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Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1899-10-02 Volume 10 Issue 5 Pages Page range in volume 97–116 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18991002 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che #utbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) EONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vou. X.—No. 5.] OCTOBER 2, 1899. [Prick SIXPENCE. For the Opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the collective opinions of the Committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. Pons HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. os GENERAL MEMORANDA. ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. ‘There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— J. THAT OF SELLING IT OUTRIGHT. This is in some respects the most satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. TI. A PROFIT-SHARING AGREEMENT (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to : (1.) Not to sign any agreemeat in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs: or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher, As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! VOL. X. Ill. THE ROYALTY SYSTEM. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately and very nearly the truth. From time to time the very important figures connected with royalties are published in The Author. Readers can also work out the figures themselves from the “Cost of Production.” IV. A COMMISSION AGREEMENT. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. GENERAL. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. ec EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. : 2c the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some competent legal authority. 2. Never negotiate for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract :— (1) SALE OUTRIGHT OF THE PERFORMING RIGHT. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the con- tract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (2) SAL OF PERFORMING RIGHT OR OF A LICENCE TO PERFORM ON THE PROFIT-SHARING SYSTEM. This method can only be entered into when a fixed sum is agreed per week for cost of produc- tion. It is not a common method. K 2 98 THE AUTHOR. (3) SALE OF PERFORMING RIGHT OR OF A LICENCE TO PERFORM ON THE BASIS OF PERCENTAGES (i.e., royalties) on gross receipts. Royalties vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts. Should obtain a sum in advance of royalties. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. 4. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited by town, country, and time. This is most important. 5. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 6. Authors should remember that performing rights ina play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 7. Never send a copy of the play to America unless it is protected by a preliminary performance in the United Kingdom. 8. Never forget that American rights may be exceedingly valuable. They should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. g. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. Never admit a collaborator when once the actual work of writing the play has begun or after it is finished. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. L VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solici- tor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s opinion is desirable, the Committee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher’s agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fireproof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as con- fidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers :—(1) To read and advise upon agreements and publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. pos THE READING BRANCH. %MBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of their work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. NOTICES. HE Editor of The Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for The Author should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 4, Portugal-street, Lincoln’s-inn Fields, W.C., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. The present location of the Authors’ Club is at 3, White- hall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. LITERARY PROPERTY. T.—Is Lirerature Precarious? HE correspondence still continues as to the precarious nature of the profession of Litera- ture. It will be observed, however, that all those who argue that it is precarious do so from their own experience alone and without the least reference to the well-known and notorious examples of success. One writer says that if he had taken to the Law the same ability which he brought to Literature he would have succeeded. Perhaps: but this assumes, first, that his belief in his own ability is well founded : next, that the same kind of ability is wanted for Literature and for Law :  EY mene THE AUTHOR. thirdly, that his abilities are such as command success in the Law; and, lastly, that ability always does command success in the Law. And so with other professions. Now those who can- not command a tolerable income by the pen may be divided into several classes. There are those who fail at the outset, because they have not even the elementary qualifications necessary for the literary life. They have no right to call Litera- ture precarious because they have never belonged to it. As well might a man call the Bar pre- carious who could not pass the preliminary examinations. There are some, however, who hang on to the fringe, so to speak, getting a paper accepted now and then, while a dozen are rejected. These may be thought entitled to speak of Litera- ture as precarious. There are many, a great many, in this position. Unfortunately, they are unable to understand that a single piece of good work would lift them out of that position, and they cannot understand that their own work is not as good as that of the more popular writers. Indeed, it is this class which is the most severe on the “cheap success”: on the tenth-rate poet : on the taste of the people. If a writer has nothing to say : if he has no song to sing: no story to tell: no doctrine to teach; or if he cannot deliver his message pleasantly and attractively, the fault of failure is with him, not with the profession. There is a third class of writers to whom Literature offers but small rewards of the pecu- niary kind: it is the class which provides books and papers for a very small audience. Those who write on the higher mathematics; or in certain branches of science and philosophy; cannot expect to address a large audience. A fine writer such as Walter Pater commands admiration and respect from the readers whom he addresses: but it is a small class. For him Literature would hardly offer a bare livelihood. Yet he would not be right in complaining that it is pre- carious, and he would certainly not be embittered by comparing his own modest returns with those of the successful dramatist. Nothing is gained by keeping. up the old sham about the precarious nature of Literature as a profession. It is no more precarious than art of any kind: or than the Bar; or than Medicine or anything which depends solely on a personal and individual ability. Now,as I have said over and over again, a thousand failures do not make it precarious, for the simple reason that they take place for the most part at the outset, and mean nothing more than incompetence and unfitness for any branch of literary work. For those who possess the natural aptitude, with other requisites, such as power of work, the profession is on a level with other professions as regards the average run of 99 successes, and possesses very large prizes for those who succeed greatly. J refer to my corre- spondent “ Yachtsman” (see p. 110) as an_illus- tration and confirmation of this point. W. B. Il.—PuBLisHING ON COMMISSION. In the September number of The Author, p. 81, it is stated that on the figures given the author would lose £130. This is incorrect. He would gain £78. If, however, he had taken a royalty of 15 per cent., he would have received £90. What, in that case, would have been the pub- lisher’s profit ? On the commission book it has been shown that he might make about £125. There would have been no percentages on the cost of production. He would have paid the exact cost, say, £150. He would have received £350. The account therefore, would stand : Cost of production £150 Sale of 2,000 £350 Author = ...62.2.5:. go Publishers .2...-c 110 £350 £350 It is therefore clear that the publisher would do better with a commission book than with one on this royalty. Suppose, however, that the sales, which is much more likely, do not rise beyond 400. The accounts might now stand: & s. d. Ss. a Sale of 400 copies at Cost of print- ingandpaper 96 16 o Binding ...... 56 50 °& ‘customary Advertising... 47 100 __ trade price” Corrections... 3 OO Say 35. 3d. 65 0.0 Publisher’sfee 5 00 Less 10 per Extraexpenses 5 OO cent....... 6 10 © 58 10 O Loss to author... 15S: 1 0 213 II O zis it Oo The publisher, ‘on the other hand, would make as before, mutatis mutandis : 0S, a. On printne ........, oe 16 16 6 On binding |. es 12102 0 On advertising...,....5... 025.5. 22 10. © On fs 555.60... 5.9 © By “customary trade clause” 5 © O On commission .........+606... G16 6 By use of £200forsixmonths 5 9 O 73.6 © Which seems a handsome profit. 100 TIl.—Reapers’ REMARKS. A correspondent makes the following complaint: —A short time ago he placed a MS. in the hands of a literary agent, who offered it to various publishers, and finally returned it as refused by these firms. He then resolved’ upon revising the MS. with the view of finding, if possible, the weak points in the work. “ On doing so I found, to my astonishment and annoyance, that some pub- lisher’s reader—possibly the first who read the MS.—had scribbled freely on its margin his own comments, freely using such words as ‘ rubbish,’ ‘nonsense,’ &c. Not content with this, he had in many places interpolated sentences into the body of the text, which transformed clearly written paragraphs into arrant silliness, which must have caused subsequent readers—who, no doubt, took these pencillings for my work—to think the writer an ignorant fool.” This is a very serious thing. Are readers to be allowed to annotate MSS. to the prejudice of the author with other readers ? Surely the remedy, if our correspondent can learn the firm by whose reader it was done, is to have the MS. newly typewritten, and to send in the bill to the firm in question. One does not suppose that any publishers would countenance such treatment if their attention was drawn to the fact; nor, on the other hand, can one suppose that the reader would wilfully dis- figure a MS. if he understood the injury and annoyance he was causing the author. The pre- sentation of the bill for typewriting, however, with publicity, seems the only practical remedy. ITV.