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483	https://historysoa.com/items/show/483	The Author, Vol. 13 Issue 08 (May 1903)	<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=%3Cem%3EThe+Author%3C%2Fem%3E%2C+Vol.+13+Issue+08+%28May+1903%29"><em>The Author</em>, Vol. 13 Issue 08 (May 1903)</a>											<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Publication">Publication</a>	1903-05-01-The-Author-13-8					193–224																		<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=89&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=13">13</a>											<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=76&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1903-05-01">1903-05-01</a>							8			19030501	Che Huthor.<br /> <br /> (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.)<br /> <br /> FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Vou. XIII.—No. 8.<br /> <br /> May ist, 1903.<br /> <br /> [PRICE SIXPENCE.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE TELEPHONE.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The Telephone connection has now been estab-<br /> lished, and the Society’s number is—<br /> <br /> 374 VICTORIA.<br /> <br /> ——_&gt;— &gt; —_____<br /> <br /> NOTICES.<br /> <br /> —— +<br /> <br /> OR the opinions expressed in papers that are<br /> K signed or initialled the authors alone are<br /> responsible. None of the papers or para-<br /> graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion<br /> of the Committee unless such is especially stated<br /> to be the case.<br /> <br /> Tue Editor begs to inform members of the<br /> Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author<br /> that the cases which are from time to time quoted<br /> in The Author are cases that have come before the<br /> notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the<br /> Society, and that those members of the Society<br /> who desire to have the names of the publishers<br /> concerned can obtain them on application.<br /> <br /> —+-—~— + —_<br /> <br /> List of Members.<br /> <br /> Tue List of Members of the Society of Authors<br /> can now be obtained at the offices of the Society,<br /> at the price of 6d. net.<br /> <br /> It will be sold to the members of the Society<br /> only.<br /> <br /> ——— +<br /> <br /> The Pension Fund of the Society.<br /> <br /> THE investments of the Pension Fund at<br /> present standing in the names of the Trustees are<br /> as follows.<br /> <br /> This is a statement of the actual stock; the<br /> <br /> Vou. XIII.<br /> <br /> money value can be easily worked out at the current<br /> price of the market :—<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> RO 2 en £1000 0 0<br /> G8 08s 500 0 0<br /> <br /> Victorian Government 3 % Consoli-<br /> dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 11<br /> We A i 201 8 8<br /> otal 2. £1,993 9 2<br /> <br /> SPECIAL APPEAL.<br /> <br /> Tue Appeal sent out by the Chairman of the<br /> Society at the request of the Pension Fund Com-<br /> mittee has been very successful.<br /> <br /> The total amount of subscriptions and donations<br /> up to Dec. 1st is :—Subscriptions, £46 8s. 6d.;<br /> donations, £116 14s. 6d. Further additions to<br /> either list are set out below.<br /> <br /> Subscriptions.<br /> Dec. 1, Finnemore, Mrs. . . £0<br /> Dec. 3, Caulfield, Miss Sophia &lt; 0-1<br /> Dec. 5, Hecht, Mrs. . s 02<br /> » Hamilton, Mrs. G. W. 1<br /> . Brinton, Selwyn 0<br /> Dec. 9, Dill, Miss Bessie 0<br /> <br /> Dec. 18, Sutherland, Her Grace the<br /> Duchess of : : :<br /> Dec. 19, Toplis, Miss Grace .<br /> Dec. 22, Anonymous ;<br /> Dec. 29, Seton-Karr, H. W.<br /> Pike Clement, E.<br /> 19038.<br /> Jan. 1, Pickthall, Marmaduke<br /> 3 Deane, Rev. A.C. .<br /> Jan. 4, Anonymous<br /> Heath, Miss Ida<br /> i Russell, G. H. :<br /> Jan. 16, White, Mrs. Caroline<br /> 5, Bedford, Miss Jessie<br /> Jan. 19, Shiers-Mason, Mrs.<br /> Jan. 20, Cobbett, Miss Alice : ;<br /> Jan. 30, Minniken, Miss Bertha M. M.<br /> <br /> —<br /> OOS Orn ooocoece<br /> ooocoo oOocooaceg<br /> <br /> 9<br /> <br /> 22<br /> <br /> me Oo Oo Or COCO So OS Oo &gt; bo<br /> or<br /> <br /> on<br /> eoooocoocooooan<br />  <br /> <br /> 194<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Jan. 31, Whishaw, Fred. &gt; 6<br /> Keb. 3, Reynolds, Mrs. Fred 0<br /> Feb. 11, Lincoln, C. 0<br /> Feb. 16, Hardy, J. Herbert . 0<br /> » Haggard, Major Arthur . 0<br /> Feb. 23, Finnemore, John . : 0<br /> Mar. 2, Moor, Mrs. St. C. . 1<br /> Mar. 5, Dutton, Mrs. Carrie 0<br /> Apl. 10, Bird, C. P. 0<br /> Apl. 10, Campbell, Miss Montgomery . (<br /> <br /> oC<br /> <br /> Donations.<br /> <br /> Dec. 1, Sanderson, Sir J. Burdon<br /> <br /> 5<br /> <br /> - Smith, G. C. Moore 1<br /> Dec. 2, T&#039;revor-Battye, Aubyn 1<br /> » Marks, Mrs. . 0<br /> Dec. 9, Moore, Henry Charles (0<br /> Dee. 11, Lutzow, Count 9<br /> », “Leicester Romayne ” 0<br /> <br /> », Hellier, H. George. 1<br /> Dee. 12, Croft, Miss Lily 0<br /> », Panting, J. Harwood 0<br /> <br /> » ‘attersall, Miss Louisa . 0<br /> Dec. 19, Egbert, Henry 0<br /> Dec. 23, Muirhead, James F. 0<br /> Dec. 28, A. 8. 1<br /> » Bateman, Stringer . 0<br /> Dec. 31, Cholmondeley, Miss Mary . 10<br /> <br /> 1908.<br /> <br /> Jan. 3, Wheelright, Miss E. : 0<br /> 5 Middlemass, 1] Miss Jean . 0<br /> <br /> Jan. 6, Avebury, The R ight Hon.<br /> The Lord . :<br /> » Gribble, Francis :<br /> Jan. 13, Boddington, Miss Helen .<br /> Jan. 17, White, Mrs. Wollaston<br /> » Miller, Miss E. T. .<br /> Jan. 19, Kemp, Miss Geraldine<br /> Jan. 20, Sheldon, Mrs. French<br /> Jan. 29, Roe, Mrs. Harcourt<br /> Feb. 9, Sherwood, Mrs...<br /> Feb. 16, Hocking, The Rey. Silas<br /> Feb. 18, Boulding, J. W. .<br /> 5, Ord, Hubert H.<br /> Feb. 20, Price, Miss Eleanor<br /> » Carlile, Rev. J. CO. .<br /> Feb. 24, Dixon, Mrs.<br /> Feb. 26, Speakman, “Mrs.<br /> Mar. 5, Parker, Mrs. Nella<br /> Mar. 16, Hallward, N. L. .<br /> Mar. 20, Henry, Miss Alice .<br /> Mar. 20, Mathieson, Miss Annie .<br /> Mar. 20, Browne, T. A. “ Rolfe Boldre-<br /> wood” A<br /> Mar. 23, Ward, Mrs. Humphry :<br /> Api. 2, Hutton, The Rev. W. H.<br /> Apl. 14, Tournier, Theodore<br /> <br /> cCorcezocoorecocooresm<br /> <br /> fon<br /> = tec<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Or Or<br /> <br /> or or<br /> <br /> — ee<br /> acnc<br /> <br /> es<br /> acounorce<br /> <br /> e<br /> <br /> H<br /> corcauno Cire<br /> <br /> —<br /> <br /> i0<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> caoamoococceo<br /> <br /> cooooccoococeocesco<br /> <br /> eageocooco<br /> <br /> eoocoo<br /> <br /> The following members have also made subscrip-<br /> tions or donations :—<br /> <br /> Meredith, George, President of the Society.<br /> <br /> Thompson, Sir ood Bart., F.R.C.S,<br /> Rashdall, The Rey. H<br /> <br /> Guthrie, Anstey.<br /> <br /> Robertson, C,<br /> <br /> Dowsett, G, R<br /> <br /> ‘here are in addition other subscribers who do<br /> not desire that either their names or the amount<br /> they are subscribing should be printed.<br /> <br /> SPECIAL. CONDITIONAL SUBSCRIPTIONS.<br /> <br /> Subscriptions,<br /> Hawkins, A. Hope<br /> <br /> : ‘ £10 0 6<br /> Barrie, J. M. . ; : : . 10 0 0<br /> Drummond, Hamilton : ; - 10.0 0<br /> Wynne, Charles Whitworth : - 10 0 0<br /> Gilbert, W. 8S. . : : ; - 10-0 9<br /> Sturgis, Julian . : : : - 10 0 0<br /> <br /> oe<br /> Sir Walter Besant Memorial Fund.<br /> THE amount standing to the credit<br /> of this account in the Bank is......... £330 3 6<br /> <br /> There are a few promised subscriptions still<br /> outstanding. The total of these<br /> about £4. The subscriptions received from July 1st<br /> to the date of issue are given below :—<br /> <br /> Patterson, A. . : : 8<br /> Salwey, Reginald E.<br /> <br /> Gidley, Miss E. C.<br /> <br /> Nixon, Prof. J. E.<br /> <br /> Dill, Miss Bessie<br /> <br /> Moore, Henry Charles<br /> <br /> Kemp, Miss Geraldine<br /> <br /> Clarke, Miss B.<br /> <br /> ao<br /> acnanoor<br /> <br /> _<br /> <br /> eco coc oF<br /> <br /> —_—_——_——_-—___+____—_<br /> <br /> FROM THE COMMITTEE.<br /> <br /> —+-~&gt; +<br /> <br /> T the meeting of the Committee held on<br /> the 30th of March twelve new members<br /> and associates were elected to the Society.<br /> <br /> Their names are, as usual, printed below.<br /> <br /> Mr. George Gissing and Mr. Justin McCarthy<br /> were elected members of the Council. They have<br /> consented to accept the responsibilities of the<br /> position.<br /> <br /> There was only one case before the Committee,<br /> and it was adjourned for fuller information on one<br /> or two points.<br /> <br /> is, roughly, ©<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> nt<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> Elections.<br /> <br /> “Ben Marlas”’<br /> <br /> Bird, C. P. (D. I, M.) Drybridge House,<br /> Hereford.<br /> <br /> Bowman, Robert Cynwyd, Curwen, N.<br /> Wales.<br /> <br /> Corelli, Miss Marie. Mason Croft, Stratford-<br /> on-A von.<br /> <br /> 11, Chaleote Gardens,<br /> England’s Lane, N.W.<br /> Exeter College, Oxford.<br /> <br /> Dearmer, The Rev. Percy<br /> <br /> Donovan, P. V. de P.<br /> <br /> Douglas, Miss Maud 28, Oakley Street,<br /> Tsidore Chelsea, S.W.<br /> Douglas, Robert Langton 50c, South Street,<br /> Dorking.<br /> Lechmere, Mrs. (Cecil 29, Cadogan Gardens,<br /> Haselwood) S.W.<br /> Stott, Miss Beatrice Moorside Road, Flix-<br /> ton.<br /> Sutro, Alfred 10, Russell Mansions,<br /> W.-C:<br /> Wyatt, Geo. Herbert Henley House, West<br /> Side, Wandsworth<br /> <br /> Common, 8.W.<br /> <br /> —_—&gt;—+—<br /> <br /> Another Pension.<br /> <br /> Iy the month of May the Pension Fund Com-<br /> mittee will proceed to consider applications for<br /> pensions to be granted under the Pension Fund<br /> Scheme of the Society of Authors. Pursuant to<br /> the power to make bye-laws for regulating appli-<br /> cations for pensions vested in the Committee by<br /> the Schenie, the Committee have made and hereby<br /> give notice of the following regulations :—<br /> <br /> 1. All applications must be in writing and<br /> addressed to the Secretary of the Society of<br /> Authors at the Offices of the Society (39, Old<br /> Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W.), and must reach<br /> the Secretary on or before June Ist, 1903.<br /> Envelopes should be marked “ Confidential.”<br /> <br /> 2. Applications may be made (a) by the appli-<br /> cant for a pension, (/) by any two members of the<br /> Society on the applicant’s behalf. In the latter<br /> case the Committee may require the applicant to<br /> signify in writing his willingness to accept a<br /> pension if granted.<br /> <br /> 3. Applications must state, to the best of the<br /> knowledge and belief of the person or persons<br /> making the same :<br /> <br /> (a) The fall name, description, and present<br /> address of the applicant. If the applicant has<br /> <br /> written under an assumed name such name should<br /> also be given,<br /> <br /> (6) The age of the applicant and the date at<br /> which the applicant became a member of the<br /> If the applicant has ceased to be a<br /> <br /> Society.<br /> <br /> member, the date of his or her retirement must<br /> be given.<br /> <br /> (¢) The financial position of the applicant,<br /> including an account of the applicant’s entire<br /> annual income from all sources (including volun-<br /> tary allowances, if any).<br /> <br /> (d) The names of the publications relied on to<br /> establish the merit of the applicant’s literary work.<br /> <br /> 4, Applications may, if desired, be accompanied<br /> by not more than two testimonials to the appli-<br /> cant’s character, and to merits of the applicant’s<br /> works or either of them, and bya further statement<br /> of the applicant’s financial position from some<br /> person acquainted therewith.<br /> <br /> 5. Applications and the contents of all state-<br /> ments relating thereto will be treated as confiden-<br /> tial, the names of the recipients of the pensions<br /> and the amounts granted alone being stated in Zhe<br /> Author.<br /> <br /> 6. All communications’ whatever must be ad-<br /> dressed to the Secretary, and to him only.<br /> Canvassing of members of the Committee, either<br /> by or on behalf of the applicant, is prohibited.<br /> <br /> 7. The pension created will be granted as from<br /> March 25th, 1903, and will be payable, as to the<br /> first instalment immediately, and thereafter in<br /> quarterly instalments in advance on the usual<br /> English quarter days.<br /> <br /> By order of the Pension Fund Committee,<br /> <br /> G. HERBERT THRING,<br /> Secretary.<br /> 4<br /> <br /> OUR BOOK AND PLAY TALK.<br /> i<br /> HE Rev. Edwin A. Abbott, D.D., formerly<br /> Headmaster of the City of London School,<br /> and author of “ The Spirit on the Waters,”<br /> ** Newmanism,” “ Through Nature to Christ,” etc.,<br /> has just published (Adam and Charles Black) a<br /> very interesting and scholarly pamphlet, entitled<br /> “ Contrast; or, a Prophet and a Forger.”<br /> <br /> Dr. Abbott is convinced that the author of the<br /> Fourth Gospel is often, historically as well as<br /> spiritually, closer than the Synoptic Evangelists<br /> to the truthful conception of the birth, nature,<br /> life, and resurrection of our Lord. At the same<br /> time he is firmly convinced that the author was<br /> not the son of Zebedee, nor an eye-witness of the<br /> facts he relates. He was one who considered him-<br /> self but the pen of John the son of Zebedee, and<br /> gave unity to the preaching and revelations of<br /> John.<br /> <br /> Dr. Abbott has in the press a work entitled<br /> “From Letter to Spirit; an Attempt to Reach<br /> through Voicesand Words the Man beyond them”’<br /> (Adam and Charles Black).<br /> 196<br /> <br /> Sir Lewis Morris has added to the last edition of<br /> his works, to be published immediately, several<br /> poems written last year, including the lines on<br /> “The Peace Thanksgiving in St. Paul’s,” “The<br /> Coronation Ode,” written by the King’s request,<br /> and set to music by command, by Dr. Cowen ;<br /> “ Peripeteia,” or an pode, which appeared in the<br /> Times ; the announcement of the King’s illness ;<br /> the lines on “The Last Pageant,” of October<br /> 26th, and the “Ode on the Installation of the<br /> Prince of Wales as Chancellor of the Welsh<br /> University at Bangor.” ‘The new issue comprises<br /> also the lines on “The Jubilee of the Free<br /> Libraries at Manchester,” held as late as the 3rd<br /> of the present month. Sir Lewis, we understand,<br /> is now desirous of bringing his poetical career to a<br /> close, if his friends the public will permit.<br /> <br /> Lieut.-Colonel E. Gunter has published, through<br /> Messrs. Wm. Clowes &amp; Sons, Limited, 28, Cock-<br /> spur Street, S.W., a seventh edition of his military<br /> pocket-book, ‘‘ The Officer’s Field Note, and Sketch<br /> Book and Reconnaissance Aide-Mémoire,” which<br /> was much used by officers during the late Boer<br /> War. This edition, which has been brought up to<br /> date, contains the amendments in war establish-<br /> ments, new sketches, showing the latest designs for<br /> field trenches, etc., as the result of the war experi-<br /> ences, and other matter useful for field training,<br /> <br /> besides materials for Field Sketches and Reports.<br /> The Religious Tract Society has shown its<br /> appreciation of Sir William Charley’s recent<br /> work, “The Holy City, Athens and Egypt,” by<br /> placing in their saloon, 56, Paternoster Row, and<br /> 65, St. Paul’s Churchyard, copies of the work for<br /> <br /> sale. This volume is founded on personal obser-<br /> vation and the researches of modern explorers, and<br /> is a vindication of the Bible narrative against the<br /> assaults of the Higher Criticism. Sir William has<br /> written a lecture on “The Higher Criticism and<br /> the Bible,” which he will shortiy deliver.<br /> <br /> Sir William Charley’s legal works, “The Real<br /> Property Acts” (Sweet) and “The Judicature<br /> Acts” (Waterlow), each ran through three<br /> editions and are now out of print. But there<br /> are three of his books still in circulation: “The<br /> Crusade against the Constitution; an Historical<br /> Vindication of the House of Lords” (7s. 6d.,<br /> Sampson Low); “Ending and Mending the<br /> House of Lords” (2s. 6d., Simpkin, Marshall); and<br /> the above-mentioned “The Holy City, Athens and<br /> Egypt” (10s. 6d., Marshall Bros.).<br /> <br /> “The Sword of Azrael,’ Mr. R. E. Forrest’s<br /> latest novel, is a chronicle of the Great Mutiny.<br /> The title-page has it that the writer is Major-<br /> General John Hayman, late Hon. E.I.C.S., edited<br /> by R. E. Forrest. This is, of course, a mere<br /> literary device. We will not divulge the plot<br /> of this vividly written story; our readers can<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> follow John Hayman’s realistic narrative for<br /> themselves ; they will find it very interesting,<br /> <br /> , Mr. Forrest has published four books, all con-<br /> nected with India. The first one, entitled “The<br /> Touchstone of Peril,” was most favourably re-<br /> viewed. The second, “ Hight Days,” came out<br /> in the Cornhill Magazine, and in book form went<br /> through four or five editions. The third was<br /> “The Bond of Blood” (Little Novels series :<br /> T. Fisher Unwin). It was a small book that<br /> evoked many long reviews; notably it had a<br /> favourable mention in an Ldinburgh Review<br /> article on Anglo-Indian Novelists, known to<br /> have been written by Sir Alfred Lyall.<br /> <br /> Miss Beatrice Marshall has in hand a story of<br /> London in the time of the Commonwealth, which<br /> will be published next autumn by Seely &amp; Co.<br /> Her “ The Siege of York,” a story of the days of<br /> Thomas Lord Fairfax (Seely &amp; Co.), published<br /> last year, proves that she has inherited her<br /> mother’s literary gifts. This was Miss Marshall’s<br /> second historical romance, the first being “ Old<br /> Blackfriars in the Days of Sir Anthony Vandyck.”<br /> <br /> When Mrs. Emma Marshall died in 1899 her<br /> last story was left incomplete. At the request of<br /> her publishers it was-finished by her daughter, and<br /> so successfully finished that Miss Beatrice Marshall<br /> was encouraged to tread further in her mother’s<br /> footsteps. Previous to this she had contributed<br /> articles, chiefly on modern German literature, to<br /> several papers. Two of these, one on Nietzsche<br /> and another on Gerhard Hauptmann, appeared in<br /> the Fortnightly Review.<br /> <br /> After the appearance of her translation of<br /> Sudermann’s great novel “Der Kalzensky”<br /> (John Lane), Messrs. Smith Elder invited her<br /> to take part in the translation of the Bismarck<br /> Memoirs. The biographical sketch of her mother<br /> has gone into a second edition. It contains a por-<br /> trait of that prolific novelist besides twelve illus-<br /> trations (6s., Seeley &amp; Co.). The writing of it<br /> was a real labour of love.<br /> <br /> Mr. William Westall, in spite of ill-health, has<br /> nearly finished a present-day novel which he pro-<br /> poses to call “ Dr. Wynne’s Revenge.” He hopes<br /> soon to begin a long contemplated Lancashire story,<br /> dealing with the stirring period of the cotton famine<br /> and the American Civil War.<br /> <br /> Ian Maclaren (the Rev. John Watson) is not at<br /> present engaged in any literary work owing to<br /> considerations of health.<br /> <br /> Mr. Walter Jerrold is editing a big collection of<br /> Nursery Rhymes for Messrs. Blackie. There are<br /> to be numerous illustrations by Charles Robinson.<br /> Besides this Mr. Jerrold is editing (1) Mrs.<br /> Gaskell’s “Life of Charlotte Bronté” for Dents’<br /> Temple Classics; (2) “ Longfellow’s Poetical<br /> Works” for a new series of Poets to be published<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> by Messrs. W. Collins &amp; Sons; (3) and he is also<br /> editing Dents’ edition of Thackeray’s Prose Works.<br /> <br /> Mr. Robert Machray’s new serial, “ The Mystery<br /> of Lincoln’s Inn,” started in 7%t-Bits on April<br /> 11th, where it will appear for the next three or four<br /> months. The story, which Mr. Machray describes<br /> as an ‘“‘experiment in sensation,” will be published<br /> in book form by Messrs. Chatto and Windus in<br /> September. ‘The Mystery of Lincoln’s Inn” is<br /> built round that somewhat familiar fact of every-<br /> day life, the defaulting solicitor.<br /> <br /> Miss Montgomery-Campbell has written a Pre-<br /> face to a volume, shortly to be issued, entitled “ Old<br /> Days in Diplomacy.” It is by the daughter of Sir<br /> Edward Cromwell Disbrowe, En. Ex., Min. Plen.,<br /> G.C.G., and is inscribed to the Honble. Mrs.<br /> Richard Boyle (E. V. B.). This volume, illustrated<br /> with portraits, is 7s. 6d. net—by post 7s. 11d.<br /> The edition is strictly limited, and the price will<br /> probably be raised in the case of those who do not<br /> subscribe for it.<br /> <br /> “Old Days in Diplomacy,” written at the<br /> request of many friends, gives an account of life<br /> at the Courts of Russia, Wiirtemberg, Sweden,<br /> and the Netherlands, during the first half of<br /> the nineteenth century. The ceremonies at the<br /> foneral of the Emperor Alexander and the Coro-<br /> nation of the Emperor Nicholas are described, also<br /> the official visits of the Dukes of Wellington and<br /> Devonshire to St. Petersburg, as well as the inter-<br /> course with Prince Metternich. It contains many<br /> most interesting personal recollections of royalties<br /> and celebrities at home and abroad.<br /> <br /> A fifteenth edition of Lieut-Colonel Sisson C.<br /> Pratt’s “Military Law, its Procedure and Prac-<br /> tice,” was published a short time ago, and a fifth<br /> edition of the “ Military Law Examiner” (Gale and<br /> Polden) will be issued this spring. Before long<br /> Lieut.-Colonel Pratt will have to take in hand the<br /> revision of the official “‘ Précis of Modern Tactics,”<br /> which was re-written by him, and in view of the<br /> recent experiences in South Africa a new edition<br /> will be of general interest.<br /> <br /> Mr. Morley Roberts’ new book, ‘‘ The Promotion<br /> of The Admiral, and other Sea Comedies,” is a<br /> volume of short stories well worth reading. The<br /> first, which gives the book its title, is in two parts,<br /> and tells how Shanghai Smith, of San Francisco,<br /> tries to get even with a sailor who had once given<br /> him a thorough licking; this sailor being now<br /> Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Dunn, K.C.B. How<br /> Shanghai Smith is himself paid out and how the<br /> Admiral comes up top we will not reveal.<br /> <br /> “The Scuttling of the Pandora,” the last in the<br /> book, is a remarkable little tale of an unlucky ship.<br /> Here is a passage from it :—<br /> <br /> ‘‘T want to see her sink,” Joe said savagely. “I want<br /> to see ’er go where she’s put so many good men. What<br /> <br /> 197<br /> <br /> right ‘as we to save ’er to do more ’arm? It ain’t alone as<br /> she’s drownded my chum or the others, but she ’as a black<br /> record that ain’t finished unless we finish it. She’s strong<br /> and will go on killin’ for twenty years, Geordie. She&#039;ll<br /> oa praney for them as doesn’t care, but what of the likes<br /> of us ?*<br /> <br /> He was greatly moved.