| 468 | https://historysoa.com/items/show/468 | The Author, Vol. 10 Issue 06 (November 1899) | <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.+10+Issue+06+%28November+1899%29"><em>The Author</em>, Vol. 10 Issue 06 (November 1899)</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> | 1899-11-01-The-Author-10-6 | | | | | 117–136 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=89&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=10">10</a> | | | | | | | | | | | <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=76&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1899-11-01">1899-11-01</a> | | | | | | | 6 | | | 18991101 | Che Hutbor,<br />
<br />
(The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors.<br />
<br />
Monthly.)<br />
<br />
CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT.<br />
<br />
Vou. X.—No. 6.]<br />
<br />
NOVEMBER 1, 189.<br />
<br />
[PRIcE SIXPENCE.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
For the Opinions expressed in papers that are<br />
signed or tnitialled the Authors alone are<br />
responsible. None of the papers or para-<br />
graphs must be taken as expressing the<br />
collective opinions of the Committee unless<br />
they are officially signed by G. Herbert<br />
Thring, Sec.<br />
<br />
Pes<br />
<br />
HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all<br />
remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and<br />
requests that all members not receiving an answer to<br />
<br />
important communications within two days will write to him<br />
without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union<br />
Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered<br />
letter only.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on<br />
all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub-<br />
jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are<br />
returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS.<br />
<br />
eo<br />
GENERAL MEMORANDA.<br />
<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. THAT OF 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 />
Il. 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 />
: G) 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 />
<br />
As — bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
VOL, X.<br />
<br />
Ill, 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 The Author.<br />
Readers can also work out the figures themselves from the<br />
“Cost of Production.”<br />
<br />
IV. 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 />
(1.) 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 />
<br />
nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or<br />
withheld.<br />
<br />
ees<br />
<br />
WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I. EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to<br />
the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some<br />
competent legal authority.<br />
<br />
2. Never negotiate for the production of a play with<br />
anyone except an established manager.<br />
3. There are three forms of dramatic contract :—<br />
<br />
(1) SALE OUTRIGHT OF THE PERFORMING RIGHT.<br />
This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters<br />
into 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 />
(2) SALE OF PERFORMING RIGHT OR OF A LICENCE<br />
TO PERFORM ON THE PROFIT-SHARING SYSTEM.<br />
This method can only be entered into when a<br />
fixed sum is agreed per week for cost of produc-<br />
tion. It is not a common method.<br />
<br />
mM 2<br />
118<br />
<br />
(3) SALE OF PERFORMING RIGHT OR OF A LICENCE<br />
TO PERFORM ON THE BASIS OF PERCENTAGES<br />
(4.e., royalties) on gross receipts. Royalties vary<br />
between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should<br />
obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross<br />
receipts. Should obtain a sum in advance of<br />
royalties. A fixed date on or before which the<br />
play should be performed.<br />
<br />
4. 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 />
5. Authors should not assign performing rights, but<br />
should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is<br />
of great importance.<br />
<br />
6. 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 />
7. Never send a copy of the play to America unless it is<br />
protected by a preliminary performance in the United<br />
Kingdom.<br />
<br />
8. Never forget that American rights may be exceedingly<br />
valuable. They should never be included in English<br />
agreements without the author obtaining a substantial<br />
consideration.<br />
<br />
g. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully<br />
drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced.<br />
Never admit a collaborator when once the actual work of<br />
writing the play has begun or after it is finished.<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.<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 information are<br />
referred to the Secretary of the Society.<br />
<br />
————<br />
<br />
HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY.<br />
<br />
1. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive<br />
advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub-<br />
lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his<br />
<br />
business or the administration of his property. If the<br />
<br />
advice sought is such as can be given best by a solici-<br />
tor, the member has a right to an opinion from the<br />
<br />
Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s<br />
<br />
opinion is desirable, the Committee will obtain for<br />
<br />
him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the<br />
member.<br />
<br />
2. Remember that questions connected with copyright<br />
and publisher’s agreements do not generally fall within the<br />
experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple<br />
to use the Society.<br />
<br />
3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past<br />
accounts with the loan of the books 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 the pro-<br />
posed document to the Society for examination.<br />
<br />
5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you<br />
are fighting the battles cf other writers, even if you are<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing<br />
the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen.<br />
dence of the writer.<br />
<br />
6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of<br />
members’ agreements and their preservation in a fireproof<br />
safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as con-<br />
fidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who<br />
will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers :—(1)<br />
To read and advise upon agreements and publishers. (2) To<br />
stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon<br />
them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments<br />
due according to agreements.<br />
<br />
_—_— or<br />
<br />
THE READING BRANCH.<br />
<br />
%%MBERS will greatly assist the Society in this<br />
branch of their work by informing young writers of<br />
its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated<br />
<br />
as a composition is treated by a coach. The Readers are<br />
writers of competence and experience. The fee is one<br />
guinea,<br />
<br />
ee<br />
<br />
NOTICES.<br />
<br />
HE Editor of The Author begs to remind members of the<br />
Society that, although the paper is sent to them free<br />
of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very<br />
<br />
heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great<br />
many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest<br />
6s. 6d. subscription for the year.<br />
<br />
Communications for The Author should be addressed to<br />
the Offices of the Society, 4, Portugal-street, Lincoln’s-inn<br />
Fields, W.C., and should reach the Editor not later than the<br />
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 gen interest to<br />
publish.<br />
<br />
The present soon Authors’ Club is at 3, White-<br />
hall-court, Chari ossay Ad, he Secretary for<br />
information, rules of admission<br />
<br />
ERARY PROPERTY.<br />
<br />
I.—Tur Present Siruation.<br />
<br />
HE present situation is full of promise—for<br />
those who desire the emancipation of the<br />
author. It was necessary that he should<br />
<br />
be able to meet the publisher, in business matters,<br />
on equal terms. Since he cannot do so, as a rule,<br />
we have encouraged him to use the literary agent.<br />
For the first time in literary history literary<br />
property of all kinds has begun to be negotiated<br />
on the same footing, subject to the same compe-<br />
tition, as every other kind of property. The<br />
exposure by the Society of the true meaning of<br />
<br />
Cost of Production, of Risk, of Trade Prices, —<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
of Royalties; the exposure of the many tricks<br />
by which authors have been ensnared to their<br />
undoing ; the union of so many men and women<br />
of letters for the defence of their own interests ;<br />
the newborn recognition of the fact that it is the<br />
absolute duty of every writer to join an associa-<br />
tion which has no other object than the defence<br />
of the common interests; the slow—very slow—<br />
recognition of the truth that commercial value is a<br />
thing quite apart from literary value, so that a<br />
man may be a very fine writer yet may never achieve<br />
popularity, and the converse; the corollary that<br />
there is nothing sordid or mean in looking after<br />
property of one kind more than any other kind ;<br />
that what is done blamelessly and laudably by<br />
artists, lawyers, physicians, architects, engineers,<br />
and every branch of intellectual endeavour, may<br />
be done as blamelessly and as laudably by writers<br />
—all these things working together have effected<br />
—say, perhaps, have commenced —a complete<br />
revolution in the prospects and position of litera-<br />
ture. It is not yet acknowledged. Some of the<br />
old forms are still kept up. But the revolution<br />
is upon us, and the question now before us is<br />
what we should do for the consolidation and the<br />
security of what has been already gained.<br />
<br />
Among many causes which have assisted in<br />
advancing this Revolution, I do not think that<br />
any one has been more potent than the production<br />
of the “equitable” Draft Agreements by the<br />
Publishers’ Association. It is very much to be<br />
desired that every literary man or woman should<br />
possess, and should study, this most important<br />
document, with its exposure by Mr. Thring. In<br />
its columns the Publishers stand self-confessed<br />
and self-condemned. They have never been<br />
accused by their enemies of anything quite so<br />
amazing as they here claim as their nght. For<br />
they simply claim the power of taking everything.<br />
They want to be publishers, and to be paid as<br />
such: to be also agents, and to be paid as such:<br />
to act on commission, and to be paid as<br />
printers: to agree for half profits, and to charge<br />
blank percentages on the printing, paper, and<br />
everything.<br />
<br />
In one word, no one is entitled to speak at all<br />
upon the relation of Publisher and Author unless<br />
he has first read this document, with the com-<br />
ments issued by our Committee.<br />
<br />
But their silence is even more damaging than<br />
their utterances. Thus :—<br />
<br />
1. Their committee have steadily ignored<br />
every grievance, every claim, and every protest of<br />
the Society of Authors.<br />
<br />
2. They have taken no steps to prevent the con-<br />
tinuation of secret profits.<br />
<br />
3. They have not denounced the system of secret<br />
profits, even at a time when Lord Russell’s Bill<br />
<br />
11g<br />
<br />
promises to make the practice as criminal in the<br />
eyes of the law as it has always been in the eyes<br />
of honest men.<br />
<br />
4. They have not denounced the practice of<br />
charging advertisements that have not been paid<br />
for. This practice, which actually gives the<br />
publisher the power of sweeping into his own<br />
pocket the whole proceeds of a book, has not even<br />
been mentioned by the Association, so that they<br />
tacitly reserve this power.<br />
<br />
5. They have observed a significant silence on<br />
the right of audit.<br />
<br />
6. Although the most shameless attacks have<br />
been made on the Society’s figures concerning its<br />
published “cost of production ”’—which are real<br />
figures taken from estimates and printers’ accounts<br />
—and the meaning of royalties, the Publishers’<br />
Association has preserved absolute silence on the<br />
subject.<br />
<br />
7. Although similar shameless statements have<br />
been made on the meaning of “risk” as exposed<br />
in the Society’s papers, the Publishers’ Associa-<br />
tion has maintained absolute silence on the<br />
subject.<br />
<br />
These silences are studied and deliberate. The<br />
only conclusion that can be drawn is obvious. It<br />
is like a conclusion in Euclid.<br />
<br />
Against these silences place their claims—<br />
<br />
1. Thus, they claim the exclusive right of<br />
publishing a work all over the world, with the<br />
rights of abridgement, translation, and dramatic<br />
version of the work. What they get at present<br />
from any important author is the English volume<br />
right alone; an agent manages the rest for a<br />
percentage.<br />
<br />
2. They make no proviso whatever against<br />
dishonesty.<br />
<br />
3. They demand a blank percentage on office<br />
expenses, allowing no office expenses for book-<br />
seller, and none for author.<br />
<br />
4. In the case of commission books, a blank<br />
fee is to be paid in advance; they are to send in<br />
their own estimate of cost—not the printer’s<br />
estimate—their own ; a blank percentage is to be<br />
charged on every item, besides a blank commis-<br />
sion; they are also to take a discount on every<br />
item; the books are to be accounted for, not at<br />
the price they actually realised, but at ‘“ customary<br />
trade prices ”—7.e., at any price that the publisher<br />
chooses to call “customary.” For other claims<br />
see the “ Forms of Agreement” published by the<br />
Society.<br />
<br />
5. At the Publishers’ Congress recently held,<br />
there was an opportunity for protesting against<br />
inflated estimates and secret profits; there was<br />
