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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) 1905-02-01 Volume 15 Issue 5 Pages Page range in volume 121–152 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19050201 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Huthor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly. ) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. XV.—No. 5. FEBRUARY IsT, 1905. [Prick SIxPENcE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. —_———_+——_ —_____ NOTICES. 9 OR 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 opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. —— + List of Members. THE List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. —t1——1+ The Pension Fund of the Society. Tux Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in February, 1904, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to purchase £250 London and North Vou, XV. Western 3 % Debenture Stock. Accordingly, the investments of the Pension Fund at present standing in the names of the Trustees are as follows. This is a statement of the actual stock ; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— Conse 2s £1000 0 0 Wocal Hoang, 0 a 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... War lian 7. London and North Western 3 % Deben- bare StOCK t. : 291 19 11 201 9 38 Total Subscriptions from May, 1904. May 6, Shepherd, G.H. . : : June 24, Rumbold, Sir Horace, Bart., GCB . : : : July 27, Barnett, P. A. 4 : Nov. 9, Hollingsworth, Charles . 1905 Jan. 12, Anonymous Donations from May, 1904, May 16, Wynne, C. Whitworth June 23, Kirmse, R. ; June 23, Kirmse, Mrs. R. July 21, The Blackmore Committee : Aug. 5, Walker, William 8. Oct. 6, Hare, F. W. E., M.D. Oct. 6, Hardy, Harold Oct. 20, Cameron, Mrs. Lovett Nov. 7, Benecke, Miss Ida . Noy. 11, Thomas, Mrs. Haig Noy. 24, Egbert, Henry 1905 Jan. Jan. oon anc oS So Memorial bo CNH COHRDMS He MNWHECOHOCS coococo$o , Middlemas, Miss Jean , Bolton, Miss Anna coo _ aoe co FROM THE COMMITTEE. rW\HE first meeting of the Committee in the new year was held on Monday, January 16th, at the Society’s Offices, 39, Old Queen Street. Mr. Douglas Freshfield took the chair. Twenty- four members and associates were elected. The list of these will be printed in the March number ot The Author, together with the February elections. There was much important business hefore the Committee. In the first instance, Mr. A. Hope Hawkins, Mr. Owen Seaman and Mr. J. M. Lely were re-elected members of the Managing Committee, and a vote of condolence was passed to Mrs. Rose on the death of her husband, Mr. Edward Rose, who had been for many years a constant and earnest worker on the Committee. A short article, written by his friend Mr. A. Hope Hawkins, appears on another page. Mr. Jerome K. Jerome attended the meeting and placed before the members particulars of an action which he had pending against a United States firm for infringement of copyright, and asked for the Society’s support. The Committee decided to give Mr. Jerome their assistance in carrying the case through to a successful issue. The address which is to be presented to the Spanish Academy on the tercentenary of the publication of “ Don Quixote ” has now been signed by all the members of the Council whom it has been possible to reach. The Committee decided to have the address bound in morocco-leather and forwarded to the Academy in time for the Cervantes Celebrations. Its text is printed in another column. The correspondence that has recently appeared in the Standard was laid in full before the mem- hers of the Committee, and a letter drafted by the Secretary and approved by the Chairman was finally settled by the Committee, and appeared in the Standard on the 19th of January. The Committee propose to take steps in order to press home the feeling of English authors on the question of United States Copyright on the legislature and on the public in the States. Members will be informed of the form their action will take at a later date. The Secretary reported that the Chairman had given his consent during the past month to three cases in the County Court. Two of these have been settled satisfactorily, and the third, a Scotch case, is still proceeding. The letter from the gentleman whose name had been placed before the Committee by Mr. James Bryce, as a suitable agent for the Society in the United States, was read, and, as he expressed his willingness to undertake the work on behalf of the Society, the Committee confirmed his appointment. THE AUTHOR. Cases. Srnog the last issue of Zhe Author there have been twelve cases in the Secretary’s hands. Seven of these, or more than half, were for money due to members. Four have been settled satisfactorily and the money has been paid. In the fifth case part of the amount due has been paid and a promise of a further sum in the course of a week or go has been obtained. The two remaining will be terminated at no distant date; one of them with an American magazine must necessarily be somewhat delayed. A case dealing with the settlement of an agreement has been satisfactorily terminated. Another dealing with an infringement of copyright and damage for such infringement has also been concluded. ‘The money has been paid and the infringement acknowledged. ‘There were two cases for the return of MSS. In one of these money was also due. The money has been obtained and the MS. returned in the one case; but in the other the Secretary is still waiting for an answer. The last case dealt with a dispute between a member and an agent. The member’s contention has been admitted by the agent, and the matter is at an end. It is pleasing to state therefore that eight of the twelve cases have been brought to a conclusion in a manner satisfactory to the members concerned. There are still four matters open from the former month. In one the money due has been promised. In another, it has been impossible to find the correct address of the delinquent who holds the MS., and it is doubtful therefore whether the Society will be able to accomplish anything. Another case for money due concerns a publisher in Munich, and the secretary is still in correspon- dence on the matter. There have been three cases sanctioned by the Chairman for County Court action. Two of these have terminated satisfactorily, and the third is in the course of settlement. ——————_e—<— —__— BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. i (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will. enable the Editor to supply such particulars.) BIOGRAPHY. THOMAS MoorE. By STEPHEN GWYNN. 7} X 5, 203 pp. Macmillan. 2s. n FICTION. Tur SPECIALIST. By A. M. Irvine. 7? X 5}, 317 pp. 4 Lane. 6s, THE AUTHOR. STORIES FROM THE PLAYS OF ALEXANDER DUMAS: Henri Trois, ANTONY, MDLLE. DE BELLE ISLE. By Harry A. Spurr. 72 xX 5, 250 pp. Cottingham: Tutin. 2s. 6d. n. THe Kina’s ScarLeET. By HorAcE WYNDHAM. 73 x 5, 305 pp. Brown Langham. 6s. CONFESSIONS OF A YouNG LApDy. By RICHARD MARSH. 7% X 5}, 303 pp. John Long. 6s. AUBREY ELLISON. By St. JOHN LuUCAs. 317 pp. Brown Langham. 6s. THE PROVINCIALS. By LADY HELEN FORBES. 320 pp. J. Long. 6s. THE FACE IN THE FLASHLIGHT. By FLORENCE WARDEN, 7% x 5,318 pp. J. Long. 6s. THE NIGHT OF RECKONING. By F. BARRETT. 318 pp. J. Long. 6s. LorpD oF HIMSELF. By Mrs. AYLMER GowinG. 7? x 5, 320 pp. J. Long. 6s. Mrs. CURGENVEN OF CURGENVEN. By S. BARING GOULD. 72 x 54, 357 pp. Cheap Edition. Methuen. 1s. THE SECRET WoMAN. By EDEN PHILLPOTTS. 7% x 54, 356 pp. Methuen. 6s. Lapby PENELOPE. By Morey RoBerts, 73 X 5, 309 pp. White. 6s. THE WAR OF THE SEXES. 298 pp. J. Long. 6s. ie Xs 35, 73 x 5, 73 5 (ZF XK.0, By f. 8: Youne. 2 x 5, GARDENING. A GARDENER’S YEAR. By H. RrpER HAGGARD. 9 x 53, 404 pp. Longmans, 12s. 6d. n. LITERARY. SHAKESPEREAN TRAGEDY. Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. By A. C. BRADLEY. 9 x 53, 498 pp. Macmillan. 10s. n. THE MYTHOLOGY oF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. By C. SQUIRE. 9 Xx 52,448 pp. Blackie. 12s. 6d. n. FRENCH PROFILES. By EDMUND GOSsSE. 72 X 5, 372 pp. Heinemann. 7s. 6d. THE LEGEND OF THE TWILIGHT. 64 X 5, 96 pp. Burleigh. Is. n. By H. A. ROLLo. MILITARY. ANECDOTES OF SOLDIERS IN PEACE AND WaAR. Arranged by J..H. SETTLE. 73 X 5, 600 pp. Methuen. 3s. 6d. n. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr. Puncn’s Diary. By W. EMANUEL, 7 Xx 54, 144 pp. Punch Office. 1s. POETRY. Mirror Mrtopigs. By J. M. Sruart-Youna. 7% x 54, 109 pp. Kegan Paul. 2s. 6d. n. SCIENCE, A Popular GuIpE To THE HEAVENS. By Sir R. 8. Batt, LL.D., F.R.S. 84 x 74, 96 pp. 83 plates. Philip. 15s. n. THEOLOGY. By RAYMOND JACBERNS. 2s, 6d. 0. SUNDAY TALKS WITH GIRLS. 7% X 5,162 pp. Brown Langham. TRAVEL. Carro or To-Day. By BE. A. REYNoLDS BALL. Fourth Edition, revised and enlarged. 72 x 4}, 264 pp. Black. 123 LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. — 9 SMALL volume of short stories, entitled “ A Legend of the Twilight,” by the author of “His Political Conscience,” will be published immediately by Mr. Thomas Burleigh at 155, Victoria Street, S.W. We understand that Mr. Richard Bagot is about to publish a new novel which he has just completed. As the readers of his former novels are no doubt aware, Mr. Bagot is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, which he joined so long ago as 1881. The novel which first brought his name before the public was entitled “ The Casting of Nets.” Messrs. Skeffington will shortly publish a work by Norman Porritt, M.R.C.S., entitled “ Religion and Health, their Mutual Relationship and Influence.” Miss May Crommelin, whose last volume of short stories “ A Pretty Maid and Others,” published by Mr. John Long, has been well received, is now engaged on a novel which will appear in the autumn season. Miss Gertrude Warden is passing the winter in Sicily, collecting materials for her next novel. We have received a syllabus of lectures to be given under the auspices of the Dante Society during the first six months of the current year. On February 15th, Mr. Luigi Ricci will lecture on “Countess Matelda of Tuscany,” the Right Hon. the Earl of Lytton in the chair. On March Ist, the Rev. W. J. Payling Wright, B.A., will lecture on “La Lupa Dantesca,” Mr. Edmund Gosse, LL.D. in the chair. On April 5th, the Rev. Newton Mant, M.A., will lecture on Italian architecture in Italian cities, the Right Hon. the Lord Suffield, P.C., in the chair. On May 38rd, Professor George Saintsbury, M.A., will lecture on “ Dante and the Grand Style,” Mr. Alfred Austin in the chair. On June 7th, Mrs. Craigie will lecture on “Plato and Dante,” Sir Theodore Martin, K.C., V.O., in the chair, All tke lectures will be Pfeiffer Hall of Queen’s College, 45, Street, W., and will start at 8.30 p.m. “Pawns of Destiny” is the title of a new complete novel by Miss HE. T. Miller, which Messrs. William Stevens have issued in their sixpenny Jlagazine of Fiction. A new work by the same author, under the title of ‘ Ridgewell Bells,” will be published first in serial form, and later in book form. Messrs. Macmillan & Co. will publish imme- diately “ Great Lawn Tennis Players : their Methods delivered at the Harley 124 Illustrated.” The work has been produced by the collaboration of Mr. G. W. Beldam, who is respon- sible for the illustrations, and Mr. P. A. Vaile, who supplies the text, and the book has been prepared on the same lines as Mr. Beldam’s “ Great Golfers.” The illustrations, which number over two hnndred, are not “posed” photographs, but are in every instance taken in actual play. Hach picture is dealt with in detail by Mr. Vaile. The work contains an article by Mr. EB. G. Mears on “The Advanced Tactics of the Game,’’ and one on «The Half Volley,” by Mr. G. A. Caridia, the well- known exponent of that stroke. A German translation of Mr. Ferrar Fenton’s “Bible in Modern English” is in preparation by Meta Clausius, of Glion, Vand. The first volume, which he will issue shortly, is ready for the press. We understand that Mr. H. A. Vachell, whose novel “Brothers” has just run into a seventh edition, has finished a work which will be published at once. Mr. Eden Phillpott’s new novel ‘The Secret Woman,” published by Messrs. Methuen & Co. towards the end of last month, has for its centre the little village of Belstone, and the story is concerned with certain folk who dwell near at hand and pursue the various occupations of the district. Mr. Edmund Gosse’s new book “French Pro- files,” which Mr. Heinemann published in the middle of January, contains essays on most of the distingushed men of letters of contemporary France—Zola, Daudet, Anatole France, Pierre Loti, René Bazin, to name only a few. The book also contains the paper which Mr. Gosse read before the Société des Conférences in Paris on “The Influence of French Literature upon English Poetry.” «The System ” is the title of Mr. Percy White’s new novel which Messrs. Methuen will issue shortly. It is the story of a young man of original talent whom quixotic temperament leads into disaster, generally of an amusing nature. Love and courtship form the theme, and a quiet cathedral town the locality of Mr. E. T. Benson’s new novel “An Act in a Backwater,” which Mr. Heinemann will publish. “Lost Angel of a Ruined Paradise,’ by the Rey. P. A. Sheehan, is the title of a drama dealing with the lives of three school girls. The first part of the drama is located in Dublin, from which the author transfers to London the entire group of characters. Messrs. Longmans & Co. are the publishers of the book, the price of which is 8s. 6d. The paper which Mr. A. 8. E. Ackermann read before the Jubilee Meeting of the Royal Society of THE AUTHOR. Engineers in the beginning of May of last year, was awarded a prize of three guineas by the “ Society of Engineers” last month. The Rev. J. J. Gratrex, of Putford Rectory, Brandiscorner, N. Devon, has issued a little (celluloid) card, 82in. by 24in. in size, which pro- vides a calendar for all years from Saturday, January Ist, a.D. 1, by which the day of the week or any date in these years can easily be ascer- tained. Mr. Gratrex entitled his work “ The Regal Calendar.” Copies can be purchased at the rate of 6d. each or 2s. 6d. for half-a-dozen. “Great Friends,” a modern comedy by G. 8. Street, was produced by the Stage Society at the Court Theatre on the 30th and 81st of January. “Prunella” or “Love in a Dutch Garden,” written by Laurence Housmann and Granville Barker, was produced at the Court Theatre on Friday, December 23rd. The play is described by the Zimes as a blend of the quaint, the sentimental, and the weird. Closely following this production, Mr. Barrie’s play of “Peter Pan, or the Boy who wouldn’t Grow Up” was mounted at the Duke of York’s Theatre. The play was favourably received. Miss Nina Boucicault as “ Peter Pan,” Miss Dorothea Baird as Mrs. Darling, the “ grown up” mother, and Mr. Gerald Du Maurier alternately as Mr. Darling and Gus Hook, and the other members of the company, helped to insure its success. PARIS NOTES. —+—> + A Société francaise sous la Troisieme République,” d@’apres les romanciers con- temporains, by Marius-Ary Leblond. ‘The volume is divided into six chapters, in which are studied the child, the officer, the financier, the nobility, anarchists, and socialists. ‘T'aine’s idea was that, during the last hundred years in Ger- many and sixty years in France, history had been entirely transformed by the study of literature. The author of the above volume therefore studies the novelists and the characters in their books, with the idea of getting a picture of our times. “Les Etats Unis au XXe. Siécle,” by M. Leroy Beaulieu, is, as the author describes it, “ an inven: tory of the forces and resources of the United States.” The author has a perfect knowledge of his subject, and in this volume he not only studies the factors which have served to bring about the eat)  present position of the American nation in the universe, but he also gives figures and calculations which appear to be indisputable. “La Guerre Russo-Japonaise,” by Léon Tolstoi, translated by M. E. Halpérine-Kaminski. To this article, which gives its title to the volume, the translator has added other writings by the Russian author expressing the same theories. The titles of these are: “Les deux guerres,” “Carthago delenda est,” “La Guerre du Transvaal,” “ Sou- venirs de Sebastopol.” There are long quotations from Voltaire, Anatole France, Isaiah and Lao Tseu. “La Macédoine et les Puissances,” by M. Gaston Routier, is a volume containing a series of inter- views with all the important politicians of the Balkan Peninsula on the Macedonian question. This inquiry throws a great deal of light on this much-discussed subject. “ues Lois de la Guerre continentale” is a book of considerable interest for all nations at the present time. It was originally published by the historical section of the German military staff. The present volume is a translation by M. Paul Carpentier, who is an advocate and also a lauréat of the Institute of France. M. Carpentier’s work is particularly valuable, as he points out by means of notes certain passages which would otherwise be misleading, because the German author has omitted certain important articles of the Hague Convention and various other details which are of great importance. “Ot allons-nous ?” by C. Coignet, is the title of a pamphlet published some little time back, which gives a clear and concise account of the events which have gradually brought about the present crisis in France. The author, who has lived through many changes and known some of the leaders in French politics, takes us back to the days of Jules Ferry, and shows us just what has led to the present conflict between Church and State. According to the author, if Jules Ferry’s policy had been continued the present crisis would certainly have been avoided. An extremely interesting book for travellers intending to visit the Holy Land is the volume entitled ‘ La Palestine,” published by the Assump- tionist Fathers stationed at Jerusalem. For more than twenty-five years the Fathers have been organising pilgrimages to Palestine, and this valuable work is the result of their experiences, There are maps and accounts, too, of the various archeological researches in that country. “Newman,” by Henri Bremond, is another volume published in the collection La Pensée contemporaine. “Les Malheurs d’une Grande Dame sous Louis XV.,” by M. de Coynart, is the story of THE AUTHOR. 125 Mme. de Montboissier. The facts are taken from history, and the whole book is as interesting as a novel. “La Vie au Palais-Royal,” by M. Augé de Lassus, is a book to be read at once before the famous old palace undergoes any further trans- formations. “Mémoires du due de Choiseul” is the title of the new volume published by M. Calmettes. The chief part of this work consists of a number of letters, hitherto unpublished, concerning the journeys and campaigns of the writer of them, the war and the Austrian succession, Choiseul’s experiences as Ambassador to Rome and Vienna, the preliminaries and consequences of the Seven Years’ War. ‘La Maison de la Petite Livia,” a posthumous volume by Pierre de Querlon, the author of “Les Tablettes romaines,” and other novels. Among the new books are “ Bergeries,” by M. Claude Anet; “L’Obstacle,” by M. Pierre Perrault ; ‘ Sécularisée,”’ by M. Jean Bouvier ; “Vie de Chateau,” by M. Claude Ferval ; “Madame Fulbert,” by Mme. Jeanne France; “Le Maitre du Monde,” by Jules Verne; “Les Serments ont des ailes,” by the author of “Amitié Amoureuse”; ‘La Cruche Cassée,” by Gabrielle Réval; “Histoire de la France contemporaine,” by Gabriel Hanotaux. M. Guy de Chantepleure’s new book is a volume containing three short stories. “ L’Aven- ture d’Huguette”’ gives the title to the volume. “Le Roman de 1’Espagne héroique,” by M. Gaston Routier; “ Le Vent emporte la poussiére,”’ by Georges Bonnamour. ‘“‘L’Envers de la Gloire,” by M. Adolphe Brisson. In this volume the author gives us a series of articles on Victor Hugo, Quinet, Zola, Pére Didon, Charles Garnier, and Henri Heine. M. Bergson has succeeded to the chair of Modern Philosophy at the College of France, occupied hitherto by M. Gabriel Tarde. The recent pamphlet by C. Coignet, entitled “ Nouvelle: Philosophie, Bergson,” gives an excellent résumé of the chief lines of the theory of Bergson, who, as the author says, has not yet touched directly on moral and religious questions, ‘Mais, qu’il le veuille on ne le veuille pas, sa métaphysique humanisant la nature et divinisant I’humanite, lie au souverain affranchissement l’immortelle espérance.” Once more America is in advance of England. A course of lectures on American Literature is now being given in the English language at the Sorbonne by an American. Some years ago America took the lead in this direction by inviting some of the first literary men in France to lecture  126 at her Universities. This hospitality has now been returned by France. In La Revue des Deux Mondes, January 1st, there is an article of great interest by Th. Bentzon entitled “Impressions d’Eté a Londres.” It is always curious to note the impressions of a foreigner in England and to see ourselves as others see us. There is an optimistic note throughout the article, which is cheering when we hear 80 much on all sides about modern degeneration. The French author is charmed with many of the innovations of recent years in England, and appears to see many improvements since a former visit. Many subjects are touched upon; philanthropic works and the various clubs for women are discussed. No two nations, perhaps, are such sealed books to each other as England and France, so that an impartial article of this kind is worth reading in both countries. At the Renaissance “La Massiére,” by Jules Lemaitre, appears to be a success. The scene is laid in one of the Schools of Painting so numerous in Paris. A great artist, who visits the studio regularly to criticise the work, falls in love with one of his pupils. As he is a married man, with a son of about the same age as the girl in question, there are complications. In the end, everything happens so that the piece may terminate in the most satisfactory way. The artist’s son and the young girl marry, and the father is elected a member of the French Academy. At the Nouveau-ThéAtre M. Lugné-Poe has been giving an admirable translation, by M. Georges Heérelle, of @’Annunzio’s “ La Gioconda.” Early in February he will put on at the same theatre “Ta fille de Jorio.” Auys HaLLarp. a SPANISH NOTES. —— + — O the Government has again fallen in Spain, and this without any loss of prestige to : Sefior Maura, who was Prime Minister. The important post of Chief of the