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506	https://historysoa.com/items/show/506	The Author, Vol. 15 Issue 09 (June 1905)	<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.+15+Issue+09+%28June+1905%29"><em>The Author</em>, Vol. 15 Issue 09 (June 1905)</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>	1905-06-01-The-Author-15-9					249–280																		<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=89&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=15">15</a>											<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=76&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1905-06-01">1905-06-01</a>							9			19050601	Che Euthor.<br /> <br /> (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.)<br /> <br /> FOUNDED BY SIR<br /> <br /> WALTER BESANT.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> JUNE 1st, 1905.<br /> <br /> [Prick SIXPENCE.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Vou. XV.—No. 9.<br /> <br /> TELEPHONE NuMBER :<br /> 374 VICTORIA.<br /> <br /> TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS :<br /> AUTORIDAD, LONDON.<br /> <br /> —_§_-—&lt;—_e<br /> <br /> NOTICES.<br /> <br /> —<br /> <br /> OR the opinions expressed in papers that are<br /> signed or initialled the authors alone are<br /> responsible. None of the papers or para-<br /> <br /> graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion<br /> of the Committee unless such is especially stated<br /> to be the case.<br /> <br /> Tue Editor begs to inform members of the<br /> Authors’ Society and other readers of 7he Author<br /> that the cases which are from time to time quoted<br /> in The Author are cases that have come before the<br /> notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the<br /> Society, and that those members of the Society<br /> who desire to have the names of the publishers<br /> concerned can obtain them on application.<br /> <br /> ——+-&gt;+——<br /> <br /> List of Members.<br /> <br /> Tue List of Members of the Society of Authors<br /> published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and<br /> the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as<br /> a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be<br /> obtained at the offices of the Society.<br /> <br /> They will be sold to members or associates of<br /> the Society only.<br /> <br /> —1—~<br /> <br /> The Pension Fund of the Society.<br /> <br /> Tue Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the<br /> Society’s Offices in April, 1905, and having gone<br /> carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to<br /> invest a further sum of £230. When the purchase<br /> <br /> Vou. XV.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> is complete the amount will be added to the<br /> investments at present standing in the names of<br /> the Trustees, which are as follows.<br /> <br /> This is a statement of the actual stock; the<br /> money value can be easily worked out at the current<br /> price of the market :—<br /> <br /> ON ae £1000 0 0<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> teal boeken 500 0 0<br /> Victorian Government 3 % Consoli-<br /> dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 11<br /> War Doan 201 9 3<br /> London and North Western 3 % Deben-<br /> bare Siecle 250 0 0<br /> Motels. £2,243 9. 2<br /> Subscriptions, 1905.<br /> £8. d.<br /> Jan. 12, Anonymous . : : 70 276<br /> Donations, 1905.<br /> Jan. Middlemas, Miss Jean 010 0<br /> Jan. Bolton, Miss Anna 0 5 0<br /> Jan. 24, Barry, Miss Fanny . 0 5 0<br /> Jan. 27, Bencke, Albert 0.5.0<br /> Jan. 28, Harcourt-Roe, Mrs. 010 0<br /> Feb. 18, French-Sheldon, Mrs. 010 O<br /> Feb. 21, Lyall, Sir Alfred, P.C. 1 0 9<br /> Mar. 28, Kirmse, Mrs. 010 0<br /> April19, Hornung, H. W. . . 25.0 0<br /> May 7, Wynne, C. Whitworth . 5 0.0<br /> May 16, Alsing, Mrs. J. E. : ? Y<br /> <br /> May 17, Anonymous .<br /> <br /> — se<br /> <br /> COMMITTEE NOTES.<br /> <br /> +<br /> <br /> HE committee of the society met at 389,<br /> Old Queen Street, on Monday, the 8th day<br /> of May, with heavy agenda for their<br /> <br /> consideration.<br /> After the minutes had been signed, the first<br /> matter dealt with was the election of members and<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 250<br /> <br /> associates. ‘Twenty-five new members and asso-<br /> ciates were elected, making the total for the current<br /> year ninety-nine. The list is printed below. Then<br /> followed the discussion of a difficult question<br /> between a member of the society and a publisher.<br /> The secretary read a long report of the case which<br /> had been received from the solicitors, who had gone<br /> very carefully into all the papers and details.<br /> After full and serious consideration the committee<br /> decided they were unable to take the matter up,<br /> put were willing to accept, subject to the member&#039;s<br /> consent, the suggestion put forward by the pub-<br /> lisher, to appoint an arbitrator to settle the division<br /> of profits.<br /> <br /> The question of the general lien which the<br /> binders claimed on stock in their possession,<br /> brought forward at the last meeting, was further<br /> considered. A dispute arising out of Mr. Grant<br /> Richards’ bankruptcy, between a member of the<br /> society and the trustee, was also discussed. The<br /> secretary read the documents and the solicitors’<br /> opinion upon the point, but as the questions in-<br /> volved were difficult and complicated the com-<br /> mittee decided to obtain counsel’s opinion, and to<br /> reconsider the case when this opinion came to<br /> hand. Another curious matter dealing with the<br /> right of an author to the publication of his name<br /> was carefully considered, and a long report of the<br /> solicitors was read to the committee, who decided<br /> from the information before them that it would be<br /> impossible for them to take action, but that if the<br /> member was willing to take counsel’s opinion, they<br /> would then reconsider the case.