also an opportunity for acknowledging that if the<br />
claims of our Society were not recognised in other<br />
120<br />
<br />
forms of business, the whole of the commercial<br />
structure would fall to the ground.<br />
<br />
That opportunity was not taken.<br />
<br />
6. The publisher, therefore, stands before the<br />
world, and says: ‘I, the middleman, mean to take<br />
all that I choose. That is equitable. So that<br />
there may be no mistake, read this paper. Here<br />
ure my intentions revealed in agreements which<br />
eminent counsel have approved. You see, I claim<br />
blank percentages. I offer no guarantee against<br />
dishonesty. I claim to charge just whatever I<br />
like. Iclaim that according to equity ; it is my<br />
right to take whatever I choose.”’<br />
<br />
7. A circular was last year sent round among<br />
| publishers calling attention to the admirable<br />
| system which prevails in Germany, where the<br />
| bookseller is the mere slave of the publisher, and<br />
| the author is not allowed to be concerned with the<br />
| matter of property at all.<br />
<br />
8. At the Congress every speaker was allowed<br />
the tacit assumption that literary property<br />
belongs as of right to the publisher. If the<br />
author was spoken of, it was as to the ‘‘ remunera-<br />
tion”? offered to him; he was thus openly con-<br />
sidered and spoken of as the clerk or employé of<br />
the publisher.<br />
<br />
These were brave words. Could they be<br />
followed by action there would be swift and<br />
sudden ruin to the literary profession. The old<br />
dependence was mitigated by competition of the<br />
trade. Without competition there would be mere<br />
slavery.<br />
<br />
But they have not been followed by action.<br />
<br />
It is really a most remarkable situation. The<br />
committee which issues these forms contains repre-<br />
sentatives of the three largest publishing houses<br />
in the country. At least one would expect them<br />
to set an example to the rest of the fraternity and<br />
to stand by their guns.<br />
<br />
Not a single publisher, great or small, ventures<br />
to submit these terms to an author of the least<br />
zmportance.<br />
<br />
Here is a proof, which cannot be denied, that<br />
the whole situation lies in the hands of the<br />
authors themselves.<br />
<br />
Ihave seen agreements embodying these claims ;<br />
but they were tried on the less important writers.<br />
There is not a single writer, I repeat, of any<br />
importance, unless he is in the employment and<br />
pay of a publisher, who does not retain, when he<br />
enters upon a profit-sharing or a royalty agree-<br />
ment, his American rights, his continental rights,<br />
his dramatic rights, and his translation rights.<br />
<br />
What, then, becomes of the “equitable” forms<br />
of agreement ?<br />
<br />
They stand simply to show what our friends<br />
will do if we allow them. If we do not allow them<br />
they can do nothing.<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
Another point. We all remember when the<br />
publisher was not going to deal with the literary<br />
agent: the literary agent was called by one<br />
indignant innocent a “canker”: all sorts of<br />
things were threatened. The literary agent is<br />
now eagerly run after by publishers and entreated<br />
to give them something good.<br />
<br />
In other words, free competition has set in:<br />
the value of Literary Property is understood on<br />
both sides. Nothing could be better for our side.<br />
<br />
Meantime, the Society acts as a watch-dog and<br />
as a policeman. It constantly examines and<br />
revises agreements: it advises authors on all<br />
points: it makes the low-class editors—the word<br />
“low-class” is used advisedly, because the com-<br />
plaints are very few indeed concerning reputable<br />
journals and magazines—pay for the work they<br />
have taken: and it finds out traps, and dangers,<br />
and tricks, and exposes them continually and<br />
repeatedly.<br />
<br />
Another most useful service is rendered by the<br />
Society. The Secretary is asked by hundreds of<br />
members every year concerning publishers. There<br />
are certain houses to which he never directs an<br />
inquirer, for excellent reasons, which have unfor-<br />
tunately to remain secret because the other side<br />
does not wish publicity.<br />
<br />
Let the reader ask himself what the effect of<br />
<br />
this steady omission, year after year, of any given<br />
<br />
house is likely to be. In the Society we know<br />
what it is, and we know, besides, that every year<br />
brings us wider power and greater knowledge.<br />
<br />
It is said that we are now threatened with a Ring.<br />
We need not be greatly afraid that a Ring would<br />
succeed, but it might, and it must be guarded<br />
against. It could only succeed (1) by a combina-<br />
tion of all publishers—this has been attempted ;<br />
(2) by the complete reduction of booksellers to<br />
slavery—this also has been attempted; (3) by<br />
the acquisition of complete control of literary pro-<br />
perty—we have seen that this also has been<br />
attempted ; (4) by the continued ignoring of<br />
authors’ protests—which is maintained by the<br />
Association and by their congress; (5) by the<br />
abolition of the literary agent—this is ardently<br />
desired.<br />
~ All the conditions necessary for the formation<br />
of a Ring have therefore been attempted and are<br />
still being attempted. Against these attempts<br />
we have the Society of Authors — that and<br />
nothing else—to protect us. W. B.<br />
<br />
II.— Pus isHine oN COMMISSION, AND THE<br />
Commission PUBLISHER.<br />
We have repeated over and over again the ©<br />
advice never under any circumstances to pay for —<br />
the production of what the ordinary publisher<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
a<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR. 121<br />
<br />
refuses to take. It is a most sound rule. It is<br />
one which needs to be enforced in the strongest<br />
terms, at the present moment, when many pub-<br />
lishers are tempting authors to bear the whole or<br />
a part share in the cost of production. They are<br />
general publishers, and the reasons why this<br />
method is to be shunned are as follows:<br />
<br />
1. If the book had in it the promise of com-<br />
mercial success the publisher would jump at it,<br />
and the only question would be as to his proposed<br />
terms.<br />
<br />
2. Although he proposes to take a commission<br />
on the sales he means secretly to make a profit on<br />
every item connected with the book. (See the<br />
Publishers’ Draft Agreements in which this is<br />
claimed asa right.)<br />
<br />
Now consider the position of the commission<br />
publisher. He neither claims nor exercises any<br />
right to make any secret profit at all or any profit<br />
on the production. He says plainly, “T will sell<br />
your book for you if I can: and I will take<br />
10 per cent. on the sales, and you shall have all<br />
the rest.”<br />
<br />
This, you observe, is a very great difference.<br />
<br />
In the first case the author pays the publisher<br />
not only the cost of production, but anything else<br />
he may choose to set down. He also pays what<br />
he is charge’l for advertisements costing nothing.<br />
<br />
He also has to pay percentages for office<br />
expenses before he gets the commission itself.<br />
<br />
Thus, if the true cost of production is £150,<br />
and the sales amount, say, to £350—by the first<br />
method the author’s returns would probably<br />
appear as about £70. By the second method<br />
they would appear as £165.<br />
<br />
The worthy geitlemen who make the liberal<br />
offers exposed below are those who desire to<br />
publish on commission. They are not commission<br />
publishers.<br />
<br />
The commission publisher is, as will be seen in<br />
a few years, the publisher of the future for those<br />
writers whose works command success. The com-<br />
mission publisher produces no books as his own<br />
yenture, but only on commission.<br />
<br />
TII.—Tuer Orp Trick.<br />
<br />
Once more there has been brought to the Society<br />
the old, old agreement by which the unfortunate<br />
author is first made to pay the whole cost of<br />
production “to cover his whole liability,” and is<br />
then dunned for more money, and finally finds<br />
that there has been no sales.<br />
<br />
In this case the agreement was briefly as<br />
follows :<br />
<br />
1, Author to pay £69—viz., £39 in signing<br />
the agreement, and £30 on delivery of the final<br />
proofs. The edition to be 750 copies.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2. The author to be charged for corrections<br />
“in excess of the usual correction of printers’<br />
errors.” The “usual correction” means nothing.<br />
<br />
3. Half-yearly accounts. Two-thirds of the<br />
money received by the publisher to be paid to<br />
the author. The book to be issued at 6s.<br />
<br />
4. If new editions should be called for the<br />
publisher would produce them at his own ex-<br />
pense, and give the author a royalty of 2s. a copy,<br />
or 332 per cent. Think of that!!<br />
<br />
5. The publisher was to advertise the work to<br />
the amount of £15, but should the expenses of<br />
advertising exceed that sum, such additional<br />
advertising were to be a first charge on the sales.<br />
<br />
Now let us consider what the unfortunate<br />
author could make by the transaction, in the<br />
extreme case of the whole edition being sold,<br />
allowing eighty copies for Press and presentation.<br />
<br />
But there are the corrections. In this case a<br />
little bill for £6 or so was sent in. Also the<br />
publishers demanded £7 for “additional adver-<br />
<br />
tising.” By the agreement they can take that<br />
off the sales. So that we now stand thus:<br />
£ & 4d,<br />
Author pays ......ee 69 Sales .........05 117 45.0<br />
Corrections ......-..+++++ 6 <Author’s share 78 3 4<br />
Additional advertising 7 Author’s loss... 3°10 5<br />
£82<br />
<br />
How does the publisher stand by the trans-<br />
action ?<br />
<br />
Tf we take certain figures given in “ The Pen<br />
and the Book,” it will be easy to prove that, even<br />
without the sale of a single copy, the publisher<br />
is certain to make a fair profit.<br />
<br />
How is it that silly people can be caught by<br />
such simple and transparent dodges ?<br />
<br />
1. To begin with, they are wholly ignorant of<br />
the meaning of publishing.<br />
<br />
2. If you place in their hands the figures they<br />
are too stupid to understand them.<br />
<br />
3. They are caught by two phrases contained<br />
in all their agreements. ‘The amount paid to<br />
constitute the whole of their liability.” And<br />
“Future editions to be brought out at the<br />
expense of the publisher giving the author a<br />
royalty of 2s. a copy.”<br />
<br />
4. They do not understand that under the<br />
heading of corrections the publisher can send ina<br />
bill for anything that he pleases.<br />
<br />
5. They do not see through the transparent<br />
trick which in the same clause limits the adver-<br />
tising to £15, yet gives the publisher the night<br />
of further charges to any extent he pleases “‘ out<br />
of sales.”<br />
<br />
6. Lastly, there comes in the vanity of the<br />
author, which seems to vary in the inverse pro-<br />
portion to his own ability, so that the more feeble<br />
122<br />
<br />
is his performance the more swollen are his<br />
expectations. :<br />
<br />
And so they are caught. The Society publishes<br />
these exposures time after time, over and over<br />
again. Yet the angler baits his hook—* reader’s<br />
opinion most favourable”: “offer most excep-<br />
tional’’: ‘no further liability’: “ two-thirds of<br />
the sales returned”: for new editions, as if the<br />
“new editions with following editions” was<br />
certain, a royalty far above that offered by other<br />
houses. The fish bites: is played with: and<br />
is landed. When it is too late comes the<br />
appeal to the Society, neglected when it would<br />
have been useful, for help when no help is<br />
possible.<br />
<br />
So these fishers of men get on: they even issue<br />
alist. Itis another kind of bait: the list con-<br />
tains hundreds of names. Is there one—a single<br />
name — of an author distinguished or even<br />
known ?<br />
<br />
Can anything be done? Can we ever protect<br />
ignorance and vanity ? Will the readers of these<br />
columns do their best to make known the folly of<br />
producing books which responsible publishers<br />
refuse, with the certainty of a large initial invest-<br />
ment and the equal certainty that under the most<br />
favourable circumstances it is bound to result in<br />
a loss ?<br />
<br />
rec<br />
<br />
PARIS NOTES.<br />
<br />
5, rue Chomel, Paris.<br />
HE wisdom of the twopence-halfpenny<br />
augmentation on the price of the 3fr. 50¢.<br />
volume has been widely discussed, both in<br />
book-buying and _ bookselling circles. The<br />
aforesaid work, invariably marked 3fr. 5oc., and<br />
as invariably sold for 2fr. 75c., is henceforward<br />
only obtainable at 3 francs net. The cause of<br />
this augmentation is the falling-off of book-buyers<br />
and the consequent loss to the bookseller, who is<br />
no longer content to accept from the publisher a<br />
new work which will only yield him a profit of<br />
two sous per volume. The French publishers, as<br />
a body, have held aloof from the movement,<br />
declaring it to be a matter out of their province,<br />
and one which must necessarily be settled by the<br />
parties principally concerned, viz., the booksellers<br />
and the public. The Maison Flammarion, one of<br />
the largest publishing and bookselling establish-<br />
ments here (and formerly one of the warmest<br />
advocates of a reduction in the existing prices)<br />
at first opposed the additional twopence half-<br />
penny per copy; but, after due reflection, with-<br />
drew its opposition, and registered its vote in<br />
support of the augmentation proposed by the<br />
Booksellers’ Syndicate.<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
Frencu BooxsELLeRS 'N DIFFICULTIES.<br />
<br />
M. Fasquelle, head of the well-known publish-<br />
ing firm of Charpentier, likewise avers that he<br />
regrets the increase on the price of the so-called<br />
3fr. 50c. volume—though he has not been person-<br />
ally consulted on the matter, having only been<br />