General Staff of the Army to which the Minister of War wished General Leon to be appointed was declared by the King to be more fitting for General Polavieja, and his Majesty’s refusal to sign the order brought for- ward by his Minister led to the resignation of the Cabinet. It is interesting to see the tribute now paid to the Prime Minister, who has during the whole period of his power not only been the butt of every kind of attack in the Press, but, as we know, received THE AUTHOR. knife whilst with the King a stab from a during his historic visit to Barcelona. “Sefior Maura,” says the Hspana, “had a firm and lofty con- ception of the dignity of the Government, and his resignation under the particular circumstances was the most parliamentary event that has happened during the latter years of the Regency and since the majority of Alfonzo XIII. The omnia pro dominatione serviliter was far from being the line of action of the Prime Minister,” continues the writer, “and it was this which gained him the respect of the country in spite of continual opposi- tion ; and nothing but the King’s dissent from the wish of the Cabinet would have led to his present resignation. General Azcarraga having been asked by Alfonzo XIII. to succeed Maura as head of the Government, he has appointed to the Ministry the Marquises of Vadillo and Aguilar de Campoo, General Villar and the Seriores Castellano, Ugarte, Cardenas and Lacierda. In the Academy of the Fine Arts Senor Silvela,. the quondam Prime Minister, has particularly. delighted his hearers by his erudite discourse on —(1) the supreme efficacy of art, (2) art in relation to science, (3) the power of music and eloquence over a nation ; and when Sefior Salvador returned thanks to the new academician for his: able discourse it was to give a brief epitome of the illustrious man’s literary career, which has always been more to his taste than that of politics. Senor Rousifial, who wrote such an interesting biography of Balaguer, the late famous Cataloniam poet, has just distinguished himself by publishing a very striking play called “The Mystic” This. play has been translated from Catalan into Spanish by Seftor Dicenta, and it is now having a most successful run in Madrid. “Ta Estirpe de Jupiter” (“The Race of Jupiter”) is the title of a new and very forcible: drama from the pen of Seftor Linares Rivas, in which Sefiora Guerrero, Senorita Suarez, Seforita. Villar, Seior Diaz de Mendoza, and Senor Santiago- have taken their parts on the stage. As the story treats mainly of the various conquests of an artist, the interest of the performance hangs chiefly on the power of the actresses to portray the passions of love and jealousy, and in this the applause of the audience shows they were not unsuccessful. The psychological truth which the playwright seems to wish to enforce is that neither rank nor — wealth can give the stimulation to an artist for his work which is induced by real attraction— hence the triumph of the artist’s model over the Countess Amarilis. Spain is showing an increasing interest in the new books of other countries, and we not only find  THE AUTHOR. translations of Wagner, Tolstoi, Kropotkine, Reclus, etc., but the last work by P. J. Moebius, the German philosopher, has just been published in Spanish by Madame Carmen de Burgos Segui, under the title “ La Inferioridad mental de la Mujer.” And it is interesting to see that the German’s premiss of the mental inferiority of woman is vigorously opposed by the vindication of female intelligence from the pen of Colonel Figuerola Ferretti, the enthusiastic Spanish pioneer of Feminism. With the power of true logic the colonel shows that his countrywomen do not suffer from mental inferiority, but from lack of educa- tion, for wherever the opportunity for study is given they excel—be it in the realms of art, litera- ture, or philanthropy. Striking examples are quoted from the author's personal experiences of the superior brain power of women, and the passages relating to the necessity of love in mar- riage being supported by the culture of a wife’s intelligence shows that the Spaniard is some- what more advanced in his ideas than is usual in his country. The eternal feminine is certainly exercising the masculine mind just now, for Don Edmundo Gonzalez Blanco has just published a work called «Feminismo en las Sociedades Modernas,” which is not only a biological and psychological study of the weaker sex, but the position of woman is scientifically treated from a domestic, economic, and esthetic point of view. Pio Boroja’s “Aurora Roja,” (‘The Rosy Dawn’) is quoted just now as “the book of the day.” But the pessimism of the work must prevent it being very popular. The author's evident power of describing men and nature can- not outweigh the depressing influence of such passages as ‘‘Man lives if he can, and if he cannot he dies, and if he dies he is buried, and that is the end of his rights and his philosophy.” The idea of a Spanish-American University at Salamanca is steadily gaining ground, thanks to the enthusiastic propagandist efforts of Dr. Cobos. The advantages accruing to the New and Old World by an educational centre combining the advan- tages of both have now been set forth in all the chief cities of Spain. A meeting has recently been held by the Minister of Education to insure the forthcoming Ter-Centenary of Don Quixote being celebrated befittingly by all the schools of the country. The Spanish Press refers to Don Tomas Tamayo de Vargues and Don Nicolo Antonio as the only two supporters of Cervantes in the seventeenth century, which is only another instance of the little appre- ciation accorded to a genius in his lifetime. The cordiality shown by the Cubans to Don Ramon Gaytan de Ayala, the Spanish Minister in 127 the Island, has given great pleasure in Madrid, for King Alfonzo was toasted with enthusiasm at the banquet given in honour of the Spaniard. It is interesting to hear that the laurels of the Nobel Prize for poetry are divided between Eche- gary and Mistral. Neither of the celebrities lost in this division of honours, for it only showed the power of judges to recognise that the opposite lines of thought were pursued by the two poets with equal power, albeit of different countries. Mistral, we hear, will devote his prize to the foundation of an ethnographical museum in Arles. It is interesting to read the generous tributes paid to each other by the two poets of France and Spain who have met with such success. Mistral in his reply to Evhegaray’s beautiful letter assures the Spanish poet that his great dramatic power savours of the palmy days of Ancient Greece, and grateful as he is to the Swedish Academy for uniting France and Spain in the triumph of the Nobel prize, he himself has done nothing but devote his life to the restoration of his native language and the glorification of his dear land (the South of France). The pro- vencal poet then refers to his father having served as a soldier in the campaign of the Pyrenees of 1793, and he then touched upon what he termed his own “triumphal progress” in Spain in 1868 when he was presented to Zorrilla, Nufiez de Arce, Runz Aguilera, and many other leading spirits of the land. The Southern tour of the Duke of Connaught and his family is exhibiting the Spaniards in the province of matchmakers in a marked degree, for on January 9th., the Jmparcial, the well known Madrid newspaper, not only published the portrait of Princess Victoria Patricia of Connaught as the probable future Queen of Spain, but the same page also presents the picture of her sister, the Princess Margaret of Connaught, as the destined bride of the heir apparent of Portugal. The correspondent certainly says that “nothing certain is known of these projects either in Madrid or Lisbon ;” and need one refer to the proverbial “Chateaux en Espagne?” But one thing is certain, and that is that the desire for such an alliance with England is a very real feeling in Spain, and doubtless it is the same in Portugal. The Jmparcial is offering a prize of 5,000 pesetas for the best project for the regulation of the Budget with regard to the Army, Navy, Public Education and the Ports. When the deputies are elected at the public polls such a project will command attention, and it was this vox populi for which Colonel Ferretti pleaded in his Petition to high quarters in November, 1902. RACHEL CHALLICE.  128 THE PROPERTY IN DRAWINGS REPRO- DUCED IN MAGAZINES AND NEWS- PAPERS. —t 1 N action was tried in December of last year by Mr. Justice Darling, with a special jury, which involved a question of considerable interest to artists, and indirectly also to authors ; a question also of importance to editors, who are inclined to assume rights over drawings and articles sent to them which are not recognised by their contributors, or by law. The following extract from the Zimes’ report of the trial (used with the kind permission of the proprietor) contains all the points material to the consideration of this question. « AyRTON v. C. ARTHUR PEARSON (LIMITED).” This was an action brought by Mr. Ormrod Maxwell Ayrton, an architect, for the sum of £173 5s., the value of certain drawings alleged to have been wrongfully detained by the defendants. In the alternative the plaintiff claimed damages on account of the said drawings having been lost or destroyed owing to the negligence of the defendants as bailees of the said drawings. The defence was that the drawings were the property of the defendants, and, alternatively, that the sum claimed was excessive. Mr. Dickens, K.C., in opening the plaintiff’s case, said that the plaintiff had formed the novel idea of making studies for weather-vanes which should be applicable to particular buildings. With this object in view he had made certain designs representing, among other things, a coach and horses, which would be appropriate for an inn, a sportsman with agun and dog for a gamekeeper’s cottage, and a man engaged in studying the line of a putt with a caddie standing at the flag, which would be suitable for a golf clubhouse. Certain designs of this nature were published in an art journal known as the Studio, and attracted the attention of the editor of Pearson's Magazine, who wrote to the plaintiff in the early part of the year (1903), asking him to furnish some of his designs for the purpose of being repro- duced in the pages of the magazine, together with an explanatory article. The plaintiff agreed to supply sixteen designs and an article, for which he was to receive the sum of £10, and the article and designs were in due course sent to the editor. In the course of correspondence between the editor and plaintiff, the former wrote: “ We should not, of course, require the full copyright of your designs.” On December 3rd, 1903, the plaintiff wrote to the editor of Pearson's Magazine asking for the return of his drawings, and on December 7th received a letter in reply which contained the following passage: The original drawings have been mislaid or lost, as I fear, ina gigantic spring cleaning which the office has recently undergone.” Five of the drawings which had not been made use of were returned to the plaintiff. The designs which the plaintiff had made were not for sale, and con- sequently their value must be assessed by what they were worth to the plaintiff for the purpose of exhibition and for hanging in his office, so that his clients might see the kind of work which he was capable of doing. __Mr. Ormrod Maxwell Ayrton, A.R.I.B.A., said that the idea of weather-vanes was partly his own and partly a revival of an old custom. His object was to exhibit them and to show them to clients. He valued the drawings at an average of £15 15s. each. In cross-examination he said THE AUTHOR. that he knew of no custom where pictures sent for a magazine article belonged to the people who published the article. He had not registered the copyright either in the pictures which had been returned or in those which were published. 1t would be impossible to take copies from the reproductions in the magazine. They could be reproduced in a way, but all the character would be gone. He was practically certain that all the drawings which were lost were coloured, and not in outline. In re-examination he said that it was never his intention to part with the property in the pictures for £10, the sum which he was paid for the article in Pearson's Magazine. Mr. Arthur Blomfield, F.R.I.B.A., stated that the pictures in question had great artistic merit. An average of £15 15s. was, in his opinion, not at all excessive. Professor Moira, of the Royal College of Arts, South Kensington, said that the artistic merit of the designs was very high, and that the amount claimed was not excessive. Mr. Alfred Lyss Baldry, an art critic, said that in his opinion the drawings were clever, with a good deal of originality and power, and the composition was good. He thought the average of £15 15s. was very moderate. On the second day of the trial Mr. Dickens said that he was unaware that the defendants were going to set upa custom by which they claimed the property in the illustra- tions sent to them. He therefore asked leave to recall Mr. Baldry on the point. Mr. Baldry, recalled, said that where an article was sup- plied to a magazine with illustrations he had never heard of any custom under which the illustrations became the property of the magazine. Illustrated journals generally bought the illustrations outright, but it was an understood thing that illustrations accompanying articles in magazines should be returned in the absence of any special stipulation. For the defence, Mr. Clement Shorter, formerly editor of the Illustrated London News and Illustrated English Magazine, and now editor of the Sphere, said that in the absence of any contract to the contrary it was the custom that illustrations sent with articles became the property of the proprietor of the paper to which they were sent. There was no distinction whether the illustrations were sent to magazines or illustrated journals. He thought that the price asked by the plaintiff for his drawings was absurd. Cross-examined by Mr. Dickens, witness was of opinion that where the contributor sent valuable drawings for reproduction with an article, in the absence of any stipula- tion, the drawings would become the property of the magazine contributed to. His experience was that when they bought an article with the drawings the price included the drawings. Mr. Justice Darling : There was a personnamed Whistler who at one time had no reputation and drew etchings. (Laughter.) Witness: Yes, I remember when his things fetched nothing. Mr. Justice Darling : Now they are very valuable. Witness: Yes. Mr. George Hammond, art editor of the Illustrated London News, said that they invariably kept the drawings sent them in the absence of any special contract with regard to them. He thought in the present case that to. ask fifteen guineas a piece for the lost drawings was preposterous, and two guineas would be a fair price. Mr. Stanley Wood, artist, and well-known contributor of drawings to magazines, said that the drawings became the property of the magazines to which they were sent. — The illustrations in question he thought ought to cost about 10s. each. Mr. H. P. Adams, architect and surveyor, of Woburn — Place, said that he had seen the article and some of the drawings. As architectural drawings they were useless, but they were clever drawings. He thought that two to — three guineas apiece was a fair price. 2  THE AUTHOR. Counsel having addressed the jury, Mr. Justice Darling summed up, and the jury found a verdict for the plaintiff for £40, and judgment was given accordingly. The issue in this case was, as the report shows, one of fact for the jury. The defendants endea- youred to set up a custom by which they alleged that an editor (or proprietor and a magazine as represented by the editor) obtained the property in the original drawings used by him for the purpose of illustration, in the absence of any stipulation to the contrary. ‘The jury found that no such custom existed, or at all events none of such universal application as to include drawings valued by some of the witnesses at fifteen guineas apiece, but paid for (by agree- ment) with a sum of £10 to cover sixteen drawings and an article. It will be observed that the» witnesses for the plaintiff had professional knowledge of the value of such work for the purposes for which he required the original designs, and that the witnesses for the defence looked on them from a purely journalistic point of view, and seemed to think that an artist’s work when once enshrined in the pages of a magazine was valueless for all other objects. In many instances this latter aspect of the matter is substantially true. A drawing made to illustrate a@ current event or a story in a newspaper or magazine is frequently of little value for sale as a work of art, but although this is often the case, it is by no means always so. Some drawings are works of art which are of considerable merit in themselves and of value as such, or they may become valuable at a future time when the artist has become famous, and in such a case may be a useful asset to their owner, whoever he may be. The originals in these days of process reproduction are preserved (when editors do not lose them during spring cleanings), and there is no difficulty in the way of restoring them to the artist should they in fact belong to him. In the days when Fred Walker, Millais, John Leach, and a host of others did the work that has helped to make their names household words in the world of art, the wood-engraver cut to pieces the drawing on the block, and the question could not in such instances arise. None, however, can deny that the question of ownership would have been of importance had this been otherwise. How the question of fact is to be determined when disputes of this kind arise depend upon the circumstances of each case. The matter, as has been said, affects authors as well as artists, because so far as the law is concerned their position is similar. These disputes arise because they send their contributions to the editor, and allow them 129 to be published without providing specifically by contract for all the contingencies which may arise, and editors having the advantage of the defensive position, usually decline to give way until they are compelled to. The recent case of Aflalo v. Lawrence and Bullen, ended in a decision of the House of Lords against the author, but it went very little further than laying down what was known already, namely, that the facts of each case must guide the decision of the issue. The head- note to the report of the judgment in the House of Lords stands thus in the Law Reports :— “ Where the proprietor of an encyclopedia em- ploys and pays anoth_r person to compose articles for publication in the encyclopedia, the question whether the copyright in the articles belongs to the proprietor within section 18 of the Copyright Act, 1842, depends on an inference of fact, not law, to be drawn by a reasonable man from the nature of the contract and all the circumstances. The contract need not be in writing; no express words need be used, and the inference that the copyright was intended to belong to the proprietor may be fairly drawn where there are no special circumstances, and the only material facts are the employment and the payment.” The attention of the public generally must be called to the fact that the case refers to encyclo- peedias and not to periodicals. No doubt, both kinds of literary property are mentioned in the 18th section of the Copyright Act, but there is a strong distinction between the two. As each case is settled on its facts, if the House of Lords made a deduction of the transfer of copyright with regard to encyclopeedias which have a permanent value, it does not follow they would draw the same deduction with regard to periodicals. Many papers have carelessly stated when re- ferring to this case, that as a matter of course the ruling in Aflalo v. Lawrence and Bullen would apply to “contributors to magazines and periodi- cals.” This deduction, however, should not be rashly taken. In Mr. Ayrton’s case the facts were eloquent. He had not been employed to make the drawings in dispute, but his existing designs had attracted attention ; the correspondence as quoted above reserved for him the copyright (which would be useless without the drawings) and showed that only a right to reproduce in a particular magazine was stipulated for, while the price agreed was one which was small enough if only paid for the right to reproduce once. It was ridiculous if regarde? as payment for drawings which would be useful for other purposes, after they had been used for that of illustrating the article in question. In all cases of this kind the question of price is strictly material in determining the question, “ what was 130 it that the artist or author meant to sell, and which the editor meant to buy ?” In such cases as that of Aflalo and Lawrence and Bullen, in all cases where editors claim and authors dispute as to whether the copyright has passed in articles published in periodicals, in all cases where original drawings are sought to be recovered, and upon many similar occasions, price agreed upon is of the utmost importance as independent testi- mony to the intention of the parties. Authors and artists have to live by their pens and their pencils, and are not likely to give away copyrights and other rights without adequate payment, or without attempting to obtain it should their attention be called to the point at the time of making their bargains. Where their attention is so called, they insert in their letters or introduce into their verbally-made agreements some con- ditions referring to the ultimate fate of their property; when they assume that this will be pre- served to them and say nothing, they have to rely on all the facts surrounding the transaction, and of these the price accepted should be placed before the jury and should be carefully considered by them. Mr. Ayrton is to be congratulated on the verdict obtained, although it fell short of what he asked for, and the jury should be congratulated also upon the verdict by which they upheld the artist’s rights, under the guidance of a judge who himself has had some personal experience of dealings with editors and proprietors. EA: —_—_—_—_——_—>__+—____- LAW OF COPYRIGHT.