities are as toughened steel in an<br /> picture of life, it will often be the facts wbich most author&#039;s armour, bright with the promise of success.<br /> need hiding, or at any rate dressing up into such a Pity it is, then, that in this armour there should<br /> form that the real truth of them shall not be too bave been so large and gaping a flaw ; that the<br /> crudely apparent. For the art of fiction is the Achilles heel should show so transparently through<br /> juggler&#039;s art, a game of make-believe, in which the it all. For, in “ Vanity Fair,”- which is to take a<br /> actual happenings are as nothing unless, indeed, specific instance and, besides, a good specimen of<br /> they can be cloaked with an air of reality. Here Thackeray&#039;s work—there is the clearest proof. In<br /> are some puppets, men of straw, who have never it are all the fine qualities just enumerated but,<br /> lived ; but the reader, for his enjoyment, must have cheek by jowl with them and ready jumping to the<br /> faith in their existence. If, then, there is a bare eye, that one overwhelming defect-I mean, of<br /> * Later on, in discussing the Laws of Style, it will be<br /> course, that habit of walking deliberately before<br /> shown that too frequent an insistence of the author&#039;s<br /> the curtain, of grarely making a bow, and of<br /> personality must produce an unsatisfactory result.<br /> exclaiming, even with ostentation, “Here I am<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 177 (#239) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 177<br /> again !” There is that most unfortunate Preface, characters or as the natural outcome of the action<br /> you may remember, where the author announces of the piece. A slight restriction at the most, it is in<br /> himself as a “showman” and his characters as this way that the semblance of reality is kept alive.<br /> “puppets.” A small thing, perhaps, if that were Then, for a last word, there is the chance that<br /> all, when a Preface is not of much account with an over-obtrusiveness may steal, as it were, upon<br /> most folks and is often left unread; still, for what the writer and take him unawares. There are certain<br /> it is worth, there it is. Later on, however, with terms of expression--such, for instance, as “I<br /> the introduction of the chapters, there follows a know,&quot; &quot;believe me,&quot; &quot;upon my word,” and so<br /> more real aggravation when direct reference back is forth-which would seem to bring him forward<br /> made every here and there to antecedent happen against his will ; or, again, in the diary form of<br /> ings, and that with so nice and exact a precision narrative, where the author speaks throughout<br /> that the reader is openly reminded that he is the from his note-book or his memory, there is the<br /> reader and that the story is no more than a story suggestion of his presence in nearly every word.<br /> invented and recited by a much self-evident writer. But this is hardly to state the truth ; for, the<br /> Nor is this to be the worst of it. For one may practical effect of these two conditions is not quite<br /> point to a page in “ Vanity Fair&quot;--I have not the what it appears to be. Indeed, as you may observe,<br /> novel by me, and therefore cannot quote chapter there is no suggestion at all of personality in figures<br /> and verse—where Thackeray actually stops to make of speech which, as mere colloquialisms, must<br /> an address and explain how at this juncture some pass off well-nigh unheeded in the run of the<br /> particular character (Becky Sharp, I believe) might sentence ; whilst, in a story avowedly recorded by<br /> be presented quite easily in a dozen different the writer, his presence, if continuous, is soon for-<br /> fashions. Why, of course! that is as clear as a gotten in the more general interest ; provided<br /> pikestaff. But, ye gods and little fishes ! what always—and this is the important point-that he<br /> a wholesale rubbing of the gilt off the ginger- keeps within the confines of the actualities of life,<br /> bread! What a candid display of the ropes and that he arrogates to himself no Divine insight, that<br /> pulleys, the trapdoors and machinery! What a he depicts the minds of other people only, as is.<br /> suffocatingly level-headed douche upon romance ! humanly possible under the circumstances, by the<br /> What a final knock-out blow to the reader&#039;s evidence of their actions. But, once let him break<br /> imagination ! After this, if there remain a true away from this, once let him step beyond the<br /> and deep study of life—which is the fact—there possible, and the man and his abuse of logic, the<br /> does not remain anything that may be fairly called palpable unreality of it all, will startle us out of the<br /> a story. The exposure has gone too far, and one reverie with the suddenness of a whip-crack.<br /> has slipped back-inevitably and all against the “How,&quot; we ask - for, it is the inevitable question-<br /> natural desire-to the &quot;showman&quot; and his “can the silly fellow tell that?&quot; And then, you<br /> * puppets.” At such a time it is that the grown know, the game is up.<br /> man will sigh for the bygone years when the<br /> impossible would pass for a reality, when the<br /> hearthrug was still Sahara.