—Dr. BRANDES AND A GERMAN PUBLISHER. We quote from Literature of Sept. 2 the following account by Dr. Georg Brandes, the distinguished Norwegian critic, of how for half a generation a certain Herr Barsdorff, of Leipzig, “has persecuted me with his editions, not- withstanding my many continually reiterated protests” :— He has printed my books in mutilated editions for years ; he has added to them, he has cut them into separate pieces, which he has provided with sensational titles and has sold as complete books and separate editions. He has, in general, not respected the contents of the book, but has arbitrarily undertaken to supply his own self-excogitated alterations. The gentlemen who allow themselves to be commissioned by Herr Barsdorff, contrary to the express wish of the author to prepare his own works in German, take every liberty that pleases them. My protests have hitherto remained without effect. When I protest, Herr Barsdorff usually answers that I have to thank him for being known in Germany. In reply to this assertion, I wrote in the Allgemeine Zeitung, some months ago, as follows: “May 14, 1899. I do not consider any answer necessary, but I cannot withhold the remark that nothing is more nauseous to me than to read the eulogies which are trumpeted forth everywhere from the mouth of this man, THE AUTHOR. while his life passes in doing me material and mental injury.” Attention is seriously called to the above extract. There can be no greater crime against an author than that of mangling or altering his words and works. Some years ago an action was commenced in the High Court of Justice on this very point, but was not carried through. It is very much to be desired that such a case should be tried, and, if necessary, carried up to the Lords, in order to make it clear that in any kind of agreement the publisher either buys or is intrusted with the administration of a property which depends on the preservation of the actual words of the author. Can we imagine a publisher, under any circumstances, daring to change the words of Swinburne? It is said that some editors claim the right of changing an author’s words, even when his paper is signed. This right ought to be resisted with the greatest vigour. It means that an editor may, if he pleases, make a writer say exactly the opposite of what he intended. With an unsigned article, of course, an editor has the: right to deal as he pleases. It is his own: it represents his policy, the policy of his paper. PARIS NOTES. 5, Rue Chomel. . N | ADAME AUBERNON DE NERVILLE is dead,” a chance acquaintance re-’ marked in my hearing last week. “And who was Madame Aubernon de Ner- ville?” I immediately inquired. “Why, don’t you know?” was the reply. “She was the only woman in Paris who under- stood the art of presiding over a literary salon in the style of the old régime; made it the busi- ness of her life to cultivate literary celebrities, and was quite an autocrat among them; encouraged general conversation, and used to ring a bell, like the Speaker, whenever her lions mounted their hobby-horses or roared -too loudly ; extraordinary temperament, but highly apprecia- tive ; patronised Ibsen, and his subsequent vogue among the Parisians was largely owing to her good. offices in the beginning; sat down to dinner every day for the last twenty-five years with twelve guests —mostly well-known writers—and kept them all in order. No small undertaking for a woman.” So much I learned on the spot. Later I gleaned the following particulars. Mme. Aubernon de Nerville was a celebrity among celebrities. Rich and well-born, she enjoyed the prestige of presiding over “le dernier salon ot l’on cause,” and greeted all comers with the penetrative  THE AUTHOK. bonhomie of a specialist receiving his patients. Ernest Renan, Taine, Eugene Labiche, Dumas fils, Agénor Bardoux, Henry Becque, and a score of other celebrities were among her intimate associates. But though she delighted in the society of great men, she permitted no infringement of what she considered the neces- sary courtesies of society. Once when Edouard Pailleron, the brilliant author of “Le Monde ou Yon s’ennuie,” ventured to interrupt by a subdued murmur one of Caro’s lengthy perorations at the dinner-table he was promptly quenched by their hostess. «By and by, Pailleron; you shall speak in your turn.” Caro’s discourse only finished when the dessert was on the table. At its conclusion, Mme. Aubernon turned encouragingly towards the interrupter. ‘Now it’s your turn, Pailleron. you wished to say ?”’ « T merely wished to ask for a second helping of peas,” was the unexpected rejoinder. Alexandre Dumas fils long held the envied position of first lion in the Aubernon salon. One day, however, being unjustly incensed against one of his confréres, he brutally assumed on bis privi- leges to pre-adopt the attitude recently assumed by General Mercier in addressing the Conseil de Guerre at Rennes. “Lui ou moi?” he said magisterially. Mme. Aubernon, to her honour be it said, stood firm; she refused to sacrifice the injured to the injurer, and Dumas accordingly quitted her house for ever. Ona similar occa- sion Agénor Bardoux, the historian, showed him- self more generous than the great novelist. When Henry Becque wrested from him the sceptre of priority in the Aubernon salon, he quietly withdrew; and later on, when Mme. Aubernon acknowledged her fault in tacitly per- mitting the aggression, the gallant historian accepted the apology and resumed the fauteuil he had vacated. But then Bardoux was in the right, and could afford to be generous. M. Guillaumet is heading the new movement in favour of a general co-operation of dramatic and lyric artistes in protection of their joint interests, which co-operation will be definitely consolidated. into an “ Association générale des artistes drama- tiques et lyriques” on the occasion of the great dramatic and lyrical union to take place at the Cirque Fernando on Sept. 20. The project has been warmly applauded and seconded, Govern- ment having promised an annual subsidy of 10,000 francs in its support. No less than two hundred artistes of both sexes were present at the second preparatory meeting, at which a pro- visory committee was elected and entrusted What was it 101 with the task of drawing up the statutes of the proposed association and submitting them to the approval of the general assemblage. The exorbi- tant charges of the existing theatrical bureaux de placement have induced M. Guillaumet to take active steps to circumvent this legalised form of blackmailing the artist, proverbially imprudent. One of the first reforms anticipated by the pro- posed association is the opening of a registry bureau on behalf of unemployed artistes, who will be put in communication with managers on pay- ment of a minimum fee. Nothing further, how- ever, can be definitely stated respecting the pro- posed association’s programme until after the decisive meeting on Sept. 20 has taken place. Literary celebrities seem at present to be enjoying the fickle favour of Parisian managers. The dramatised novel is extremely popular. Thus M. William Busnach is engaged in drama- tising for the Ambigu stage the graphic ‘ Béte humaine,” of M. Emile Zola ; while a play taken from M. Georges Ohnet’s latest novel, ‘ Au fond du Gouffre” will shortly be given at the Porte St. Martin theatre. A recaste of the “ Frou-frou S of MM. Meilhac and Halévy is about to be rehearsed at the Coméddie Francaise, whose august comité de lecture lately declined MM. Armand Silvestre and G. Bois’ translation of Shakespeare’s “Richard IIL.” The naughty “ Vieux Marcheur” of M. Henri Lavedan bids fair to compete in popu- larity with the far-famed “ Cyrano de Bergerac” of Edmond Rostand; while the “Plus que Reine” of M. Emile Bergerat has likewise scored a brilliant success both at home and abroad. But in the latter case (though the work of a literary man) the play has, I believe, preceded the novel. M. Paul Bourget is now travelling with his wife in the vorth of Italy, in order personally to gather material to enrich the pages of his new work on “ Italie Septentrionale.” This volume is intended to form a continuation to his “Sensa- tions d’Italie.” Its delicately psychological author belongs to the beau monde of social butterflies, whom no stern necessity compels either to toil or spin yarns in exchange for filthy lucre. Hence his whereabouts when travelling may usually be ascertainei! by referring to the social chronicle of any of the leading papers. The latest news of him obtained through this channel announces the arrival of M. and Mme. Paul Bourget at the Hotel d’Italie at Bergamo. We are further informed that M. Bourget professes himself astonished by the private collections of rare works of art he has been privileged to examine at Bergamo in company with M. Geanforte Sicardi. It is not improbable that his readers may find the souvenir of these hoarded treasures and heirlooms 102 embalmed in one of those subtle chapters which M. Bourget limns with such inimitable finesse and skill. The premature death of Christian Garnier, son of the celebrated architect of the Opéra, has been widely deplored. The unfortunate youth was extremely gifted, and would undoubtedly have reached, if not surpassed, his father’s high level, had not death arrested his career on the threshold of manhood. On learning that his disease was mortal, the youth summoned up all his energies to complete the work he had in hand. The title of this work, which has just been published by Ernest Leroux, fully reveals its purport, viz.: “Méthode de transcription rationnelle des noms géographiques s’appliquant a toutes les écritures usitées dans le monde.” Competent authorities have declared M. Garnier’s new method of tran- scription to be an exceedingly valuable one, well worthy consideration. This voluminous work is written throughout in a clear, masterly style, and abounds in evidence of profound scientific research on the part of its author. It has been honoured with the Volney prize, in addition to being crowned by the Institute of France; and the pathetic circumstances under which it was con- cluded have not lessened the interest its appear- ance has excited. The fashionable poet of the moment is no less a personage than Paul Musurus-Bey, member of the Sultan’s State Council, brother of the Princesse Bassaraba de Brancovan, son of Musurus-Bey, ex-Turkish ambassador in France, and grandson of Stephanaki-Bey, prince of Samas. The representative of all these dignities is a highly accomplished gentleman, thoroughly acquainted not only with the ancient and modern Greek, but also with the English and French literature. His personality is well-known in the best Parisian literary society, which he greatly affects, being the intimate friend of MM. Sully Prudhomme and José-Maria de Heredia. Several of his poems have recently appeared in the Revue des deux Mondes, and have created quite a fanfaronade of enthusiasm in the highest circles. He possesses the ready ear of the Oriental, and his versification is perfect. M. Ernest Daudet is publishing an interesting serial, entitled “La Princesse de Lerne,” in the Monde Mondain ; while the Mois Litteraire gives us a graphic account of the murder of the Russian Emperor, Paul I., from the pen of the same author. M. Jules Verne, who shows no sign of deterioration in his green old age, has added a new volume, entitled “Le Testament @un Excentrique” to his ‘“ Voyages Extraordi- naires” series, which latter was formerly crowned by the French Academy. It was on this occasion THE AUTHOR. that Dumas /i/s opined that the august Immortals would have done better to have admitted Verne into their body in lieu of crowning his works, M. Robert Flers—who at twenty-six years of age boasted the honour of a work crowned by the Academy —has just issued his third volume “ Entre Coeur et Chair”’ (a series of short tales) chez Flammarion, who is also the publisher of the continuation of the sensational reminiscences of M. Goron, ancien chef de Sireté. Referring to the last-named work, a well-known critic writes: ‘In it will be found more terrible things than our most fertile novelists in atrocity could invent.” After the “Jardin des Supplices” of M. Octave Mirbeau, this is rather a strong state- ment. In mentioning the prospective programme of the twenty-first congress of the International Literary and Artistic Association, to be held at Heidelberg, the /vgaro alludes to the indifference hitherto manifested by France on the subject of protecting her authors’ rights. After calling attention to the fact that, while almost all the other European States had registered a special law in their code to guarantee their authors’ rights against the possible frauds of publishers, France had remained stationary at the incidental law of 1865, it concludes: “Il faut espérer que la question sera de nouveau soulevée, et que la France comprendra enfin qu'il est de l’intérét de sa production littéraire, qui tient encore le premier rang, de se mettre au niveau des autres nations.” So much for the force of good example. The death of M. Gaston Tissandier, founder and editor of that popular little scientific periodical entitled Nature, robs science of one of