* os HE first edition of Mr. W. A. Copinger’s “Law of Copyright” appeared so long ago as September, 1870, and was then the only book which attempted to deal in a large way with this very difficult subject. The second edition, revised and brought up to date, was published in 1881, and the third edition in 1893. All these editions were re-written and re-edited by the same master-hand. The present volume has been entrusted to Mr. J. M. Easton, and comes before us as the fourth edition. There are many books on Copyright at present before the public, some dealing with special questions such as Dramatic Copyright, Artistic Copyright, Musical Copyright, or Literary Copy- right, some books as Mr. Scrutton’s and Mr. me The Law of Copyright.’’ By W. A. Copinger. Fourth edition, by J. M. Easton, Published by Stevens and. Haynes. THE AUTHOR. MacGillivray’s valuable works dealing with Copy- right from the point of view of the authors of Great Britain ; but none of the books covers such a wide range as the work originally published by Mr. Copinger, and now re-edited by Mr. Easton. Tt deals not only with Copyright in Great Britain, but also with International Copyright, United States Copyright; Copyright in the Colonies, and the Copyright Laws of all the prin- cipal countries of the world. So large a subject must necessarily demand large space. We are not surprised therefore that the book. contains between eight and nine hundred pages, and an Index and Appendices covering nearly another three hundred. The book has been divided into seven parts, and commences with Part 1, Literary Copyright. Part 2 deals with Musical and Dramatic Copyright ; Part 3, Artistic Copyright ; Part 4, Copyright in Designs ; Part 5, International and Colonial Copy- right ; Part 6, Copyright in Foreign Countries ; Part 7, Arrangements between Authors and Pub- lishers, and Appendices. The arrangement of the book is, on the whole, very satisfactory, and the most important questions. are handled with studious care and an intimate view of the subject. The work of the present editor, in order to bring it up to date, has indeed been heavy. He discusses the very latest questions and the very latest cases, and in an addendum ineludes the fact of Sweden’s adhesion to the Berne Convention in August of last year. He has commented at some length on the case of Aflalo v. Lawrence and Bullen, which was. taken to the House of Lords by the support of the Society, and which for some time will be the leading case on the rights of authors in articles written for encyclopedias. He quotes also the case of Gollancz and Dent, which under the Society’s auspices terminated in favour of the author. These points are of considerable interest, as many publishers and even some authors assert that the actions the Society supports are often vexatious. and frivolous. If the result of the decisions in two of these actions tends to make clear a difficult and complicated law, the efforts of the Society have not been spent in vain, and those who stand outside the Society should remember that their security is the result of the public spirit of the other members of their profession. In the article on Literary Copyright, the editor deals at length with questions of infringement— that most difficult of all points which has to be settled from the facts when the deduction to be drawn from those facts is often doubtful and uncertain. In order to give the most liberal opportunity for those interested in Copyright Law, and for those who deal with Copyright Property, to come to a decision, he puts forward all the — THE AUTHOR. leading cases on the point with considerable minuteness, and brings into prominence all the points on the subject which would be likely to assist the inexperienced. He deals also with the very interesting case of Walter v. Lane, and the House of Lords decision on the point. Musical and Dramatic Copyright have their fair share of attention, though hardly the same space is devoted to these subjects as is devoted to literary property. The result is all that could be desired, as the same care has been bestowed on these portions as on those dealing with literary as distinct from dramatic work. Then follows Artistic Copyright, beginning with the Copyright Law in engravings, prints, and lithographs, con- tinuing with Copyright in Sculptures, and con- cluding with the most important of Artistic Copyright Laws—Copyright in Paintings, Draw- ings, and Photographs. The subject is an exceedingly difficult one, and might well call for a book by itself. It is much more complicated owing to the confusion in the Acts, and the lack of leading cases, than is Literary Copyright. Finally, he deals with International Copyright— a question of growing importance owing to the spread of inter-communication, and the powers granted to the citizens of most of the countries of Europe under the Berne Convention. Outside the Berne Convention the only two countries with which Great Britain has an arrangement are Austria- Hungary and the United States of America. Our arrangement with Austria-Hungary is practically on the lines of the Berne Convention, and it will, no doubt, be possible for that country at no distant date to join the union of nations. Owing to the correspondence in the Standard, the arrangement with the United States must be before the minds of all who have any literary, dramatic or musical property to market. The chapter dealing with Colonial Copyright is most interesting and instructive. Several of the Colonies have passed Copyright Laws of their own for various purposes within their respective limits, but no Colonial Act can override the Imperial Acts. The great advantage of this to the Colonies, as well as to Great Britain, is that a book published in any part of the Empire obtains copyright throughout the Empire. Therefore, anyone who may spring into eminence as a writer, musician, or dramatist in any of the Colonies has at once an enormous market before him, and an enormous power of disseminating his views if his works are properly handled. Some of the Colonies which have passed separate Copyright Laws are New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, Canada, Newfound- land, Cape Colony, the Transvaal, and the Orange 131 River Colony. The editor discusses the question of Canadian Copyright—in the past one of the most difficult subjects before the Government—u to its latest development in the Act of 1900, This Act appears now to be working satisfactorily, and it is hoped has settled the question, at any rate until the Imperial Government once again brine to the fore a Copyright Act which will do away with the many difficulties at present surrounding the Act of 1842. : The next section deals with the Copyright Laws existing in foreign countries. Although it’ is true that under these Acts not many cases arise, yet it is of great value to have a book which includes a resume of the features and limitations of copyright in foreign countries. Questions have come before the Secretary of the Society of Authors, dealing with infringement of copyright in Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Scandinavia, and the United States, and further questions will arise as time goes on. The German Copyright Act is the latest legisla- tion of any importance. This law was passed in 1901 and came into force on January Ist, 1902. There are, in fact, two laws—the Law of Copyright and the Law of Publishers’ Contracts. They are both exceedingly long and minute, and will, no doubt, prove difficult of interpretation. It is all the more important, therefore, to have a clear statement of their contents, They differ consider- ably from the Statutes on Copyright ina country like France, where the law is settled chiefly by leading cases rather than by minute statutory details. On the whole, the French have a freer interpretation than the Germans are ever likely to have. Lastly, comes a chapter on the arrangements between authors and publishers. This is an eminently useful chapter, for many questions do not come directly under Copyright Law, but deal directly with literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic property, and no book on the subject can be quite satisfactory unless it contains a chapter under this heading or unless it refers to agreements of this kind between publishers and authors. This chapter is followed by the Appendices, containing copies of the Berne Convention, United States Copyright Act, Forms for Registration of Books and Other Property. The Appendices G and H contain short Forms of Agreement between Authors and Publishers, and Assignments of Copyright and Forms of Agreement referring to Artistic Property. After a careful consideration of the whole book these two Appendices are the only points about which we raise any serious cause for complaint. A careful perusal of them by any one who has knowledge of the main points which should be protected shows them to be  130 it that the artist or author meant to sell, and which the editor meant to buy ?” In such cases as that of Aflalo and Lawrence and Bullen, in all cases where editors claim and authors dispute as to whether the copyright has passed in articles published in periodicals, in all cases where original drawings are sought to be recovered, and upon many similar occasions, price agreed upon is of the utmost importance as independent testi- mony to the intention of the parties. Authors and artists have to live by their pens and their pencils, and are not likely to give away copyrights and other rights without adequate payment, or without attempting to obtain it should their attention be called to the point at the time of making their bargains. Where their attention is so called, they insert in their letters or introduce into their verbally-made agreements some con- ditions referring to the ultimate fate of their property; when they assume that this will be pre- served to them and say nothing, they have to rely on all the facts surrounding the transaction, and of these the price accepted should be placed before the jury and should be carefully considered by them. Mr. Ayrton is to be congratulated on the verdict obtained, although it fell short of what he asked for, and the jury should be congratulated also upon the verdict by which they upheld the artist’s rights, under the guidance of a judge who himself has had some personal experience of dealings with editors and proprietors. E. A. —_____——_.—~—_+—_ LAW OF COPYRIGHT.* 1 + HE first edition of Mr. W. A. Copinger’s “Law of Copyright” appeared so long ago as September, 1870, and was then the only book which attempted to deal in a large way with this very difficult subject. The second edition, revised and brought up to date, was published in 1881, and the third edition in 18938. All these editions were re-written and re-edited by the same master-hand. The present volume has been entrusted to Mr. J. M. Easton, and comes before us as the fourth edition. There are many books on Copyright at present before the public, some dealing with special questions such as Dramatic Copyright, Artistic Copyright, Musical Copyright, or Literary Copy- right, some books as Mr. Scrutton’s and Mr. * “The Law of Copyright.’ By W. A. Copinger. Fourth edition, by J. M. Easton. Published by Stevens and Haynes. THE AUTHOR. MacGillivray’s valuable works dealing with Copy- right from the point of view of the authors of Great Britain ; but none of the books covers such a wide range as the work originally published by Mr. Copinger, and now re-edited by Mr. Easton. Tt deals not only with Copyright in Great Britain, but also with International Copyright, United States Copyright; Copyright in the Colonies, and the Copyright Laws of all the prin- cipal countries of the world. So large a subject must necessarily demand large space. We are not surprised therefore that the book. contains between eight and nine hundred pages, and an Index and Appendices covering nearly another three hundred. The book has been divided into seven parts, and commences with Part 1, Literary Copyright. Part 2 deals with Musical and Dramatic Copyright ; Part 3, Artistic Copyright ; Part 4, Copyright in Designs ; Part 5, International and Colonial Copy- right ; Part 6, Copyright in Foreign Countries ; Part 7, Arrangements between Authors and Pub- lishers, and Appendices. The arrangement of the book is, on the whole, very satisfactory, and the most important questions are handled with studious care and an intimate view of the subject. The work of the present editor, in order to bring it up to date, has indeed been heavy. He discusses the very latest questions and the very latest cases, and in an addendum ineludes the fact of Sweden’s adhesion to the Berne Convention in August of last. year. He has commented at some length on the case of Affalo v. Lawrence and Bullen, which was. taken to the House of Lords by the support of the Society, and which for some time will be the leading case on the rights of authors in articles written for encyclopedias. He quotes also the case of Gollancz and Dent, which under the Society’s auspices terminated in favour of the author. These points are of considerable interest, as many publishers and even some authors assert that the actions the Society supports are often vexatious. and frivolous. If the result of the decisions in two of these actions tends to make clear a difficult and complicated law, the efforts of the Society have not been spent in vain, and those who stand outside the Society should remember that their security is the result of the public spirit of the other members of their profession. In the article on Literary Copyright, the editor deals at length with questions of infringement— that most difficult of all points which has to be settled from the facts when the deduction to- be drawn from those facts is often doubtful and uncertain. In order to give the most liberal — opportunity for those interested in Copyright Law, and for those who deal with Copyright Property, to come to a decision, he puts forward all the  THE AUTHOR. leading cases on the point with considerable minuteness, and brings into prominence all the points on the subject which would be likely to assist the inexperienced. He deals also with the very interesting case of Walter v. Lane, and the House of Lords decision on the point. Musical and Dramatic Copyright have their fair share of attention, though hardly the same space is devoted to these subjects as is devoted to literary property. The result is all that could be desired, as the same care has been bestowed on these portions as on those dealing with literary as distinct from dramatic work. Then follows Artistic Copyright, beginning with the Copyright Law in engravings, prints, and lithographs, con- tinuing with Copyright in Sculptures, and con- cluding with the most important of Artistic Copyright Laws—Copyright in Paintings, Draw- ings, and Photographs. The subject is an exceedingly difficult one, and might well call for a book by itself. It is much more complicated owing to the confusion in the Acts, and the lack of leading cases, than is Literary Copyright. Finally, he deals with International Copyright— a question of growing importance owing to the spread of inter-communication, and the powers granted to the citizens of most of the countries of Europe under the Berne Convention. Outside the Berne Convention the only two countries with which Great Britain has an arrangement are Austria- Hungary and the United States of America. Our arrangement with Austria-Hungary is practically on the lines of the Berne Convention, and it will, no doubt, be possible for that country at no distant date to join the union of nations. Owing to the correspondence in the Standard, the arrangement with the United States must be before the minds of all who have any literary, dramatic or musical property to market. The chapter dealing with Colonial Copyright is most interesting and instructive. Several of the Colonies have passed Copyright Laws of their own for various purposes within their respective limits, but no Colonial Act can override the Imperial Acts. The great advantage of this to the Colonies, as well as to Great Britain, is that a book published in any part of the Empire obtains copyright throughout the Empire. Therefore, anyone who may spring into eminence as a writer, musician, or dramatist in any of the Colonies has at once an enormous market before him, and an enormous power of disseminating his views if his works are properly handled. Some of the Colonies which have passed separate Copyright Laws are New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, Canada, Newfound- land, Cape Colony, the Transvaal, and the Orange 131 River Colony. The editor discusses the question of Canadian Copyright—in the past one of the most difficult subjects before the Government—up to its latest development in the Act of 1900, This Act appears now to be working satisfactorily, and it is hoped has settled the question, at any rate until the Imperial Government once again’ brine to the fore a Copyright Act which will do away with the many difficulties at present surroundins the Act of 1842. r The next section deals with the Copyright Laws existing in foreign countries. Although it is true that under these Acts not many cases arise, yet it is of great value to have a book which includes a resumé of the features and limitations of copyright in foreign countries. Questions have come before the Secretary of the Society of Authors, dealing with infringement of copyright in Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Scandinavia, and the United States, and further questions will arise as time goes on. The German Copyright Act is the latest legisla- tion of any importance. This law was passed in 1901 and came into force on January Ist, 1902. There are, in fact, two laws—the Law of Copyright and the Law of Publishers’ Contracts. They are both exceedingly long and minute, and will, no doubt, prove difficult of interpretation. It is all the more important, therefore, to have a clear statement of their contents. They differ consider- ably from the Statutes on Copyright in a country like France, where the law is settled chiefly by leading cases rather than by minute statutory details. On the whole, the French have a freer interpretation than the Germans are ever likely to have. Lastly, comes a chapter on the arrangements between authors and publishers. This is an eminently useful chapter, for many questions do not come directly under Copyright Law, but deal directly with literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic property, and no book on the subject can be quite satisfactory unless it contains a chapter under this heading or unless it refers to agreements of this kind between publishers and authors. This chapter is followed by the Appendices, containing copies of the Berne Convention, United States Copyright Act, Forms for Registration of Books and Other Property. The Appendices G and H contain short Forms of Agreement between Authors and Publishers, and Assignments of Copyright and Forms of Agreement referring to Artistic Property. After a careful consideration of the whole book these two Appendices are the only points about which we raise any serious cause for complaint. A careful perusal of them by any one who has knowledge of the main points which should be protected shows them to be  132 THE AUTHOR. unsatisfactory for the author, the publisher, and the artist. ‘Che forms are full of omissions, and in addition there are forms which should have been included which have not been mentioned at all. In a book which shows so deep and so intelligent a study of so vast a subject, to find only one serious fault is a matter for generous approval. Mr. Easton must be congratulated on the very complete manner in which he has carried forward what, in its original form, was a very efficient book ; that he has so laboriously brought up Mr. Copinger’s last edition to the present date; that he has so exhaustively studied the various difficulties to which the subject gives rise; and that, after so much labour and such deep study, he has been able in a manner so satisfactory to place his results before the public. : There can be no question, therefore, since the fourth edition of Mr. Scrutton’s valuable book was brought forward, since Mr. MacGillivray issued his important work, and since the fourth edition of Mr. Copinger’s work is now produced, that the Copyright Law has been neglected, and lacks the necessary interpretation. G. H. T. —_——__o—__o___—_ LITERARY YEAR BOOK. 1905. — ++ — HE ninth annual issue of the “Literary Year Book” is now published. It comes with a different imprint—Messrs. George Routledge and Sons—with certain changes and new features. On the whole the principle which has guided the editor has produced satisfactory results, but the present reviewer has only been able to look closely into those portions of the book which refer to law and copyright, leaving the tables and catalogues set forth to be dealt with by others in a subsequent number of this magazine. The question of copyright has been handled in a manner and by a treatment entirely different from that in former issues. As the former productions were, from one point of view, satisfactory, so the present production from another point of view is by no means unsatisfactory. But copyright law cannot be healthily masticated in the form of tabloids. In the present tabulated form its incongruities are made particularly apparent. Take, for example, one or two points. The period for which copy- right endures in books, is for the life of the author and seven years after his death, or forty-two years from the date of first publication, whichever is the longer period; but publication is differently defined in the case of a book and in the case of a play. In engravings, however, copyright endures for twenty-eight years from first publication, and in paintings, drawings and photographs for the life of the artist and seven years after his death, whilst in sculpture it lasts for fourteen years. Again, the law covering the assignment of copy- rights varies considerably. The assignment of books must be in writing or by registration ; of dramatic pieces in the handwriting of the author or his agent. Assignments of engravings must be with the written consent of the proprietor attested by two witnesses ; of paintings, drawings and photographs must be in writing and must also be registered. The assignment of sculpture must be by deed signed by the proprietor and attested by two witnesses. The law of registra- tion in its effect on books differs from its effect on pictures. Among all these complexities it is very difficult to arrive at any satisfactory knowledge, and it is to be hoped that the Government will once more take in hand the question of consolidating the Copyright Acts. In dealing with the question of Canadian copy- right, the