<br /> <br /> It has been the habit for the chairman for the<br /> current year to take the chair at the general<br /> meetings, although it often occurred that the<br /> questions dealt with in the report had arisen<br /> during the chairmanship of his predecessor. It<br /> was decided, therefore, that although the election<br /> of the chairman should be made at the customary<br /> time, that is, during the first month of the year, it<br /> should not take effect till after the general<br /> meeting.<br /> <br /> The appointment of correspondents in Canada<br /> and Sweden was discussed. ‘The secretary was<br /> instructed to make full inquiries with a view to<br /> appointing suitable representatives.<br /> <br /> The committee decided that the chairman of<br /> the committee should, on behalf of the society,<br /> sign the petition of the Music Defence League, in<br /> the hope of inducing the Government to pass an<br /> Act to stop the present musical piracy.<br /> <br /> There were various other matters of minor<br /> importance before the committee, but no further<br /> contentious work. The meeting lasted for two<br /> hours.<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> Cases.<br /> <br /> Five new cases have been in the secretary’s<br /> hands during the past month. The number is<br /> very small. ‘This should be taken as a good omen.<br /> Three were for money due, one for the return of a<br /> MS., and one related to a question of infringement<br /> of copyright. The money has been paid in one<br /> case. In the other two cases it turned out, on<br /> demand being made, that one paper was in<br /> bankruptcy, and that for the other a receiver for<br /> the debenture holders had been appointed. It<br /> will be impossible, therefore, to bring these cases<br /> to any satisfactory conclusion at present until the<br /> liabilities have been clearly set forth. In the<br /> matter dealing with MS., the MS. has been returned<br /> and forwarded to the author. The question of<br /> infringement of copyright is still in course of<br /> negotiation.<br /> <br /> ‘All the cases open from former months have<br /> been closed with the exception of a question of<br /> contract, where the member resides in Australia.<br /> Owing to the difficulty of obtaining information,<br /> this matter must necessarily be delayed.<br /> <br /> Mr. Grant Richards’ bankruptcy is still moving<br /> forward, but the progress is slow. The trustee<br /> at one time expected to be able to sell the business<br /> as a whole, but it would appear that the negotia-<br /> tions have fallen through, and there is considerable<br /> difficulty in arranging for the transfer of each<br /> book separately.<br /> <br /> “he society, through its secretary and solicitors,<br /> is doing everything it can on behalf of its<br /> members.<br /> <br /> —-——+—<br /> <br /> May Elections.<br /> <br /> Alsing, Mrs. J. E. The Cottage, Kopling,<br /> Sweden.<br /> <br /> 45, West End Avenue,<br /> Harrogate.<br /> <br /> c/o E. Marlay Carolin,<br /> Esq., Assistant Loco.<br /> Superintendent,<br /> 0.8. A. Railway, Volks-<br /> rust, Transvaal,<br /> <br /> 81, Westbourne Ter-.<br /> race, W.<br /> <br /> 6, Boundary Road,<br /> Hampstead, N.W.<br /> <br /> Heberton Hall, Leiston,<br /> Suffolk.<br /> <br /> Braithwaite, Miss Alice<br /> <br /> Carolin, Mrs.<br /> <br /> De la Rue, E. A. .<br /> <br /> Donaldson, 8. H. (Sid-<br /> ney Hunter)<br /> Doughty, Miss Gertrude<br /> <br /> Essex, John Ridgwell .<br /> <br /> Gordon, Major Evans,<br /> M.P.<br /> <br /> Gibson, Miss L. V.<br /> <br /> 4, Chelsea Embank-<br /> ment, S.W.<br /> 9, Gray’s Inn<br /> <br /> W.C<br /> <br /> oe<br /> <br /> Square,<br /> <br /> Griffith, Miss Lucy G.<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> Grylls, A. C. Glynn<br /> Inglefield, H. B. .<br /> Latham, Edward .<br /> <br /> Lobley, Prof. J. Logan,<br /> F.R.G.S.<br /> <br /> Masefield, J. E. (J. M.)<br /> <br /> Mosely, Miss Ettie I.<br /> Peacey, Howard<br /> <br /> Russell, Lady .<br /> Synge, Miss M. B.<br /> Tanner, James T. :<br /> Taylor, The Rev. R. H.,<br /> <br /> D.D.<br /> Underwood, F. J. .<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> 117, Elgin Avenue, W.<br /> 24, Cadogan Place, S.W.<br /> 61, Friends Road,<br /> <br /> Croydon.<br /> <br /> 36, Palace Street,<br /> Buckingham Gate,<br /> S.W.<br /> <br /> 1, Diamond Terrace,<br /> Greenwich.<br /> <br /> Gloucester House, Kew.<br /> <br /> Rydal Mount, Meads,<br /> Eastbourne.<br /> <br /> South Woodfield Park,<br /> Reading.<br /> <br /> 15, St. Loo Mansions,<br /> Chelsea, 8.W.<br /> <br /> Savoy Mansions, W.C.<br /> <br /> Goddington _ Rectory,<br /> Bicester.<br /> <br /> Three of the members elected in May do not<br /> desire either their names or their addresses to be<br /> <br /> printed.<br /> <br /> —+-—&lt;&gt;— + —__<br /> <br /> WE regret that in the last issue of The Author<br /> <br /> Mrs.<br /> <br /> Christobel Hulbert<br /> <br /> Sewell’s pseudonym,<br /> <br /> “ Chris Sewell,” was, in error, attached to Mrs.<br /> Charles Scheu’s name, also published in that issue.<br /> <br /> ——_—?