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Title
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The Author
Subject
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<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=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&collection=&type=&tags=&exhibit=&date_search_term=&submit_search=Search+For+Items&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
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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)
1914-01-01
Volume
24
Issue
4
Pages
Page range in volume
93–122
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19140101
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Che HMuthbor.
(The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors.
FOUNDED BY SIR
Monthly.)
WALTER BESANT.
Vor. XXIV.—No. 4.
JANUARY 1, 1914.
[PRIcE SIXPENCE.
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
874 VICTORIA.
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS:
AUTORIDAD, LONDON.
—
NOTICES.
—+—~<9+—_
RR the opinions expressed in papers that
are signed or initialled the authors alone
are responsible. None of the papers or
paragraphs 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 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.
ARTICLES AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
Tue Editor of The Author begs to remind
members of the Society that, although the
paper is sent to them free of cost, its production
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.
subscription for the year.
Communications for The Author should be
addressed to the offices of the Society, 1, Cen-
tral Buildings, Tothill Street, Westminster,
S.W., and should reach the Editor not later
than the 21st of each month.
Communications and letters are invited by
ed Editor on all literary matters treated from
on. X IV,
the standpoint of art or business, but on no
other subjects whatever. Every effort will be
made to return articles which cannot be
accepted.
ADVERTISEMENTS,
Messrs. Matthews’ Advertising Service,
Staple Inn Buildings, High Holborn, W.C.,
will act as agents for advertisements for
“The Author.” All communications respect-
ing advertisements should be addressed to
them.
As there seems to be an impression among
readers of The Author that the Committee are
personally responsible for the bona fides of the
advertisers, the Committee desire it to be stated
that this is not, and could not possibly be, the
ease. Although care is exercised that no
undesirable advertisements be inserted, they
do not accept, and never have accepted, any
liability.
Members should apply to the Secretary for
advice if special information is desired.
+—> +
THE SOCIETY’S FUNDS.
gg
ROM time to time members of the Society
desire to make donations to its funds in
recognition of work that has been done
for them. The Committee, acting on the
suggestion of one of these members, have
decided to place this permanent paragraph in
The Author in order that members may be
cognisant of those funds to which these con-
tributions may be paid.
The funds suitable for this purpose are:
(1) The Capital Fund. This fund is kept in
reserve in case it is necessary for the Society to
incur heavy expenditure, either in fighting a
question of principle, or in assisting to obtain
copyright reform, or in dealing with any other
* 3 i
THE AUTHOR.
MR. GOSSE’S ESSAYS.*
oe
volume of Mr. Gosse’s
collected essays will be welcomed
alike by those who made the ac-
quaintance of these particular essays when
they first appeared, and by those to whom they
are new. Few writers, past or present, can
invest with so much charm the critical and
anecdotal saunter round the shelves of a
book-room as our author. Few, too, have such
sane views of what a library should be—“ a
small one, where the books are carefully
selected and thoughtfully arranged in accord-
ance with one central code of taste, and intended
to be respectfully consulted at any moment by
the master of their destinies.”’ If fortune made
him possessor of one book of excessive value,
Mr. Gosse tells us, he would hasten to part
with it. This is true wisdom. The first
quarto of “Hamlet” may be left to the
Transatlantic millionaire.
The essays before us range over a vast
period of literary history. From Camden’s
‘“‘ Britannia,” early in the sixteenth century,
they travel by degrees to Meredith’s “‘ Shaving
of Shagpat.” The first and the last, it will be
seen, deal with well-known works. Perhaps
the most pleasing, however, are those which
take as their subject obscure or forgotten
books —such as Wither’s ‘‘ Shepheards
Hunting,” Lady Winchilsea’s “ Miscellany
Poems,” Farquhar’s ‘“‘ Love and Business,”
and that extraordinary panegyric on prize-
fighting, “‘ The Fancy,” of which the author
was Keats’s friend, John Hamilton Reynolds,
disguised under the alias of Peter Corcoran.
The last-named essay—for it takes its title
from the title of _Reynold’s book—is an
admirable example of the man of letters at the
ring-side. With what gusto does Mr. Gosse
quote Corcoran’s apology to his lady-love :-—
“ Forgive me, and never, oh never again,
Tl cultivate light blue or brown inebriety ;
Tl give up all chance of a fracture or sprain,
And part, worst of all, with Pierce Egan’s society.”
and explain that “heavy brown with a dash
of blue in it’ was the fancy phrase for stout
mixed with gin !
There may be those to whom it seems
grotesque to turn the pen to discourse of such
things as these. To them may be commended
the lines from Samuel Daniel’s “* Musophilus,”
which Mr. Gosse quotes as the motto of his
book, beginning
**O blessed Letters, that combine in one
All ages past, and make one live with all. . . .”
* “Gossip in a Library,” by Edmund Gosse, C.B.
London; William Heinemann.
HE second
CORRESPONDENCE.
—~> + ——
** ONLY.”’
Sir,—The irritating misuse of the word
‘only ’? to which your correspondent “ Richard
Free ” called attention in your last issue, is by
no means confined to careless writers. Many
who denounce the split infinitive have not yet
had their grammatical consciousness awakened
to this solecism. For example, I have culled
the following three passages from the latest
edition of ‘“‘ The King’s English,” the best
book we have on the ill-treatment of English.
‘“ We shall now only make three general
remarks before proceeding to details.”’
‘““The mistakes are nearly always on one
side, the infinitive being the form that should
only be used with caution.”
“For a person’s name can only require a
defining cause to distinguish him from others
of the same name.”
The intended meanings are certainly not
“only make,’ ‘“‘ only require,”’ or “ only be
used,’’ as a moment’s analysis shows.
This is perhaps the commonest error in both
spoken and written English at the present day ;
once perceived, it is undoubtedly one of the
most irritating, and your correspondent
deserves thanks for calling attention to it.
I am,
Your obedient servant,
Ernest A. Baker.
SE ann a a
New anp AMUSING TRICK OF THE
Lirersary AGENT.
Dear S1r,—The literary agent has found a
new way of amusing his authors. He has a
special cheque printed with a receipt upon the
back which requires a penny stamp. He pays
his author with one of these cheques and of
course does not stamp his receipt. The author
is abroad, or he has only embossed envelopes
upon his desk, and the fun begins. Publishers
are taking up this delightful little novelty.
The author finds on the back of the publisher’s
cheque a printed receipt, in which he is invited
to make over to the publisher all sorts of rights
he never sold when the. bargain was made.
Any alteration of the receipt invalidates the
cheque. Letters, explanations, recriminations.
What an infernal nuisance all this
smartness is!
X,
(The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors.
Monthly.)
Che Author.
FOUNDED BY SIR
WALTER BESANT.
VoL. XXIV.—No. 4.
JANUARY 1, 1914.
[PRICE SIXPENCE.
TELEPHONE NuMBER:
874 VICTORIA.
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS:
AUTORIDAD, LONDON.
———
NOTICES.
a
RR the opinions expressed in papers that
are signed or initialled the authors alone
are responsible. None of the papers or
paragraphs 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 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.
ARTICLES AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
Tue Editor of The Author begs to remind
' members of the Society that, although the
paper is sent to them free of cost, its production
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.
subscription for the year.
Communications for The Author should be
addressed to the offices of the Society, 1, Cen-
tral Buildings, Tothill Street, Westminster,
S.W., and should reach the Editor not later
than the 21st of each month.
Communications and letters are invited by
~ Editor on all literary matters treated from
ou. X IV,
the standpoint of art or business, but on no
other subjects whatever. Every effort will be
made to return articles which cannot be
accepted.
ADVERTISEMENTS.
Messrs. Matthews’ Advertising Service,
Staple Inn Buildings, High Holborn, W.C.,
will act as agents for advertisements for
“The Author.” All communications respect-
ps advertisements should be addressed to
them.
As there seems to be an impression among
readers of The Author that the Committee are
personally responsible for the bona fides of the
advertisers, the Committee desire it to be stated
that this is not, and could not possibly be, the
ease. Although care is exercised that no
undesirable advertisements be inserted, they
do not accept, and never have accepted, any
liability.
Members should apply to the Secretary for
advice if special information is desired.
—- +
THE SOCIETY’S FUNDS.
Seg
ROM time to time members of the Society
desire to make donations to its funds in
recognition of work that has been done
for them. The Committee, acting on the
suggestion of one of these members, have
decided to place this permanent paragraph in
The Author in order that members may be
cognisant of those funds to which these con-
tributions may be paid.
The funds aatable for this purpose are:
(1) The Capital Fund. This fund is kept in
reserve in case it is necessary for the Society to
incur heavy expenditure, either in fighting a
question of principle, or in assisting to obtain
copyright reform, or in dealing with any other
* 2 ;
94
matter closely connected with the work of the
Society. : :
(2) The Pension Fund This fund is slowly
increasing, and it is hoped will, in time, cover
the needs of all the members of the Society.
—_———_+ <> —___——__
THE PENSION FUND.
— 1
N January, the secretary of the Society
I laid before the trustees of the Pension
Fund the accounts for the year 1912, as
settled by the accountants. After giving the
matter full consideration, the trustees in-
structed the secretary to invest a sum of £300
in the purchase of Buenos Ayres Great
Southern Railway 4% Extension Shares, 1914,
£10 fully paid. The number of shares pur-
chased at the current price was twenty-five
and the amount invested £296 1s. 1ld. The
trustees are also purchasing three more Central
Argentine Railway New Shares at par, on
which as holders of the Ordinary Stock they
have an option.
The trustees desire to thank the members
of the Society for the continued support which
they have given to the Pension Fund.
The nominal value of the investments held
on behalf of the Pension Fund now amounts
to £4,764 6s., details of which are fully set out
in the following schedule :—
Nominal Value.
6.1 d
Local LOANS: ..........-¢-s.--- 500 0 0
Victoria Government 3% Consoli-
dated Inscribed Stock ........ 291 19 11
London and North-Western 3%
Debenture Stock ............ 250 0 0
Egyptian Government Irrigation
Trust 4% Certificates ........ 200 0 0
Cape of Good Hope 33% Inscribed
StoGk, $3 occ lice ots dn 200 0 0
Glasgow and South-Western Rail-
way 4% Preference Stock 228 0 0
New Zealand 34% Stock ....... 247 9 6
Trish Land 22% Guaranteed Stock 258 0 0
Corporation of London 23%
Stock, 1927-57). 0.5 scenes cus 438. 2 4
Jamaica 34% Stock, 1919—49 .. 182 18 6
Mauritius 4% 1987 Stock ....... 120 12 1
Dominion of Canada, C.P.R. 84%
Land Grant Stock, 1988 ...... 198 8 8
Antofagasta and Bolivian Railway
5% Preferred Stock .......... 237 0 0
Central Argentine Railway Or-
dinary Stock ....... veavcan. &. 282:.0..0
THE AUTHOR.
Nominal Value.
£ &@
$2,000 Consolidated Gas and
Electric Company of Baltimore
44% Gold Bonds ........--. 400 0 0
250 Edward Lloyd, Ltd., £1 5%
Preference Shares ........+.-- 250 0 0
55 Buenos Ayres Great Southern
Railway 4% Extension Shares,
1914 (fully paid) ............ 550 0 0 &
8 Central Argentine Railway £10
Preference Shares, New Issue.. 30 0 0
Total 2. i263 ce £4,764 6 0
PENSION FUND.
—+~> +
Tue list printed below includes all fresh dona-
tions and subscriptions (i.e., donations and |
subscriptions not hitherto acknowledged)
received by, or promised to, the fund from
April, 1913.
It does not include either donations given
prior to January, nor does it include sub-
scriptions paid in compliance with promises
made before it.
Subscriptions.
19138.
April 8, Caulfield-Stoker, T. .
June 12, Wimperis, Arthur .
June 16, Ballantyne, J. W.
June 16, Thorold, Rupert
Oct. 8, Rees, Miss Rosemary
Oct. 8, Pearce, J. 2 : :
Oct. 9, Drummond, Miss Florence
Oct. 9, Rumbold, Hugo
Oct. 13, Knowles, Miss
Oct. 20, Collison, Harry :
Oct. 21, Buchanan, Miss Meriel
Oct. 25, Baker, E. A. . ;
Nov. 6, Bentley, E. C. :
Nov. 6, Petersen, Miss Margaret
Nov. 7, Lang, Mrs. John
Nov. 19, Langferte, Raymond
Nov. 24, Webb, W. Trego
Nov. 24, Mackenzie, Compton
Dec. 4, Vansittart, Robert
Dec. 4, Lunn, Arnold . :
Dec. 4, Stewart, Miss Marie .
Dec. 4, Berry, Miss Ana
Dec. 4, Vallois, Miss Grace
Dec. 17, Beresford, J. D.
1913.
CUMANOAH As
—
_
SOHO Ot OS OS Or Or Or Or St Or Oc Or
cococacocosososcoscooossoooooF®
ecocoooreoccoocoosorososooororoth
—
Donations.
April 2, Daniel, E. H. . ; .
April 2, Hain, H.M. . : » 0 45
oon
THE AUTHOR. 95
th
~%
April 7, Taylor, Miss Sueties M. .
April 7, Harding, Newman . ‘
April 9, Strachey, Miss Amabel .
April 10, Aspinall, Algernon.
April 15, Craig, Gordon ; .
April, Robbins, Miss Alice
June 12, Peel, Mrs... :
June 18, Barlow, Miss Hilaré :
June 13, Kynnersley, E. M. Sneyd.
July 5, Williams, Robert . .
July 11, Broadbent, D. R. . ‘
July 22, Cameron, Mrs. Charlotte .
Sept. 29, Peacock, Mrs. F. M.
Sept. 30, Wallis-Healy, F. <
Oct. 7, Darwin, Sir Francis . :
Oct. 9, Carroll, Sydney Wentworth
Oct. 21, Troubetzkoy, The Princess
Oct. 27, Frankish, Harold ;
Oct. 30, Rossman, Miss
Nov. 3, Holland, Theodore
Noy. 3, Steane, Bruce
Noy. 3, Batty, Mrs. Braithwaite
Nov. 10, Elvington, Miss Helen
Nov. 10, Waterbury, Mrs. . <
Dec. 5, Dymock, R. G. Vaughton .
Dec. 6, Macdonald, Miss Julia :
Dec. 11, Little, Mrs. Archibald. . 1
Dec. 11, Topham, Miss Ann .
_
_
CSOT RK ON OLOTOO CONN EH OOOOH ae Ok OO:
—
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COCFrFSOOCOCOCOOCOSOHOCOUOCONKE RK OCOCSCOoFrEoooSO
eg eg
COMMITTEE NOTES.
| last meeting of the Committee of
Management for 1913 was held at the
offices of the Society on December 1.
After the reading of the minutes of the previous
meeting, the committee proceeded with the
election of members. Thirty-three members
and associates were elected. The committee
are pleased to state that the elections this year
have exceeded the number elected in 1912, and
give the Society another record, 349 members
and associates having been elected. The
committee then accepted with regret eight
resignations, bringing the resignations for the
year up to ninety-one. Here, again, the com-
mittee may congratulate the members. The
resignations are slightly fewer than in 1912,
when the number was ninety-nine. It must
be remembered that in proportion to the size
of the Society the decrease is even more marked
than might, at first sight, seem apparent.
The solicitor of the Society then reported on
the cases with which he had been dealing during
the month.
The first, which has been running on for
some time, arose out of a dispute on accounts.
It is possible this matter may be settled by
the purchase outright by the publisher of
the member’s copyright.
The next matter referred to a dispute as to
the payment by a certain publisher of an
amount due, the publisher having disclaimed
the full liability owing to non-fulfilment of
part of the contract by the author. A sum
has now been agreed in settlement.
In the last issue, reference was made to
a difficult case. An agent had sold certain
rights in an article to an American magazine
without referring the question of price to the
author. The American magazine insisted on
its strict legal rights, in spite of the author’s
wishes to the contrary. It appeared, after
investigation, that the agent had exceeded his
instructions, and, in consequence, that the
editor of the American paper, from his point of
view, had acted within his rights, the only
claim open to the author being against the
agent for exceeding his authority. Another
question arose out of a dispute between author
and publisher, dealing with the publication
of a book. At the author’s suggestion, she
attended personally and explained the full
details to the committee. The committee
carefully considered the rights of the matter
from every point of view, the Society’s solicitor
setting out the legal position. After full dis-
cussion, the committee came to the conclusion
that the publisher had not broken or exceeded
his contract, and there was no legal claim
enforceable by the member against him. The
solicitor was instructed to report to the member
accordingly.
The solicitors then reported that the Society’s
case, Corelli v. Gray, taken to the Court of
Appeal at the instance of the defendant, had
been heard, and that judgment had been given
in that Court in confirmation of the judgment
given in the court below. A report of the case
appeared in the December issue of The Author.
In a dispute between author and publisher
on the terms of a contract the committee
decided to go ahead.
The next question dealt with the delay in
publication of a book. The solicitors had
already received instructions to bring pressure
on the publisher, and the committee decided
that whatever steps might be necessary to
ensure early publication should be taken.
In a dispute arising between an author and a
magazine relating to infringement of copyright,
the solicitors reported that a settlement had
been reached on the basis that the editor had
96
agrecd to publish an apology drafted on behalf
of the member.
A member of the Society appealed to the
committee in the following circumstances :—
A book had been published by a certain
firm for the member, but had been adver-
tised in the publisher’s lists as by another
author. The matter had been taken in hand
at once. The publisher had expressed his
regret and had undertaken to do what he could
to remedy the mistake. This settlement had
been agreed to by the author.