<br /> <br /> “She’s caulked with men’s lives, and painted with their<br /> blood!” he cried passionately. “I&#039;d rather she sunk with<br /> me than sailed the seas any more.”<br /> <br /> Mr. Charles Whitworth Wynne, author of «Ad<br /> Astra,” &amp;c., has just published through Messrs.<br /> Kegan Paul a drama in five acts, called “David<br /> and Bathshua.” It is founded on the story in<br /> the Bible, and Saul, Jonathan, Abner, Uriah,<br /> Natham, Michal, and Merab are among the<br /> dramatis persone.<br /> <br /> Mr. F. Marion Crawford’s fascinating book “ Ave<br /> Roma Immortalis,” being studies from the<br /> Chronicles of Rome, has gone into a second and<br /> cheaper edition.<br /> <br /> In his “Studies in Contemporary Biography,”<br /> Mr. Bryce gives us twenty graphic impressions of<br /> twenty notable men. Lord Beaconsfield, Mr.<br /> Gladstone, Dean Stanley, Anthony Trollope, Mr.<br /> Parnell, Archbishop Tait, Cardinal Manning, Lord<br /> Acton, are among the personalities presented to us<br /> in these interesting pages of biographies. This is<br /> a book not to be missed.<br /> <br /> Miss May Crommelin’s “Midge” forms No,<br /> 51 of the Weekly Telegraph novels. This is<br /> “‘a monthly series of copyright books by the best<br /> authors.” “Midge” is a readable story. Miss<br /> Iza Duffus Hardy has written No. 31 of this<br /> series, ‘‘ Hearts or Diamonds.”<br /> <br /> John Strange Winter has contributed No. 46<br /> of the same series, “Mignon’s Secret.’ No.<br /> 48 is “The Dancer in Yellow,” by Mr. W. E.<br /> Norris; No, 47, “The Peer and the Woman,”<br /> is by E. P. Oppenheim. ;<br /> <br /> “Helen” is the name of a new story by Cherry<br /> Rowland—a pleasant tale with a happy ending.<br /> Copies can be had of the writer at Llwyn-y-brain,<br /> Whitland, South Wales.<br /> <br /> Mr. I. Zangwill’s “ The Grey Wig ” (Heinemann)<br /> is a collection of stories old and new. ‘“ Merely<br /> Mary Ann” is an old one, but is none the less<br /> welcome for that. “The Grey Wig,” the first, and<br /> we fancy one of his latest, is very good indeed.<br /> <br /> In his recently published book “The Danger<br /> of Innocence,” Mr. Cosmo Hamilton has given us<br /> asmart Society satire. It is published by Greening<br /> &amp; Co. at 6s.<br /> <br /> Mr. J. Bloundelle Burton’s novel, “A Branded<br /> Name” (Methuen, 6s.), is full of incident. The<br /> name, branded on a woman’s shoulder, was a mark<br /> that would remain upon that shoulder as long as<br /> her life would last.<br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 198<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The “Star-Dreamer,” by Agnes and Egerton<br /> Castle, is full of charm—‘ the story of a woman’s<br /> influence.’ The atmosphere of a herb-garden and<br /> a laboratory respectively permeate the tale.<br /> <br /> In Sydney ©. Grier’s “The Advanced Guard”<br /> (Blackwood, 6s.), the hero is Sir Dugald Haigh,<br /> who was doubtfully blest with an uncomfortable<br /> wife. The story begins in India; the time is, the<br /> ‘* Dickens period.”<br /> <br /> Mr. Rider Haggard’s new romance, “Pearl<br /> Maiden” (Longmans, 6s.), is interesting from<br /> start to finish. Miriam, the Pearl Maiden, is born<br /> aboard a Phcenician merchant galley bound for<br /> Alexandria. Miriam is brought up among the<br /> Essenes. She endures many things during and<br /> after the siege and fall of Jerusalem. In this<br /> portion of the romance Mr. Rider Haggard has<br /> surpassed himself.<br /> <br /> Mr. William Archer’s article in the April Fort-<br /> nightly Review has been attracting a great deal of<br /> attention. He advocates the formation of a<br /> Critical Court of Honour to which disputed ques-<br /> tions theatrical should be referred. He suggests<br /> that a body of six delegates should be selected<br /> from the representative societies of the different<br /> classes interested, viz., the Society of Authors, the<br /> Institute of Journalists, and the Actors’ Associa-<br /> tion. ‘These delegates to elect an additional<br /> member as president with a casting vote. Com-<br /> plainants would be expected to appear before this<br /> board, and Mr. Archer says, ‘‘ We may be sure that<br /> a plaintiff who had refused to submit his case to<br /> its arbitration would go into the law courts under<br /> a heavy handicap.”<br /> <br /> We understand that the leading réle in Mr.<br /> Sydney Grundy’s new play, Zhe Gipsy, is to be<br /> played—created, in fact—by Miss Fay Davis.<br /> <br /> —_—— + +-____-<br /> <br /> PARIS NOTES.<br /> <br /> —1—~&lt;—+<br /> <br /> MONG the recent novels which have had<br /> the greatest success here are “ Dona-<br /> tienne,” by M. René Bazin; “L’Inutile<br /> <br /> Effort,” by M. Edouard Rod, and ‘‘ La Nouvelle<br /> Espérance” by the Comtesse de Noailles.<br /> <br /> Curiously enough, in each of these three books<br /> the most prominent feminine character is an<br /> absolutely selfish woman singularly devoid of<br /> conscience.<br /> <br /> Donatienne, in M. Bazin’s story, is the young<br /> wife of a Breton peasant. She is the mother of<br /> <br /> three children and the idol of her husband, but<br /> poverty compels her to leave the little cottage<br /> Just<br /> <br /> home and engage herself as nurse in Paris.<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> continual presence of the husband’s<br /> <br /> _ details to the end of the volume.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> at first she sends her earnings to her husband to<br /> enable him to keep the little home together until<br /> better times. Gradually, however, she becomes<br /> accustomed to the luxuries and amusements of her<br /> new life Her letters to her husband are rare and<br /> finally cease altogether.<br /> <br /> The poor Breton peasant is somewhat slow of<br /> comprehension, but when it dawns upon him that<br /> his wife hus no intention of returning to her<br /> family, the little home, with its memories, becomes<br /> unbearable to him, and with his three children he<br /> sets out with a vague idea of seeking his fortune<br /> elsewhere.<br /> <br /> The story is most pathetic and the dénouement<br /> both touching and tragic. It is told with a<br /> simplicity that adds greatly to the pathos. There<br /> is not a word too much, not a line of any descrip-<br /> tion which could be omitted, and the book is<br /> certainly one of the finest of M. Bazin’s novels.<br /> <br /> “L’Inutile Effort” is a. masterly study of<br /> character. Leonard Perreuse is the ambitious<br /> man of our modern society, the man whose one<br /> object in life is to succeed. He is seconded by a<br /> wife who is narrow-minded, selfish and unscrupu-<br /> lous. They are both somewhat hampered by the<br /> brother<br /> Raymond, a man who has not advanced or rather<br /> degenerated with the times, and who is old-<br /> fashioned enough to have a conscience. The<br /> story of the book turns on the trial of a French<br /> girl in London, who has been arrested on the<br /> charge of murdering her child by pushing it into<br /> the Thames.<br /> <br /> On reading the account in the newspaper both<br /> brothers are convinced that the child is Leonard’s,<br /> and they are equally convinced that the poor girl<br /> whom he deserted is incapable of the crime of<br /> which she is accused. Raymond, who had always<br /> blamed his brother’s conduct in this matter, had<br /> taken an interest in the girl, kept up a corre-<br /> spondence with her for some years, and helped her<br /> when, through illness, she had been in difficulties.<br /> He persuades Leonard that their duty now is to go<br /> to London and give their evidence in favour of the<br /> prisoner. Leonard’s wife, fearing the consequences<br /> of ascandal for herself and her children, insists that<br /> her husband must relinquish this plan. Raymond,<br /> in his indignation, refuses to enter his brother&#039;s<br /> house again. “Ihe unfortunate girl is condemned<br /> to death, and from that moment Leonard’s punish-<br /> ment begins. His conscience is aroused at last,<br /> and in desperation he leaves everything and goes<br /> with Raymond to London to see if anything can<br /> now be done.<br /> <br /> We will not spoil the story by telling all the<br /> It is a book in<br /> which all the characters live, and it is undoubtedly<br /> the strongest of M. Rod’s novels.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> As regards ‘La Nouvelle Espérance,’ by the<br /> Comtesse de Noailles, the title is quite misleading.<br /> From the first page to the last of the book one<br /> searches in vain for the “new hope.” With such<br /> a fine title one naturally expects some elevated<br /> thoughts and ideas, but the whole book is “ of the<br /> earth, earthy,” with a woman as the principal<br /> character who is positively repulsive. ‘‘ The<br /> Degenerates’”’ would have been a more suitable<br /> title for such a novel, as, with the exception of the<br /> unfortunate husband of the heroine, all the cha-<br /> racters are more or less unwholesome. There is<br /> very little plot or even story to the book. It is<br /> merely the account of an idle, selfish, luxurious<br /> woman, who imagines herself ultra-refined and<br /> who has no aim or object in life. She has<br /> a devoted husband whose chief fault appears to<br /> be his blindness to his wife’s defects. Having<br /> absolutely nothing to do, she is naturally bored to<br /> death, and being an extremely self-centred person<br /> she spends hours brooding over her own feelings<br /> and sensations.<br /> <br /> She then endeavours to make love to various<br /> friends of her husband. Her third attempt, only,<br /> is a success, and this liaison with a married man<br /> relieves the monotony of her life until the new<br /> lover discovers that he has a conscience and retires<br /> with his wife to the country.<br /> <br /> The extraordinary feature of this book is the<br /> <br /> absolute depravity of the woman, which, consider-<br /> ing her education and surroundings, makes the<br /> whole story appear unreal. When her lover goes<br /> away she decides that she cannot live without him,<br /> and without the slightest compunction as far as her<br /> husband is concerned, she prepares a strong dose of<br /> morphia, writes a farewell letter to the recreant<br /> lover, which she leaves for her husband’s sister to<br /> forward, and when the clock strikes midnight<br /> takes her departure from this world. In this<br /> farewell letter she says, “Vous m’aimiez et vous<br /> €tes parti parce que votre femme et votre fils yous<br /> Pont demandé. . . . Vous avez fait ce que vous<br /> deviez faire : les hommes ont de la conscience. Les<br /> femmes, mon ami, n’ont pas de conscience ; elles<br /> ont une épouvantable volonté de n’étre pas plus<br /> malheureuses qu’elles ne peuvent.”<br /> _ On closing the book one can only wonder why<br /> it should have been written. As a great French<br /> eritic said about the works of another author:<br /> “ When such things are read and meet with success,<br /> eritics can only write a page of history on the<br /> Manners and customs of a society which reads such<br /> 00ks,”<br /> <br /> “La Bastille des Comédiens ” is the title of the<br /> new book by M. Frantz Funck-Brentano, the well-<br /> snown author of “ Le Drame des Poisons” and<br /> L’ Affaire du Collier.”<br /> <br /> In January, 1902, the Société de I’Histoire du<br /> <br /> 199<br /> <br /> théatre opened a competition for a study on For<br /> PEvéque, the famous prison in which so many<br /> comedians, dramatic authors and critics were incar-<br /> cerated. So little was known about this old prison<br /> that it has been no easy task to collect the necessary<br /> information from the various libraries and the<br /> national archives.<br /> <br /> M. Funck-Brentano’s work was unanimously<br /> declared to be the best, and the volume now pub-<br /> lished, illustrated with eleven engravings, is a most<br /> interesting study of Old Paris and its history and<br /> customs. About a third of the book is taken up<br /> with a description of the prison itself and its<br /> history, while the remaining two-thirds tell us of<br /> the strange customs of those bye-gone days, when<br /> prisoners were notified that they were sentenced to<br /> a few days’ seclusion, and accordingly wended their<br /> way to the prison unescorted.<br /> <br /> The author tells us amusing stories, too, of the<br /> way in which fathers could have their sons im-<br /> prisoned for a short time. In 1744 a M. Thibaut,<br /> of Bordeaux, writes to the police-lieutenant of<br /> Paris to the effect that his son, aged thirty, is in<br /> the gay capital. ‘He is leading a dissipated life,”<br /> writes the anxious father, “and the result may be<br /> that he will disgrace his family.” All that’ the<br /> father asks is that his son may be detained in<br /> prison for a short time and he is quite willing to<br /> pay the expenses. The police-lieutenant investi-<br /> gates the case, and signs a paper on the 5th of<br /> April, “ Bon pour prison, aux dépens du pere.” The<br /> son objects to the hospitality provided for him and<br /> appeals for a release. The father’s consent to this<br /> is necessary, and on the 25th of April, evidently<br /> considering that the lesson has had time to be<br /> beneficial, he signs the paper for the release of<br /> his son.<br /> <br /> Comedians who were wanting in respect either<br /> to the king or to their public were detained at For<br /> l’Evéque for a time, and we are told many amusing<br /> anecdotes about them. Life in this prison was by<br /> no means monotonous, and some of the inmates<br /> entertained their friends in the most hospitable<br /> manner. ‘The celebrated actress, Mlle. Clairon,<br /> gave “des soupers divins et nombreux,” and<br /> carriages filled the street from morning till night<br /> as long as she was in prison.<br /> <br /> When the artistes of the Francais were im-<br /> prisoned they were always allowed liberty for their<br /> performances and rehearsals, as the Comédie could<br /> not dispense with their services.<br /> <br /> In the magazines there are some excellent<br /> articles this month.<br /> <br /> In the International Theatre M. Max Nordan<br /> writes on “Theatrical Censorship.” The authorities<br /> in Berlin have forbidden the production of Paul<br /> Heyse’s “Mary of Magdala,” and M. Nordau<br /> thinks that “all civilised Europeans should blush<br /> <br /> <br /> 200<br /> <br /> to tolerate the existence of that degrading vestige<br /> of feudal despotism : theatrical censorship.”<br /> <br /> The English are specially favoured in the cur-<br /> rent number of this theatrical paper.<br /> <br /> M. Sardou has allowed the editor to publish<br /> photographic reproductions of the principal scenes<br /> of his new play “ Dante,” which is to be produced<br /> soon by Sir Henry Irving. About eight of these<br /> scenes are reproduced, accompanied by an excellent<br /> article giving an idea of Dante’s original concep-<br /> tion of the Inferno.<br /> <br /> Madame Réjane has had to postpone until next<br /> season the new play she was rehearsing: “ La<br /> Meilleure Part.”<br /> <br /> “Ta Rabouilleuse” is a success at the Odeon.<br /> It is a four-act play cleverly adapted by M. Emile<br /> Fabre from Balzac’s “ Ménage de Garcon.”<br /> <br /> Ouida’s “ Two Little Wooden Shoes ” has been<br /> produced at the Opéra Comique as “ Muguette.”<br /> The music is by M. Missa.<br /> <br /> “Tyes Affaires sont les Affaires,” by M. Octave<br /> Mirbeau, is the event of the moment at the<br /> Francais. It is an extremely up-to-date satire on<br /> the omnipotence of wealth. The piece is a literary<br /> triumph, the dialogue brilliant and the interest<br /> well sustained.<br /> <br /> “T’Autre Danger,” by M. Maurice Donnay, is<br /> still a success at the Francais. It is admirably<br /> put on, but the subject is a very delicate one—of<br /> the same nature as that of M. Paul Bourget’s novel,<br /> “Le Fantome.”<br /> <br /> “Lucifer” was the title of the last piece of this<br /> season produced by M. Bour at his International<br /> Theatre. It is a very strong play in four acts,<br /> translated by M. Monnier from the Italian of<br /> M. Butti.<br /> <br /> Lucifer is the name given to a free-thinker, who<br /> was formerly a priest, by the students to whom he<br /> lectures. This ex-priest has married and has a<br /> son and daughter, whom he has brought up as<br /> atheists. An old friend of his comes to live near<br /> him as Professor at the University. This friend is<br /> a religious man, and has an only daughter. The<br /> ex-priest’s son falls in love with her, but her father<br /> refuses his consent to their marriage on religious<br /> grounds. The lovers elope, and after their marriage<br /> return to the ex-priest’s home. In the last act the<br /> young wife has taken a severe chill and is dying.<br /> Her husband, in the presence of Death, implores<br /> his atheist father to teach him a prayer, as in his<br /> desperation he suddenly feels the need of religion<br /> and the certainty that there is something beyond<br /> this life. The struggle between his pride as a<br /> savant and atheist and his family affection is very<br /> terrible, and the scene between the father and son<br /> is most dramatic.<br /> <br /> M. Bour was remarkably fine in this réle.<br /> “Lucifer” and “ Alléluia” are undoubtedly his two<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> best creations. M. Bourny, as the son, was also<br /> excellent. M. Bauer had only a small part, but he<br /> was as fine as usual in it.<br /> <br /> M. Bour has also produced another play by M.<br /> Robert Bracco, a one-act piece entitled “Don<br /> Pietro Carusi,” which is quite a chef d’wuvre.<br /> <br /> ALys HALLARD.<br /> <br /> 9<br /> <br /> LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL<br /> PROPERTY.<br /> <br /> es<br /> Literary Larceny.<br /> <br /> R. HARTLEY ASPDEN, the Editor of the<br /> Sunday Companion and Sunday Circle, has -<br /> laid before the Secretary of the Society of 7 iw<br /> <br /> Authors a case of literary larceny of a very serious |<br /> character. |<br /> <br /> As it is probable that similar cases may have oe:<br /> occurred, and as it has always been the object of —F<br /> the Authors’ Society to maintain the rights of<br /> authors against all comers, members of their own<br /> profession or not, it has been thought right to<br /> publish the facts in detail.<br /> <br /> In January of this year, Mr. Aspden, as Editor<br /> of the papers mentioned, received from a Mr.<br /> Reginald Nash, a story entitled “Through Great f°. *<br /> Tribulation.” This story he was inclined to accept,<br /> and wrote to the author as follows :— B iyky<br /> <br /> DEAR S1R,—My reader has reported favourably on your :<br /> story “Through Great Tribulation.” Please tell me if you<br /> are the author of the story, and if you are willing to accept<br /> £15 (our usual price for these stories) for it.<br /> <br /> Yours faithfully.<br /> THE EDITOR.<br /> <br /> The author’s reply was on a post card, to the<br /> <br /> following effect.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Dar SrR,—Received offer for story entitled ‘Through _<br /> <br /> Great Tribulation,’ which I accept.<br /> Believe me, I am,<br /> Yours faithfully,<br /> (Signed) R. NASH.<br /> <br /> By chance Mr. Aspden discovered that the story<br /> had already been published about two years pre-<br /> viously in another of his publications entitled Golden<br /> Stories. The story was word for word the same,”<br /> with the exception that the title had been changed<br /> and the name of one of the characters. He<br /> thereupon wrote a second time to the author, and —<br /> requested to know whether the story was his own<br /> production.<br /> <br /> In answer, he received a letter stating it was the<br /> author’s own production, and implying that he was”<br /> a contributor to many other magazines. . :<br /> <br /> The original story was written by Mrs. H. B.<br /> Welch. If Mrs. Welch had been a member of the”<br /> Society of Authors the Committee would, no doubt,<br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> have gladly taken up the case on her behalf and<br /> exposed the matter in the courts, but the Com-<br /> mittee had no locus standi, and left it therefore to<br /> Mr. Aspden to bring the affair before the public.<br /> Further correspondence made it clear that this<br /> was not the only story that had been taken from<br /> other papers and forwarded to editors as the anthor’s<br /> own work, and we are indebted to Mr. Aspden for<br /> having thrashed out the matter carefully. In con-<br /> sequence Mr. Nash has written, signed and published<br /> <br /> +<br /> <br /> in the Norwood Free Press the following apology :<br /> <br /> I, Reginald Nash, of No. 1, Dassett Road, Knight’s Hill,<br /> West Norwood, beg humbly to apologise to the Editor of<br /> Sunday Stories and Golden Stories for having, without his<br /> knowledge and consent, taken stories published in those<br /> journals, and endeavoured to dispose of them for payment<br /> as my own original compositions, and I hereby promise not<br /> to repeat this offence in the case of Golden Stories or<br /> Sunday Stories or any other paper.<br /> <br /> (Signed)<br /> Witness, H. Brown,<br /> Dated 18th Mareh, 1903.<br /> <br /> The matter is of serious interest to all members<br /> of the Authors’ Society, and we think it expedient<br /> to publish in full this apology, which has already<br /> appeared in one newspaper.<br /> <br /> REGINALD NASH.<br /> <br /> 1<br /> <br /> An Unwarrantable Infringement.<br /> <br /> ANOTHER case has been brought to the notice of<br /> the Secretary. In the autumn of last year a paper<br /> entitled the Science and Art of Mining gave a<br /> prize for the best answer to certain questions<br /> concerning mining.<br /> <br /> One of the questions was :<br /> <br /> ‘« What are the chief causes of boiler explosions ?<br /> —What precautions would you take ?”<br /> <br /> The prize was awarded to John R. Ford.<br /> <br /> Mr. Powis Bale, who is a member of our Society,<br /> an engineer, and a writer of some valuable books on<br /> the subject, discovered in a roundabout fashion that<br /> the answer to the prize question was copied directly,<br /> without any acknowledgment, out of his book<br /> “Steam Engineering,” although one of the rules of<br /> the competition especially forbade this.<br /> <br /> If those who enter prize competitions are in the<br /> habit of competing on these lines the sooner the<br /> fault is exposed the better.<br /> <br /> Mr. Bale placed the matter in the hands of the<br /> Secretary, who at once wrote to the editor of the<br /> paper.<br /> <br /> It is quite clear from the answer of the pro-<br /> prietors that they were unaware of Mr. Ford’s<br /> methods. They have at once taken steps to express<br /> their regret in a public manner, by publishing in<br /> their paper a statement of the facts approved by<br /> the author whose copyright they had unwittingly<br /> infringed.<br /> <br /> 201<br /> <br /> Mr. Ford’s mistake has been acknowledged, and<br /> Mr. Powis Bale has kindly consented to refrain<br /> from taking any further action on the publication<br /> of the apology set forth below :—<br /> <br /> In the autumn of 1902, the Science and Art of<br /> Mining proposed a prize competition, one of the<br /> conditions of which runs as follows :<br /> <br /> “Original answers are specially desired. In all cases<br /> where quotations or extracts are made. the source and<br /> authority must be stated. Any breach of this regulation<br /> which comes to our notice will debar the offender from all<br /> future competitions in these columns.”