informed of the booksellers’ decision through the<br />
agency of the newspapers. This is the more<br />
surprising since the Maison Charpentier heads, by<br />
a long way, the annual list of sales of the 3fr. 500.<br />
volume, having produced three of the great<br />
pecuniary successes of the year, viz., the “ Paris”<br />
of Zola, the “Cyrano de Bergerac” of Edmond<br />
Rostand, and the ‘Soutien de Famille” of<br />
Alphonse Daudet. Personally M. Fasquelle<br />
would have preferred another method of meeting<br />
the deficit in the bookseller’s account than that<br />
resorted to by the syndicate. Having recently<br />
become concessionnaire of the railway libraries of<br />
the stations “du réseau de l’Ouest,” where the<br />
3fr. 50c. volume has always previously been sold<br />
at published price, he has announced his intention<br />
of adopting the new price fixed by the Book-<br />
sellers’ Syndicate all along the line, and of hence-<br />
forth selling the volume in question in the Seine<br />
and Seine-et-Oise departments at the reduced<br />
rate of 3 francs per copy. He humorously adds<br />
that this time the public is not likely to complain<br />
of the difference.<br />
<br />
BuaMine THE Bicycle.<br />
<br />
The remainder of the publishers have accepted<br />
the booksellers’ innovation with an tnsoucrance<br />
the publie is far from copying. The reason of<br />
the apathy displayed in publishing circles is<br />
obvious. The outlook in the bookselling trade,<br />
especially in the provinces, is undoubtedly<br />
gloomy. Publishers and booksellers are agreed<br />
that the bicycle is at the bottom of the<br />
mischief, since the development of a taste for<br />
outdoor physical exercise is not conducive to the<br />
development of the nervous, imaginative faculties<br />
fostered by fiction. But to discover the root of<br />
the evil is not to remedy it; and the fact that<br />
the booksellers could not continue to sell at the<br />
existing prices unless the publishers allowed<br />
them a larger commission was evident even to<br />
outsiders. The publishers themselves were ready<br />
to adopt any expedient which would preserve<br />
them from further outlay at the present moment.<br />
Nor can they be blamed on this account zf the<br />
figures furnished by them, and currently accepted<br />
by the public, are correct. The French literary<br />
market is absolutely glutted. The principal<br />
firms are reported to publish, on an average,<br />
fifteen volumes per day, of which a goodly pro-<br />
portion are destined to find a permanent resting-<br />
place in one of the huge warehouses in which the<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR. hag<br />
<br />
various publishing firms store up the unsold<br />
editions of the majority of their clients, in the<br />
rarely-realised hope that a future success by the<br />
same author will obtain a tardy market for his<br />
earlier productions. The Maison Flammarion<br />
alone has at present more than a million such<br />
yolumes stored up in its enormous warehouse at<br />
Montrouge. In the seventh century B.c., Omar,<br />
destroyer of the Alexandrine library, was held in<br />
execration by all civilised nations ; but we doubt<br />
if the publishers of the nineteenth century would<br />
regard him in the same light.<br />
<br />
THe Acrors’ ASSOCIATION.<br />
<br />
The committee of the Association générale<br />
des Artistes Dramatiques et Lyriques de Frauce<br />
has now definitely established its bureau at 17,<br />
rue de la Grange-Batelitre (Faubourg Mont-<br />
martre), under the presidency of M. Silvain, of<br />
the Comédie-Francaise, aided by two vice-presi-<br />
dents, viz., M. Armand Silvestre (inspecteur des<br />
beaux-arts) and M. Adolphe Milliaud (directeur<br />
de la Renaissance). M. Edouard Guillaumet,<br />
founder of the Association, has undertaken the<br />
office of General Administrator. The bureau of<br />
the Association is daily open from 9 a.m. to<br />
5 p-m., and its official organ is the Bulletin des<br />
Artistes, which appears every Sunday morning,<br />
and keeps all members informed of the proceed-<br />
ings of the Association, in addition to supplying<br />
them with much interesting and valuable matter<br />
relative to their profession. The utility of this<br />
institution may be recognised from the fact that<br />
its list of members is daily increasing, and that a<br />
large number of engagements have already been<br />
ratified through its agency. In short, the thanks<br />
and congratulations of the whole artistic fraternity<br />
are due to M. Guillaumet for his praiseworthy<br />
and disinterested initiative on behalf of the<br />
French artiste.<br />
<br />
A Story or DuMaAs PERE.<br />
<br />
Speaking of theatrical matters reminds me of<br />
a charming anecdot2 recently narrated by M.<br />
Jules Claretie anent the revival of the superb<br />
“Dame de Montsoreau”’ of Alexandre Dumas<br />
pere and Auguste Maquet at the Porte-Saint-<br />
Martin Theatre. This “bon Dumas,” this intel-<br />
lectual giant who is credited with having taught<br />
French history to three-quarters of the French<br />
nation, and who boasted of having ‘toute<br />
Pantiquité & faire—ou plutot a refaire, car,<br />
jusqu’ 4 présent, on ne l’a guére que défaite ”—<br />
<br />
was, nevertheless, extremely tenacious of his.<br />
<br />
glory, and insisted on having a contract drawn<br />
<br />
up in which it was expressly stipulated that in all<br />
<br />
the mutual productions of Alexandre Dumas and<br />
<br />
Auguste Maquet, the illustrious name of<br />
VOL. x.<br />
<br />
Alexandre Dumas should alone be given the<br />
public. On the evening of the first representa-<br />
tion of “ Les Trois Mousquetaires ’ Dumas pére<br />
proudly walked the planks of the Ambigu<br />
Theatre in high glee at the tremendous success<br />
his work was achieving, while Auguste’ Maquet<br />
stood aloof in one of the side scenes, pensively<br />
enawing the ends of his moustache. Presently<br />
Dumas approached his anonymous collaborator<br />
and inquired if the latter’s mother chanced to be<br />
present that night. Maquet sadly replied that<br />
she was in one of the second row of boxes.<br />
<br />
“Eh bien!” responded Dumas, “ tout 4 Pheure,<br />
ne perdez pas de vue cette seconde loge. Regardez-<br />
la, je vous prie!”<br />
<br />
On the conclusion of the play the spectators<br />
tumultuously demanded the name of the author.<br />
Mélingue, previously instructed by Dumas in a<br />
rapid aside, forthwith announced that the drama<br />
just represented was the work of M. Alexandre<br />
Dumas and—(a prolonged pause)—M. Auguste<br />
Maquet !<br />
<br />
A double cry grested the latter name, out-<br />
stripping the rapturous applause of the crowd—<br />
the joyous cry of Mme. Maquet and the grateful<br />
ery of her son Auguste The latter threw him-<br />
self into the arms of his generous colleague, who,<br />
clapping him fraternally on the back, gaily<br />
responded :—<br />
<br />
“Eh bien! Etes-vous content? Ce sera comme<br />
ca pour les autres pi¢ces! Allons travailler!”<br />
<br />
The great man probably remembered the far-<br />
off days when he himself worked so assiduously<br />
and untiringly as a poor copying clerk in order<br />
to send a portion of his meagre pittance to his<br />
widowed mother.<br />
<br />
Tur New ACADEMICIANS.<br />
<br />
Passing rapidly along the Grands Boulevards<br />
yesterday, I encountered the keen cursory glance<br />
of “les beaux yeux bridés qui pétillent de malice<br />
et desprit” of M. Henri Lavedan, who recently<br />
quitted his charming retreat at Veules-les-Roses<br />
to assist at the hundred and tenth representation<br />
of “Le Vieux Marcheur” at Paris. According<br />
to the Figaro, this play has been given no less<br />
than 225 times in the brief space of six months.<br />
Of course, this estimate includes the representa-<br />
tions given by the touring company beyond the<br />
French frontier. M. Lavedan has employed his<br />
summer holiday in writing the necessary oration<br />
to celebrate his official reception to the French<br />
Academy. The manuscript is now in the hands<br />
of the Seerétaire Perpctuel of the Immortals, and<br />
is reported to contain a graphic sketch of French<br />
society under the Second Empire.<br />
<br />
M. Paul Deschanel has followed the example<br />
of his illustrious comrade. Headroitly contrived<br />
<br />
N<br />
124<br />
<br />
to throw the reporters off his track, and then<br />
slipped quietly away to a secluded retreat on the<br />
borders of a Swiss lake in order to compose his<br />
Academical oration undisturbed. Although his<br />
official reception does not take place until<br />
February, 1900, his arducus political duties leave<br />
him small leisure for literary undertakings.<br />
Hence the necessity of composing his Academical<br />
speech so long beforehand.<br />
<br />
A Untversat LANGUAGE.<br />
<br />
M. Léon Bollack is a remarkable man. He<br />
has endeavoured to re-establish the unanimity of<br />
language which prevailed on the earth previous<br />
to the erection of the Tower of Babel in 2233 B.c.<br />
by inventing a “Langue bleue,” which professes<br />
to teach all languages in one—and that one,<br />
needless to add, is the “ Langue bleue” invented<br />
by M. Léon Bollack. Yet, even though the new<br />
grammar and language composed by M. Bollack<br />
never become as universally adopted as their<br />
author confidently predicts, his method is<br />
sufficiently plausible and ingenious to awaken<br />
some interest in the quarter most nearly affected,<br />
viz., in the vast army of teachers and professors<br />
whom the success of his theory would inevitably<br />
deprive of the posts they at present occupy.<br />
<br />
A New Bioeraruy or GrorGEe SAND.<br />
<br />
But to my mind, the most vividly interesting<br />
publication of the month that has come under<br />
my notice is the two-volume Liography of<br />
“George Sand, sa vie et ses ceuvres,” (1804-<br />
1876), by Madame Vladimir Karénine, a Russian<br />
lady. In no country, not even in her native<br />
land, have the works of the gifted French<br />
authoress been more highly appreciated than<br />
in Russian literary circles. “ Belicve me,”<br />
wrote Tourgueneff to Souvorine, ‘George Sand<br />
is one of your saints!” Fedor Dostoiewski<br />
speaks of her still more enthusiastically. “She<br />
was,’ he says, “one of the most sublime an‘<br />
beautiful representatives of womanhood, a woman<br />
almost unique by the vigour of her mind and<br />
talent—a name henceforward become historical,<br />
destined never to fall into oblivion or disappear<br />
from the history of European humanity.” A<br />
little later he adds: ‘Sans s’en douter elle-<br />
méme, elle fut un des adeptes les plus complets<br />
du Christ” ; which judgment is difficult to recon-<br />
cile with the verdict of Henri Heine, who, in<br />
speaking of George Sand’s literary productions,<br />
opined that, even though they illuminated many<br />
dungeons where no other consolation could pene-<br />
trate, their pernicious flames would, at the same<br />
time, destroy the peaceful shrines of innocence.”<br />
Madame Karénine has compiled the most com-<br />
plete biography of this extraordinary and gifted<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
woman that has yet been produced. It is the<br />
outcome of ten years’ patient study and diligent<br />
research.<br />
<br />
We would also mention: “ L’Histoire de la<br />
Langue ct de la littérature frangajses” (1830-<br />
1900), by M. Henri Chantavoine (chez Armand<br />
Colin) ; “Lettres Répondues,”’ by M. Ludaux<br />
(chez Lemerre); “Le Petre Milon,’ by Guy de<br />
Maupassant (uvres inédites series, chez Ollen-<br />
dorf) ; “ Prométhée, by M. Iwan Gilkin (Poétes<br />
francaise de I’étranger, chez Fischbacher) ;<br />
*“Drames baroques et mélancoliques,” by M.<br />
Frédéric Boutet (chez Chamuel) ; “ Les Soirdées<br />
de la Duchesse,” by Comte Camille de Renesse ;<br />
“Tes Mémoires de Mme. de la Ferronnays”; and<br />
“Le peintre Gabriel,” by M. de Poiseux.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
oa<br />
<br />
NOTES AND NEWS.<br />
<br />
HE following extract from the Canadian<br />
Bookseller, I have cut out of a New York<br />
paper :<br />
<br />
Does the recent combination of the Harper and Double-<br />
day-McClure houses foreshadow a new trust—a vast and<br />
universal consolidation of all the publishing interests of the<br />
country in one great publishing trust? The idea is cer-<br />
tainly a fascinating one, and it is so heartily in accord with<br />
the spirit of the age that any objection to it must be<br />
branded at once as old-fogeyism, as a mere repetition of<br />
arguments already answered a bundred times. If the pub-<br />
lishers should feebly pleai their right to live, the flat<br />
answer is that they have no more right to live than oil<br />
men, or sugar refiners, or steel makers, or other conductors<br />
of obsolete industries. If their employes protest against<br />
starvation, they may be reminded that they are a painful<br />
but necessary sacrifice to the march of improvement. As<br />
for the poor author, why should he object to taking his<br />
place with the other producers, and allowing his compensa-<br />
tion to be adjusted by the exigencies of the dividends ‘on<br />
the common and preferred stock of the combination? Why<br />
should the rights of the literary producer be any more<br />
sacred than those of any other industry * What reason hag<br />
the author for oxistance except to produce his literary<br />
wares ?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
ee<br />
<br />
In another column the Present Situation is dis-<br />
cussed. There seems to be little fear of a single<br />
Publishing Trust. Thereis, however, no doubt<br />
that the American publishers will come over here<br />
—some of them are over here alreagly—and that<br />
they will introduce new methods which will finish<br />
off the old-fashioned publisher. At first, the<br />
serious competition of the Americans will be<br />
beneficial to the literary profession, becausenothing<br />
is of more importance to the maker or creator of<br />
things which have a commercial value than the<br />
open competition of the market. It is difficult,<br />
moreover, to understand how open competition,<br />
which will certainly place the best work in the<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
hands of the richest houses, can become a single<br />
{rust, But the reader is referred to the note on<br />