A dispute on one of the unsatisfactory con-
tracts which authors so often make, binding
themselves in respect of future books, had
arisen. The question at issue was the number
of books which had been offered to the pub-
lisher and the royalties payable on those
accepted. The matter was one of importance,
as the amount of the author’s royalty depended
upon the correct interpretation of the agree-
ment. The solicitors advised that they con-
sidered the author had a sound case, and
the matter will be submitted to arbitration
under a clause in the agreement to that
effect.
In three small claims for moneys due the
solicitor reported that in the first case he had
signed judgment. -In the second case he had
issued a summons, and in the third he
proposed now to take steps to commit the
defendant for contempt of court as he had
failed to attend an appointment to be examined
before the Master. The committee authorised
these proceedings.
A difficult case arose under an agreement
executed some years ago, in which it was
claimed that the acting rights in a play included
the cinematograph rights. It was decided to
await further developments and the committee
instructed the solicitors to report fully when
further information was to hand.
The next matter related to a dispute between
two members of the Society as to whether one
member had infringed the other’s copyright.
The solicitor was given instructions, having
heard statements from both parties, to
endeavour to arrange a settlement, and if
unsuccessful, to offer to have the matter
settled by an arbitrator appointed by the
Society’s committee. The result will be
reported to the next meeting.
The secretary then reported to the committee
certain eases which had arisen, which had not
been in the hands of the solicitors.
The first was an alleged breach of contract
by an Australian editor. It was decided to
place the matter in the hands of a lawyer in
THE AUTHOR.
Australia if the solicitors of the Society advised
the claim was a sound one.
In a case of dispute between a member of the
Society and‘an agent which had been placed
before the Society by the agent, the committee
decided it was impossible for them to advise
the agent as to the course to be pursued, the
advice, if any, only being available to the
member and at his request.
The secretary reported that in a case which
the committee had agreed to take in Germany
subject to the approval of the member con-
cerned—for whom counsel’s opinion had been
taken—the member, after consideration, had
decided not to trouble the Society any further.
An important case being fought out in
America—important to all authors—English
and American—had been brought to the notice’
of the Society, not only by the American
Authors’ League, but by an American member
of the Society. The committee decided to
assist the Authors’ League of America to fight
the case as they considered a judgment on the
issues of vital importance to all authors.
Another American case involving questions as
to the international arrangements between the
United States and England was brought to
the notice of the committee, and the committee
decided to put the full details before the Board
of Trade or whatever Government office might
be competent to deal with the details.
In another case in the United States—a
dispute between an author and an agent—it
was decided, on the author’s statement that
he did not wish to press the matter, to write
to the agent to draw his attention to the
unsatisfactory nature of the explanation given.
The question of the right of the Income Tax
Commissioners to demand from publishers
detailed statements of the sums paid in
royalties to their authors was considered, and
it was decided to obtain counsel’s opinion on a
matter which was of such vital importance to
authors.
The secretary reported that, owing to the
pressure of work at the office, it had been found
absolutely essential to engage a new clerk.
The engagement was confirmed by the com-
mittee.
A letter from Sir Alfred Bateman, who was
unable to attend the meeting, was read. It
dealt with certain important questions of
international copyright in which he had been
working for the benefit of the Society. The
committee expressed their thanks to Sir Alfred
for his labours.
The committee sanctioned the drawing of a
cheque for Christmas boxes for the clerks of
nesinematerer mn
alg
ue |
fe |
THER AUTHOR.
the Society as the work of the Society had been
successful during the year. They also sanc-
tioned the purchase of certain office furniture.
Mr. Rann Kennedy received the thanks of
the committee for his generous action in paying
costs ineurred by the Society in a copyright
ease in Winnipeg. The amount—£15—was
paid into the capital account.
The committee also thanked Mr. Banister
Fletcher for a donation of £5 5s. to the same
fund.
The questions of loans to authors and the
International Gathering of 1915 were adjourned
to the next meeting.
te
Dramatic SuB-CoMMITTEE.
Tue December meeting of the Dramatic
Sub-Committee was held on Friday, Decem-
ber 19, at three o’clock.
After the reading of the minutes, the
secretary reported that the draft Royalty
Agreement, with notes and comments, had not
yet been finally settled, but that the delegates
appointed to settle it hoped to be able to lay it
before the sub-committee at the next meeting.
The secretary read some very interesting
letters he had received from the secretary of
the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs
Dramatiques in regard to cinema rights in
France, and laid on the table an agreement
which had been settled for the marketing of
these rights. He was instructed to make
further enquiries of the French society, and to
inform the society that the sub-committee
would be ready to consider any proposal for an
international conference.
The secretary also read a letter on the same
matter from Mr. Rex Beach, who was acting
for the United States Author’s League, and he
was requested to thank Mr. Beach for his
letter.
The sub-committee then settled their
nominees for the coming year, and a notice will
be sent round to the dramatic section in due
course.
The question of placing powers of attorney
in the hands of foreign lawyers was again con-
sidered, and a draft power of attorney was laid
on the table. The matter was referred to the
Committee of Management for their sanction.
An interesting letter from an American
lawyer to Mr, Charles Frohman, setting out the
method by which dramatic copyright could be
secured in Canada, was read to the sub-
committee, and the secretary was instructed
to enquire of Mr, Frohman whether he would
97
have any objection to its being published in
The Author.
Mr. Jerome put before the sub-committee
an important case in which he was involved,
and the sub-committee referred the matter to
the Committee of Management for their favour-
able consideration.
The secretary then pointed out the necessity
for dramatists to register their plays in
Australia, in order that they might obtain the
benefit of the summary proceedings under the
Australian Act. He was instructed to write to
the Registrar in Australia to obtain full details,
with registration forms, if possible, so that the
Society might carry through such registration
on behalf of its members.
One of the members of the sub-committee
raised the question of the interference of
middlemen between dramatic authors and
managers, and the secretary was instructed to
write a paragraph on the point for insertion in
The Author. —
—>
Composers’ SuB-COMMITTEE.
Tue December meeting of the Composers’
Sub-Committee was held on Saturday,
December 18, at No. 1, Central Buildings,
Tothill Street, Westminster, S.W., at 11 a.m.
After the minutes of the former meeting
were read and signed, the sub-committee
considered the following questions :—
The secretary reported that a paragraph
had been sent to the papers, and also men-
tioned the papers in which it had appeared.
It was hoped that this paragraph might have
some effect in bringing composers more
closely together,
Arising out of this it was suggested that an
article should be written in one of the papers
dealing with mechanical reproduction and
composers’ rights, and the secretary was
instructed to see whether he could get such an
article inserted in one of the London papers.
The sub-committee next considered the
question of stamps on mechanical instruments.
It appeared that the stamps which, under the
Board of Trade regulations, had been affixed
to mechanical reproductions, were often falling
off. The companies whose duty it was to
affix the stamps, stated that all they had to
prove was that the stamps were affixed, and
that if the stamps dropped off, the fault was
due to the copyright owners who had supplied
stamps inadequately gummed. The sub-
committee thought the matter of serious
importance, as it was very difficult to check
piracies unless the matter was carried out
98
according to the spirit of the Act. It was
decided to write to other collecting agencies
with a view to joint action being taken in
submitting the matter to the Board of Trade.
Another question arose as to the supplying
of stamps in foreign countries, and the sub-
committee decided to accept a proposal at
any rate, for one year, put forward by one of
the foreign collecting socicties, in order to test
a suggestion that they had made.
The question of the loaning of orchestral
parts and works by certain lending libraries
attached to music publishing houses was con-
sidered. The arrangement frequently left the
composer with no monetary reward, and it
appeared clear that if the idea was carried
forward to any great extent, it would be
possible for the publishers to avoid paying
any very large sums in royalties, owing to the
fact that the publishers need not sell, but
might only loan the composers’ works.
The next question had reference to the
prices which the composers of comic songs
received for their performing rights and
mechanical instrument rights. The secretary
was instructed to obtain further information.
Members of the Committee, also, promised to
obtain information and report.
An article written on instructions given by the
sub-committee at their former meeting, deal-
ing with the collection of mechanical fees, was
read, and the sub-committee decided, with
the approval of the Committee of Management,
that the article should appear in The Author.
They also decided, with the approval of the
committee of Management, that the com-
poser’s pamphlet should be printed, containing
the secretary’s article on The Commercial
Side of Music, the article by Mr. E. J. Mac-
Gillivray on Composers’ Rights, and a Com-
posers’ Royalty Agreement, when it is settled.
It is hoped these matters will be carried through
in the beginning of the year.
The arrangements for the meeting with the
delegates of the Society of British Composers
were finally settled, and a report will be sub-
mitted to the next meeting of the sub-
committee.
The question of agents’ fees in foreign
countries was considered and adjourned,
pending the arrival of further information
which was expected before the next meeting
of the sub-committee. The consideration of
the royalty agreement was also adjourned.
oe
THE AUTHOR.
Cases.
Durine the past month there have been
eighteen cases in the hands of the secretary.
There were four cases, disputes on agree-
ments, two of which have been negotiated ;
one has been placed in the hands of the
Society’s solicitors and one has only recently
come to the office.
In two claims for MSS. from editors, the
MSS. have been returned and forwarded to the
authors.
There has been one application for accounts
and money, but as the matter lies in the
United States, it will be some time before it
is possible to report the result.
There have been ten applications on behalf
of members for default of payment; four of
these have been successfully carried through ;
three have had to be placed in the hands of the
Society’s solicitors, and of the remaining three,
two have only recently come to the office, and
the last one is in course of negotiation.
In one case of infringement of copyright, the
infringement has been acknowledged and the
matter has been settled.
Of the eighteen cases three were in foreign
countries. It is useful to note that the
number of complaints which the Society is
asked to settle outside the British Isles
increases monthly.
There are three cases open from former
months, not counting those which have had
to be placed in the hands of the Society’s
solicitors. Of these two are in the United
States and one is in Canada. It is hoped,
however, that negotiations will be carried
through successfully, indeed in one case the
matter seems almost to be at an end.
——
December Elections.
Armstrong, Cecil Ferard 164, Ebury Street,
S.W.
Smith Street,
Barnby, Miss. ;
Westminster, S.W.
Berry, Ana M. . . 8, Sloane Court,
S.W.
Bradley, Miss Edith Greenway Court,
Hollingbourne,
Kent.
Coales, H. G. (“‘ Market
Harborough ’’).
Coats-Bush, W. . :
Market Harborough.
Villa Vecchia, Davos
Dorg, Switzerland.
6, Pembroke Walk
Studios, Kensing-
ton, W.
Cook, Miss Margaret C.
-
q
fi
hp ea
Comper,
Cotes,
Miss Frances
M. M.
Cory, Mrs. Theodore .
Mrs.
(“* Sara
Duncan ’’).
Everard
Jeannette
Cross, Miss May . ‘
Davies, Emil
tr
“. 7 JONES,
Fraser,
Hampden-Cook,
Deane, Sara ‘ ‘
Dymock, R. G. Vaugh-
ton (““ R. Penley’’).
Maj.-Gen. Sir
Thomas, K.C.B.,
C.M.G.
Gaul, Miss Lilian J. .
Rev.
‘Ernest, M.A.
Horn, Miss Kate (‘‘ Mrs.
Weigall”).
Ernest, M.D.,
M.R.C.P.
* King, Cecil
Lubbock, Basil
i Lunn, Arnold
rity
ph Meese
3 ¢
Mitford, E.
| Vavasour-Earle,
Watson,
Bruce,
F.R.G.S.
Roberts, Dr. C. G. D..
Smyth, Dr. Ethel
Steuart, Maria S. .
Vallois, Grace Mary.
a ' -Vansittart, Robert :
Vaughan Miss Evelyn
Goode.
Miss
Aimée.
Alex. C.
(“ Alexander Camp-
bell”) —_(** Campbell
Watson’’).
Watson, Augusta Gor-
don,
THE AUTHOR.
1, Stratford Street,
Oxford.
The White House,
Hampton Court.
36, Buckingham
Gate, S.W.
86, Worple Road,
Wimbledon, S.W.
65, 66, Chancery
Lane, W.C.
28, Wellington Court,
Knightsbridge,
S.W.
Prestfelde,
bury.
83, Onslow Square,
S.W.
Shrews-
Gillott Lodge, Gillott
Road, Edgbaston.
Methlic, Brentwood,
Essex.
391, Upper Rich-
mond Road, Put-
ney, S.W.
69, Portland Court,
W.
225, Goldhurst Ter-
race, South Hamp-
stead, N.W.
The Manor House,
Hamble, Hants.
8, Upper Woburn
Place, W.C.
29, Sternhold
Avenue, Streat-
ham, S.W.
8,Sergeants Inn, W.C.
Coign, Hook Heath,
Woking.
79, Great King
Street, Edinburgh.
59, Cambridge Road,
Kilburn, N.W.
31, Princes Gate,S.W.
Fullarton, Adelaide,
S. Australia.
The Haven, 53,
Queen’s Road,
St. John’s Wood,
N.W.
4, Queen
Edinburgh.
Street,
8, Cadogan Gardens,
S.W.
99
BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS.
——— +
While every effort is made by the compilers to keep
this list as accurate and exhaustive as possible, they have
some difficulty in attaining this object owing to the fact
that many of the books mentioned are not sent to the office
by the members, In consequence, it is necessary to rely
largely upon lists of books which appear in literary and
other papers. It is hoped, however, that members will
co-operate in the compiling of this list, and, by sending
particulars of their works, help to make it substantially
accurate,
ARCH ZOLOGICAL.
Norres oN THE CHURCHES IN THE DEANERY OF KeEnn,
Devon. By Bearrix F. CResswetn. 9 x 6. 91 pp.
Exeter: J. J. Commins and Son.
ARCHITECTURE.
An Intropvuction to Enciise CHurcH ARCHITECTURE
FROM THE ELEVENTH To THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. By
Francis Bonn, M.A., F.G.S., Hon. A.R.1.B.A. Two
Vols. xxxv + vi+ 986pp. Milford. Two guineas n.
ART.
PAINTING IN THE Far East. An INTRODUCTION TO THE
Hisrory oF Picrortan ArT IN ASIA, ESPECIALLY CHINA
AND Japan. By Laurence Bryyon. Second edition
revised throughout. 10} x 8. xviii + 295 pp. Edward
Arnold. 21s. n.
More asout Cottectinc. By Sir James Yoxatt, M.P.
8} x 6. 339 pp. Stanley Paul. 5s. n.
VisvakaRMA: Examples of Indian Architecture, Sculp-
ture, Painting, Handicraft. Chosen by Ananpa K.
Coomaraswamy, D.Sc. Part VI. 11 x 8%. 100 pp.
2s. 6d. (Rs. 2).
BIOGRAPHY.
MacponaLp or THE Isues. By A. M. W. Srra.ina.
9 x 5}, xii + 295 pp. John Murray. 12s. n.
Memories oF A Musician: REMINISCENCES OF SEVENTY
Years or Musicat Lire. By WinetmMGanz. 9 x 5h.
xiv + 357 pp. John Murray. 12s. n.
My Betovep Sour. By Mrs. T. P. O'Connor. 9 x 53.
vili + 427 pp. G.P. Putnam’s Sons. 10s. 6d. n.
BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG.
SHAKESPEARE’S Srorres. By Constance and Mary
Maup. 73 x 5. 346 pp. Edward Arnold. 5s. n.
Marcarer’s Boox. By H. Frenpinc-Harn. 9 x 6}.
284 pp. Hutchinson. 7s. 6d. n.
DRAMA.
LANDED Gentry: A Comepy In Four Acts. By W.S.
Mavecuam. 7 x 5. vii+ 168 pp. Heinemann. 1s. 6d.n.
EDUCATIONAL.
WINGS AND THE CHILD, oR THE Bur~pine or Maarc Ciriss.
By E. Nesprr. 8 x 5}. xiv +197 pp. Hodder and
Stoughton. 6s, eg owen %
FICTION. 7 #3 Ta" |S] We!
THE Epvucation or Oriver Hyp. By Rezcrnatp E.
Satwey. Digby, Long & Co.
Five Years anp 4 Monto. By Fanny Morris Woop.
Duckworth & Co.
Loor yrom tHe Tremere or Fortuns. By Horacu
Awnestey Vacuetn. 74 x 5. 310 pp. Murray. 6s.
StmPLe Smmon. His Adventures in the Thistle Patch. By
A. Nem Lyons. Illustrated by G. E. Pero. Lane
6s.
100
FOLK-LORE.
By Rev. 8. Barinc-Goutp, M.A.
K oF FOLK-LORE. ee
i (The Nation’s Library.) Collins
6% x 44. 264 pp.
Clear Type Press. 1s. n.
HISTORY.
[mpErtaLisM AND Mr. GLADSTONE, 1876-1888. Compiled
by R. H. GRETTON. 7k x 43. 120 pp. Bell. le. n,
LITERARY.
Joun Muurncton SYNGE AND THE Trish THEATRE. By
Maurice Bovrexois. Demy 8vo. xvi-+ 338 pp.
Buckram. With 16 full page illustrations by Joun B.
Yuats, R.H.A., Jack B. Yuats, JAMES PATERSON,
R.8.A., JoHN CURRIE and others. Constable & Co.