editor makes no mention of the Act which was passed through the Canadian House and was assented to by Her Majesty Queen Victoria on July 18th, 1900. How is this? There is no doubt, as stated in the Zsmes when the Act was passed, that this solution of the Canadian copyright question was brought forward mainly at the instigation of the Society of Authors, who spent much time and money in their endeavours to bring the matter to a satis- factory issue. It has been possible to commend the form of the article on copyright law. Its substance may prove inadequate and misleading. Special attention should be drawn to the 18th section of the Copyright Act and the judgment given in the House of Lords in the case of Aflalo v. Lawrence and Bullen. ‘The editor says, “In an ordinary case the agreement that copyright shall belong to the editor or proprietor may be inferred from the mere employment and payment of the author.” This is not so. The Judges in the House of Lords deduced the fact that in an encyclopedia the copyright may belong to the proprietor, owing to a large sum of money having been expended on the production of the book. The deduction seems to be false, as it does not take into consideration the amount paid to the author. This amount would, of course, vary with the sale of the copyright or with the sale of the article for use in the encyclo- pedia only. But the point hes never been settled p% in regard to periodicals, and most probably the — ° judgment which applied to an encyclopaedia  THE AUTHOR. would not apply to periodicals, as the contents of an encyclopedia have, when published in that shape, @ permanent and lasting position, which con- tents of periodicals when published in periodical issue have not. In dealing with authors’ agents and agreements, the editor is inclined to think that authors are apt to under-estimate the share due to the publisher in the successful production of a book. This hardly appears to be the case. Again, he says: “The publisher should be a man of some literary attainments.” On the contrary, it is much better for the publisher to leave the literary attainments to his reader and adviser and confine himself purely to business. He takes a very strong view against the agent, and justly so. To a constant reader of The Author the following point has always been made clear. If a writer goes to a publisher, he does to a certain extent keep him at arm’s-length, and is prepared to look at any agreement offered him from the legal point of view. To the agent, however, the author entrusts his honour as to a confidential family solicitor, and, as in the latter case, not in- frequently finds his trust misplaced. Finally, the editor exclaims : “ Who will protect the author against the rapacity of the agent?” Quis custodiet ipsos custodes 2? Why did he not append a note and refer to the Society of Authors ? As this society is in no way connected with the financial success of the production of books, it can take an absolutely impartial view. On many occasions the committee have on behalf of its members been compelled to take strenuous action against agents, as well as against publishers and others. Following the articles referred to comes an article on agreements. Although the introduction to this article shows a healthy spirit of fairness, the agreements lack many important points and leave many points to be cleared. Take, for instance, the commission agreement. The difficulties of this kind of agreement are fairly represented, and the chances against the success of the commission book are fully cata- logued, but in one clause the editor says, “The publishers hereby agree to print, publish, adver- tise and sell the first edition.” If a publisher undertakes to “sell” the first edition, he is going a little far, and would himself naturally object to enter into such a contract. He would, no doubt, use his best endeavours to obtain a gale. In the second clause, copies are sold in the United Kingdom at the regular trade price and are most commonly accounted for to the author at two- thirds of the published price less a discount of 10 per cent., and the editor proceeds to state : “‘ This calculation is reached by taking the lowest price 133 charged by the publishers to the wholesale book- sellers and exporters.” But why should the author be credited with the lowest price a publisher receives, when many of the copies may be sold at a higher figure! Surely, when the author pays for the cost of the production of his book, he is en- titled to receive the same figure as the publisher receives, less 10 per cent., the publisher’s com- mission. The editor, later on, proceeds to take the publisher’s side of the case very decidely, and says: “It would be especially unfair to him—the publisher—in a commission agreement that he should account to the author for copies as sold, which he has actually supplied as odd or 18th copies.” The latter case is no more unfair to the publisher than the former is to the author. The publisher, again, is given a free hand to sell the book, by auction or privately, to a dealer at reduced prices or by way of remainder. This may be all very fine from the publisher’s point of view, but again the author might strongly object to having his book sold below cost price. Other points might be mentioned concerning the same agreement, but it is impossible to give an exhaustive criticism. ‘Take the second agreement for the sale of copy- right. From the author's point of view the omis- sions are very heavy. We mention one alone, publication is of the greatest importance to the author ; but if he sold his copyright without any clause binding the publisher to put the book on the market he might find his work utterly wasted. The agreement dealing with the division of profits may be passed over. This method of pub- lication is in all ways unsatisfactory from the author’s point of view, and should be avoided. Some of the remarks respecting the royalty agreement are interesting and should be carefully studied by those who think of entering into a con- tract of this kind, but the arguments against the advance on royalty are fallacious. No doubt the publisher puts in a certain amount of capital, but surely the author puts in the same amount, though not in the form of money. Sometimes, indeed, the author may put into his MS. the work of a whole lifetime ; but even if this view of the posi- tion is not accepted, the economic law of supply and demand comes into force. If a publisher, who is a man of business, considers it worth his while to advance money on royalties in order to purchase a licence to produce a certain book, it is absurd to say that such an arrangement is un- reasonable. Business men do not readily enter into unbusinesslike arrangements, and they must know when they enter into the bargain, that such payment will be amply restored to them, as far as their judgment can tell, by the sales of the book, or else they cannot be reckoned as men of business.  132 THE AUTHOR. unsatisfactory for the author, the publisher, and the artist. ‘The forms are full of omissions, and in addition there are forms which should have been included which have not been mentioned at all. In a book which shows so deep and so intelligent a study of so vast a subject, to find only one serious fault is a matter for generous approval. Mr. Easton must be congratulated on the very complete manner in which he has carried forward what, in its original form, was a very efficient book ; that he has so laboriously brought up Mr. Copinger’s last edition to the present date; that he has so exhaustively studied the various difficulties to which the subject gives rise; and that, after so much labour and such deep study, he has been able in a manner so satisfactory to place his results before the public. : There can be no question, therefore, since the fourth edition of Mr. Scrutton’s valuable book was brought forward, since Mr. MacGillivray issued his important work, and since the fourth edition of Mr. Copinger’s work is now produced, that the Copyright Law has been neglected, and lacks the necessary interpretation. G. H. T. ————___+—>_o—__—__ LITERARY YEAR BOOK. 1905. —1+—— + — HE ninth annual issue of the “ Literary Year Book” is now published. It comes with a different imprint—Messrs. George Routledge and Sons—with certain changes and new features. On the whole the principle which has guided the editor has produced satisfactory results, but the present reviewer has only been able to look closely into those portions of the book which refer to law and copyright, leaving the tables and catalogues set forth to be dealt with by others in a subsequent number of this magazine. The question of copyright has been handled in a manner and by a treatment entirely different from that in former issues. As the former productions were, from one point of view, satisfactory, so the present production from another point of view is by no means unsatisfactory. But copyright law cannot be healthily masticated in the form of tabloids. In the present tabulated form its incongruities are made particularly apparent. Take, for example, one or two points. The period for which copy- right endures in books, is for the life of the author and seven years after his death, or forty-two years from the date of first publication, whichever is the longer period; but publication is differently defined in the case of a book and in the case of a play. In engravings, however, copyright endures for twenty-eight years from first publication, and in paintings, drawings and photographs for the life of the artist and seven years after his death, whilst in sculpture it lasts for fourteen years. Again, the law covering the assignment of copy- rights varies considerably. The assignment of books must be in writing or by registration ; of dramatic pieces in the handwriting of the author or his agent. Assignments of engravings must be with the written consent of the proprietor attested by two witnesses ; of paintings, drawings and photographs must be in writing and must also be registered. The assignment of sculpture must be by deed signed by the proprietor and attested by two witnesses. The law of registra- tion in its effect on books differs from its effect on pictures. Among all these complexities it is very difficult to arrive at any satisfactory knowledge, and it is to be hoped that the Government will once more take in hand the question of consolidating the Copyright Acts. In dealing with the question of Canadian copy- right, the editor makes no mention of the Act which was passed through the Canadian House and was assented to by Her Majesty Queen Victoria on July 18th, 1900. How is this? There is no doubt, as stated in the Zsmes when the Act was passed, that this solution of the Canadian copyright question was brought forward mainly at the instigation of the Society of Authors, who spent much time and money in their endeavours to bring the matter to a satis- factory issue. It has been possible to commend the form of the article on copyright law. Its substance may prove inadequate and misleading. Special attention should be drawn to the 18th section of the Copyright Act and the judgment given in the House of Lords in the case of Afialo v. Lawrence and Bullen. The editor says, “In an ordinary case the agreement that copyright shall belong to the editor or proprietor may be inferred from the mere employment and payment of the author.” This is not so. The Judges in the House of Lords deduced the fact that in an encyclopedia the copyright may belong to the proprietor, owing to a large sum of money having been expended on the production of the book. The deduction seems to be false, as it does not take into consideration the amount paid to the author. This amount would, of course, vary with the sale of the copyright or with the sale of the article for use in the encyclo- pedia only. But the point hes never been settled in regard to periodicals, and most probably the judgment which applied to an encyclopedia .  THE AUTHOR. 133 would not apply to periodicals, as the contents of an encyclopedia have, when published in that shape, a permanent and lasting position, which con- tents of periodicals when published in periodical issue have not. In dealing with authors’ agents and agreements, the editor is inclined to think that authors are apt to under-estimate the share due to the publisher in the successful production of a book. This hardly appears to be the case. Again, he says: “The publisher should be a man of some literary attainments.” On the contrary, it is much better for the publisher to leave the literary attainments to his reader and adviser and confine himself purely to business. He takes a very strong view against the agent, and justly so. To a constant reader of The Author the following point has always been made clear. If a writer goes to a publisher, he does to a certain extent keep him at arm’s-length, and is prepared to look at any agreement offered him from the legal point of view. To the agent, however, the author entrusts his honour as to a confidential family solicitor, and, as in the latter case, not in- frequently finds his trust misplaced. Finally, the editor exclaims : “ Who will protect the author against the rapacity of the agent?” Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Why did he not append a note and refer to the Society of Authors ? As this society is in no way connected with the financial success of the production of books, it can take an absolutely impartial view. On many occasions the committee have on behalf of its members been compelled to take strenuous action against agents, as well as against publishers and others. Following the articles referred to comes an article on agreements. Although the introduction to this article shows a healthy spirit of fairness, the agreements lack many important points and leave many points to be cleared. Take, for instance, the commission agreement. The difficulties of this kind of agreement are fairly represented, and the chances against the success of the commission book are fully cata- logued, but in one clause the editor says, “The publishers hereby agree to print, publish, adver- tise and sell the first edition.” If a publisher undertakes to “sell” the first edition, he is going a little far, and would himself naturally object to enter into such a contract. He would, no doubt, use his best endeavours to obtain a sale. In the second clause, copies are sold in the United Kingdom at the regular trade price and are most commonly accounted for to the author at two- thirds of the published price less a discount of 10 per cent., and the editor proceeds to state : “ This calculation is reached by taking the lowest price charged by the publishers to the wholesale book- sellers and exporters.” But why should the author be credited with the lowest price a publisher receives, when many of the copies may be sold at a higher figure ! Surely, when the author pays for the cost of the production of his book, he is en- titled to receive the same figure as the publisher receives, less 10 per cent., the publisher’s com- mission. The editor, later on, proceeds to take the publisher’s side of the case very decidely, and says: “It would be especially unfair to him—the publisher—in a commission agreement that he should account to the author for copies as sold, which he has actually supplied as odd or 13th copies.” The latter case is no more unfair to the publisher than the former is to the author. The publisher, again, is given a free hand to sell the book, by auction or privately, to a dealer at reduced prices or by way of remainder. This may be all very fine from the publisher’s point of view, but again the author might strongly object to having his book sold below cost price. Other points might be mentioned concerning the same agreement, but it is impossible to give an exhaustive criticism. Take the second agreement for the sale of copy- right. From the author’s point of view the omis- sions are very heavy. We mention one alone, publication is of the greatest importance to the author ; but if he sold his copyright without any clause binding the publisher to put the book on the market he might find his work utterly wasted. The agreement dealing with the division of profits may be passed over. This method of pub- lication is in all ways unsatisfactory from the author’s point of view, and should be avoided. Some of the remarks respecting the royalty agreement are interesting and should be carefully studied by those who think of entering into a con- tract of this kind, but the arguments against the advance on royalty are fallacious. No doubt the publisher puts in a certain amount of capital, but surely the author puts in the same amount, though not in the form of money. Sometimes, indeed, the author may put into his MS. the work of a whole lifetime ; but even if this view of the posi- tion is not accepted, the economic law of supply and demand comes into force. If a publisher, who is a man of business, considers it worth his while to advance money on royalties in order to purchase a licence to produce a certain book, it is absurd to say that such an arrangement is un- reasonable. Business men do not readily enter into unbusinesslike arrangements, and they must know when they enter into the bargain, that such payment will be amply restored to them, as far as their judgment can tell, by the sales of the book, or else they cannot be reckoned as men of business.  134 It is somewhat difficult to criticise the agreement itself, as the editor has covered the wording of the clauses by a careful explanation, but it should be stated that, in no circumstances, should an author sell the copyright of his work, the translation rights, or any of the minor rights. The habit of paying royalty on thirteen copies as twelve has come into contracts of late years, but authors should remember that this takes away 8 per cent., and that, in consequence, where they would otherwise have received the royalty on every copy, they would be entitled to a higher royalty if they receive it on thirteen copies reckoned as twelve. In the case in which the author’s royalty is subject to a reduction, if the sales are made at reduced prices or by way of remainder, it should be distinctly understood what a sale at reduced prices is, as trade sales vary con- siderably ; cases have arisen in which publishers have desired to pay a smaller royalty on the ground of a sale at reduced prices, when really the book had been sold to the trade at a slight reduc- tion on account of a large purchase. In the correction clause the editor allows the author a margin of only 6s. per sheet of sixteen pages. This is certainly small. ‘there are one or two additional clauses of importance which should have been suggested in this agreement. To sum up, 1t would appear that the editor in his desire to be fair to both parties, has fallen between two stools. He has put forward a series of agreements which are of no advantage to pub- lishers (they do not show the difficulties to be avoided or what bargains they should strive to make for themselves) nor to authors. They do not show them what their rights are and how they should retain them. Even if the editor had been desirous of keeping the balance fixed between the author and the publisher, he has certainly in this matter thrown some extra weight into the publisher’s scales. The forms of agreement which the editor has chosen to criticise are certainly by no means the best forms of agreement that come on the market. There are one or two publishers who have the printed forms which are the subject of editorial comment, and it would seem rather that the agreements have emanated from their offices. It would be advisable in future editions, for whoever is responsible for this part of the work, to study more varied forms of agreement, and consider the different methods by which different publishers and different authors have been accustomed to deal with the property of the author. RT, H, THER AUTHOR. UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT. 1 VERY interestmg correspondence dealing with the question of the United States copyright law has been initiated in the Standard by Mr. Douglas Sladen. The con- tributors seem to be unanimous on one point, that is, the unfairness of the United States copyright law to British authors and British copyright property, but they take different views as to the manner of dealing with the difficulty. Some desire still to rely on argument and per- suasion, whilst others desire to retaliate in order to force the United States to adopt a more equitable position. Thus the writers are divided into two parts, the majority desiring to bring pressure on the United States rather than to force retaliatory legislation on this side. The columns of The Author show that the Committee of the Society have always kept a keen eye upon the question of United States copyright, and, according to a letter that appeared in the Standard on January 19th, they have now decided to take some active steps. Last year the United States Copyright Association asked for the criticism of the Society on the copy- right law, but especially excluded the question of United States printing. The Author printed the correspondence in full. Members interested in the subject should read it carefully. It should be mentioned by the way that the competition in literary commodities cannot be placed on the same lines as the competition in other commodities, as some authors seem to think. The liberal minded, therefore, must not be alarmed at the words “ protection” and “ retaliation,” and must not think that the doctrines of Cobden are being overturned; in fact the protection demanded for literature is free trade in its widest sense. Lord Avebury in his letter touches on this oint. The Author has from time to time pointed out that the United States copyright law is even more severe against foreign nations than it is against England. ‘The United States publisher does not care to produce a simultaneous publication of a foreign book in the language of the original, and, in consequence, the unfortunate foreign author is compelled to translate into English, in addition to setting up in the United States and publishing simultaneously, if he wants to secure copyright. Germany for the past two years has fought vigorously against this position, and the German Authors’ and Publishers’ Associations have urged their Government to withdraw from the agreement with the United States. : Mr. G. H. Putnam, a prominent member of the Publishers’ Association in the United States, and a  THE AUTHOR. 