<br /> <br /> Contrary to the rule quoted, I copied my answer<br /> —consisting of 205 lines—to Question 5, entitled,<br /> “What are the Chief Causes of Boiler Explosions ?<br /> —What Precautions would you take?” from Mr.<br /> Powis Bale’s well-known book, “A Handbook for<br /> Steam Users,” published by Messrs. Longmans,<br /> Green &amp; Oo.<br /> <br /> As my answer won the Prize, it was published in<br /> the issue of the above periodical on October 11th,<br /> 1902, infringing Mr. Powis Bale’s copyright.<br /> <br /> I tender my sincere regret to the Author of the<br /> Book and the Editor of the Paper, and in order to<br /> make my apology public, I give leave that you<br /> should publish it in the Engineer, Engineering, and<br /> the Mechanical World, and in any two others you<br /> may think fit.<br /> <br /> (Signed) Joun R. Forp.<br /> <br /> To M. Powrs Bats, Esq.,<br /> 16 &amp; 17, Appold Street,<br /> London, E.C.<br /> <br /> eo<br /> <br /> THE AUTHORS’ ASSOCIATION.<br /> <br /> Oe<br /> <br /> N last month’s Author a short article was pub-<br /> I lished referring to this association. One of<br /> the statements contained in that article was<br /> <br /> as follows :—<br /> <br /> ‘Every member, we must mention, has the right<br /> to have one MS. of 5,000 words criticised each<br /> year, free of charge.”<br /> <br /> We have had a letter from Mr. Galloway Kyle<br /> in which he points out that we have misquoted the<br /> words of his prospectus, which run as follows :—<br /> <br /> ‘Hach member is entitled to have one novel, or<br /> three shorter MSS. of not more than 5,000 words<br /> each, dealt with thoroughly per year.”<br /> <br /> Weare glad to correct this inaccuracy, and express<br /> our regret that it should have occurred.<br /> <br /> The publisher, whose offices are situated at 62,<br /> Paternoster Row, E.C., which was referred to in the<br /> same article as the temporary address of the Asso-<br /> ciation, writes to inform us that this address is no<br /> longer connected in any way with the Association.<br /> 202<br /> <br /> AN AMERICAN POINT OF VIEW.<br /> <br /> ee a<br /> <br /> (This Article is taken from the American Book and<br /> News Dealer, March, 1903).<br /> <br /> Of Interest to Authors, Publishers, Booksellers,<br /> Printers, Compositors and Electrotypers.<br /> <br /> + NDER the heading “ A Plea for the Abolition<br /> <br /> of the Duty on Books,” Mr. George F,<br /> <br /> Brett has recently written a pamphlet for<br /> <br /> private circulation, which was published for the<br /> author by the Macmillan Company.<br /> <br /> Mr. Brett says :<br /> <br /> “Tf it be conceded that a duty on books was<br /> needed in the early development of our country,<br /> either for purposes of revenue or to protect the<br /> printing and allied trades, or, more important<br /> still, for the purpose of fostering and encouraging<br /> the original work of our native authors, it must be<br /> clear that such a duty is no longer for any of these<br /> reasons either necessary or expedient.”<br /> <br /> The argument here used is precisely<br /> ment used by all Free Traders to show why<br /> protective tariffs should be abolished.<br /> <br /> It is possible that the next Presidential campaign<br /> will be fought on the Tariff issue ; but if so it is<br /> not probable that the Free Trade party would be<br /> willing to wage the campaign against a special<br /> branch of trade or industry that<br /> <br /> the argu-<br /> all<br /> <br /> would directly<br /> antagonise ail American authors, publishers, book-<br /> sellers, printers, compositors and electrotypers.<br /> <br /> It is certain that the Ways and Means Com-<br /> mittee of the Congress would give a hearing to<br /> representatives of these important industries before<br /> reporting to the House a Bill that would strike<br /> down all protection they now enjoy under the<br /> protective tariff.<br /> <br /> The undertaking to carry such important legis-<br /> lation through the Congress is worthy of one who<br /> is credited with the overweening ambition to<br /> publish all of the books for all of the American<br /> people.<br /> <br /> But Mr. Brett continues :<br /> <br /> « When we turn to the matter of protection for<br /> <br /> the printing and allied trades, the duty is unneces-<br /> sary, as these important trades can no longer be<br /> called ‘infant industries’ in any sense of this<br /> ‘much-abused term, and in the production of the<br /> cheaper classes of books this country may, without<br /> doubt, I think, claim to lead all English-speaking<br /> countries, both in the amount of material produced<br /> and in the cheapness of its costs of manufacture.<br /> «Tf protection to these trades, moreover, were<br /> still needed, it is already provided, and in a much<br /> more effective form, by the provision of our Inter-<br /> national Copyright Act, which makes a copyright<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> in this country depend upon the manufacture of<br /> the article copyrighted within the limits of the<br /> United States.”<br /> <br /> If it be true that the International Copyright<br /> Act affords ample protection for the manufacturing<br /> branches of the book trade, then why repeal the<br /> protective tariff laws that protect and foster these<br /> trades? If they are amply protected under the<br /> one law, why not give them the benefit of both ?<br /> <br /> Does not Mr. Brett seek to have this law<br /> repealed in order that he may import still more<br /> English-made books without paying any revenue<br /> into the United States Treasury ?<br /> <br /> Would not the repeal of the tariff law materially<br /> lessen the amount of work now done by the<br /> American book-manufacturing trades, in setting<br /> up the type, making the paper, electrotyping the<br /> plates and printing the English books that are now<br /> reprinted in this country ? If not, then why<br /> repeal the law ?<br /> <br /> Again, Mr. Brett continues :<br /> <br /> «When we turn to the more important reason<br /> for the existence of the duty, the only reason, if<br /> there be one, worthy of serious attention, 7¢., the<br /> necessity of fostering a native literature, a litera-<br /> ture which shall echo the needs and voice the<br /> sentiments of our national life, it still appears that<br /> we may with entire safety abandon the duty on<br /> books, a duty which has been often and aptly<br /> termed ‘a tax on knowledge.’<br /> <br /> “ Here, again, the workings of our International<br /> Copyright Act, an act of ‘justice to foreign<br /> authors, has had results of great importance to<br /> our own people. Our younger and less known<br /> authors have, since the passage of the Act, found a<br /> much more ready welcome and appreciation at the<br /> hands of American publishers, who are no longer<br /> able to appropriate and exploit the works of<br /> foreign authors without payment.<br /> <br /> “ Let us, then, remove the duty on books as ‘a<br /> tax on knowledge’ and freely welcome what<br /> English authors may have to offer us that is<br /> worthy of acceptance, in order that we may move<br /> forward to our manifest destiny as the greatest<br /> nation the world has yet seen, whether we are<br /> judged by the standards of finance, commerce,<br /> literature or art.”<br /> <br /> Here, again, it is urged that the International<br /> Copyright Act affords ample protection to American<br /> authors ; but if so, why repeal the law? Would<br /> not its repeal again result in flooding the American<br /> market with the product of English authors, manu-<br /> factured and published in England ? Are American<br /> authors prepared to make the test ?<br /> <br /> Do American booksellers wish again to have<br /> the American market flooded with cheaply-made<br /> English books ?<br /> <br /> There is bu} little profit in the sale of cheap books,<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR. 203<br /> <br /> especially when the trade discount afforded by the<br /> importer is so short that it allows a sales profit<br /> less than the actual cost of handling the books.<br /> Would not such a measure directly antagonise all<br /> American booksellers ?<br /> <br /> It is pertinent to enquire whether the publication<br /> of this pamphlet by a house of English publishers<br /> is the beginning of a Free Trade propaganda ‘to<br /> break down the American industry of writing,<br /> publishing and selling books. If this is not<br /> true, it would be well for the English house of<br /> Macmillan &amp; Co. to disavow such purpose before it<br /> estranges the goodwill of all American booksellers,<br /> <br /> If the impression created is allowed to go un-<br /> disputed, it will be necessary for all English<br /> authors, who hope for a fair measure of patronage<br /> in the American market, to take to cover in self-<br /> defence.<br /> <br /> Neither English authors nor English publishers<br /> can afford to have their books sold in this country<br /> by booksellers who would be compelled to band<br /> together in self-defence, and to sell only so many<br /> of such books, from under the counter, as may be<br /> necessary to hold their favourite customers. In<br /> such case it would be necessary for English authors<br /> to place their books with such English publishers as<br /> have American connections of such character as can<br /> command the goodwill and patronage of the American<br /> bookselling trade !<br /> <br /> It will be recalled that William McKinley was<br /> exalted to the Presidential chair, in Opposition to<br /> the combined influence of the leading politicians<br /> of New York, New England and Pennsylvania, by<br /> the American people, simply because he had become<br /> recognised as the leading apostle of the American<br /> policy of protective tariffs.<br /> <br /> Since the enactment of the Dingley Law, the<br /> American people have been enjoying a great wave<br /> of prosperity, that has been constantly accelerated<br /> by cumulative energy, until our thriving industries<br /> have made this great nation the cynosure of all<br /> eyes and the object of envy by our European rivals.<br /> This is the priceless heritage left to the American<br /> people by our late martyred President. Can it be<br /> supposed fer a moment that we will lightly cast<br /> it aside ?<br /> <br /> 9<br /> <br /> LITERARY COPYRIGHT: THE PERIOD<br /> OF PROTECTION.<br /> Se<br /> <br /> ONSIDERABLE differences of opinion exist<br /> as to what should constitute the period of<br /> protection for literary matter. Some con-<br /> <br /> sider that the existing period of protection is not<br /> <br /> long enough; others contend that literary pro-<br /> perty should be regarded like other forms of<br /> property, and that copyright should be perpetual.<br /> Authorities differ, and distinguished authors dis-<br /> agree, as to the expediency of permitting the period<br /> of protection to be indefinite. It has been said<br /> that an author’s right to his work is, on every<br /> ground of reason and justice, absolute ; and that<br /> in the whole sphere of property, there is probably<br /> no right which rests on such solid foundation, as<br /> that of creation.<br /> <br /> Mr. Edward Jenkins, a member of the Copy-<br /> right Commission of 1876-8, appointed to consider<br /> the chaotic condition of the existing Copyright<br /> Acts, in his report said: “The statute law creates,<br /> it does not recognise, copyright. There is no such<br /> thing as an inalienable natural right to the form<br /> in which a man has embodied his ideas. The<br /> copyright law is, like the patent law for inven-<br /> tion, a creation of a temporary monopoly, for the<br /> encouragement of learning. It is the outcome of<br /> expediency and not of principle.”<br /> <br /> Sir James Stephen, a member of the Copyright<br /> Commission, said: “ The law of copyright ought,<br /> in my opinion, to protect money interests only ;<br /> and I think that the only money interests which<br /> it should protect are those which it creates—that<br /> is to say, the money interest of the author of a<br /> work of literature or art which is capable of being<br /> reproduced by mechanical means in such a manner<br /> that every copy is as valuable as the original. I<br /> approve of copyright in books, because the MS.<br /> has no value till it is printed, and because when it<br /> has been printed, every copy is of equal value, so<br /> that unless a copyright law existed the author of<br /> the most valuable book would have no money<br /> reward for writing it.”<br /> <br /> Sir Louis Mallet, who was also a member of the<br /> Copyright Commission, in the course of his report,<br /> said : “I do not consider that a copyright law, or,<br /> in other words, a law which enables a copyright<br /> owner to prevent other persons from copying pub-<br /> lished works, rests on the same grounds of public<br /> expediency as those which justify the recogni-<br /> tion by law of proprietary rights generally. Nor<br /> does it appear that in modern times it has been<br /> ever so regarded by the legislation of the countries<br /> where it exists. The right conferred by a@ copy-<br /> right law derives its chief value from the discovery<br /> of the art of printing ; and there appears no reason<br /> for giving to authors any larger share in the value<br /> of a mechanical invention, to which they have con-<br /> tributed nothing, than to any other member of the<br /> community. It is not even claimed that an author<br /> should have a right of property in ideas, or in<br /> facts, or in opinions. It is impossible ever to<br /> ascertain or to define how far these are the product<br /> <br /> <br /> 204 THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> of his own thought or of his own labour. It<br /> is merely the form in which they are presented for<br /> which this claim is advanced, and for this all that<br /> is in principle required appears to me to be that<br /> he should be protected in any contract which he<br /> desires to make once for all in the original publi-<br /> cation of his works. Some of the witnesses whose<br /> evidence has been received have urged the claim<br /> of authors to perpetual copyright, on the ground<br /> that the right of an author to property in his<br /> published works is as complete and extends as far<br /> as the right of any person to any property what-<br /> ever. If this analogy were admitted, it appears to<br /> me that it would be difficult to dispute the claim<br /> of an author to perpetual copyright ; but I ven-<br /> ture to submit that the claim of an author to a<br /> right of property in his published work rests upon<br /> « radical economic fallacy, viz., a misconception of<br /> the nature of the law of value. . . . Property exists<br /> in order to provide against the evils of natural<br /> scarcity. A limitation of supply by artificial<br /> causes creates scarcity in order to create property.<br /> To limit that which is in its nature unlimited, and<br /> thereby to confer an exchangeable value on that<br /> which, without such interference, would be the<br /> gratuitous possession of mankind, is to create an<br /> artificial monopoly which has no warrant in the<br /> nature of things, which serves to produce scarcity<br /> where there ought to be abundance, and to confine<br /> to the few gifts which were intended for all. It is<br /> within this latter class that copyright in published<br /> works must be included. Copies of such works<br /> may be multiplied indefinitely, subject to the cost<br /> of paper and of printing, which alone, but for copy-<br /> right, would limit the supply, and any demand,<br /> however great, would be attended not only by no<br /> conceivable injury to society, but on the contrary,<br /> in the case of useful works, by the greatest possible<br /> advantage. .. . The policy, then, of copyright<br /> laws must be sought in another order of ideas, and<br /> be made to rest on some ground other than that<br /> which is the foundation of rights of property in<br /> whatever is the subject to a natural limitation of<br /> supply.”<br /> <br /> Mr. Farrer, now Lord Farrer, secretary to the<br /> Board of Trade at the time of the Copyright<br /> Commission, in a paper prepared by him_ for<br /> the members of the Commission, said: ‘“‘ Pro-<br /> fessor Huxley, and I think Mr. Spencer and<br /> Professor Tyndall agree with him, states in<br /> the strongest and clearest terms his view that<br /> the foundation of copyright law is the absolute<br /> right of the author once and for ever to the<br /> form in which he has uttered his thoughts, and he<br /> ingeniously suggests that this law is merely a<br /> convenient substitute for a sale by the author of<br /> each copy, with a condition attached that the<br /> purchaser shall not copy. It is needless to say<br /> <br /> that this suggestion is as fictitious as it is<br /> ingenious. A chattel going about the world with an<br /> implied covenant by every one, who with or with-<br /> out consideration gets possession of it, that he<br /> will not imitate it, would certainly be a legal<br /> novelty. The real history and fact of copyright<br /> law are very different. As to the absolute and<br /> perpetual right, not only has it never been recog-<br /> nised as a matter of fact, but analogies are against<br /> it. Words, thoughts, and actions, when uttered or<br /> done, pass, as a general rule, into the common<br /> domain, and it is thus that human life is carried<br /> on. In those productions of the human mind which<br /> are most essentially original, and which are at<br /> the same time the most useful to mankind ; in such<br /> things as the moral doctrine of the Sermon on the<br /> Mount, the intellectual theory of gravitation, of<br /> evolution, or of the conservation of energy, there<br /> is and can be no exclusive right. Nor, again, is<br /> there, as a matter of practice, any exclusive right<br /> in more ephemeral matters, ¢.g., in the news,<br /> information, or articles of a newspaper, or in a<br /> political speech. It is only when put into the<br /> particular form of a book, or a lecture, or a picture,<br /> that an exclusive right over the productions of the<br /> human mind has been recognised, and that with<br /> certain limitations and for a certain specified<br /> purpose.”<br /> <br /> It has since been decided that for copyright<br /> purposes the author of the report of a speech is<br /> the “ author” of the speech within the meaning of<br /> the Act.<br /> <br /> The existing period of protection according to<br /> the Act of 1842, passed ‘‘to afford greater<br /> encouragement to the production of literary works<br /> of lasting benefit to the world,” is forty-two years<br /> from the date of publication, or life and seven<br /> years, whichever term may be the longer. As to the<br /> adequacy or otherwise of this term we might very<br /> well refer to the report of the Copyright Commis-<br /> sion. The particular paragraphs read as follows :<br /> <br /> ‘““ We have already stated that we consider some<br /> kind of protection in the nature of copyright<br /> desirable ; and it appears to us that the existing<br /> terms are not more than sufficient, if indeed they<br /> are sufficient, to secure that adequate encourage-<br /> ment and protection to authors which the interests<br /> <br /> of literature, and therefore of the public, alike —<br /> <br /> demand from the State. We proceed, therefore,<br /> to call attention to the three objections to the<br /> present duration of copyright :<br /> <br /> “ First, the period is said not to belong enough.<br /> The chief reasons for this assertion are that many<br /> works, and particularly those of permanent value,<br /> are frequently but little known or appreciated for<br /> many years after they are published, and that they<br /> do not command a sale sufficient to remunerate<br /> the authors until a considerable part of the term<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> of copyright has expired. Some works, as, for<br /> instance, novels by popular authors, command an<br /> extensive sale and bring to the authors a large<br /> remuneration at once, but the case is altogether<br /> different with others, such as works of history,<br /> books of a philosophical or classical character, and<br /> volumes of poems. In some instances works of<br /> these kinds have been known to produce scarcely<br /> any remuneration until the authors have died and<br /> the copyrights have nearly expired. It is also<br /> urged that in the case of many authors who make<br /> their living by their pens, their families are left<br /> without provision shortly after their deaths, unless<br /> their works become profitable very soon after they<br /> are written.<br /> <br /> “These arguments and others of a like kind,<br /> which will be found not only in the evidence we<br /> have taken, but in the debates in Parliament, are<br /> in our opinion of great weight, but on the other<br /> hand, we do not lose sight of the public interest<br /> which, it has been urged upon us, would be<br /> prejudiced by prolongation of copyright. Greater<br /> freedom of trade and competition are said to be<br /> desirable that books may be more abundant and<br /> cheaper in price.<br /> <br /> ‘The second objection to the present duration of<br /> copyright is, that copyrights belonging to the same<br /> author generally expire at different dates. That it<br /> -is well founded is manifest, for if an author writes<br /> several works, or one work in several volumes<br /> which are published at different times, as is<br /> frequently the case, the copyrights will expire<br /> forty-two years from the respective dates of pub-<br /> lication, unless the author happens to live so long<br /> that the period of seven years after his death is<br /> beyond forty-two years from the publication of his<br /> latest work or volume.<br /> <br /> “ Under the present system, moreover, copyright<br /> in an earlier edition expires before copyright in<br /> the amendments in a later edition of the same<br /> work. We have had evidence that in one case the<br /> first and uncorrected edition of an important work<br /> was republished before the expiration of the copy-<br /> tight in the later and improved editions. But<br /> if the alteration in the existing term of copyright,<br /> which we suggest hereafter, were adopted, namely,<br /> that it should be for the life of the author and a<br /> fixed number of years after his death, all the<br /> copyrights of the same author would expire at the<br /> same date, and it would then be open to any pub-<br /> lisher to put out a complete edition of all the<br /> author’s works, with all the improvements and<br /> emendations which have appeared in the last<br /> edition, in a uniform shape and at a uniform price.<br /> <br /> “The third objection to the present duration of<br /> copyright is that it is frequently difficult, if not<br /> impossible, to ascertain its termination, owing to<br /> the fact that the expiration of the period depends<br /> <br /> 205<br /> <br /> upon the time of publication. It is in most cases<br /> easy to ascertain the date of a man’s death, but<br /> frequently impossible to fix with any certainty the<br /> date of the publication of a book. Under the<br /> present law it is uncertain what constitutes pub-<br /> lication; but whatever may be a publication<br /> sufficient in law to set the period of copyright<br /> running, it generally takes place in such a manner<br /> that the precise date is not noted even if known.