Tue LIGHTER SIDE oF ENGLISH Lrrs. By F. FraNxrort
Moors. With Illustrations in Colour by GORGE
BeLcuer. 8 x 5}. 284 pp. Foulis. 5s. n.
Tur KIRRIEMUIR EDITION OF THE Works or J. M. BaRRIE.
‘Ten Vols. 9% x 6%. Hodder and Stoughton. £6 6s.
the set.
Reminiscent Gosstr oF MEN AND MATTERS.
Baker, F.R.G.S. 7} x 5}. viii + 246 pp.
man and Hall. 6s.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Our Wrésr. A Collection of Sketches of Life in the
Canadian West. Illustrated with photographs. Thomas
Murby & Co., 6, Bouverie Street, E.C. 6d. n.
NATURAL HISTORY.
Wiup Anmats aT Home. By Ernest THOMSON SETON.
8} x 5B}. xvi+ 224pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. n.
Tu BopLey HeAD NaTuRAL HisTORY. By E. D. CuMING.
With Illustrations by J. A. SHEPHERD. Vol. Il. British
Birds. Passeres. 6} x 5. 122 pp. Lane. 28. n.
POETRY.
Tar Porms oF Francois VILLON. Translated by H. Dr
Vere STacroonn. 9 xX 6}. xii + 300 pp. Hutchin-
son.
POLITICS.
War anp THE Workers. By Norman ANGELL.
63 pp. The National Labour Press. ls.
REPRINTS.
A Selection from Irish Poetry. By
93 x 6}. xxvi + 160 pp. Sidg-
ls. 6d. n.
By JAMES
Chap-
7k x 5.
THe Wimp Harp.
KATHARINE TYNAN.
wick and Jackson.
A Century oF Paropy anp Imitation. Edited by
Water Jerrotp and R, M. Leonarp. 1k XG:
xv + 429 pp. Humphrey Milford. 1s. 6d. n
Tue Hus or Home. By L. MactEan Watt. With the
Pentland Essays of Robert Louis STEVENSON. 8) x 5h.
259 pp. Foulis. 5s. n.
SCIENCE.
“ Wuo's Wuo IN Scrence” (International). Edited by
Hl. H. Sreruenson. 9} X 6. 667 pp. J. and A.
Churchill. 10s. n.
Continurry, THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS TO THE BRITISH
ASSOCIATION, BIRMINGHAM, MCMXIII. By Sm Oxtver
Loven. Printed in full, and supplemented by Explana-
tory Notes. 7} x 5. 118 pp. Dent. 1s. n.
SOCIOLOGY.
Conriictine IpEats! Two Sikes OF THE Woman’s
Qumstion. By B. L. Hurcutns. 74 x 5. vii + 83 pp.
Murby. ls. 6d. n.
THE AUTHOR.
THEOLOGY.
L’Imrration ps Jesus CHRIST. Introduction par Mer.
R. H. Benson. 6} x 4. xiii + 374 pp. (Collection
Gallia.) Paris: Georges Cres et Cie. London: Dent-
i te. n., eel ay
(lem igettee op avert.
A Woman’s Wrxter my Arrica. By Mrs. CHARLOTTE
Cameron. Demy 8vo. Printed throughout on_ art
paper, with 155 illustrations. 403 pp. Stanley Paul
& Co. 18s. 6d. n.
Tur Guipe To SouTH AND East AFRICA. For the use of
Tourists, Sportsmen, Invalids, and Settlers. Edited
annually by A. SAMLER Brown and G. Gorpon Brown,
¥.R.GS., for the Union Castle Mail Steamship Company.
Twentieth edition, 1914. 74 x 4%. liv+ 695 pp.
Sampson, Low.
+
LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL
NOTES.
E are asked by the executive officers of
the Alfred Russel Wallace Memorial
Fund to state that, if a sufficient sum
can be raised, the following memorials to the
late Dr. A. R. Wallace are proposed : (1) A
medallion to be offered to the Dean and
Chapter of Westminster Abbey ; (2) a portrait,
for presentation to the Royal Society, to be
painted by Mr. J. Seymour Lucas, RA. to
whom Dr. Wallace had, within the last few
months of his life, consented to sit ; (3) a copy
of the portrait for presentation to the nation ;
and (4) a statue to be offered to the trustees
of the British Museum for erection in the
Natural History Museum. It is estimated
that £350 will cover all expenses connected
with the portrait by Mr. Lucas, including a
hotogravure reproduction, signed by the
artist, for each subscriber of one guinea and
upwards; and that an additional £750 will
permit the scheme being carried out in its
entirety. Subscriptions will be received and
acknowledged by Professor R. Meldola, 6,
Brunswick Square, London, W.C.; Professor
E. B. Poulton, Wykeham House, Oxford ;
Sir Wm. Barrett, Kingstown, Co. Dublin ;
and the Manager, Union of London & Smith’s
Bank, Holborn Circus, London, E.C. Direct
payments to the Manager will be the most
convenient course.
A. shilling pamphlet entitled ‘“* National
Principles and ational Duty.” by the author
of ‘National Revival,” with a preface by
the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Selborne, K.G., has
been issued by the Women’s Printing Society,
Ltd., Brick Street, Piccadilly.
A. Swedish translation of Mr. Francis.
uk
eS ae aS
. . @
THE AUTHOR. 101
Gribble’s ‘‘ Court of Christina of Sweden ”’ will
be published by Messrs. Walstrom and
Widstrand.
Among the Fellowship Books published by
Messrs. Batsford, at 2s. net, are “ A Spark
Divine,”’ a book for animal lovers, by Mr. R. C.
Lehmann ; “* Romance,” by Mr. Ernest Rhys ;
* Friendship,”” by Mr. Clifford Bax; ‘* The
Joy of the Theatre,’’ by Mr. Gilbert Cannan :
and “ The Country,” by Mr. Edward Thomas.
A revised and cheaper edition of Mr.
Frederick A. M. Spencer’s ‘“ Meaning of
Christianity’? has now appeared (Fisher Unwin,
2s. 6d. net).
Viscount Esher, G.C.B., contributes a pre-
face to Mrs. St. Clair Stobart’s ‘‘ War and
Women from Experiences in the Balkans and
Elsewhere ” (G. Bell & Sons, 3s. 6d. net).
Mr. R. A. Scott-James’s “‘ Influence of the
Press” is published by Partridge & Co. at
3s. 6d. net.
Mr. James Baker’s new work is ‘“‘ Reminis-
cent Gossip of Men and Matters ” (Chapman
& Hall, 6s.).
Mr. A. R. Haig Brown, in “‘ My Game-Book,”’
deals not only with sport in Surrey, Sussex,
Norfolk, ete., but also with early adventures
at Charterhouse and later days at Lancing
(Witherby, 5s. net).
H.M. the Queen and H.M. Queen Alexandra
have both been graciously pleased to accept
copies of “ A Woman’s Winter in Africa,”’ of
which the publishers are Messrs. Stanley Paul.
‘The author, Mrs. Charlotte Cameron, has been
elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical
Society.
Messrs. S. Paul announce the issue, in due
course, of ‘‘ Napoleon in Exile at Elba ” and
“Napoleon in Exile at St. Helena,” by
Mr. Norwood Young, who sails this month on
his second trip to the two islands to complete
his study of local Napoleonic history. Mr.
A. M. Broadley will be responsible for the
illustrations to the books.
Mr. E. Pearse Wheatley’s ‘“ Out West ?—
according to the Times, “short and breezy
descriptions of life in the Canadian West,
illustrated with photographs ”—is published
in paper covers at 6d., by Thomas Murby &
Co.
A volume on “ Practical Pathology, includ-
ing Morbid Anatomy and Post Mortem
Technique,” by Dr. James Miller, Assistant in
Pathology to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary,
is shortly to be added to Messrs. Black’s
Edinburgh Medical Series.
Mr. Julius Price’s ‘‘ My Bohemian Days in
Paris” was published on November 25
([T. Werner Laurie, 10s. 6d. net, with 32
drawings by the author, and a frontispiece
portrait).
Miss Gladys Davidson’s “ Stories from the
Operas”? is now issued in one complete
volume, combining the three previous series
of plots of the most popular grand operas
performed in England during recent years
(Laurie, 6s. net).
Mr. J. Stanley Little contributed an article
entitled “ Insurgent Women ”’ to the November
issue of Hast and West.
“A Manor Book of Ottery Saint Mary ”’ is
edited by Mrs. Catherine Durning Whetham
and her daughter Margaret, with a note on the
history of the dependent manor of Cadhay,
by Mr. W. C. D. Whetham, F.R.S. (Longmans,
Green & Co.).
“ The Early Weights and Measures of Man-
kind,” by General Sir Charles Warren,
G.C.M.G., K.C.B., F.R.S., R.E., is published
by the Committee of the Palestine Exploration
Fund.
Mr. Herbert W. Smith has written “A
Trip on _a Trader, or Holidays Afloat ”
(Madgwick).
The Clarendon Press publishes, under the
title of ‘* Robert Bridges, Poet Laureate,
Readings from his Poems,” a public lecture
delivered in November last in the Examination
Schools, Oxford, by Professor T. Herbert
Warren, President of Magdalen College.
In “ The Birthright of Grimaldi ” (Kegan
Paul, 4s. 6d.), Mrs. Hope Huntley claims as
the birthright of the animal exemption from
torture, on the plea that the essence of its life
is one with the human, however greatly it may
differ in degree. The right of scientific experi-
ment upon living animals is questioned from
the moral standpoint only, quite irrespective
of medical benefits believed to be acquired
thereby. H.M. Queen Alexandra has been
graciously pleased to accept a copy of this
book.
Mr. W. L. George’s new novel, ‘The
Making of an Englishman,” will be published
this month by Messrs. Constable in England,
and Messrs. Dodd, Mead, in the United Statcs,
Mr. Reginald E. Salwey’s novel, “ The
Education of Oliver Hyde,” is being pub-
lished by Digby, Long & Co.
A new 2s. 6d. edition has appeared of Mrs.
H. M. Watson’s ‘ When the King came
South ” (Religious Tract Society).
“Tom Kenyon, Schoolboy,” is the name of
a story by Mrs. M. Harding Kelly (Religious
Tract Society). The same author has brought
out “ When ?” and ‘“‘ Then,” described respec-
100
FOLK-LORE.
A Boox or Foix-Lore. By Rev. §. Barrxa-Govrp, M.A.
Collins’
6% x 44. 264 pp. (The Nation’s Library.)
Clear Type Press. 1s. n.
HISTORY.
[mprriatisM AND Mr. GLADSTONE, 1876-1888. Compiled
by R. H. GRETTON. 74 x 43. 120 pp. Bell. 1s. n,
LITERARY.
Joun MILLINGTON SYNGE AND THE Trish THEATRE. By
Mavriczk Bovrenos. Demy 8vo. xvi-+ 338 pp.
Buckram. With 16 full page illustrations by Joun B.
Yrats, R.H.A., Jack B. Yuats, JAMES PATERSON,
R.S.A., JoHN CURRIE and others. Constable & Co.
Tur LIGHTER SIDE oF ENGLISH Lirz. By F. FRANKFORT
Moore. With Illustrations in Colour by GEORGE
BrLcHER. 84 x 5}. 284 pp. Foulis. 5s. n.
Tur KIRRIEMUIR EDITION OF THE Works or J. M. BARRIE.
Ten Vols. 9% x 6%. Hodder and Stoughton. £6 6s.
the set.
Reminiscent Gossip oF MEN AND Marrers. By JAMES
Baker, F.R.G.S. 7} X 54. viii + 246 pp. Chap-
man and Hall. 6s.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Ovr Weér. A Collection of Sketches of Life in the
Canadian West. Illustrated with photographs. Thomas
Murby & Co., 6, Bouverie Street, E.C. 6d. n.
NATURAL HISTORY.
Wiup Anmats at Homr. By ERNEST THoMsoN SETON.
8} X Bh. xvi+ 224 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. n.
Tas BopLey Heap Naturat History. By EK. D. CuMINe.
With Illustrations by J. A. SHEPHERD. Vol. Il. British
Birds. Passeres. 6} x 5. 122 pp. Lane. 2s. n.
POETRY.
Tue Porms oF Francois VILLON. Translated by H. Dz
VERE STACPOOLE. 9 X 6}. xii + 300 pp. Hutchin-
son.
POLITICS.
Waranp THE Workers. By Norman ANGELL. 7% X 5.
63 pp. The National Labour Press. ls.
REPRINTS.
A Selection from Irish Poetry. By
93 x 6}. xxvi + 160 pp. Sidg-
1s. 6d. n.
THe Witp Harp.
KATHARINE TYNAN.
wick and Jackson.
A Century or Paropy anp Inrration. Edited by
Water JERRoLD and R. M. Lxeonarp. 7 x 5.
xv + 429 pp. Humphrey Milford. 1s. 6d. n.
Tas Hitts or Home. By L. Macuzan Watt. With the
Pentland Essays of Robert Lovis STEVENSON. 8} x 5}.
259 pp. Foulis. 5s. n.
SCIENCE.
“ Wuo’s Wuxo IN Science” (International). Edited by
H. H. Srepnenson. 9} x 6. 667 pp. J. and A.
Churchill. 10s. n.
ContTINvrry, THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS TO THE British
Association, Brruincuam, MCMXIII. By Sm OLrver
Loven. Printed in full, and supplemented by Explana-
tory Notes. 7} x 5. 118 pp. Dent. Is. n.
SOCIOLOGY.
Conruictinc pears! Two Sips oF THE Woman's
Quzstion. By B. L. Hurcuis. 73 X 5. vii + 83 pp.
Murby. ls. 6d. n.
THE AUTHOR.
THEOLOGY.
LIanration pz Jesus Curist. Introduction par Mer.
BR. H. Benson. 64 x 4. xiii +374 pp. (Collection if
Gallia.) Paris: Georges Cres et Cie. London: Dent. i
Fo ols. n. Atte bem ya ao
ee Raver.
A Womay’s Wrxter my Arrica. By Mrs. CHARLOTTE 0)
Cameron. Demy 8vo. Printed throughout on art %
paper, with 155 illustrations. 403 pp. Stanley Paul |
& Co. 183. 6d. n.
Tun GuipE To SouUTH AND East Arrica. For the use of
Tourists, Sportsmen, Invalids, and Settlers. Edited basit
annually by A. SAMLER BRowN and G. Gorpon Brown, ue
F.RB.G.S., for the Union Castle Mail Steamship Company. a
Twentieth edition, 1914. 74 x 4}. liv + 695 pp. a:
Sampson, Low.
————_0 <> —_____
LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL shi
NOTES.
——
E are asked by the executive officers of
the Alfred Russel Wallace Memorial
Fund to state that, if a sufficient sum
can be raised, the following memorials to the
late Dr. A. R. Wallace are proposed: (1) A
medallion to be offered to the Dean and
Chapter of Westminster Abbey ; (2) a portrait,
for presentation to the Royal Society, to be
painted by Mr. J. Seymour Lucas, R.A., to
whom Dr. Wallace had, within the last few
months of his life, consented to sit ; (3) a copy
of the portrait for presentation to the nation ;
and (4) a statue to be offered to the trustees
of the British Museum for erection in the
Natural History Museum. It is estimated
that £3850 will cover all expenses connected
with the portrait by Mr. Lucas, including a
photogravure reproduction, signed by the
artist, for each subscriber of one guinea and
upwards ; and that an additional £750 will
permit the scheme being carried out in its
entirety. Subscriptions will be received and
acknowledged by Professor R. Meldola, 6,
Brunswick Square, London, W.C.; Professor
KE. B. Poulton, Wykeham House, Oxford ;
Sir Wm. Barrett, Kingstown, Co. Dublin ;
and the Manager, Union of London & Smith’s
Bank, Holborn Circus, London, E.C. Direct
payments to the Manager will be the most
convenient course.
A. shilling pamphlet entitled “ National
Principles and National Duty.” by the author
of “National Revival,” with a preface by
the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Selborne, K.G., has
been issued by the Women’s Printing Society,
Ltd., Brick Street, Piccadilly.
A. Swedish translation of Mr. Francis.
THE AUTHOR.
Gribble’s “ Court of Christina of Sweden ”’ will
be published by Messrs. Walstrom and
Widstrand.
Among the Fellowship Books published by
Messrs. Batsford, at 2s. net, are “A Spark
Divine,” a book for animal lovers, by Mr. R. C.
Lehmann ; “* Romance,” by Mr. Ernest Rhys ;
** Friendship,” by Mr. Clifford Bax; ‘‘ The
Joy of the Theatre,” by Mr. Gilbert Cannan :
and “ The Country,” by Mr. Edward Thomas.
A revised and cheaper edition of Mr.
Frederick A. M. Spencer’s ‘‘ Meaning of
Christianity ’’ has now appeared (Fisher Unwin,
2s. 6d. net).
Viscount Esher, G.C,B., contributes a pre-
face to Mrs. St. Clair Stobart’s ‘‘ War and
Women from Experiences in the Balkans and
Elsewhere ” (G. Bell & Sons, 3s. 6d. net).
Mr. R. A. Scott-James’s ‘‘ Influence of the
Press’ is published by Partridge & Co. at
3s. 6d. net.
Mr. James Baker’s new work is ‘‘ Reminis-
cent Gossip of Men and Matters” (Chapman
& Hall, 6s.).
Mr. A. R. Haig Brown, in “‘ My Game-Book,”’
deals not only with sport in Surrey, Sussex,
Norfolk, ete., but also with early adventures
at Charterhouse and later days at Lancing
(Witherby, 5s. net).