+———___<br /> <br /> BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF<br /> THE SOCIETY.<br /> ——+<br /> <br /> (In the following list we do not propose to give more<br /> than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books<br /> enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may<br /> serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work.<br /> Members are requested to forward information which will<br /> enable the Editor to supply such particulars.)<br /> <br /> ARCH AOLOGY.<br /> <br /> EHNASYA. By W. M. FLINDERS PETRIE.<br /> <br /> With Chapter,<br /> <br /> By C. T. CUNELLY, M.A. Twenth-sixth Memoir of the<br /> Egypt Exploration Fund. Roman EHNASYA (Herakleo-<br /> <br /> polis Magna).<br /> Ehnasya.<br /> <br /> Plates and Text.<br /> By W. M. FLINDERS PETRIE.<br /> <br /> Supplementary to<br /> 12 x 10,<br /> <br /> 41 + 15 pp. Plates. Offices of the Egypt Exploration<br /> BIOGRAPHY.<br /> <br /> Fund.<br /> <br /> JoHN KNox AND THE REFORMATION.<br /> Longmans.<br /> <br /> Lane. 93 x 6.<br /> <br /> 281 pp.<br /> <br /> By ANDREW<br /> 10s. 6d. n.<br /> <br /> DIARY AND LETTERS OF MADAME D’ ARBLAY (1778—1840),<br /> <br /> as Edited by her niece, CHARLOTTE BARRETT.<br /> a Preface and Notes by AUSTIN DoBsoNn.<br /> 524 pp. Macmillan.<br /> <br /> VOL V. 9 x bE.<br /> <br /> A Lire of WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.<br /> 8 x 54. 495 pp. Smith, Elder. 7s. 6d.<br /> <br /> Fifth Edition.<br /> <br /> NApoLeon: THE First PHASE,<br /> <br /> With<br /> In Six Vols.<br /> <br /> 10s. 6d. n.<br /> <br /> By SIDNEY LEE.<br /> <br /> Some Chapters on the<br /> <br /> Boyhood and Youth of Bonaparte, 1769—1793. By<br /> OscaR BROWNING. 8%<br /> 10s. 6d. n.<br /> <br /> x BS; Lane.<br /> <br /> 315 pp.<br /> <br /> 251<br /> CLASSICAL,<br /> <br /> HARVARD LECTURES ON THE REVIVAL OF LEARNING.<br /> By JoHN EpwIn Sanpys, Litt.D. 7 x 5, 212 pp.<br /> Cambridge University Press. 4s. 6d. n.<br /> <br /> DRAMA,<br /> <br /> Mrs. DANE’S DEFENCE. By HENRY ARTHUR JONES.<br /> 63 x 48. 127 pp. Macmillan. 2s. 6d.<br /> <br /> INDISCRETIONS. By Cosmo HAMILTON. 7% x 5. 268 pp.<br /> <br /> Treherne. 1s.<br /> THE GREEK KALENDS: a Comedy in Verse. By ARTHUR<br /> DILLON. 64 x 5. 123 pp. Mathews. 3s. 6d. n.<br /> <br /> EDUCATIONAL.<br /> <br /> STORIES FROM THE NORTHERN SaAGAs. Selected from<br /> various translations, and Edited by A. F, MAgor and<br /> K. E, SpercHr, With a Preface by the late Pror.<br /> YorK POWELL. Second Edition. Revised and Enlarged.<br /> 73 x 5. 282 pp. Marshall. 2s. 6d.<br /> <br /> GIPsy STORIES (112 pp.) THE STORIES OF ANTONIO AND<br /> BENEDICT MOL (120 pp.). FRom Borrow’s BIBLES IN<br /> SPAIN; HAWTHORNE’S TANGLEWOOD TALES; THE<br /> GOLDEN FLEECE, &amp;¢. (English School Texts), Edited<br /> by W. H. D. Roose, Litt.D. 63 x 4}. Blackie.<br /> 8d. each.<br /> <br /> FICTION.<br /> <br /> THE REDDING STRAIK. By RoBERT AITKEN. 7} x 5.<br /> 324 pp. Edinburgh: Morton ; London: Simpkin, Marshall.<br /> 6s.<br /> <br /> Dorset Dear. By M. E. FRANcts (Mrs. Francis Blundell).<br /> 8 x 5}. 332 pp. Longmans. 6s.<br /> <br /> GrorRGE EASTMONT: WANDERER. By JoHN LAW.<br /> 73 x 5. 243 pp. Burns &amp; Oates. 3s. 6d.<br /> <br /> THE ErRRoR oF Her Ways. By FRANK BARRETT.<br /> 7% x 5. 321 pp. Chatto &amp; Windus. 6s.<br /> <br /> RosE OF THE WORLD. By AGNES AND EGERTON CASTLE.<br /> 7% x 5. 379 pp. Smith, Elder. 6s.<br /> <br /> THE PHANTOM ToRPEDO Boats. By ALLEN UPWARD.<br /> <br /> 7} x 5. 326 pp. Chatto &amp; Windus. 6s.<br /> <br /> MIXED RELATIONSHIPS. By RENNIE RENNISON. 7} x 5.<br /> 381 pp. Simpkin, Marshall. 6s.<br /> <br /> THE Hint. A Romance of Friendship. By H. A. VACHELL.<br /> 8 x 5. 319pp. Murray. 6s.<br /> <br /> MARIAN SAx. By E. MARIA ALBENESI. 72 x 5, 370 pp.<br /> Hurst &amp; Blackett. 6s.<br /> <br /> WAVES OF Fate, By E. NoBLE. 72<br /> Blackwood. 6s.<br /> <br /> MARJORIE’s MistaAKE. By BertTHA M. M. MINIKEN.<br /> 74 x 4%. 424 pp. Edinburgh: Morton; London:<br /> Simpkin, Marshall. 6s.<br /> <br /> STINGAREE. By HE. W, HORNUNG.<br /> Chatto &amp; Windus. 6s,<br /> <br /> THE FRIENDSHIPS OF VERONICA.<br /> 7% x 5. 296 pp. Rivers. 6s.<br /> THE PRIDE OF Mrs. BRUNELLE, By ARTHUR H. HOLMES,<br /> <br /> 74 x 5, 312 pp. Burleigh. 6s.<br /> <br /> LITERARY.<br /> <br /> Freely Expressed on certain phases of<br /> By MARIE CORELLI.<br /> <br /> x 6, 3846 pp.<br /> <br /> Te x 43. 324 pp.<br /> <br /> By THOMAS COBB.<br /> <br /> FREE OPINIONS.<br /> Modern Social Life and Conduct.<br /> 7% x 5. 353 pp. Constable. 6s.<br /> <br /> AUCASSIN AND NICOLETE. Done into English, By<br /> ANDREW LANG. 8 x 54. 91 pp. Routledge. 3s. 6d. n.<br /> <br /> MISCELLANEOUS,<br /> A HANpDBOOK of FREE STANDING GYMNASTICS. By<br /> E. ADAIR ROBERTS. 10 X 7}. 138 pp. Sherratt &amp;<br /> <br /> Hughes. 3s. 6d. n.<br /> THE STAMP FrEenp’s Kalb.<br /> 28 pen and ink sketches by the Author,<br /> <br /> 2s, 6d.<br /> <br /> By W. E. Imeson. With<br /> Horace Cox.<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 252<br /> <br /> PHILOSOPHY.<br /> THE PRINCIPLES OF Hprepiry. By G. ARCHDALL REID,<br /> ‘M.B. 9 x 53. 359pp. Chapman &amp; Hall. 12s. 6d. n.<br /> POEMS. ‘+<br /> <br /> PEACE AND OTHER Poems. By A. C. BENSON, 7<br /> <br /> x 44.<br /> Lane. 5%. n.<br /> <br /> THE DANCE OF OLIVES. By ARTHUR MAQUARIE.<br /> 63 x 4. Dent. 4s. n.<br /> POLITICAL.<br /> Russia IN REVOLUTION. By G. H. Perris. 9 x 53.<br /> 359 pp. Chapman &amp; Hall. 10s. 6d. n.<br /> REPRINTS.<br /> <br /> Kine RicHarp III. (The Red Letter Shakespeare).<br /> <br /> 6} x 38. 173 pp. Blackie. 1s. 6d, n.<br /> SPORT.