the Present Situation.<br />
<br />
——<— +<br />
<br />
Is a writer justified in sending copies of his<br />
MSS. to more than one editor at the same time?<br />
<br />
The question is raised by a correspondent (see<br />
p- 133). The answer is surely quitesimple. The<br />
editor runs his paper on business lines : he<br />
endeavours to make his journal financially<br />
successful: the contributors have only to follow<br />
his example, and, on their side, conduct the com-<br />
mercial side of their work also on business<br />
principles. There can, therefore, be no reason<br />
why the contributor should not offer his work to<br />
two or more editors at the same time. It may be<br />
objected that. editors would refuse to consider<br />
work so offered. They might: they would be, of<br />
course, within their right if they did. As, how-<br />
ever, a good magazine must have good work, they<br />
would certainly have to give in when good and<br />
desirable work was offered. Those writers only<br />
would be injured whose work was doubtful.<br />
<br />
As to the other question, whether articles for<br />
monthlies are accepted by sending proofs without<br />
other notice, it needs no answer, because, if there<br />
were any doubt in the editor’s mind, he would<br />
not send the paper to the press without a note<br />
beforehand to the author.<br />
<br />
——$> ><br />
<br />
Mr. Andrew Lang, in Longman’s, speaks about<br />
the hardship and injustice caused to authors by<br />
the running out of copyright. Itis a great hard-<br />
ship and a great injusuce. But it will prove<br />
most difficult to persuade people cf its injustice.<br />
I believe that in the new Copyright Bill some<br />
extension of the term is all that can be asked<br />
for. People have got firmly fixed in their heads<br />
the notion that if the term copyright is indefi-<br />
nitely extended certain books, now, as they are<br />
pleased to call it, the property of the nation—<br />
really the property of competing publishers—will<br />
be suppressed. “Suppose,” they say, «<The<br />
Pilgrim’s Progress’ were to fall into the hands of<br />
a Catholic 2”? The true answer would be, that the<br />
fact of this work being always in demand and that<br />
it was a property like a coal mine, would effec-<br />
tually prevent that property being ruined or<br />
destroyed. Another objection to the extension<br />
of copyright is the fact that publishers are<br />
always trying to get copyright in their own hands.<br />
The agreements submitted to authors always<br />
demand copyright or the exclusive right of publi-<br />
cation during the time of copyright; or if they<br />
buy a book outright of course copyright goes<br />
with it. Therefore an extension of copyright<br />
_ would only mean the continuance during such<br />
<br />
125<br />
<br />
extension of the agreement made with the author.<br />
And this, as the “ Draft Agreemen's ” (Equitable)<br />
show, would leave the author, as a rule, very little<br />
cause for congratulation as to the benefits of the<br />
extension. Now, people very rightly think that<br />
they would rather have the competing publisher<br />
than the publisher who is sole owner.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It is not only property that has to be pro-<br />
tected, it is the author. Until recently literary<br />
property was wholly misunderstood. ‘The execu-<br />
tors of this kind of property throw it away.<br />
“The present law does not injuremany novelists,”<br />
Mr. Lang says. It injured Scott, Dickens,<br />
and Thackeray: it is about to injure the<br />
heirs of Charles Reade and George Eliot and<br />
Charles |Kingsley. It will certainly injure the<br />
heirs of Louis Stevenson. But there are writers<br />
like Keats and Coleridge who, Mr. Lang thinks,<br />
would have left their successors a competence.<br />
Perhaps; but how many editions of Keats and<br />
Coleridge have there been during the last forty or<br />
fifty years? How many thousand copies of<br />
either have been taken by the public? Ten<br />
thousand? There is not much of a competence<br />
to be got out of the author's share in 10,000 copies<br />
of a little volume of verse.<br />
<br />
I think that Literary Property being what it is<br />
—viz., uncertain as regards the future, though it<br />
is absurd to use the word “risk,” except for<br />
dishonest purposes, about the works of many<br />
hundreds of living writers—it is quite impossible<br />
to predict of any book by a living writer that it<br />
will be a living force in twenty years’ time. This<br />
uncertainty is the real “risk” as applied to<br />
writers of name. Such an uncertainty attaches<br />
to no other kind of property. The future possi-<br />
bilities of books are, in fact, so very uncertain<br />
that they are practically neglected. In dealings<br />
between author and publisher the future, after<br />
the first year or two, is not considered at all.<br />
Most writers would get as good terms for a five<br />
years’ agreement as for the whole of copyright. 1<br />
think, therefore, that this kind of property should<br />
be treated as requiring special legislation. The<br />
term of copyright should be certainly extended—<br />
perhaps there should be no term at all —the<br />
State does not take away a man’s coal mine after<br />
forty years. And purchase of copyright should<br />
be limited to periods of five or six years. Most<br />
books suffer painless extinction after the first year ;<br />
a few last for three or four years ; very few, indeed,<br />
are in demand more than five years. For those<br />
books which have the good fortune of extended<br />
life, it is surely fair to the creator of the property<br />
that there should be a fresh deal.<br />
126 THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
The death of Grant Allen removes a familiar<br />
figure from our midst. For twenty-five years<br />
this writer has been following the profession<br />
of literature, with what success we all know.<br />
As a popular exponent of science he wrote<br />
many books which gave him a name if not a<br />
fortune. And when he turned to fiction grudg-<br />
ingly and with some professed contempt for the<br />
work, he succeeded more rapidly and more<br />
surely than as a writer on science. I think that<br />
the world likes to have its science presented by<br />
the discoverers and the workers in the laboratory.<br />
Tt must be owned that Grant Allen was outside<br />
the laboratory: he loved science, and he followed<br />
the results of research, but I think that he<br />
pursued no research of his own. At the same<br />
time, his knowledge was considerable, and his love<br />
for Nature in every branch of observation was<br />
true and deep<br />
<br />
His early struggles, which were severe,<br />
embittered him against the profession of letters.<br />
He advised a young man rather to sweep a cross-<br />
ing than to live by literature. He resented the<br />
small returns of his scientific books. In fact, he<br />
made the common mistake of confusing com-<br />
mercial with literary worth, and, because he knew<br />
that he had written well, he was angry because<br />
people did not buy his books. Yet these early<br />
books made the calling of letters possible for him<br />
and introduced him to the men whom, above all,<br />
he most desired to know.<br />
<br />
His history, in consequence of this advice of<br />
his, has been often instance to show the pre-<br />
carious nature of the literary profession. On<br />
the contrary, it shows most clearly that he who<br />
can write what people want to read will get on in<br />
the sense of getting an income; while he who<br />
writes what the people do not want to buy will<br />
also, if his work is good, get on in reputation and<br />
distinction. Grant Allen’s later years were spent<br />
in such comfort as his commercial success<br />
bestowed upon him, and in such consideration as<br />
his learning and his reputation bestowed upon<br />
him.<br />
<br />
How many lawyers, medical men, clergymen,<br />
schoolmasters, architects, pass through years of<br />
ill-paid drudgery ? How many never win recogni-<br />
tion at all? How many at the age of fifty-three<br />
can look back, as Grant Allen could, to fifteen<br />
years at least of success and substantial comfort ?<br />
<br />
As a man of letters among others, he was<br />
large minded : he was entirely free from envy or<br />
jealousy: he was always ready to acknowledge<br />
good work in others: he neither gibed nor scoffed<br />
at other writers. So far he was what the Ameri-<br />
cans call whole-souled.<br />
<br />
There was, however, a strange tendency in him<br />
to take “the other side” in everything. It was<br />
<br />
not a kicking against convention: it was an<br />
inborn spirit of revolt against everything estab-<br />
lished. In religion, in politics, in social matter :,<br />
he was a kind of rebel.<br />
<br />
But a rebel with whom it was pleasing at all<br />
times to talk: a man swift to understand, to<br />
receive, to return with interest; a man full of<br />
ideas and brimming over with cleverness ; a man,<br />
in some points, as simple as a child.<br />
<br />
Water Besant,<br />
<br />
Saeas<br />
<br />
SLEIGHT OF HAND.<br />
M* SENNETT, the agent, looked up<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
sharply from the letter which he had<br />
<br />
been reading, gazed towards the door of<br />
his private office, and said “Come in.” Mr.<br />
Palinode, his right-hand man, entered, carrying<br />
a manuscript. “ Wasn’t sure whether anybody<br />
knocked or not,” said Mr. Sennett. “You have<br />
the suaviter in modo in perfection, Palinode, even<br />
in the matter of tapping on a door. Well, what<br />
have you come up about ?”<br />
<br />
“This,” replied Mr. Palinode, as he seated<br />
himself opposite his principal. He put the manu-<br />
script on the writing-table, and pointed to it with<br />
his forefinger.<br />
<br />
“Well, you’ve had a look at it?” Mr. Sennett<br />
inquired.<br />
<br />
“Yes,” said Mr. Palinode, ‘and though I’ve<br />
got a sort of nausea of manuscript from con-<br />
stantly seeing it and handling it, and can’t<br />
usually relish any sort of fiction, I must say this<br />
strikes me as being positively great. It’s more<br />
than talent, you know-— there’s a touch of genius<br />
in it.”<br />
<br />
“So I thought,” said Mr. Sennett, meditatively,<br />
“though I only read scraps of it; and that was<br />
why I asked you to run through it. It ?s fine<br />
stuff. I should like to get it published.”<br />
<br />
Mr. Palinode shrugged his shoulders and leaned<br />
back in his chair. :<br />
<br />
“JT don’t know who would take it,” he observed.<br />
“Tt’s splendid stuff, but it’s too short and<br />
it’s gloomy. And, then, the author’s utterly<br />
unknown. They’d kick at it; it’s too much of a<br />
risk. I don’t believe you'd get anybody to take<br />
it.”<br />
<br />
“I must make somebody take it,” said Mr.<br />
Sennett.<br />
<br />
Mr. Palinode smiled.<br />
<br />
Half an hour later Mr. Guddle, the senior<br />
partner in the publishing firm of Guddle and<br />
Honey, was ushered into Mr. Sennett’s private<br />
room. He greeted the agent in a very friendly<br />
manner, and talked affably for some time about<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
eS es<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE<br />
<br />
the weather and the news, and about minor<br />
matters of business which were pending between<br />
his firm and Mr. Sennett. Mr. Sennett waited<br />
patiently, and, when Mr. Guddle considered that<br />
he had successfully avoided any appearance of<br />
eagerness, he came to the reason of his visit.<br />
<br />
“Now, there’s Brumber’s book,” he began with<br />
a smile,<br />
<br />
“Yes,” Mr. Sennett replied, in a serious tone<br />
‘what do you think of it ?”<br />
<br />
“We like it,” said Mr. Guddle.<br />
here to talk about it.”<br />
<br />
“T thought, perhaps, that was so,’<br />
Mr. Sennett, and he smiled quietly.<br />
<br />
“Well, about terms, you know, Sennett,”<br />
resumed the publisher.<br />
<br />
Mr. Sennett frowned as if he were confronted<br />
with a puzzle. “It’s rather early to talk about<br />
terms,” he said, slowly. “I haven’t got a free<br />
hand. Brumber’s a queer chap. My instructions<br />
are to refer all offers. And there’s competition<br />
about this book; more than half-a-dozen firms<br />
have been putting pressure on me to let them see<br />
it.”<br />
<br />
Mr. Guddle’s face fell.<br />
<br />
“fs Brumber in England now ?” he asked.<br />
<br />
“No; he’s away yachting; coast of France<br />
somewhere. He'll be back in a fortnight.”<br />
<br />
“You know, he’s likely to follow your recom-<br />
mendation, Sennett,” said the publisher. He<br />
looked inquiringly at Mr. Sennett.<br />
<br />
“ Well,” said the agent, vaguely—‘ Oh, by the<br />
way, Guddle, I’ve something with a touch of most<br />
unusual talent in it. Palinode’s read it, and<br />
I’ve had a look at it, and we both enthuse.”<br />
<br />
“Fiction ? ”<br />
<br />
“T came up<br />
<br />
’<br />
<br />
remarked<br />
<br />
« Yos.”’<br />
<br />
““ Who’s the author ?”’<br />
<br />
“Oh, a new writer. Calls herself Jacob<br />
Linden. There’s the copy.” He pointed to the<br />
<br />
manuscript, which Mr. Palinode had left upon the<br />
writing table.<br />
<br />
The publisher took up the manuscript and<br />
fingered it carelessly. “It’s very short,” he<br />
observed, in a tone of disapproval. Then he read<br />
the last three pages with an air of frowning<br />
abstraction. ‘The ending’s fearfully gloomy,”<br />
he said, when he had finished the perusal. “No,<br />
I don’t think we want it. When can you let us<br />
hear about Brumber’s book?”<br />
<br />
“Oh, I'll let you know as soon as T can,” Mr.<br />
Sennett replied coldly.<br />
<br />
The publisher looked uncomfortable.<br />
do the best you can for us, Sennett, won't your<br />
he asked. “ Weshouldn’t like Brumber to go to<br />
someone else.”<br />
<br />
“T haven’t a free hand,” Mr. Sennett repeated.<br />
“Tm sorry you don’t like that story you've just<br />
<br />
“ Youll<br />
<br />
”<br />
<br />
AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
127<br />
<br />
looked at. I’m keen about getting it published;<br />
I think it’s well upto theright standard. But<br />
the difficulty there is about getting any of you<br />
men to oblige us! You want us to oblige you, you<br />
know.” :<br />
<br />
Mr, Guddle glanced up sharply at Mr. Sennett ;<br />
but the agent’s face was impassive. Mr. Guddle’s<br />