H.M. the Queen and H.M. Queen Alexandra
have both been graciously pleased to accept
copies of “ A Woman’s Winter in Africa,”’ of
which the publishers are Messrs. Stanley Paul.
‘The author, Mrs. Charlotte Cameron, has been
elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical
Society.
Messrs. S. Paul announce the issue, in due
course, of “‘ Napoleon in Exile at Elba” and
“Napoleon in Exile at St. Helena,” by
Mr. Norwood Young, who sails this month on
his second trip to the two islands to complete
his study of local Napoleonic history. Mr.
A. M. Broadley will be responsible for the
illustrations to the books.
Mr. E. Pearse Wheatley’s ‘‘ Out West ”—
according to the Times, “short and breezy
descriptions of life in the Canadian West,
illustrated with photographs ”—is published
in paper covers at 6d., by Thomas Murby &
Co.
A volume on “ Practical Pathology, includ-
ing Morbid Anatomy and Post’ Mortem
Technique,” by Dr. James Miller, Assistant in
Pathology to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary,
is shortly to be added to Messrs. Black’s
Edinburgh Medical Series.
Mr. Julius Price’s “‘ My Bohemian Days in
Paris” was published on November 25
101
(T. Werner Laurie, 10s. 6d. net, with 82
drawings by the author, and a frontispiece
portrait).
Miss Gladys Davidson’s “ Stories from the
Operas”? is now issued in one complete
volume, combining the three previous series
of plots of the most popular grand operas
performed in England during recent years
(Laurie, 6s. net).
Mr. J. Stanley Little contributed an article
entitled ‘‘ Insurgent Women ” to the November
issue of Hast and West.
“A Manor Book of Ottery Saint Mary ”’ is
edited by Mrs. Catherine Durning Whetham
and her daughter Margaret, with a note on the
history of the dependent manor of Cadhay,
by Mr. W. C. D. Whetham, F.R.S. (Longmans,
Green & Co.).
“The Early Weights and Measures of Man-
kind,” by General Sir Charles Warren,
G.C.M.G., K.C.B., F.R.S., R.E., is published
by the Committee of the Palestine Exploration
Fund.
Mr. Herbert W. Smith has written “A
Trip on a Trader, or Holidays Afloat”
(Madegwick).
The Clarendon Press publishes, under the
title of “Robert Bridges, Poet Laureate,
Readings from his Poems,” a public lecture
delivered in November last in the Examination
Schools, Oxford, by Professor T. Herbert
Warren, President of Magdalen College.
In “ The Birthright of Grimaldi ” (Kegan
Paul, 4s. 6d.), Mrs. Hope Huntley claims as
the birthright of the animal exemption from
torture, on the plea that the essence of its life
is one with the human, however greatly it may
differ in degree. The right of scientific experi-
ment upon living animals is questioned from
the moral standpoint only, quite irrespective
of medical benefits believed to be acquired
thereby. H.M. Queen Alexandra has been
graciously pleased to accept a copy of this
book.
Mr. W. L. George’s new novel, “The
Making of an Englishman,” will be published
this month by Messrs. Constable in England,
and Messrs. Dodd, Mead, in the United States,
Mr. Reginald E. Salwey’s novel, ‘“ The
Education of Oliver Hyde,” is being pub-
lished by Digby, Long & Co.
A new 2s. 6d. edition has appeared of Mrs.
H. M. Watson’s “When the King came
South ” (Religious Tract Society).
“Tom Kenyon, Schoolboy,” is the name of
a story by Mrs. M. Harding Kelly (Religious
Tract Society). The same author has brought
out “ When ?” and “‘ Then,” described respec-
102
tively as a story of to-day and a tale of to-
morrow (Marshall Brothers).
Early in February will appear a new novel
by Mr. Frederick Arthur, callec “The Great
Attempt,” dealing with the aspirations and
sufferings of the losing side in the political
struggle which ended at the battle of Culloden
(John Murray).
Count Plunkett, K.C.H.S., has been elected
an honorary member of the Danish Society
“Det Kongelige Nordiske Oldskriftselskab,”
better known throughout Europe as the
Société Royale des Antiquaires du Nord.
Mr. Herbert Flowerdew’s new romance,
“Love and a Title,” will be published by
Greening & Co. early in the year. The serial
rights of Mr. Flowerdew’s latest sensational
story, ‘“‘ The Motor Ku-klux,”’ have been pur-
chased in America by the Frank A. Munsey
Co., and in England by Messrs. Leng, of
Sheffield, the latter of whom are also bringing
out in their Weekly Telegraph series of novels
“The Love of Women,” which has _ not
hitherto appeared in book form. In addition
to his short stories in Hulton’s Christmas
Magazine and the Christmas number of the
Weekly Telegraph, Mr. Flowerdew has com-
plete stories to appear in the Red Magazine,
the Novel Magazine, and Pearson's Weekly.
Mr. Flowerdew’s last published novel, “ Mrs.
Gray’s Past,” is being published serially in
Germany, following the example of his “‘ Ways
of Men,” ‘“ The Third Wife,” and “ The Villa
Mystery.”
E. Reid Matheson (Mrs. E. Midgley) has a new
novel entitled ‘‘The Unconscious Quest,” of
which the publishers are Sidgwick and Jackson.
Messrs. Walter Jerrold and R. M. Leonard
are the editors of ‘“‘ A Century of Parody and
Imitation ” (Humphrey Milford, Oxford Uni-
versity Press, 1s. 6d. net), in which they
endeavour to provide a corpus of representa-
tive parodies and imitations, beginning with
** Rejected Addresses’ in 1812 and coming
down to the present era, though without
including the work of any living writer.
Miss Sheila Kaye-Smith has just brought
out a volume of verse, partly ballads and partl
lyrics (Erskine Macdonald, 2s. 6d.). The title
is ‘‘ Willow’s Forge, and other Poems.”
Messrs. John Richmond will publish early
this year ‘“‘ Winged Thoughts,” a collection of
representative poems from 1586 to 1914,
dealing with birds, butterflies, and moths.
The poems have been selected and arranged
by Mrs. Irene Osgood and Mr. Horace
Wyndham.
Mr. Alex J. Philip has revised and brought
THE AUTHOR.
up to date the fourth edition of Greenwood’s
“British Library Year Book,” to which the
title is now given of ‘‘ The Libraries, Museums,
and Art Galleries Year Book, 1914’ (Stanley
Paul).
“The Young Gordons in Canada,” by Mrs.
Mary Bourchier Sandford, is published by the
Religious Tract Society, uniform with other
volumes in their Every Girl’s Bookshelf series
(1s. 6d.).
Miss Ethel M. Dell’s new novel is ‘“ The
Rocks of Valpre ”’ (Fisher Unwin).
Mr. W. Trego Webb, author of ‘“ Indian
Lyrics,”’ ete., issues through Headley Brothers
‘By Silva’s Brook, or Songs of the Faith,” a
collection of religious verse.
The Rev. Henry Lansdell, D.D., is bringing
out the fifth part of his work on ‘ Princess
Aelfrida’s Charity ”’ (6d., or 7d. post free).
The first part of a new illustrated quarterly,
Ancient Egypt, edited by Professor Flinders
Petrie, F.R.S., F.B.A., has just made its
appearance, the price being 2s. per quarterly
part, or 7s. yearly, post free. The publishers
are Messrs. Macmillan and the British School
of Archeology in Egypt.
Miss Beatrice Chase will shortly have pub-
lished by Mr. Herbert Jenkins, “* The Heart of
the Moor ” the outcome of ten years’ residence
on Dartmoor.
Mr. Arnold Haultain, Goldwin Smith’s
literary executor, is preparing a second series
of his late chief’s letters, and asks us to be so
kind as to say that he will be grateful to any
friends of Goldwin Smith who would lend him,
or send him, copies of any letters which the
recipients think may or should be made public,
other than those included in the first series
(published last spring by Mr. Werner Laurie,
of Clifford’s Inn). Anything addressed care
of the Bank of Montreal, 47, Threadneedle
Street, London, E.C., will be thankfully
acknowledged.
DRAMATIC.
We much regret to have to record the death
last month of Mr. Stanley Houghton, author
of *‘ Hindle Wakes,” ‘‘ The Younger Genera-
tion,” and other plays. He was only thirty-
two years of age when he succumbed to
disease of the lungs at Manchester, the town
of his birth and the scene of his first introduc-
tion to the dramatic public by Miss Horniman.
At the Globe Theatre on December 6 was
produced ‘‘ The Night Hawk,’ by Messrs.
Lechmere, Worrall and Bernard Merivale.
“Woman on her Own,” a version by
Mrs. Bernard Shaw of Brieux’s “ La Femme
THE AUTHOR.
Seule,” was seen for the first time at the
Woman’s Theatre (the Coronet, Notting Hill)
on December 8.
“In and Out,” a version by George Paston
(Miss E. M. Symonds) of Béniére’s ‘ Papillon,
dit Lyonnais le Juste,”” was produced at the
Shaftesbury Theatre on December 16.
Mr. Jerome K. Jerome’s ‘‘ Robina in Search
of a Father” was produced at the Vaudeville
Theatre on December 16.
Mr. Winchell Smith’s four-act play, ‘“‘ The
Fortune Hunter,’’ was produced at the Queen’s
Theatre on December 17.
“The Sleeping Beauty Re-awakened,” a
children’s pantomime by Messrs. G. R. Sims
and Arthur Collins, was produced at Drury
Lane on Boxing Day.
Among the plays revived by Mr. and Mrs.
Granville Barker during their repertory season
at the St. James’s Theatre, have been ‘‘ The
Doctor’s Dilemma,” by Mr. G. Bernard Shaw,
and “Nan” and “The Silver Box,” -by
Mr. John Galsworthy.
** The Passing of the Third Floor Back ”’ was
revived at the Coronet at the beginning of
December, with “A Love Passage,” by
Messrs. W. W. Jacobs and P. E. Hubbard, as
the curtain-raiser.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘‘ The Speckled
Band ”’ was played at the Kennington Theatre
on December 8.
On Monday afternoons, December 1 and 8,
dramatic recitations of Mr. John Masefield’s
** Everlasting Mercy ” were given at the Little
Theatre by Mr. Alexander Watson.
On December 19 an amateur performance
was given at Felixstowe of a new one-act play
by Mr. G. S. Layard, entitled “The Shirt of
Nessus.”’
“Courtship, Ancient and Modern,” a two-
scene sketch by Fanny Morris Wood, was
produced for the first time at the Maidenhead
Theatre on November 19.
Miss Elizabeth Baker’s plays, ‘“‘ The Price
of Thomas Scott ’’ (produced at Manchester
in September last) and ‘‘ Miss Tassey,” have
both been published in book form by Messrs.
Sidgwick & Jackson.
_ Mrs. Frances Helen Harris has brought out
in book form ‘‘ Eight Plays for the School ”’
(Routledge & Sons).
A play founded on Mr. Flowerdew’s novel,
“The Realist,”’ is shortly to be produced at
the Longacre Theatre, New York.
“The Dramatic Author’s Companion,” by a
Theatrical Manager’s Reader, has been pub-
lished by Messrs. Mills & Boon. Mr. Arthur
Bourchier contributes an introductory note.
103
PARIS NOTES.
— +
HE “Song Offerings,” by Rabindranath
Tagore, have now been translated into
French by André Gide and are
published as ‘“‘ L’Offrande Lyrique.”
The second volume of “Les Mceurs du
Temps,” by Alfred Capus, is as entertaining
as the first volume, published last year. The
celebrated dramatic author is an optimist and
a keen observer. With his never-failing good
humour and delicate irony, he writes on all the
questions of the day, shows up the weak
points, indicates failings, and then passes on
like a true philosopher. The whole volume
is well worth reading.
** Les Etats-Unis et la France ”’ is the title
of the third volume published by the Bzblio-
theque du Comité France-Amérique. The book
is written by ten different authors. M. E.
Boutroux, the well-known philosopher, to
whom Bergson owes so much, writes a chapter
on French thought and American thought.
M. James Hyde takes as his subject the
historical intercourse between France and the
United States from 1776 to 1913; M. Léon
Bénédite, M. Louis Gillet, and M. Paul Bartlett
write on painting, sculpture, and architecture.
There are chapters on French and American
society by M. Walter Berry; on public life,
by Baron d’Estournelles de Constant; on
the French and American ideal, by M. Baldwin.
M. Hill and Moreton Fullerton write on
politics and intercourse between the two
nations in the future. There are about
eighteen illustrations bearing on the history
of art in the United States.
‘““Les Idées et les Hommes” is the title
of the latest book by André Beaunier. Among
the men he has chosen as subjects for his
studies are Homére, Baudelaire, Edmund
Gosse, and Gabriel Monod.
** Les Tribunaux pour Enfants,” by Clément
Griffe. The subject of this book is one that
is being studied with great interest in France.
The idea has been put into practice and the
results are excellent.
M. René Gillouin has obtained the prize
awarded by the Association des Critiques
littéraires, for his ‘‘ Essais de Critique littéraire
et philosophique.”
“Du Terreur au Consulat ’’ is the title of
a volume of romantic histories of the revolu-
tionary days, by Ernest Daudet.
We have had numbers of books on ‘“* Old
Paris.”” We now have one on “ Le Nouveau
Paris,” by Raymond Escholier. The sub-
104
title, “‘ La Vie artistique de la Cité Moderne -
explains the object of the author. The
preface is written by Gustave Geffroy.
Camille Flammarion has just published his
“ Annuaire Astronomique et Meétéorologique
pour 1914.” It is only a small volume of
132 pages, but it is full of information. It
gives us all the celestial phenomena for the
year and many scientific notices, and it is also
illustrated. :
Any friends or admirers of George Gissing
will be glad to hear that the scheme proposed
some years ago, and headed by Madame
Lardin de Musset, sister of Alfred de Musset,
is being taken up once more. The idea was to
have a fund for keeping flowers on the grave of
the author of ‘“‘New Grub Street,’ who died
in exile and was buried at St. Jean de Luz.
Hitherto his grave has been tended entirely
by French hands. For the tenth anniversary
of his death, December 28, we have decided
to accept the help of various French and
American friends and, with Madame Lardin
de Musset’s name at the head of our subscrip-
tion list, organise a scheme which will ensure
the tending of George Gissing’s grave in the
future.
At the Odéon ‘“‘ Rachel”? seems to have
every chance of a long run. At the Théatre
des Arts an excellent adaptation of Balzac’s
‘“‘ Kugénie Grandet ”’ is being played.
“TInstitut de Beauté’ continues to be a
success at the Variétés. Madame Sarah Bern-
hardt has found in ‘“‘ Jeanne Doré”’ a play
admirably suited to her.
Auys HALLarp.
“T?/Offrande Lyrique” (La Nouvelle Revue Francaise).
“Les Meurs du Temps” (Grasset).
“ Les Idées et les Hommes ”’ (Plon).
“Les Tribunaux pour Enfants” (Fontenmoing).
* Annuaire Astronomique et Météorologique pour 1914 ”
(Flammarion).
tt
DRAMATIC RIGHTS.
—_>—-.
ROM time to time it is necessary to call
the attention of authors to the extent
of their rights. This is especially the
case since the passing of the recent Act.
Under this Act an author’s rights have been
extended in various ways. The author of a
play, for instance, has the right to convert it
into a novel, the bookright in the play itself,
the performing right, which includes the
reproduction of the play on mechanical
contrivances, either the cinematograph or the
gramophone, and the translation rights.
THE AUTHOR.
The right of performance by itself is fre-
quently divided up into many portions.
There is the right of production in a West
End London theatre, there is the right of
production in the suburbs, in the provinces—
this again may be sub-divided according to the
size of the towns: the A list, the B list, the
C list, and fit up—the right in the Colonies,
the right in the United States and Canada, the
amateur rights, and the rights in translation
on the Continent.
It is the ignorance of all these points and
niceties that makes the author fall readily into
the pitfalls laid for him either by the agent or
the manager.
The first essential for a dramatic author is
production. He must, therefore, never be led
away by financial consideration to grant a
licence unless production is secured.
If a manager asks for control over the
provincial rights, he may have the option over
them if production takes place within a
specified time.
The same rule must apply to the Colonial
and United States rights.
The author, in neglect of his best interests,
often transfers rights to a manager and then
finds that the manager has no intention of
producing the play outside the walls of his
own West End theatre. It is not only the
novice who makes the mistake; there are
others. When the situation is realised, as it
often is by the requests coming from managers
abroad or in the United States, the author can
do nothing but wish that he had taken more
pains to inquire what rights he had and how
they ought to be controlled.
There is, however, an increasing danger
against which the young dramatic author must
especially be warned.
Some middlemen are springing up who are
gambling with the work of the author’s brain ;
they buy up his dramatic effort for a comfort-
able sum in advance of a very small royalty.
They are not producers themselves and have
no intention of producing, but the author is
deceived partly by the sum in advance and
partly by the purchaser’s protestations. The
purchaser then proceeds to market the work
to the highest bidder. In consequence, it
sometimes happens that there are as Many as
three middlemen between the authors and the
manager, each of whom is absorbing part of
the profits that might have been the author's.
It is necessary, therefore, to repeat that the
first essential for a dramatic author is produc-
tion. He should never lease out his property
unless production is assured.
aL NII ED PIII TRIESTE STI HGS NTE
THE AUTHOR.