its most devoted adherents. M. Tissandier was especially interested in solving the problem of aerial navigation; and though he did not succeed in attaining his end, he pushed his investigations farther than any of his predecessors had dared to do. He made over forty ascensions into space, and on April 15, 1875, he attained an altitude of 28,215 feet. His two companions were asphyxi- ated by the rarefaction of the air, but Gaston Tissandier returned—with his ear-drums broken and a sort of physical oppression from which he never completely recovered. He finally succumbed —almost a quarter of a century later —to the effects of a painful malady from which he had long suffered. It is well known that M. Jean Dupuy, Minister of Agriculture, has chosen the poet M. Henri Barbusse as his chef de cabinet; and, since the latter’s induction into office, the Minister of Agri- culture is credited with receiving all official | reports relating to his department served up in ingenious verse. Poetry in such a quarter  THE AUTHOR. appears, at first sight, as if the days of bucolic peace were returning; but a glance at current events speedily destroys such a supposition. Half-a-dozen papers are already officially notified as pursued for incendiary articles, while duels between polemists and members of the Press are of too frequent occurrence to be worthy detailed notice. Their opponents justly reproach the literati of France with having brought about the Revision—a noble work of which its authors may well be proud, for it will probably rank among their highest titles to the gratitude of posterity. A propos of interesting publications of the month may be mentioned “Les Morts qui Parlent,” by M. E. M. de Vogue; “ L’Enfer,” by M. Edouard Conte (Société Libre d’ Edition des gens de lettres); “Le Petit fils de dAr- tagnan”’ and “Le Drame du Palois Bouge,” by MM. A. Sirven and A. Siegel (chez Calmann Lévy); and “Le Corps et ’Ame de Enfant,” by M. Maurice de Fleury. Darracotre Scort. eas NOTES AND NEWS. TYNHE Atheneum has begun its Publishers’ Announcements. In the numbers for Sept. 9, 16, and 23 there are the lists of fourteen publishers. Taking out of consideration books of scholarship, philosophy, science and education, and taking only those which fall under the head of General Literature, the fourteen between them promise to produce as follows : EOC = 43 works. History and Biography 24 _,, Wravel 66 TAG Belles Lettres ............ 200. Fiction ......... 105. AQ 20 7 We shall be able to complete this rough analysis next month. Meantime, the first heading includes volumes by Owen Seaman and Stephen Phillips, with reprints from Tennyson and Matthew Arnold. Mr. Theodore Watts Dunton makes the welcome announcement of a new work, ‘‘ The Old Familiar Faces,” which is presumably a novel. Among other novels we meet with many old friends and many new names. The various “Series” are well to the front—the “ Cathedral Series”: the “Public School Series”: the ‘Social England Series”: the “Geographical Series”: the “Literatures of the World Series” among others. The large number of books on Art—some of them most important—is a remarkable feature in the year’s announcements. Memoirs, Letters, and Reminiscences include books on Coventry VOL. x. 103 Patmore: the third Farl of Shaftesbury: Mrs. Lynn Linton: Thackeray: Dickens: Sir Philip Francis: J. H. Frere: and others. So far there seems to be no announcement of more sixpenny books, but it will take time to repair the mischief of this experiment disastrous to booksellers. The completion of the list will show whether the experience of the last season will lessen the number of six-shilling novels. One hundred and five novels among fourteen publishers, of whom three at least are producing none this year! If this average is maintained, it will termfy book- sellers and circulating libraries, and will drive to despair the furnishers of railway bookstalls. Professor Brander Matthews considers the novelist as a great living force. He is not the greatest living force, because the actual facts of current events are the true leaders of men, and we must look for the facts to the Press. For instance, the ‘“ Affaire,’ as presented day by day in all its horror, has been the greatest possible force in influencing men’s minds as regards the country where it happened—perhaps the only country where it could have happened. The social force of the novelist is exercised by the expression which he gives to the current ideas of his time. A thousand little facts accumulate and are registered by the Press: they produce the effect upon the mind of the continual dropping of water. Then the novelist appears to give expression to the thought, and to present it in action with a group of living characters. If the novelist advocates reforms or ideas for which the popular mind is not ready, or to which it is opposed, he fails. The “ novel with a purpose” always fails when that purpose is a new pro- position or a view contrary to the general way of looking at the world. That novelist moves the world who is first moved by the world, and can tell them what they think. Is it necessary to remind readers that the famous “Draft Agreements” of the Publishers’ Associa- tion are neither disavowed nor withdrawn It is necessary to look at agreements with greater care than ever. Above all things let everyone be careful not to allow his publisher to become his agent at 50 per cent., while his own agent is con- tented with 10 or 15 percent. And next, let the author most carefully retain in his own hands the dramatic rights. Let him remember as well that where a valuable MS. is concerned the publisher, whatever be his imaginary station in the world of publishers, will give way on these points because he must. If he refuses others will consent. At present the committee of the Publishers’ Associa- i 104 tion are in the enviable and dignified position of having put forth agreements as equitable which they dare not even propose to authors of repute. So perverse is the authors’ sense of equity that they will not even consider those agreements. Is it not time to speak about the “ Private Prospectus” nuisance? A new “ Private Pros- pectus” is sent out once a month. I suppose it is sent out broadcast. It is the prospectus of a publication for “students only ” or for “‘ collectors and students.” It is “privately printed.” It is for subscribers only: there is a limited edition: and the work is costly. The address at which it is to be procured is in a respectable street. Of the work itself thus offered one can only say generally that it is of a kind which cannot be exposed for sale so long as Lord Campbell’s Act is in force. One would like to know how far a publisher is protected by calling his book “ priv- ately printed, for subscribers only, in a private press.” What does a “ private press”? mean ? I have read in several papers—indeed, it seems one of the many accepted truisms which are not truths—that I have encouraged, and do continu- ally encourage, young people to crowd into the ranks of those who would succeed by writing. In the same way the Society has been, and is still, continually misrepresented by two assertions —that it treats all publishers as dishonest (this stale old charge was last advanced publicly by Mr. John Murray), and that it says that pub- lishers incur no risk. As for the personal charge of encouraging the incompetent, the only founda- tion for the charge is the broad fact that I have done my best to set forth the exact truth con- nected with the commercial side of literature. If these facts do attract a large number of young persons who have none of the gifts necessary for success, it is because they present this side of the literary profession as it is, and as it may be, in a light never before attempted, namely, in the true light. Hitherto, persons interested in con- cealment have done their best to keep the truth as much hidden as possible. Let me also quote my own words, which, I think, are not unduly optimistic or encouraging : “To those few, however, who think they possess the necessary qualifications; to those who feel really impelled to join the ranks of literature, I would say, ‘Come. Venture if you will where so many have failed. There is always room for good work—come. I have shown how the followers of literature fare: some fare better and some fare worse than I have described. THE AUTHOR. ‘Come if you can; come if you dare. Don’t think of making money; there are a thousand chances to one against it. But if you gain that reasonable measure of success of which I have spoken you may confidently look forward to leading a happy and well-filled life; you may influence your generation for good: your mind will always be pleasantly occupied: you will find the company good: the talk extremely cheerful : and the work always iuteresting.’ ” Here is a short and easy road to notoriety which in journalistic enterprise often means success. It is not a new method, but it has been greatly developed of late years, and it. is high time that it was understood. A literary man whose name is known receives a type-written letter from a person of whom he knows nothing, with a heading to the letter of some organ or some bureau of which he knows nothing, asking him for his opinion on this or that subject —any subject will do—for publication. Sometimes he is informed that a “symposium”’ is organised for the purpose of obtaining opinions on this or that subject. Now, when a well-known paper of position asks for the opinions of various persons qualified to have an opinion on the subject, the collection of opinions and reasons may be useful and helpful to the public: in such a case the person invited should perhaps accede. But it is far different when the invitation comes from some wretched struggling journal or some obscure person who hopes by means of a dozen or twenty good names to pass off as a ; erson of importance. It would be well, at least, to wait before answering the invitation until something can be learned of the person who sent it. Water Besant. Specs ON CRITICISM. HE following observations, quotations, and 7 rules are taken from an excellent little book of essays called ‘‘ Americanisms and Briticisms,”’ by Professor Brander Matthews: ““¢ Doubtless criticism was originally benig- nant, pointing out the beauties of a work rather than its defects. The passions of man have made it malignant, as the bad heart of Procrustes turned the bed, the symbol of repose, into au instrument of torture.’—(Longfellow).” “ La critique sans bonté trouble le gout et empoisonne les saveurs, said Joubert ; unkindly criticism disturbs the taste and poisons the savour. No one of the great critics was un- kindly.”  