demeanour betrayed annoyance and hesitation.<br />
<br />
“Oh, the story’s very short,” he said after a<br />
pause, “and it seems dismal. Still it may be<br />
all right. Of course we'll have it read if you<br />
send it in to us.”<br />
<br />
“Thanks very much,” said Mr. Sennett, and he<br />
smiled amiably. ‘‘ Somehow one does like to be<br />
humoured.”<br />
<br />
Some more small matters of business were<br />
mentioned, and then Mr. Guddle took his leave.<br />
<br />
A fortnight later he called upon Mr. Sennett<br />
again.<br />
<br />
“Well; is Brumber back nowr ” he asked, as<br />
he seated himself in the chair which Mr. Sennett<br />
offered him.<br />
<br />
“Yes, he’s back,’ Mr. Sennett replied, indiffe-<br />
rently. ‘“ He’s comivg up to town to-night, and<br />
he’ll call here to-morrow.”<br />
<br />
“ Ah,” cried Mr. Guddle in gleeful expectation.<br />
<br />
“ There’s a lot of competition for that book,”<br />
said Mr. Sennett, severely. ‘“ Five more people<br />
have been up here about it.”<br />
<br />
Mr. Guddle looked serious.<br />
<br />
“ Ah, and about that yarn of J: acob Linden’s,”’<br />
Mr. Sennett resumed, carelessly. ‘‘ Have you had<br />
a report about that yet? I hope you're going to<br />
fall in love with it.”’<br />
<br />
Mr. Guddle fidgeted in his chair. “Oh, but<br />
we're not,” he observed. ‘ We've had a report.<br />
There’s some good stuff in it from the purely<br />
literary point of view, no doubt. But I don’t<br />
believe it would have a sale. It’s morbid; it’s<br />
horribly gloomy.”<br />
<br />
“ Gloomy as King Lear?” Mr. Sennett asked,<br />
siniling.<br />
<br />
“Oh, that’s different,’ Mr. Guddle answered.<br />
“You've got to consider the fiction public of<br />
the present day. It’s altogether different. I<br />
don’t say that a whole lot of gloomy novels<br />
haven’t done well; but still one has a feeling<br />
against them. And then there’s the length. Its<br />
too short. Readers want bulk for their money.”<br />
<br />
“You disappoint me,” said Mr. Sennett.<br />
“You really do. I thought you were going to<br />
oblige me about the book. However, I’ve no<br />
night to ask it. Yes, Brumber will be here<br />
to-morrow, and of course I shall report your<br />
offer with the others.”<br />
<br />
There was a pause in the conversation.<br />
<br />
“Oh, hang it all,” Mr. Guddle cried at length,<br />
“if your mind is really set on getting this woman<br />
128<br />
<br />
who writes as Jacob Linden a hearing, I suppose<br />
we may as well do it. It isn’t such bad stuff<br />
altogether. It may do—though it’s a risk. But<br />
we want to be obliging. I’1l write a letter to you<br />
and make an offer for the story. And now—<br />
you won't forget us, eh? What time will<br />
Brumber be here ?”’<br />
<br />
“ Half-past eleven.”<br />
<br />
“Tl call round—oh, wait. Can you have<br />
lunch with me to-morrow? No? You're<br />
lunching Brumber? I see. Well, I'll call round<br />
at three. Ta-ta!”’<br />
<br />
Mr. Sennett shook<br />
cordially.<br />
<br />
So Messrs. Guddle and Honey secured Mr.<br />
Brumber’s book on terms satisfactory to Mr.<br />
Brumber, and Jacob Linden secured the publi-<br />
cation of her novel on terms satisfactory to<br />
herself. The event falsified Mr. Guddle’s pre-<br />
diction ; for the story attracted much attention,<br />
and the sales were very encouraging. “Jacob<br />
Linden” thanked Mr. Sennett enthusiastically.<br />
Then she wrote another novel. And she thought<br />
that it would be an act of courtesy to call on<br />
Messrs. Guddle and Honey when she had com-<br />
pleted it.<br />
<br />
She was a nervous woman, whose health was<br />
delicate ; she knew nothing of commerce, and the<br />
<br />
the publisher’s hand<br />
<br />
prospect of a visit to a man of business frightened<br />
<br />
her. But she went.<br />
<br />
Mr. Guddle was affability incarnate.<br />
even solicitous.<br />
<br />
“Of course we shall be pleased to see your next<br />
book,” he said, with a beaming smile. “ We<br />
should be very disappointed if you took it to<br />
anybody else. We hope both to gain and keep<br />
your confidence, Mrs. Linden. There’s a great<br />
deal of talk about hostility between author and<br />
publisher, but we believe that the old pleasant<br />
relations are still possible, and I assure you<br />
we don’t always spare ourselves in the effort to<br />
maintain them.”<br />
<br />
“IT suppose I had better send the manuscript<br />
through Mr. Sennett?” the author inquired,<br />
confidingly.<br />
<br />
Mr. Guddle spread out his hands, and made as<br />
if he were about to whistle softly.<br />
<br />
“Oh! if you’re in any way tied to Mr. Sennett,”’<br />
he began.<br />
<br />
“No, not at all,” said the author. “But I<br />
thought—I wouldn’t do anything at all which<br />
would appear like slighting Mr. Sennett. Of<br />
course, I am very grateful to him,”<br />
<br />
The publisher laughed as if in frank merri-<br />
ment,<br />
<br />
“ Sennett won’t mind,” he cried. “ He’s over-<br />
<br />
worked as it is. He’ll be only too glad to be<br />
saved the trouble,”<br />
<br />
He was<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
“Oh, I wouldn’t give him needless trouble for<br />
the world,” said the author, and her face flushed.<br />
<br />
“Well now, really, do you know,” Mr. Guddle<br />
resumed, ‘I think you had better deal with us<br />
direct. Mr. Sennett wouldn’t have sent your<br />
story to us if he thought that you couldn’t trust<br />
us.”<br />
<br />
“ OF course not.”<br />
<br />
“And the ro per cent. commission that he gets<br />
is nothing to him. Unless it’s a very big deal,<br />
he won’t thank anyone for troubling him. Well,<br />
of course it has to be deducted from your profits,<br />
if it’s to be paid at all.”<br />
<br />
The author nodded her head, but hastened to<br />
remark, “I shouldn’t mind that in the least.’<br />
<br />
“T know, I know,” said Mr. Guddle. “But<br />
it’s merely a question of not bothering Sennett,<br />
and doing the business in a simpler and more<br />
direct way. I must say I think it’s pleasanter all<br />
round,”<br />
<br />
When Mr. Sennett and Mr. Palinode heard that<br />
“ Jacob Linden ” was dealing direct with Messrs.<br />
Guddle and Honey they sighed and shrugged<br />
their shoulders.<br />
<br />
“The way of the world,’ observed Mr. Pali-<br />
node. ‘She wants to save her 10 per cent. like<br />
everybody else.”<br />
<br />
Mr. Sennett said nothing.<br />
<br />
Jacob Linden’s second novel was very favour-<br />
ably reviewed. Some people told her that it was<br />
having a brisk sale. But it proved rather less<br />
lucrative than ber first book, when she received<br />
her accounts from Messrs. Guddle and Honey.<br />
<br />
Four years later a friend who was in Mr.<br />
Guddle’s confidence asked the publisher what he<br />
thought of Jacob Linden’s work.<br />
<br />
“My boy, she lays the most charming little<br />
golden eggs at regular intervals,” said Mr.<br />
Guddle. ‘“ We gei all her stuff, and we have all<br />
the American rights, and if we serialise one of<br />
the yarns we get all the money. She costs us<br />
about two hundred a year, and she’s quite<br />
happy. Doesn’t know the A B C of business.<br />
We explain it all to her at intervals.” Mr. Guddle<br />
winked. ‘ We tell her what terrible expenses we<br />
have about her stuff, and that she’s found ‘fit<br />
audience though few.’ We took her away from<br />
Sennett, you know. We had to. Just ask your-<br />
self, my boy, if she’d stayed with Sennett, what<br />
prices she’d be getting now? Why, she'd be<br />
taking three-quarters of the profits, if not more.<br />
That’s not publishing as I see it. I like the old<br />
pleasant, direct, personal relations between author<br />
and publisher.” Mr. Guddle winked again.<br />
<br />
MoLEcULE.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
“LITERATURE” AND THE AUTUMN LIST.<br />
<br />
E are indebted to Literature for a complete<br />
list of the autumn books as furnished<br />
by the publishers. The paper, to which<br />
<br />
we refer the reader, has rendered signal service<br />
by the publication of this list, which ought to<br />
be in the hands of every literary man or woman.<br />
Tt is a document which enables the reader to<br />
ascertain by a little analysis and study the<br />
character of every publishing house of any<br />
standing: the kind of book which it publishes :<br />
the standing which it possesses: and the class of<br />
writers most attracted by each house. It does<br />
more. To one who understands anything about<br />
the present situation it indicates as clearly as if it<br />
were written down whether a publisher is going<br />
up or is coming down. It is not numbers alone<br />
which are useful in this respect: numbers go for<br />
something, but names go for more. If, for<br />
instance, we find that a publisher has ouly early<br />
works of well-known writers who with later works<br />
have gone elsewhere, the inference is obvious.<br />
There must be reasons for this desertion. If this<br />
oceurs with several names of mark, the inference<br />
to be drawn is like the conclusion of a proposition<br />
in Euclid—the man is to be avoided. Now, both<br />
in quantity and in quality some of ths older houses<br />
show this year, if not an actual then a relative<br />
falling off as compared with previous lists: on<br />
the other hand, certain of the younger houses<br />
which promised great things some years ago are<br />
evidently already in a state of decay, while others<br />
are flourishing mightily with lists both long and<br />
important and valuable.<br />
<br />
As regards these younger houses, there are two or<br />
three questions to be asked: (1.) Are they energetic<br />
and quick in seeing opportunities and in pushing<br />
books? (2.) If so, how do they stand as regards their<br />
agreements? (3.) Do they retain their good men ?<br />
<br />
There are seventy publishers on this list.<br />
<br />
The divisions adopted by Literature are as<br />
follows :—<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
No. of Works. No. of Works,<br />
Archmology......... as Medical <........... 6<br />
RE ce 34 Miscellaneous ......... 5!<br />
Biography .........-.: 103 Masia. 2.52 fcc: 4<br />
Juvenile Books ...... 181 Natural History ...... 12<br />
Claasical ............... 34 Naval and military... 24<br />
Drama......... ocak 17 Oriental ..... 00.0666 12<br />
Economics and Philosophy ............ 17<br />
<br />
Soociology......... -- 20 Poetry 65.620 kas 35<br />
Educational............ 49 Political ............... 15<br />
Engineering ......... 11 Reprints ............++- 87<br />
Figtion..........0.:6606 353 Science ......... ei 22<br />
Folk-lore..............+ 12 Sport: oss eccc vie eteee 22<br />
Geography ...........: q Theology ...........-++ 181<br />
History ......ececceoes 78 Topography......... 1 20<br />
BAM og ehcess 15 MraVel occ eiscc ee 42<br />
Literary ...........5-+ qt —<br />
Mathematics ....... 2 Wotel nc. 1551<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
129<br />
<br />
An analysis has also been made ot the number<br />
of books published by each house, but it would be<br />
misleading to quote this, because many of the<br />
lists are swollen by quite unimportant things,<br />
such as children’s books and the ventures of<br />
young poets. Other lists consist almost entirely<br />
of books which have been refused by responsible<br />
houses, and are published at the author's expense<br />
to gratify the author's vanity, and presently to<br />
change that vanity into disappointment.<br />
<br />
Setting aside these books, it is curious to<br />
observe how certain of the younger houses already<br />
spoken of surpass many of the older ones both<br />
in importance and in numbers: it is, indeed,<br />
astonishing to see the miserable promis? made by<br />
some of these older firms. One observes with<br />
great satisfaction that the Cambridge Univer-<br />
sity Press and the Clarendon are attracting<br />
scholars more and more. This is as it should<br />
be, These two houses ought to produce b.tween<br />
them all the best books in scholarship and<br />
learning.<br />
<br />
The departments of Education and Science<br />
seem imperfect, probably because they do not<br />
observe times and seasons.<br />
<br />
If we turn to Fiction we find 353 entries.<br />
From these may be deducted forty-eight as either<br />
translations or books known to be those spoken<br />
of above, the rejected by responsible publishers<br />
and printed—one cannot say published—on terms<br />
often exposed in these columns (see p. 121). There<br />
remain 305. Going carefully through the list<br />
and noting every name that is at all known, one<br />
finds a little over 100 novels which are safe to<br />
cover expenses—books, namely, which carry no<br />
risk, though in many cises there may be a very<br />
small profit. They may be looked upon as certain<br />
to reach 600 or 700 copies. As regards the<br />
remaining 200, a great many, but no one can tell<br />
how many, are paid for by the authors : the vast<br />
majority will not reach 500 copies : many of them<br />
will not sell 100: some of them are produced at<br />
the publisher’s risk on the recommendation of a<br />
reader and in the hope of a “ boom.” The amount<br />
risked is the difference between the first sul-<br />
scription and the actual cost of production. Asit<br />
is no use sending good money after bad, very<br />
little is wasted in advertising these productions :<br />
and as only those copies are bound which are<br />
taken by the libraries, the cost of production is<br />
really very small.<br />
<br />
There is another point suggested by this list.<br />
<br />
How are all these books to be presented to the<br />
public ¢<br />
<br />
There are only three ways.<br />
<br />
(1) By the circulating libraries.<br />
(2) By the reviews.<br />
(3) By the booksellers.<br />
130<br />
<br />
There are over 1500 books on the list. The<br />
larger number do not belong to the circulating<br />
library at all. They will be all out before the end<br />
of November. How are the reviews to notice<br />
1500 books by the end of the year, after which<br />
most of them will be dead and past recovery?<br />
Of course they cannot. They must make a<br />
selection—a double selection.<br />
<br />
First, selection of subjects. The general<br />
columns of review do not notice archeology,<br />
children’s books, classical, educatioval, scientific,<br />
geographical, topographical, legal, medical, or<br />
musical books: nor reprints nor theology nor<br />