U.S.A. LEGAL DECISION.
ee
(From the Authors’ League Bulletin, U.S.A.)
HE case of Dam v. Kirk La Shelle Company
decided in the United States Circuit
Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, in
January, 1910, is of such importance to writers
for magazines and other periodicals as well as
to publishers that it deserves careful attention.
This case may be said to be the last important
decision on the question of what protection the
blanket copyright secured by a magazine pub-
lisher, upon his magazine, affords the authors of
the various stories, articles and poems contained
init. The facts were briefly as follows :—
Henry J. W. Dam wrote a story in 1898,
called ** The Transmogrification of Dan.” In
1901 he sent the manuscript to the Ess. Ess.
Publishing Company, a corporation publishing
the Smart Set Magazine. The editor accepted
the story and sent a cheque in return for $85,
together with a receipt reading :—
“Received of the Ess. Ess. Publishing
Company $85 in full payment for story
entitled ‘‘ The Transmogrification of Dan.”
This Dam signed and mailed back to the editor.
At no time did he have any interview with the
editor or any correspondence bearing on the
understanding with which the story was sold.
The story came out in the Smart Set for
September, 1901, and the particular number
in question was copyrighted by the Ess. Ess.
Publishing Company, in its own name, and
bearing a notice which read :—
“ Copyrighted, 1901, by Ess. Ess. Publishing
Company.”
No steps were taken by the magazine or by Dam to
copyright the story separately from the magazine.
Some time afterward Paul Armstrong wrote
a play entitled ‘‘The Heir to the Hoorah,”’
which Dam claimed was founded on his story,
“The Transmogrification of Dan.” The defen-
dant, Kirk La Shelle Company, presented the
play by arrangement with Paul Armstrong.
On October 27, 1905, the Ess. Ess. Publishing
Company assigned to Dam its copyright of the
- number of the Smart Set in which
is story appeared, in so far as it covered or
protected his story, and all its interest in the
story itself and any claim or demand which it
might have for the infringement of the copy-
right in question.
In due course Dam sued for a preliminary
injunetion against the defendant, and in his
affidavit swore :—
_““Thave not at any time parted with any
right or interest in said literary work entitled
105
‘The Transmogrification of Dan,’ except the
right for publication thereof in said number
of the Smart Set for September, 1901.”
Later on, the complaint was amended so as
to allege simply that Dam sold and assigned
the story in question to the Ess. Ess. Publishing
Company.
Among other things in defence the Kirk
La Shelle Company set up the claim that Dam’s
original statement, sworn to in his complaint
to the effect that he had not sold any of his
rights in the story to the Smart Set, except the
right of publication in the particular number
in question, must be taken as true; and
that it followed as a necessary consequence
that the blanket copyright secured by the Ess.
Ess. Publishing Company, on the particular
issue of the magazine, only operated to afford
such protection as the Publishing Company
needed as publishers of the magazine, and did
not operate to protect the rights which Dam
retained, whatever they might have been,
including the right of dramatisation which
Dam claimed had been infringed and for which
he asked an injunction.
The Cireuit Court of Appeals found as a fact
that Dam’s statement that he had parted with
no right or interest in the story except that of
serial publication was not the case, and (in spite
of Dam’s original allegations to the contrary)
that when he mailed the story to the Smart Set
and the editor sent him a cheque for $85 this
constituted an absolute sale without reserva-
tions, and that the Ess. Ess. Publishing Com-
pany thereby acquired all rights in the story,
including the dramatic rights.
This, in itself, would have been a decision of
considerable importance, in view of the widely
prevalent belief that when a magazine writer
sends his product to a magazine, without an
accompanying letter specifying the terms under
which the story or article is offered, he is selling
merely the serial rights thereto. But the
Court in discussing the facts in general went
somewhat beyond the precise point in issue and
held that if it had been true that Dam had
offered for sale and sold to the Ess. Ess. Pub-
lishing Company only the right to print the
story in serial form, that probably, as matter of
law, the dramatic rights would never have been
copyrighted at all, since it was a fundamental
proposition that no one could copyright that
which he did not own, and, if the Ess. Ess.
Publishing Company had purchased only the
serial rights in the story, the copyright upon
the particular number of the Smart Set would
have operated to protect only those serial
rights, and that as Dem had taken no further
106
steps to protect or copyright the rights or
interests in the story which he had reserved,
and as the story had been published, there would
have been an abandonment of it to the public
and no protection for the dramatic rights at all.
The opinion of the Court is reported in 176
Federal Reporter, page 902, and reads as
follows :—
“It is claimed, however, that such steps
accomplished no more than to obtain such
protection needed as publishers of the maga-
zine. Assuming that Dam retained the
dramatic rights to the story, there would be
much force in this contention. In such a
case we doubt very much whether the steps
which the publisher took to copyright his
magazine, especially in view of the form of
the copyright notice, would have been
sufficient to protect the dramatic rights.”
After referring to the case of Mifflin v.
Dutton (190 U. S. 265), the Court continued :—
“In view of this decision by the Supreme
Court, we think that had Dam retained the
dramatic rights to his story, the entry of the
magazine and the notice of copyright would
have been insufficient to protect them. .. .
In the case of the reservation of dramatic
rights, in addition to the notice of the copy-
right of the magazine, it may well be that it
should appear in some distinct way that such
reservation of such rights to the particular
story is made for the benefit of the author.
Indeed, it may be that the author should
contemporaneously take out in his own
name a copyright covering such rights.”
The Court then proceeded to hold that in-
asmuch as the Ess. Ess. Publishing Company
had in fact acquired all rights to the story, the
copyright which they secured on the particular
number of the magazine in question did operate
to protect all rights, including the dramatic
rights; and that, since there had been a
reassignment by the Ess. Ess. Publishing Com-
pany to Dam of the dramatic rights, he could
properly ask for an injunction and an account-
ing, and they thereupon awarded to the com-
plainant, who, at the time the decision was
rendered, was the administratrix of Dam’s
estate, the total profits received by the Kirk
La Shelle Company from its production of the
play. The case was not appealed to the
Supreme Court, but has since been settled and,
therefore, represents the law to-day, which may
be stated as follows :—
(a) The sale by an author of a story to a
magazine, and the acceptance of a sum of
money in full payment for the story, without
THB AUTHOR.
any further agreement, is in legal fact an
absolute sale without reservation, carrying
with it as an incident of ownership the exclusive
right to dramatise the story.
(b) The copyright of such magazine is
sufficient to secure the copyright of the story
published therein, and protects the right to
dramatise it when the publisher is the owner of
both the story and the dramatic rights.
(c) (Dictum.) Where the owner of a story
sells the same only for magazine or serial pub-
lication the copyright of the magazine does not
protect those rights which the author retains,
unless he takes some independent steps to
copyright them himself; and since the pub-
lishing of the story in the magazine operates as
an abandonment of such rights, if the story is
thereafter dramatised by a third party the
author can have no redress.
The action, although a recent one, was brought
under the former copyright law, but there would
not seem to be anything in the present Act
which would qualify or render less significant
the decision. The attorney for the Authors’
League of America doubts seriously whether
the dictum of the Court (c) is the view which
will undoubtedly prevail if the point is
eventually properly raised either before the
Circuit Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court
of the United States. He believes that this
Court could have reached the same decision in
the Dam case by another process of reasoning
more consistent with the general understanding
under which authors are accustomed to submit
their manuscripts to editors and _ publishers.
This he believes to be that, in default of any
written or oral agreement between the parties,
an editor or publisher of a magazine who pur-
chases a manuscript does so on the implied
understanding that he shall copyright the same
and hold the copyright thereof in trust for the
author, thus protecting not only the dramatic
rights, but all other rights for the author’s
benefit. If this be so, the author can compel a
reassignment of the copyright to himself when
necessary, such as Dam secured voluntarily
from the Ess. Ess. Company.
But, in any event, so long as this and similar
matters remain in doubt, both authors and
publishers should, for their own protection,
agree on some system whereby the dramatic
and all other rights are thoroughly safeguarded.
This can be accomplished in either of two
ways :—
(a) The editor can copyright each story or
article separately in the author’s name, printing
at the bottom of the first page thereof a proper
copyright notice, as follows :—
Q
4
4
a
a
THE AUTHOR.
** Copyright, John Doe, 1913.”
The author should then immediately on pub-
lication mail ‘one copy of the magazine to the
Registrar of Copyrights in Washington, in con-
formity with the requirements of the present
Act, enclosing the fee of one dollar. This is,
perhaps, the simplest way, although it involves
a separate registration of the magazine for
each story or article so copyrighted.
(6) Or the author can sell his story outright
to the editor or publisher and safely reserve
his equitable interests in the dramatic or other
rights thereto by attaching to his manuscript
a “‘ rider ” or slip somewhat as follows :—
“This manuscript is submitted with the
understanding that, if accepted for publication,
the same shall be copyrighted by the publishers
and all rights under said copyright (except that
of magazine publication) shall be held in trust
for the benefit of the writer or his assigns, and
will be reassigned to him upon demand.”
The writer believes that, under the present
state of the law, only by one of the two methods
outlined above can a magazine writer be sure
that his rights will be properly protected.
ARTHUR C. TRAIN,
Attorney for Authors’ League of America.
—_ 9
ROYALTIES ON GRAMOPHONE RECORDS.
MoNnckKTON v. PaTuk FRERES
PaTHEPHONE, LTD.
‘as was an appeal from the decision of
Mr. Justice Phillimore relating to the.
payment of royalties on gramophone
records of the ‘‘ Mousmé Waltz,’’ which the
plaintiff, Mr. Lionel Monckton, composed in
1911 before the new Copyright Acts came into
operation. The defendants, who are manu-
facturers and sellers of gramophone records,
made records of the waltz in Belgium and
imported them into England, as they were
lawfully entitled to do before July 1, 1912,
when the Act came into force; and since that
date they had been selling the records without
the plaintiff's consent and without paying him
any royalties.
It was in respect of the sale, after July 1,
1912, that the plaintiff brought the action,
and claimed an account of the money received
by the defendants from such sales, and an
injunction to restrain them from making or
selling any records without his consent.
107
Mr. Justice Phillimore decided that under
section 19 of the Act, which provides for the
payment of royalties on gramophone records,
the defendants were not liable to pay royalties
on records made before July 1, 1912, but that
if they sold any records made after that date
they would have to pay royalties by the
purchase and affixing of stamps in accord-
ance with the regulations of the Board of
Trade.
The plaintiff appealed against this decision
and claimed that the defendants had infringed
his copyright by selling after July 1, 1912,
records made before that date without the
payment of royalties.
There was a cross appeal by the defendants,
who alleged that the regulations of the Board
of Trade as to the mode of payment of royalties
were ultra vires, and that they could not be
compelled to purchase and affix adhesive
stamps to the records.
The Court of Appeal reversed the decision
of Mr. Justice Phillimore as to the exemption
from payment of royalties, and held that on
all records of the waltz sold by the defendants
after July 1, 1912, the plaintiff would be
entitled to royalties at the rate of 24 per cent.
on the ordinary retail price ; and that the sale
of the records without the plaintiff’s consent
or the payment of royalties was an infringe-
ment of the plaintiff’s copyright.
In the course of his judgment Lord Justice
Buckley said that the seller of a record autho-
rises the use of the record, and such user is a
performance of a musical work; and as copy-
right includes the sole right to authorise a
performance of the work, an improper sale of
the record would constitute an infringement
of the copyright. The right of the plaintiff,
however, was qualified by the provisions in
the Act relating to the payment of royalties,
for if these were duly paid the sale of the records
would not be an infringement.
The argument advanced on behalf of the
defendants had reference to section 24, and
particularly the proviso (b), which gives pro-
tection to any person who has incurred expense
before July 26, 1910, in the reproduction of a
work then lawfully made, unless he is paid
compensation for his rights which were sub-
sisting and valuable at that date. It is
difficult, however, to understand how section 24.
could afford any protection to the defendants
upon the facts before the Court. There was
no dispute as to the circumstances. The
records made by the defendants were not made
before the year 1911, when the waltz was
composed, and the Court of Appeal held that
108 THE AUTHOR.
the contention of the defendants could not be
maintained. :
The plaintiff, therefore, was entitled _to
royalties unless the defendants could bring
themselves within the exemption mentioned
in section 19 (7) (0). :
The provisions of section 19 as to the pay-
ment of royalties may be generally stated as
follows :— : :
(A) On records of musical works published
before July 1, 1912.
(1) If records have been lawfully made
before July 1, 1910, no royalties are pay-
able on records sold before July 1, 1913.
(2) If otherwise, royalties at 24 per cent.
are payable.
(B) On records of musical works published
after July 1, 1912 :—
(1) On sales prior to July 1, 1914, royalties
at 24 per cent. :
(2) On sales after July 1, 1914, royalties at
5 per cent. :
As the defendants could not claim exemption
under (A) (1), they became liable for the pay-
ment of royalties under (A) (2), that is to say,
at 24 per cent. so long as the copyright in the
waltz continues.
Upon the cross appeal Lord Justice Buckley
in his judgment said that the question turned
upon the meaning of the word “ securing ”
in section 19 (b). Under that section the
Board of Trade might make regulations
prescribing the mode of payment of royalties
requiring payment in advance or otherwise
securing the payment of royalties.” If the
word ‘securing’? meant doing some act by
which the debt for royalties should become
secured, as distinguished from an unsecured
debt, the defendants were right; but if it
meant ‘ensuring or rendering certain” the
payment of royalties, then the defendants
were wrong. The Board of Trade had made
regulations whereby, unless it were otherwise
agreed, royalties were payable by means of
adhesive stamps purchased from the copy-
right owner and affixed to the records. The
royalties were very small amounts payable
upon a large number of records, and there was
obviously a great difficulty in ensuring that
the debt created by the sale of each record
should become known to and paid to the copy-
right owner. In these circumstances the fair
meaning of the word “securing’’ included
ensuring or rendering certain the payment of
the royalties. The regulations of the Board of
Trade, therefore, were not ultra vires, and the
cross appeal failed.
Haroip Harpy,
CARD INDEXING THE LITERARY
MARKET.
(From the ‘“‘ Editor,’’ U.S.A.)
HERE are so many good things in “ The
Literary Market ” that I must use every
day that I have devised a card index
system of classifying it. Not all of the informa-
tion is pertinent to the material I write, so I
file only those items in which I am interested.
I use a three by five card index drawer and
enter items under the following heads: Auto-
mobiles, Boys and Girls, Crops, Dairying,
Flowers, Horticulture, Household, Household
Mechanics, Humour, Live Stock, Motor-cycles,
Popular Mechanics, Poultry, Short Stories.
There is a guide card for each subject, and the
cards on which the information is entered are
prepared like the following sample :—
Humour.
Browning’s Magazine, 16, Cooper Square,
N.Y.
Short burlesques and narrative humour.
100 to 500 words.
Jokes.
1 cent a word on acceptance.
When I have a humorous article to sell, I
look over the cards marked ‘‘ Humour ”’ and
decide which market is most promising.
Supplementing the index is a file of all the
papers in which I am interested. As soon as
T learn of a new paper that offers a market for
the kind of material I write, I send for a sample
and file it with the other papers of like nature.
Unless I am very familiar with the paper I look
it over carefully before submitting anything to
it that differs from something I have sold it
previously. I have something over 200 papers
in my files.
In addition to the subject index I have a
graveyard—an index in which papers are filed
alphabetically by name. These are only those
papers that have suspended publication. It
is sometimes important to know that these are
no longer published.
Joun Y. Brary.
—_—_‘_ oo
MAGAZINE CONTENTS.
eee
BriTIsH.
The Exclusiveness of Journalists. By G. K. Chesterton.
Religious Drama. By W. L. George.
Our Conventional Press. By Scriptor.
Dramatists of To-day : III. John Masefield ; IV. Stan-
ley Houghton.
ConTEMPORARY.
The Ballad—English and Scotch. By E. R. Montague.
Literary Supplement: Saint Nicholas.
+i
THE AUTHOR.
HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY.
——
1, VERY member has a right toask for and to receive
EK 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
apecial 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 without
any cost to the member. Moreover, where counsel’s
opinion is favourable, and the sanction of the Committee
is obtained, action will be taken on behalf of the aggrieved
member, and all costs borne by the Society,
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. Before signing any agreement whatever, send
the document to the Society for examination,
4, Remember always that in belonging to the Society
you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you
are reaping no direct 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.
5. The Committee have 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 stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action
upon them. (2) To keep agreements. (3) To enforce
payments due according to agreements. Fuller particu-
jars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the
Prospectus.
6. 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.
This
The
q. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements.
must be done within fourteen days of first execution.
Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members.
8. 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.
9. The subscription to the Society is £1 1s. per
annum, or £10 10s. for life membership.
—~ >
WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS
OF BOOKS.
—_1—~<——_
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
109
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 bad form of
agreement),
In this case the following rules should be attended to :
(1.) 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,
(3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,”
unless the same allowance is made to the author.
(4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental
rights.
(5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights,
(6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher.
As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or
doctor !
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 Zhe Author,
IY. A Commission Agreement.
The main points are :—
(1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production.
(2.) Keep control of the advertisements.
(3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book.
General.
All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four
above mentioned.
Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author.
Never sign any agreement without competent advice from
the Secretary of the Society.
Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp.
Avoid agreements by letter if possible.
The main points which the Society has always demanded
from the outset are :—
(1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement
means.