<br /> It is sometimes said that the date printed in the<br /> title page of a book should be considered the date<br /> of publication, but books are frequently post-<br /> dated, and in many cases bear no date at all.<br /> This objection is one which, in our opinion, should<br /> be removed.”<br /> <br /> The above, I think, is a fair presentment of the<br /> points considered by the Royal Copyright Com-<br /> mission. Many years have elapsed and we still<br /> find that little has been done to co-ordinate the<br /> various Copyright Acts which were considered by<br /> the Royal Commissioners to be in a chaotic con-<br /> dition, and frequently unintelligible.<br /> <br /> In the Bill drafted by Lord Thring, based on<br /> the recommendations of the Copyright Commission,<br /> it was proposed that “the copyright in a book<br /> shall begin with the publication thereof, and shall<br /> subsist for the term of the author&#039;s life and thirty<br /> years after the end of the year in which the author<br /> dies, and no longer.” The effect of such an Act<br /> would obviously be that, although the copyrights<br /> of authors’ works would expire simultaneously,<br /> immature efforts would enjoy a longer term than<br /> works of greater value, though, of course, it does<br /> not thereby follow that the sales of the former<br /> would be the greater. Some time ago, the writer<br /> approached several of the leading publishers for<br /> their opinions as to the duration of the period of<br /> protection.<br /> <br /> Mr. John Murray considers that a new Copy-<br /> right Act is urgently needed in this country. He<br /> thinks the period of protection ought to be life<br /> and fifty years. Perpetual copyright, though it<br /> would be equitable, is impossible, he considers.<br /> <br /> Messrs. Macmillan think that the present period<br /> of protection is insufficient ; life and thirty years<br /> would be more satisfactory. They see no reason<br /> to dissent from the view taken by Mr. Alexander<br /> Macmillan, a former head of the firm, in his evi-<br /> dence before the Royal Commission in favour of<br /> perpetual copyright.<br /> <br /> Mr. William Heinemann, while favouring the<br /> fullest protection possible for literary property,<br /> thinks it would be a matter of serious national<br /> loss, if literary productions were not, after some<br /> time, made popularly accessible.<br /> <br /> Mr. E. Marston considers perpetual copyright an<br /> impossible idea. He thinks that life and thirty<br /> years would prove a satisfactory term.<br /> <br /> <br /> 208<br /> <br /> Messrs. Kegan Paul &amp; Co, remark that un-<br /> doubtedly the limitation of copyright tends to the<br /> general diffusion of good literature, though they<br /> think it hard that a man of outstanding genius,<br /> having produced property of value calculated to<br /> survive his own life, should not have the privilege<br /> of leaving the interest in the property to his<br /> descendants.<br /> <br /> Messrs. George Bell &amp; Sons certainly think the<br /> present period of protection insufficient. They<br /> favour the proposed extension to thirty years<br /> from the author&#039;s death. They are also inclined<br /> to think favourably of a suggestion that has been<br /> made, that direct descendants of an author should,<br /> on certain conditions, have the privilege of obtain-<br /> ing further extensions for successive terms of years<br /> so that a valuable copyright might be kept alive<br /> for an indefinite time.<br /> <br /> Mr. A. Nutt can see no reason why literary<br /> property should be placed in a different category<br /> trom other property. In any case, copyright, he<br /> thinks, should have a clear hundred years’ run<br /> from the death of the author.<br /> <br /> Another publisher, who has issued a large number<br /> of charming reprints, thinks that the present period<br /> of protection is long enough, except in exceptional<br /> cases ; he does not think that anyone can argue<br /> that the time presses hardly upon any relatives of<br /> a man’s family if, after forty-two years and seven<br /> years, the copyright is given to the public. In all<br /> patented works, it is acknowledged that the public<br /> have rights, and in books, it seems to him that so<br /> long as a man has been comfortably paid for his<br /> labour, the books belong to the public more than<br /> even matters of invention.<br /> <br /> Thus we have a variety of opinions upon an<br /> interesting and somewhat complicated subject.<br /> We can assume that the life of the average book<br /> is not forty-two years. Novels which have an<br /> <br /> immense sale at the time of first publication have<br /> their day and practically cease to be, in many<br /> instances. How many of them will be in demand<br /> thirty years after the decease of the authors or in<br /> some cases the manufacturers of them ?<br /> <br /> Text books, of course, get out-of-date. Similarly<br /> with works of reference. Comparatively few books<br /> are absolutely original in every respect. In the<br /> majority of cases, the authors are dependent to a<br /> more or less degree upon the labours of their pre-<br /> decessors. And literary matter would be of com-<br /> paratively little commercial value in the absence<br /> of any method whereby 1t could be rapidly repro-<br /> duced in quantity. ‘he peculiar nature of literary<br /> property is obvious. In the course of the life of the<br /> author, plus thirty years, it ought to be possible to<br /> find a sufficient demand to make most worthy<br /> books remunerative to author and publisher, if<br /> the field is properly worked, But in special cases,<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> such as in regard to books which have involved<br /> special labour and expense to produce, and which<br /> have not proved sufficiently remunerative during<br /> the period of protection, it ought to be possible<br /> for the publisher, or author, to obtain an extension.<br /> If it were practicable the period of protection<br /> should depend on the degree of originality of the<br /> matter. This would obviously be a difficult question<br /> to decide.<br /> J. A, Ret.<br /> <br /> ee<br /> <br /> THE PUBLISHERS’ ASSOCIATION.<br /> <br /> Oo ¢<br /> <br /> The Annual Meeting.<br /> <br /> HE screeds Association has held its annual<br /> general meeting, under the presidenc of<br /> Mr. C. J. Longman, and has batted its<br /> <br /> report to its members.<br /> <br /> The Authors’ Society has already had note of the<br /> steps that were taken last year with a view to<br /> dealing with the question of copyright. It is<br /> unnecessary, therefore, to repeat the extent to<br /> which the Association also rendered its valuable<br /> assistance in endeavouring to push forward legis-<br /> lation. :<br /> <br /> The President, in his speech, dealt with one or<br /> two interesting points, and, in addition to the<br /> questions connected with the report, mentioned<br /> the contract for serial rights. He stated as<br /> follows :—<br /> <br /> “Of course a good many matters come up at the<br /> Council meetings which it is not desirable to<br /> trouble you with or to put into the report, but here<br /> and there one comes up which may be of interest.<br /> Now there was a subject mentioned not long ago—<br /> a small affair if you will, and only of interest to a<br /> certain section of the members who are novel<br /> publishers. Buta case came up in regard to the<br /> question of serial rights. It has been not infre-<br /> quently the practice, particularly with literary<br /> agents, to sell not only what are known as serial<br /> rights, but what are known as second serial rights.<br /> Unless there is some limit in time put as to when<br /> these second serial rights are to run out, it may be<br /> an intolerable nuisance, and I know cases in my<br /> own business where it has become a nuisance.<br /> There are certain syndicates who buy serials for<br /> circulation in the Press. They buy absolute serial<br /> rights, which is understood to mean that so long<br /> as the term of copyright exists they go on cireu-<br /> lating the novel, or any other work, in the columns<br /> of newspapers, magazines, and so on. A publisher<br /> buys the copyright, but this spectre is never laid.<br /> You never know where it may turn up, and the<br /> thing gets out of control. Sometimes, as in the<br /> case which I have in my mind, the work gets<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> published under another title, or is abridged. The<br /> only reason I have in mentioning it is that I think<br /> it very desirable, in the interests of publishers,<br /> that they should decline to buy a novel in which<br /> the serial rights are sold without limit of time-—<br /> that is to say, the serial rights should cease when<br /> the book is published. If there is any question of<br /> the book being circulated again, which may possibly<br /> be done occasionally, that should be a matter<br /> decided by the copyright owner, who may be the<br /> publisher or author, or both, but I think it very<br /> undesirable either to buy or publish a novel with<br /> these indefinite rights hanging over it. That is<br /> not, perhaps, a very important point, and it only<br /> refers to one section of our members.”<br /> <br /> This question may be a small question to pub-<br /> lishers, and only touch a certain section of them,<br /> but to authors, to those who write fiction, is of<br /> great import.<br /> <br /> Firstly, we have always insisted, and now insist<br /> again, that it is absolutely essential that contracts<br /> with regard to the sale of serial rights should be<br /> clear and limited, and should not be general or<br /> indefinite ; that when serial rights are sold they<br /> should be sold either to one paper or to a limited<br /> circle of papers for one issue only, or for a limited<br /> time.<br /> <br /> Secondly, that under no circumstances should<br /> fiction writers sell the copyright of their works to<br /> the publisher for a sum down or otherwise; and,<br /> thirdly, if, contrary to all advice, they do sell the<br /> copyright, they are bound to disclose to the pur-<br /> chaser a contract of this kind for the sale of serial<br /> rights. If this is the case, then the publisher<br /> buys with full knowledge, and has no cause for<br /> complaint.<br /> <br /> From Mr. Longman’s statement it would appear<br /> that either the publisher has not taken the trouble<br /> to enquire into the point, or that the author has,<br /> unwittingly maybe, refrained from giving full<br /> information.<br /> <br /> Another important question was dealt with by<br /> the publishers.<br /> <br /> The matter was brought forward by Mr. Frederick<br /> Macmillan, of the firm of Macmillan &amp; Co.<br /> <br /> It refers to the supply of educational books to<br /> the educational authorities. This matter is of no<br /> little consequence to the providers of educational<br /> books, and it is hoped that the cutting of prices<br /> which at present rules will not be allowed to con-<br /> tinue, and that the publishers will refuse to supply<br /> the educational centres direct, but will supply only<br /> through booksellers and retail agents. The question<br /> is one that affects the educational author very<br /> closely, as the following example may serve to<br /> show :—<br /> <br /> A certain member of the Society made his living<br /> out of the writing of educational books, and was<br /> <br /> 207<br /> <br /> paid a fixed royalty by the publisher under a hard<br /> and fast agreement. Large orders were gent in to<br /> the publisher for the purchase of his books, and a<br /> demand was made that as the order was large<br /> special terms should be stated. ‘The publisher<br /> wrote to the author and asked him to accept half<br /> the royalty that he was being paid under the<br /> agreement, or otherwise it would be impossible<br /> for him to supply the orders mentioned, and a<br /> large sale would thereby be lost to the author.<br /> If the author’s profits had been reduced pro-<br /> portionately to the publisher’s profits it ig<br /> possible that the publisher&#039;s request might have<br /> been willingly acceded to, but the figures showed<br /> that this was not the case, and it lay with the<br /> author to decide whether he would yield to this<br /> extraordinary pressure of the publisher or whether<br /> he would lose the sale. In this special instance,<br /> the royalty on these books was, unfortunately, the<br /> bread and butter of the author, and he was obliged<br /> to give way. Thus the publisher procured a large<br /> sale at a reduced but not inadequate profit, while<br /> the author received starvation wages. The other<br /> alternative was for the author to refuse to yield, and<br /> Insist on the publisher keeping to his contract ; 0<br /> that case the publisher would have refused to supply<br /> the market, and the author would have had no<br /> remedy.<br /> <br /> It is hoped, therefore, if this question is satisfac-<br /> torily solved as far as authors are concerned, that<br /> it will be impossible for such a case to occur again<br /> or for undue pressure to be brought to bear upon<br /> an author to yield up even the small returns that<br /> some of the publishers are willing to pay him for<br /> his work.<br /> <br /> After some discussion it appears from the report<br /> of the general meeting of the Publishers’ Associa-<br /> tion, that the original question put forward was<br /> somewhat modified, and that the following amend-<br /> ment was passed :—<br /> <br /> “That a special committee be appointed to deal<br /> with questions affecting educational publishers,<br /> and that its first business be to consider the<br /> situation created by the Education Act, 1902.”<br /> <br /> We must congratulate Mr. C. J. Longman on<br /> his re-election to the Presidency of the Association<br /> —which now represents all the important houses of<br /> England.<br /> <br /> G. oy T.<br /> <br /> pn *—~&gt;—_+ :<br /> <br /> SOME FREE LANCE EXPERIENCES.<br /> <br /> —+—&gt;+—<br /> <br /> OME little time ago I set forth in these pages<br /> S certain experiences that had fallen to me<br /> while pursuing the calling of a free lance<br /> journalist. Since then a good deal of water has<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 208<br /> <br /> flowed under Westminster Bridge, and, as during<br /> this period I have continued on my career, further<br /> experiences have naturally come my way.<br /> number of these, it seems to me, are worth jotting<br /> down on the present occasion, for they are not<br /> altogether uninstructive, while a proportion of<br /> them have the additional virtue of breaking<br /> comparatively new ground.<br /> <br /> Those coming within this latter category have<br /> been gathered mainly in America. The United<br /> States, indeed, forms a virgin field for the English<br /> free lance. I know that there is a deeply-rooted<br /> impression to the effect that the Press on the other<br /> side of the Atlantic is a close preserve to all but<br /> those over whom the Eagle spreads its protecting<br /> wings, but I am convinced that, this isa fallacy.<br /> Speaking generally, every paper is open to every-<br /> body, and to a wide-awake editor (such as those in<br /> New York) the nationality of a potential con-<br /> tributor is, like his opinion on conscientious<br /> objections, the superiority of the American boot,<br /> or the educational value of musical comedy, a<br /> matter of complete indifference. Were it not for<br /> this fact, the path of the unattached free lance<br /> would be a good deal thornier than it is at<br /> present.<br /> <br /> My connection with American papers originated<br /> in rather curious fashion. About a year ago I<br /> wrote a short article dealing with a theatrical<br /> subject in which I was interested. This [ for-<br /> warded, together with a number of photographs,<br /> to a magazine which had just been started in<br /> London with rather a flourish of trumpets for the<br /> express purpose of “ministering to the best<br /> interests of the Drama.” My effort, however, to<br /> promote this high intention was evidently an ill-<br /> conceived one. At any rate, the article was<br /> returned, with a a curt note to the effect that it<br /> failed to reach the standard of “ literary excellence”<br /> insisted upon by, let us say, the Footlights Maga-<br /> zine. The intimation was also accompanied by<br /> an ingenuous suggestion that I should forthwith<br /> enrol myself as an annual subscriber to this some-<br /> what exigeant periodical, “ and thereby familiarise<br /> myself with the editorial requirements.”<br /> <br /> On receiving back my MS. (in a condition, by<br /> the way, that pointed strongly to its having been<br /> used as a doormat during the interval), I decided<br /> that the English market’ was too limited for it. A<br /> voyage across the Atlantic would, I thought, do<br /> the article good. I accordingly looked through an<br /> American newspaper directory, and, with the airy<br /> confidence that is part of the equipment of all free<br /> lances, despatched it to the most widely circulated<br /> magazine in the United States, and sat down to<br /> await the result. This came in three weeks’ time<br /> and took the form of a polite letter of acceptance,<br /> accompanied by a cheque for seventy-five dollars.<br /> <br /> altogether.<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> The discriminating periodical in question was<br /> Frank Leslie’s Popular Monthly.<br /> <br /> Another American magazine which I have<br /> approached with even more success is Munsey’s.<br /> Within the past few months the editor has<br /> purchased five articles from me, paying in each<br /> instance at a rate that is at least equal to that<br /> obtaining among the leading periodicals of the<br /> same nature in this country. As my work has<br /> appeared in the Pall Mall, Strand, Windsor,<br /> and Cassell’s, I may claim to know something<br /> on this most important of points. The Cosmo-<br /> politan, too, of New York, has proved itself<br /> enterprising enough to print work of mine. In<br /> respect of weekly journals of Transatlantic origin,<br /> my most satisfactory dealings have been with<br /> Collier’s Weekly. This, which is also published<br /> in New York, has given hospitality to at least half-<br /> a-dozen contributions from me in recent numbers.<br /> The daily papers, however, have as a rule shown<br /> themselves disinclined to permit me to illumine<br /> their columns at space rates. They appear to<br /> prefer to insert bodily articles of mine which take<br /> their fancy when they make their début in English<br /> publications. As in doing so such journals seldom<br /> go through the formality of either acknowledging<br /> their origin or remunerating me for the same, the<br /> practice only meets with my qualified approval.<br /> Occasionally, I have expressed my views of the<br /> matter: so far, however, the result has not been<br /> satisfactory. One editor, indeed, relying appa-<br /> rently on the fact that the broad Atlantic rolled<br /> between us, replied on a type-written postcard as<br /> follows: ‘Sir, if you don’t like it, lump it!”<br /> <br /> Speaking generally, however, I am firmly of<br /> opinion that American editors transact their work<br /> in a manner that tends to promote the pleasantest<br /> possible relations between themselves and their<br /> <br /> contributors. To this end they are courteous,<br /> prompt, reliable, and business-like in their<br /> dealings. Whenever I have made a_ proposal<br /> <br /> for an article, or submitted a manuscript for<br /> consideration, the matter has been attended to<br /> without delay. Non-acceptances have been notified<br /> in so charming a fashion that the pangs of<br /> rejection have been in great measure removed<br /> As often as not such communications<br /> are almost apologetic in tone, and might reasonably<br /> give the novice the impression that his work is<br /> returned merely because its publication would set<br /> too high a standard of excellence. Of course, it<br /> merely amounts to the curt “declined with<br /> thanks” in vogue in this country; at the same<br /> time, however, it has decided points in its favour.<br /> <br /> The cordiality of the average American editor<br /> towards his unknown contributors is quite remark-<br /> able. The atmosphere of aloofness which is<br /> generally observed on this side of the Atlantic<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR. 209<br /> <br /> seems to have no existence in the United States.<br /> ““My dear Sir,” is apparently the most formal<br /> opening ever employed in inaugurating a corre-<br /> spondence, while before two letters have passed<br /> this probably becomes “My very dear Sir.” It is<br /> the same thing with the terminations. When you<br /> are not assured that the editor is « Sincerely<br /> yours,” you are begged to regard him as “ Yours<br /> most cordially.” One of those to whom I once had<br /> occasion to write on a strictly business matter<br /> subscribed himself mine “ In all sincerity in every-<br /> thing calculated to foster what is best and brightest<br /> in contemporary literature.” This somewhat<br /> effusive individual conducted a society journal in<br /> Chicago.<br /> <br /> An American editor frequently uses terms that<br /> strike English ears a little strangely. I remember,<br /> for example, on an occasion when I had written to<br /> point out that payment for a certain contribution<br /> was overdue, receiving a “ check ” accompanied by<br /> a hope that “we should not run up against such<br /> snags in future.” A second editor, to whom I<br /> applied for a proof before publication, excused him-<br /> self on the grounds that I might “rely with<br /> confidence on his lynx-eyed compositors.” Another<br /> expressed his opinion of my capabilities in this<br /> fashion : “ Dear Sir, I like your stuff. It is real<br /> spry! Send me some more blocks of it as soon as<br /> you please. You are a live news-getter.”’ Occa-<br /> sionally, however, a wholesome corrective is<br /> administered. One such, sent in answer to a<br /> request for a decision respecting an article submitted<br /> several weeks earlier, ran as follows : “Dear Sir,<br /> your work doesn’t suit us. Our office-boy could<br /> write better copy blind-fold.”<br /> <br /> On the subject of returning unsuitable manu-<br /> scripts forwarded them from this country, American<br /> editors have a good deal to learn, They appear,<br /> for example, to be under the impression that all<br /> that is necessary is to put the article into an<br /> envelope and affix a one-cent stamp to it. Of<br /> course, it then travels as letter-post and is sub-<br /> jected to a considerable surcharge on delivery.<br /> Even when I have taken the precaution to send a<br /> properly stamped uewspaper-wrapper when sub-<br /> mitting a contribution, it is very seldom that any<br /> notice has been taken of it.. Once or twice I have<br /> ventured on a mild expostulation, but the only<br /> reply that this has elicited is that “the editor cf<br /> the prefers to use envelopes.” He also seems<br /> to prefer that their recipients should pay double<br /> postage on the same.