philosophy nor Oriental subjects. That reduces<br />
the possible choice to about 850. The second<br />
choice has, therefore, to be made out of 850.<br />
<br />
There are two courses open to the reviewer.<br />
The one is to take the more important Looks, to<br />
recognise their importance, and to give them the<br />
space which they deserve. The other is to lump<br />
up all together, and to crama dozen “ reviews”’ (!)<br />
into one page. The former method, now out of<br />
fashion, preserves the dignity of literature and<br />
the reputation of the journal: the other destroys<br />
the dignity of literature, lowers standards, and<br />
deprives the journal of any weight. It further<br />
aceustoms readers to neglect altogether the<br />
review column and to be guided in the choice of<br />
books entirely by the opinion of their friends.<br />
<br />
There remain the booksellers. Of these it<br />
can only be said that not even the richest could<br />
afford to subscribe to a quarter of the books they<br />
may note as “possible,” while, as regards the<br />
“ doubtful” books, no one would be so foolish as<br />
to subscribe to any.<br />
<br />
Now, a book is not published unless it is offered<br />
to the reader. It is only printed. Therefore it<br />
is a melancholy conclusion that a very large<br />
number of the long autumn list will not be<br />
published at all.<br />
<br />
There is only one way out of it. The book-<br />
sellers must have the choice of books on sale or<br />
return. If it is alleged that those which are not<br />
sold come back soiled, the auswer is that at least<br />
they have had their chance of being sold. The<br />
public has been invited to look at them.<br />
<br />
These observations should be read in connec:<br />
tion with the paper (p. 118) on the Present<br />
Situation.<br />
<br />
Se<br />
<br />
‘THE LITERARY YEAR-BOOK.”<br />
<br />
I. (comMUNICATED. )<br />
<br />
HE “Literary Year-Book” for tgoo will be<br />
an entirely new compilation, appearing<br />
under the editorship of Mr. Herbert<br />
<br />
Morrah. The greater part of the book will be<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
devoted to facts, the only criticisms included being<br />
of a special character, and written by critics of<br />
eminence in their various departments. No<br />
“portraits and appreciations” of individual<br />
writers will appear in the new issue, which will<br />
contain a vast amount of information useful to all<br />
engaged in literature, and arranged in a most<br />
convenient form for purposes of reference. The<br />
editor desires to take this last opportunity of<br />
reminding authors who have not yet received a<br />
form for the direc‘ory that communications and<br />
suggestions will be welcomed by him. These<br />
should be addressed to the Editor of the<br />
“Literary Year-Book,” Ruskin House, Charing<br />
Cross-road, London, W.C., before the 1st of<br />
December next.<br />
IL.<br />
<br />
The prospectus of “ The Literary Year-Book ”<br />
has now been sent out. It will be, perhaps,<br />
remembered that the first issue of this annual<br />
was in some respects unfortunate, especially in<br />
its attempt to become an organ of criticism.<br />
Opinions may, of course, differ as to what a<br />
Literary Year-Book ought to be : perhaps criticism<br />
should be a part of it. For myself, I consider that<br />
what is wanted in such an annual is that it<br />
should be a handy book of reference to the<br />
numerous company of those who write and those<br />
who have to do with writers: that it should<br />
disregard altogether the outside public: and that<br />
it should include everything that a literary man<br />
now has to find out for himself. Now what the<br />
literary world does not want, what it will not go<br />
out of its way to read, is a collection of critical<br />
articles on its own works by those of the same<br />
craft. There are already plenty of critical organs<br />
—as many as there are daily or weekly papers:<br />
monthly magazines or quarterly reviews. When<br />
your literary man or woman has been “slated”<br />
by some and lauded by others: when the<br />
praise or blame at the year’s end can do neither<br />
his book nor his own reputation any good<br />
or harm, is it conceivable that he desires<br />
to read any more “reviews”? Other people<br />
may like to go on reading “critical reviews ”’<br />
about books of the last year, for the most<br />
part dead and gone and forgotten already.<br />
But the literary man certainly does not. He<br />
neither desires to read criticisms of his own books<br />
nor of his friends’ books, nor even of his enemies’<br />
books. Therefore, for my own part, I am sorry<br />
to observe that criticism of any kind is to take a<br />
part in the Year-Book, whose success I greatly<br />
desire, if that success makes it useful and neces-<br />
sary for the Literary Life. Otherwise, I do not<br />
see that we want it at all.<br />
<br />
If, however, it is thought that the prospects<br />
and present condition of Literature should be<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
treated, at any time, with reference to the general<br />
character and average of the last few years, that<br />
is another question altogether. I am reminded<br />
of an excellent essay by Professor Saintsbury,<br />
in which, without naming a single author, he dis-<br />
cussed contemporary fiction dispassionately and<br />
judicially, so that everyone might, if he chose,<br />
take unto himself the critic’s lessons and warn-<br />
ings, and yet no one could be hurt or offended. Of<br />
course the same thing might be done with poetry,<br />
the drama, or any other branch. In fact, it<br />
should be done from time to time. But the pro-<br />
auctions of asingle year cannot allow of any such<br />
general treatment.<br />
<br />
I would, again, submit that the great and<br />
important branch of _ literary work which<br />
includes educational books should not be passed<br />
over. It is far too much the custom to assume<br />
that authorship means work of imagination only.<br />
<br />
A Year-Book which provides a dictionary of<br />
living writers in all branches: which abstains<br />
from individual criticism as outside its own pro-<br />
vince : which contains all such information as is<br />
likely to be useful to an aspirant or to an old hand,<br />
ought to command success. But criticism of last<br />
year’s books certainly is not wanted, and, in my<br />
opinion, if attempted can only be carried out<br />
very incompletely, and must interfere seriously<br />
with the usefulness and the circulation of the<br />
work. The following is the table of contents of<br />
Part II. Surely there is enough here to fill the<br />
400 pp. promised ?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Agents.<br />
Articles, i.e, a Literary<br />
Index for the Year 1899.<br />
Artists. With full particu-<br />
lars of Books Illustrated<br />
during the past year.<br />
<br />
Authors. A practically com-<br />
plete List of Writers of<br />
Books, with full Addresses,<br />
Names, Publishers, and<br />
prices, of<br />
<br />
Books published in 1899.<br />
<br />
Bookbinders.<br />
<br />
Book Printers.<br />
<br />
Booksellers.<br />
<br />
Clubs.<br />
<br />
Contributor’s Guide.<br />
<br />
Editors.<br />
<br />
Events of the Year 1899.<br />
<br />
Foreign Magazines, Reviews,<br />
Publishers, and Societies.<br />
<br />
Indexes.<br />
<br />
Lecturers<br />
Societies.<br />
<br />
Literary Searchers.<br />
<br />
Periodical Publications.<br />
<br />
Plays produced in 1899.<br />
<br />
Printers.<br />
<br />
Process-Block Makers.<br />
<br />
Pseudonyms.<br />
<br />
Poblishers : a new and much<br />
Extended Directory.<br />
<br />
Series.<br />
<br />
Societies: and their work in<br />
1899.<br />
<br />
Typewriters.<br />
<br />
Trade and Technical Infor-<br />
mation.<br />
<br />
and Lecture<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
For instance, under the head of “ Booksellers ”<br />
will there be any information as to the attempt<br />
made to bind this unfortunate class in chains and<br />
slavery? Will there be any reference to the<br />
reports of the Committee of the Society of<br />
Authors on this important subject? And will<br />
there be any advice offered as to improving the<br />
condition of the trade?<br />
<br />
Under the head of “Publishers,” will the<br />
famous “ Draft Agreements,” warranted “ equi-<br />
<br />
131<br />
<br />
table,” with the exposure of their meaning by<br />
the Society of Authors, receive any attention ?<br />
<br />
And under the head of “Trade and Technical”<br />
information, will the Year-Book keep its readers<br />
supplied with what they most desire—the average<br />
cost of production in all its branches, the trade<br />
price, &e.?<br />
<br />
In other words, the Literary Year-Book should<br />
be compiled for the furtherance of the interests of<br />
literary folk, and of none others. If informa-<br />
tion wanted by them is withheld because this<br />
class or that Class wishes to keep it secret and<br />
concealed, it cannot be accepted as a true and<br />
trustworthy guide.<br />
<br />
For my own part I can see no reason why<br />
the Society should not itself provide such a<br />
book, or at least furnish such information<br />
as is wanted for any publisher who would<br />
produce a book for literary workers only,<br />
without reference to any other interests what-<br />
ever. W. B.<br />
<br />
——<res<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
BOOK AND PLAY TALK.<br />
M~ GEORGE GISSING enters the field<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
of romance with his forthcoming novel,<br />
<br />
“The Crown of Life.” It is a modern<br />
story, touching on many modern problems, and<br />
tells the love-story of a man who, battling with<br />
adverse circumstances, seeks and wins the love of<br />
his ideal woman.<br />
<br />
Mr. Churton Collins is engaged upon an edition<br />
of the works of Robert Greene, the sixteenth<br />
century poet and playwright.<br />
<br />
“ Passages in a Wandering Life” is the title<br />
under which Mr. Thomas Arnold, second son of<br />
Arnold of Rugby, is giving his reminiscences to<br />
the world.<br />
<br />
One of the books of this month will be Mr.<br />
Edward A. FitzGerald’s record of the moun-<br />
taineering expedition he conducted two years ago<br />
in the Andes of South America. The direct<br />
results of this expedition, which was one of the<br />
most completely equipped that ever left England,<br />
included the ascent for the first time of the very<br />
high peak of Aconcagua, 23,800ft. above the sea,<br />
and of its fellow Tupungato. Chief among Mr.<br />
FitzGerald’s companions in the hardships and<br />
achievements of the party was Mr. Stuart M.<br />
Vines, who contributes chapters to the book.<br />
Professor Bonney and other authorities determine<br />
the scientific results of the expedition, and the<br />
work contains many beautiful and interesting<br />
photographs of this unique performance in<br />
mountaineering, besides special maps. Messrs.<br />
132<br />
<br />
Methuen will publish the book in a week or two<br />
from now.<br />
<br />
The Standard newspaper is issuing a “ Library<br />
of Famous Literature,’ consisting of twenty<br />
volumes, and we quote from the extensive adver-<br />
tisements the following statistics of the new books<br />
produced yearly in this and other countries :—<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Germany...........6-.6-ee 24,000<br />
France........ 13,000<br />
Italy ........ 9500<br />
Great Britain. 7300<br />
United States .:......5..cc:0 cecepenecnereecs ees 5300<br />
Netherlands <...0.6<c. . cegeser gs ers pent rere ec es 2500<br />
<br />
In special departments of literature the coun-<br />
tries at the head in each case are as follows. In—<br />
Biotin oc eitesedtes oe Great Britain (2438)<br />
Education Germany (5442)<br />
Arts and Sciences ............ Germany (2938)<br />
Belles Lettres..........s00e0e0s Germany (2453)<br />
<br />
PE YOVOL cys ves ccepeswi sires se eces Germany (1139)<br />
Political Economy ............ Italy (2994)<br />
PEIBUORY ©.c2 3 sc0 ss cet pee sets France (1164).<br />
<br />
Atasale of Kelmscott Press books the other<br />
day, among others sold, the Chaucer realised as<br />
much as £58, “ The Story of Sigurd,” £20 1os.;<br />
Keats’s Poems, £23 10s.; “The Earthly Para-<br />
dise,” £21.<br />
<br />
The Dean of Winchester is editing and con-<br />
tributing to “A New History of the English<br />
Church,” which Messrs. Macmillan are to publish.<br />
Among other contributors to it will be Canon<br />
Capes, Canon Overton, and Mr. James Gairdner.<br />
<br />
Mr. Selwyn Brinton is preparing a volume on<br />
Correggio for Messrs. Bell’s series called ‘“ Great<br />
Masters in Painting and Sculpture.’ Earlier<br />
works in this series willbe by Mr. H. H. Strachey<br />
on Raphael and by Miss H. Guiness on Andrea<br />
del Sarto.<br />
<br />
Two new dailies are being prepared for produc-<br />
tion in London, one at $d. and the other a penny<br />
illustrated journal.<br />
<br />
Mr. Edgar Sanderson’s next essay in the realm<br />
of history consists of a book entitled “ Historic<br />
Parallels to Affaire Dreyfus.” Modern history<br />
supplies some trials in which, through the<br />
influence of religious bigotry or political hostility,<br />
or both, Mr. Sanderson seeks to show that gross<br />
injustice was done to innocent persons. The<br />
book will be published by Messrs. Hutchinson.<br />
<br />
A series of handbooks on Egypt and Chaldea<br />
are being edited by Dr. Wallis Budge and Mr.<br />
L. W. King. The volumes will be published by<br />
Messrs. Kegan Paul and Co.<br />
<br />
Miss May Crommelin has written a short story<br />
on Dutch country life for the Leisure Hour, and<br />
several short stories of hers. are now running in<br />
country papers.<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
Miss Jean Ingelow is about to publish a new<br />
novel, called “The Yellow Badge,” through<br />
Messrs. Digby and Long.<br />
<br />
Professor E. B. Tylor’s two series of Gifford<br />
Lectures on “ The Natural History of Religion,”<br />
have been revised for publication by Mr. Murray<br />
this autumn.<br />
<br />
Mr. M. H. Spielmann has compiled a book of<br />
and about the hitherto unidentified contributions<br />
of Thackeray to Punch. This will be published<br />
soon by Messrs. Harper.<br />
<br />
The Stage Society is a new combination whose<br />
managing committee consists of Mr. Charles<br />