THE AUTHOR. “They chose their subjects, for the most part, because they loved these, and were eager to praise them and to make plain to the world the reasons for their ardent affection. Whenever they might chance to see incompetence and pretension push- ing to the front, they shrugged their shoulders more often than not, and passed by on the other side silently :—and so best. Very rarely did they cross over to expose an impostor.” “Tn nine cases out of ten, or rather in ninety-nine out of a hundred, the attitude of the critic towards contemporary trash had best be one of absolute indifference, sure that Time will sift out what is good, and that Time winnows with unerring taste. «The first duty of the critic, therefore, is to help the reader to ‘ get the best ’—in the old phrase of the dictionary vendors—to choose it, to under- stand it, to enjoy it. Neglect is the proper portion of the worthless books of the hour, whatever may be their vogue for the week or the month.” “The second duty of the critic is like unto the first. It is to help the reader to understand the best. There is many a book which needs to be made plain to him who runs as he reads, and it is the running r. ader of these hurried years that the critic must needs address.” “The third duty of the critic, after aiding the reader to choose the best and to understand it, is to help him to enjoy it. This is possible only when the critic’s own enjoyment is acute enough to be contagious. However well informed a critic may be, and however keen he may be, if he be not capable of the cordial admiration which warms the heart, his criticism is wanting. “ Having done his duty to the reader, the critic has done his full duty to the author also. It is to the people at large that the critic is under obligations, not to any individual. As he cannot take cognisance of a work of art, literary or dramatic, plastic or pictorial, until after it is wholly complete, his opinion can be of little benefit to the author.” “Tf I were to attempt to draw up Twelve Good Rules for Reviewer-, I should begin with: “T. Form an honest opinion. “TI. Express it honestly. “TIT. Don’t review a book which you cannot take seriously. “TV. Don’t review a book with which you are out of sympathy, that is to say, put yourself in the author’s place, and try to see his work from his point of view, which is sure to be a coign of vantage. “V, Stick to the text. Review the book before you, and not the book some other author might have written ; obiter dicta me as valueless from 105 the critic as from the judge. Don’t go off ona tangent. And also don’t go round in a circle. Say what you have to say, and stop. Don’t go on writing about and about the subject, and merely weaving garlands of flowers of rhetoric. “VI. Beware of the Sham Sample, as Charles Reade called it. Make sure that the specimen bricks you select for quotation do not give a false impression of the farade, and not only of the elevation merely, but of the perspective also, and of the ground-plan. “VII. In reviewing a biography or a history, criticise the book before you, and don't write a parallel essay, for which the volume you have in hand serves only as a peg. “VIII. In reviewing a work of fiction, don’t give away the plot. In the eyes of the novelist this is the unpardonable sin. And, as it discounts the pleasure of the reader also, it is almost equally unkind to hin. “TX. Don’t try to prove every successful author a plagiarist. It may be that many a successful author has been a plagiarist, but no author ever succeeded because of his plagiary. “X, Don’t break a butterfly on a wheel. Ifa book is not worth much, it is not worth reviewing. “XT. Don’t review a book as an east wind would review an apple-tree—so it was once said Douglas Jerrold was wont to do, Of what profit to anyone is mere bitterness and vexation of spirit ? “XTI. Remember that the critic’s duty is to the reader mainly, and that it is to guide him not only to whatis good, but to what is best. Three- parts of what is contemporary must be temporary only.” Peas COUNTERFEIT ENGLISH. N the regrettable absence of an English Académie, we look to the Author as a guardian of our long-suffering language. So many neologisms are now creeping in that unless you can do something for us the good old tongue of Shakespeare and Macaulay will soon be no more. Some changes there must necessarily be. Apart from the demands of new arts and crafts, ideas and habits must alter, so as to demand new combina- tions and an enlarged vocabulary. We may never hope to cure our young people of saying “I biked over,” and the apotheosis of the piston-rod has reached its climax in certain of our most popular writings. But the changes here contemplated are of another sort, being capable of division into two 106 classes: (a) phrases that slip into use from mere indolence and want of knowledge; and (6) words misused out of affectation; both classes having this common evil, that they are quite unnecessary. In the (a) class must be placed prominently cases in which a noun substantive is gratuitously used as a verb. The labour-saving ingenuity of our transatlantic kinsfolk is primarily responsible for this; but we have often been ready to follow their quicker-witted lead. Such a verb as ‘to advocate,” if you think of it, can only be defended on the score of success. It has been generally adopted, but none the less is it a glaring instance of the barbarism under notice; in fact, it is worse, for it sweeps into one locution such varying shades of meaning as would otherwise be conveyed by “recommend ”’ or “ defend,” as the case might be. A word less misleading, but quite as uncalled for, is “to loan” in place of “to lend”; and many others will be readily called to mind. Then there are such solecisms as “to trouble” as a neuter verb: in good English always a transitive. I may trouble you, or myself; but to use the word absolutely is far more absurd than it would be to say, “ do not exert” or “behave.” By the (0) class are intended outrages on the good old vocabulary, such as inventing new words when all possible purpose can be served by those which exist already, but which are not considered elegant or sonorous. One of the worst of these is the bastard adjective of time, “erstwhile,” used where all that is intended could be clearly expressed by such a simple word as former. Erst, by itself, is doubtless an English word, though not often met with in the work of good authors, being a superlative arising out of the old Saxon word observable in the first syllable of early ; but for “erstwhile” there is no conceivable ety- mology or excuse that is not as foolish as the word itself. Another instance is the substitution of “monetary” for pecuniary. Here the word has undoubtedly both a pedigree and an office (from Moneta) meaning that which regards the Mint or coinage; but someone seems to have been caught by the similitude to money and to have thought its employment was a step towards the exclusion of Latin; whereas it is, of course, just_as much derived from tha’ tongue as the word pecuniary, which is otherwise correct. The use of “whom” where the sense requires the nominative is so bad that one would hardly care to mention it were it not becoming too common to be ignored, You shall hardly open a novel or a newspaper without meeting some such sentence as ‘‘ A man whom I knew wanted to see me,” the relative being really the subject of the verb see not the object of the verb knevw. THE AUTHOR. We have all experience and authority for the doctrine that use governs these things : Quem penes arbitrium est et jus et norma loquendi. ‘When once a usage has been thoroughly fixed and established, reason argues in vain. As we may see, indeed, from so familiar a case as that of the verb ‘“ to advocate,’ noticed above. An advocate is advocatus, one called to the Bar; to turn him into a verb and use him not for himself but for the sort of work that he might do, is about as intelligent as if we talked of “ soldier- ing” a man when we only meant killing him. To be sure, we say to “ doctor,” but only when we are feeling very sarcastic. An advocate may plead a cause, as a soldier may take life; but the proportion of bloodless warriors is probably no greater than that of briefless counsel. CLAMANS. Pec AMERICAN RULES FOR WRITERS. HE New York Press has recently offered a few rules and warnings for American writers. Some of these may be recom- mended for consideration by our own countrymen. The following are taken from the longer list there published :-— Don’t. Dou’t begin a story with “‘ Yesterday,” ‘‘ Last night,” and the like. Don’t begin a story with ‘‘ The,” “An,” or “A” oftener than once a week. Don’t “ put in an appearance ” or “ make an appearance ” ; just appear. Don’t say ‘a dinner occurred,” and “an explosion took place.” Things occur by chance or accident; they take place by arrangement. Don’t MisusE “ Ability” for “ capacity.” ‘“ Allude ” for “ refer.” “ Amateur ” for “ novice.” “ Anticipate” for “ expect.” “ Apt” for “ likely.” “ Andience ” for ‘‘ spectators.” ‘“‘ Balance ” for ‘‘ remainder ”’ or “ rest.” “ Bountiful ” for “ plentiful.” “Bat” for “only.” When in doubt, use “only” for but.” “ Caption ” for “ heading.” “ Captivate ” for ‘ charm.” “ Conclude” for ‘ close.” process. “ Convened.”’ vened. “Crime,” a statutory wrong; “sin,” a violation of creed; ‘‘ vice,’ a moral wrong. (One may murder one’s father and not be vicious; also, one may cast one’s wife away and take two wives and not be sinful, according to some creeds.) “Depot” for “prssenger station,” or “station” for “freight depot.” “ Dock ” for “ pier” or “ wharf.” To conclude is a mental The delegates, not the convention, con-  THE “ During the night’ means “ During” for “ in.” thronghout the night. “ very” for ‘‘ all.” Don’t separate the parts of infinitives, or needlessly separate the parts of verbs; say “to begin again,” not “to again begin”; say “ probably will be,” not ‘ will probably be.” Don’t say “he was given a dinner ” when the dinner was given for him or in his honour. Don’t make titles; use “Smith, a car conductor ” ; not “Car Conductor Smith.” Don’t give ‘“ ovations ” to anybody. Don’t stab anyone “ in the fracas.” Don’t “ administer” blows or punishment. Don’t use “ he graduated”; say “he was graduated.” ‘ Eyent” for “incident,” “affair,” “ occurrence,” or “ happening.” “ Exemplary ” for “ excellent.” “* Exposition ” for “ exhibit.” “Tnangurate ” for “ begin.” “ Tpitial ” for “ first.” “ Jewellery ” for ‘‘ jewels.” “ Learn ” for “ teach.” “ Lurid” for “ brilliant.” or ghastly. “ Marry.” married to the man, and the clergyman or marries both. ‘* Murderous” for “ deadly ” or “ dangerous.” “ Notable ” for “ noteworthy,” “Observe ” (to heed) for “ say.” -—‘ People ” for ‘‘ persons.” “Posted ” for “ well informed.’ * Retire” for “ go to bed.” “ Remains ” for “ corpse” or “ body.” “ Reliable ” for “ trustworthy.” “ Spell” for “ period.” “Tender ” for “ give.” reception. “ Transpire” for “ occur.” “ Unwell’? for “‘ill.” “ Ventilate” for “ expose” or “ explain.” Don’t UsE “ Approve of” for “ approve.” “ Cablegram ” for “‘ cable message ” or *« dispatch.” “Claim” as an intransitive verb. You can claim your hat, but you cannot “claim” that your hat was stolen. “ Commence ” for “‘ begin.” “ Considerable.” “ Locate,” unless you locate a railroad, a canal, a claim, and the like. “ Matter ” oftener than once a week. “ Mrs. General” or “Mrs. Doctor,” unless the woman is a general or a doctor. “Notified.” Use “informed,” “ sent word,” or “ told.” Slang, stock expressions, or cheap phrases. This covers a multitude of sins. “The deceased,” “the unfortunate,” the “ accused,” and the like. “ Very” oftener than once a week. “Via,” “per diem,” and the like; say “By way of,” “a day,” and “a week.” “ Vicinity ” without “its” : HELP THE COMPOSITORS. Always leave a margin of at least an inch on the top of each sheet of copy. If youhave a particularly illegible piece of copy, don’t pass it over and send it downstairs in the hope that perhaps the “ intelligent compositor’ may be able to read it. “ Lurid ” means pale, gloomy, Don’t “ marr 7 @ wen 5 the woman is y. > zs magistrate “Tender” apayment; “give” a “Tts vicinity.” AUTHOR. 