<br /> <br /> It must not be thought from the preceding<br /> observations that I have permitted the English<br /> Press to languish for want of attention on my part<br /> during the last few months. So far from this<br /> being the case, I have conducted my campaign in<br /> this country contemporaneously with my American<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> one, and with equal vigour. The periodicals in<br /> which work of mine has seen the light within this<br /> interval range from the « serious” monthlies to<br /> the more frivolous dailies, from magazine articles<br /> and stories in Cassell’s and the Windsor, to<br /> “Celebrities at Home” in the World, and para-<br /> graph matter in Punch. [ wrote columns of<br /> Coronation matter in June and August, and did<br /> my best to keep alive public interest in the Boer<br /> War long after the declaration of peace. I also<br /> furnished for some weeks—in the absence of the<br /> regular correspondent—a “ London Letter” for a<br /> well-known Indian paper. After the second of<br /> these contributions appeared the editor was<br /> removed from office by his proprietors. I should<br /> be sorry to think that my connection with the<br /> paper had anything to do with this, but candour<br /> compels me to admit that I was not invited to<br /> continue my contributions.<br /> <br /> The greater portion of my output of late has<br /> been published in the different periodicals which owe<br /> their existence to the enterprise of Messrs. Pearson<br /> and Newnes. The host of “ Bits” journals which<br /> emanate from the offices of these Liptous of Litera-<br /> ture are a veritable gold-mine to the unattached<br /> free lance. They have an insatiable appetite for<br /> informative articles on the private lives of dis-<br /> tinguished personages, and give a ready welcome to<br /> anyone who can write thereon with an appearance<br /> of authority. At the same time, I must place it on<br /> record that Queer Bits, while expressing itself as<br /> pleased to consider a proposed series on “ Duchesses<br /> I have Dined with,” uncompromisingly rejected a<br /> second on “ Countesses I have Kissed.”<br /> <br /> The rate of payment obtaining among periodicals<br /> of this description is usually the fixed one of a<br /> guinea per column of about 750 words. As the<br /> standard of literary excellence insisted upon therein<br /> is not lofty, the scale is quite a fair one. Indeed,<br /> it is superior to that in force in many decidedly<br /> more ambitious journals. To one of these, for<br /> example (which grandiloquently describes itself as<br /> reflecting politics, literature, science, and art—and,<br /> no doubt, many other matters as well), I once sub-<br /> mitted an article on a military subject. A couple<br /> of months afterwards (no proof for revision, or<br /> notification of acceptance having been forwarded in<br /> the meantime) the contribution appeared. It was<br /> set up, however, in the form of a “ Letter to the<br /> Editor.” This struck me as a little frigid. Yet<br /> worse was to follow, for when—at the end of five<br /> weeks—I mildly pointed out that the cheque due<br /> to me had not yet reached me, I received a<br /> dignified intimation to the effect that “it was not<br /> the practice of the to pay for correspondence.”<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> To this I naturally replied that it was not my prac-<br /> tice to write articles for publication as “corre-<br /> spondence.” I mentioned, however, that I would<br /> 210<br /> <br /> be prepared to relax my rule in this partieular<br /> instance in so far that I would write a letter<br /> embodying my views on the conduct of periodicals<br /> which filled their columns without expense by the<br /> simple expedient of treating articles as “ Letters<br /> to the Editor” without the sanction of their<br /> authors. The offer still remains open.<br /> <br /> I have frequently heard it contended that when<br /> ladies conduct periodicals they do so in an un-<br /> pusinesslike fashion. For myself, I am disinclined<br /> to take this view, for I have always found that<br /> they are quite businesslike enough in their methods<br /> to get as much as they can for nothing. For<br /> instance, the editress of a monthly magazine called<br /> —let us say, the Perfect Lady—once stipulated<br /> that she could only accept an article of mine on<br /> the condition that I should induce the people<br /> referred to therein to bear the expense of having<br /> their photographs reproduced. The offer did not<br /> appeal to me. It was the same lady, by the way,<br /> who on the second occasion that I submitted -a<br /> contribution, offered me two guineas for three<br /> thousand words and nine photographs, the copy-<br /> right to belong to her. When I sent a district<br /> messenger boy to the office to say that I was not<br /> in the business for my health, she replied on a<br /> postcard, “ There is no oceasion to be rude.”<br /> <br /> This question of payment is a delicate one. Not<br /> even the most brazen of free lances likes to haggle<br /> over the matter, but when he receives an experi-<br /> ence such as the one just recounted he would<br /> scarcely be human if he did not venture on a<br /> protest. For myself, I have two working rules.<br /> One of them is to take all I can get, and the other<br /> is to cash a cheque first and draw attention to its<br /> inadequacy afterwards. I applied this latter on<br /> one occasion when a certain weekly journal, called,<br /> let me say, Our Girls, commissioned me to write a<br /> three-thousand word article (entailing the interview-<br /> ing of six different people, and the supplying of eight<br /> photographs), and then sent me four guineas for the<br /> same. On receipt of my letter of polite expostula-<br /> tion, the proprietors curtly informed me that if I<br /> was dissatisfied I might return the cheque and<br /> they would return the article. I explained that<br /> my system prevented me sending back the original<br /> cheque; I accordingly forwarded one of my own<br /> instead.<br /> <br /> Notwithstanding these little rebuffs I recently<br /> approached a third journal, the editorial direction<br /> of which was also in the hands of a lady. The<br /> paper was a weekly one, and had only just been<br /> started. It was, in fact, from reading its initial<br /> number that I conceived the idea that it contained<br /> an opening for some one who had a slight acquaint-<br /> ance with practical journalism. In “Number<br /> One,” for example, a prominent feature was made<br /> of “Answers to Correspondents,” although no<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> explanation was given as to how “ Constant<br /> Reader,” ‘Subscriber from the First,” and the<br /> other seekers after enlightenment had written their<br /> letters of inquiry before the. paper had even<br /> appeared. Several other points in the general<br /> make-up and management of Cackle—as I will call<br /> the bantling—also struck me as betraying the hand<br /> of the amateur.<br /> <br /> To the office of Cackle, therefore, I went, armed<br /> with a selection of articles and an assortment of<br /> ideas to be submitted diplomatically if occasion<br /> offered, and taking with me a letter of introduction<br /> provided by an acquaintance of the editor. At the<br /> top of avery long flight of stairs was a door marked<br /> “QackLE, Lrp. Srricrty Private.” Having<br /> negotiated a hundred and twenty steps, a little<br /> matter like this was not going to stand in my way.<br /> Accordingly, I rapped on the door and was bidden<br /> by a feminine chorus to enter. On doing so, I<br /> found myself in a small room occupied by five<br /> ladies, sitting round a table littered with manu-<br /> scripts and making a light luncheon off; a bag<br /> of mixed biscuits and a box of chocolates. I<br /> tendered one of them my card together with<br /> the letter of introduction, requesting her to<br /> convey it to the editor, and then sat down on<br /> the only unoccupied chair. While the messenger<br /> was absent her colleagues continued an animated<br /> discussion which my arrival seemed to have<br /> interrupted. From fragments that caught my<br /> ear it seemed evident that press-day was at hand.<br /> “ What is a stick, Gertie ?”” inquired one peroxide<br /> of hydrogen-tinted young woman of another.<br /> “Why do you want to know, Maudie?” “Oh,<br /> the horrid printer says that he is a stick short,”<br /> was the reply, “and I’m sure I don’t know what<br /> he means. Yesterday he sent to ask if I wanted<br /> galleys or page proofs? Why on earth can’t<br /> printers talk English ? &quot;<br /> <br /> At the end of ten minutes or so the messenger<br /> returned. I rose expectantly. “ The editor says<br /> she can’t see you,” was the rather disconcerting<br /> announcement that met me.<br /> <br /> “That is sufficiently obvious,” I remarked,<br /> blandly, “unless she is looking through the<br /> keyhole.”<br /> <br /> “The editor of Cackle only interviews visitors<br /> by appointment,” explained a member of the<br /> staff, in the tone that would be adopted when<br /> referring to the Times. “ Perhaps you will call<br /> again.” There was no mistaking the hint con-<br /> veyed in the last observation. I took it without<br /> delay. Since then, ladies’ papers as a class have<br /> not received any great amount of attention from<br /> me. Iam unable to think, however, that this has<br /> had that adverse effect upon their circulation that<br /> it ought to.<br /> <br /> H. W.<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> amt<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR, 211<br /> <br /> GENERAL MEMORANDA.<br /> 1<br /> ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an<br /> agreement. There are four methods of dealing<br /> with literary property :—<br /> <br /> I. Selling it Outright.<br /> <br /> This is in some respects the most satisfactory, if a proper<br /> price can be obtained, But the transaction should be<br /> managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the<br /> Secretary of the Society.<br /> <br /> II. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of<br /> agreement),<br /> <br /> In this case the following rules should be attended to :<br /> <br /> (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro-<br /> duction forms a part without the strictest investigation.<br /> <br /> (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the<br /> profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements<br /> in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise-<br /> ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements,<br /> <br /> (3.) Not to allow a special charge for ‘office expenses,”<br /> unless the same allowance is made to the author,<br /> <br /> (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental<br /> rights.<br /> <br /> (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights.<br /> <br /> (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher.<br /> As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or<br /> doctor !<br /> <br /> III. The Royalty System.<br /> <br /> It is above all things necessary to know what the<br /> proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible<br /> for an author to ascertain approximately and very nearly<br /> the truth. From time to time the very important figures<br /> connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author.<br /> Readers can also work out the figures themselves from the<br /> “Cost of Production.”<br /> <br /> IY. A Commission Agreement.<br /> <br /> The main points are :-—<br /> <br /> (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production.<br /> (2.) Keep control of the advertisements.<br /> <br /> (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book.<br /> <br /> General.<br /> <br /> All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four<br /> above mentioned.<br /> <br /> Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author.<br /> <br /> Never sign any agreement without competent advice from<br /> the Secretary of the Society.<br /> <br /> Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp.<br /> <br /> Avoid agreements by letter if possible.<br /> <br /> The main points which the Society has always demanded<br /> from the outset are :—<br /> <br /> C1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement<br /> means.<br /> <br /> (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong<br /> to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the<br /> nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or<br /> withheld.<br /> <br /> ————_—_+—~»@—,______<br /> WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS.<br /> <br /> IES:<br /> EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the<br /> \ Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com-<br /> petent legal authority.<br /> 2. It is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for<br /> the production of a play with anyone except an established<br /> manager.<br /> <br /> 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for PLAYS<br /> IN THREE OR MORE ACTS :—_<br /> <br /> (a.) SALE OUTRIGHT OF THE PERFORMING RIGHT,<br /> This is unsatisfactory, An author who enters<br /> ito such a contract should stipulate in the con-<br /> tract for production of the piece by a certain date<br /> and for proper publication of his name on the<br /> play-bills,<br /> <br /> (0.) SALE oF PERFORMING RIGHT OR OF A LICENCE<br /> TO PERFORM ON THE BASIS oF PERCENTAGES<br /> on gross receipts. Percentages vary between<br /> 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a<br /> percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts<br /> in preference to the American system. Should<br /> obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed<br /> date on or before which the play should be<br /> performed.<br /> <br /> (¢.) SALE OF PERFORMING RIGHT OR OF A LICENCE<br /> TO PERFORM ON THE BASIS OF ROYALTIES Ge,<br /> fixed nightly fees). This method should be<br /> always avoided except in cases where the fees<br /> are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The<br /> other safeguards set out under heading (4.) apply<br /> also in this case,<br /> <br /> 4, PLAYS IN ONE ACT are often sold outright, but it is<br /> better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum<br /> paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely<br /> important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should<br /> be reserved.<br /> <br /> 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can<br /> be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and<br /> time. This is most important,<br /> <br /> 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but<br /> should grant a licence to perform, The legal distinction is<br /> of great importance,<br /> <br /> 7, Authors should remember that performing rights in a<br /> play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager<br /> holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot<br /> print the book of the words.<br /> <br /> 8. Never forget that AMERICAN RIGHTS may be exceed-<br /> ingly valuable. ‘Yhey should never be included in English<br /> agreements without the author obtaining a substantial<br /> consideration.<br /> <br /> 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully<br /> drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced.<br /> <br /> 10. An author should remember that production of a play<br /> is highly speculative : that he runs a very great risk of<br /> delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract.<br /> He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in<br /> the beginning.<br /> <br /> 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market<br /> is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object<br /> is to obtain adequate publication.<br /> <br /> As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on<br /> account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con-<br /> tracts, THOSE AUTHORS DESIROUS OF FURTHER INFORMA-<br /> TION ARE REFERRED TO THE SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY<br /> <br /> _ HO?<br /> HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY.<br /> <br /> —+~—<br /> <br /> 1. VERY member has a right toask for and to receive<br /> advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub-<br /> lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his<br /> <br /> business or the administration of his property. If the<br /> <br /> advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor<br /> the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s<br /> solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s opinion is<br /> <br /> desirable, the Committee will obtain for him Counsel’s<br /> opinion. All this without any cost to the member.<br />  <br /> <br /> 212<br /> <br /> 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright<br /> and publishers’ agreements do not generally fall within the<br /> experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not seruple<br /> to use the Society.<br /> <br /> 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past<br /> accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The<br /> Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new<br /> or old, for inspection and note. ‘The information thus<br /> obtained may prove invaluable.<br /> <br /> 4, BEFORE SIGNING ANY AGREEMENT WHATEVER, send<br /> the document to the Society for examination.<br /> <br /> 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society<br /> you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you<br /> are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are<br /> advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the<br /> independence of the writer.<br /> <br /> 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception<br /> of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire-<br /> proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as<br /> confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary,<br /> who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers:<br /> —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give<br /> advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements<br /> in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep<br /> agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to<br /> agreements.<br /> <br /> 7. No confract should be entered into with a literary<br /> agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society.<br /> Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful<br /> consideration the contracts submitted to them by literary<br /> agents, and are recommended to submit them for inter-<br /> pretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society.<br /> <br /> 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. This<br /> must be done within fourteen days of first execution. The<br /> Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members.<br /> <br /> 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from<br /> referring matters to the Secretary of the Society ; so do<br /> some publishers. Members can make their own deductions<br /> and act accordingly.<br /> <br /> —_—_—_———__+—__+—__—_<br /> <br /> THE READING BRANCH.<br /> <br /> —_——<br /> <br /> EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this<br /> branch of its work by informing young writers<br /> of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and<br /> <br /> treated as a composition is treated by a coach, The term<br /> MSS. includes NOT ONLY WORKS OF FICTION, BUT POETRY<br /> AND DRAMATIC WORKS, and when it is possible, under<br /> special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The<br /> Readers are writers of competence and experience. The<br /> fee is one guinea.<br /> <br /> —_—_———__+——_o—__———_<br /> <br /> NOTICES.<br /> <br /> —<br /> <br /> HE Editor of The Author begs to remind members of<br /> <br /> the Society that, although the paper is sent to them<br /> <br /> free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a<br /> <br /> very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great<br /> <br /> many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest<br /> 5s. 6d. subscription for the year.<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> Communications for Zhe Author should be addressed to<br /> the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s<br /> Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor NOT LATER<br /> THAN THE 21st OF EACH MONTH.<br /> <br /> All persons engaged in literary work of any kind,<br /> whether members of the Society or not, are invited to<br /> communicate to the Editor any points connected with their<br /> work which it would be advisable in the general interest to<br /> publish.<br /> <br /> —_——_—_—\§|o—&lt; &gt; __——<br /> <br /> COMMUNICATIONS AND LETTERS ARE INVITED BY THE<br /> Eprror on all subjects connected with literature, but on<br /> no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to<br /> return articles which cannot be accepted.<br /> <br /> — a<br /> <br /> Tur SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY begs to give notice<br /> that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post,<br /> and he requests members who do not receive an<br /> answer to important communications within two days to<br /> write to him without delay. All remittances should be<br /> crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent<br /> by registered letter only.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> AUTHORITIES.<br /> <br /> —-——s—_<br /> <br /> N the case of Judge Parry against Mr. Israel<br /> Gollancz, which dealt with the publication of<br /> <br /> “ Dorothy Osborne’s Love Letters,” a general<br /> injunction was granted to the plaintiff. Various<br /> views of the questions involved have been put<br /> forward in the papers during the past month<br /> In a letter to the Zimes, dated April 238, 1908,<br /> the plaintiff&#039;s solicitors state that the proceedings<br /> are not concluded. We must therefore defer any<br /> comment both on this ground and also because<br /> the matter has not yet come before our Committee.<br /> <br /> Mr. Loneman in his “ Notes on Books” (an<br /> interesting trade circular published by his firm)<br /> gives the following definitions :—<br /> <br /> DEFINITION OF THE TERMS “IMPRESSION,”<br /> “ EDITION,” “ RE-ISSUE.”<br /> ImprReEssron.—A number of copies printed at any one time.<br /> When a book is reprinted without change it should be<br /> called a new “impression,” to distinguish it from an<br /> <br /> “ edition,” as defined below.<br /> <br /> EpDrrron.—An impression in which the matter has under-<br /> gone some change, or for which the type has been<br /> reset.<br /> <br /> ReE-IssuE.—A re-publication at a different price, or ina<br /> different form, of part of an impression which has<br /> already been placed on the market.—From Longman’s<br /> “ Notes on Books.”<br /> <br /> We believe these definitions have been approved<br /> by the Publishers’ Association.<br /> <br /> There is one point, however, which has not been<br /> settled. It appears to us to be the most important<br /> point of all.