<br /> Turning to the Art of Description—the art, that<br /> It would seem, then, in the end, that the con- is, of expressing a thought in so many words—this<br /> clusion reaches further than we bad thought. It much at least is certain at the outset that the<br /> was to have been but a vague thing, this limit set by business of artistic writing must be two-fold, to<br /> construction on the author&#039;s outward show of satisfy the intelligence and to charm the esthetic<br /> personality ; it proves, after all, definable or nearly sense. There is the need of making the thought<br /> 80. For in an essay, clearly, the author may beat comprehensible, of course ; and there is the further<br /> the drum, sound the trumpets and make his entry need of setting it forth, of adorning it, with such<br /> just as often and as ostensibly as ever he pleases ; attractions as may belong to the choice of effective<br /> whilst, in a story, he may try the same experiment words and the musical balancing of phrases. Thus,<br /> only at his peril, always at the risk of &quot;showing we may say that there exists the technical side of<br /> his hand,” always at the risk of jacking-up irre- the subject and the beautiful; that is, in theory.<br /> trievably this deligbtful game of make-believe. In practice, it will be found that these two cannot<br /> Nor is this to say that he shall be tongue-tied in well be dissociated; for, it is clear, I think, that<br /> any way. He will, it may be supposed, have many the technical—the first step towards the beautiful<br /> weighty and important views and opinions to —is a necessary ingredient of the beautiful, and<br /> express. Very well, then, let them be expressed by that the beautiful which cannot arise at all without<br /> all means, but—with an eye fixed resolutely upon the technical must itself be part and parcel of the<br /> the danger ahead ; so that one might add this technical. At any rate, so closely are they allied that<br /> reservation, perhaps, that all extraneous matter shall it would not be possible to say just exactly wnere<br /> find its utterance only through the medium of the the functions of the one or the other begin to end.<br /> пе<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 178 (#240) ############################################<br /> <br /> 178<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> Nevertheless, for the purpose B of clearer explana- in play at once and, during the earlier stages at<br /> tion, I propose to fix upon a dividing line and to least, there will be many dismal hours of failure.<br /> assume that the technical may be taken to Or, again, set a conversation rolling and listen the<br /> cover the broad principles which govern the con- while to some talker on another subject and, hey!<br /> struction of the sentence and the paragraph, and presto! there is confusion worse confounded. Or,<br /> that all other qualities in literature may be suitably finally, rub the top of your head horizontally and<br /> set down under the heading of the beautiful. Form, the pit of your belly with a circular motion and, in<br /> we might say, in one case ; Grace, in the other. a twinkling, the machinery comes to a dead-lock<br /> And, though this is not to be as precise as one and paralysis sets in. In short, ask the mind to<br /> could wish, it is always something in a discussion issue two distinct orders at once, and the simplest<br /> to have reduced the final issue to its component act is rnagnified into an achievement-it can only<br /> parts as near as may be ; it enables the attention be accomplished after incessant and often laborious<br /> to concentrate itself more restrictedly ; it makes practice. And why? Simply because the attention<br /> for a better understanding, I believe, in the long concentrated on the one endeavour distracts the<br /> run.<br /> attention which is necessary for the accomplishment<br /> This section, then, deals with the question of of the other: because, until advanced and perfected<br /> Form.<br /> by training, the human mind is apt to find its limit<br /> In making an inquiry into the laws of Style in in doing one thing at a time. What question then<br /> Literature, there are two main considerations which that, in this business of writing, the author shall<br /> at once suggest themselves—first, that we all prefer eliminate anything and everything that may distract<br /> to do things easily rather than with effort ; and, the reader ?<br /> second, that the mind works with greater facility But, just as it is not enough to stand aside from<br /> under one set of conditions than under another. the path of the over-wrought athlete or to refrain<br /> These—such obvious truisms that there is no need from pushing the drowning man still further<br /> to waste time in proving them lead to a valuable beneath the surface, so is it not enough that, in an<br /> .conclusion ; they teach us unmistakably that the appeal to the intellect, we should be content merely<br /> author&#039;s consideration must always be the comfort to put no impediment in the way. The intellect-<br /> of the reader. If the book is not read with com- the average intellect, that is requires something<br /> fort, it will be a rare occasion indeed on which more than a clear field in which to exercise, it needs<br /> it is not very promptly cast aside. Whence it some outside prompting to set it going, some<br /> follows, in the author&#039;s interest, and in that of his vigorous handling to arouse its energies. As we<br /> art, that he must first discover and then fulfil those meet it commonly, it is a half-developed thing ;<br /> conditions which enable the reader&#039;s mind to work receptive no doubt in a large measure, but only in<br /> thus easily and with the least expenditure of effort; a modest degree perceptive ; and so, though capable<br /> and so, by its very inevitableness, it must be just of appreciating a picture, seldom able to create one.