107 BOOK AND PLAY TALK. YHE Editor of the Literary Vear-Book will be glad to receive communications from authors for the next issue of that annual, which will be published by Mr. George Allen late in January next. All letters should be addressed to the Editor of the Literary Vear-Book, Ruskin House, 156, Charing Cross-road, W..C. The first welcome accorded to Dr. Gardiner’s life of Cromwell has hardly passed when the announcement comes of the same subject being treated by Mr. John Morley. The new work will appear in the pages of the Century Magazine, a fact that affords another example of the fondness of American readers for biography in monthly instalments. The literature of natural history is about to receive an addition from Mr. Richard Kearton, on the subject of “Our Rarer British Breeding Birds: Their Nests, Eggs, and Breeding Haunts.” The book, profusely illustrated by photographs taken direct from nature by Mr. Cherry Kearton, will be published by Messrs. Cassell, who state that in preparing it the brothers Kearton have travelled over ten thousand miles. Mr. Kipling’s new story, “ Stalky and Co.,” will be published by Messrs. Macmillan in a few days. Mr. Walter Pollock has written a volume on “Jane Austen: her Contemporaries and Herself,” which Messrs. Longman will publish shortly. A volume by Mr. Thomas Hardy, of short stories, which have appeared serially at various times, is to be published soon. Yorkshire and Normandy are the subjects of two new volumes about to appear in the “ High- ways and Byways” series published by Messrs. Macmillan. ©The former will be written by Mr. Arthur Norway, and illustrated by Mr. Joseph Pennell and Mr. Hugh Thomson. The author of the Normandy is the Rev. Perey Dearmer, and the illustrator Mr. Pennell. “The Daughter of Peter the Great,” Mr. R. Nisbet Bain’s new book which Messrs. Constable are to publish shortly, deals with the period 1741-1762, and treats the Seven Years’ War from the Russian standpoint. One of the features of the book will be the description of the splendid court of the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Mr. Stanley Lane Poole has written a mono- graph on Babar. the first Moghul Emperor of Hindustan, for the Indian series published by Oxford University Press. This house will alse 108 publish shortly the final volume of Dr. Thomas Hodgkin’s “ Italy and Her Invaders.” Mr. Frederick Wedmore will be represented this autumn by a volume entitled “On Books and Art,” which Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton will publish. Mr. Clement Shorter has written a book on his own library, called “An Editor’s Bookshelves,” which Messrs. Ward, Lock, and Co. will publish shortly. Mr. Grant Allen is adding to his series of guide books a volume describing “The European Tour ” for the benefit of American and Colonial visitors. The William Black Memorial Fund now exceeds £500. Mr. Colin Hunter, A.R.A., an old friend of the novelist, has undertaken to design the memorial beacon light to be erected at Duart Point, Isle of Mull. Miss C. A. Hutton is the author of a mono- graph on Greek terra-cottas, which will be pub- lished this month by Messrs. Seeley and Co., with a preface by Dr. A. 8. Murray. Dr. Conan Doyle has written a new novel which is just beginning to appear in the Strand Magazine. A new edition of Mr. James Milne’s work on the late Sir George Grey, “The Romance of a Pro-Consul,” will be published shortly by Messrs. Chatto and Windus. Forthcoming works of fiction include a volume of short stories by Mr. Zanegwill, entitled « They that Walk in Darkness” | (Heinemann); Mr. Robert Hichens’s new novel, “The Slave” (Heinemann) ; “ The Bread of Tears,” by Mr. G. B. Burgin (Long); “An African Treasure,” by Mr. Maclaren Cobban (Long) ; “Twice Derelict, and Other Stories,” by Maxwell Gray (Heinemann). “Coventry Patmore: His Family and Corre- spondence,” by Mr. Basil Champneys, a friend of the family, will be published shortly by Messrs. George Bell and Sons. The principal book of scientific interest announced for this season is Mr. Leonard Huxley’s biography of his father, entitled “Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley,” which will be published by Messrs. Macmillan, In France, too, it seems, bookselling is in a bad way. ‘The Booksellers’ Union of France have discovered,” says the Westminster Gazette, “that their net profits are absurdly small—about one halfpenny in the shilling, and from a penny to fourpence on a three-shilling hook (3fr. 50c.) THE AUTHOR. —and, failing to get better terms from the pub- lishers, have arranged, with the consent of the latter, to raise prices to the buyer. Sales should therefcre be brisk for the remainder of the month. On the whole, the ; ublisher seems most likely to benefit by the change. Buyers will certainly not care about paying 3fr. instead of 2fr. 75¢. for a 3fr. 50c. book, and booksellers will probably have to content themselves—for a time, at least— with a smaller turnover,” ./ An illustrated shilling series of “ Forgotten Children’s Books” is to be issued at once by the Leadenhall Press. The old type and quaint woodcuts, the grayish paper with its innumerable specks of embedded dirt, and the gaudily coloured Dutch papers used in the binding, are to follow faithfully the originals of a century ago. The publishers’ own title page and remarks are to be relegated to the end of the volumes. The three promised are Mrs. Turner's amusing cautionary stories entitled “The Daisy ” (1807) ; the second series of cautionary stories entitled “The Cowslip” (1811) and “A New Riddle Book by John the Giant Killer, Esquire ” (1778). Others are to follow. The Leadenhall Press will almost immediately issue Mr. Andrew Tuer’s new volume of “ Stories from Old-fashioned Children’s Books.” The woodcuts in the originals, of which there are several hundred, are closely followed, and no photographic half-tone blocks are used. Instead of being in the fragmentary manner of Mr. Tuer’s preceding volume “Forgotten Children’s Books,” whivh had a large sale, the stories will be complete in themselves. The two volumes are quite independent of each other. Mr. W. Edwards Tirebuck’s “ Miss Grace of All Souls” has been added to Mr. W. Heine- mann’s Eighteenpenny Red Series of Popular Novels. The author of the well-known Bohemian novels ‘The Gleaming Dawn,” “The Cardinal’s Page,” and the “ Pictures of Bohemia” that was illustrated by Mr. Walter Crane, has just received from the Countess of Wallenstein a most charm- ing and artistic recognition of his work on Bohemia in the shape of a water-colour sketch of the old Castle of Bosig, mounted as a note-book block and set round with Bohemian garnets that are famous for their rich ruby tint. In addition to these books, Mr. James Baker has written upon Bohemia in almost all the principal journals and magazines. Messrs. Kegan Paul, and Co. have in the press a volume of poems by Mrs. Aylmer Gowing, including a play on the subject of Boadicea  THE AUTHOR. treated under a new aspect in connection with early Christianity in Britain. Sir Richard Temple has placed with Mr. John Long for publication a new book entitled “ The House of Commons,” in which he describes life in Parliament, the House of Commons as a club, manners and customs of the House, and other features. With the announcement that the Royal Maga- zine is to be raised in price to 4d., the threepenny popular magazine disappears in this country, for the Harmsworth Magazine, it will be remem- bered, although originally 3d., was made 33d. _ before it had been long in the market. . Mr. Cosmo Hamilton, who, with Mr. Robert Barr, has just finished the dramatization of the latter gentleman’s successful romance, “The Countess Tekla,”’ has sold the acting rights of his play “Jerry and a Sunbeam,” produced at the Strand Theatre, to Mr. H. HE. Pizey. The management of the Court Theatre have secured the refusal of Mr. Hamilton’s new three-act comedy, “The Wisdom of Folly,” which, in book form, will be published in the autumn. Mr. Hamilton is now completing two new books, ** Love, amongst other Things,” and ‘‘ The Danger of Curiosity,” and is also engaged upon a three- act play for Mr. Herbert Sleath, entitled * Kiddie,” which is founded on his one-act play of the same name, in which Mr. Sleath appeared. On the goth Sept. a performance for copyright purposes was given at the Victoria Theatre, Walthamstow, of a new play entitled “The Greatest Puritan, or Cromwell’s Own,” a drama founded upon Mr. Arthur Paterson’s novel ““Cromwell’s Own.” Mr. Charles Cartwright’s company performed the piece, and it is said “that Mr. Cartwright contemplates producing it at an early date. The drama follows the story pretty closely, and three incidents—the taking of the Royal Standard at Edgehill, the collision between a troop of Ironsides and of Presbyterians, when the former save unarmed Royalists from massacre ; and lastly, the court-martial scene, when Crom- well reverses in characteristic manner the sentence of the court—will probably be reproduced as they stand. It will be the first time that Cromwell has ever been the chief personage in a drama. Heretofore he has appeared as a “villain,” more or less comic. “The Christian,” founded, of course, on Mr. Hall Caine’s novel of that name, will be produced under Mr. Charles Frohman’s management at the Duke of York’s on the 17th inst., but will previously be seen at the Shakespeare Theatre, Liverpool, on the gth. 109 In laying the commemoration stone to mark | the completion of the Royal Duchess Theatre, Balham, Mr. Charles Wyndham referred to the growth of the number of theatres as a significant sign of the times—the modern spirit of decentrali- sation. “ Hach new theatre in a new district,” he said, “ brings a new body of men under the imperial sway of Art, enrols one more regiment of volunteers under the banner of the Humanities, constructs one more entrenched camp against prejudice and bigotry, builds one more road for invigorating thought to travel on.” The managers of central theatres in London were by this decen- tralisation losing the exclusive right to purvey dramatic nourishment which they had enjoyed from the days of Elizabeth to those of Queen Victoria, and it was difficult to believe they would ultimately gain far more than they could ever lose by the competition. The denizens of Greater London had achieved this result without appeal- ing to “that craze of the idealist—Government support.” Richmond also has added a theatre to its many other attractions during the past month. This is the Theatre Royal and Opera House, which has been constructed to hold over 1200 persons. Meanwhile, in the West-end there is some talk of a new theatre being erected near Oxford-circus, a site which will be more accessible when the Central Railway is finished. The new play by Mr. Wilson Barrett and Mr. Louis N. Parker, which is to succeed the present popular revival of ‘The Silver King” at the Lyceum, is called “ Man and His Makers.” Sir Henry Irving and Miss Ellen Terry are fulfillimg a provincial tour before leaving for their visit to America. Mr. and Mrs. Kendal have just arrive 1 in New York. At the Court Theatre, rehearsals are in progress of “A Royal Family,” a comedy by Captain Robert Marshall. The part of the heroine in the new piece will be taken by Miss Gertrude Elliott. A dramatic version of ‘Lorna Doone” has been secured by Mr. Frank Curzon, lessee of the Avenue Theatre. The hand to adapt Mr. Black- more’s famous story is that of an American, Mr. Algernon Tassin. Mr. Horace Newte, however, has secured all rights for his version of the story, with Mr. Blackmore’s consent. “Vanity Fair’? has been dramatised by Mr. Langdon Mitchell for New York, which received it with marks of favour. The title given to the play is “The Adventures of Becky Sharp,” and the leading part is in the hands of Mrs. Maddern Fiske. Bec ‘ky, however, marries Jos. Sedley. 110 THE Another recent successful reception in America was that accorded to Mr. Jerome K. Jerome’s new comedy “ Miss Hobbs,” which was pro- duced at the Lyceum, New York, by Mr. Charles Frohman, with Miss Annie Russell in the title part. Mr. Frohman has secured for America the latest Drury-lane success, “ Hearts are Trumps.” A new opera is being prepared for the Savoy by Sir Arthur Sullivan and Captain Basil Hood. At the Lyric a musical comedy entitled “ Flora- dora,” by Mr. James Davis and Mr. Stuart Leslie, will be presented on Nov. 8. “The Drama of Yesterday and T'o-Day”’ is the title of Mr. Clement Scott’s book of reminis- cences, which will be published shortly by Messrs. Macmillan. These memories go back to the “forties,” when the old Haymarket was still lighted by oil and candles, and when Mathews, Vestris, Mrs. Glover, the Keeleys, Buckstone, Macready, and Phelps were flourishing. Mr. Stephen Phillips’s “ Paolo and Francesca” will be published in book form by Mr. Lane before Mr. George Alexander presents it on the stage of the St. James’s Theatre. Mr. Harry Lindsay’s new volume, “ An Up-to- Date Parson,” is to be published immediately by Mr. James Bowden. Mr. Lindsay is at present engaged upon a long novel of Methodist life for Messrs. Horace Marshall and Son. It is expected that this latter work will be published in the spring of next year. Mr. Neil Wynn Williams, author of ‘The Bayonet that Came Home,” “ The Green Field,” &c., will publish shortly a 6s. volume of original “Greek Peasant Stories” (Digby and Long). Miss Francis Harriet Wood will produce early this month two new stories called respectively, * Tabitha’s Ward Vision” and “ Swallow Castle.” Her publishers are the S.P.C.K. Lieut.