(2.) The inspection of those account books which belong
to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the
nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or
withheld.
(3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright.
<> —____—_
WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS.
ae
EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the
Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com-
petent legal authority.
2, 1t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for
the production of a play with any one except an established
manager.
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,
110
(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 inadvyance 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 (i.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
tetter to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum
paid in advance of such fees in anyevent. 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 in a
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. They should never be included in English
agreements without the author obtaining a substantial
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, on
account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con-
tracts, those authors desirous of further information
are referred to the Secretary of the Society.
pe ge
REGISTRATION OF SCENARIOS AND
ORIGINAL PLAYS.
_—
haar typewritten in duplicate on foolscap paper
forwarded to the offices of the Society, together with
a registration fee of two shillings and sixpence, will
be carefully compared by the Secretary or a qualified assis-
tant, One copy will be stamped and returned to theauthor
and the other filed in the register of the Society. Copies
of the scenario thus filed may be obtained at any time by
the author only at a small charge to cover cost of typing.
Original Plays may also be filed subject to the same
rules, with the exception that a play will be charged for
at the price of 2s, 6d. per act.
THE AUTHOR.
DRAMATIC AUTHORS AND AGENTS.
RAMATIC authors should seek the advice of the
Society before putting plays into the hands of
agents. As the law stands at present, an agent
who has once had a play in his hands may acquire a
perpetual claim to a percentage on the author's fees
from it. As far as the placing of plays is concerned,
it may be taken as a general rule that there are only
very few agents who can do anything for an author
that he cannot, under the guidance of the Society, do
equally well or better for himself. The collection of fees
is also a matter in which in many cases no intermediary is
required. For certain purposes, such as the collection of
fees on amateur performances, and in general the trans-
action of frequent petty authorisations with different
individuals, and also for the collection of fees in foreign
countries, almost all dramatic authors employ agents; and
in these ways the services of agents are real and valuable.
But the Society warns authors against agents who profess
to have influence with managers in the placing of plays, or
who propose to act as principals by offering to purchase
the author's rights. In any case, in the present state of
the law, an agent should not be employed under any
circumstances without an agreement approved of by the
Society.
REE AG a Se
WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS.
oe
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
should be especially careful therefore when entering into
an agreement, and should take into particular consideration
the warnings stated above.
———__+—>—_e—____—_-
STAMPING MUSIC.
The 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.
Se
THE READING BRANCH.
ae
EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this
Mi 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,
—_—_—__.-<—e___
REMITTANCES.
_——
The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice
that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post.
All remittances should be crossed Union of London and
Smiths Bank, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered
letter only.
ESE
Su
THE AUTHOR.
COLLECTION BUREAU.
—_—~—+
HE Society undertakes to collect accounts and money
due to authors, composers and dramatists.
1. Under contracts for the publication of their
works.
2. Under contracts for the performance of their works
and amateur fees.
3. Under the Compulsory Licence Clauses of the Copy-
right Act, i.e., Clause 3, governing compulsory licences for
books, and Clause 19, referring to mechanical instrument
records.
The Bureau is divided into three departments :—
1. Literary.
2. Dramatic.
3. Musical.
The Society does not desire to make a profit from the
collection of fees, but will charge a commission to cover
expenses. If, owing to the amount passing through the
office, the expenses are more than covered, the Committee
of Management will discuss the possibility of reducing the
commission.
For full particulars of the terms of collection, application
must be made to the Collection Bureau of the Society.
AGENTS.
Holland : : A. REYDING.
United Statesand Canada. WALTER C. JORDAN.
Germany Mrs Pogson.
The Bureau is in no sense a literary or dramatic
agency for the placing of books or plays.
GENERAL NOTES.
——-—-e——
AUSTRALIAN CoPyRIGHT REGISTRATION.
Ir is very important that the attention of
dramatic authors should be called to the
clauses in the Australian Copyright Act, 1912,
dealing with summary proceedings and regis-
tration.
This Act was printed as a supplement to
the April number of The Author, and gives
some very powerful Summary Remedies, but
the advantages to be gained by the special
remedies provided under Sections 15, 16,
and 17, can only be taken by those whose
copyright is registered. Under the Act
registration is optional. All those dramatists
who have had their works infringed in the
Colonies know how exceedingly difficult it
is to stop an infringement in a distant
country. Indeed, it is almost impossible to
do so if a civil action has to be taken against
the manager of a travelling company.
Under the United States Act, where criminal
proceedings are allowed, great advance has
been made in stopping infringements, in the
different States, and the same advance will,
no doubt, take place through the summary pro-
iit
ceedings allowed under the Australian Act ; but
it is essential, in order that dramatists may
obtain the full value of the powers given them,
that they should register their plays. We
advise all dramatists, therefore, without delay,
to take steps to see that their works are regis-
tered in due course under the Australian Act
in that country.
AUSTRALIAN Boox NOovreEs.
A MEMBER of the Society has been kind
enough to forward some notes on the sale of
books in Australia. He has taken the trouble
to make certain pointed inquiries from
Australian booksellers, and finds the complaint
which has been put before the Society in past
numbers of The Author has been amply con-
firmed, namely, that the American publisher is
much more enterprising and pliable and is
willing to meet the Australian bookseller on
better terms and is altogether a better man
of business than the English publisher. He
informs us that one or two publishers in
England show some enterprise, but the
majority do not do so.
In Melbourne it appears that novels are
mostly in vogue, and that, outside novels, the
more important books are difficult to get and
in many cases cannot be secured without much
delay. This is no doubt a good deal the fault
of the publisher, as the Australian bookseller
seems willing to take the more expensive books
for a moderate sale could he secure them
readily.
In the Melbourne lending libraries, just as in
the English libraries, there is a certain amount
of censorship. Of novels the most popular are
certainly not the best written, but the advan-
tage of cheaper cables will probably bring about
a readier sale. A bookseller in Sydney, how-
ever, one of the largest in Australia, does not
welcome the cheaper cables as it would
encourage the smaller firms, but the author
and the public will, of course, welcome the
increasing competition.
Enquiry at the minor shops both in Australia
and New Zealand, confirms the same points.
That there is a ready sale for novels if the
English publisher would only take advantage
of that sale; that the American publisher has
taken advantage of it, and is doing good
business.
Finally, a point of interest to dramatic
authors was noticed; that several English
playwrights have agents and that the piracy
in Australia has almost died out.
112 THE AUTHOR.
AGENTS’ CLAUSES IN PUBLISHERS’
AGREEMENTS,
Ir has become necessary to mention once
again the danger that may result from the
insertion of the agency clause in an agreement
between a publisher and an author, that is
the clause enabling the agent to collect, to
give valid receipts and sometimes even to
have the control when disputes arise. This is,
to use a legal phrase, an authority coupled
with an interest, and cannot be cancelled as
between the author and the publisher. Even
the best agents in London are in the habit of
inserting the clause in publishers’ agreements,
and to this we very strongly object. If, how-
ever, the agent, who is supposed to be acting
on behalf of the author—not only draws the
author’s attention to the fact that he is insert-
ing this clause, but explains to him fully the
dangers of the clause when it is inserted, and if
when the full explanation has been laid before
the author the author is still willing to sign the
agreement, then nothing can be said against
the agent or his methods of doing business ; but
if he inserts the clause without calling the
author’s attention specially to it, or if he does
call the author’s attention to it, doing so in an
off-hand manner, then he is acting unfairly by
the author, and without due sense of the
responsibilities of his position as author’s
agent. We do not desire to use any stronger
term as to his conduct, but think it essential
that the author should be warned of the posi-
tion.
U.S.A. Ricuts.
WE are reprinting from the Bulletin of the
Author’s League of America a case which was
tried some time ago, because the points then
settled have been raised again in an important
case which Mr. Jack London is carrying
through the American Courts. A short state-
ment of this appeared in the November issue
of The Author. It is as well that members of
the Society should understand some of the
dangers which may be ahead of them as far as
the United States copyright law is concerned,
in order that, in the future, they may be able
to safeguard themselves.
REGISTRATION AT WASHINGTON,
THE secretary has had a courteous reply
from the registrar of copyrights at Washington,
who has forwarded to him not only the
circulars issued from the library with regard to
the filing of dramatic pieces, but also copies of
the forms which it is necessary to fill up. The
registrar has also kindly forwarded samples of
the other forms, and the Society will be ready
to supply members should they wish to have
them for the purposes of registration.
The Society is deeply indebted to Mr.
Solberg for his kindness.
REMAINDER SALES.
Durinc the last two or three months some
serious questions have arisen with regard to
remainder sales. In one or two agreements
dealing with the publication of expensive books
—from 15s. to 30s.—no clause has been in-
serted covering the right of the publisher
to sell remainders. In the cases referred to
the publishers have remaindered the books
without any notice to the authors. As no
clause has been inserted in the agreements
with regard to remainder sales, or the amount
of royalty to be paid on such sales, a very
difficult position is the result. Under the
agreement the publisher would be bound to
pay a certain percentage on the full published
price. Under the usual clause for the sale of
remainders the publisher generally pays a
certain percentage on the net amount received.
It is difficult to know what the legal decision
would be if the author should bring an
action for the full royalty on the published
price. He would have to show that his damage
amounted to that sum; whereas a publisher
might maintain that, as the book was not
selling, his damage really amounted only to
the sum paid as a percentage on the remainder
sales. We put the matter forward as a warning
to authors. In almost every agreement there
is a clause which deals with remainders; if
there is no such clause, then we think, as a
matter of courtesy, quite apart from the right,
the publisher should give the author notice
before he effects a sale. It would be interesting
to take a case into court where a remainder
sale had been made without any clause lying
in the agreement dealing with the matter, in
order to test the author's rights. Perhaps
some. day such a case may be tried.
CANON SHEEHAN MEMorRIAL.
Ir has been proposed that a memorial should
be set up in Doneraile, to Canon Sheehan,
who died recently, and the secretary of the
THE AUTHOR.
fund has written to the Society of Authors to
enquire whether any member of the Society
would be willing to subscribe. Canon
Sheehan must be well known to the members
of the Society as the writer of a large number
of books and novels. He was a member of
the Society for many years, and has been a
warm supporter of the Society throughout
his membership. The patrons of the fund are
the following :—
The Right Hon. Lord Castletown, of Upper
Ossory.
The Right Hon. Alderman O’Shea, Lord
Mayor of Cork.
Sir John Arnott, Bart.
Sir Bertram Windle, President University
College, Cork.
Colonel Grove White.
Langley Brasier-Creagh, M.C.C.
Lieutenant-Colonel Cuming.
Captain Nichols.
Should any member desire to subscribe,
subscriptions should be sent to Rev. Br. P. A.
Mulhall, Hon. Secretary, Doneraile.
1
COMMITTEE ELECTION.
4
N pursuance of Article 19 of the Articles of
I Association of the Society, the committee
give notice that the election of members
of the Committee of Management will be pro-
ceeded with in the following manner :—
(1) One-third of the members of the present
Committee of Management retire from office in
accordance with Article 17.
(2) The names of the retiring members are:—
Sir Alfred Bateman,
W. W. Jacobs,
Stanley Leathes,
Aylmer Maude.
(3) The date fixed by the committee up to
which nominations by the subscribing members
of candidates for clection to the new committee
may be made is January 31.
(4) The committee nominate the following
candidates, being subscribing members of the
Society, to fill the vacancies caused by the
retirement of one-third of the committee,
according to the constitution :—
Sir Alfred Bateman,
W. W. Jacobs,
Stanley Leathes,
Aylmer Maude.
The committee remind the members that,
under Article 19 of the amended Articles of
Association ‘‘ any two subscribing members of
1138
the Society may nominate one or more sub-
scribing members other than themselves, not
exceeding the number of vacancies to be filled
up, by notice in writing sent to the secretary,
accompanied by a letter signed by the candi-
date or candidates expressing willingness to
accept the duties of the post.
The complete list of candidates will be
printed in the March issue of The Author.
—_———+ >_> —___——_-
THE PENSION FUND COMMITTEE.
pe
N order to give members of the Society,
I should they desire to appoint a fresh
member to the Pension Fund Committee,
full time to act, it has been the custom to place
in The Author a complete statement of the
method of election under the scheme for
administration of the Pension Fund. Under
that scheme the committee is composed of
three members elected by the committee of the
Society, three members elected by the Society
at the general meeting, and the chairman of the
Society for the time being ew officio. The three
members elected by the Society are Mr. Owen
Seaman, Mr. M. H. Spielmann, and Mrs. Alec
Tweedie. This year Mrs. Alec Tweedie retires
under the scheme and submits her name for
re-election.
The members have, however, power to put
forward other names under clause 9, which runs
as follows :—
“ Any candidate for election to the Pension Fund Com-
mittee by the members of the society (not being a retiring
member of such committee) shall be nominated in writing
to the secretary at least three weeks prior to the general
meeting at which such candidate isto be proposed, and the
nomination of each such candidate shall be subscribed by
at least three members of the society. A list of the names
of the candidates so nominated shall be sent to the members
of the society, with the annual report of the managing
committee, and those candidates obtaining the most votes
at the general meeting shall be elected to serve on the
Pension Fund Committee.”
In case any member should desire to refer to
the list of members he can do so if he gives
notice to the secretary, or if he prefers he can
forward the name of his proposed candidate or
candidates and the secretary will inform him
if they are members.
It will be as well, therefore, should any mem-
ber desire to put forward a candidate, to take
the matter within his immediate considera-
tion. The general mecting of the Society is
usually held in March. It is desirable that all
nominations should be in the hands of the secre
tary before January 31.
114
M. ANATOLE FRANCE IN LONDON.
—— +
ANATOLE FRANCE has been on a
visit to London during the past month
and on December 10, a dinner was
given in his honour at the Savoy Hotel. Lord
Redesdale presided at the dinner, among those
present at which were the Earl of Cromer,
Viscount Goschen, Mrs. Humphry Ward, Mr.
H. G. Wells, Miss Marie Corelli, Mr. Alfred
Sutro, Mr. Israel Zangwill, Mr. W. J. Locke,
Mr. John Galsworthy, Madame Sarah Grand,
Mr. C. Lewis Hind, Mr. Jerome K. Jerome,
Mr. W. W. Jacobs, Sir Frederick Pollock, Mr.
T. P. O'Connor, M.P., Sir D. Mackenzie Wallace
and Sir James Yoxall, M.P. Apologies for.
inability to attend were sent by Mr. Asquith,
Mr. Balfour, and Mr. Thomas Hardy.
The chairman, in proposing the toast of the
guest of the evening, said that he might have
referred to him as one who has distinguished
himself in many capacities, one who was an
antiquary, a scholar, a man of science, an
artist ; but he preferred to speak of him in a
capacity which included all those qualifications,
the capacity of an illustrious novelist. The
novel was the champagne of prose literature—
and it was a Yorkshire parson, Sterne, who
invented the novel, as it exists to-day. He
hoped he would not be charged with boasting
if he weleomed M. France to the home of the
novel.
M. France, in the course of his reply, said
that it was fitting the chairman should have
spoken of the novel, both because he was the
admirable writer who had made known in
Europe the heroic tales of Japan, and because
he was an Englishman. During two centuries
English writers had produced masterpieces in
this genre. Need he recall the names of
Richardson and Fielding, Swift and Defoe,
Seott, Dickens, Thackeray, George Eliot ?
There he pulled up, in order not to confer on
the living a premature apotheosis! England
was the native home of the novel, as was
Normandy of the apple or Valencia of the
orange. ‘Why? That question could be
answered only in a large volume or in a single
word. He would answer it in a word. The
novel was in its nature intimate, cordial, and
homely, and the spirit of the Englishman was
homely, intimate, and cordial. What was
infinitely precious to him as their guest, he
gontinued, was the opportunity which was
given to him now to express his respectful and
tender affection for England, and to pay
THE AUTHOR.
homage to all there who represented the
essential English genius, to all of them who,
after a long series of robust generations,
conveyed the vast and profound spirit of
Shakespeare and Bacon. In this English
genius there was a vigorous continuity which
provoked wonder and compelled admiration.
Its gravity, wedded to a perfect good humour,
its happy combination of realism with a
sublime idealism, its patient effort after justice,
its virile energy and constancy in virtue, made
it a perpetual homage to human liberty and
human dignity. It had won the esteem of the
whole world and had nowhere been better
known nor more esteemed than in France.
———_+— + —_—___
UNITED STATES NOTES.
——
HERE still continues to be discussion
about the relative quantity and quality
of books produced in the United States ;
and the: Publishers’ Weekly, in whose columns
the matter has been amply debated, has
recently expressed the hope that ‘‘ the much-
abused slogan ‘ fewer and better books’ is at
last being heard.” Figures do not, indeed,
support the idea that the output of books (of
all kinds) is decreasing at the moment, since
the Fall Announcement List shows an increase
in titles of 5 per cent. over last year’s—itself
nearly 29 per cent. larger than that of 1911.
But it is thought that, on the whole, there will
prove to have been a numerical decline in
book-production for two years past, accom-
panied by an improvement in quality in the
non-fiction class. One Boston publisher has
ventured on the opinion that the ery ought
now to be changed to ‘‘ more and better books.”
It is noteworthy that the publishers profess
the most vivid interest in the question. The
authors are comparatively silent.