<br /> <br /> FIsHING IN DERBYSHIRE AND AROUND. By W. M.<br /> GALLICHAN (Geoffrey Mortimer). 74 x 5. 184 pp.<br /> Robinson. 3s, 6d. n.<br /> <br /> THEOLOGY,<br /> <br /> St. JoHNn: The Revised Version. Edited with Notes for<br /> the Use of Schools. By the Ruv. A. CARR, M.A. 8vo.<br /> <br /> Sv. MATTHEW : The Revised Version. Edited with Notes<br /> for the Use of Schools. By the Rev. A. CARR, M.A. With<br /> three maps. Cambridge University Press. ls. 6d. n.<br /> <br /> TOPOGRAPHY.<br /> <br /> Lonpon Town. By EprIc VREDENBURG. Illustrated<br /> with 40 views in colour and black and white (photo-<br /> graphs). 9} x 7}. 29 pp. Raphael Tuck. 1s. n.<br /> <br /> A GARDEN OF EDEN: Kempton Park once upon a time.<br /> By EpirH A. BARNETT. 7$ x 5. 147 pp. Constable,<br /> 5s, 0.<br /> <br /> TRAVEL.<br /> <br /> By JOHN FosTER FRASER. 8 x 53.<br /> <br /> 6s.<br /> <br /> CANADA AS IT IS.<br /> 303 pp. Cassell.<br /> <br /> —__—_———_e—&gt;__—__—_<br /> <br /> LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL<br /> NOTES.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> \ | R. MURRAY is publishing “The British<br /> hs Trade Year Book,” edited by Mr. J. Holt<br /> <br /> Schooling. The aim of the work is to<br /> show in a thorough and lucid fashion the course<br /> of British trade in each important section, and<br /> more broadly the average yearly results during<br /> each successive decade.<br /> <br /> Mr. G. W. Forrest, O.I.E., is engaged on the<br /> Life of Field-Marshall Sir Neville Chamberlain,<br /> who was one of the “Illustrious Brotherhood of<br /> the Punjaub,” and who, at the time of the mutiny,<br /> kept a personal diary and wrote home very full<br /> and interesting letters. The work will be published<br /> by Messrs. Blackwood.<br /> <br /> Mr. Richard Bagot has now finished a new<br /> novel entitled “The Passport,” which will. be<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> eden in book form in Great Britain and the<br /> nited States in the early autumn of this year.<br /> <br /> Mr. Justin Huntley McCarthy is engaged on a<br /> novel which will be ready for publication in the<br /> autumn of this year or in the spring of 1906.<br /> <br /> “The Conflict of Owen Prytherch” is the title<br /> of a novel dealing with modern Welsh life, which<br /> Mr. Walter M. Gallichan is publishing shortly<br /> through Mr. George Morton. The story, which<br /> deals with the experiences of a Welsh Noncon-<br /> formist minister who is too “advanced” for his<br /> flock, contains a reference to the religious revival<br /> in Wales.<br /> <br /> A new novel by Sydney C. Grier will appear in<br /> The Graphic as a serial, prior to its publication in<br /> book form.<br /> <br /> A third edition of “How the Steam Engine<br /> Works,” by Randal McDonnell, has been issued at<br /> the price of 2s. 6d. Copies can be obtained from<br /> Messrs. Sealy, Bryers and Walker, and Messrs.<br /> M. H. Gill &amp; Son, of Middle Abbey Street, Dublin,<br /> and O’Connell Street, Dublin, respectively. In a<br /> preface to the work, the author states that his aim<br /> has been to give a clear and concise account of the<br /> steam engine, and one free from all unnecessary<br /> detail.<br /> <br /> “ Qccasional Verses ” is the title of a collection<br /> of poems by E. Urwick reprinted from London and<br /> provincial journals. They are mainly of a humorous<br /> character, though one referring to the death of<br /> President McKinley reveals the serious side of the<br /> writer’s art.<br /> <br /> Messrs. Longmans, Green &amp; Co. have recently<br /> published in 2 vols. a work by Dr. F. E. Hare,<br /> entitled ‘Common Humoral Factor of Disease.”<br /> The work is described as a deductive investi-<br /> gation into the primary causation, meaning,<br /> mechanism and rational treatment, preventive and<br /> curative, of the paroxysmal neuroses (migraine,<br /> asthma, epilepsy, etc.), gout, high blood pressure,<br /> circulatory, venal and other degenerations.<br /> <br /> The same publishers have also published poems<br /> by E. Nesbit, under the title of “ The Rainbow<br /> and the Rose.”<br /> <br /> Messrs. Constable’s list of forthcoming books<br /> includes “Extinct Animals,” by Prof. E. Ray<br /> Lankester. The work is the substance of a course<br /> of lectures which Prof. Lankester delivered at the<br /> Royal Institution to a juvenile audience during<br /> the Christmas season.<br /> <br /> Messrs. Methuen published last month, at the<br /> price of 2s. 6d. net, “ An English Church History<br /> for Children,” by Miss Mary E. Shipley, with a<br /> preface by the Bishop of Gloucester. |<br /> <br /> They have also published a re-issue of Mr.<br /> Baring Gould’s “Strange Survivals and Super-<br /> stitions,” at the same price. :<br /> <br /> Miss Netta Syrett’s novel, “‘ The Day’s Journey, .<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> recently published by Messrs. Chapman &amp; Hall, is<br /> a story of temperament, revealing the effect of<br /> disillusionment after marriage, and the gradual<br /> working towards reconciliation which ultimately is<br /> effected.<br /> <br /> _ We are informed that Mr. Poultney Bigelow<br /> has been appointed by the Boston University to<br /> ‘act as their delegate at the International Congress<br /> called by the King of the Belgians to discuss<br /> matters of Colonial expansion. The Congress<br /> meets on September 25th, 1905.<br /> <br /> ‘““A Child of the Shore,” which some of the<br /> papers have erroneously described as the first<br /> work of a new writer, is, in fact, by the author of<br /> the play “The Waters of Bitterness ” (produced by<br /> the Stage Society two years ago), and of “Verses<br /> for Granny,” ete. The frontispiece to the work is<br /> from a statuette of the author’s.