-Colonel E. Gunter will publish (W. Clowes and Sons) in October the new edition of his “ Outlines of Modern Tactics,”’ which has been brought up to date; he has added Hints on Hill Fighting and Savage Warfare from recent expe- rience, Outline Orders, &c. “A Bitter Heritage,’ Mr. John Bloundelle- Burton’s new novel, is the first modern story he has written for ten years, his last of this nature having been “ His Own Enemy ” ; but, with other romances, it is his twelfth story up to now. This novel, which is one containing a strong plot diffi- cult of unravelment until the end, is laid in British Honduras, the hero being a young naval officer who proceeds to that colony with a view to discovering what is the true secret. of his birth. AUTHOR. The following is the list of Prof. Victor Spiers’ works now in the hands of Messrs. Simpkin and Marshall: “Short French Historical Grammar and Etymological Lexicon,” pp. 250, crown 8vo., half bound, price 5s.; “ Practical French Primer for Schools and Colleges,” pp. 194, crown 8vo., half bound, price 2s.; “French Vocabularies for Repetition,” pp. 180, crown 8vo., half bound, price Is. 6d. The “Orange Girl,” by Walter Besant, went through the first large edition in less than a fortnight. The second edition is now ready. A sketch of life in a settlement, by the same author, will appear in the Leiswre Hour. Under the general title of “The New Century Library,” Messrs. Thomas Nelson and Sons are about to issue pocket editions of standard novels, printed on their “ Royal” India paper. The issue will begin with monthly volumes of Charles Dickens’ novels, and the works of Thackeray, Scott, &c., will foHow in due course. The books will be printed in long primer type, but will measure only 4} inches by 63 inches and will be only half an inch thick. A new story by Raymond Jacberus, author of “Common Chords,” “The Wrong Man,” &c., entitled “The Hobbledehoys” will be published shortly by Messrs Jarrold and Son. Raymond Jacberus will also contribute the serial story to Sunshine magazine in 1900. Mme. Elodie L. Mijatovich, wife of the Servian Minister, is the author of a series of Servian Folk- lore stories, which will be published in one volume this month by the Columbus Company. E. Livingston Prescott’s new military novel is to be produced on Oct. 3 by Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. Its title is ‘Illusion: A Romance of Modern Egypt.” — ec CORRESPONDENCE. I.—FictTion-wRITINnG As A BUSINEsS. OES it occur to some of the failures who write to you that some men make a tolerable income out of fiction alone? Personally, I started as a journalist and proved myself eminently incompetent. At the present moment if I do write an article, I do it badly, and at the cost of prodigious labour. But fiction comes more easily to me, and in financial return has already brought me £4000 during this current year. I do not live in London, neither do I log-roll. I am not conscious of knowing a single human being who writes reviews. But I take note of what the  THE AUTHOR. public wants, and I supply it to the best of my ability. In one point I quite agree with your former correspondents. I never consider that I am adequately remunerated. I should much prefer £8000 or £16,000. In fact, I could enjoy £32,000. But in the meanwhile £4000 does not seem bad earning (for three-quarters of a year) for a man who much prefers (and employs) enjoyment to labour. YACHTSMAN. IL—EncouraGEMENT FoR Youne AUTHORS. One who has suffered many things in the up-hill struggle to earn bread by her pen must feel deep sympathy with Mr. Julian Croskey in his “blind hopes” of succeeding as an author. But is he not rather forgetting that blind hopes and vain dreams belong to all struggles of the sort, and that there is no open door or easy road into any remunerative labour field unless influence or the Lucky Spoon belongs to the aspirant F I venture to give a little of my own experience as encouragement for young authors. I began literary work without experience and vyithout influence. I had MS. rejected again and again; and but for “ bairns’ bread ” depending on my efforts I must have given up the unequal fight. My work I know was crude, and I am not blaming the editors for rejecting it—though I often proved they had not turned a leaf of the MS. submitted ! A secret conviction that I could originate “copy” equal to the usual magazine material kept my courage going, and eventually I have disposed of work at a very good rate. Had my health and other duties allowed continuous work I could have realised from £400 to £500 a year by what I call “ hack-work.” I have seldom been able to revise my work as I could wish, or give the best that was “in me,” for the simple reason that my stories had to be potboilers, written and sent off in dire haste. Yet T have not found it difficult to earn money by journalistic writing. Where I have met difficulty has been with publishers of books, not editors of magazines and newspapers, who, as a rule, [ find most courteous and obliging. I have never published a volume at my own risk. I hold that an author is not wise to “ risk” when a publisher refuses tv do so. I have had some thirty volumes issued by various publishers. The contents of these books were almost altogether reprints, and for copy- right of these I have never received over £40; m most cases about £20; in some cases £0! Some of these books are in the third edition, which II! perhaps proves that I would not have erred if I had “ risked” oa my own account. For serial tales I have received as much as £150 for first issue (copyright mine). I advise young authors without means to content themselves with hack-work till their genius disovers itself m some magnum opus which will bring the publishers to the author’s feet. I believe there is always a modest income in journalistic work for an intelligent and cultured person to whom the “ gift of the pen,” if not the ‘‘ divine afflatus,” belongs. What I say does not of course apply anyhow to the host of persons afilicted with a common disease known as “see-myself-in-print.” To those individuals must come at last the know- ledge that they are (as Mr. Julian Croskey puts it) “mentally competent for nothing but the lowest form of manual labour.” The despairing wails of such must not be mistaken for the “ agonising” of struggling genius. Is not three years a very short period to allow for experimenting in the trade of an author ? All skilled workmen have to pass through a long apprenticeship and do not always find employment at their command before they become adepts at their trade, secure of a good income. Please, Mr. Julian Croskey, like “ Oliver,” I “ ask for more’ time before giving up authorship in despair. JMS Ill.—* On Tue Srpe or Farivre.” “Self! Self! All for self, and let estimable virtue go hang,” says “ L. 8.” in the September number of The Author. Surely the pen that wrote those words must have been dipped in the gall of an unhappy personal experience. The present writer’s goosequill could tell a different story. Three, at least, of those whose names have become household words among chil- dren of the pen have bestowed upon it helpful advice, besides kindly encouraging words. For the scribblers in earnest the only road to success lies through drudgery and pertinacity, hardening the heart meanwhile against dis- appointment. For the mere dabblers who are spurred to write from vanity or desire for filthy lucre, advice is and must be useless. One thing is certain, namely, that estimable virtue need never go hang if it makes up its mind to live. SM. C.B. —o TV.—Tue Proression oF LETTERS. When a successful novelist—and we presume that Annabel Gray, the author of “Forbidden Banns,” &c., does not wish to be classed as a failure—asserts as a fact that the only way to I12 succeed is to pay for paragraphs, 7.e., puffs in papers, the inference seems obvious, but good feeling and fellowship prevent us from comment- ing too much on it, as she no doubt meant well, and wrote in the interests of those who are failures that they might not be too much out of conceit of themselves. For the encouragement of those who have not even perhaps obtained a footing on the first rung of the ladder, I will say that all the MSS. of mine that have been accepted have been so with- out either influence or interest by editors who are unknown to me. I do not say it to boast, for alas! the rejected outnumber the accepted to an appalling extent. Ihave heard many an un- welcome and disheartening thud in the letter-box, and expect to hear many more, but I do not let that discourage me, for I mean to keep on till I do succeed, and if life and health are granted me I know I shall in the end. I will say this, that all the work of mine that has been published has been paid for, for I have never allowed any of my MSS. to appear on other terms. Those who think to make headway by permitting their early writings to appear without remuneration, are, I consider, taking an unfair advantage of the ones who are dependent on their literary earnings, and I ques- tion whether they themselves benefit much by it. Marearita. V.—Is LireratuRE A PRecARIoUS PROFESSION ? In the majority of cases I should certainly reply, Yes—and I give my own experience as an example. Forty-one years ago I sold my first book, obtainmg £150 for it. The book was a success, and went through three editions. I was then written to by the editors of two magazines, asking me to write articles for them, and during several years I was a frequent contributor to such periodicals as Chambers’s Journal, the St. James’s Magazine, the Cornhill Magazine, Temple Bar, Beeton’s Boy’s Own Magazine, Routledge’s Every Boy’s Magazine, and others. During twenty years upwards of 250 of my articles were pub- lished and paid for. During the same period I wrote ten books, all of which I sold. My best year realised £250 and my worst £80. Then I was compelled to go to India, where writing was impossible, and was absent seven years. On my return to England, I found that some magazines to which I used to contribute had new editors, others had ceased to exist. I sent articles to various magazines, the editors of which had formerly asked me to contribute. After six or eight months these articles (on my inquiry) were returned, “with thanks”; when another article was sent the same results followed. THE AUTHOR. Two MS. books were sent to various publishers, but were returned with the remark that they had so many MS. on hand that they could not pay for mine. The climax was reached, however, when a literary agent informed me by a circular that he had exceptional means of disposing of authors’ MS.; his charge was one guinea, to accompany the MS., and a percentage on the sale price. I forwarded to him my MS. and one guinea. On the title page I gave the titles of four of my published works. After three months the agent returned my MS. with the remark that he regretted he could not get publishers to look at the first work of an author. It may be argued that my seven years’ absence from England had lost me my literary connection, but illness, and consequently inability to write, during even one-third of the time, might produce the same results, and we have here a lesson for would-be authors, who should not remain too long hidden from the public, and should keep in touch with editors and publishers. Had I been dependent on my pen, I should now be in the workhouse. The great drawback at present is over-produc- tion. There are hundreds of amateurs who, desirous of calling themselves authors, will pay publishers for publishing their books, hence a mass of rubbish floods the circulating libraries. The monthly magazine, too, is a formidable rival to the book, and few writers can command such high prices for magazine articles as to make literature a paying profession. To make money by one’s pen is certainly fasci- nating, but, except in a few successful cases, the disappointments are great: hence it is, in my opinion, that the life of the average author is not a happy one. C. [Illness or seven years’ absence would effectually destroy a clrentile in any other profession. The writer does not recognise the two main facts ; (1) that there are great prizes in literature; (2) that many hundreds or thousands live and thrive by the pen.