<br /> <br /> We ask Mr. Longman if it is not possible to<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Cees<br /> <br /> &amp;<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR. 213<br /> <br /> settle the unit of an edition or impression? In<br /> every other trade involving weights, measures, and<br /> numbers units have been settled long ago. It is<br /> only necessary for the Association to come to some<br /> conclusion and bind its members to recognise some<br /> definite system. A thousand copies seem to be a<br /> reasonable number to fix. Thus, if a limited issue<br /> of five hundred copies was produced, the publisher<br /> could state that he was about t6 produce half an<br /> edition, or that the issue would be limited to half an<br /> edition. Again, instead of seeing the advertise-<br /> ments of the large sales quoted in numbers, it<br /> would be sufficient merely to say twenty, thirty, or<br /> forty editions or impressions. We draw attention<br /> to this special point, as in one case that came<br /> before the Secretary of the Society the author com-<br /> plained that although his publisher was advertising<br /> his book as in its third edition, only twenty-five<br /> copies had been sold.<br /> <br /> This was naturally very annoying to the author,<br /> but he had no legal position, and could not claim<br /> damage, as the sole control of the issue of the book<br /> was left, by the agreement, in the hands of the<br /> publisher.<br /> <br /> Again, there is the guarantee agreement not in-<br /> frequently before the Secretary of the Society from<br /> another publishing house that states : “* This edition<br /> shall be the property of the publisher,” or that<br /> “The author shall receive 10 per cent. royalty after<br /> the sale of the first edition.” In neither case is the<br /> amount of the edition mentioned.<br /> <br /> It is important, therefore, to all those who trade<br /> in books that some settlement of the unit of an<br /> edition should be obtained, and when that unit is<br /> settled the Publishers’ Association should enforce<br /> observance of it on its members.<br /> <br /> It is well known that some of the editions of the<br /> daily papers are little more than formal issues, but it<br /> would be unfair to publishers and authors to put the<br /> publication of books on the same level as the issue<br /> of journalistic editions.<br /> <br /> Members of the Society will no doubt recall to<br /> mind that a discussion occurred not long ago in<br /> the Literary Supplement to the Zimes, on the<br /> subject of the payment for articles by a cheque<br /> with a copyright receipt printed on the back.<br /> <br /> The discussion arose out of the fact that a<br /> banker, acting on the instructions of his client,<br /> had refused payment in those cases where the<br /> receipt form was altered.<br /> <br /> It would be interesting to have a list, complete<br /> as far as possible, of those magazines and those<br /> firms which issue this form of cheque.<br /> <br /> We should be obliged if those members of the<br /> Society who have received such cheques within the<br /> <br /> last six months will forward to the Secretary the<br /> name of the magazine or publisher.<br /> <br /> In the early days of printing, when literary<br /> property began to have a bre definite aan<br /> value, there were two forces acting to obtain the<br /> profits of the author’s labour—(1) the power of<br /> the Crown, which was inclined to adopt printing as<br /> a monopoly for its own benefit; and (2) the<br /> power of the trade, which was inclined to think<br /> that the labour of authors should be for its private<br /> advantage,<br /> <br /> Accordingly, by degrees, legislation was evolved,<br /> primarily, for the protection of the Crown monopoly<br /> and the printing trade. :<br /> <br /> As printing developed and literature expanded,<br /> the public gradually came to view the matter in a<br /> different light, and to consider, after all, that the<br /> author might have some right in his own property.<br /> Legislation was then introduced, not on behalf of<br /> the trade, but to protect the author.<br /> <br /> In all the civilised countries of Europe modern<br /> legislation has tended to give a wider basis and<br /> firmer security to the author. Surely to this he is<br /> entitled. He is as much the owner of his property<br /> —perhaps more so—as the man who buys a piece<br /> of land is the owner of that land.<br /> <br /> In another column of The Author we have<br /> much pleasure in printing an article headed “ An<br /> American Point of View.” We see with some amuse-<br /> ment, not unmixed with sadness, that the American<br /> printing trades are still inclined to consider that<br /> legislation dealing with literary property should<br /> not be passed with a view to the protection of the<br /> author, but rather with a view to fostering the:<br /> trade. They have headed the article “ Of Interest<br /> to Authors, etc.” There is irony in this remark,<br /> no doubt suitable to the American humour.<br /> <br /> 1<br /> <br /> THE LATE LIEUT.-COLONEL G. F. R.<br /> HENDERSON, C.B.<br /> <br /> ——~ +<br /> <br /> N the March number of Zhe Author we<br /> I expressed regret that the name of this officer<br /> had been inadvertently included among those:<br /> members who had died in 1902. We were un-<br /> happily only premature in the announcement, for<br /> he died on the 5th March, at Assouan, Upper Egypt,.<br /> where he had gone for the benefit of his health,.<br /> which had for some time been precarious. This<br /> was largely owing to his unremitting work. He<br /> never allowed himself proper rest from his literary<br /> labours, and so anxious was he to push on with the:<br /> official history of the Boer War, which had been<br /> entrusted to his able pen, that he insisted on taking.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 214<br /> <br /> his work with him, and had nearly completed the<br /> first volume, when he died, in his forty-ninth<br /> year. This much lamented officer was the eldest<br /> son of the Dean of Carlisle. He was educated at<br /> Oxford and entered the Service in 1878. He was<br /> appointed an Instructor at the Royal Military<br /> College in 1890, and in 1892 had become so well<br /> known by his studies and writings on Military<br /> History and Tactics that he was given the<br /> Professorship of Military History and Art at the<br /> Staff College in succession to Colonel F. Maurice.<br /> He obtained a brevet majority for his services<br /> in the Egyptian War of 1882. He distin-<br /> guished himself by his admirable tactical studies,<br /> “The Campaign of Fredericksburg,” “ The<br /> Battle of Spicheren,” and “ The Battle of Worth,”<br /> which were characterised by insight and power of<br /> analysis and a knowledge of men, as well as by a<br /> literary style to which such works seldom aspire.<br /> But his best known work is “Stonewall Jackson and<br /> the American War,” which was speedily translated<br /> into many European languages, and will ever<br /> remain as a model of military biography. Its<br /> publication stamped Colonel Henderson as one of<br /> the most important military writers since Sir<br /> William Napier, and had he lived he would un-<br /> doubtedly have had his name inscribed very high<br /> up on the roll of fame. He worked indefatigably<br /> in South Africa as Director of Intelligence, and<br /> was of the greatest assistance to Lord Roberts ; but<br /> his health, which had been undermined by over-<br /> work, broke down after Paardeberg, and he was<br /> invalided home. After an all too brief rest he<br /> began the History of the War, and travelled<br /> over to South Africa again to revisit the scenes<br /> of the battles he was describing as was his con-<br /> stant practice. This, though fatiguing, was of<br /> benefit to him as giving some little respite from<br /> work ; but when he resumed his writing and heavy<br /> brain work, it was seen that the strain was too<br /> great, and a winter in Egypt was prescribed. His<br /> splendid example of constant devotion to his<br /> profession, and his high character, exercised a<br /> lasting influence upon the officers of the present<br /> generation ; and his literary work, though pic-<br /> turesque and classical in style, was thoroughly<br /> practical in its aims. His descriptions were vivid,<br /> and he never ceased to search out the why and the<br /> wherefore of events. One of his latest efforts was<br /> the admirable and characteristic preface he wrote<br /> to Count Sternberg’s “ My Experiences of the Boer<br /> War” (Berlin: Reimer, 1901), which was trans-<br /> lated into English (Longmans), and which, though<br /> in the main a lively and amusing account of<br /> adventures as a war correspondent, contains many<br /> reflections upon modern war that are at least worth<br /> consideration. In every way—as an officer, as<br /> a strenuous and clear-minded instructor, and as a<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> writer—Colonel Henderson, who was of a most<br /> unassuming and amiable character, will be long<br /> regretted in the British Army, and, as a well-<br /> known writer of descriptions of foreign armies and<br /> their characteristics in his excellent letters written<br /> to the Zimes while attending foreign manceuvres,<br /> his loss will be much felt by the general public.<br /> <br /> —___+—&gt;__+____<br /> <br /> OF COLLABORATION.<br /> <br /> +<br /> <br /> I WONDER if it is a confession of weakness to<br /> acknowledge that I find something agreeable<br /> in a state of indecision—not with regard to<br /> matters of prime importance, be it understood, but<br /> with regard to those smaller matters of which the<br /> friendly discussion gives point to the conversation<br /> of cultivated men. To be poised between two<br /> friendly disputants, inclining now this way and now<br /> that as one or the other drops fresh crystals of<br /> reason into the scale, and finally to attain a state<br /> of rest midway between the two, thus testifying to<br /> all the world that once more much may be said<br /> upon both sides, and that where there is six of the<br /> one there is again half a dozen of the other, is a<br /> condition in which I like to be, a function I am<br /> ever happy to perform. Yet, the function dis-<br /> charged, I like to draw the disputants aside and<br /> with deference submit to their consideration such<br /> points about the matter of debate as I think they<br /> may have ignored or failed to see. It has been my<br /> invariable experience that I thus acquire some<br /> reputation of being an intelligent fellow, one with<br /> brains in his pate, sir, open to reason, and not too<br /> proud to learn. If I may thus achieve renown as<br /> being a clever man, I am well satisfied to let my<br /> ears do all the work, and give my tongue a rest.<br /> Others may dogmatise: I am content to suggest ;<br /> and if, when all is over, captious critics say it<br /> has been much ado about nothing. I can quote<br /> Shakespeare too, and say ‘“‘all’s well that ends<br /> well.”<br /> <br /> It was thus with me the other day, when the<br /> conversation turned upon collaboration in fiction.<br /> I found that most of those present had in their<br /> early days collaborated with some friend, being<br /> induced to do so by the old argument that two<br /> heads are better than one, or by their observation<br /> of the fact that babies frequently teach themselves<br /> to walk by holding on to chairs. I was interested,<br /> however, to find that the general vote was adverse<br /> to collaboration. Isolated instances of good novels<br /> written in collaboration were, of course, known<br /> and cited, but it was suggested that there was<br /> something in our national temper, or temperament,<br /> unfavourable to the method, and the suggestion<br /> was supported by the assertion that, with the<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> exception of Besant and Rice, there was no instance<br /> of British authors working together continuously<br /> and producing such happy results as did MM.<br /> Erckmann-Chatrian and Paul and Victor Mar-<br /> gueritte.<br /> <br /> With this view Besant himself agreed. “If I<br /> were asked for my opinion as to collaboration in<br /> fiction,” he says, “it would be decidedly against<br /> it, Isay this without the least desire to depreciate<br /> the literary ability of my friend and collaborateur.<br /> ‘The arrangement lasted for ten years, and resulted<br /> in as many successful novels. I only mean that,<br /> after all, an artist must necessarily stand alone.<br /> - +. There will come atime when both men fret<br /> under the condition; when each desires, but is<br /> not able, to enjoy the reputation of his own good<br /> work ; and feels, with the jealousy natural to an<br /> artist, irritated by the loss of half of himself, and<br /> ready to accept the responsibility of failure in order<br /> to make sure of the meed of success... . The<br /> collaboration would have broken down, I believe,<br /> amicably. It would have been far better if it had<br /> broken down five years before the death of Rice, so<br /> that he might have achieved what has been granted<br /> to myself—an independent literary position.”<br /> <br /> The modesty and sincerity of Sir Walter Besant<br /> were such that it is absurd to try to read between<br /> these lines and discover any little-mindedness in<br /> roserve. That “jealousy natural to an artist ” is<br /> the quality which he discovers in the British<br /> temperament unfavourable to the method of joint<br /> production, and, so far as collaboration in fiction<br /> is concerned, there cannot be much dispute that<br /> his point is well taken.<br /> <br /> Sir Walter always declined to offer any explana-<br /> tion or give any account of the method on which<br /> he collaborated with Rice, although this was a<br /> matter with regard to which he was pestered for<br /> information. Why people should be so anxious to<br /> find out how collaboration is conducted is a form<br /> of curiosity that always inspires me with amused<br /> wonder. It seems to me that it should bea reason-<br /> ably easy matter, provided proper provision is made<br /> at the outset for the ‘personal equation.” For<br /> those, however, who desire light upon the subject,<br /> and have not had the passage brought before their<br /> notice, I may, perhaps, quote a couple of paragraphs<br /> from a recent issue of the Daily Mail having<br /> reference to Mr. and Mrs. Egerton Castle.<br /> <br /> “The collaboration of husband and wife is rare<br /> and interesting. Mr. and Mrs. Castle plan out<br /> their work together, talk it over thoroughly, and<br /> finally write it in unison, so that it is almost<br /> impossible in the end to decide with whom any<br /> particular idea originally started. The authors<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> never write of places or people they do not know<br /> familiarly. Mr. Castle states that he never begins<br /> to write out a romance until it has been complete<br /> <br /> 215<br /> <br /> in his mind (as discussed and elaborated with his<br /> wife) for a very long time. It is only when both<br /> character and incident and the reciprocal influence<br /> of one on the other have become familiar that the<br /> story is begun.<br /> <br /> “After that the writing goes fast enough at an<br /> average rate of 2,000 words a day—writing in the<br /> morning and revising at odd moments of the day.<br /> Thus a long novel will be written in three months ;<br /> but, of course, the period from its conception is<br /> much longer—generally a year or more.”<br /> <br /> The obviousness of that explanation detracts<br /> not a whit from its interest, and any difficulty<br /> which other people may experience in applying the<br /> principle to practical use themselves will be found<br /> due to their own personality and that of the writer<br /> with whom they work. The old simile of cog-<br /> wheels applies to collaborators as well as to friends ;<br /> while it is essential that each party to the partner-<br /> ship should supply the other’s deficiencies, the<br /> wheels must be oiled if they are to run smoothly,<br /> and the kind of oil most suitable to the par-<br /> ticular machinery will be ascertained without<br /> difficulty.<br /> <br /> This sort of partnership between husband and<br /> wife is not, however, so rare as might be supposed.<br /> I know of several instances among writers of serial<br /> stories for the cheap newspapers. The editor of<br /> one of these told me he found the system worked<br /> admirably in practice, the wife generally supplying<br /> the battle, murder, and sudden death, while the<br /> husband supplied the tender passion and what one<br /> of Mr. Morley Roberts’s characters describes as<br /> “ideal poppycock.” The information struck me<br /> as being very illuminating.<br /> <br /> Upon the question of collaboration in fiction I<br /> thus remain in a state of, to me, agreeable inde-<br /> cision. With regard to collaboration in the other<br /> forms of literary work, I am, perhaps, less vague.<br /> In the writing of plays the association of two<br /> minds seems very often desirable—one to supply<br /> that brilliant superficial cleverness which modern<br /> playgoers seem to require at the hands of drama-<br /> tists, the other to construct the play on the practical<br /> lines necessary to make it effective from the front<br /> of the house and practicable from behind. One<br /> very well known novelist, and part author of<br /> several very successful plays, told me he could<br /> never get his people on the stage, If they were<br /> put there for him he could make them dazzling in<br /> their wit. “You put them in the right place,” he<br /> said, “at the right time, and I&#039;ll put the right<br /> things in their mouths. It’ll be terrific!” Un-<br /> fortunately my peculiar genius also runs in the<br /> direction of “cackle,” while I am as ignorant of<br /> “osses”” as the Jubilee Plunger, so that play is<br /> still unwritten. I did, however, write a play once<br /> in collaboration with a man whose forte was<br /> <br /> <br /> 216<br /> <br /> construction. We had an agreement drawn up and<br /> engrossed and stamped; I almost decided to have<br /> my copy of it framed. My friend was to supply<br /> the bones and see that they were all properly<br /> articulated, and I was to put the meat upon them<br /> and clothe the finished article in the latest mode.<br /> The work was done, upon the whole, without<br /> excessive loss of blood, and in due course the play<br /> began its round of the managers. Writing a play,<br /> by the way, is the easiest part of the business ; the<br /> dramatist’s trouble does not begin until that is<br /> done.<br /> <br /> The first manager wrote very civilly to say he<br /> had read it with interest; and, whilst it was<br /> admirably constructed, it was written in so dull<br /> and illiterate a fashion that he was afraid he could<br /> do nothing with it. My friend explained that he<br /> was only responsible for the construction, and<br /> produced the agreement to prove his words and<br /> attest his competence to construct another play<br /> for the manager to be written by some one else<br /> than me.<br /> <br /> The second manager also wrote very civilly. He<br /> found the dialogue amazing in its brilliance ; the<br /> wit was pungent, the satire refined, and the whole<br /> writing in perfect taste. The construction, how-<br /> ever, was so amateurish, and showed such ignorance<br /> of stage technique, that he, too, was afraid he<br /> could do nothing with it. My friend explained<br /> that the writing was his, the construction mine ;<br /> and if the manager would supply him with a<br /> scenario, upon whatsoever subject, he would be<br /> happy to write it up. His explanation on this<br /> occasion was uncorroborated by documentary<br /> evidence.<br /> <br /> The third manager wrote more civilly still.<br /> Construction and dialogue were both superlatively<br /> good—far above the average. The story, how-<br /> ever, did not appeal tohim. He thought so highly<br /> of the work that he would like to consider the ques-<br /> tion of commissioning a play by the same authors.<br /> Would my friend explain the terms of the collabo-<br /> ration, and give him some information as to my<br /> position as a writer for the stage? My friend wrote<br /> by return of post to explain that the play was<br /> entirely his; he dictated it to me, and my name<br /> appeared as part author because, in the then state<br /> of his finances, it was inconvenient for him to pay<br /> me a weekly salary as secretary, and I agreed to be<br /> paid by a percentage of his royalties provided he<br /> would allow my name to be published on all pro-<br /> grammes and bills of the play.<br /> <br /> I do not think there is any moral in this<br /> anecdote. I tell it because it relates to my only<br /> experience of joint authorship, and is, therefore,<br /> not mal apropos in an article upon collaboration.<br /> <br /> V. E. M.<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> AUTHORS AND MODERN THRIFT.<br /> <br /> es<br /> By Bass BLAKE.<br /> I. The Best Provision for Age.<br /> <br /> HATEVER the advantages may be of the<br /> career of a successful writer, a uniform<br /> income is not one of them. The merit<br /> <br /> of his work may show uo falling off ; but all the<br /> same, his profits are materially affected by changes<br /> in the public taste, and the various moods and<br /> maladies peculiar to readers. A commercial man,<br /> once his position is assured, in many cases produces<br /> his income by repetition of those faculties to which<br /> he owed its commencement; but with a writer,<br /> each year brings with it the necessity for origi-<br /> nality, and for the initiation and working out of<br /> fresh ideas. A prudent business man will each<br /> year set aside a sum for the depreciation of his<br /> machinery, with a view in a certain number of<br /> years to replace it by a new plant. It is upon far<br /> more delicate machinery that the bulk and quality<br /> of a writer’s work depends, and it is machinery<br /> which can never be replaced ; yet it is common to<br /> find that no provision is made for its depreciation.<br /> In most cases the writer lacks that foresight which<br /> teaches the commercial man to conserve a certain<br /> proportion of his income against bad times. The<br /> author frequently lives at the top of his income,<br /> disburses his capital as it arrives, and whilst being<br /> peculiarly at the mercy of changes and depressions,<br /> makes little or no preparation for them.<br /> <br /> A common reason for this omission is that the<br /> author’s circumstances and habit of mind do not<br /> bring him into touch with those means of thrift<br /> with which the man of business ig more or less<br /> familiar. That well without water which is termed<br /> “the City” is but a name to him, and his financial<br /> experiences are often confined to some chance<br /> scheme which falls in his way, or to disastrous<br /> incursions into the Stock Exchange. He may<br /> possess some vague notion that in insurance, pro-<br /> viding as it does co-operative protection for the<br /> individual, there are some elements of attraction ;<br /> but the number of policies are so many, and in<br /> their nature so complicated, that he is repelled<br /> from the subject. He has small experience of<br /> finance, and in the multitude of schemes, each<br /> purporting to be the best in the market, he sees<br /> only confusion.