<br /> this that comes Dearest the root of all that is good. Hence, if a thought is to be readily communicated,<br /> in writing.<br /> if it is to be visualised by the reader in all its full<br /> At first glance, then, we are upon the brink of a significance, then the further duty of the author<br /> most ponderous philosophical discussion. The stares him fairly and squarely in the face-he must<br /> human mind, indeed! with all its unfathomable lend a helping hand. The brief statement, we see,<br /> mystery! And, thinking thus, the temptation is may be insufficient for this lazy and too matter-of-<br /> to shut down the page, to close the volume and fact mind; therefore shall it be presented with a<br /> turn to simpler things. Strangely, though, wegreater completeness and with adequate detail lest,<br /> should not too readily tind them. For, as it happens, the omissiou of some particular, the whole become<br /> this problem is scarcely a problem at all ; barely obscure.<br /> worthy of the name when the truth comes out at In these two principles, then that the reader<br /> Jast and we learn that this most intricate affairshall in no circumstances be distracted, but in all<br /> depends for its elucidation on nothing more abstruse circumstances helped to a true and full understand-<br /> than the admission of one elementary fact—that jug---we find the basis of those laws which govern<br /> the mind can work more easily when concentrated Style in Literature. They are, as set forth by<br /> than when distracted. That is all ; a wet blanket Lewes, * five in number—the law of Economy, the<br /> on an outburst of great ideas; a trifle stowed away law of Simplicity, the law of Sequence, the law of<br /> in a nutshell.<br /> Climax, and the law of Variety. Five conditions,<br /> See for yourself how true this is. Consider the then, to be fulfilled, five terms to be noted, all suffi-<br /> first example that comes to hand. Juggle, for ciently alarming. But, as good luck will have it,<br /> instance, with a single ball and, in the innocence of these are again to be condensed and—with Economy<br /> your beart, you may count yourself a master-<br /> perhaps ; add a second to the trick, keep them both<br /> * * The Principles of Success in Literature.&quot;<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 179 (#241) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 179<br /> embracing Simplicity, and Climax necessarily together the various clues. The indications given by<br /> implying Sequence-we fall back, on Lewes&#039; sug- Dickens himself, therefore, are that the keeper of<br /> gestion, to three main headings only-Economy, the opium den (“the Princess Puffer&quot;), Helena<br /> Climar, and Variety.<br /> Landless, Grewgious, and Datchery (the unknown<br /> (To be continued.)<br /> tracker) will somehow, singly or in combination,<br /> bring justice home to Jasper.<br /> To go back to our questions. (1) Was Edwin<br /> ABOUT EDWIN DROOD.*<br /> Drood dead? If he was not, what had become of<br /> him, for the story progresses to a point six months<br /> UITE a literature is growing up around after his disappearance ? Death alone would seem<br /> W Dickens&#039;s famous unfinished povel, to which to account for his silence. But if he was dead,<br /> the latest contribution, written by an anony- what was the meaning of one of the illustrations on<br /> mous author, “ H. J.,&quot; is an interesting addition. the cover to the monthly parts, which clearly shows<br /> The book is dated from Trinity College, Cambridge, Jasper entering a vaulted chamber with a lantern,<br /> which fact, together with the scholarly acumen and finding in that chamber the erect figure of<br /> displayed in the writing, puints an accusing finger at Edwin Drood ? It should be added here that Jasper<br /> a famous professor. There is no need, in commenting would naturally return to the scene of the crime, ass<br /> upon H. J.&#039;s brochure, to tell in any detailed manner after his attempt on his nephew he found out that<br /> the story of Edwin Drood ; it is probably familiar to his action had been quite purposeless, that Edwin<br /> all readers of The Author , and, if it is not, they are and Rosa were no longer betrothed, but that the<br /> cordially recommended to remove the reproach of former carried upon him a ring, not given to Rosa<br /> their ignorance without delay. Something, how- as intended, which would ensure the identification,<br /> ever, must be said in the way of recapitulation of of the body. The first obvious explanation of this<br /> the plot to make any remarks on the subject intel- picture, which is reproduced in H. J.&#039;s book, is.