135 staunch upholder of a wide copyright, has used his best endeavours to prevent what they term in the States ‘“‘retrogression,” and has made every effort to amend the United States law and place foreigners in a better position. The proposed amendment will give a year from the publication of the original in the foreign country for the publication of the translation in the United States before the copyright is lost. The first attempts were unsuccessful, but there appears to be a good prospect of the Bill becoming law at no distant date. It is this effort on the part of the United States and the consequent proposed law that has prompted the correspondence in the Standard. If the action of Germany is taken as an example, it would seem that retaliatory measures, or the threat of retaliatory measures, would have the desired effect, and it may fairly be deduced that if the same or even stronger retaliatory measures were taken in Great Britain, the same or even better results might accrue. But there is this further point to be taken into con- sideration, which will also serve as a strong argu- ment. In the days when the first United States Act was passed, owing to the fact that the United States author had practically no protection, the production of literature was small, and the number of publishers limited. Since those days, however, the partial protection which has been granted has raised the number of authors in the United States ten fold, and the number of pub- lishers in equal proportion. Retaliatory measures, therefore, would at the present time affect a larger number of people than they would have affected years ago, and it would be easier for the United States publishers and authors to bring more ample pressure to bear now than when, with such a de- termined and praiseworthy struggle, they passed the first United States Act. It is needless to say that as matters at present stand all the United States authors and certainly the great majority of the United States publishers, with the cultured minority of the United States citizens, are in favour of taking up that position in copyright legislation which all other civilised nations have taken. But, unfortunately, the politician and the trade care for none of these things, the advancement of their literature offers no attraction, and the opinion of the author has to bow before the greed of the printer. Mr. Bernard Shaw, in his letter to the Standard of Junuary 4th, is the true exponent of the position. He shows—and with justice—that if the United States should join the Bern Convention, their printers would not lose but would most likely gain by the change. Firstly, they would gain an enormous amount in the printing of English books that are not printed and published simultaneously now, but are shipped over in sheets ; and, secondly, they would gain by the increased production of United States literature, as it is a fact that the larger the scope given to men of talent in any direction for protection of their work, the larger the number of men of talent likely to adopt that work as a profession. This has been, and must be, a necessary law of evolution, and the enormous increase of United States writers during the past ten years is a witness to this law. But English authors must be quite clear on one point, ze., that if the United States joined the Bern Convention, the competition with the United States author would be increased and not diminished. Mr. Douglas Sladen, in his letter, seems to think that retaliatory measures would sweep the United States competition off the market. This is not so. Those authors of the United States who have an English public would still be copyrighted and have an English public. Those who have no English public, whose works it would not pay to copyright, would be sold in cheap editions all over the United Kingdom, and the competition would be greater. Retaliatory measures, therefore, would produce a more disastrous result from this point of view than would be produced by persuading the United States to join the Convention. It is unfortunate, as Mr. Matthews in another letter whimsically suggests, that we are kin to the Americans, otherwise we should be treated as foreigners and gain a similar advantage. In the excitement caused by the discussion about the law above referred to, a phase of United States copyright even more important has been overlooked. From the Umited States Publishers’ Weekly it appears that Mr. Tawney, who introduced a Bill into the House of Representatives on March 2nd, 1904, has recently brought forward the same Bill, the final clause of which runs as follows :— “And provided further, that accompanying the two copies of a book, photograph, chromo, or lithograph, required to be delivered or deposited as above, there shall be an affidavit under the seal of a registered notary public of the United States, and made by the person desiring the said copyright, or his United States agent or representative. setting forth that the two copies required to be so deposited have been printed from type set within the limits of the United States, or from photos made therefrom, or from negatives or drawings on stone made within the limits of the United States or from transfers made therefrom: Provided also, that a penalty of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars shall be imposed for the violation of any of the provisions of this section.” Copyright registration is already sufficiently difficult, but if every copyright owner or his 136 agent has to support his deposit of copies by an affidavit, copyright registration will become almost unbearable, and no agent or publisher would undertake the risk of making such an affidavit at a penalty of not less than £50 and perhaps as high as £250. If the United States in their first copyright law only advanced half way from their barbaric condition the present law referring to foreigners would take them a little further towards civilisation, but Mr. Tawney’s Bill would take them back again almost to the starting point. These two points, then, should be carefully con- sidered : 1. Whether it is better in order to obtain equitable legislation to adopt retaliatory measures in Great Btitain, or whether it is better to bring more pressure to bear on the United States. From the conduct of Germany the first course would appear to be the best. 2. Whether Mr. Tawney’s amendment to the present Act should be opposed tooth and nail by all, both in the United States and in Great Britain. Finally, before the subject of United States copyright and international relations is laid aside, it might be as well to draw attention to a lament by Mr. W. D. Howells in the Christmas number of Harper's Magazine on the existing condition of things. He publishes a letter he has received from a correspondent raising a complaint against the present position of the United States, and setting out that no solid Engish book is now printed there, and his correspondent ends by saying “in conse- quence we shall relapse into barbarism, and then resort to piracy, which will so improve our minds that we shall again seek a lawful alliance, then degenerate again, and so on and so on.” Mr. Howells’ correspondent seems to forget that though the present law may exclude a certain number of English authors it has stimulated the literature of the United States, and surely the literature of their own countrymen ought to be able to raise the citizens to a level of civilisation : but both the writer of the letter and Mr. Howells seem to doubt whether this can be the case, and in lamenting the fact that the English authors are not published in cheap editions, think that there is no corresponding stimulus to American author- ship. Further, Mr. Howells, in commenting on the letter, says : “ English authors have now less currency in America than they had before the passage of the Act, and American authors have less currency in England, although in the social, political, and commercial interests there has been so great an affination of their respective nations.” The real fact of the case is that in this matter the United States have only emerged half way. THE AUTHOR. If they had emerged entirely and placed them- selves on the same basis as other civilised nations, neither the complaint of Mr. Howells’ corre- spondent nor his own would arise. But it is impossible to confirm the last part of Mr. Howells’ statement. He mentions that twenty years ago all the best United States authors were known in England. He includes in his list about eight names, but he may gain comfort with the full knowledge that where one author was known in England twenty years ago there must be at least five known at the present time. Without difficulty it would be possible to write down thirty United States authors who are not unknown this side of the Atlantic. This fact merely disproves Mr. Howells’ statement, and does not afford any permanent satisfaction. Mr. Howells proceeds : “That the two great branches of the Anglo-Saxon race no longer drink from the same wells of Eng- lish.” Again this can hardly be upheld. It is possible that the United States do not drink from our British well, owing to the fact that the United States trading element, dealing with property which does not belong to it, has insisted on the printing clause, but the British are drinking from the United States well in ample abundance. It is pleasant, however, to see Mr. Howells terminate his article with the following words: “ Better our historical novels and a good national conscience than the best English fiction and the sense of having robbed the author.” May this statement be a growing sentiment in the minds of the politician and the trade. R. M. —_—___e—>—_+-—____—__- MIL WERCKMEISTER v. AMERICAN LITHOGRAPHIC AND AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY. + HIS case was tried in the United States Circuit Court of Appeals. The main issue was whether the exhibition of a picture in the Royal Academy in London was such a publication as would necessitate the American copyright notice being printed upon it in order to secure United States copyright. Some very interesting remarks were made as to what constituted publication. As an obiter dictum it is stated that the Courts have found the rule that the capacity for public repre- sentation of a dramatic piece is distinct from the publication of other literary productions. This, of course, we know has already been decided, and is one of the points of distinction between the United States law and. the British law, as first THE AUTHOR. 137 public representation in England is tantamount to first publication. Again ‘the exhibition of a work of art for the purpose of securing a purchaser or an offer to sell does not adversely affect the right to acquire copyright.” This question of the copyright notice which the United States Courts insist upon may prove a great difficulty in special cases. The one advantage of the method adopted under the Bern Convention is the fact that there is no need to comply with the particular formalities in other countries—signatories to the Convention—if in the country of origin the formalities are complied with, until publication in the other countries actually takes place. It seems absurd that a work of art put on the public market or a work of literature published in England should be bound to have a United States copyright notice upon it, and it is submitted that this position cannot be upheld. This question, unfortunately, was not at issue in the case above quoted, although it might have been determined had the dispute not been settled on another point, whether the exhibition of a picture ina public gallery amounted to publication so as to bring it under the statute, and, therefore, upset the common law right of the artist to control the reproduction before publication. The decision come to was that exhibition at the Royal Academy did not amount to such publica- tion. This is satisfactory, as the artistic effect of all the pictures being labelled with United States Copyright Notices would hardly be pleasing, although from the commercial view of the land of the almighty dollar it might be sound. _ MAGAZINE CONTENTS. —— JANUARY, 1905. BLACKWOOD’s MAGAZINE. Recollections of a Visit to Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton at Knebworth in 1857, By E. H. J. THE BOOKMAN. The New Young Islanders. By A. Macdonell. Hawker of Morwenstow. By C. E. Byles. CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL. School Books Old and New. By Katherine Burrill, CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. Utilitarian Secondary Education. By A. Macnaughton. Robert Browning and Alfred Domett. By Wm. Hall Griffin. The Oxyrhynchus Sayings of Jesus. By Vernon Bartlett. The Dual Nature of Deity. By Geo. Barlow. CoRNHILL. Blackstick Papers, No. 10: “Ja ium.’’ rs Poe) edhe sa : 10 Jacob Omnium. By Mrs. The Tereentenary of Don Quixote. By Austin Dobson A Welsh Rector of the Last Century. By His Honour Judge Pavey. G. D. Friend of Lamb. By E. V. Lucas. A Rhodes Scholar from Germany on Oxford. By H Evan Lindeiner Wildau. r oe THE EDINBURGH REVIEW. Aubrey de Vere, Poet. The Fall of the Directory. Bishop Creighton. Spenser in Ireland. Homer and His Commentators. Burne-Jones. THE FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. Psychological versus Armchair Historians. 3y Emil Reich. Anton Rubenstein. By A. E. Keeton. Sainte-Beuve. By Francis Gribble. Swinburne’s Collected Poems. By Ernest Rhys. THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW. One View of Christian Faith, By C. R. Buxton. The Ideas of Anatole France. By Olgar Thorold. Bishops and Historians. By Herbert Paul. LONGMAN’S MAGAZINE, Aubrey de Vere. By Mrs. C. Towle. The Hills of Dream: a Poem. By D. J. Robertson. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE. The Dutch Undergraduate. By J. D. Hoare. Some Contemporary Criticism. By H. H. Dodwell. Shakespeare’s Books, By Geo. Bartram. THE MONTH. Blessed Edward Campion’s “ Decem Rationes.” By J. H. Pollen. The Plague of the Text Book. MoNTHLY REVIEW. Umbrian Art. By Edward Hutton. Vittoria Accoramboni. By Christopher Hare, NATIONAL REVIEW. Some Aspects of Children’s Books, By Miss Catherine Dodd. Field Names. By the Rev. Canon Ellacombe. Correspondence between Frederick Nietzsche and Geo. Brandes, with an introduction. By Elizabeth Forster Nietzsche. NINETEENTH CENTURY, Fantin and Boudin. By Frederick Wedmore. Higher Education in India. By Henry Madras, THE QUARTERLY REVIEW. William Stubbs, Churchman and Historian, Horace Walpole and Wm. Cowper. Matthew Arnold. The Direction and Method of Education, WorLp’s WORK AND PLAY. Religion in the Novel. By Hall Caine There is no article dealing with literary, dramatic, or musical subjects in Zemple Bar,  138 THE AUTHOR. WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. ++ ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. ‘There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes 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. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a pad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to : C1.) Not to sign any agreement 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. (8.) 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 ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. 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 the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in The Author. 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 pooks 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. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. ——__—_+—__o___—_ WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. 1 IN sex sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. It is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established mabager. 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays: in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts, Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts- in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum inadvance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (.c., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect, The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. 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. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘hey should never be, included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantia) consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 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, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. : ‘As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, om 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. —__—_——_—<—_o—_——_ WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must; however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two. rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He ay THE AUTHOR. should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement,and should take into part.cular consideration . the warnings stated above. —— ee ee HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. i. VERY member has a right toask 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. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book 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 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 your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential 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 to give advice concerning 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. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. This must be done within fourteen days of first execution. The Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members, 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10, The subscription to the Society is £1 4s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. — igs Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or _ part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. ———— ) THE READING BRANCH. Cae es EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this Vi branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. ‘The term MSS. includes ‘not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. +—>_¢ ______ NOTICES. Sn a coe See HE Editor of Zhe 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 5s. 6d. subseription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., 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. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. —— > + The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. ———0—~<>_ — LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. +> i PENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. : Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, H.C.  AUTHORITIES. —_-—~>—+— TuuRE has been some doubt in the minds of members of the Society as to those countries which are at present members of the Bern Convention. Tt may be of some use, therefore, again to catalogue the signatories. The subject is of considerable importance, looked at from any point of view, but owing to the fact that Sweden joined in August of last year, there is thisadditional point that the three Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, are now members. As the difference of language in each of these countries is stated in their own Copyright Law to be merely a difference of dialect, the trans- Jation in one country is secured in all three, and there is no longer fear of piracy. The Signatures. Germany, Tunis, Belgium, Monaco, Spain, Luxembourg, France, Japan, Haiti, Norway, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden. In order to complete the record of international relations as far as Great Britain is concerned, there remains the United States Copyright Act and the treaty with Austria-Hungary. The latter runs very much on the same lines as the clauses con- tained in the Convention of Bern. We desire again to call the attention of authors to the value of translation rights, as the matter is constantly coming before the Secretary. Translators in foreign countries often write to authors in the United Kingdom and inquire whether they may have the honour of translating their works. When the question of payment is brought forward, the reply comes back either that the translator cannot afford to pay any sum whatever, but considers the author obtains a good advertisement, or that translations are exceedingly badly paid for in the country of which the trans- lator is a citizen, and that the utmost it is possible to offer is £—. This offer sometimes goes as high as £10, but more frequently is much lower. It is true that translations are not paid for at a high rate, for in addition to the remuneration due to the original author, the remuneration for the translator has to be taken into consideration, but the following example will show that the statement THE AUTHOR. of the position is not always in accordance with fact. ‘A well-known English author was asked for the right of translation in his work, and on inquiry for payment received the answer already put forward, that the translator would be unable to obtain any money beyond what would cover his work as translator, but hoped the author would be able to get a certain amount of advertisement. The author finding that he failed to get cash, con- sented to receive nothing for the translation of the story. Our attention was called to the matter by a correspondent, who informed us that the trans- lation was being published as a serial in one of the largest and richest papers. Did the translator obtain a nice sum for this publica- tion ? or did the proprietor of the paper obtain the advantage by purchase of cheap copy ? What became of the book publisher ? In other cases also the rights have been given away by the authors. Again, examples have come to our notice where authors of the highest rank have received in foreign countries the paltry sum of £5 for translation rights. Authors, therefore, should take note of these points, and should not permit their works to be translated for nothing in countries which are members of the Bern Convention without having a most accurate statement as to the marketable quality of the translation, for they may rest assured that if the translator knows how to manage his business he will obtain a good recompense for his work, What has been stated applies to all countries bound together by International Agreement. Amone the correspondence we have the pleasure of printing a letter from the English representative of the North American Review, correcting a mistake made in Zhe Author in an article touching the dispute between Mr. G. W. E. Russell and that magazine. We