—Ep. | VI.— Sate or Seconp-ciass Novets. In reply to M ’s criticism in the September number of The Author I would point out that obviously publishers do not take up work on which they anticipate a loss; it would not be necessary to pay a literary adviser to help them to do that. If ‘well-known authors” only com- manded a sale of 400 copies, their agents would never get them a substantial advance on account of royalties. But their agents do. There is no dead level of sales of “first books.” It is incon- venient to mention works in this connection, but:  THE AUTHOR. anyone who calls to mind a list of such books will see how the movement of them varies from sales that are practically null to brilliant success. Expenditure on advertisements will not make a public for a book; the question is, to what class or classes of readers will the work thoroughly appeal. This is a matter for a publisher’s judg- ment, and his reader’s report ought to help him. “Mr. Guddle” would trust to his judgment in cal- culating sales. I repeat that if he had anticipated a loss he would have declined the book for that reason. It is a matter of common experience that the rejection of a manuscript by four firms has nothing to do with the opinion which the fifth may form of it, or with the success of the book when published. Your correspondent wishes to know in effect how I came by the materials of the story. I can assure him that it is entirely founded on hard facts, but I think he will appreciate the reasons why I refrain from communicating details. I did not read the letter of “A Publisher” in Literature of Jan. 21, to which your correspon- dent refers. Mo.Lecvte. VIL.—LitERATURE AS A PROFESSION. The contribution under this heading signed “X.” in the last number of The Author, strongly supported as it was by Mr. Julian Croskey’s gloomy personal experience of Literature as a trade or profession, is certainly calculated to make young literary aspirants pause before embarking on this perilous sea. None but the few popular novelists, able always to secure “ serial rights,” will deny that Literature at the best is still, as in the days of Sir Walter Scott, a crutch rather than a support, and there are a vast horde of trained and educated men and women able and willing to write on any and every subject if only publishers will publish and the public will buy. And the tendency of things— mainly caused by free and compulsory education —is to increase what is undoubtedly a crying evil from the standpomt of the professional author. At the same time I cannot but think that “ X.” weakens his case by over-stating it. There is little sense in abusing Tennyson because he happens to be the one poet of our time who was fortunate enough to turn his rhymes into golden guineas. It does not detract from the genius of Dickens or Thackeray that they are popular and successful. It seems to me that the case of authorship as a profession may be stated thus: The vast majority of literary men and women barely make an existence by the pen, and certainly not by writing books ; a large and perhaps, as Sir 143 Walter Besant maintains, steadily increasing class of writers can earn fairly good wages; while now and again (outside of serial fictionists) a singu- larly fortunate man or woman, either with dis- tinct originality and literary genius, or with that peculiar and felicitous commonplaceness which exactly answers to the needs of vast half-educated crowds, may achieve both fame (or notoriety) and fortune. What I think “X” quite overlooks is the increasing evanescence of all literary works, so that a modern writer, like an actor, must in future make a “ hit”’ on his appearance, or stand a good chance of being utterly ignored. A book is now, as a rule, merely a bound uewspaper which is thrown aside and forgotten when it has been hastily read. A. Parcuerr Marru. VIII.—Usetess Reviews. I am anew writer, and have just published my second book, and I have read with great interest what the Society of Authors has published regarding the methods of publishing. There is, however, one point that seems to me obscure. With my first book, an expensive one, there was a debit of over fifty copies sent for review. With my later book, a six-shilling one, there will pro- bably be far more. What I do not understand is why so many copies are wasted. There are a certain number of weeklies whose reviews are carefully written, and whose notice, whether praise or blame, is worth noting. There are a smaller number of dailies, of which the same may be said, some in London,and some in the provinces. But with a great number of papers, especially country papers, it is clearly the fact that the reviews are written either by the daughter of the editor as a holiday task or by the office boy in intervals of boot blacking. It is quite impossible to believe that any readers of books can be influenced by notices in these papers, whether favourable or the reverse. It is indeed even less. flattering to be praised by them than to be blamed. Then why are the review copies sent ? A soap or a bicycle if good gets a sale without touting for gratuitous advertisements of such a nature. Why should authors or publishers so degrade themselves by touting, i.e., by sending free copies, when the gratuitous “ad.” is worth- less? To those papers which deal in literature, and whose word is worth having, it may be useful to send a copy, useful both for the writer and the paper. But the others? No one cares for what they say, then why send review copies? I suppose the publishers have some sort of an idea that it helps the sale of the book to get the suffrage of the Slocum Gazette. But does it? 1I4 It used to be said that an appreciative review in the Times would sell an edition; how many copies will the North Thule Advertiser sell, even if it declares the book “a superb revelation of innate soulfulness ” ? W. IX.—A Correction. As the writer of the second letter in last month’s correspondence, I must amiably protest against one’s experiences being dubbed “ illu- sions.” (By-the-bye, on p. 94, for lines read hints.) The writer is proud to be referred to as he, but that is an illusion, if you please, as also the supposition that the unresponsive popular author spoken of is a leading man of letters. No, no! Men and editors are the queerest things out, but I dare not lay to their charge the accusation of “petty jealousy.” Neither can I gracefully and humbly retire to a back seat fully convinced that my work must perforce be bad, because — well, because it occasionally gets returned by mistake ! L. 8. X.—An Experience or Epirors. Some years ago I published a number of short poems, under a nom de plume, in a high-class continental monthly magazine, now, owing to the death of the lady who owned and edited it, unfor- tunately defunct. A selection of these I sub- mitted to the editor of Hearth and Home, hoping he would present them to English readers. In due course I received from him three memo- randa of acceptation. Time, however, passed without bringing about the publication of the matter in question; so that, eventually, I decided to wait no longer, but to recover the verses with a view to their appear- ance under an editor less procrastinating. I despatched my reclaimed “copy” to the editor of the Young Man, Young Woman, &c., together with, as evidence of bona fides, the memoranda of acceptance from the editor of Hearth and Home. These I naturally asked him to return. Verses and memoranda were sent to the editor mentioned on Oct. 19, 1898. On Nov. 29, 1898, on Jan. 5 and 24, on Feb. 6 and 20, 1899, and lastly, early in July this year, I have requested to learn the fate of the verses, their return if unsuitable, and, in particular, the return of the memoranda from the editor of Hearth and Home. Each and all of my com- munications have been completely ignored. Herezert W. Smite. Derbyshire-road, Sale. [This letter has been submitted to the Secre- THE AUTHOR. tary. He points out that the writer has no proof that his MSS. ever reached the editor’s hand. It is not likely that he would remember receiving one out of many hundreds of MSS. coming daily to his office. A reply, however, would be courteous. Meanwhile, writers in general should understand that rejected verses are commonly consigned to the basket.—Eb.] XI.—Dopers 1n JoURNALISM. I addressed a letter to a well-known organ of the halfpenny Press upon what I considered an interesting topic. A day or so after, the identical words employed were served up as news. I con- tend that this is not fair treatment or a practice to be commended if the journalistic nest is to be kept clean, as all would desire. Such methods tend to disgust and alienate the friendly corre- spondent who is, after all, no mean factor when a newspaper’s circulation is considered. Oup Birp. XII.—Simvxttaneous PUBLICATION. Jf you think that the information I am about to ask of you with reference to U.S. copyright will be useful to many of your readers—as I fancy it will be—will you kindly answer this letter in the columns of The Author. I have published a few novels and short stories in London, and have, with mixed feelings, received the congratulations of friends upon the other side of the Atlantic, who have seen some of the short stories reproduced, without any profit to me, in American papers. Finding this compliment unsatisfactory, I have lately sent typed copies simultaneously to the U.S. (for a painstaking and enthusiastic relative to offer) and to Lon«ton editors. Result.—Two stories accepted in the U.S., one of which is already published in a London evening paper, the other (longer) not yet accepted by the London magazine to which I sent it, but, so far as I can judge by previous experiences, likely to be acceptable there or elsewhere. Also.—T wo other short stories accepted on this side, which have scarcely yet reached the other. It seems reasonable to suppose that one of these four stories may be accepted on both sides. Indeed (you see how confused I am getting), as I have already stated, one very short sketch is accepted in the United States and already pub- lished here. But in that case the United States people were told of the circumstance. One or all of the other three stories accepted by one side may be taken also on the other. If, on one side, story A. is taken by a monthly magazine, and on the other by a weekly paper, is  THE it necessary that both issue the story on the same date, week or month, to secure copyright ? If a weekly paper issue story A. in October, while an English magazine expresses an intention to use it in the Christmas number coming out about the end of November, what should I do? Would the rights of the English magazine be in any way infringed, practically if not legally ? Would its editor be morally or legally justified in considering his offer nullified ? In fact, in the case of any average or below-the- average author, will an interval of a few weeks between the two publications interest or hurt any- one ? Tf these questions prove of such general interest as to be worth publication and reply, perhaps you can add, in the most general terms, some sugges- tion as to the relative rates of payment on both sides. For example, rights of a short story here. on the other side ? I get fifteen guineas for serial What should I ask IGNORAMUS. BOOKS AND REVIEWS. (In these columns notes on books are given from reviews which carry weight, and are not, so far as can be learned, logrollers.) Letters of RicHARD WAGNER TO EMIL HECKEL and Letters oF RicHARD WAGNER TO WESENDOCK et. al., translated by William A. Ellis (5s. net each), ‘present to us,” says Literature, “little more than an external view of the great musician, of the man harassed by pecuniary troubles, by rehearsals and productions, by singers and by constant disappointments” ; yet the details enhance one’s admiration of Wagner. The letters range from 1852 to 1883, and “ deserve to be read,” says the Times, “by every lover of Wagner’s music.” “To English readers the most interesting part of the book will be the long letters dated from London in 1855, when Wagner was engaged as conductor of the Philharmonic concerts.” ‘ No one desirous of having a sympathetic understanding of Wagner as a man can afford to pass by these two small volumes,” says the Daily Chronicle. Tue Lire AND CAMPAIGNS OF ALEXANDER LESLIE, first Earl of Leven, by Charles Sanford Terry (Longmans, 16s.), is his story of a scion of an Aberdeenshire family who when scarcely out of his teens went to the Continent to make his fortune by the sword. Leaving Scotland in 1582, he came back in 1638 a rich man. “Mr. Terry’s careful and accurate narrative,” says the Daily News, “ will do much to rescue Leslie from the charges of greed, and even of cowardice which have been brought against him.” Tue ORANGE Gir, by Walter Besant (Chatto, 63.), is described by the Spectator as “an interesting romance of the King’s Bench Prison in the middle of the eighteenth century. The hero and narrator is the son of a wealthy merchant, Alderman, and ex-Lord Mayor, turned out of his father’s house for preferring music to commerce.” “ The story from first to last does not flag in picturesque spirit AUTHOR. 