<br /> ligible. “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” tells of that Jasper, who had previously, as we know,<br /> the murder of the eponymous hero by a jealous removed from the body all the jewellery of whose<br /> uncle John Jasper, suspicion of the murder, if existence he was aware, had returned to the vault<br /> murder there has been, falling upon a lad named to recover the incriminating ring. One school of<br /> Neville Landless. The mystery does not lie in the critics says that the whole meaning is gone if Edwin<br /> anthorship of the crime, for almost from the first Drood is not dead ; these explain the cover of the<br /> we know that Jasper is guilty of an attempt to monthly instalment by saying that the figure in the<br /> murder his nephew, and believes that he has vault is not Edwin Drood at all, but someone made<br /> succeeded. The main vexed questions are (1) Was up to resemble him, or, and preferably, that the<br /> Edwin Drood dead ? and (2) By what machinery figure portrays a terrible hallucination of Jasper, and<br /> was the crime brought home to its author. The not a real flesh and blood presence. This latter, by<br /> fragment breaks off at the place where Edwin the way, is H. J.&#039;s view. Another school of critics<br /> Drood has disappeared, but certain further informa- says that to put such a figure on the cover would<br /> tion is given which helps us to conjecture what the have been an unjustifiable artifice on the part of any<br /> reply of Dickens to the two questions formulated author, and unthinkable on the part of a romancer<br /> above would have been. Rosa, the heroine, and like Dickens, able, and conscious of being able, to<br /> Edwin Drood&#039;s sweetheart, for wicked love of make any explanation in the world possible to his<br /> whom Jasper, an opium fiend, is led into the crime, readers, and therefore under no obligation to cheat<br /> comes to suspect the identity of the villain. them from the outset by deliberately indicating that<br /> Grewgious, Rosa&#039;s guardian and Edwin&#039;s solicitor, a man was alive when he meant to show in the<br /> is also on the same track. Helena Landless, sister development of the story that he was dead. H. J.<br /> of the wrongfully accused Neville and confidante marshals fairly all the arguments that can be found<br /> of Rosa, is determined, in behalf both of her brother in favour of one answer and of the other to the<br /> and her bosom friend, that action must be taken question, “ Was Edwin Drood dead ?” with reference<br /> against Jasper. An old woman, who keeps the throughout to Mr. Cuming Walter&#039;s “ Clues to the<br /> opium den where Jasper goes for regular debauches, Mystery of Edwin Drood,” and Mr. Andrew Lang&#039;s<br /> has an unexplained grudge against Jasper, and “Puzzle of Dickens&#039;s last Plot.” He considers that<br /> possesses evidence against him the importance of Edwin Drood was dead, but gives much ground for<br /> which she does not know. A mysterious person disagreement in his conclusion to those who find<br /> named Datchery, obviously someone disguised, and such an issue improbable and disappointing.<br /> probably someone already pamed in the book, takes The second question—(2) “ By what machinery<br /> up his abode at Jasper&#039;s elbow and begins to gather was the crime brought home to its author ? ”-must<br /> be answered to some extent in relation to whether<br /> University Press. 1911. 90 pp., 4s, net.<br /> Edwin Drood was dead or no, and centres round.<br /> &quot; &quot; About Edwin Droo<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 180 (#242) ############################################<br /> <br /> 180<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> II.<br /> the identity of Datchery. Datchery is clearly high, but the information is, as always, of an inter-<br /> tracking Jasper down—there is no mystery about esting character. In the present case the attention<br /> that. Some have suggested that he was Edwin of authors is likely to be particularly attracted by<br /> Drood himself ; some have thought that Datchery the sale of a number of autograph manuscripts of<br /> was an impersonation either by the solicitor George Meredith, of which all but one were the<br /> Grewgious, or by his clerk Bazzard, who appears in property of his nurse, Mrs. Nicholls. (Sotheby.<br /> the brief mention of him as a particularly foolish December 1, 1910. A miscellaneous collection.<br /> person, but with a theatrical bent of mind ; some Nos. 2008—2023). A minutely accurate descrip-<br /> have thought that Helena Landless was hidden tion of the MSS. is given ; and it will be found<br /> beneath Datchery&#039;s male disguise ; at least, one that they represent a great deal more than might<br /> American sequel to the book makes Datchery a be suspected from a mere enumeration of their<br /> new character, a professional detective introduced titles. For these most interesting particulars we<br /> by Edwin Drood&#039;s friends to spy upon Jasper. must refer our readers to the pages of“ Book-prices<br /> There is something to be said in favour of all these Current”: where it may be seen how widely<br /> theories, and more to be said against them. But George Meredith&#039;s published work often differed<br /> the various pros and cons will be found closely con from what he had at first written. The whole<br /> sidered by H. J., who plumps for Helena Landless, amount realised by the MSS. at the sale exceeded<br /> as Mr. Cuming Walters has done. This is, on the £1,500.<br /> face of it, the most preposterous solution of the<br /> puzzle of Datchery, but so well does H. J. support<br /> - John Adams Thayer : Getting On, The Confessions of<br /> it, and so cogent is his reasoning against any other<br /> er a Publisher.” London : T. Werner Laurie.