regret the mistake, but the correction does not seem to alter, to any great extent, the un- accountable action of the North American Review and the circumstances surrounding the publication of the article referred to. Mermeers of the Society will be pleased to hear that the replica of the Besant Memorial has now been affixed to one of the granite bases by Waterloo Bridge. The exact locality is just to the west of the pridge, opposite the road coming down from the  THE AUTHOR. Strand to the Embankment. The’ County Council, who undertook to fix the site and place the work, gave no formal unveiling. As far as the Society was concerned the formal tribute to Sir Walter Besant was completed when the original was unveiled in the crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Amusing errors in nomenclature are sometimes to be found in the “books received” column of the great dailies, which are presumably “edited ” by one of the counting house clerks. Sometimes the variant given to the title is a distinct im- provement on the original. For instance, we notice “The Silent East” instead of “ The Silken East.” But an entry we once came across in a “books received” column, which dealt with an indian romance, was scarcely an improvement. The book was entitled “ Before the British Raj.” This was altered to “ Before the British Rag!” It appears from the papers that the idea of a permanent Shakespeare memorial is at last assuming its proper proportions. The County Council have agreed to provide a site if the necessary funds are forthcoming, and a provisional committee has been brought together. The names contained in the list show the support the movement is receiving, The President of our Society is one of the com- mittee, Dr. Furnivall has accepted the position of Chairman, Lord Avebury has consented to act as Treasurer, and Professor Israel Gollancz as Honorary Secretary. There seems to be no doubt that with the strong support already promised no difficulty will be experienced in ‘obtaining the necessary funds. For the sake of those who desire to interest themselves in the matter, it is as well to state that all communications should be sent to the Secretary, 32, George Street, Hanover Square, W. + EDWARD ROSE. 1° the last hours of the old year Edward Rose passed away at his house in Hampstead. By his death, at a comparatively early age, the Society loses a faithful friend and the members of the Committee a valued colleague. Having joined the latter body in 1900, he continued a regular attendant at its meetings till the end. His long and intimate acquaintance with the 141 theatre—as actor, as critic, and as playwright— gave him a knowledge of the dramatic side of the Committee’s work which was of the greatest service in its deliberations. He was also keenly interested in educational literature, being himself the author of more than one school book ; and he brought to the consideration of all questions an open mind, a_ well-balanced judgment, and a courtesy and kindliness of manner which made him a model Committeeman. He was a man of many interests—an educationalist, a politician, a student of social questions (he was an early and ardent supporter of the “ Garden City” movement) ; but his life’s work lay in the theatre, and here he was best known as a very skilful and successful master of the difficult art of adaptation. His original work is not, indeed, to be disregarded. “In Days of Old” will be remembered as a charming and graceful romantic play. But as an adapter he could claim at least three notable successes, * Vice Versa,” “The Prisoner of Zenda,” and “ Under the Red Robe,” and he did much—perhaps more. than any other man—to re-establish the “ drama- tized novel” in popular favour. The work of an adapter, as he conceived it, was by no means mere carpentry. While taking singular care to preserve. all of the original which was valuable for the uses. of the stage, he added much from his own store, rightly understanding that, before a novel can make a good play, it may well need addition as well as subtraction, a stronger infusion of the dramatic no less than an elision of what is not dramatic. So he made a play of his own out of a book which was not his own, and stood entitled to. the credit of its success. Devoted to his work, always full of new projects, yet at the same time with an outlook and interest stretching far beyond the walls of the theatre, he lived till the end a life rich in mental activity, although of later years his health was delicate and his spirit overshadowed by a great and enduring sorrow which had befallen him in the loss of a dearly-loved daughter. To his friends—to those who had the good fortune to know him well, whether in holiday hours or in days and weeks of work done together—he leaves behind him a pleasant memory, the memory of a man who, not himself dowered with high spirits, had such a gift of affectionate sympathy, and so complete a freedom from repining for himself and from envy towards others, that the joys and successes of his friends became to him as his own. He will live in their recollection as a good man, a good work- man, and a good friend. A. H. H.  THE MASTERS OF ENGLISH LITERATURE.* — > — CCORDING to the preface, “The Masters of English Literature,” by Stephen Gwynn, is a book for young or busy people who do not wish to remain ignorant of what “every school- boy knows,” and whose knowleage and time are limited. Whilst it will doubtless fulfil this purpose (which puts it merely on the level of a handbook or literary “Who’s Who”), we venture to think that it will serve better ends than this, and that the author’s tentative hope that it may send the readers to the fountain head will also be fully realized. He has the art of putting the reader in touch with the various authors and their times by clear and sympathetic criticism of the passages cited, and, whilst pointing out their leading charac- teristics, he leaves enough unsaid to induce the reader to search further and think for himself. It is this which raises the book above the level ‘of a mere book of reference. His criticism is suggestive, and will be of interest to all lovers of literature who will recognize fresh beauties in familiar passages, and be led to study the originals with greater insight. It cannot be too highly recommended to students reading for examinations where time is short, and accurate knowledge, combined with scholarship, of great value. The author is so much in touch with his subject that in one case at least, whilst commenting on “Mrs. Battle’s Opinions on Whist,” a few lines are written in criticism, which might easily have flowed from the pen of the essayist himself. Yet there is no favouritism or over-praise of any special work; from Chaucer to Tennyson the balance of impartial judgment and clear narration is well kept, so that neither prejudice nor confusion is raised in the mind of the reader searching for information. The extracts given show unusual knowledge and insight, but in the case of Wordsworth, too much stress has been laid on the weaker side of his simplicity. One fine sonnet at least should have been quoted for the benefit of those who have not got beyond “ We are Seven,” and verses of that description. We fear that the ordinary reader, after perusing the “Idiot Boy,” will but echo the couplet thrown long ago at the heads of the poets of the Lake School : & They lived in the Lakes, an appropriate quarter For poems diluted with plenty of water.”’ _* “The Masters of English Literature,” by Stephen Gwynn. Published by Macmillan & Co. THE AUTHOR. The majority are but too well aware of the simplicity which at times borders on the inane, comparatively few have realised the incomparable beauty of “ Harth has not anything to show more fair,” the deep feeling of “ The world is too much with us,” the dreamy charm of the sonnet on Death, or the exquisite light touch which describes the daffodils in the lyric, “ I wandered lonely as a cloud.” In literature, as in everything else, local colour is of great value, and the stress laid by the author on the circumstances under which the works were written is as useful to the student as the criticism of the works themselves. The chapters on Milton, Dryden and Pope are notable instances of this. It is impossible to cultivate a catholic taste in literature without getting in touch with the times (often strange and antagonistic to our own day), in which some of the finest works were written. The author is well aware of this, and has noted it in the chapter on the 18th century novelists. In it he explains much of their former repute, and more of their disrepute in the present day. They are in a sense “caviare to the general,” and the reason why is set forth in clear terms by one who understands. No one who reads this little book can fail to have a very effective grasp of the main points of English literature, and in addition they will possess a feeling for the spirit of each age which will be of material advantage to them in pursuing their researches. i THE TERCENTENARY OF “DON QUIXOTE.” (Published at Madrid, January, 1605.) (Reprinted from the January Number of the Cornhill Magazine by kind permission of the Editor.) DVENTS we greet of great and small, Much we extol that may not live, Yet to the new-born type we give No care at all! This year, three centuries past,—by age More maimed than by Lepanto’s fight,— This year Cervantes gave to light His matchless page, Whence first outrode th’ immortal Pair,— The half-crazed Hero and his hind,— To make sad laughter for mankind ; And whence they fare Throughout all Fiction still, where chance Allies Life’s dullness with its dreams,— Allies what is with what but seems,— Fact and Romance :— ‘essenateesiiah  O Knight of fire and Squire of earth ! O changing give-and-take between The aim too high, the aim too mean, T hail your birth, Three centuries past, in sunburned Spain, And hang, on Time’s Pantheon wall, My votive tablet to recall That lasting gain! Austin Dosson. SO “DON QUIXOTE” TERCENTENARY. ae N the “From the Committee ”’ mention has been made from time to time of the action the Committee of the Society has taken in order to mark the literary importance of the Tercentenary of the publication of “Don Quixote.” The text of the address which will be sent to the Spanish Academy, drafted by Mr. Austin Dobson, approved by the President of the Society, Mr. George Meredith, and the Managing Committee, and signed by all the members of the Council, is now printed. ADDRESS TO THE SPANisH ACADEMY. The Council of the Society of Authors desires to express, on behalf of the members of that Society, the pleasure and entire sympathy with which they have learned that steps are being taken to celebrate the tercentenary of the publication of * Don Quixote.” There is a special, and, indeed, exceptional reason why Englishmen should wish to associate themselves with the contemplated ceremonial.. We in England were, from the first, among the most enthusiastic admirers of “ Don Quixote.” We have translated the book repeatedly and elaborately ; we have printed it in Spanish, and one of the most searching and scholarly of its commentators is to be found in the ranks of our ecclesiastics. Its Knight and Squire have become part of our national life ; its incidents have stimulated the invention of our artists, and lent imagery to our poets and dramatists, and the impress of its genius is upon all our great novelists, from Fielding and Sterne to Dickens and Thackeray. But there are further reasons—more general in their nature, and less local in their application—why we should join in doing honour to your illustrious compatriot. Spaniard of the Spaniards, he was also a cosmopolitan in fiction—a citizen of the world of letters. His method and his matter are alike imperishable, because they are based in universal humanity. Wherever is waged that endless war between metaphysics and mother-wit ; wherever imagination quits the beaten track of THE AUTHOR. 143 commonplace for the haunted bye-ways of romance: wherever the old heroic spirit is stirred once more to the sublime ambition of self-sacrifice - there must men remember and revere the name of Miguel de Cervantes. “Don Qurxorte” Dinner. In London on Thursday, January 19th, dinner was held at the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole, under the chairmanship of Major Martin Hume, to celebrate the same event. The chief guest of the evening was the Spanish Ambassador. Among the company present were Mrs. Craigie, Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins, Mr. Edmund Gosse, Mr. Clement Shorter, Mr. Austin Dobson, Mr. Edward Clodd, Mr. Sidney Lee, and Mr. Justin H. McCarthy, Sir Henry Irving (representing the Stage), Prof. Ray Lankester, (Science), and Mr. George Frampton, R.A., (Art). The Spanish Ambassador, in responding to the toast of “ The Immortal Memory of Don Quixote,” proposed by the chairman, pointed out that the idealism destroyed by “Don Quixote” had not left Spain without lofty aims, and expressed the pleasure which he felt at the present cordial relations existing between Great Britain and his native country. Mr. Edmand Gosse, in proposing prosperity to the literatures of England and Spain, declared that in his opinion Spanish influence had implanted upon Elizabethan drama its love of splendour, colour and music. Sir Henry Irving, replying for the Drama, con- trasted the position of modern dramatists with that occupied by Cervantes, whom he stated at no time received more than about £7 10s. for any of his plays, and expressed a desire to meet a present- day dramatist willing to sell his work on similar terms. Sir Henry also dealt with the difficulties con- nected with the satisfactory production of “ Don Quixote” on the stage, and concluded his speech by remarking on the possibility of Shakespeare having had the opportunity of recognising a kindred soul before he died. ee CHARACTER-DRAWING. + HERE was a time (Plancus was consul then, if you are exacting for a date), when I used to be a great admirer of the paintings of G. D. Leslie, R.A., finding, I suppose, rest and refreshment in a certain grace which they possess, and their studied sobriety of tone. And I can THE THE MASTERS OF ENGLISH LITERATURE.* ——————— CCORDING to the preface, “The Masters of English Literature,” by Stephen Gwynn, is a book for young or busy people who do not wish to remain ignorant of what “every school- boy knows,” and whose knowleage and time are limited. AUTHOR. The majority are but too well aware of the simplicity which at times borders on the inane, comparatively few have realised the incomparable beauty of “ Harth has not anything to show more fair,” the deep feeling of “The world is too much with us,” the dreamy charm of the sonnet on Death, or the exquisite light touch which describes the daffodils in the lyric, “ I wandered lonely as a cloud.” In literature, as in everything else, local colour is of great value, and the stress laid by the author on the circumstances under which the works Whilst it will doubtless fulfil this purpose (which puts it merely on the level of a handbook or literary “Who’s Who”), we venture to think that it will serve better ends than this, and that the author’s tentative hope that it may send the readers to the fountain head will also be fully realized. He has the art of putting the reader in touch with the various authors and their times by clear and sympathetic criticism of the passages cited, and, whilst pointing out their leading charac- teristics, he leaves enough unsaid to induce the reader to search further and think for himself. It is this which raises the book above the level of a mere book of reference. His criticism is suggestive, and will be of interest to all lovers of literature who will recognize fresh beauties in familiar passages, and be led to study the originals with greater insight. It cannot be too highly recommended to students reading for examinations where time is short, and accurate knowledge, combined with scholarship, of great value. The author is so much in touch with his subject that in one case at least, whilst commenting on “Mrs. Battle’s Opinions on Whist,” a few lines are written in criticism, which might easily have flowed from the pen of the essayist himself. Yet there is no favouritism or over-praise of any special work; from Chaucer to Tennyson the balance of impartial judgment and clear narration is well kept, so that neither prejudice nor confusion is raised in the mind of the reader searching for information. The extracts given show unusual knowledge and insight, but in the case of Wordsworth, too much stress has been laid on the weaker side of his simplicity. One fine sonnet at least should have been quoted for the benefit of those who have not got beyond “ We are Seven,” and verses of that description. We fear that the ordinary reader, after perusing the “Idiot Boy,” will but echo the couplet thrown long ago at the heads of the poets of the Lake School : fe They lived in the Lakes, an appropriate quarter For poems diluted with plenty of water.” * “The Masters of English Literature,’ by Stephen Gwynn. Published by Macmillan & Co, were written is as useful to the student as the criticism of the works themselves. on Milton, Dryden and Pope are notable instances of this. It is impossible to cultivate a catholic taste | in literature without getting in touch with the | times (often strange and antagonistic to our own 7 H day), in which some of the finest works were 2 oe written. pu has noted it in the chapter on the 18th century novelists. repute, and more of their disrepute in the present |e day. They are in a sense “caviare to the general,” lect and the reason why is set forth in clear terms by one who understands. little book can fail to have a very effective grasp 4 of the main points of English literature, and in addition they will possess a feeling for the spirit of each age which will be of material advantage to them in pursuing their researches. wei The chapters The author is well aware of this, and In it he explains much of their former | \oat No one who reads this +> ___—_ THE TERCENTENARY OF “DON QUIXOTE.” (Published at Madrid, January, 1605,) (Reprinted from the January Number of the Cornhill Magazine by kind permission of the Editor.) DVENTS we greet of great and small, Much we extol that may not live, Yet to the new-born type we give No eare at all! This year, three centuries past,—by age More maimed than by Lepanto’s fight,— This year Cervantes gave to light His matchless page, Whence first outrode th’ immortal Pair,— p> The half-crazed Hero and his hind,— f° To make sad laughter for mankind ; : And whence they fare Throughout all Fiction still, where chance Allies Life’s dullness with its dreams,— Allies what is with what but seems,— Fact and Romance :— eat co € eS 9 oe THE AUTHOR. O Knight of fire and Squire of earth ! O changing give-and-take between The aim too high, the aim too mean, T hail your birth, Three centuries past, in sunburned Spain, And hang, on Time’s Pantheon wall, My votive tablet to recall That lasting gain ! Austin Dogpson. Or “DON QUIXOTE” TERCENTENARY. ee N the “From the Committee ” mention has been made from time to time of the action the Committee of the Society has taken in order to mark the literary importance of the Tercentenary uf the publication of “ Don Quixote.” The text of the address which will be sent to the Spanish Academy, drafted by Mr. Austin Dobson, approved by the President of the Society, Mr. George Meredith, and the Managing Committee, and signed by all the members of the Council, is now printed. ADDRESS TO THE SPANISH ACADEMY. The Council of the Society of Authors desires to express, on behalf of the members of that Society, the pleasure and entire sympathy with which they have learned that steps are being taken to celebrate the tercentenary of the publication of “ Don Quixote.” There is a special, and, indeed, exceptional reason why Englishmen should wish to associate themselves with the contemplated ceremonial.. We in England were, from the first, among the most enthusiastic admirers of “ Don Quixote.’”” Wehave translated the book _repeatedly and elaborately ; we have printed it in Spanish, and one of the most searching and scholarly of its commentators is to be found in the ranks of our ecclesiastics. Its Knight and Squire have become part of our national life ; its incidents have stimulated the invention of our artists, and lent imagery to our poets and dramatists, and the impress of its genius is upon all our great novelists, from Fielding and Sterne to Dickens and Thackeray. But there are further reasons—more general in their nature, and less local in their application—why we should join in doing honour to your illustrious compatriot. Spaniard of the Spaniards, he was also a cosmopolitan in fiction—a citizen of the world of letters. His method and his matter are alike imperishable, because they are based in universal humanity. Wherever is waged that endless war between metaphysics and mother-wit ; wherever imagination quits the beaten track of 143: commonplace for the haunted bye-ways of romance : wherever the old heroic spirit is stirred once more to the sublime ambition of self-sacrifice - there must men remember and revere the name of Miguel de Cervantes. “Don Quixote” Dinner. In London on Thursday, January 19th, a dinner was held at the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole, under the chairmanship of Major Martin Hume, to celebrate the same event, The chief guest of the evening was the Spanish Ambassador. Among the company present were Mrs. Craigie, Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins, Mr. Edmund Gosse, Mr. Clement Shorter, Mr. Austin Dobson, Mr. Edward Clodd, Mr. Sidney Lee, and Mr. Justin H. McCarthy, Sir Henry Irving (representing the Stage), Prof. Ray Lankester, (Science), and Mr. George Frampton, R.A., (Art). The Spanish Ambassador, in responding to the toast of “ The Immortal Memory of Don Quixote,” proposed by the chairman, pointed out that the idealism destroyed by “Don Quixote” had not left Spain without lofty aims, and expressed the pleasure which he felt at the present cordial relations existing between Great Britain and his native country. Mr. Edmund Gosse, in proposing prosperity to the literatures of England and Spain, declared that in his opinion Spanish influence had implanted upon Elizabethan drama its love of splendour, colour and music. Sir Henry Irving, replying for the Drama, con- trasted the position of modern dramatists with that occupied by Cervantes, whom he stated at no time received more than about £7 10s. for any of his plays, and expressed a desire to meet a present- day dramatist willing to sell his work on similar terms. Sir Henry also dealt with the difficulties con- nected with the satisfactory production of “ Don Quixote” on the stage, and concluded his speech by remarking on the possibility of Shakespeare having had the opportunity of recognising a kindred soul before he died. Se eee CHARACTER-DRAWING. 