Charrington, Mr. Laurence Irving, Mr. William<br />
Sharp, Mr. James Welch, and Mr. Frederick<br />
Wheeler. The membership is limited to 300, the<br />
subscription is two guineas, and the society is to<br />
meet on one Sunday in each month for nine<br />
monthsin the year. Most interesting of all, it is<br />
laid down in the rules of the society that at least<br />
six performances shall be given during the year.<br />
Three plays have already been selected, namely,<br />
“ You Never Can Tell,” by George Bernard Shaw,<br />
which will be presented on Sunday, the rgth inst. ;<br />
“The League of Youth,” by Henrik Ibsen, Sun-<br />
day, Dec. 17; and “ Mrs. Maxwell’s Marriage,”<br />
by Sydney Olivier, which will be given on Sunday<br />
Jan. 21. Plays by M. Maeterlinck, Herr Suder-<br />
mann, and M. Hauptmann will be produced later.<br />
The proceedings will only be open to members,<br />
and the Grosvenor Galleries is the probable place<br />
of meeting. :<br />
<br />
“San Toy,” the new Chinese musical comedy<br />
by Mr. Edward Morton, was successfully pro-<br />
duced at Daly’s with Miss Marie Tempest and<br />
Mr. Hayden Coffin in the principal parts. The<br />
lyrics are by Mr. Adrian Ross and the late Mr.<br />
Harry Greenbank.<br />
<br />
The Haymarket is well provided for the future,<br />
three plays being practically ready for presenta-<br />
tion at any time they may be wanted. These are<br />
by Mrs. Craigie, Mr. J. M. Barrie, and Miss C. W<br />
Graves. That by Miss Graves is a comedy in<br />
verse founded on “ The Rape of the Lock.”<br />
<br />
The next new piece at the Adelphi will pro-<br />
bably be Mr. Zangwill’s version of his novel,<br />
“The Children of the Ghetto.”<br />
<br />
Before these lines are read two new plays will<br />
be in course in centra] London—Mr. Grundy’s<br />
adaptation of “ La Tulipe Noire,” produced at the<br />
Haymarket (Oct. 28) by a company which<br />
includes Miss Winifred Emery as Rosa and Mr.<br />
Frederick Harrison as William of Orange; and<br />
Mr. L. N. Parker’s new modern play “ Captain<br />
Birchell’s Luck,” which Mr. Scott Buist is putting<br />
at at Terry’s Theatre (Oct. 30).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
Although Mr. Wyndham will soon open his<br />
new theatre with “ David Garrick,” and follow on<br />
with the “Tyranny of Tears,” “Dandy Dick,”<br />
and ‘Cyrano de Bergerac,” it is no secret that Mr.<br />
Henry Arthur Jones is already well advanced<br />
with a new play for him. This will be a four-act<br />
comedy of modern life.<br />
<br />
Mr. Kinsey Peile, author of “ An Interrupted<br />
Honeymoon,” is writing a four-act comedy for<br />
Mr. Arthur Bourchier and Miss Violet Vanbrugh.<br />
<br />
Mr. Herman Merivale has written a drama in<br />
three acts for Mr. Charles Cartwright. It is laid<br />
at Dartmoor, about the middle of the century.<br />
<br />
The farewell benefit in honour of Mrs. John<br />
Billington will take place at the Lyceum Theatre<br />
on Tuesday afternoon, the 21st inst., and the<br />
benefit performance for Mr. John Hollingshead<br />
at the Empire Theatre on the afternoon of<br />
Jan. 30.<br />
<br />
The new play by Miss Constance Fletcher<br />
(George Fleming), entitled “The Canary,” is<br />
being rehearsed at the Prince of Wales’s, and<br />
will be presented on Nov. 11 by Mr. Forbes<br />
Robertson and Mrs. Patrick Campbell.<br />
<br />
OBITUARY.<br />
Mi R. GRANT ALLEN died at his resi-<br />
<br />
dence at Hindhead, Surrey, on Oct. 25,<br />
illness that<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
after an involved much<br />
suffering.<br />
<br />
As we go to press news comes of the death of<br />
Florence Marryat (Mrs. Francis Lean), the well-<br />
known novelist. She was the author of about<br />
seventy books, chiefly in fiction and travel, the<br />
first of which was “Love’s Conflict,” which<br />
appeared in 1865. Many of these were very<br />
popular alike in the home country, America, and<br />
the colonies: and many of them were translated.<br />
In 1872 she published “Life and Letters of<br />
Captain Marryat ”—the famous author of “ Mid-<br />
shipman Easy ’—whose sixth daughter she was,<br />
and about the same time she became editor of<br />
London Society. Florence Marryat was also<br />
dramatist, actress, lecturer, and operatic singer.<br />
She was twice married, and the fact will not<br />
escape the curious that so much literary work<br />
was done amidst the domestic duties involved in<br />
bringing up eight children. Some of the best<br />
known of her books are “Tom Tiddler’s Ground,”<br />
“The Crown of Shame,” “A Fatal Silence,”<br />
“The Nobler Sex,” and “ Parson Jones.”<br />
<br />
FRE<br />
<br />
133<br />
CORRESPONDENCE.<br />
<br />
<< ><br />
<br />
T—Own Tryinc More roan One Epitor.<br />
AS one the right to send work to two<br />
H or more editors simultaneously? “An<br />
Editor,” in his little book “How to<br />
Write for the Press” (Horace Cox), main-<br />
tains that one has. He says “In the case<br />
of monthlies I have found ‘duplicating’ very<br />
successful, and there is little or no danger of<br />
clashing. Send out two copies of your article<br />
at the same time, and immediately one is<br />
accepted write to the editor holding the other<br />
and ask him to return it or destroy it, as another<br />
magazine has accepted it. This suggests to the<br />
editor a certain amount of independence on the<br />
part of the contributor, and if the more dilatory<br />
editor is sorry that a more alert brother has<br />
snapped up, before his very nose, as it were, an<br />
interesting article, he will be more ready to give<br />
early attention to the next MS. submitted by the<br />
same writer.<br />
<br />
“By thus duplicating MSS. it is possible to<br />
place a magazine article in much less time than<br />
by relying on or submitting a single copy to one<br />
editor; and I must say that, speaking both as<br />
an editor and a contributor, I fail to see wherein<br />
the practice is to be condemned, so far as monthly<br />
publications are concerned; or in the case of<br />
weeklies, when a contributor meets with an editor<br />
who isin no hurry either to use or return his<br />
MSS.”<br />
<br />
Now I myself have some things out which have<br />
been out from six weeks to three months—and no<br />
indication of acceptance or rejection. And this with<br />
very well-known monthly magazines..-WhatI want<br />
to know is: Do any monthlies publish without<br />
first submitting a proof or sending a notification<br />
of acceptance? For, if not, then I should be<br />
perfectly safe in sending out at once three or four<br />
copies of the same piece of work; seeing that,<br />
immediately a notice of acceptance by one editor<br />
reached me, I could write withdrawing all the<br />
others. It seems to me that the question is of<br />
much importance, for if contributors can safely<br />
do this, then the retention-of-manuscripts diffi-<br />
culty will be practically solved. All that we<br />
require to be sure about is that editors of<br />
monthlies never publish without a preliminary<br />
notice of some sort to the contributor. Is this<br />
the case? Perhaps an editor and some contri-<br />
putors of wide experience will shed some light on<br />
the point. Perry Barr.<br />
<br />
=—<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
IL.—No ANSWER.<br />
Having been connected with Cornwall for<br />
many years, I sent to the Cornish Magazine in<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
134<br />
<br />
November last a paper on a subject which I<br />
thought could not fail to interest Cornish<br />
readers. :<br />
<br />
I sent also a polite note to the editor, and<br />
inclosed a stamped directed envelope for the<br />
return of the article if he could not use it. I<br />
waited a month or two, and, hearing nothing,<br />
wrote again, saying I should be much obliged by<br />
the return of the article if not suitable. To<br />
neither of these communications did I receive any<br />
reply. I waited a month or two longer, and then<br />
wrote again, inclosing another stamped envelope,<br />
and requesting the return of the article. This<br />
letter has also failed to elicit any reply. The<br />
editor appropriates my stamps and retains my<br />
paper, which seems to me neither courteous nor<br />
business-like. Have I no remedy?<br />
<br />
I should mention that I am not a novice. I<br />
have published several books, and have had<br />
articles in many leading magazines, including the<br />
Nineteenth Century, Temple Bar, and Mac-<br />
millan’s, but this is the first time I have met with<br />
editorial discourtesy.<br />
<br />
A Memser or tux Society or AUTHORS.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
III.—Userress Reviews.<br />
<br />
Incidentally “ W.” raises two issues—Should<br />
review copies be sent? Are reviews useful as an<br />
aid to the sale of a book ?<br />
<br />
The first, question can only be answered by the<br />
Publishers’ Association or the Society of Authors.<br />
If either of these bodies decides that its members<br />
ought not to send books for review, then those<br />
daily, weekly, and monthly journals, dependent for<br />
a considerable fraction of their circulation on their<br />
literary columns, must needs buy copies. Such<br />
a resolution would be an advantage for the pub-<br />
lishers and authors of the comparatively few<br />
important works that must be noticed, and a dis-<br />
advantage for the producers of the vast majority<br />
of books that can safely be ignored.<br />
<br />
With regard to the second question, when all<br />
is said, a review is an advertisement, and as<br />
such, even if it be purchased at the net cost of a<br />
copy of the book, it surely is as useful as a bare<br />
announcement, at so-and-so much per inch, on<br />
the pages that are passed over by at least go per<br />
cent. of readers.<br />
<br />
“W.,” however, is chiefly interested in a third<br />
question—the distribution of copies for review.<br />
He has stated his case; his publisher sends<br />
copies to the Slocum Gazette, the North Thule<br />
Advertiser, and to similar papers of no import-<br />
ance, for the columns of which the reviews are<br />
written by utterly incompetent critics.<br />
<br />
He is avowedly a young (or perhaps I should<br />
say a new) writer. But he has published two<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
books, and can speak with more authority than I,<br />
who have only just published one, can aspire to.<br />
But let me tell him the result of my venture,<br />
My publisher distributed some forty-odd copies<br />
for review, and in the list they sent me I do<br />
not see the name of any unimportant paper. I<br />
observe that copies were sent to eight important<br />
London morning papers and to four (penny)<br />
evening papers, to twelve weeklies (those which<br />
devote their pages entirely or in part to litera.<br />
ture), to two monthly journals, and to fourteen<br />
country papers (ten English, three Scotch, and<br />
one Irish publication). I have read all the<br />
reviews, and I cannot say—though in some cases<br />
it would be a sop to my vanity if I could—I<br />
believe any of them to have been written by the<br />
office-boy in intervals of boot-blacking ; but some<br />
may have been written by the daughters of<br />
editors, yet certainly not as a holiday task.<br />
<br />
If “W.” has not overstated his case for the<br />
sake of effect, I should advise him to change his<br />
publisher, and then, before finally selecting any<br />
firm, he might inquire if they send copies for<br />
review to the Slocum Gazette, &c. L. M.<br />
<br />
De<br />
<br />
BOOKS AND REVIEWS.<br />
<br />
(In these columns notes on books are given from reviews<br />
which carry weight, and are not, so far as can be learned,<br />
logrollers.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE Mar or Lirz, by W. E. H. Lecky (Longmans,<br />
10s. 6d.) might perhaps be called, says the Times, “a sort<br />
of impersonal and objective autobiography, a record of<br />
experience, reflection, and opinion, tinged with the mitis<br />
sapientia of advancing years, and inspired by the harmless<br />
belief that the writer has something of importance to com-<br />
municate to his generation.” The Daily Chronicle remarks<br />
that ‘‘Mr. Lecky’s style is always admirable, and is so<br />
wedded to his thought as to make it a perfect vehicle for<br />
expression.” The volume has “ much social and political<br />
interest,” says the Daily News, while Mr. W. L. Courtney<br />
in the Daily Telegraph interprets its real objectas “ to show<br />
how far compromise in ethics, politics and religion is neces-<br />
sary and advisable at the present stage of human evolu-<br />
tion.”<br />
<br />
A History or Iranian Unity, by Bolton King (Nisbet,<br />
24s. net) is ‘not only of great value for English people,<br />
who have hitherto had no complete and impartial history of<br />
modern Italy, but-it is interesting throughout,’ says the<br />
Daily Chronicle. ‘Mr. Bolton King has many of the<br />
qualities of a great historian,” and ‘we think that his<br />
judgments will on the whole stand.” He has given us, says<br />
the Spectator, “what was long needed—a comprehensive,<br />
impartial, and thoroughly readable history of the Italian<br />
movement for unity and independence.” ‘The entire work<br />
is founded on original documents.”<br />
<br />
A PRISONER OF THE KHALERFA: Twelve Years’ Cap-<br />
tivity at Omdurman, by Charles Neufeld (Chapman, 128.), is<br />
described by Literature as a straightforward story, which<br />
throws a vivid light upon the history of the Soudan before<br />
its latest chapter was closed by Atbara and Omdurman. It<br />
includes a narrative of Gordon’s end taken down from the<br />
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THE<br />
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lips of Gordon’s own orderly. “ On the whole,” says the<br />
Spectator, “we may say that this volume is more prolific<br />
and picturesque than Slatin’s book; but we do not feel so<br />
confident as to its historic value.” The Times remarks<br />
that ‘If there are people who still honestly believe that the<br />
Khaleefa deserves any sympathy, such a book as this should<br />
effectively undeceive them.”<br />
<br />
Tye TRANSVAAL FROM WITHIN: a Private Record of<br />
Public Affairs, by J. P. Fitzpatrick (Heinemann, 10s. net) is,<br />
says the Times, simply and unpretentiously what it professes<br />
to be—a sketch of the Transvaal as seen from within, Mr.<br />