<br /> theory, that he will find many supporters. In the<br /> course of his reasoning H. J. shows that the<br /> WHEN we admit that the sub-title of this work,<br /> probability of Helena Landless being Datchery<br /> “ The Confessions of a Publisher,” led us to<br /> would be greatly increased by the transposition of anticipate what we did not find in it, we shall<br /> Chapter XVIII. to a place immediately in front of probably appear to the author to have bestowed<br /> Chapter XXIII. (the last and unfinished chapter), upon his book the highest possible praise—it has<br /> and his pleading for their transposition as a legiti- a title which is calculated to push its sale. For<br /> mate correction is a very astute piece of criticism.<br /> while this work is on the one hand a history of a<br /> That the crime was brought home to Jasper seems<br /> plucky and successful struggle from small begin-<br /> undoubted, for from Forster&#039;s Life of Dickens &quot; we nings to ease, it is on the other hand a painful<br /> learn that Jasper was intended to confess his crime exposition of the subordination of everything else<br /> unwittingly, while Sir Luke Fildes received instruc- to the scramble for remunerative advertisements.<br /> tions to prepare an illustration of Jasper in prison; The “ blessed word &quot; advertisement makes its first<br /> but exactly how and by whom detection was brought appearance on the second page of the preface<br /> about is a mystery that still defies solution.<br /> (called “A Confidence”), and its last on the last<br /> Exactly where in some competitive order of<br /> page but one of the last chapter, and dominates the<br /> Dickens&#039;s works we should place “ The Mystery whole story. If anyone needs to be convinced that<br /> of Edwin Drood” is a matter of considerable at least periodical publication is becoming, or has<br /> dispute ; to many this fragment seems the promise already become, merely hoarding for adrertise-<br /> of the finest sensational novel in English. whilements, the evidence of that fact is here. That such<br /> others see in it indications of the author&#039;s weariness. a state of things is an evil absolutely destructive of<br /> We are wholly on the generous side, and welcome<br /> literature, is self-evident.<br /> H. J.&#039;s interesting little book as being sure to<br /> secure readers for the grim tragedy of Cloisterham.<br /> III.<br /> It is a scholarly and thoroughly exciting note upon &quot;The Dramatic Author&#039;s Companion,” by a Theatrical<br /> a very intriguing matter.<br /> Manager&#039;s Reader, with an introduction by Arthur<br /> Bouchier, M.A. Mills and Boon.<br /> FRANKLY admitting that “ to make&quot; a dramatist<br /> SHORT REVIEWS.<br /> is impossible, the author of “The Dramatic Author&#039;s<br /> Companion” makes no pretence to doing more than<br /> unfolding to the man who has the right stuff in bim<br /> &quot; Book.prices Current.” Part I. 1911. London : Elliot the technique of the difficult art of writing for the<br /> Stock.<br /> modern stage. An Introduction&quot; by Mr. Arthur<br /> M H E first part of “ Book-prices Current for Bouchier is a sufficient guarantee of the value of<br /> 1 1 911” contains a record of the sales from the little work which we have much pleasure in recom-<br /> October 6, 1910, to December 8, 1910. In mending. We have been particularly struck by<br /> many cases the prices do not appear to us to be very the lucid manner in which “theme,&quot; &quot; plot,&quot; and<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 181 (#243) ############################################<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> 181<br /> &quot; construction&quot; are distinguished, and not less<br /> impressed by the value of the rest of the advice in<br /> the book. The author is to be particularly con-<br /> gratulated upon having bad the sense to insist upon<br /> the importance to every dramatist of Aristotle&#039;s<br /> &quot;Poetics.” That is evidence that the author under-<br /> stands the subject upon which he is writing.<br /> CORRESPONDENCE.<br /> GEORGE MEREDITH, O.M.<br /> DEAR SIR,—Will you allow me to correct an<br /> error in your account under “ General Notes ” of<br /> the presentation to Mr. William Meredith of the<br /> gold medal of the Royal Society of Literature which<br /> bad been voted during his lifetime to the late George<br /> Meredith ? It is there stated that the society&#039;s gold<br /> medal had been awarded on only two occasions,<br /> whereas this was the fifteenth occasion on which it<br /> has been presented.<br /> Yours faithfully,<br /> PERCY W. AMES,<br /> Secretary of the Royal Society<br /> of Literature of the United Kingdom.<br /> DRAMATISTS.<br /> SIR,-Had the opportunity been given at the<br /> annual meeting of the Society of Authors, on<br /> Thursday, March 23, I might have brought the<br /> subject of this letter before it, but it would then,<br /> perhaps, have reached a much smaller number of the<br /> public than it now will.