115 and interest,” says the Daily Chronicle. “ Since ‘ Dorothy Forster’ Sir Walter Besant has not written any novel surpassing this in the restoration of place, manners, and tone, nor has he drawn character more convincingly. The story is very clever and quite uncommon. In all the author’s writings there is no scene more powerful than the terrible one of the pillory; or picture more beautiful than Jenny Wilmot’s dealing with her fellow- prisoner, the woman who swore away her life.”— World. “Tike all Sir Walter’s books, this is delightful read- ing. . We are carried away by admiration for the vivid insight into this corner of English history here afforded us, and must congratulate the author on adding to our library one more success in a field peculiarly his own.” St. James’s Gazette. Tue Actor AND His ART, by Stanley Jones (Downey, gs. 6d.), is a book of essays which ‘are not likely to prove pleasant reading to actor-managers, or indeed to actors generally.” The author prophesies the downfall of the actor-manager, and believes that the drama will not advance until the actor again becomes the servant instead of the master. It is the opinion of the Daily Chronicle that the book “‘is worthy the attention of professional performers.” Tos Lire oF WintraAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY, by Lewis Melville (Hutchinson, 32s.), isan “ extremely valuable work” (Daily Telegraph) which, says the Daily Chronicle, “ taken in conjunction with Mrs. Ritchie’s reminiscences of her father, may be said to exhaust the biographical matter about Thackeray.” The Daily News remarks that of course Mr. Melville has not had any assistance from Thackeray’s family, but itis, nevertheless, “ the fullest and most interest- ing account of Tr ackeray’s career, both public and private, that has yet been given to the world.” TRoopR 3809; A Private Soldier of the Third Republic, by Lionel Decle (Heinemann, 6s.), deals with the military system of France, as administered by its officers. ‘‘ Taken as a whole,” writes Mr. Horace Wyndham in Literature, “these pages form a grim and terrible picture, and present a record of things seen and suffered that, to one who is able to contrast these experiences with those that could possibly accrue to a private soldier of the English army during the same period, seems almost impossible to realise.” “Tt is a clear and careful work, moderate in tone,” says the Spectator. Tue RoMANCE or Lupwic Il. or Bavaria, by Frances Gerard (Hutchinson, 16s.), is pronounced by the Spectator to be “readable from end to end,” and by the Daily Tele- graph to be “ sympathetic, and for that reason interesting.’ “ This most interesting volume,” says the Daily Chronicle, “may be regarded as a sort of complement to the tragic life story of the late Empress of Austria,” published a month or two ago. Tue GOVERNMENT oF Municrpauities, by Dorman B, Baton (Macmillan, 17s. net) has for its object, says Litera- ture, “to stimulate and guide public opinion throughout the country in its growing demand for sound, stable, and reasonably uniform municipal institutions.” It is well- reasoned and temperate; and “it vividly describes the chaotic condition of American municipal life, and of American ideas on municipal matters, which has every where thrown the gates of the city wide open to the party spoils- man, and exposes the methods and policy by which he has hitherto maintained his post of advantage.” Wuern Roaurs Faun Ovr, by Joseph Hatton (Pearson, 6s.), has for hero the notorious Jack Sheppard. ‘The romance is spirited and dramatic,” says the Daily News, « with occasional incursions into a Victor Hugo-ish vein of 116 philosophy. It is a painstaking and picturesque present- ment of a most picturesque and lawless age—the early part of the 18th century.” Mammon AnD Co., by E. F. Benson (Heinemann, 6s.), is .on the whole, says Literature, a novel of mark. In it the author of “Dodo” “invites us to follow the fortunes of a little coterie of ‘smart’ people whose time is divided between intrigue and Stock Exchange speculation.” The Spectator calls the book “ clever and interesting,’ and says that Mr. Benson here “ranges himself unmistakably on the side of the angels.” ‘It is cleverish, it is smart, it has a background of morality,” says the Daily Chronicle, which predicts for it popularity. Tux Kine’s Mrrror, by Anthony Hope (Methuen, 6s.), says the Spectator, “in elegance, delicacy, and tact ranks with the best of the author’s previous novels, while there in the wide range of its portraiture and the subtlety of its analysis it surpasses all his earlier ventures.” ‘‘ One is compelled to admire the manner in which Mr. Hope has handled his subject,” says the Times. “ The autobiography is in its way a convincing tour de force, especially in the earlier chapters.” ‘‘A strong book, charged with close analysis and exquisite irony,’ is the Daily Chronicle verdict, while Literature, describing the work as “ a quiet and careful study of the private life of a king,” adds that Mr. Hope “has never spoken to us so directly from the point of view of the cynic and the philosopher” as in this book. “It is subtly done,” says the Daily News, “with a delicate inciseness of touch, felicity of dialogue, and distinction of treatment.” To Lonpon Town, by Arthur Morrison (Methuen, 6s.), the story of a widow and her two children who come to East London that the boy may learn a trade, is reviewed by Mr. W. L. Courtney in the Daily Telegraph under the heading ‘‘ Mr Morrison—the Idealist.” The writer says the book shows that the author has “the eye to observe how nature is justified of her children, and provides the com- pensating joys to all their heartrending hardships.” The Daily News also notes “a charm, a sunny optimism” in the book, and has “nothing but praise to give to Mr. Morrison for the literary excellence of his workmanship and his clearness of presentation.” The Daily Chronicle describes it as a work of interest, while the Spectator says “ itis not only a work of great intrinsic merit, but it effectually relieves the author from the imputation ” “ of conscious and incorrigible pessimism.” SrrEN City, by Benjamin Swift (Methuen, 6s.), is the story of the infatuation of the romantic daughter of a rich Puritanical English banker for a shady, impoverished scion of Neapolitan nobility, fast bound in the hands of usurers and Camarristas. Literature says that “not only in purity and simplicity of style, but in verisimilitude of plot and soundness of psychology” this book shows a remarkable advance on the author’s ‘‘Tormentor.” ‘On the whole,” says the Daily Telegraph, “the dénowement of this briliantly-written story is satisfactory, for it rewards virtue and punishes vice in the good old fictional fashion.” “There is in it so much beauty of description, chapters of so much tragic pathos,” says the Daily News, “that it stands out high above the run of ordinary novels.” Tur PATH or A Star, by Mrs. Everard Cotes (Sarah Jeannette Duncan) (Methuen, 6s.) is cheerful reading, says the Times. ‘“ The characters all talk brightly, and the pictures of ordinary Indian society are good.” The Chronicle welcomes a novel by this author as “a real joy and refreshment to the spirit,’ and very cordially recom- mends it. The scene is laid in Calcutta; the heroines are a Salvation Army lass and an actress, and the heroes a THE AUTHOR. rich business man and an austere clergyman. Mrs. Coteg has availed herself to the full of the picturesque oppor- tunities thus provided, says Literature. ‘“ Her sketches of Indian life are admirable, and in her description of a touring company in Calcutta and the Salvation Army and its methods there is no little humour.” CHRONICLES OF TEDDY’s VILLAGE, by Mrs. Murray Hickson (Ward and Lock, 3s. 6d.), provides the many sympathetic readers of “ Concerning Teddy” with a com- panion or complementary volume. ‘‘ We are glad to meet Teddy again,’ adds the Spectator. ‘“ Teddy and his brothers are always good companions,” says the Times. Tue Human Boy, by Eden Phillpotts (Methuen, 6s.), ‘is a wonderfully good collection of schoolboys’ stories (Guardian) told by themselves ; as full of humour as it can hold.” It is difficult to realise that the book was not really written by boys, says the Spectator, “so completely has the author entered into their spirit.” ‘‘ His boys are individuals as well as types,’ says the Daily Chronicle ; “there is no sloppy sentimentality about them, and they never appear to be straining desperately to say anything funny or pathetic.” THE VINE-DRESSER, and other Poems, by J. Sturge Moore (Unicorn Press, 6d.), ‘“‘ is something more than minor poetry,” in the opinion of Literature. ‘The verse has power and distinction, and the poet has something to say.” The reviewer quotes “ Judith,” and “ The Panther” as pieces which compel attention by their imaginative force. The Times says that ‘‘ Mr. Moore’s is an austere and rather a stiff-jointed muse, but she is of the true lineage.’ The Daily Chronicle says ‘‘ Mr. Moore has a small stiff gift, but it will support exaggerated praise.” PUNCHINELLO (Bowden, 6s.) ‘is a well-written romance of a tragical complexion,” says the Spectator. The narrator is a musical genius and a hunchback; the period, the eighteenth century. It is an interesting and clever study of a morbidly sensitive temperament, in presenting which the anonymous writer displays a gift of genuine eloquence, and at times real subtlety of imagination.” The Guardian remarks that “ the tragedy of the inner consciousness of the hunchback is dramatised with remarkable force, sincerity, and subtlety.” Tue Moprern Jew, by Arnold White (Heinemann, 7s. Od.), “goes over most of the perils raised by that enigmatic figure, the modern Jew, and gives many facts and suggestions” says Literature, “of some value in enabling the reader to come to a judgment.” The Daily Chronicle describes it as “a most interesting and sugges- tive book,” which is neither pleasant reading all through to Jew nor anti-Semite. CroquEtT, by Leonard B. Williams (Innes, §s.), is “valuable, very clear, and moderately—often uncon- sciously—humorous,” says the Guardian. “ It is agreeably written,” says the Spectator, “ and furnished with diagrams both of ground and tactics, and of the mechanical laws involved in the different strokes.” Mr. J. Eveleigh Nash, LITERARY AGENT, AMBERLEY HOUSE, NORFOLK STREET STRAND, W.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author, Vol. 10 Issue 05 (October 1899) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 10 Issue 05 (October 1899) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1899-10-02-The-Author-10-5 publications The Author