9 HERE was a time (Plancus was consul then, if you are exacting for a date), when I used to be a great admirer of the paintings of G. D. Leslie, R.A., finding, I suppose, rest and refreshment in a certain grace which they possess, and their studied sobriety of tone. And I can 144 recall saying to one who, to my inexperience, represented the height of mature culture, that at the Academy I looked for the Leightons and the Leslies, and did not care for anything else. She gave a deep assent—in those sesthetic days deep assents took the form of a sigh—and I felt proud of my judgment. But the next year I went to the Royal Academy with an artist, who, standing before the mob-capped Leslie maiden of that particular year, pointed out to me that the girl’s hands came about where her elbows should have been. And henceforward the charm of G. D. Leslie faded away for me. In mental things you cannot point out malforma- tions as easily as in things physical ; and it is perhaps well for the happiness of most novel- readers that you cannot. Yet even in the mere drawing of a figure, I for my part needed to have the defects made plain. And I feel a moral con- viction that if I could take the reader’s arm and stroll with him through a gallery of our most popular fiction, I could convince him of misdraught- ings of character quite as fatal as Leslie’s mis- drawings of mob-capped maidens : limbs too long or too short, necks all awry, every kind of impossi- bility. And he should soon learn to distinguish— though I do not think he does so yet—the unusual from the impossible. Nobody expects a gallery of portraits to be all alike ; and yet in a gallery of portraits you can easily, or easily learn to dis- tinguish between bad drawing and good drawing. When Velasquez paints you a dwarf, he is a dwarf and nothing more. But when Madox Brown does so—as in his pot-boy in “‘ Work’”’—he has painted a horror who haunts you just because the deformity of nature is complicated by the deformity of bad draughtsmanship. He did not intend that, no more than he intended his St. Peter, whose feet Christ is washing, in our Tate Gallery picture, to have a head almost twice too large for his body. I am sure that if we were equally sensible to malformations in character-drawings, all those personages of fiction whose merits or defects were outside nature would haunt us in the like fashion. Then those impossibly courageous heroes whom young ladies adore would not be pleasant to contem- plate at all—they would be more monstr’, horrend’, inform’ than Quasimodo; just as the Farnese Hercules is much more horrible than heroic. But alas ! we—we in England are the worst in this respect—seem hardly to have begun to understand the laws of character-drawing, and even to have declined in this regard of recent years. There are no studios where this kind of draughtsmanship can be taught. It is not studying the works of the great classics which will do the business. Had not the book illustrators of fifty years ago the classic masters in their own art before them ? THE AUTHOR. But who would now tolerate the hands and feet of Richard Doyle, say, or of Phiz? I am not saying that in these cases, as in that of Madox Brown, you do not get great excellences. Looking at their merits alone, you pardon their defects, which yet reach down to the elements of their art. So I make no doubt it will be with some of our best contemporary novelists fifty years hence. People will read them still with delight ; but they will wonder how the mere technique of the character- drawing could have gone so wonderfully astray. For my part I surmise that the failure of technique in the two arts—in figure-drawing and in character- drawing—springs from very much the same cause in either case. I imagine a Madox Brown (or a Richard Doyle; it doesn’t matter which you choose), getting his model in front of him, but so much occupied with what he wants to show of the face—minutest hairs, wrinkles, what-not, in the one case ; humorous touches in the second—that he almost forgets to look at the figure. At any rate, he never thinks of the face as a part of the body as a whole. Least of all does he think of face or figure as moving or caught under sudden aspects of light, and so forth. Well, it is the same with the drawer of character, ninety-nine times out of a hundred. The “ personality” with him plays the part which the head played for the Pre-Raphaelite. ‘And he on his side never thinks of that personality in motion, displaying itself as it only could display itself in reality in the rough-and-ready speech of actual life, in the sudden calls of common affairs. Of course we do not to-day—as Scott and Dickens did, at least with their hero and heroine—make the folk of our novels “talk like a book.” That that has been as much abandoned as the soliloquy on the stage is so far a sign of advance. But the pook-folk almost always speak—if I may use the word—in vacuo. They say what in the opinion of the author of their being would be at the back of their minds. They do not show the influence on themselves of the personality with whom they are in contact, nor any one of the thousand acci- dents which in real life always deflect speech from the perfect straight line. I call that speaking m vacuo. At any rate, it is an atmosphere which is not of earth, like the atmosphere of a Pre- Raphaelite picture. I say that a study of the classics will not alone correct this evil. 1 have listened a hundred times to Shakespeare on the stage, and I am absolutely convinced that the actor never really imagines © himself the personage he presents. He gets as far perhaps as imagining he imagines himself that personage. What he really does is (at best) to appreciate in its general bearing the essential emotion which the lines express. And all his brother actors (at best) do the same. Thus you THE AUTHOR. got a series of separate studies arranged into a picture ; which once again is the Pre-Raphaelite method. You never got the enveloping atmo- sphere which unitesthem all. To get that atmosphere in the case of Shakespeare is indeed almost a superhuman task. One can guess it, half appre- hend it in reading, no more. For here the atmo- sphere is not that of every day: it is transformed by the poetical setting. And yet even in this divine air the characters play upon each other, create each other, as they do not in any other poetical drama even of that time : not to the same extent, not nearly to the same extent. Shakespeare himself felt this without doubt, when he insisted so much on naturalness, on naturalism. And though his sentence has become a cant one with us, it is most noticeable how on either side of Shakespeare the Elizabethan dramatists shade off into extravagance, slip away into the non-natural (in love as in other things)—Marlowe does upon one side, Webster and Ford upon the other side. Even when they do not this, even when they turn the folk that strut and bellow out of doors, there is still the same kind of separation between the different characters that I have spoken of already—individuality in the wrong sense of the word. Their utterances read almost as if they were all speaking soliloquies or “talking like a book” in the Dickens-Scott fashion. More than anything does the technique of an art that is vital vary from age to age. And it is of no use to urge that good character-drawing belongs to all ages—to Shakespeare, to Sterne, to Richardson, to Thackeray. For it will not belong to our productions, if we set ourselves to imitate the manner of Shakespeare or Sterne or Richardson or Thackeray. It will not come through any elaboration of upholstering either—no more in the novel than on the stage. There is no harm in M. Antoine’s realism of stage-setting, and there is no harm in all the details in which the naturalist, he who prides himself on that title, takes delight. But unless you can get real folk to walk the boards all such stage-management is of little worth. C. F. Keary. $< —_ THE DECAY OF HUMOUR. —— + N Forster's “Life of Dickens” it is related that “The Pickwick Papers” were not absolutely successful until the character of Sam Weller was introduced. This witty type of a cockney servant stamped the inimitable book with the saving grace of humour. Perhaps the quaint turns of speech, the sly wisdom of the devoted Sam’s ideas, may not commend themselves 145 nowadays; their ancient flavour may not whet the modern, fastidious, literary palate; but genuine whimsicality must always appeal to the sense of humour which to a greater or less extent is latent in all of us. And over all the works of this master of fiction the spirit of drollery hovers and wanders to illumine the shadows of life. And this is why his popularity has kept pace with the growth of modern readers. Some years ago a few choice spirits, with exuberant pens and laughing intentions, embodied their ideas in certain books which had a measure of popularity. Brilliant wit and epigrammatic force did not lurk in their pages, which were only seasoned with inoffensive jokes and mild incon- eruities. But a wonderful result happened! These exuberant platitudes were styled the new humour! as if real humour could ever grow old, or actual wit become stale. But a large section of the reading public, perhaps, oppressed with the solemn seriousness of nearly all imaginative literature, exultingly welcomed these appeals to their laughing instincts. The constituents of this so-called new humour were only pinchbeck and veneer, but it served. It has already become obscure and forgotten. It has lived its little day and is heard no more. Why amongst our various periodicals are there no humorous or even semi-humorous ones ? Where is the light play of thought, the touches of persi- flage, the fantastic grace of whimsicality, the subtle egigram, the shaft of satire, the grotesque absurdity, or even the twist of verbal meanings, all bordering on or relating to the saving grace of humour? What mystic spirit of solemnity has clouded modern thought ? It may be said, however, that there is a certain ancient comic institution to supply the humorous needs of the public. Certainly its illustrations often sharply outline the shows and vanities of the hour ; but its venerable quips and irksome sallies hardly provoke hilarity. Nevertheless, the institu- tion claims its votaries, for the spirit of the past, when genius stamped its pages with brilliancy and brightness, still endears this publication. But there is ample room for a modern rival. When are we to have it ? The fiction of the period is sometimes brilliant, but seldom diverting. here are a few popular novels full of generous farce or touched with a keen spirit of humour, on others a bizarre wild- ness and curious vein of drollery ; but the general tone of modern fiction is dejecting, pessimistic and solemn. Yet the genius of the modern novelist ranges in every direction. Plots, inci- dents, characters, are as varied as the countries of the earth ; but wit or humour is almost nd ; and the busy, reading world is so eager to laugh and  146 to chuckle! Surely the novel which photographs life’s episodes, events and aspects ought to reveal its lighter and mirth-compelling moods. The times are crying out for merry thought, lively characters, hopefulness, gladness in the domain of imagination and life. Poetry nowadays seems almost a caput mor- fwum, and our few bards only pipe doleful music. Their ditties are set ina minor key. There is no Thomas Hood to evoke smiles as well as tears; no Byron to electrify the world with brilliant wit. Even the lighter fantasies of society verse are not popular. The strife, stress and endeavour of life have shadowed song. ‘The saving grace of humour has departed from it. The modern comedy of manners and men, with a consistent plot, natural incidents and situations, seems to be non-existent. But the solemn serious- ness of the times finds its inevitable reaction in the forced buffoonery of a three-act farce written around the distinguished actor-manager. Still its unreal panorama of life and the inconsequent vagaries of the puppets arouse mirth. The jaded, solemn citizen finds relief in the grotesque, incon- gruous play that amuses without making any appeal to the intelligence. The glimpses into an absurd, humorous, but unconvincing world are still a transient pleasure. Even the modern poetic drama, such as it is, is devoid of humorous interludes. There is no mirth-provoking purpose to illumine its glint and glamour ; no iridescent wit to bring the trope and metaphor into relief. Evidently the clowns and fools of the poet of all time have not taught the modern poetic playwright any preparatory lessons. He has not sought the effects of contrast, the light play of incongruous thought, the vivid impression of an epigram. Consequently, his plays, marred with incompleteness, only partially interest. Is it any wonder that the jaded public, oppressed with the solemn austerity of what it hears and reads, enjoys inept musical farces ? What if their melodies are weak echoes, the lyrics a jingle and jangle of nonsense, and the dialogue sprinkled with threadbare inanities ; dejected humanity enjoys the relief. It laughs and forgets. The light, mirthful hours banish memories of the solemn platitudes, the dreary gush of sentiment that infect literature and the Press, which, for all we know to the contrary, may be the cause of the alarming increase of patients in lunatic asylums. We not only take our pleasures sadly, but our work, conversation, and social intercourse seem pervaded with gloom. The dismal silence in an omnibus or railway carriage might be the precursor of the final Judgment Day. ‘The stolid, sad faces THE AUTHOR. of the passengers seem to mirror doleful cares or unhappy experiences. Oh, for a chuckle or a titter to break the oppressive silence and the brooding solemnity ! The old Puritanical spirit still seems to darken our lives and our homes. ‘There are tens of thousands of sensible people in London to-day who deem theatre-going a sin. In hundreds of chapels the iniquity of the Stage is insisted on, and doleful hymns and sermons are presumed to add to the happiness of humanity. The religion of innocent amusement and merry thought is tabooed. It is said that conversation is becoming a lost art ; thus one of the prerogatives of mankind, the propensity to laugh, seems also to be gradually disappearing in this country. In course of time, unless severe and prompt measures are taken to check our dismal tendencies, our laughing powers will become atrophied through disuse. The art of smiling graciously will be lost, until gradually the haman face divine will revert to its old sad ape-like appearance. Everyone will frown or have a lugubrious aspect. The music of the coming time will only consist of funeral marches ; the plays will only be dire tragedies, and everyone will have suicidal tendencies ! How delightful it is to be associated or live with those who see the humorous side of things, the mirthful oddities of life. The person who can transform a serious remark into a joke, or a plaintive saying into a jocular one is the world’s benefactor. How one’s heart warms to one who can brighten lagging moments with a happy anecdote, jest or repartee. These choice, mirth- ful souls are the salt of home life. Their inflaence kills care and stifles despondency. The stress, worry and the pin-pricks of existence vanish in the atmosphere of their liveliness. To dwell with one of these joyous temperaments is like breathing the air of pine woods or the ozone of the sea. It is the hopeful, vigorous atmosphere of real happiness. Perhaps the scholastic training of the future will include the study and appreciation of jokes! There must be a school for anecdotes, epigrams and conundrums. ‘The teachers must be wits ; there must be regular examinations in drollery, and prizes and scholarships must be awarded to those who can distil the most merriment out of life’s toils, abstractions and cares; whilst to be dull, grave, solemn or dismal without sufficient reason shall be considered a punishable offence. Of course, the professors at these gay institutions must be Professors of the Saving Grace of Humour. IsrporE G. ASCHER.  THE AUTHOR. A MODERN FRENCH HISTORIAN. +o ONSIEUR FRANTZ FUNCK-BREN- TANO is having a most successful tour in the United States, where he is engaged in _ giving eighty conferences on “ Ancient France” for the Federation of the French-American Alliance. No one could be better fitted for such an under- taking. Monsieur Brentano has lived in that great past of France in a manner altogether unique and special. For ten whole years he devoted his life to classifying the archives of the Bastille and com- piling a catalogue for the Government of those thrilling and dramatic human records, many of them written in the blood of the prisoner on strips of linen shirt, on the plaster of the walls, on anything which would retain a mark. There is a small room at the Bibliothéque de TArsénal, the old palace of the Duc de Sully, the walls of which are entirely lined from floor to ceiling with neatly covered and catalogued folios —all records of the once famous Bastille. It is not surprising that Monsieur Brentano, having lived on intimate terms for so many years with these unfortunate, and in many cases illus- trious, prisoners, deciphering their most heart- rending confessions, dying petitions, and sometimes maledictions, should write of them with the pen of one who knows, not only as the historian and scholar, the President of the ‘‘ Société des Etudes Historiques,” the Professor of the Collége de France, the Librarian of the Bibliotheque de l’Arsénal, but as one who has dwelt among them, felt their heart-throbs, witnessed their tears. No priest in the confessional could have got in closer touch with the strange, capricious nature of that abnormal criminal, the poisoner Marquise de Brinvilliers ; or the noble, heroic soul of the unfortunate Marie Antoinette. It is this insight into character and motive which gives to the work of Monsieur Brentano its peculiar interest and hold on the imagination. His style is terse and singu- larly lucid. There is no touch of sentimentality, no attempt to work on your feelings—just a care- ful statement of facts, a careful analysis of motive, borne out by documentary evidence supplied by letters, reports of trials, sentences, etc. ; but you feel these are human beings of like passions with those now living, not historical lay-figures seen through a dim past. The principal works of Monsieur Brentano are *‘Légendes et Archives de la Bastille ” (in which the author solves the problem of the “ Man with the Iron Mask”), the “ Drame des Poisons,” “ Histoire du Collier,’ its tragic sequel, ‘La Mort de la Reine,” and “ Les Brigands de France.” With regard to the last-named, it is one to 147 rejoice and thrill the heart of every schoolboy, though there is much in it to make his mother shudder. The original of Blue Beard, the monster Barbe Bleue comes under this head, and one can hardly sympathise with Monsieur Brentano’s para- doxical theory that the main difference between brigands and respectable members of the community, is, that the former are honest fellows “ hating any sham,” when you read that after doing to death in an unspeakably horrible fashion two hundred and forty young boys and girls, the monster finally repented and made a most pious ending upon the scaffold ! This year Monsieur Brentano will become known to the public also as a dramatist. Three of his plays, one a collaboration with Monsieur Sardou, have been taken by leading theatres in Paris, and the American rights for, I believe, two of the plays are already bought. The “ Mort de la Reine” and “ Histoire du Collier” have both been translated into English, and are well known, at all events in literary circles. If the author could be induced to repeat his American conferences in London his books would soon certainly not fail to become widely popular, for they are living romances. The conferences, too, are of a popular kind, not the dry-as-dust lectures in the French tongue one is occasionally invited to attend in London drawing-rooms, but full of the same human and dramatic element which characterises his books. ‘They are illus- trated also by magic-lantern slides of old France and portraits of the men and women who are the subjects of the lecture. No one minds going to school again under the auspices of Frantz Funck-Brentano, and no one ever gets a chance of going to sleep. CoNSTANCE ELIZABETH MAuvD. <> —_____— TYPE-WRITING : A PROTEST. op AM going to enter a protest, under the depress- ing conviction that all protest is useless, and that there is no remedy for the evil. I refer to the increasing tendency of typists to lower their prices, which were low enough before in all con- science. I write, also, subject to a correction which is even more depressing. Whenever I say that personally I object to employing any type- writer who charges less than 1s. a thousand words, I am told that in this I display a wanton ignorance of economics; I am besought to consider the facts, and reminded that many people, who could not possibly afford 1s, a thousand and can afford 8d. or 9d. are spending as much as £30 or £40 or more:  148 on type-writing in the year, and that if the charges were higher the inevitable consequence would be that these valuable people would simply cease to give out their work. But would this happen so inevitably ? Would not they continue to spend their £30 or £40 on copying, since they can afford it, anid merely give out rather less MS. in the year than they did before? A consequence by which both the type-writing trade and the self-respecting type-writing individual would gain. The others deserve all the discouragement they can get; or would, if their case were not so hard. And of course there is the argument from speed. It is only obvious, I am told, that typists who can turn out 2,000 words in the same time that others take to copy 1,000, actually gain by charging 9d. instead of 1s. Possibly (if they cannot get the 1s.) ; but to the simple mind it seems (quite apart from the fact that these cheap persons are ruining the market for other people) curious that skilled workers should be paid less rather than more for their extra dexterity. Then there is the argument from incompetence (curiously, again, it is the very reverse of the argu- ment from speed). Some typists, it is said, are not worth more than the low terms they offer. Very likely, and nobody could complain if the hire were in all cases proportioned to the labourer’s worth. But this is not so. Sometimes the lower terms are offered by incompetent persons setting up on their own account. As often as not the inferior work is turned out by the prentice hands of firms charging the higher rates ; while it is just the superior speed of the skilled operators which enables them to undersell their competitors. I know the subject is by no means so simple as I may seem anxious to make out. All sorts of things have to be taken into consideration. For instance, I was roused to this protest by the insi- dious solicitations of a circular, addressed to me by a firm in a provincial town, offering to type my MSS. for me at the seductive rate of 6d. a thou- sand. My answer was a strong, and, as I believed at the time, well-deserved remonstrance. It drew forth an elaborate explanation. The town in ques- tion had a season, and the season affected the firm. These sixpences, therefore, were only its winter terms; in the summer it asks and has no difficulty in getting as much as 1s. 3d. a thousand. But in the dead season work is so scarce in that place that the only alternative to offering these low terms is to dismiss the staff, and the staff prefer to be kept on at any terms. : Now, such an arrangement may be perfectly justifiable as between employer and employed ; its effect on the market is none the less deplorable. The fault is not with the typists, and not always (in fact, seldom, one imagines) with their employers. THE AUTHOR. Neither is the remedy altogether in their hands. It is hard to say what remedy there is. Can we expect them to take a noble altruistic attitude by foregoing their only chance of finding employment in this over-crowded market? Or may we hope for a more moral view on the part of the class which at least controls the out-put if it has no direct power over the price ? In all this I am sure I am displaying a wanton ignorance of economics. What does it matter, if it only provokes somebody else to display the sort of knowledge that suggests a remedy ? May SINcLarr. rs ARS LONGA—YITA BREVIS. a Scene: London.