<br /> What I wanted to say, and what I now wish to<br /> inform all the members and associates of this Society<br /> is that I feel that very inadequate—and, I must<br /> reluctantly add, what seem to me unjustly inade-<br /> quate-steps have been taken in deciding wbo are<br /> and who are not its dramatic members, for I am<br /> informed that it has been decided that they are<br /> those who have had a play produced, and that, there-<br /> fore, it was only to such that a notice of the pro-<br /> posed confereuce was sent. I wish to point out<br /> that, if that definition is accepted, the being a<br /> dramatist will become purely a piece of luck, depen-<br /> dent not upon what the writer—the member or<br /> Associate of the Society-has done (bas conceived<br /> and created), but upon what has been done by<br /> others with his or her work. It may be that it is<br /> just the existing condition of things that makes it<br /> difficult, or, perhaps, even impossible, for some<br /> members or associates to get their dramatic work<br /> produced, and which might, therefore, prevent such<br /> persons from ever being recognised as dramatists ;<br /> hence the inclusion among dramatists of such as<br /> have done dramatic work, although no play of<br /> theirs may have been before the public, might lead<br /> to some suggestions being made which would be of<br /> use to the dramatic world by making the road of<br /> production easier to the dramatist-the writer of<br /> the play.<br /> Some distinction might be made-if there is any<br /> real need for it-between those who have and have<br /> not had a play produced, inst as a distinction is<br /> made by means of the words “member” and<br /> “associate” between those authors who have and<br /> have not had a book published: some new designa-<br /> tör<br /> tion, even, might be devised.<br /> Every dramatic writer must have a beginning in<br /> the matter of production, just as every book-writer<br /> must in the matter of publication, but this seems<br /> to have been curiously overlooked in the very quarter<br /> in which one would have expected to have found it<br /> regarded, and so the inclusion of “unproduced”<br /> play-writers among “dramatists &quot; may lead to the<br /> speedier introduction of a new era in the play-<br /> performing world.<br /> HUBERT HAES.<br /> [NOTE :—The writer of the above letter seems to<br /> argue that any person who has written a play<br /> should be entitled to be described as a dramatist.<br /> This view seems to us untenable. If, however, his<br /> argument is that a great many people who have<br /> THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE.<br /> DEAR SIR,- It only dawned on me very slowly<br /> to-day what a great slight had been shown to<br /> women writers by. their own Society of Authors by<br /> the fact that not a man of the council or com-<br /> mittee had thought it worth while to put any<br /> woman&#039;s name down on the list they recommended<br /> for the Academic Committee of the Royal Society<br /> demic Committee of the Royal Society<br /> of Literature. We women members of the Society<br /> of Authors could have promptly suggested at least<br /> three names, which even then would not have been<br /> a fourth of the representation the gentlemen kept<br /> entirely for themselves. They nominated not one!<br /> The pity on&#039;t! The harm it will do ! One is<br /> always sorry to see a chance missed! And this<br /> slight to their fellow-workers has been iniicted in<br /> the sight of the whole world. As one of the rank<br /> and file, it is impossible not to resent the undeserved<br /> indignity to the leaders of whom we--and all who<br /> love literature—are so justly proud. Can nothing<br /> be done to remedy so silly and mischievous a<br /> blunder ?<br /> Faithfully yours,<br /> GRACE TOPLIS.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 182 (#244) ############################################<br /> <br /> 182<br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> written plays but have not had them acted, are than two or three lines at a time and who pretend<br /> dramatists, there is a good deal in favour of the to improve our work, must be at the root of many<br /> argument; but if this view is to be adopted, in failures.<br /> order to arrive at any satisfactory settlement, it<br /> Yours truly,<br /> would be necessary for the Society to establish a<br /> A MEMBER.<br /> reading branch which should confine its work to<br /> deciding whether an unacted dramatist should be<br /> included in the company of dramatists or not.<br /> EDITORIAL DELAY.<br /> This proposition would seem to be equally unten.<br /> able. In consequence, it would seem to be much<br /> DEAR SIR,I was pleased to see that my sugges-<br /> better to draw the hard-and-fast line already tion in The Author as to &quot;payment on acceptance&quot;<br /> settled by the Dramatic Sub-committee.-Ed.] instead of “ payment on publication” for manu-<br /> scripts of magazine articles had met with approval;<br /> for I have little doubt that the support accorded<br /> to it in the letter of Mr. Frank E. Verney represents<br /> PROFESSIONAL TYPISTS.<br /> very wide concurrence amongst authors generally<br /> -in any case amongst magazine writers.<br /> DEAR SIR,— Without wishing to seem unreason. If, however, this question is one that should be<br /> ably exacting, I must say I should like to know taken up in the interests of what I may call the<br /> whether my experiences of professional typists are “Literary Brotherhood,&quot; what better instru-<br /> normal.<br /> mentality could there possibly be for effecting<br /> Early in January, I contracted with a firm I such a purpose than that excellent and powerful<br /> knew for the typing in duplicate of a book of about syndicate the Council of the Society of Authors ?