Biographical works have been unusually
numerous since I last wrote. First place may
be given to ex-President Roosevelt’s and
Admiral Dewey’s autobiographies. Then there
are Senator H. Cabot Lodge’s “ Early
Memories ” ; Amelia Barr’s ‘“ All the Days of
My Life”; Mrs. John A. Logan’s ‘‘ Reminis-
cences of a Soldier’s Wife ’? ; and F. T. Martin’s
“Things I Remember.” ‘Harrison Gray
Otis”’ is portrayed by S. E. Morrison, a
descendant. W.J. Johnson writes of “ Lincoln
the Christian,” Dr. W. Elliot Griffis of “‘ Hep-
burn of Japan,’’ Caroline Ticknor of ‘‘ Haw-
thorne and his Publisher.’’ W. E. Ford edits
THE AUTHOR.
“The Writings of John Quincey Adams,”
Frederick Bancroft ‘‘The Speeches, Corre-
spondence, and Political Papers of Carl
Schurz,’ and Sara Norton and M. A. de Wolfe
Howe, conjointly, ‘‘ The Letters of Charles
Eliot Norton.”
Among the historical works are Senator
J. H. Lewis’s ‘‘ Two Great Republics—Rome
and the United States’; J. Spencer Bassett’s
“‘ Short History of the United States”; G. L.
Rives’s “‘The United States and Mexico,
1821-1848’; Rear-Admiral Fiske’s ‘‘ War
Time in Manila”; J. A. Le Roy’s “ The
Americans in the Philippines’; R. M. John-
ston’s ‘ Bull Run: Its Strategy and Tactics ” ;
and R. F. Guardia’s ‘‘ Discovery and Conquest
of Costa Rica.”
Two notable Anglo-American books are
Senator Lodge’s “‘One Hundred Years of
Peace’’; and Mr. Whitelaw Reid’s ‘“* American
and English Studies.”
Ex-President Taft has a work to his credit—
“Popular Government: Its Essence, its
Permanence, and its Perils.” Somewhat
similar in the suggestion of its title is H. C.
Emery’s ‘‘ The Politician, the Party, and the
People.”’ Political also are ‘‘ The Theory of
Social Revolution,’ by Brooks Adams ; ‘‘ The
Monroe Doctrine, an Obsolete Shibboleth,” by
H. Bingham ; and “‘ A Preface to Politics,”’ by
Walter Lippmann. The feminist question is
considered in ‘‘Sex Antagonism,” by W.
Heape; ‘‘ Woman in Science,” by H. J.
Mozens; and “A Survey of the Woman
Problem,” by Rosa Mayreder. “ Present
Forces in Negro Progress,” is by Dr. W. D.
Weatherford. C. O. Gill and G. Pinchot
discuss ‘‘ The Country Church: Its Decline
and the Remedy.”
Professor W. G. Bleyer is the author of
“Newspaper Writing and Editing,” and Pro-
fessor F. P. Graves of ‘‘ A History of Education
in Modern Times.”
Literature and art do not claim a long list
of recent books. Among them, however, is
ex-President Roosevelt’s “‘ History as Litera-
ture, and other Essays.” ‘“‘ The Book of the
Epic,” is by H. A. Guerber ; ‘‘ Art and Common
Sense,” by Royal Cortissoz; ‘‘ London in
English Literature,” by P. H. Boynton. In
“The Wallet of Time,’’ William Winter deals
with the American stage between 1791 and
1812, while Dr. R. E. Burton writes about
‘* The New American Drama.”’
Travel books and the like are fairly numerous.
“The Panama Gateway,’ by J. B. Bishop ;
“The Panama Canal,” by Earle Harrison ;
“The Story of the Panama Canal,” by Logan
115
Marshall ; and “‘ Pacific Shores from Panama,”
by E. C. Peixotto, all derive their inspiration
from one source. Home is dealt with in R. H.
Schauffler’s ‘‘ Romantic America,”’ Caroline
Richards’s ‘‘ Village Life in America (1852-
72), and Belmore Brown’s ‘‘ Conquest of
Mount McKinley.” P. J. Eder, with ‘‘ Colom-
bia,” and D. R. Williams, with ‘“‘ The Odyssey
of the Philippine Commission,” go further
afield; and further still, Theodore Dreiser’s
** A Traveler Abroad,’ C.S. Oleott’s ‘‘ Country
of Sir Walter Scott,” and A. H. Exner’s
** Japan as I Saw It.”
By exercising a discrimination,, which .may
not be entirely just, it is possible to reduce the
army of new novels to reasonable dimensions.
Undoubtedly the most popular of the autumn
volumes were Gene Stratton-Porter’s ‘‘ Laddie”’
and Rex Beach’s ‘“‘ The Iron Trail.’ The best
sellers’ lists have also included ‘‘ The Way
Home,” by Basil King; ‘A Fool and his
Money,” by G. B. McCutcheon; “ Otherwise
Phyllis,’ by Meredith Nicholson; ‘The
Business of Life,” by R. W. Chambers ; “ The
Lady and the Pirate,” by Emerson Hough ;
and ‘“‘ The White Linen Nurse,”’ by Eleanor
Hallowell Abbott. Richard Harding Davis’s
new novel is ‘‘The Lost Road”; Payne
Erskine’s ‘“‘ The Eye of Dread ”’ ; R. W. Kauff-
mann’s ‘‘ The Spider’s Web ”; G. R. Chester’s
“Wallingford and Blackie Daw”; Kate
Douglas Wiggin’s ‘‘ The Story of Waitstill
Baxter”; L. J. Vance’s “ Joan Thursday ”’ ;
Ridgewell Cullum’s “‘ The Twins of Suffering
Creek’; Edith Wharton’s “‘ The Custom of
the Country’; Stewart Edward White’s
** Gold ” ; F. H. Spearman’s ‘“‘ Merrilie Dawes ”
Harriet Hobson’s “‘ Sis Within ’?; and Harold
Bell Wright’s ‘‘The Eyes of the World.”
Margaret Deland has brought out “ Partners ” ;
Samuel Blythe, ‘‘ The Price of Place” ; Anne
Elliott, ‘‘ The Memoirs of Mimosa ”’ ; Marjorie
Patterson, ‘‘ The Dust of the Road”; David
Potter, “‘ The Streak’; Anne Wharton, “A
Rose of Old Quebec’’; Laura E. Richards,
“The Little Master’?; Mrs. Corra Harris,
“In Search of a Husband’; Will Levington
Comfort, ‘‘Down among Men”; Harold
MacGrath, ‘‘ Deuces Wild’; Mary Johnston,
‘Hagar’; Gouverneur Morris, “If You
Touch Them They Vanish”; J. B. Ellis,
‘“‘TLahoma’’; and W. M. Harvey and J. C.
Harvey, ‘“‘The Hills o’ Hampshire.” Mrs.
R. C. Sheffield’s novel, ‘‘ The Golden Hollow,”
sprang into immediate fame owing to an
attempt by the lady’s husband to prevent
its publication, on the ground that he was
libelled in it !
Finally, mention must not be omitted of
two posthumous works of fiction—Myrtle
Reed’s “Threads of Grey and Gold,” and
Vaughan Kester’s ‘‘ The Hand of the Mighty,
and other stories.” :
The obituary of the past half-year contains
many names of writers, though perhaps the
majority of them are but little known in
England. In June, too late for inclusion in
the last issue of these notes, occurred the deaths
of Lucius Harwood Foote, a poet who was once
U.S. Minister to Korea; of the Rev. Dr. C. A.
Briggs, hero of a Presbyterian heresy-trial
eleven years ago, and a prolific religious writer ;
of M. M. Muhleman, author of a number of
financial works; of T. A. Janvier, editor,
novelist, ete., and friend of Frédéric Mistral ;
of the Rev. E. G. Murphy, a southern philan-
thropist ; and of Judge T. M. Norwood, ex-
Confederate and Senator. Early in July died
Mrs. Mary Harrison Seymour, a writer of
children’s books. Miss Nell Speed, another
worker in the same line, followed her at the
beginning of August. Professor J. C. Coney,
of Princeton University, died on July 25.
September saw the deaths of Professor A. G.
Newcomer ; of the Kentuckian, R. T. Durrett ;
of the Rev. Dr. James Orr; and of Eliakum
Zunser, the Yiddish poet. In October died
Stanley Waterlow; Stephen Jenkins; the
Rev. Dr. J. I. Mombert; Professor C. F.
Richardson ; Mrs. Sara Andrew Schafer; W.
Garrott Brown; Mrs. M. B. Crowninshield,
widow of the Admiral; and Reuben Gold
Thwaites, of Wisconsin University. Price
Collier died on November 8, when on a visit to
the Baltic. The writings of the last named are,
of course, as well known in the Old World as
in the New.
Puitie WALSH.
—————p-~<¢—___
ARTISTS, CRITICS, AND EXHIBITIONS.
—-— +
A” interesting article in a recent issue
of The Author on artists and critics
prompts me to offer a few remarks on
the subject; my excuse being that I have
been writing about art for more years than I
care to recall, and that during that time I have
had considerable opportunity, not merely of
thinking about the vexed question of the
legitimate limits and province of art criticism,
but what is more to the point, of learning
from all sorts and conditions of artists, their
views thereon.
116 THE AUTHOR.
I would like to epitomise, as briefly as
possible, these views with which, I confess,
I have a large measure of sympathy. Artists
generally hold, as your contributor hints,
that it is absurd, speaking generally, to suppose
that one man can be competent to tackle
every phase of artistic thought and expression :
every school of art. They hold that the critic
is lacking, commonly, in catholicity of taste,
and that his knowledge of painting and ~
sculpture is necessarily limited, in a technical
sense and in other regards. In most cases the
critic has a strong bias toward a particular
school of painting, so that he is apt to judge
everything that comes under his review from
the standpoint of its approximation to, or
deviation from, the preconceived standard
he has set up in his mind, The literary
man is in a much happier case in regard
to the newspaper judgment of his work,
because, in the first place, his critic is
another literary man and consequently knows
something about the technical difficulties of
the literary vehicle of expression. Moreover,
as your contributor remarks, the editor sees
that a book coming to him for review is sent
out to the critic who has made, or is supposed
to have made, a special study of the subject
treated in that particular book. Editors know
that such and such a reviewer on their list is
incompetent to judge, say, a theological work,
though he may be trusted not to make a fool
of himself in dealing with a treatise on the
arts and crafts.
Artists maintain that the language of art
is art, and that although Ruskin and others
have tried to translate it, put it into words,
that is to say, it remains a thing apart, to be
understood fully by the practitioners of art
only. A writer can only tell you what is
wrong with a picture, whereas he should he
able both to point out a fault and tell you
how to correct it.
If a critic should tell a writer that his book
is full of split infinitives; that the meaning is
often obscured by the too free and too com-
plicated use of parenthesis, that its facts are
faulty; its opinions based on insecure or
fallacious grounds ; its style loose, or what not,
he has not only pointed out definite faults,
but in doing so has suggested remedies. The
assumption is that the literary critic knows
how to write well enough to improve the book
he criticises, and this he either proves or the
reverse by the quality of his own literary style
and the character of his criticism; whereas
an art critic is not called upon to prove his
power to improve a picture in writing about it.
THE AUTHOR. 117
In view of these and cognate considerations,
it is held by artists that they are to be pardoned
if they look upon art criticism generally in
the light of “notices,” rather than as a
guide to aid and correct performance. Conse-
quently, it is not unnatural that when a
notice becomes offensive they commonly
resent it.
' If a painter should come into another
painter’s studio and say bluntly, ‘‘ That arm’s
too long,”’ or ‘‘ That nose is too short,” indicat-
ing the alteration necessitated with a piece of
chalk, he is in fair way to prove himself right
or wrong; the matter can be determined one
way or the other. The like applies to much
more subtile criticisms. Whereas, when a
critic arbitrarily declares that a picture is
‘too degraded in tone,” that it lacks distinc-
tion, that the artist needs to take lessons in
perspective, that his colour gradations are in
defiance of truth, or too truthful to be
beautiful, and so forth, he merely makes
assertions upon which no onus of proof rests.
To come from the general to the particular.
It is undeniable that mixed exhibitions in
London and other great cities are, generally
speaking, arranged with the design to attract
attention, to draw the town, so to speak; to
express and take advantage of any new theory
that may have ‘“‘ caught on.” The result is
that pictures not painted with these aims are
fairly certain to be overlooked by the critic
whose one preoccupation frequently is to make
“copy.” So that in recent days, truth to
nature no longer counts, and the indirect
result is that too many artists, rather than
run the risk, amounting almost to a certainty,
of being left behind, throw nature and truth
overboard. They become frantically eager to be
in the movement, to assert their “individuality ”’
and so secure notice. To-day, moreover,
pictures are more and more regarded as mere
wall decorations, and this being so any new
convention pleases for the moment, so long, that
is to say, as the particular scheme of colour
and design is in the mode. To this scheme
pictures must accord. The result is lament-
able for the landscape painter ; for what does or
can the average fashionable Londoner know
about the country, which he merely resorts to
in the holiday-maker’s spirit? As the town
continually increases its boundaries, this must
be more and more the spirit in which the
country is regarded and tolerated. Despite
the fact that motors take Londoners from
centre to centre, their view of the country
must be merely panoramic, and their apprecia-
tion of it must become increasingly super-
ficial and artificial.* The real life and soul of
nature, the real meaning of the countryman’s
life and habit of |thought become less and less
understood. Hence, if a landscape painter in
any case is to attract a wide public his work
must become more and more decorative and
conventional: it must be painted to supply
a@ want.
The time has already arrived, speaking in
the social sense, when London exists solely for
those who follow fashion and resort to it to be
tickled with the latest novelty. Its exhibitions
of pictures must, if they are to pay their way,
conform to the inexorable necessity of tickling
the palates of the groundlings. Consequently
the true artist is returning to that happier
and far more gracious state when exhibitions
and critics were factors outside his considera-
tion. He is becoming content to paint for
those few whom the good God gives him; for
appreciative folk of his own neighbourhood,
folk familiar with and loving the scenes he
depicts. He works, as all great artists of old
worked, to please those with whom he comes
into direct contact, leaving his fame now and
hereafter, in a more extended sense, to take
care of itself. The artists who have arrived at
this sensible and dignified resolve are much
happier in themselves and in their work than
those to whom exhibitions and newspaper
notices are necessities.
Jas. STANLEY LITTLE.
——_——_ + —~>—__+-—______—__
WHO’S WHO, 1914.*
eg
2 HO’S Who” is so well known as
hardly to stand in need of recom-
‘ mendation. There is in any year
very little to be said about this valuable annual
except that it has again grown larger, and will
so be more helpful than heretofore. We have
only to remark that the new volume maintains
its traditional level, which is giving it the
highest praise that can be bestowed upon it.
ae
WHO'S WHO YEAR-BOOK FOR 1914—15.¢
ne
N a few words contained in his preface, the
editor of ‘‘ Who’s Who” very justly draws
attention to the assistance which all
possessors of that work will derive from this
* “Who's Who, 1914.” Sixty-sixth year of Issue.
London: Adam and Charles Black.
+ ‘“Who’s Who Year-Book for 1914—15.” London :
Adam and Charles Black.
118
fellow-volume, the ‘‘ Who’s Who Year-Book.”’
The commodious alphabetical arrangement of
the larger volume necessarily precludes any
grouping of the vast amount of information
which it contains. This grouping of infor-
mation is, at the same time, indispensable
when a name has to be sought; and 1s
immediately provided by the exhaustive
indexes under various headings presented in
the ‘‘ Year-Book.’’ We therefore entirely
agree with the editor that “it can be truly
said that no one who does not spend an extra
shilling on the lesser work can reap the full
advantage of the larger one.’”’” Among new
tables included for the first time in the present
edition are: A list of the Heads of Universities,
of General Officers and Admirals on the Active
List, of Premiers of Colonies, and Members of
Royal Commissions now sitting. While recom-
mending the work generally, we must add that
it is one likely to be particularly useful to
journalists as well as to other literary men.
——_+ + —___
THE WRITERS’ AND ARTISTS’ YEAR-
BOOK.*
1
S there any occasion to say that ‘‘ The
Writers’ and Artists’ Year-Book ”’ ought
to be in the hands of every author? We
hope that there is not, for no manual of equal
value exists, whilst its price puts it within the
easy reach of all. Among the new features of
the volume of 1914 are an article on cinema-
play writing by an expert, a detailed list of
cinema companies and their requirements, and
an article on press photography. In addition
to this the book has been this year greatly
enlarged by the inclusion of fresh matter;
whilst a last but most happily invented
novelty is, at the end of the volume, the
provision of blank pages, duly ruled, on which
authors may record where MSS. are sent and
when, and with what results. The conve-
nience of this will be instantly apparent to
all contributors to periodicals, and ought alone
widely to increase the popularity of this
valuable little book.
* “The Writers’ and Artists’ Year-Book, 1914,” Iondon:
am and Charles Black.
THE AUTHOR.
**BOOK PRICES CURRENT.” *
oo
HE numbers of Book Prices Current lying
aL before us complete the twenty-seventh
volume; and record the sales from
March 18 to August 1, 1918. We learn from
the preface that the auction season has been
‘*one of the busiest on record, as well as one
of the most successful.”” The total amount
realised, in more than sixty high-class sales,
has closely approached £200,000, a sum exceed-
ing any previously on record for a corresponding
period; whilst the average sum realised
throughout the season has been £5 Os. 7d. ;
also the highest on record; 1911, 1912,
previously the highest average recorded, gave
an average of £5 Os. 2d. This remarkable
record has not been due to the Huth sale alone.