Fitzpatrick writing frankly as an Uitlander putting forward<br />
the case of the Uitlanders. “ Few readers will lay down the<br />
volume without feeling that they know more than they<br />
have ever known before of the real issues on trial in South<br />
Africa.” The Spectator remarks that the anthor “ does not<br />
merely censure the Boers, but shows how and why the Out-<br />
landers have found it impossible to live under their rule.”<br />
Literature says it will be generally admitted that Mr. Fitz-<br />
patrick “ has marshalled his arguments logically, powerfully<br />
and picturesquely.” The Daily Telegraph describes the<br />
book as “ lucid and dispassionate.”<br />
<br />
Tur CoMMUNE oF LONDON, and Other Studies (Constable,<br />
12s. net), prompts Literature to say that so long as the<br />
author, Mr. J. H. Round, “ continues to write on historical<br />
subjects there is no danger of history becoming as dry as<br />
an old almanac. Whenever he has appeared he has accus-<br />
tomed us to expect ‘wigs on the green’; and his latest<br />
volume does not disappoint our expectations.” The Guardian<br />
says that ‘‘ the book certainly contains many valuable essays,<br />
and cannot be overlooked by students of English history.”<br />
<br />
Sr. PAut tHe Masrer-BurtpER, by Walter Lock<br />
(Methuen, 3. 6d.), is commended by the Times as a sugges-<br />
tive little book. It is the outcome of an experiment on the<br />
part of the Bishop of St. Asaph to provide for the clergy of<br />
his diocese a brief course of instruction year by year. The<br />
book contains four lectures by the Warden of Keble College.<br />
The Daily Chronicle defines Dr. Lock’s object as being<br />
practically to present “a kind of report upon the conclu-<br />
sions that have been arrived at and adopted with a fairly<br />
general consensus of opinion by modern scholars engaged<br />
upon the study of the Epistles of St. Paul.”<br />
<br />
Tur Story oF THE AUSTRALIAN BUSHRANGERS, by<br />
G. E. Boxall (Sonnenschein, 6s.) “‘ enables us to study one of<br />
the strangest episodes in the history of crime,” remarks the<br />
Spectator ; and the Daily Chronicle does not “ know of a<br />
more comprehensive record of bushranging and its chief<br />
personalities than this work.”<br />
<br />
A Farmer’s Yzar, by H. Rider Haggard (Longman’s,<br />
7s. 6d. net) “is no technical discourse,” says Literature,<br />
“and no wearisome reiteration of trivialities about the<br />
weather and the crops, but agreeable small talk, not only<br />
about the price of wheat and the rate of wages, but also<br />
about the thousand and one other topics which invite the<br />
attention of the intelligent agriculturist.” The book is<br />
described by the Daily Telegraph as “an exceedingly<br />
practical and somewhat sombre-toned account of twelve<br />
months’ farming in an eastern county.” The author is<br />
“cheerful and discursive,” despite bad luck, but ‘“ he<br />
proves conclusively that the farmer’s balance sheet is apt<br />
to be melancholy reading, no matter how much care and<br />
forethought it represents.<br />
<br />
A Boox or THE WEST, being an Introduction to Devon<br />
and Cornwall, by S. Baring-Gould (Methuen, 12s), supplies,<br />
says the Daily Chronicle, “exactly the sort of information<br />
which Murray and Black and the rest of them can never<br />
be expected to afford.” ‘It makes no claim to be exhaus-<br />
tive,” says the Times, “but it does describe with good<br />
taste and ample knowledge the principal objects and sub-<br />
<br />
AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
135<br />
<br />
jects that are likely to interest an educated traveller.’’<br />
“The tourist, as a rule,” says the Guardian, “ wants some-<br />
thing that is readable, and something that is definite in its<br />
teaching, and certainly he gets both in these two charming<br />
volumes.” :<br />
<br />
ALASKA AND THE KLoNDIKE, by Angelo Heilprin<br />
(Pearson, 7s. 6d.), is the best of the Klondike books that<br />
Literature has seen. ‘It is a narrative of a three months’<br />
tour by a professor of geology, written in a pleasant, easy,<br />
cultivated style,” and is recommended “ both to those who<br />
want instruction and to those who only desire entertain-<br />
ment.” ‘ Here,” says the Daily Chronicle, ‘we have the<br />
testimony of a past president of the Geographical Society<br />
and Professor of Geology at the Academy of Natural<br />
Science in Philadelphia—of one who went to the Yukon<br />
with a full mental equipment and a complete absence of<br />
bias. Herein lies the special value of this volume, and<br />
happily Professor Heilprin is as entertaining as he ia<br />
reliable.”<br />
<br />
Tue Lire of FRANCIS WILLIAM CrossLEY, edited by<br />
J. Rendel Harris (Nisbet, 6s.), is described by the Spectator<br />
as a “concise but intensely interesting memoir of one of the<br />
noblest and most saintly men of the century.” The Daily<br />
Chronicle says it is a “ cheerful memoir,” and that it will be<br />
“helpful and attractive to those who wish to know what a<br />
good man can be among men.”<br />
<br />
SraLKy AND Co., by Rudyard Kipling (Macmillan, 6s.),<br />
is “wonderfully clever” (Daily News) and deemed by the<br />
Spectator to be “ entirely worthy of Mr. Kipling’s genius.”<br />
Though all boys will like it, it is by no means exclusively a<br />
boy’s book. ‘Not only the three boys,” says Interature,<br />
“but their schoolfellows, the masters, the Devonshire<br />
country people, and the different stray intruders are painted<br />
with the bold and vital touch which Mr. Kipling possesses.”<br />
The theme running through the book “ is the use and glory<br />
of the spirit of individual adventure.” “The most virile<br />
writer of his age, who has mastered the heart both of man<br />
and beast, has not failed to understand the heart of boy,”<br />
says the Daily Telegraph ; while the Daily Chronicle says<br />
that “none reading ‘Stalky and Co.’ may for a moment<br />
doubt that it is largely autobiographical.”<br />
<br />
MIRANDA OF THE Baxcony, by A. E. W. Mason<br />
(Macmillan, 6s.), is ‘a bright, engrossing book (Daily<br />
Telegraph), which derives its title from the scene in which<br />
hero and heroine first make acquaintance with each other.”<br />
Tt has, says the Spectator, “a complicated, ingenious, and<br />
highly original plot.” As a story of exciting incident it “ is<br />
excellent company, the effect being heightened by the<br />
author’s swift, straightforward, and nervous narrative<br />
style.” It is the “strongest” book Mr. Mason has given<br />
us, says Literature. “The plot is ingenious almost to<br />
excess, though its main outline is a simple one. Charnock,<br />
the hero, risks his life and his position on behalf of Miranda,<br />
the woman whom he loves, in discovering and rescuing her<br />
worthless husband. But the outline is elaborately filled<br />
in,” and the book “brings to extraordinary perfection the<br />
art of story-telling on its technical side.” “ From every<br />
point of view,” says the Daily Chronicle, “it is an excellent<br />
novel.” The verdict of the Daily News is that “the story<br />
holds the reader’s interest no less from the novelty of its<br />
plot than from the vividness and spirited manner of its<br />
telling.”<br />
<br />
Lirtie Novets or Irauy, by Maurice Hewlett (Chap-<br />
man, 6s.), “is a book to give warm thanks for,” says the<br />
Guardian, which adds that “short stories seem to suit<br />
Mr. Hewlett’s genius better than long ones.” He “ boldly<br />
takes his plots and situations from the rich but corrupt life<br />
of Renaissance Italy, without, however, allowing any strain<br />
after local and historic colour either to interfere with the<br />
<br />
<br />
136 THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
spontaneity of his scenes and the universality of his charac-<br />
ters, or to obscure the honest English homeliness of his<br />
motives and ideals.” ‘The book strikes a new note and<br />
reveals a new world,” says Literature. “It pulls back the<br />
curtain of four long, sad, hundred years, and you step out<br />
into the gay, bright-coloured, noisy, turbulent, quite<br />
immoral, but very devout, life of the Lombard cities of the<br />
Quattuorcento.” “ These stories,” says the Daily Chronicle,<br />
“are all ablaze and a-glitter with the rich and varied hues<br />
of renascent Italy.”<br />
<br />
GiLIAN THE DREAMER, by Neil Munro (Isbister, 6s.), is<br />
“a Highland story set back into the early part of the<br />
century, when good wives are yet wearing their ‘ Waterloo<br />
blue silks’ and ‘ Waterloo tabinet gowns’ to remind them<br />
of the rejoicings for that great day of victory.” Itis the<br />
book of a mystic and a dreamer, continues the Daily News;<br />
“he who opens it will not readily put it down, and he will<br />
be right; for indeed it is one of the best books that have<br />
appeared this season.” ‘In point of style,’ the Spectator<br />
has-“‘ no hesitation in pronouncing Mr. Munro to have more<br />
individuality and distinction than any Scottish novelist now<br />
living, and to approach nearer than any of his compeers to<br />
the grace and audacity of Stevenson.” Literature says that<br />
“with the exception of the masterpieces (and the master-<br />
pieces only) of Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Barrie, it is the best<br />
Scottish novel that has been produced in the last quarter of<br />
a century.”<br />
<br />
On Triat, by Zack (Blackwood, 6s.), is a short novel,<br />
the scene of which is laid in Devonshire. The motive, says<br />
the Spectator, is unusual: Zack has chosen for her central<br />
figure a young soldier impelled at every crisis in his life by<br />
cowardice, physical as well as moral. ‘The quality of<br />
poignancy, which we noted in Zack’s earlier work, is present<br />
with redoubled force in this engrossing tragedy.” The<br />
Daily Telegraph compliments the author on falling into<br />
“that simple dignity of phrase which often characterises<br />
unlearned and ignorant folk under the stress of great<br />
emotion.” The Daily Chronicle says that ‘ On Trial” is<br />
the sort of book that many readers will call “ painful.”<br />
“The critic will not call it painful, because he knows that<br />
pain is not the right word for the emotion that such fine art<br />
as this evokes.” In the opinion of the Daily News the book<br />
shows that its author’s “sense of humour and power of<br />
character-study are no whit inferior to his—or her—<br />
dramatic ability.”<br />
<br />
Our Lapy or Darkness, by Bernard Capes (Black-<br />
wood, 6s.), is a “very clever novel,” says the Spectator.<br />
The Daily News states that the book opens on the eve of<br />
the French Revolution, and “ from the first we breathe the<br />
atmosphere of a time charged with volcanic forces.” The<br />
scene is largely set in rural France and in Paris. Itisa<br />
tragic tale, and “it holds us to the end by the sheer force<br />
of its presentation of a nation in the throes of hysteria or<br />
of evil possessions.”<br />
<br />
Tux Coxossus, by Morley Roberts (Arnold, 6s.), has the<br />
counterpart of Mr. Rhodes for hero, and the Spectator,<br />
after saying that the book “inaugurates a new school of<br />
portrait fiction,’ remarks that the author’s dexterous dove-<br />
tailing of fact and fiction, of photography and imagination,<br />
is undeniably clever.’ “ Mr. Roberts’s book,” says the Daily<br />
Telegraph, “is a piece of good careful work, and his<br />
delineation of his subject’s personality is masterly.” Mr.<br />
Rhodes is represented as Mr. Eustace Loder, * the biggest<br />
Real Estate Agent on Harth,” engaged in prosecuting a<br />
future railroad from Cairo to Capetown. The scene is laid<br />
at a Cairene hotel. The book is described by the Daily<br />
News as “a careful and transparent character study,” and<br />
by the Daily Chronicle as an “intensely interesting piece<br />
of portraiture.”<br />
<br />
Rep Porracs, by Mary Cholmondeley (Arnold, 6s.), is<br />
“full of dramatic incidents and picturesque situations,”<br />
says the Daily Telegraph, but “these are lost sight of in<br />
our contemplation of the characters which Miss Chol-<br />
mondeley puts before us, characters of real life, re-drawn<br />
for us with no slight knowledge and mastery. For com-<br />
pleteness and finish, for quiet excellence, her book must go<br />
right to the front of contemporary literature.” The Daily<br />
News says that “the book will doubtless make its mark, and<br />
interest the public in general.” ‘Though Miss Chol-<br />
mondeley’s dramatis persone are many, yet she entwines the<br />
threads of narrative so deftly that none appear superfiuous,<br />
and all blend naturally with the development of the plot.”<br />
<br />
A Name To ConsurE Witu, by John Strange Winter<br />
(White, 2s. 6d.), is described by Literature as “ a serious<br />
and even impressive study of the growth of the drink habit<br />
on a nature the reverse of weak or self-indulgent.”<br />
<br />
WINE ON THE Lexs, by J. A. Steuart (Hutchinson, 6s.),<br />
“might be described as dealing with the drink question,”<br />
says the Daily Telegraph, “ but Mr. Steuart preaches no<br />
sermon ; he does not even deduce a moral—he allows his<br />
characters to demonstrate their points of view, leaving<br />
something to the credit of both the reformer and the<br />
publican.” It is “a very good piece of work,” and “ con-<br />
tains much that can only be the result of serious thought<br />
on a question of vital import.” Itis ‘“ not a book to be<br />
neglected,” says the Daily Chronicle. ‘It has its own<br />
meaning and power, and on every open mind it will pro-<br />
duce its own effect.” Literature says Mr. Steuart “ pre-<br />
sents his realistic pictures of East-end life with truth and<br />
humour.”<br />
<br />
Tue Human InrErsEst, by Violet Hunt (Methuen, 6s.) is<br />
“a clever, capable sketch,” says the Daily Telegraph,<br />
“with a strong vein of cynicism and even a little bitterness<br />
brought to the making of it.’ ‘‘ Most people will read the<br />
book with zest.” The Spectator says that “Miss Hunt’s<br />
mordant humour enables her to carry off scenes and situa-<br />
tions which in other hands would be unpleasant or absurd.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
po<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
“THE AUTHOR.”<br />
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STRAND, W.C. S | https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/468/1899-11-01-The-Author-10-6.pdf | publications, The Author |