<br /> <br /> Mr. Egerton Castle’s new book, “Rose of the<br /> World,” which was published in England early<br /> last month,has already gone through two editions<br /> in America, where it was published on April 10th.<br /> <br /> “Zelia” is the title of a story by Miss Etta<br /> Buchanan Bennett, author of “A Scottish Blue<br /> Bell.” The price is 3s. 6d., and the publishers<br /> Messrs. Jarrold &amp; Sons. It is a straightforward<br /> story of an old-fashioned kind, with a plain record<br /> of loves and hates. The scene is laid first in the<br /> Southern States of America and then in England.<br /> <br /> Mr. Anthony Hope, lecturing at the Queen’s<br /> Square Club on May 9th, compared the classic<br /> with the modern novel, and stated that what struck<br /> <br /> him most in the latter was the tendency towards .<br /> <br /> working philosophy into the story. Whilst the<br /> great writers of former days gave expression to<br /> their philosophy in explanations and asides, the<br /> modern method was to use the characters of the<br /> story in order to achieve this object. Hitherto,<br /> the main question had been what happened. In<br /> the new-style story, however, that point was of<br /> secondary importance, the real question being why<br /> did it happen ? or ought it to have happened at all ?<br /> <br /> Mrs. Craigie (‘John Oliver Hobbes”) will<br /> deliver a lecture on “Plato and Dante,” under<br /> the auspices of the Dante Society, on June 7th,<br /> at 3.30. Sir Theodore Martin, K.C.B., president<br /> of the society, will take the chair.<br /> <br /> “The Stamp Fiend’s Raid,” by W. E. Imeson,<br /> has been published by Messrs. Horace Cox at the<br /> price of 2s. 6d. The work—which contains 28 pen<br /> and ink sketches by the author—is an inoffensive<br /> skit on many of the hobbies of the day, chiefly<br /> philately. It is written on popular lines, with a<br /> view to interest equally the general reader and<br /> those collectors whose pursuits are introduced.<br /> <br /> Messrs. Blackwood have published “ Elizabeth<br /> Grey,” by E. M. Green, which is the journal of an<br /> author written in a Somerset farmhouse.<br /> <br /> 253<br /> Mr. Thomas Burleigh has recently publishe<br /> novel by Mr. Arthur H. Holmes, ander tik ne<br /> <br /> “The Pride of Mrs. Brunelle.”<br /> <br /> : Messrs. Chapman &amp; Hall have recently pub-<br /> lished, atthe price of 12s. 6d. net, Dr. G. Archdall<br /> Reid’s new work, “The Principles of Heredity.”<br /> Whilst the work ig designed to supply the want of<br /> a text-book on the subject, the author expresses<br /> the hope that it may not be found lacking in<br /> general interest to the professional biologist and<br /> general reader.<br /> <br /> Mr. John Jackson has published, through Messrs.<br /> Kegan Paul &amp; Co., a work dealing with “ Ambi-<br /> dexterity.” Specimens of ambidextral writing and<br /> drawings are given in the book, which contains an<br /> introduction by Major-General Baden-Powell. The<br /> price is 6s. net.<br /> <br /> Mrs. Katherine 8. Macquoid’s novel, “A Village<br /> Chronicle,” recently published by Messrs. Digby,<br /> Long &amp; Co., is a record of joys and sorrows,<br /> comedies and tragedies of the inhabitants in a<br /> well-cared-for English village. The volume con-<br /> tains four full-page illustrations by Forestier.<br /> <br /> Mr. Oscar Browning’s work, «“N apoleon, the<br /> First Phase,” published by Mr. John Lane, deals<br /> with the youth and upbringing of the Emperor. |<br /> <br /> “The Friendships of Veronica” is the title of<br /> Mr. Thomas Cobb’s latest. novel, published by Mr,<br /> Alston Rivers. The story, whilst not entirely<br /> political, relies for its plot on an election campaign.<br /> <br /> In her new book, entitled “ It’s a Way They have<br /> in the Army,” Lady Helen Forbes has drawn a<br /> picture of regimental social life in India, which,<br /> though not always pleasing, may provide the<br /> public with food for thought. Messrs. Duckworth<br /> &amp; Co. are the publishers.<br /> <br /> The sixth and concluding volume of Macmillan’s<br /> Madame D’Arblay’s “Diary and Letters, 1778—<br /> 1840,” will shortly be issued. It contains a lengthy<br /> postscript to Mr. Dobson’s preface in Volume [.<br /> explaining the principle of the edition. It also<br /> includes a Bibliography of the previous issues, a<br /> long Appendix on Rear-Admiral James Burney,<br /> and an Appendix on the recently published letters<br /> regarding “ Kvelina.” The volume is illustrated<br /> by photogravure portraits of Mrs. Crewe, Chateau-<br /> briand, Mme. de Staél, and Dr. Burney, and has<br /> also photographs of Madame D’Arblay’s house in<br /> Bolton Street, Piccadilly ; of Rogers’s house in<br /> St. James’s Place ; of Walcot Church, Bath, where<br /> Madame D’Arblay is buried, and of the memorial<br /> tablet to her in that church. A full general index<br /> terminates the volume.<br /> <br /> Messrs. Kegan Paul, Trench, Triibner &amp; Co.<br /> are projecting a new series, the “ Dryden Library,”<br /> in eighteen-penny cloth volumes and two shillings<br /> leather. The first issue will be a selection of fifty<br /> pieces from the “Collected Poems” of Austin<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 254<br /> <br /> Dobson, and it will include a photogravure frontis-<br /> piece reproducing a pen-and-ink drawing by the<br /> late George H. Boughton, R.A.