<br /> 84,000 words; I asked the typist to quote his It gives me, therefore, great pleasure to “move&quot;<br /> lowest terms for a MS. of 85,000 words, and the that our influential Council should take this<br /> agreement was for £4. I had to wait over six course.<br /> weeks for the typescripts, though the work was No individual author, or group of authors, out-<br /> divided up and undertaken by different hands. side the Council could possibly have the same weight<br /> When I came to revising it and comparing it as our “Committee of Management” in so desirable<br /> with my MSS. (which I might add was clear and a movement.<br /> legible and ready for the printer) I found, in two. It is not, I think, possible to add to the argu-<br /> thirds of the book the following mistakes :-<br /> ments already used in favour of such a course ; and<br /> “Twenty sentences, of from three to twenty it would be well if editors and proprietors of English<br /> seven words, omitted.<br /> magazines were to consider whether the change<br /> “ Seventy single words omitted.<br /> proposed would not be distinctly for their own, as<br /> “ The punctuation and lengths of paragraphs well as for the author&#039;s benefit. The best pay and<br /> changed, and my sentences adjusted to Procrustes&#039; the promptest payment naturally attract the best<br /> bed.<br /> work; and the quality of English “material ” is<br /> “Footnotes embodied into the matter of the very likely under the present English custom to<br /> book.<br /> suffer when that material is provided for English<br /> “Fifty-three of the typists&#039; words were substituted publications.<br /> for mine.&quot; A few of the worst examples follow : I recall, when looking through for a friend, many<br /> MSS.<br /> TYPESCRIPT. years ago, the proof sheets of a book this friend had<br /> men<br /> those<br /> written on America, a means he had made of a<br /> heart . . . .<br /> least<br /> “ notice to the public&quot; posted at the entrance to a<br /> any .<br /> many<br /> big San Francisco hotel. It was, “In God we<br /> compliment . . .<br /> complaint trust : ALL OTHERS, Cash !” and really the under-<br /> defeudants<br /> independants lying principle seems to be reflected now, so to<br /> mirage .<br /> marriage speak, in American publications, for on looking<br /> speeches.<br /> spectacles haphazard through the principal lines and ticking<br /> curiously<br /> seriously off from a list of American journals and magazines<br /> succumbing<br /> recovering those open to general contributions, I find in my list<br /> rempant.<br /> permanent of twenty-four no less than twenty which announce<br /> symptoms .<br /> sympathy. “payment on acceptance ” one of these says, &quot; Pay-<br /> My handwriting, by the wildest stretch of ment from 3 cents. a word upwards on acceptance.&quot;<br /> imagination, can scarcely be responsible for this. Nota bene, that the lowest rate is qrer £6 per<br /> But I cannot help thinking that professional typists, thousand words! and dollars down!<br /> who cannot keep their attention fixed for more<br /> FRANCIS GEORGE HEATH.<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> .<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 182 (#245) ############################################<br /> <br /> ADVERTISEMENTS.<br /> vii<br /> Authors&#039; MSS. 10. 1,000 words; over 40,000, 10d. No unfair<br /> &quot;cutting&quot; of prices.<br /> Educated Operators, GOOD PAPER, Standard Machines.<br /> Plays and Actors&#039; Parts. Legal, General and Commercial<br /> Documents. Duplicating. Facsimile Typewriting.<br /> FULL TERMS ON APPLICATION. REFERENCES.<br /> TYPEWRITING. AUTHORS wishing to make arrange-<br /> ments for Publishing are invited to<br /> communicate with LYNWOOD &amp; Co.,<br /> Ltd., Publishers, 12, Paternoster Row,<br /> SIKES and SIKES, London, E.C., who will be pleased<br /> The West Kensington Typewriting Offices, to consider MSS. and advise (free).<br /> (Established 1893),<br /> 223a, HAMMERSMITH ROAD, LONDON, W. Please write before sending MSS.<br /> free<br /> Rider&#039;s Catalogue of Psychio, Oooult,<br /> and New Thought Publications sent post<br /> rospectuses of New Buoks, and Sample Copy<br /> Are prepared to consider and place MSS.<br /> of the OCCULT REVIEW, to all applicants.<br /> Literary Work of all kinds dealt with by Experts who<br /> place Authors&#039; interests first. Twenty years&#039; experience.<br /> Address-WILLIAM RIDER &amp; SON, Ltd.,<br /> 2, CLEMENT&#039;S INN, W.C.<br /> 164, Aldersgate Street, London, E.C.<br /> -M88., 9d. per 1,000 words. One<br /> TYPEWRITING.<br /> duplicate free ; others, 3d. per<br /> 1,000. Estimates given.<br /> Authors&#039; MSS. and General Copying carefully BADENOCH, 8, MOLISON STREET, DUNDEE.<br /> typed at rates from 8d. per 1,000 words. Recommended<br /> by a member of the Authors&#039; Society.<br /> TYPEWRITING.<br /> DUPLICATING. SHORTHAND. TRANSLATIONS.<br /> Miss E. S. MURDOCH,<br /> First-Class Work. Excellent Testimonialy.<br /> Glenfairlie, Avondale Road, Wolverhampton. I MISS M. HOWARD, 147, Strand, W.C.<br /> NOTICE TO AUTHORS.<br /> N case of any difficulties, authors may now, for a small stated fee, obtain the expert<br /> T advice and practical assistance of a literary consultant. Mr. Stanhope W. Sprigg<br /> (formerly Editor of “Cassell&#039;s Magazine&quot; and reader for Messrs. Cassell &amp; Co.,<br /> Reviewer on the “ Standard,” and Hon. Literary Adviser to the Society of Women<br /> Journalists) has lately set up in business in this capacity, and his services have been<br /> already utilised with marked success by a large number of writers who were not satisfied<br /> with their work or their sales.