<br /> <br /> Modern life insurance nevertheless offers to the<br /> author perhaps the only means of providing his<br /> family with means at his death, or himself with a<br /> provision in age. The popular idea of the question<br /> is, that if a man happens to die young it is a good<br /> bargain for himself and a bad one for the company,<br /> but, should he happen to live, insurance becomes a<br /> very poor investment. A policy, however, suited to<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> a man who is dependent wholly upon his own<br /> powers as a means of income, must be one which<br /> guarantees to him not only life insurance, but a<br /> capital sum when his powers of production may be<br /> expected to be on the wane, and is therefore<br /> strictly a life, and not a death policy, as in<br /> ordinary insurance.<br /> <br /> The form of policy which on the whole is most<br /> suited to authors is that known as endowment<br /> assurance. This provides capital to his family at<br /> his death, as in ordinary insurance, but it also<br /> guarantees to him a sum in cash a stated number<br /> of years hence, when, it may be expected, it will be<br /> very necessary to him. ‘This contract is simple.<br /> The assured pays to the company a yearly premium<br /> for a stated number of years, at the end of which<br /> the policy matures and his premiums cease. If in<br /> the meantime he should die, the sum assured<br /> (together with profits attaching to the policy)<br /> is paid to his estate. But should he survive to the<br /> age stated, the sum assured (with the total profits)<br /> is paid to him in cash. Endowment assurances<br /> are effected for any term of years—say ten, twenty,<br /> thirty, or forty—and, of course, the shorter the<br /> term the higher the premium percent. Twenty or<br /> thirty years is, however, a suitable term, as being<br /> sufficient time to allow the profits allotted to his<br /> policy time to accumulate at compound interest to<br /> a material sum.<br /> <br /> A man with any sum to fifty pounds per annum<br /> to set aside has very limited channels for invest-<br /> ment. In financial circles the advantages are all<br /> with the capitalists who pull the strings, and to<br /> the profits of whom the small investor cheerfully<br /> contributes from his small income. But the<br /> author cannot afford to run risks. With a good<br /> British company the security is equal to that of a<br /> State institution, and an endowment assurance<br /> therein offers the best secure investment which,<br /> so far as I am able to judge, it is possible to<br /> obtain. An instance is provided by a man of<br /> thirty who sets aside twenty pounds per annum as<br /> apremium. For this he obtains a profit-sharing<br /> endowment assurance for £600. At the age of<br /> sixty the policy matures and he will receive,<br /> with accruing bonuses according to last declara-<br /> tion, a total sum of £1,000 in cash. He will<br /> have paid in by this time a sum of £600, and he<br /> receives £1,000, besides a life insurance cover<br /> provided during the whole of the term during<br /> which the policy has been maturing. But as a<br /> fact, the policy has been even more advantageous<br /> to him, as the Government allows a rebate of<br /> income tax, alone among all investments, upon<br /> life insurance premiums. Reckoning the tax at<br /> one shilling in the pound, his £20 premium is<br /> reduced to £19, and the amount therefore he<br /> actually disburses in thirty years is £570 instead<br /> <br /> 217<br /> <br /> of £600. The return of £1,000 is close upon<br /> 4 per cent. compound interest, with the addition<br /> of the cover provided of the sum assured, with<br /> profits to date, should he die in the interim.<br /> <br /> Compound interest is a result not achieved<br /> without some element of compulsion. There are<br /> few men with sufficient strength of mind to<br /> compel themselves faithfully to set aside each year<br /> in a bank such asum as £20 or £50, and allow it to<br /> accumulate at compound interest. Besides, such<br /> savings provide no life insurance in the event of<br /> early death. The form of a policy provides what<br /> may be termed obligatory thrift, inasmuch al-<br /> though, after a few years, there is a surrender<br /> value to the policy should it be discontinued, by<br /> far the best bargain is to be made by following<br /> out the policy to maturity.<br /> <br /> An author with a sense of his responsibilities<br /> must see in endowment assurance a matter of<br /> some importance. It provides for his family in<br /> the event of his death or for his own future in his<br /> age. But he is ill-advised to embark upon any<br /> scheme without some study and inquiry. Gener-<br /> ally, it may be said that a good British office of<br /> established reputation offers the best investment,<br /> but the results in some companies are decidedly<br /> better than in others, and care in selection will be<br /> amply repaid.<br /> <br /> I have shown above the result of an endowment<br /> payable at sixty with a premium of £20. The<br /> following table shows more completely the results<br /> of an endowment payable at fifty with a yearly<br /> premium of £50.<br /> <br /> Cox’s TABLE SHOWING THE WORKING OF AN ENDOW-<br /> MENT ASSURANCE. AGE AT ENTRY, 30. AMOUNT<br /> oF Poxicy, £1,000.<br /> <br /> Plan of policy : Twenty-year endowment assurance, viz.,<br /> payable at age 50 or previous death.<br /> <br /> £ s. da.<br /> <br /> Annual premium for twenty years ... 50 8 4<br /> Less income tax at ls, in the £ 210 4<br /> . ninteainamneonnae poet<br /> <br /> Net cost ... £47 18 0<br /> <br /> WORKING OF POLICY.<br /> <br /> C. At death of insured before age 50.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> | | In return for net |<br /> <br /> At end of year. | The company | premiums paid | Return for cost.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> | will pay— ORE<br /> | _ —<br /> 3 | £1,045 £143 | £902<br /> 5 1,095 239 | 856<br /> io im ae<br /> 15 1,313 718 595<br /> 19 1,378 910 463<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 218<br /> <br /> B. Inevent of surrender of policy before age 50 the company<br /> will grant—<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> )<br /> In return for<br /> premiums paid<br /> <br /> Or cash sur-<br /> <br /> lA paid-wp policy render value<br /> <br /> At end of year. She.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> | of— of—<br /> 3 | 8195 ( Ane eka<br /> 5 tb ee 139 | 229<br /> 9 | «on oo we fe<br /> 15 1,063 [ce 510 718<br /> 19 1,323 | ons 677 | 910<br /> <br /> death. |<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ‘A. On survival to age 50.<br /> <br /> The company will pay (including bonuses) £1,438<br /> In return for total premiums paid of... 958<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Return over cost ee bo £480<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The subject of modern insurance is one of some<br /> complexity, but the cardinal facts are straight-<br /> forward. There are other forms of endowment<br /> assurance, but the simple with-profit policy is<br /> found to be the most profitable to the assured.<br /> It provides life insurance, and, what is very<br /> material, the largest possible sum in cash when his<br /> policy matures. For the rest, if there is any<br /> point which, to an author interested in the subject,<br /> is not sufficiently clear, the writer of this article<br /> is at his service.<br /> <br /> The above figures are those of a first-class<br /> representative British office.<br /> <br /> Se<br /> <br /> THE LAW OF COPYRIGHT.<br /> <br /> — t-—~— 9<br /> <br /> M* SCRUTTON has got tired of waiting, and<br /> no wonder. We welcome heartily the 4th<br /> Edition of his able work on Copyright.<br /> <br /> It has been needed for some time.<br /> <br /> Mr. Scrutton’s sound and careful deductions, the<br /> result of exhaustive and diligent labour, come as<br /> a “boon and a blessing” to those who have studied<br /> the intricacies and difficulties that surround all the<br /> questions of Copyright. °<br /> <br /> No writer has presented the subject so clearly<br /> and distinctly, has gone so thoroughly to the heart<br /> of the question, and swept away all those side<br /> issues that might tend to obscure any given point.<br /> The work is so ably written that it would be<br /> possible for a layman, after perusal of its pages,<br /> to deceive himself with the idea that he was an<br /> authority on the subject.<br /> <br /> The chapters dealing with Literary Copyright<br /> treat this division of statute and case law from<br /> every aspect, and bring forward the very latest<br /> decisions. The chapters dealing with Artistic Copy-<br /> right are perhaps not quite so full, ‘There are one<br /> or two points on which we should have been pleased<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> if Mr. Scrutton had turned his discriminating<br /> powers with more freedom. Take as an example<br /> the difficult question of Artistic Copyright and<br /> Book I]lustration. :<br /> <br /> With regard to Canadian Copyright (an exceed-<br /> ingly involved and difficult matter) the author has<br /> not brought together the very latest information.<br /> He makes no reference to the last Act of the<br /> Canadian Legislature, or the refusal of the Canadian<br /> Government to collect the royalties under the<br /> Foreign Reprints Act. Although the author has<br /> not dealt in any of the former editions with the<br /> subject of Copyright in foreign countries, it is a<br /> pity that he did not take it up now.<br /> <br /> As Copyright under the Berne Convention is<br /> almost universal it is of great importance to all<br /> those who hold literary property to have an epito-<br /> mised statement of the limits that surround their<br /> property in those countries included in the Con-<br /> vention. Mr. Copinger, in his able book, under-<br /> took this work, but since the last edition was pro-<br /> duced there has been considerable alteration in the<br /> laws of the different countries.<br /> <br /> With Mr. Macgillwray’s book and with Mr.<br /> Scrutton’s 4th edition, and we hope—at no distant<br /> date—a supplement containing the further informa-<br /> tion, Copyright has been lucky in its exponents.<br /> <br /> Whilst touching on these minor faults of omission,<br /> we must pay Mr. Scrutton every compliment and<br /> thank him for his labours, which are so amply<br /> justified by the result.<br /> <br /> ———————E<br /> <br /> HOMES FOR WANDERING MSS.<br /> <br /> +<br /> <br /> HE second volume of the “ Writers’ Year<br /> Book” is before us. The price is 1s. 6d.<br /> net. Itis published from Granville House,<br /> <br /> Arundel Street, Strand, W.C.<br /> <br /> The great point in a book of this kind must<br /> necessarily be its accuracy, and on looking care-<br /> fully through the lists compiled they seem to be<br /> satisfactory, though, no doubt, in the publication<br /> of all lists there are bound to be a few mistakes.<br /> The book is for the assistance of those authors<br /> who desire to find the proper channel for their<br /> talented productions. It puts before them the<br /> names and addresses of five hundred papers that<br /> receive MSS., photographs or drawings, and at<br /> the same time explains as far as possible the<br /> conditions on which these commodities are accepted.<br /> <br /> The book opens with three articles: “‘ How to<br /> Write for the Press,” “Journalism for English<br /> and American Women,” and “ Writing for the<br /> Magazines.”<br /> <br /> It is not our desire to criticise these articles, but<br /> it is our opinion that in a book of this kind they<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> USO PRRSOS IES<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> are out of place. It should confine itself entirely<br /> to one object, and make its sole aim to be as<br /> practical and as perfect as possible on the points<br /> it undertakes to elucidate. Articles on the ‘‘ How<br /> To” in literature are in evidence in many other<br /> works. It is not necessary to multiply them.<br /> <br /> Ifthe editor had been ambitious to deal with<br /> the legal and technical questions surrounding the<br /> marketing of MSS., drawings and photographs, a<br /> book at least three times the size of the present handy<br /> volume would hardly have exhausted his ambition.<br /> <br /> The book, however, cannot fail to be of use to<br /> those literary and journalistic tyros who are<br /> anxious either to widen their market or increase<br /> their income.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> a se<br /> <br /> THE IRRITABILITY OF AUTHORS.<br /> <br /> es<br /> HE irritability of authors is proverbial.<br /> What is proverbial may be, in a rough<br /> way, assumed to be not very far from the<br /> truth. Why the author should be a_ peculiarly<br /> touchy and snappish animal does not so clearly<br /> appear. The phenomenon can hardly be ex-<br /> plained in the latest fashionable way of<br /> accounting for everything by the single word<br /> ‘heredity.’ Perhaps, however, in the secrets of<br /> Nature’s workshop there is some trick of warp and<br /> woof that, of necessity, occasions the peculiar com-<br /> plexion which constitutes irritability of nature to<br /> be a part of the composition of an author’s brain,<br /> just as it has been said that all nervous people are<br /> monarchists, and all melancholy people democrats ;<br /> which, after all, may not he true. Or, a more<br /> likely explanation may be sought in the fact that<br /> the exercise of an author’s profession, one which<br /> induces a nervous sensibility of a peculiarly com-<br /> plicated kind, possibly tends to nervous tension<br /> that causes the fibre of an author’s brain to jar<br /> under circumstances incapable of producing, in<br /> more slackly-strung natures, any vibration at all.<br /> Be all that as it may, this is indisputable, that<br /> only too many people, who have had a good deal<br /> to do with authors, are more than ready to bear<br /> witness to their being a very captious and touchy<br /> species, anything but delightful to their personal<br /> friends, and often trying in the extreme to the<br /> patience of those whom they ought to treat with<br /> forbearance and regard.<br /> <br /> All this is sufficiently unfortunate. Yet, perhaps,<br /> after all, no one is so bitterly punished by the<br /> author’s proclivity to snappishness as the author<br /> himself. For the only happy aspect of this sad<br /> failing of literary people is, that the culprit is not<br /> ignorant of his own excessive irritability.<br /> <br /> Only, seeing that literary people are fully con-<br /> scious of this weakness, why are not penmen of all<br /> <br /> 219<br /> <br /> classes constantly on their guard against it ? Why<br /> do they not frequently ask themselves, in all serious-<br /> ness, ‘‘ What is the use of losing one’s temper ? ”<br /> It might have been supposed that a man, when<br /> meditating turning author, would recollect amongst<br /> other things, that one of the results of his enter-<br /> prise, whether successful or unsuccessful, must<br /> inevitably be a vast increase of whatever share of<br /> natural irritability Nature had put into him. But<br /> it is a well-known fact that men mostly become<br /> authors either without knowing it, or, at the best,<br /> without thinking at all definitely about what they<br /> are doing. And one of the consequences of this<br /> is, that when the hardships and difficulties of<br /> literary enterprises begin to appear, authors are<br /> enormously astonished, and not a little out of<br /> humour and out of heart. How people can<br /> suppose that any human enterprise can exist not<br /> beset with difficulties and disillusions is really<br /> inexplicable. Yet it is certain that no one thinks<br /> much beforehand of difficulties in authorship. The<br /> soldier and the sailor must run risks and encounter<br /> trials. The lives of solicitors, of medical men, of<br /> merchants, all imply many restrictions and much<br /> self-denial. Every calling in life has its draw-<br /> backs and its dangers. No one is ignorant of the<br /> fact. In making choice of a profession men reflect<br /> upon its hardships, and prepare themselves to face<br /> them. Seldom, however, in the case of literature.<br /> <br /> Qui nihil scripsit nullum putat esse laborem.<br /> <br /> Almost every man is persuaded that he could<br /> write a book well enough if he chose to take the<br /> trouble. After he has begun writing the difficulties<br /> appear, and then ensue the phenomena of the<br /> author’s peculiar irritability and proclivity to lose<br /> his temper.<br /> <br /> The first person with whom the author gets<br /> into a rage is himself. Little harm enough in<br /> that, it will be said—a just retribution! Only<br /> it is no jesting matter to the man conscious of<br /> possessing all the abilities and powers requisite for<br /> success—saviny the knack of keeping his temper.<br /> The story will not shape itself. The characters<br /> will not come out well defined. The scenario is a<br /> tangle. The pen will not obey the behests of<br /> imagination. So the author gets into a passion<br /> with them all. He smashes the pen, curses his<br /> dramatis persone, and pitches his manuscripts into<br /> the fire. And then, what is his work the for-<br /> warder for that ? No difficulties are surmounted by<br /> getting into a rage with them, but by taking time<br /> and pains patiently to effect what has to be done.<br /> <br /> The persons with whom the author next gets<br /> into a passion are invariably editors and publishers.<br /> After many holocausts, some manuscript is at last<br /> completed, often more by good luck than by good<br /> management. The editor or publisher, to whom<br /> <br /> <br /> 220<br /> <br /> it is offered, then refuses it. In nineteen cases<br /> out of twenty the author is absolutely ignorant<br /> why it is refused—whether because it has been<br /> sent to the wrong place, or because it is really<br /> worthless, or because the publisher has just<br /> accepted a similar work, or for which of fifty<br /> other reasons. That does not prevent his form-<br /> ing hypotheses. “There is a clique.’ © Ebe<br /> publisher’s readers never look at manuscripts,<br /> unless they are written by their own friends.”<br /> “Nothing but bosh is ever accepted now.” And<br /> so forth. The author himself scarcely believes all<br /> these things that he says. But—suppose they<br /> were true. Then they would be facts about<br /> literary work with which he must reckon ; just as<br /> the market gardener must reckon with the fact<br /> that a single frost may ruin his peach crop for the<br /> year. Getting into rages will not alter the case.<br /> Why not think of the difficulties with which men<br /> contend in other professions? Why not have<br /> patience, learn wisdom from failure, and try to offer<br /> saleable work in the markets where it is wanted ?<br /> Later on the author is in a rage with the critics.<br /> Why ? Because they tell him disagreeable truths ?<br /> If they do, he is a lucky man. And seeing how<br /> <br /> difficult a thing it is, under any circumstances, to<br /> accept adverse criticism wisely, of what use is it<br /> for the author to complicate matters by losing his<br /> <br /> temper ?<br /> <br /> But the critics tell him nothing. They are<br /> asses! Be it so. And is not a man himself an<br /> ass who loses his temper with asses ?<br /> <br /> Still there remains the public—who have no<br /> discrimination ; and “ that great beast the general<br /> reader ’—whose Philistine tastes are ruining<br /> literature; and “the young person” whose<br /> mamma is the occasion of mawkishness marching<br /> triumphant through the land ; and the “ idiots ”—<br /> who persist in preferring some other man’s books ;<br /> and the general “‘ cussedness ” of everything. With<br /> all these the author is unceasingly getting into<br /> passions of different kinds.<br /> <br /> And of what use to him are his rages? Do<br /> they alter anything ?<br /> <br /> He says that he cannot help getting into a rage.<br /> But he ought to learn to be able to help it. And<br /> this is certain, if he would learn, he would have<br /> an enormous advantage over the other authors<br /> <br /> who will not.<br /> —_—____—_e—&gt;_+___—_—__-<br /> <br /> SHAKESPEARE AND LONDON.<br /> <br /> ——— +<br /> <br /> HE regret for the loss of Sir Walter Besant,<br /> which was touchingly expressed by Lord<br /> Rosebery at the last meeting of the London<br /> <br /> Topographical Society, might well apply to a recent<br /> project for the celebration of Shakespearein London.<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> This movement has no fortuitous origin, it is<br /> the unfolding of a silent growth, and there has<br /> been no writer of equal influence and power so well<br /> fitted to be its exponent as Sir Walter Besant.<br /> His knowledge of history and of historical criti-<br /> cism would have enabled him to perceive that the<br /> recognition, in a special sense, of Shakespeare in<br /> London is the inevitable result of a process of<br /> development. A few words of explanation on this<br /> point will be, I think, the best means by which to<br /> recommend the matter to the attention of the<br /> Soviety of Authors and the readers of this<br /> journal.<br /> <br /> That Shakespeare spent his working life as poet<br /> and dramatist in London, and that his plays were<br /> published to the world in London theatres and<br /> printed at a London press are facts which have not<br /> penetrated the public cognisance. Why is this ?<br /> <br /> After the death of Shakespeare his vogue as a<br /> dramatist in London increased rather than dimi-<br /> nished under James and Charles; we can trace<br /> in the records of the Restoration period that the<br /> influence of Shakespeare was competing vigorously<br /> with new modes and a different dramatic con-<br /> vention; in the literary age of Queen Anne,<br /> Shakespeare was promoted from the theatre to his<br /> status as a literary classic, and his first biographer,<br /> Rowe, turned the attention of readers from the<br /> playhouse to the birthplace, Stratford-on-Avon.<br /> Ina later generation we find Dr. Johnson, who<br /> might almost be considered an embodiment and<br /> living-type of London, continuing the editorial<br /> labours of Pope and Theobald without a thought<br /> for the London associations of the plays in their<br /> origin and theatrical history. This example was<br /> improved upon by his great theatrical con-<br /> temporary, Garrick, who, inheriting the traditions<br /> of Davenant and Betterton, in a direct line from<br /> the time of Shakespeare himself, showed his<br /> unconsciousness of ‘history by becoming the most<br /> active promoter of that celebration at Stratford-<br /> on-Avon which served only too effectually to<br /> divert the minds of the dramatic world away from<br /> London, and ultimately, during the last century,<br /> to establish the Birth-place as the Mecca of the<br /> vast public of Shakespeare’s admirers. The<br /> recoil from this position has been slow and sure :<br /> its stages may be marked by a succession of<br /> literary investigators, from Malone at the beginning<br /> of the nineteenth century until the present time.