<br /> <br /> The Rev. G. W. Allen, Vicar of St. James’s,<br /> Bradford, and author of “The Mission of Evil,”<br /> “Wonderful Words and Works” (Skeffington), is<br /> editing a new quarterly magazine, called 7&#039;he<br /> Seeker, devoted to the search for God and the<br /> true self, The magazine will deal with the deeper<br /> spiritual apprehension of religion, and will include<br /> piblical interpretation, the relation of doctrine to<br /> life, the influence of thought on health and power,<br /> and why it is that Christianity has so little effect<br /> on the world. The first number has just been<br /> issued. It contains 28 pages, which will in future<br /> numbers be increased to 32. The subscription is<br /> Qs. 6d. a year, post free. The publisher is<br /> Mr. Philip Wellby.<br /> <br /> Mr. Sydney Grundy’s play, “ Business is Business”<br /> (adapted from M. Octave Mirbeau’s “ Les Affaires<br /> sont les Affaires”), was produced at His Majesty’s<br /> Theatre on May 13th. The main character in the<br /> piece is a modern financier, whose success in<br /> business has been achieved by methods which<br /> cause him to be loathed by his children. After<br /> driving his daughter from home for having<br /> frustrated his attempt to arrange a marriage<br /> between her and the son of a poverty-stricken<br /> earl, the financier learns of the death of his son,<br /> whom he adored. This last blow shatters all<br /> his ambitions and causes him to break down<br /> completely. The caste includes Mr. Beerbohm<br /> Tree and Miss Viola Tree.<br /> <br /> Mr. Louis N. Parker’s one-act play, entitled<br /> “The Creole,” was produced on the afternoon of<br /> May 6th., at the Haymarket Theatre, in front of<br /> Capt. Marshall’s play, “ Everybody’s Secret.” Mr.<br /> Parker’s piece deals with the domestic life of<br /> Napoleon Bonaparte, and shows how an estrange-<br /> ment between Napoleon and his wife, Joséphine,<br /> was terminated through the instrumentality of the<br /> daughter. Mr. Cyril Maude appeared as Napoleon,<br /> and Miss Alice Crawford as Jos¢phine.<br /> <br /> “Daniel Dibsey.” A farcical comedy. By<br /> George Blagrove. Was produced at the Royal<br /> Albert Hall Theatre on May 1st, before a crowded<br /> audience.<br /> <br /> 9<br /> <br /> PARIS NOTES.<br /> <br /> —— 9 —<br /> <br /> HE third volume of “ 1815 : La Seconde Abdi-<br /> cation: La Terreur Blanche,” by Henry<br /> Houssaye, is one of the most interesting of<br /> <br /> recent books. The author has the great gift of<br /> knowing exactly what to omit, the art of selection.<br /> The subject he has taken is a huge one, and the<br /> amount of historical documents which must have<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> been studied for such a work must certainly have<br /> been enormous, and yet there is not a word too<br /> much in this volume. After reading it carefully<br /> from the first chapter to the last, a book of nearly<br /> six hundred pages, one has a remarkably clear idea<br /> of the period of history depicted, of the questions<br /> of the day, of the motives which actuated other<br /> European nations and of the terrible struggles, the<br /> individual ambitions and jealousies, and finally the<br /> heroic reaction of the French nation. It would be<br /> difficult to find any book giving in so few words so<br /> faithful an account of all that the whole nation<br /> endured during the period between the second<br /> abdication of Napoleon and the treaty of peace<br /> when “kings crept out again to feel the sun.”<br /> The whole story is given of Napoleon’s return to<br /> Paris after Waterloo, of the opinion in France, the<br /> intrigues of Fouché, of La Fayette’s speech to the<br /> Chamber, of Napoleon’s various messages and final<br /> abdication. ‘Then comes the departure of Napoleon<br /> to La Malmaison and the return of King Louis<br /> XVIII., the occupation of Paris by the Allied<br /> Armies and Napoleon’s decision to leave for<br /> America, the treachery of Fouché, the confidence<br /> of Napoleon in the English, and the ignoble story<br /> of the Bellerophon, St. Helena, and Hudson Lowe.<br /> The final chapters of the book are styled by the<br /> author “Crucified France.” In one part he treats<br /> of the exigencies of the Allies, and we have @<br /> picture of France occupied by the English, Prus-<br /> sians, Austrians, Russians, Dutch, Belgians,<br /> Bavarians, and Spanish, so that in fifty-eight<br /> departments the French were supplying the enemy<br /> with money and provisions. Lord Castlereagh esti-<br /> mated that this occupation cost France 1,750,000<br /> francs a day. For the English army alone the<br /> city of Paris had to provide 114,000 lbs. of bread<br /> a day, 76,000 lbs. of meat, about 30,000 pints of<br /> wine, etc. Wellington was finally indignant at the<br /> abuses of the Allies, and he wrote to Castlereagh<br /> to request that the sovereigns should be told that<br /> the oppression must cease and that the troops must<br /> not be allowed to pillage and destroy for the pure<br /> pleasure of it. Finally, after the treaty of peace<br /> was signed and the enormous indemnity agreed<br /> upon, France was in the most pitiable condition.<br /> With justifiable pride the author concludes :<br /> <br /> “ When a country can resist so many times similar ©<br /> <br /> catastrophies, when it can triumph over such @<br /> <br /> crisis, it must be that it possesses miraculous —<br /> vitality and inconceivable reserves of strength and<br /> <br /> energy. How can one have any doubts with<br /> <br /> regard to the destinies of a nation which for tea<br /> <br /> centuries has gone from one resurrection 0<br /> another resurrection ?” After reading this book<br /> <br /> one is not surprised that the author should lay<br /> down his pen with “a stronger and more ardent<br /> <br /> faith in the fortunes of France.”