During the last two years a very large number
of rare and valuable books have come into the
auction rooms, and they have fetched there
higher prices than at any previous date. On
the other hand, other books, of value, but not
such as are sought by the book collector have
sold for sums considerably smaller than they
fetched a fewyears ago. Here the scholar, as
distinct from the book collector enjoys an
advantage, and may hope to purchase volumes
required for working purposes at somewhat -
diminished prices. The editor of Book Prices
Current speaks of the impression that ‘“ all
sorts and conditions of owners desire to dispose
of their possessions as quickly as possible ’’ as
an. “‘ illusion,”” but we must confess to wishing
that we could be quite sure of that ; or even sure
that authors at least paid as much attention as
their calling demands to the possession of
books—and to reading them. A depreciation
in the value of books that are not collectors’
books has a sinister appearance of being of one
piece with a good many other phenomena of
“the advance of education,” or what at present
passes for such.
We have, unfortunately, space for picking
out only a very few plums from the widely
interesting details of the new numbers of this
always entertaining periodical. Those who
like to read of strange books, of the most
varied description, should turn to the pages
recording the sale (April 3, 4, Sotheby) of the ©
first portion of a book-lover’s library. Authors
are likely to be particularly interested in such
lots as (April 3, Hodgson) Meredith ‘‘ Ordeal
of Richard Feverel,”’ first edition, 8 vols.,
original cloth, 1859, £8 15s. The same price
* “ Book Prices Current,” Vol. XXVII., Nos. 4 and 5,
1913. 2s
London : -Elliot Stock.
te het Sg a ES
THE AUTHOR. 119
was paid (April 23, Sotheby) for two works by
Gissing (“Workers in the Dawn,” “ The
Unelassed’’), both similarly first editions in
three volumes in the original cloth. Very
striking were the prices fetched at the sale of
the Browning Collections (May 2, MSS. ;
May 5—7, printed books, Sotheby). Particu-
larly the prices paid for the MSS., should be
noted. Every one of them would be worth
quotation if we had space ;_ but we can record
here only such things as pairs of small manu-
script note-books selling for £33, £50, and £52 ;
and the autograph of “* Sonnets from the Portu-
guese” for £1,130. The printed books also
fetched quite fancy prices on account of
ownership, autographs and manuscript notes.
Eleven volumes of the Tauchnitz classics sold
for £24. On June 2 Messrs. Sotheby began the
sale of the fourth portion of the Huth library.
It will be needless to say that, as on previous
occasions, no notice could possibly do justice
to the rarities offered for sale. Mr. Bram
Stoker’s Library was sold by Sotheby on
July 7 and 8. The original MSS. of “ Personal
Reminiscences of Henry Irving ”’ sold for £1 4s.
THE PUBLISHING TRADE FROM
WITHIN.*
——_— +
HIS is really an American book, though it
comes to us from an English house ; and
it is solely of the transatlantic conditions
of the book trade that it treats. The author,
it must be added, writes from the publisher’s
point of view, and fails to perceive a good many
things which are conspicuous from the view-
point of this Society. He writes, for instance,
as if 10 per cent. were the royalty fixed by
the laws of nature, and does not seem-to see
the abandonment of those costly advertising
methods which, in America at all events,
once afforded some justification for the
doctrine warrants the appropriation to the
writer of a larger share of the returns. Nor
does he take sound views of the functions of
literary agents; and, indeed, it is not quite
clear what his views on that branch of the
subject really are. On one and the same page
he writes that the agent “‘ is often a beneficence
to publisher as well as author,” and that,
‘depending equally upon author and publisher
for his livelihood, he is always at odds with one
_ * “The Publisher,” by Robert Sterling Yard. Constable.
4s, 6d. net.
of them.’ Why either publisher or author
should always be ‘‘ at odds” with one who is
labouring successfully for his advantage we
have some difficulty in understanding ;_ but,
perhaps, the key to the mystery is contained
in the following sentence :—
‘** It is only when slack business or exces-
sive zeal drives him into forcing royalties or
luring authors from their natural publishers
in order to win a commission by placing
them with others that he becomes the devil.”
The implication here seems to be that the
agent is all right as long as he does no work for
his commission beyond the packing up of
parcels, and that, when he does any other
work, he does it, not in the interest of his
client, but in the interest of the new firm to
which he allures his client, and is entitled to be,
and commonly is, paid a commission by that
firm for his services. That is a view of literary
agency against which we have often had occa-
sion to protest. In England, at all events, it is
illegal as well as immoral; and it is doubly
important to emphasise its impropriety when
we find a publisher’s representative writing
as if he thought it a legitimate proceeding,
offensive to no one except the publisher who
suffered by it.
Still, though we often disagree with Mr. Yard,
we are glad to have read his book. It is
desirable that the author should know what is
in the publisher’s mind; and Mr. Yard not
only tells him this, but tells it in a light
and entertaining manner, and with a real
enthusiasm for literature as well as for success.
—__+.—_o—._
“PICTURES” AND PICTURE-PLAYS.*
ag does not, at first sight, seem to be
much that concerns authors, as authors,
in the subject which gives its title to
Mr. Talbot’s book. Nevertheless, even those
who are not attracted by the idea that they
may read therein something about the
practical side of the art or industry which
provides us with ‘“‘ the pictures’? on every
vacant spot where it is possible to erect a
‘* palace ’’—even those may turn with interest
to the eighteenth chapter of the book and see
what Mr. Talbot has to say about picture-
* ‘ Practical Cinematography and its Applications,” by
Frederick A. Talbot. London: Wm. Heinemann,
120
plays and the writing of them. The vogue of
the picture-palace, he points out, has created
a new profession ; and, while at the start the
public was not exacting as to the quality of
the drama shown upon the screen, content with
the mere novelty of the exhibition, now the
state of affairs is quite different. Better fare,
stronger plots (coupled with improved mount-
ing and acting) are demanded, and the un-
known struggling dramatist, foiled hitherto by
the lack of enterprise on the part of the
theatrical managers, has a golden opportunity.
Mr. Talbot speaks enthusiastically :—
To-day the embryo dramatist never bestows a thought
upon writing for the stage ; the cinematograph will absorb
all that he can produce, and as rapidly as he can complete
it. No longer need a budding genius starve unknown and
unappreciated in a garret. If his work possesses any merit
the cinematograph will turn it to profitable account.
About 300 picture-plays are placed upon the world’s
market every week, and consequently the consumption of
plots is enormous. What is more important from the
author’s point of view is the expanding nature of this
market, where supply cannot keep pace with demand, and
the proportionate improvement that is manifest in the
scale of remuneration. Ten years ago a plot seldom
fetched more than five shillings ; to-day the same material
will command anything between £5 and £50. In this field
of activity reputation counts for nothing. The play, and
the play only, is the thing.
We could quote much more, but it is un-
necessary, to show what a boon Mr. Talbot
considers that the development of cinemato-
graphy has bestowed upon the author with
dramatic talent. We must add that he finds
the British producing firms lagging behind the
times, though signs of awakening are becoming
evident, and one or two of the most pro-
gressive establishments now pay up to £10 for
a play. Further, we are told that so much is
the standard of excellence rising that ‘‘ the
highest work only now stands a chance of
being accepted.’ It must not, therefore, be
thought that anyone can write a picture-play,
nor must we trust the “ advertisements freely
inserted in the various periodicals offering to
teach the art of writing plays for the cinemato-
graph and to submit the plots to the various
producers in the manner of a literary agency.”
The author should submit his work directly to
the producer and deal with him alone, while
the art of writing cannot be taught by schools,
but can only be acquired by experience.
In a way the title of the chapter, “‘ How to
write photo-plays,” is misleading. Mr. Talbot
is not so foolish as to attempt to supply the
place of the experience which he declares
essential. Tis chapter, however, is suggestive,
and gives additional value to a book which can
be thoroughly commended on other grounds.
THE AUTHOR.
A large number of illustrations accompany the
text, showing both the apparatus by which
moving-pictures are taken and some most
instructive results.
-_-
A MODERN ENGLISH DICTIONARY,*
y VERY dictionary must be written from a
special view-point. Even Sir J. A. H.
Murray’s world-famed production, ex-
haustive as it is, cannot contain everything.
In a dictionary the general get-up is a matter
of vital importance. It must not be too large,
it must not be too heavy, the printing must be
clear, the paper good. In these essentials
the ‘Modern English Dictionary’? must be
commended.
One feature is a series of glossaries con-
taining comprehensive lists of technical terms
referring to certain sports. These lists are
compiled by such well-known authorities as
Lord Hawke on cricket, James Brady on golf,
Claude Grahame White on aviation, and J. E.
Raphael on Rugby football.
We are not so satisfied with the illustrations.
It is really an impossible thing to illustrate a
dictionary, and though the examples of aero-
planes may give to the reader of 1913 some
interest, yet the examples of marine engines,
p. 284, seem to be quite hopeless, and unable
to suggest anything even to the mind of an
engineer, certainly nothing to the lay mind.
The coloured illustrations also are not very
satisfactory. The standard cattle, p. 158, to
give but one example, afford little real infor-
mation to those who search the dictionary for
knowledge on the subject.
The illustrations in a dictionary are bound
to be so limited that it were better to omit
them.
For the dictionary itself, as far as it has been
possible to peruse it, there is nothing but com-
mendation. Indeed, the names of the editorial
contributors on the front page, Sir James
Yoxhall, Professor Gollanez, Professor Walter
Rippmann, Henry R. Tedder, H. J. L. J. Masse,
at once carry conviction that the work has
been satisfactorily done. There are, in addi-
tion to the glossaries, some useful appendices.
The book should prove of value to those who.
want a dictionary which attempts to bring
the outstanding interests of life into its
compass.
* “The British Empire Universities Modern English
Dictionary.” Published by the Syndicate Publishing
Company, 41, Southampton Row, W.C.
CORRESPONDENCE.
+
* Onxy.”
I.
Sr1r,—It was high time that protest should
be made against the misplacement of “ only.”
My books are crammed with marginal cor-
rections of examples; to cull them would fill
columns. But I will give only one, and that
from Lord Morley’s “ Diderot” (Vol. L., ii.,
p- 77), ‘‘ He only speaks as one brooding,” etc.
A writer in the current number of 7. P.’s
Weekly flatters Lord Morley by imitation,
‘when he says of a bookseller that “* of twenty
novels submitted to him he only ordered two.”
Yours faithfully,
Epwarp CLopp.
II.
Sir,—Your last issues contain letters in
which exception is taken to such sentences as
“the tide had only turned two hours before,”
‘“* T shall now only add three remarks for your
consideration,” ete. So far from being a
‘* vulgar error,” this throwing forward of the
‘only ” is a natural and instinctive action of
the mind by which the hearer is warned as
early as possible of the nature of the statement
asa whole. Of possibilities of various degrees,
a minor one is to be put forward as the predi-
cate. A colour and a force is thus often given
to what would be otherwise a mere correct
verbal statement. If a man asks me to give
him a book I have in my hand, I reply: “I
bought it only yesterday,” I am giving him a
formal verbally correct piece of information.
But if I say: “I only bought it yesterday,”
I am also making a protest. The “only”
represents my chief emotion and must come
out at once. Personally, I prefer living
language to dead formalism.
Yours obediently,
Louis ZANGWILL.
Boox Covers.
S1r,—I should like to utter a protest—I fear
a futile protest, for vulgarity is the order of
the day—against the paper covers, not only
with startling but with misleading pictures on
them which even respectable publishers give
to the books they issue. Has the author any
centrol over these? Reviews had _ lately
attracted me to a certain book but I was
inclined to think I must have been mistaken
THE AUTHOR.
121
as to its character when I saw the wrapper.
The pictorial decoration, however, proved to
be a gross exaggeration of an incident in the
novel—a noble book. The dodge, in order to
attract readers who would not be in sympathy
with the contents, was like to alienate those
who would be. It struck me as being bad
business as well as insulting to the writer.
Faithfully yours,
IsosEL Fitzroy Hecur.
THE LATE Dr. ALFRED RussEL WALLACE.
Dear S1r,—The family of the late Dr. Alfred
Russel Wallace having invited me to arrange
and edit a volume of letters and reminiscences,
they would be thankful if those of your
readers who have letters or reminiscences
would kindly send them to me for this purpose.
The letters would be safely and promptly
returned.
Will provincial, American, colonial and
foreign newspapers kindly republish this letter.
Yours faithfully,
JAMES MARCHANT.
BROWNING RELICs.
Dear Srr,—Will you kindly permit me to
interest some of the readers of The Author in
the following facts ?
It has been my privilege to purchase the
wonderful oak bookcase of that great poet—
and great man—Robert Browning. My object
in doing so was to save it to our own land,
as there was imminent danger of its leaving
the country.
I wish to give any and every lover of
Browning’s memory and poetry, an oppor-
tunity of subscribing his or her coin, as he or
she is able, towards the £250 required to secure
the bookcase a permanent resting place in
England as a national heirloom.
I am told that it would easily fetch from
two to three thousand pounds from America.
But that, of course, is unthinkable to fellow-
countrymen and women of the Brownings.
The insignificant sum of £250 should be easily
forthcoming within the three months for which
the offer remains open, if each sympathiser
will contribute his or her coin promptly and
endeavour to interest others. Would it not
be a shame and a national disgrace were we
to permit this precious relic to go abroad ?
The bookcase is of fine old carved oak,
gathered together by the poct himself, as he
wandered about Italy. Some of it is fifteenth
122 THE AUTHOR.
century oak; other pieces are of early
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The
bookcase is 11 feet high by 7 feet broad. It
stood in the drawing room at Casa Guidi, and
later in Browning’s London home. It is
mentioned in Mrs. Browning’s letters to
Miss Mitford, July 4, 1848. And there is a
very’ interesting allusion to it in “ Bishop
Blougram’s Apology,” which, if read in con-
junction with Mrs. Browning’s letter, sheds a
very pretty light on a personal matter in the
Brownings’ history.
Many of the poet’s MSS. must have been
locked up in the fine cupboard at the base of
the bookecase—probably ‘“‘ The Little Yellow
Book” itself found here a_ resting-place.
If any of your readers would care to see the
bookease, I should be glad to send them
permits to view it, which, thanks to the kind-
ness and hospitality of Mr. J. R. Thomas, is
now housed in the Georgian Galleries belong-
ing to that gentleman, and situated at 10, King
Street, St. James’s, S.W.
I am, dear sir, faithfully yours,
(Mrs.) E. M. Story.
Orchard House,
Whelton Road,
Twickenham.
Dear Srr,—I am suffering from a dis-
agreeable emotion—regret for having tried to
do a kind action for my fellow authors. I have
just received the following letter :—
*“DEar Mapam,—Acting on the sugges-
tion in your letter in The Author dated
September 16, I directed my publisher to
send a copy. of my (name of book) to
Monsieur Paul Louis Hervier, 28, Rue de
Beaumont, Bourges, France. He has not
acknowledged the book, nor taken any
notice whatever of a second application
asking him to do so—to return the book—
or give the review for which purpose now so
long ago it was sent. To my thinking, such
conduct reflects discreditably on the recom-
mendation, or . . . A brief acknowledgment
would have met the need—one cannot
afford to give books away in this way. I
shall feel obliged if you will bring the
omission to his notice, as my pen fails to
have any effect.”
“Yours truly,”
ee o>
The ellipsis represents a libellous suggestion
which The Author would not print,
I do not know when the book referred to
was published, but my letter appeared in
October’s Author, and La Nouvelle Revue is
published only twice each month; so, even
if the book was sent to the French editor
immediately, but four numbers have made
their appearance since.
I am writing to Monsieur Hervier, but not
quite in the way my correspondent suggests.
I am writing to apologise for a compatriot,
and to express the hope that he will not be
disgusted with his work of helping with a kind
and clever brain the English authors whose
books are sent to him.
By the way, this lady and her publisher
have evidently had the unique experience of
having every ‘“‘review copy” noticed gor
** acknowledged ”’—wonderful !
Yours truly,
Maup ANNESLEY.
ADVERTISEMENTS.
Srr,—It frequently is the misfortune of
those who read the daily papers to find after
wading through half a column of chatty gossip
that it all ends in advertisement—a recommen-
dation to buy some patent medicine, or to
dine at some special restaurant. All this is
bad enough; but it is my desire to call the
attention of my fellow members to an editorial
liberty that has been taken twice to my know-
ledge and, probably, much more often.
The editor of a young magazine—the name
can be obtained from the secretary—altered
the locale of a short story he had bought
by changing the name of one well-known
restaurant inserted by the author to that of
another whose advertisement he held.
The matter would have been of less import-
ance if only the description, somewhat detailed
of the former, applied to the latter. It did not.
Interested by this little incident I forgot
myself so far as to purchase another copy of
the magazine some months later. There I
found the heroine “* daintily throwing away the
end of her cigarette.”” I immediately
turned to the advertisement pages and found
’s cigarettes being advertised. If the
author desires to advertise some special
abnormity, let him do so.
his taste or his art. But it is not fair that he
should be at the mercy of the editor. I should
like very much to see an action brought.
What damages would the British jury award,
I wonder.
Yours truly,
AGGRIEVED.
I do not admire .
Dublin Core
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Title
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The Author, Vol. 24 Issue 04 (January 1914)
Subject
The topic of the resource
<em>The Author</em>, Vol. 24 Issue 04 (January 1914)
Type
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Publication
Identifier
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1914-01-01-The-Author-24-4
publications
The Author