<br /> The History of the Stage, which we owe to him; the<br /> investigations of Francis Douce ; the History of<br /> Shakespeare, and his Times by Drake ; the labours<br /> of John Payne Collier and the publications of the<br /> Shakespeare Society ; the works of Wright and of<br /> Halliwell ; the more popular expositions of Charles<br /> Knight and Walter Thornbury; the work and the<br /> influence of F. J. Furnival and the publications of<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> the New Shakspere Society ; the History of the<br /> Stage by F. G. Fleay; the recent biography by<br /> Sidney Lee; and, perhaps I may add, my own con-<br /> tributions to the snbject. These may serve to outline<br /> a progressive study of conditions and environment,<br /> by which Shakespeare has become visualised as a<br /> working playwright, in a London not too remote<br /> for realisation from historical evidence.<br /> <br /> With this brief introduction the prospectus of<br /> the London Shakespeare League may be read with<br /> a due perception of its significance. The first five<br /> paragraphs are as follows :—<br /> <br /> For long years past there has been an enthusiastic<br /> feeling among many Englishmen that the 23rd of April,<br /> the day of England’s Patron Saint, should be revived as<br /> an annual Festival in honour of the ever-living memory<br /> of England’s greatest son and noblest pride—William<br /> Shakespeare. “Certainly it was St. George for merry<br /> England,” wrote Dr. George Macdonald in 1864, “ when<br /> Shakespeare was born. But had St. George been the best<br /> saint in the calendar—which we have little enough ground<br /> for supposing he was—it would better suit our subject to<br /> say that the Highest was thinking of His England when He<br /> sent Shakespeare into it, to be a strength, a wonder, and a<br /> gladness to the nations of His earth.’’ The 23rd of April<br /> was the death-day, and, traditionally, also the birthday of<br /> the poet.<br /> <br /> At the birthplace an annual festival is held, and the<br /> “Shakespeare Week” is worthily celebrated ; but few can<br /> avail themselves of the celebration there, and many<br /> Londoners haye expressed the hope that an organised effort<br /> might be made, duly to observe in London by various<br /> festivals the greatest day in our calendar, so that the<br /> example of the capital might eventually be followed by the<br /> Empire generally, and “‘ Shakespeare Day’ become anational<br /> and Imperial celebration, helping to re-vivify the sentiments<br /> associated with the day in bygone times.<br /> <br /> The movement which has culminated in the formation of<br /> “The London Shakespeare League” took shape during<br /> “Shakespeare Week’ last year, and, as the outcome of<br /> careful consideration, the League places in the fore-front<br /> of its aims an annual celebration to be held in London ;<br /> but the celebration is to be merely one manifestation of the<br /> work it proposes to carry through for advancing the true<br /> knowledge and appreciation of the poet’s works. It is<br /> hoped in course of time to secure a permanent habitation<br /> for the League available for its many purposes.<br /> <br /> The accompanying programme is a first attempt at a<br /> London celebration, and indicates the manner in which the<br /> various learned and dramatic societies may rally round the<br /> League and observe the day.<br /> <br /> An even more effective celebration will, it is hoped, result<br /> if the managers of the London theatres, and ultimately<br /> theatrical managers throughout the Empire, may be pre-<br /> vailed upon to regard as their duty the performance of<br /> Shakespearian plays on or about the 23rd of April. Simi-<br /> larly, organisers of concerts may be induced to devote<br /> the day to Shakespearian music. The League commends its<br /> aims to the attention of Shakespeare societies and reading<br /> unions,*<br /> <br /> When this notice appears in 7e Author the<br /> celebration will have been held, and whether<br /> success or failure attends this first attempt, I<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> * The Annual Subseription to the League is, at present,<br /> 5/-. Application for Membership should be made to the<br /> Hon. Secretary, Dr. W. Martin, 2, Garden Court, Temple.<br /> <br /> 221<br /> <br /> venture to think the objects of the London Shake-<br /> speare League are worthy of the active support of<br /> all literary craftsmen. Next year I hope the<br /> Society of Authors and the Authors’ Club. will<br /> associate themselves with the London Shakespeare<br /> Commemoration. The leadership of Sir Walter<br /> Besant need not be absent if his patriotism, his<br /> devotion, his love for London, his reverential<br /> attachment to the memory of Shakespeare, his<br /> desire to assist any movement having for its object<br /> and effect the awakening of the public mind to the<br /> treasures of its intellectual heritage, if his example,<br /> in a word, yet lives in the memory of his<br /> associates and contemporaries to inspire a resolute<br /> belief in the power of an idea.<br /> <br /> T. FarrmMan OrDISH.<br /> <br /> &gt; +<br /> THE WORLD BEYOND!<br /> E<br /> <br /> HO over that gulf a bridge can throw,<br /> Which fearfully yawns between<br /> The world of Sense that we think we know<br /> And the other that is unseen ?<br /> Are there some nerve-cells in the brain,<br /> Seemingly fashioned all in vain,<br /> Where the sole path may lie ?<br /> A lesion slight in the matter grey!<br /> Those cells arranged in another way,<br /> And solved is the mystery !<br /> <br /> Il.<br /> <br /> Then—only then, will a flash of light<br /> Spring forth from the brain to span,<br /> Like a bridge of glory, that realm of night,<br /> Which shrouds ‘‘ the beyond ” from man !<br /> Yes, then the real world shall we see<br /> With eyes unsealed, and ‘iis dream shall flee,<br /> And we shall know at last<br /> That the things of Sense are but shadows all,<br /> Veiling the Spirit-land like a pall—<br /> But, we should stand aghast !<br /> <br /> III.<br /> Yea, happy for us that few will dare<br /> To span for us that profound,<br /> For nameless terrors may wait us there,<br /> Where horrors unguessed abound !<br /> Satyrs and Fauns of ancient Rome<br /> In that pale realm may have their home,<br /> And things never named by man !<br /> In opened eyes would a wonder strange<br /> Amoment dawn ! then to dread would change—<br /> We should see the Great God Pan !<br /> F. B. Doveton.<br /> Norre.—Suggested by Mr. Machen’s “The Great God<br /> Pan,”<br /> <br /> \<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 2:22,<br /> <br /> SOME NOTES ON METHODS OF REJEC-<br /> TION AND REVIEW.<br /> <br /> i<br /> <br /> WO years ago I sent an article to a well-<br /> known monthly magazine. It was returned,<br /> with an unusual variant of the customary<br /> <br /> enclosing letter. I was told that the MS. was in-<br /> teresting, but that the editor was already supplied<br /> with material enough to last for six months. At the<br /> end of six months I again submitted the MS. Again<br /> it was praised, but 1 was informed that for several<br /> months to come there would be no vacancy for<br /> anything. I then dealt with the MS. in other<br /> ways, and at the end of a year from the date of the<br /> second rejection I submitted another article to the<br /> same periodical. On this occasion a similar but<br /> intenser form of reply was adopted. ‘ With sin-<br /> cere regret the Editor returns the enclosed, not<br /> because he fails to appreciate its interest and value,<br /> but because, for a few months at any rate, he can<br /> accept nothing whatever.”<br /> <br /> Naturally, it is not my intention to wait until<br /> this river goes by. But the system of laudatory<br /> indefinite postponement is not frank. No writer<br /> ought to complain of rejection after submitting a<br /> MS. to an editor who considers it, for an editor, if<br /> not always a good literary judge, is presumably<br /> the best authority as to the requirements of his<br /> periodical. If, however, an editor has a staff upon<br /> whom he exclusively relies, he should state plainly<br /> that he does not want outside help. I have no<br /> reason to complain of the staff system, since for<br /> many years a gentleman who controls a certain<br /> paper of somewhat humble and restricted scope,<br /> has habitually printed and paid for everything I<br /> have sent him, thus, indeed, obliging me in honour<br /> to edit my own contributions, and prepare them<br /> with exceptional care. But in this case outside<br /> work is freely admitted when it is suitable, and I<br /> suppose that in a world of competition the open<br /> door is the best policy. An editor who shuts the<br /> gates of consideration on mankind may discover<br /> that his readers, as well as his contributors, are a<br /> small group, and even the potent advertiser may in<br /> time adopt the principle of laudatory indefinite<br /> postponement.<br /> <br /> It may be that it is considered ‘‘neat”’ to<br /> reject with praise under colour of surfeit, or it<br /> may be that in some cases there is an “inner<br /> circle.” But I prefer an editor who will have<br /> the courage to say—‘ Not of the slightest<br /> use,” or “ Don’t want it. Please don’t send any<br /> more.”<br /> <br /> Rejections by publishers stand on another foot-<br /> ing. It is curious, however, that nowadays if you<br /> mention poetry to them they shudder as at pesti-<br /> lence. One is prepared for reluctance. The<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> commercial objections, based on wide and calami-<br /> tous experience, are well known. But what is<br /> happening to-day is that the hint of verse causes a<br /> fit. To such a miserable depth, of the fatuous and<br /> factitious, has this art been dragged by innumerable<br /> professors, that the publishing fraternity have<br /> generalised, and assume that the human race is no<br /> longer capable either of producing or of hearing<br /> language in its higher powers. It is assumed that<br /> your product will be, at best, of the well-known<br /> machine-made variety, to which even the greatest<br /> names in the last century not infrequently de-<br /> scended, and of which people are tired. Conse-<br /> quently, though for aught the publishers know to<br /> the contrary you may speak with the tongues of<br /> men and of angels, their ears are already filled with<br /> wax. Originality is supposed to have exhausted<br /> itself in Whitmanism, a product (by the way) of<br /> morbidity and American convention, differentiated<br /> from other alleged poetry mainly by chaotic manner.<br /> In the general Dunciad are included the raw<br /> amateur, the maker of dead mosaic, and the pos-<br /> sible genius who may be trying to utter some new,<br /> important truth, and whose work, designed to<br /> transcend all conventional types in matter and<br /> form, may bear the same relation to current poetry<br /> as the Marconi system of telegraphy bears to the<br /> <br /> penny post. 7<br /> <br /> This is not a wail. The hypothetical genius, of<br /> course, confronted by such difficulties, would find<br /> a way of overcoming them. He might go to some<br /> place where there is a tub, and, mounting thereon,<br /> give forth his verse orally to the world at large,<br /> thus incidentally creating a public that no book-<br /> seller would ignore. It would save much trouble,<br /> however, and many fits, if the state of affairs I<br /> have indicated were clearly recognised.<br /> <br /> The perpetration, some years ago, of a small<br /> book of verse (amongst other printed writings) is<br /> admitted by the present writer, who hastens to<br /> disclaim for it any pretence of transcendent revela-<br /> tion. But with regard to criticism, one further<br /> complaint may be made. The general racket of<br /> criticism any man ought to be able to stand “ with-<br /> out turning a hair,” especially as the critics are so<br /> often mutually destructive. Nor do I much mind<br /> the half-educated critic, a common variety, of<br /> which a specimen (writing in a newspaper of<br /> patrician, professional and fashionable readers)<br /> took me to task on a point of grammar. I had<br /> used a word in its strict etymological sense, and in<br /> such a way as would have given no offence either<br /> toa highly-cultured reader or to an uncultured one<br /> of simple perception. My usage was denounced,<br /> <br /> in a superior way, as proof of rusticity. Happily<br /> the context was quoted, and I was content that<br /> many readers would perceive the true state of the<br /> case.<br /> <br /> In fact, I felt something of the quiet joy of<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR. 223<br /> <br /> an angler who has landed a big trout—a trout that<br /> complacently generalised, and gobbled everything<br /> muscoid within view.<br /> <br /> * Different were the reviewers (unfair critics, I call<br /> them) who, after “faint praise,’ observed that,<br /> despite my efforts and certain similarities, I did<br /> not at all come up to the level of ‘‘ Mr. Henley”<br /> and “ Mr. Watson.” Curiously enough, I had never<br /> up to that time read a line of either Mr. Henley or<br /> Mr. Watson, but I proceeded to look into their<br /> work, and soon found that what they burned I<br /> adored and what they adored I burned. I could no<br /> more think of imitating those gentlemen in matter<br /> or style than (I am sure) they would think of<br /> imitating me. Beyond a possible genial sense of<br /> human fellowship consistent with a determination<br /> to continue gaily on our respective paths, there<br /> could be nothing in common between us—certainly<br /> the suggested straining and rivalry was absurd.<br /> And there is no likeness in the styles. I and my<br /> distinguished contemporaries certainly do not write<br /> in the language of the critical Press, but that does<br /> not constitute a mutual resemblance. Now, my<br /> indictment of these reviewers is this, that with the<br /> fullest range of good and bad adjectives at their com-<br /> mand—they might have pelted me to their hearts’<br /> content either with flints or with flowers—they<br /> chose to mislead their readers, and my possible<br /> readers, by a foolish comparison. It was much the<br /> same as telling the author of an astronomical treatise<br /> that he was not Chaucer, and was fairly outclassed<br /> by Horace. When will critics learn their trade ?<br /> <br /> Ruo.<br /> <br /> CORRESPONDENCE.<br /> <br /> ——~+—<br /> <br /> THE ABSURDITY OF MODERN REVIEWING.<br /> <br /> Sir,—May I call attention to the inconsistency of<br /> the modern reviewer, who seems to do his level best<br /> to “boom” any book that strikes him as worthless.<br /> In a certain daily paper last week a criticism<br /> appeared of a certain book that has roused the ire<br /> of critics. It began by calling this book “ stupid,<br /> vulgar and offensive”; it ended with a recom-<br /> mendation that the volume should be thrown in<br /> the dustbin, “‘whence we can only hope that the<br /> female servants may not by any unlucky chance<br /> rescue it for unwholesome consumption at the<br /> kitchen supper table.” In the middle of this was<br /> <br /> a good half column about the book, which was<br /> freely quoted in large chunks for the whole world,<br /> “female servants” included, to read and digest !<br /> Could inconsistency and absurdity go further? If<br /> <br /> the book in question is only fit for the dustbin, is<br /> it fit to be quoted at length in a family newspaper<br /> with a large circulation ? :<br /> <br /> Other critics have spluttered in the same way, but<br /> nearly all have written columns about the book,<br /> showing their intense interest in it. Why can they<br /> not be candid and say, ‘“ This is the sort of stuff T<br /> like, and anyone who wants to be amused should<br /> read it”? instead of turning up their eyes to<br /> heaven over its iniquity, and, at the same time,<br /> advertising it for all they are worth. It is imbe-<br /> cility and it is humbug, this way of reviewing. If<br /> a book is “stupid, vulgar and offensive,” why hold<br /> it up as a lure for the public to run after; why<br /> spend hours of time and columns of print over it ?<br /> Let it die, or be honest enough to confess that it<br /> is vital and deserves to live.<br /> <br /> Mi Ee.<br /> <br /> ———&gt;—+ —_<br /> <br /> THE SOCIETY’S DINNER.<br /> A&gt; Protest.<br /> <br /> Sir,—My annual shock in the form of an official<br /> intimation of the price at which is fixed the yearly<br /> dinner of the Society of Authors has just been<br /> experienced by me. I note that the amount on<br /> this occasion is to be half a sovereign, exclusive<br /> of any more exhilarating vintage than cold water,<br /> while the scene of the function is once more to be<br /> a leading hotel.<br /> <br /> Now, Sir, this is altogether wrong ; it is entirely<br /> opposed to the manner in which such a function<br /> should be organised. Would Shakespeare (or<br /> Bacon, if you prefer it) or Dr. Johnson have<br /> contemplated with equanimity the prospect of<br /> incurring this outlay for the mere privilege of<br /> eating a meal in the company of their fellow-<br /> writers at a big restaurant ? Assuredly no. They<br /> would have had souls above the gilded splendours<br /> of the Hotel Cecil and the ten shilling menus.<br /> Who are we, pray, that we cannot be equally<br /> moderate in our requirements? What, too, is<br /> gained by disbursing this sum? Nothing, I am<br /> convinced, that is at all commensurate therewith.<br /> I speak, Sir, from experience, for I have attended<br /> several of these annual orgies (each, I grieve to<br /> say, at an increased cost). On each occasion the<br /> poor but honest author has been conspicuous by<br /> his absence ; in his place have been serried ranks<br /> of uninteresting nonentities, whose sole claim to<br /> being present is that they have been able to pay<br /> for their seats. A ten-shilling dinner is for our<br /> Pierpoint Morgans, and; the number of these<br /> enrolled in the ranks of the Society is, I take it,<br /> limited.<br /> <br /> Then again, it is not as though the dinner were<br /> a good one ; on the contrary, it is a remarkably<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 224<br /> <br /> bad one when the cost thereof is taken into con-<br /> sideration. On one memorable occasion, indeed,<br /> -the price was a guinea, while the meal served.<br /> would have been dear at eighteenpence. -It seems<br /> to me, Sir, that we are making a great“mistake in<br /> this matter. I am no advocate for the chaste<br /> simplicity of Lockhart’s or Lyons’, but I am<br /> certainly of opinion that the gorgeous saloons of<br /> a first-class hotel are not necessary for the proper<br /> application of a feast of reason—such as should<br /> mark the annual dinner of our Society.<br /> <br /> I object, too, to the practice of the Committee<br /> in inviting guests of their own selection. ‘* Who<br /> pays the piper calls the tune” is a sound com-<br /> mercial axiom. As the members of the Society<br /> meet the bill for the same they should have a<br /> voice in inviting those on whose account it is<br /> incurred. It is the more excellent way. For<br /> myself, I am so constituted that it affords me no<br /> particular joy to pay for the dinner of an individual<br /> IT do not know (or want to) from Adam. I fancy<br /> that Iam not alone in this view. For the Com-<br /> mittee to invite outside guests at all is, in my<br /> opinion, a mistake. It reduces the annual dinner<br /> of the Society of Authors to the level of that of a<br /> charitable organisation touting for money. Surely<br /> we have enough members among ourselves to<br /> secure a satisfactory attendance—in point of num-<br /> bers at any rate. Of course, if the Society were<br /> on a proper basis it would give its members an<br /> annual dinner as a bonus ; failing the realisation<br /> of this pleasant state of affairs it ought at least to<br /> organise a dinner which should not cost those<br /> attending more than five shillings at the outside.<br /> <br /> I am, yours faithfully,<br /> <br /> HoracE WYNDHAM.<br /> April, 1903.<br /> <br /> “WHETHER OR NOT.”<br /> <br /> Srr,—Surely it is disappointing that even such<br /> an authority as Prof. Skeat can only refer one to<br /> “usage,” though it be the usage of a Shakespeare.<br /> Why should not a Scotchman also plead usage when<br /> he says, “I will drown and no one shall save me” ?<br /> What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.<br /> And the people who of late years have affected<br /> to be a “trifle” sorry, a “trifle” thoughtful—a<br /> erowing band, I fear—are fast making “usage”<br /> of a noun as the modifier of an adjective. If<br /> acknowledged as usage, one has nothing to say<br /> save that there is correct usage and incorrect<br /> usage.<br /> <br /> Your other correspondent, A. Armstrong, also<br /> quoting Shakespeare, at least suggests “whether<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> or no”’ might be a curtailed idiom, “ whether ay<br /> or no.” But when I say, “ Whether I go or not,”<br /> what is suppressed is not an imaginary “ ay,” bat<br /> the repetition of the verb.<br /> <br /> I suppose it is “usage” which makes nine out of<br /> ten, if not ninety-nine out of a hundred, of modern<br /> authors write “whether or not.” Why have we<br /> arrived at that usage ? And I doubt the English<br /> school examiner could be found who would pass<br /> “whether or no.” in a boy’s exercise book without<br /> at least telling him he had better say “or not.”<br /> Why so ?<br /> <br /> hat my inquiry of 7&#039;he Author resulted in such<br /> answer (I had asked for good reason) only shows<br /> what weak legs our poor King’s English—beloved<br /> and beautiful withal—has to stand on! Our<br /> language, being so largely the spoil of other<br /> languages, is not securely founded in its own con-<br /> struction. All foreigners, at least every Frenchman<br /> and German learning English, know that. They<br /> have been well grounded in their grammar, and<br /> when they come to acquire our tongue, behold they<br /> find ‘usage ”—too often usage minus reason.<br /> <br /> Sorrowfully,<br /> Kine’s ENGLISH.<br /> <br /> TYPEWRITING.<br /> <br /> Sir,—If any of your readers want to know of a<br /> really good typewriter I shall be most happy to<br /> recommend one: she is a lady, very highly educated,<br /> with literary experience, and is thoroughly to be<br /> trusted with valuable MSS.<br /> <br /> Yours faithfully,<br /> OuIveE KATHARINE Parr.<br /> <br /> WANTED A REFERENCE.<br /> <br /> Srr,—In reply to Mr. J. M. Lely, the passage<br /> which he quotes—<br /> <br /> “ Qui cessat esse melior cessat esse bonus,”<br /> <br /> was stated in the Daily Telegraph of Thursday,<br /> May 29th, 1902 (p. 9, c. 1), to be the motto<br /> written by Oliver Cromwell in his pocket Bible,<br /> in the possession of the Earl of Chichester.<br /> <br /> I, too, have endeavoured to ascertain the source<br /> of this sentence, but, so far, unsuccessfully, and,<br /> therefore, incline to the belief that it was Cromwell’s<br /> own composition.<br /> <br /> Hupert Hass.	https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/483/1903-05-01-The-Author-13-8.pdf	publications, The Author