<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> The Napoleonic era is always a favourite period,<br /> and M. Gilbert Stenger’s series of books has had<br /> great success. The whole work is entitled<br /> “Histoire de la Société francaise pendant le<br /> Consulat.” The first volume was “ La Renaissance<br /> de la France,” the second “ Aristocrates et républi-<br /> cains ; les emigrés et les complots ; les hommes<br /> du Consulat.” The volume just recently published<br /> is entitled “ Bonaparte. Sa Famille. Le Monde et<br /> les Salons.” It is, perhaps, the most interesting<br /> of the three, and shows Napoleon in a light which<br /> will surprise many readers. The first chapter<br /> treats of his childhood, his early education and his<br /> life until the age of seventeen. We read of his<br /> studious habits, his poverty and pride, his devotion<br /> to his family, and his great ambition. We have,<br /> too, the story of Joséphine, and of her marriage<br /> with Napoleon.<br /> <br /> The next part of the book is taken up with an<br /> account of each member of the Bonaparte family,<br /> and the third part is devoted to an account of the<br /> society of that period, each chapter treating of the<br /> various sdlons, including those of Madame<br /> Récamier, Madame de Stael, Madame de Genlis,<br /> Madame de Houdetot, the Marquise deCondorcet, the<br /> Duchesse de Luynes, and the Marquise de Custine.<br /> It is a book which gives an excellent idea of the<br /> social life of the times, serving as a key to much<br /> that seems complex in modern French society.<br /> One sees the difference between the old salons and<br /> the new ones, and one learns to understand better<br /> the line of demarcation which Napoleon was so<br /> anxious to efface. There are two more volumes<br /> yet to appear before M. Stenger will have accom-<br /> plished his task.<br /> <br /> Another book by Pierre Loti, dedicated to his<br /> companions on the Redoutable, and entitled<br /> “La Troisieme Jeunesse de Madame Prune.” It<br /> was written three years ago, before the Russo-<br /> Japanese war had commenced. It describes<br /> another journey to Japan, to the city of Madame<br /> Chrysanthéme. Fifteen years in the history of<br /> most nations do not count in the same way as that<br /> period has counted in Japan. It is one long series<br /> of surprises and regrets for the poet who had<br /> formerly sung of the mystery and charm of the<br /> extreme Orient.<br /> <br /> Instead of the picturesque junks there were now<br /> boats of all kinds, such as one might see at the<br /> Havre, or at Portsmouth. Instead of the “mantle<br /> of verdure covering the rocks and giving to the<br /> bay the charm of Eden, a road bordered with<br /> manufactories and coal stores.” High up on the<br /> mountain, letters ten yards long, an American<br /> system of advertisement for some alimentary pro-<br /> duct! Fifteen years ago, the author tells us, there<br /> <br /> were no drunkards in Japan except the European<br /> At present the Japanese sailors have<br /> <br /> Sailors.<br /> <br /> 255<br /> <br /> adopted Western customs and—alcoholic beverages.<br /> The tea-rooms are dirty and smell of absinthe 5 one<br /> may enter without taking off one’s shoes, and<br /> instead of cushions to sit upon there are chairs<br /> placed around tables, and there are rows of bottles<br /> containing whisky, brandy, and pale ale.<br /> <br /> The whole book has the charm of description, the<br /> melancholy poetry peculiar to Pierre Loti, but the<br /> things described now seem to have lost much of<br /> their charm. The practical West has invaded the<br /> East and sweptaway much of the mystery and poetry.<br /> Yokohama, with its electric wires everywhere, is,<br /> we are told, like an immense spider’s web, a<br /> mascarade a faire pitieé. Everything is changed,<br /> ‘‘ Kuropeanised,” and in despair when a yellow-<br /> faced journalist with a black coat and tall hat<br /> attempts to interview Loti he escapes to his ship,<br /> ne voulant plus rien savoir de ce Japon-la. He<br /> managed to find some spots, however, which were<br /> still charming, and he lingers over these. Itisa<br /> volume of impressions, a series of word-pictures<br /> given in the style that makes all Pierre Loti’s<br /> works so fascinating.<br /> <br /> “La Beauté d’Alcias,” by Jean Bertheroy, a<br /> book which takes us away from all that is prosaic<br /> and gives us a picture of life in an antique setting.<br /> The secret of the success of this author is the way<br /> in which he can give us warmth and life in these<br /> stories of the past instead of merely cold, colourless<br /> sketches. Doris, the daughter of the perfumer,<br /> Alexandre, loves a Grecian youth named Alcias.<br /> He is an athlete and the most handsome of young<br /> men. The whole story turns on the girl’s deep<br /> love for him. After one of his great athletic<br /> victories he returns blind. The anguish of Doris<br /> is terrible, for, with her intense love of beauty, she<br /> is heart-broken that Alcias should lose his eyesight.