—A drawing-room in MAGDALEN Daty’s house. Time: The Present. PERSONS : Magpauen Daty, a novelist. CHARLOTTE JOHNSON, her friend. SCENE I. Cuar. What? After waiting years to get your work accepted, do you mean to say you're going to fling the whole thing up now ? Mac. Yes, no doubt whatever of my intentions. Do you see this? (Holds up a packet of papers.) To put me quite out of the reach of temptation, here goes my last manuscript. (Throws the packet anto the fire.) CuHar. Oh, Magdalen! Maa. Short work, wasn’t it ? (She watches the papers burning, while CHARLOTTE tries to save them witha poker.) Well, what do you think of me now ? I haven’t got a copy, you know ? Cuar. I think you insane. Why, editors are simply snapping at everything you send them, and in another year youd have made your name. And wasn’t George Matthews going to take you on his staff? What’ll you do about that ? Mac. Nothing ; [ve refused Mr. Matthews’ offer. CHAR. Whatever for ? Mac. I'll tell you, if you'll let that poker alone ; there’s no good raking among those ashes, they’re done for. Do listen instead of making that horrid row. Cuar. Well? (Drops the poker.) Mac. (shuddering). Oh! I knew you'd go and do that! Sit down and try and look more intelli- gent; I’m going to talk seriously—not that you'll  THE AUTHOR. understand it in the least. People are pleased to say my stories are “so true to life,” and I daresay they are. J’m not. I’ve never lived—never until now. CHAR. (with sublime contempt). Oh, now. Mag. I was fool enough to think I could run the two things comfortably together. But I can’t. Therefore, as you see, I’ve jilted “ art.” Car. But why—when there was another alternative Maa. Because—because art is long and can wait, and life is short and must be accepted now or never. Caar. Oh come, I can’t take ‘hat in ; what do you mean ? Mac. I mean that I’m going to marry Leslie Copeland, as you know. CHAR. Oh, now I see what you're driving at. You’re—actually—going to—sacrifice your career vo Mr. Copeland ? Mac. “Sacrifice” is not exactly the word I should use. CHar. Isn't it? He’saliterary man himself— would he do as much for you ? Maa. (with hesitation): He needn’t ; men are different, you see. CHarR. (with a sniff). Are they, are they ? Mac. Yes, you may blink the fact, since it seems to annoy you, but it remains. One woman can’t live two lives, though one man may. Cuar. He may, by shirking the responsibilities of both. Mac. No, by sheer strength. A man has more staying power, for the simple reason that he has more self-restraint. Car. Skittles! That’s the last thing he’s got. Maa. At any rate he doesn’t mix up his heart with his brains in order to write a novel. That’s what a woman does as arule; andit’s fatal. Say what you like, we are handicapped. You can never tell how a woman may end, but if a man’s an artist once, he’s an artist to the end of the chapter. His mind’s built in water-tight compartments, and if he springs a leak in one it doesn’t affect the rest, while ten to one a woman finds herself sinking before she knows there’s a storm. That’s where it is ; I couldn’t be Leslie’s wife and an artist (how I hate the word ! ) in the same lifetime. CHAR. Well, I can’t see it. Mac. Can’t you? Do you realise what it means? It means to live with your own ideas night and day, to be always listening to their voices, thinking their thoughts, till you see and hear and care for nothingelse. ‘T’o be Leslie’s wife means I can’t tell you, for I don’t know myself yet. I only know that the woman who puts her whole heart into a book won’t have much of it left for her husband. And I’m equally certain that I 149 should ruin Leslie’s life, if I went on working after I married him. I know the sort of things that would happen. Every word I write carries away a bit of me with it, and when my final masterpiece has left me as dull as a University Extension Lecturer, would it console Leslie to know that my works are full of sparkling dialogue ? Cuar. It ought to, if he wasn’t a selfish brute. But there’s no good arguing. I know most women are fools when there’s a man in the case, though I thought you had a soul above that sort of thing. Mac. Ah! You didn’t know me; I didn’t know myself a year ago. I believed I had a mind, perhaps a heart, and I was very positive I had a will ; but as for a “soul,” it wasn’t till I knew Leslie that I found out I had one. ‘There's another brilliant discovery for you. CHar. So you immediately go and commit suicide on the strength of it—throwing yourself away in this fashion ! Mac. Throwing—myself—away. Perhaps; but I gain more than I lose. CHar. And supposing you were to lose him 2 What would you do then? Maa. Then—I shouldn’t want to do any- thing. But why do you saggest such hideous possibilities ? Cuar. Because you talk as if life had no other interest for you beyond your absurd infatuation for that man. Why, life’s full of interests. Look at me Mac. You! I never saw a sadder sight—a woman who spends eight hours a day in an office, because she thinks it manly. (Stghs heavily.) Well, I suppose one can magnify one’s office—even if it is in the City. Cuar. (rising). Oh, it’s one opening, you know; then I’ve got my typewriting, that’s another. Catch me giving up my career! And if I’d your chances—well Maa. Then possibly you’d do as I do. Cuar. (shaking hands). Ymnot afool. Good- bye, dear, I must be off. What are you going to do next week ? Mac. Oh,my cousin Violet Laybourne’s coming up for the season, She’s promised to give up flirtation if I'll take her in for a month. She wants to see a little of life, so I shall have my hands full. Cuar. (meditatively). Yes. (Holding her at arm’s length and examining her critically.) Do you know, you really ought to get a smarter gown. ‘And—couldn’t you make rather more of your hair, ‘ or does Mr. Copeland like it best as it is ? I don’t know, really, Mac. (laughing). perhaps he does. (They kiss, and Charlotte goes out.)  AN INTERVAL OF SIX WEEKS. SCENE II. Cuar. (enthusiastically). Oh, yes, rather, dear, I’m getting on like a house on fire. I’m in your line now, you know—I do the ‘Notes for Our Pantry” column in Zhe Woman’s Weekly; it’s a good opening. And what are you doing ? Mae. (wearily). 1? Im doing nothing at present. (An awkward pause, ) Cuar. (tentatively). Is it true you’re not going to marry Mr. Copeland after all ? Mac. Yes, and it’s still truer that Mr. Cope- land’s not going to marry me. Cuar. Dear me, you don’t mean to say so! I heard the report, but I don’t know any particulars. Mac. There weren’t any. Cuar. Nonsense? How did it all happen ? Do tell me, dear, I’m dying to know. Maa. There’s nothing to tell; it was all over inaweek. Let me see——(couwnting on her fingers ) Violet came on a Monday. On Wednesday he began to protest against things in general. On Thursday he said he couldn’t stand the modern world and modern ideas—the decadents bored him, and the advanced people made him ill. On Friday he remarked, in a casual way, that I was terrifically complex—saturated with the modern spirit. All Saturday he talked about the simplicity of the golden age (she had on a sprigged white muslin blouse that day), and on Sunday he expressed a wish tu be in Arcady. At his own request I gave him leave to go there, and he’s there now, I believe, engaged to my cousin—a charming little anachronism. Cuyar. What? Has he thrown you over for her, the fluffy-brained thing? She’s only got one idea in her head. Mac. And that not a very modern one; Violet is simplicity itself. Don’t get excited, it’s all for the best, in this best of all possible worlds. Cnar. It isn’t, it’s shameful. Such a genius, too! Of course, that makes it all the worse to bear. My poor Magdalen, I know how you're feeling it, though you look as cool and hard as a cucumber. Well, there’s one consolation for you—they’ll be so miserable ! Maa. You consider that a comforting reflection? Cuar. I do. Serves him right, too! She won't care a rap about lis genius and all the rest of it ; she won’t understand one of the things he writes Maa. On the contrary, she thinks him “awfully clever’; and if she doesn’t, what matter? He can apreal from Violet to posterity. As I once THE AUTHOR. remarked before, Art is long, and—the future wil} be his. CHar. (rising indignantly). It’s hers, too; can’t you see that? Or don’t you care? Why, that little idiot will simply wear his fame as the finest feather in her cap! Mac. Possibly. Violet always had excellent taste in dress. (Looks abstractedly at a photograph on the mantelshelf. ) Cuar. (afler an awkward pause). Well. Come and see me soon, dear. ( They part.) Mace. ((o the photograph). Oh, Leslie, I wouldn’t. mind if only you had a future. — a CORRESPONDENCE. 1 Mr. Grorce Russevt ano “ Tus Nortu AMERICAN REVIEW.” Srr,—A recent article in Zhe Author has been brought to my notice, dealing with Mr. George Russell’s letter to the Zimes respecting his article in the North American Review upon the late Sir William Harcourt. It is stated in your comments upon this topic that you ‘understand that the editor had notice of the writer’s objection ” to the article appearing after Sir William’s death. In fairness to my colleague at New York, I must. inform you that this was not the case, as Mr. Russell’s remonstrance was only made upon seeing the article in the November number. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, G. LEVESON GOWER (European representative of the North American Review). —— oe THE VALUE OF “ORIGINALS.” I. Sir,—Permit me to draw attention to the important case reported in The Daily Telegraph, with the title of “‘ Weather Vanes,” on Dee. 20,. 1804, and in preceding issues. Several editors gave evidence in the case, and substantially agreed with that of Mr. Stanley Wood, who put the whole matter in a few words. by the definite statement that originals, ae, original drawings, sent to a magazine were the property of the proprietor, unless there were some special contract. The claim of £173 for plaintiff's. eleven designs was outrageous ; ten shillings each was sufficient.  y # Antoni er, THE AUTHOR. What I desire to know is, by what right does an original sent to a magazine become “the pro- perty of the proprietor?” Does the same claim extend to original written contributions ? The greatest puzzle of all is to know how the editor came to appraise the value of the originals at “ten shillings each.” On his own showing such an original must, if sent to him, have become his own “property.” Then why give “ten shillings” for what belongs to you already ? Will anyone explain this ? Waiter W. SKEAT. + II. Sir,—By a happy printer's accident, whereby Dr. Skeats’s letter appeared in proof on certain galleys which you were so good as to send me, I have had the luck to see and read it before other readers of 7'e Author. Will you therefore kindly aliow me to play the humble part of the mouse in the fable to this king of letters, who has himself often befriended me in greater matters. The question he proposes is this: I sell to a magazine either the copyright or the serial right (or both) in certain drawings—to whom do the actual drawings afterwards belong ? Now, in four cases out of five, the actual drawings have, after reproduction and publication, little saleable value. The result of this upon these business transactions is that artists have grown careless about their rights. They sell the drawings —that is, copyright, serial rights, and the physical property in the drawings. True, they do not actually intend to sell so much, and there is the vice of the whole matter. Artists and authors are only now waking up to the fact that they should practice the same methods of doing business as other business men. A photographer, for example, sends an editor a printed form, explicitly stating the right given— including size and the vehicle which alone is to carry the right. But as regards artists, my experience is that only the older men ever dream of subdividing and reserving their rights. Yet this matter is quite simple. An artist has only to say : “ Please note, I sell you only such and such right, reserving all others to myself; and the originals are to remain my property, and to be returned to me after reproduction.” The portentous words “special contract” mean nothing more than this. The same thing applies to MSS. In this case, similarly, only the actual MSS. of celebrated men is of money value. Ruskin’s MSS., for example, have changed hands at considerable prices since his death. But there is no reason why authors who believe the MSS. of their works will one day be valuable should not reserve the right in them and get them back. 151 Why an editor who loses drawings should, on a claim being made for them, estimate their value at: ten shillings each”’—although he believes them to be his own property—this appears to be one of those judicial jokes which are funny only to the onlookers. : CG. YV. A: Malpas, Chesire. eC SWORD AND PEN. Str,—I have read with much pleasure Mr. Horace Wyndham’s interesting article, ‘“ Sword and Pen,” in the December number of Z'he Author. May I suggest that a list so comprehensive as to include Julius Ceesar and “ Linesman ” should also contain the name of that well-known Canadian Imperialist Lieut.-Colonel George T. Denison, whose *‘ Modern Cavalry,” published in 1868, was afterwards translated into both German and Russian, and was the undoubted source of certain reforms and improvements in the cavalry of the former nation. Colonel Denison’s “ History of Cavalry,” for which he obtained the prize of 5,000 roubles offered by the Czar for the best work on the subject in 1877, is also well known; while his “ Soldiering in Canada,” published in Toronto and England four years ago, is one of the most interesting and chatty of military autobiographies. It is a significant fact that “ Modern Cavalry” and “The History of Cavalry” have had their greatest vogue among foreign military readers, who were not slow to perceive their value. In England, where the military constitution is subject to chronic conservatism, it was perhaps considered an unheard-of and disagreeable innovation that the best works on the topics treated should pro- ceed from the pen of a colonial citizen-soldier, out- side of the sacred pale of the “ regulars,” who, at the time he wrote them, was industriously following his profession of law. I do not think for a moment that this had anything to do with the exclusion of Colonel Denison’s name from Mr. Wyndham’s chronicle. Since tne Boer War we have had to come to the conclusion that the citizen- soldier will be the soldier of the future, and that it is upon his competence, in a great measure, that the fortunes of war will depend. Bernarpd McEvoy. Vancouver, B.C. oo Book BrGaaars. Sir,—Authors have for years been more or less subjected to the annoyance of applications for free copies of their works, all kinds of specious reasons being given by the writers. This system appears to be a very cheap way of forming a library, and from the recent increase In the number of such applications it is apparently a  152 successful one. I can understand some people wishing to possess more or less entertaining books without paying for them, but when they apply for the dry stuff I write (technical) it would appear likely that there is a channel where they get rid of them at a profit. During the last few months I have had several such applications from complete strangers, couched, I need hardly say, in the most flattering terms ; but as my vanity was satiated years ago I refused them all. From what I hear, this sort of thing appears likely to become an unmitigated nuisance unless checked, and my object in writing is to ask all authors to absolutely refuse such unfair requests. Literature, luckily, has its compensations, but most of us do not write entirely for amusement. If our begging friends happened to be hatters or drapers, for instance, what would they think if authors called and asked to be presented with a new silk hat—or say one trimmed with ostrich feathers for nothing—Verbum sap. Yours faithfully, M. Powis Baus, M.I.C.E. a oe TITLES. Srr,—Will you allow me to uplift my humble voice and air three grievances ? I wrote a children’s book called “Pat” which sold merrily for some years. Suddenly I found the title changed to “ Patricia” without my know- ledge or consent, because some other publisher had a book of that name (which I never heard of) and insisted on my title being changed. Some twenty years ago I read a charming novel called “The Sword of Damocles.” Quite lately I saw it advertised in a sixpenny edition. I ordered it, and find myself possessed of a sensational tale by a totally different author. This Christmas I ordered what purported to be a new edition of “ Mrs. Leycester’s School.” I find all the delightful account of the school, including the young ladies fighting and scratching, is entirely omitted. The book consists merely of the histories related by the aforesaid young ladies. Should it not have been advertised as abridged ? The ways of the publisher as regards titles are too much for me. Puzziep. ee IncomE Tax FOR AUTHORS. DEAR Srr,—Your counsel’s admirable com- parison between authorship and coachbuilding has filled me with such profound conviction that I venture to ask him or any other kind Christian soul to resolve a few difficulties which still stand in the way of my adopting it as an axiom. We may take it for granted, I presume, that THE AUTHOR. both author and coachbuilder are God’s creatures of a day, that their brains are about equal, that they both, alas ! have to pay an iniquitous tax on brains. Also that the brains of a coachbuilder and an author equally require raw material on which to work. The coachbuilder’s is, let us say, largely varnish, with minor items of wood, iron, horsehair, etc., superadded. Of all these he has a supply only limited by his purchasing power. The author like- wise has pen, ink, paper in quantities only limited by his pocket. So far it seems as if both brains had a satisfactory medium in which to work. But unfortunately pen, ink, paper and brains do not make it possible to produce imaginative or creative work indefinitely. There is such a phrase “ He has written himself out.” There is no phrase “ He has coach-built himself out.” Why? Because the building of one coach does not in any way detract from the builder’s power of production, while it adds to his technical skill. In like manner the writing of fiction adds or ought to add technical skill to the author, but it also uses up irrevocably plot, incident, description, all of which are limited in relation to the limited experience. Take my own case. I was five and twenty years laboriously buying with time, brains, health the raw material for “On the Face of the Waters.” I can use none of that material again. But I was not allowed to deduct anything for deterioration of plant, while the coachbuilder may buy a new varnish brush at the expense of the State! It may be said that this applies equally to others besides authors. Undoubtedly it does to all en- gaged in any brain work in which the only raw material available is a by-product of the same brain. But a very little consideration will show clearly that, strictly speaking, the only brain work of this character is imaginative art. Take the case of a doctor or lawyer. If they work themselves out it is from no lack of raw material. The sick and the litigious are with us always. In addition each case of diphtheria or divorce treated, so far from being deterioration of plant, adds to the likelihood and possibility of treating exactly similar cases. Whereas, so far as my experience as an author goes, the only phrase which once uttered in black and white is not gone for ever is “ My Darling.” The B. P. does not mind repetition in a love scene. All else, plot, incident, description, is so much clear deterioration of a plant which is . necessarily limited by the personal experience of the brain which is at once raw material and manu- facturer. May I therefore beg your counsel to give his analogy in detail. F. A. STEEL. Talgarth Hall, Machynlleth. 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. 15 Issue 05 (February 1905) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 15 Issue 05 (February 1905) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1905-02-01-The-Author-15-5 publications The Author