<br /> &quot; MOST PROFITABLE.”<br /> The Author of a well-known translation, which is selling by thousands, writes :-<br /> “Many thanks for your advice. It has been most profitable.”<br /> A popular writer of serial stories in daily newspapers says :-“You have proved a<br /> perfect mascot to me. You seem to know unerringly the right channels of publication.&quot;<br /> 6S INYALUABLE HELP.»<br /> The Author of one of the most successful novels this season declares :-“Your help<br /> has been invaluable. I have done everything you advised.&quot;<br /> The former Editor of a powerful London weekly states :-&quot; Thanks to your kind<br /> suggestions, I am busier than I have been for some years.&quot;<br /> The writer of a well-known biography also writes :—“Will you allow me to express my<br /> thanks for the extremely able and careful manner in which you have acted.”<br /> Correspondence from authors is cordially invited. Many other letters in a similar<br /> strain can be shown.<br /> Address: Mr. STANHOPE W. SPRIGG, The Anchora SPSSPHAM,<br /> TVIS<br /> INU<br /> B OGNOR, SUSSEX.<br /> <br /> <br /> ## p. 182 (#246) ############################################<br /> <br /> vii<br /> ADVERTISEMENTS.<br /> Two popular Hotels in Central London.<br /> Opposite the British Museum.<br /> TYPEWRITING<br /> BRAINS.<br /> THACKERAY HOTEL<br /> WITH<br /> Great Russell Street, London.<br /> Near the British Museum.<br /> KINGSLEY HOTEL.<br /> Hart Street, Bloomsbury Square, London.<br /> My work is always the same-THE BEST.<br /> INDIFFERENT COPY TYPED WELL stands a better<br /> chance with Editors and Publishers than<br /> GOOD WORK TYPED BADLY.<br /> I USE BRAINS as well as hands.<br /> HIGH-CLASS WORK AT LOW CHARGES.<br /> Every Order I have executed has been followed<br /> by Repeats.<br /> I have many Testimonials from Members of the<br /> Authors&#039; Society.<br /> MY WORK IS MY BEST REFERENCE!<br /> I work for Authors, Clergymen, Playwrights,<br /> Business Houses, &amp;c.<br /> SEND ME A TRIAL ORDER NOW.<br /> Passenger Lifts. Bathrooms on every Floor. Lounges<br /> and Spacious Dining, Drawing, Writing, Reading, Billiard<br /> and Smoking Rooms. Fireproof Floors. Perfect Sanita-<br /> tion. Telephones. Night Porters.<br /> Bedrooms (including attendance), single, from<br /> 3/6 to 6/-,<br /> Inclusive Charge for Bedroom, Attendance, Table d&#039;Hote,<br /> Breakfast and Dinner, from 8/6 to 1016 per day.<br /> Full Tariff and Testimonials on application.<br /> Telegraphic Addresses :<br /> Thackeray Hotel _“Thackeray, London.&quot;<br /> Kingsley Hotel—&quot;Bookcraft, London.&quot;<br /> MISS RALLING,<br /> 176, Loughborough Road, LONDON, S.W.<br /> MRS. GILL, Typewriting Office,<br /> writing Office, Literary &amp; Dramatic Typewriting<br /> (Established 1883.) 35, LUDGATE HILL, E.C.<br /> Authors&#039; MSS. carefully copied from 1s. per 1,000<br /> words. Duplicate copies third price, French and German<br /> MSS. accurately copied; or typewritten English trans-<br /> lations supplied References kindly permitted to Messrs.<br /> A. P. Watt &amp; Son, Literary Agents, Hastings House,<br /> Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C. Telephone 8464 Central.<br /> AUTHORS &amp; PLAYWRIGHTS<br /> Special facilities for placing work of every description,<br /> Particulars from Manager, Literary Department,<br /> WIENER AGENCY, LD.,<br /> 64, Strand, LONDON,<br /> AND TRIBUNE BUILDING, NEW YORK.<br /> Story work, 9d. 1,000 words; 2 copies, 1-.<br /> Plays, ruled and covered, 1/- 1,000 words.<br /> Opinions selected from letters received during the past twelve years :-<br /> MRS. E, NESBIT BLAND (E. NESBIT): “I am extremely<br /> pleased. ... It is beautiful work.&quot;<br /> MRS. TOM GODFREY: “I think you must be a treasure trove<br /> to all authors who have the good fortune to hear of you. ...<br /> You certainly evince an intimate knowledge of French.&quot;<br /> MRS. HINKSON (KATHARINE TYNAN: &quot;I have never met<br /> with anything approaching your intelligence, carefulness and<br /> promptitude.&quot;<br /> RICHARD PRYCE, ESQ.: “The work could not be better<br /> done.&quot;<br /> LOUIS A. ST. JOHN, L&#039;Isleite ei morda Road, Southampton.<br /> To Authors and Dramatists.<br /> TYPEWRITING.<br /> Authors&#039; MSS. copied from 9d. per 1,000<br /> words; in duplicate, 1/-. Plays and Generaal<br /> Copying. List and specimen of work on appli-<br /> sation.<br /> ONE OF NUMEROUS TESTIMONIALS.<br /> &quot; Migs M. R. HORNE bas typed for me literary matter to the<br /> extent of some hundreds of thousands of words. I bavo nothing<br /> but praise for the accuracy, speed and neatness with wbich she<br /> does her work.-FRANK SAVILE.&quot;<br /> AUTHORS&#039; MS. accurately typed<br /> from 10d. 1,000 words; over 10,000,<br /> 9d.; in duplicate, 1/-. Excellent<br /> credentials. Yost machine. Out-<br /> door Work also undertaken.<br /> Miss M. M. WEST, 59, Gray&#039;s Inn Road. W.C.<br /> MISS M. R. HORNE,<br /> ESKDALE, WEST DRAYTON, MIDDLESEX.<br /> Printed by BRADBURY, AGNEW, &amp; Co. LD., and Published by them for THE SOCIETY OF AUTHORS (INCORPORATED)<br /> at 10, Bouverie Street, London, E.C.	https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/419/1911-04-01-The-Author-21-7.pdf	publications, The Author