<br /> She persuades him to allow her to take him to<br /> Epidaure and to beseech Péan, the son of Apollo, to<br /> have mercy on him. They join the procession of<br /> pilgrims and climb the holy mountain where so<br /> many miracles have been performed. The terrible<br /> part for the young girl is to feel that the grace of<br /> their gods has not touched her lover; he has no<br /> faith, and has only consented to the pilgrimage in<br /> order to please her. Her attempts to convince him<br /> are most touching. The miracle finally is accom-<br /> plished, and Alcias, while asleep in the temple, is<br /> roused by the glory of the sunrise, opens his eyes,<br /> and to the joy and amazement of himself and of<br /> Doris his sight immediately returns. The great<br /> charm of the book is its life. Such colouring and<br /> atmosphere arerarely obtained in stories of this kind.<br /> <br /> Among other new books are the following : —<br /> “Hommes nouveaux,” by G. Fanton; “ Les<br /> Revenantes,” by Champol ; “ La Grande Aventure,”<br /> by Georges Labruycre; “ Fatale Méprise,” by<br /> Henri Barande.<br /> <br /> <br /> 256 THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> “Les Derniéres Années de Chateaubriand,” by<br /> M. Edmond Biré ; “ Victor Hugo &amp; Guernsey,” by<br /> M. Paul Stapfer.<br /> <br /> “Age d’aimer,” by M. Pierre Wolff, has been<br /> a great success for Mme. Réjane at the Gymnase<br /> Theatre, and at the Thédtre Antoine; “Le<br /> Meilleur Parti,” by M. Maurice Maindron.<br /> <br /> Auys HALLARD.<br /> <br /> ——-——_—_<br /> <br /> THE DON QUIXOTE FETES IN MADRID,<br /> <br /> —_-—&lt;— +<br /> <br /> T has been worth while coming to Spain to see<br /> how the whole country has been permeated<br /> with the desire to do honour to Cervantes<br /> <br /> and his ‘*Don Quixote.” In the capital itself<br /> the tri-centenary of the publication of the great<br /> Spanish classic has been celebrated with so much<br /> enthusiasm by the chief centres of art, science,<br /> education, music, literature, the army, and the<br /> church and the stage, that could Cervantes himself<br /> have returned to the city where he died in want<br /> and neglect three hundred years ago, he would have<br /> thought it was one of those dreams of his imagina-<br /> tion which so often played him false. For the past<br /> week the Puerta del Sol has resounded with the<br /> <br /> cries of the vendors of programmes of the fétes,<br /> ~ with flaring coloured pictures of “The Knight of<br /> the Sad Countenance ” and some of his adventures ;<br /> special stamps bearing the portrait of Cervantes<br /> and the “‘ windmill scene’ of “ Don Quixote” have<br /> been issued for use in Spain for the fourteen days<br /> of the centenary celebration. ‘The fétes were pre-<br /> faced by ten lectures from the leading literary<br /> Spaniards of the day on the origin and the different<br /> aspects of ‘‘ Don Quixote” and its relation to science,<br /> politics, art, poetry, music and metaphysics. It is<br /> difficult to do justice to the flood of eloquence which<br /> emanated from the Chair of the Atheneeum on each<br /> of these occasions. The attention accorded to Sefior<br /> Navarro Ledesma, the well-known writer on Cer-<br /> vantes, was very marked, and impatient signs<br /> of displeasure met any cough or sound which<br /> threatened to impede the hearing of the sonorous<br /> voice of the speaker, which, with the regularity and<br /> rapidity of an express train, gave unintermittent<br /> expression for an hour and a half to the rush of<br /> ideas on the subject ; and every evening saw the<br /> same large attendance to the other lectures of equal<br /> celebrity. Art added her tribute to the inaugura-<br /> tion of the fétes by an exhibition in the Crystal<br /> Palace of the Park of Madrid of the pictures painted<br /> for the “Don Quixote” competition; and the<br /> Marquesa de Villahermosa celebrated the occasion<br /> <br /> by presenting the Society of Artists with a mag-<br /> nificent silver trophy. The exhibition of literary<br /> objects of interest relating to Cervantes and his<br /> works was opened by King Alfonzo and Queen<br /> Maria Christina on Saturday, the 6th of May, at the<br /> Biblioteca Nacional. As he grows to manhood,<br /> the young King’s resemblance to the well-known<br /> Velasquez portrait of his ancestor, Philip IV., is<br /> so marked that it almost seems as if he had walked<br /> out of the frame of the picture at the museum in<br /> the Prado.<br /> <br /> When the Wednesday preceding the commence-<br /> ment of the fétes brought no sign of help from<br /> my co-delegate of the Authors’ Society, who lives<br /> in Madrid, it seemed time to commence opera-<br /> tions on my own behalf. So, armed with an<br /> article which had appeared in a Spanish newspaper<br /> of that morning publishing my qualifications, I<br /> repaired to the Ministry of Public Education and<br /> the Fine Arts. There I saw the minister himself,<br /> and through his influence and that of the celebrated<br /> Spanish authoress, Sefiora Pardo Bazan, to whom<br /> the Marquis de Villobabar in London had written<br /> on my behalf, tickets soon arrived for every one of<br /> the fétes ; and as my countryman’s promise of a<br /> ticket for the function at the Royal Academy came<br /> to naught, I was glad to receive three for the same<br /> occasion. On Sunday, May 7th, military bands<br /> paraded the city from early morning, and in the<br /> <br /> afternoon the battle of flowers took place in the<br /> <br /> beautiful Boulevard of the Castellana. The bitter<br /> east wind did not prevent crowds of people filling<br /> <br /> every available space under the trees, whilst ticket- ]<br /> <br /> holders had seats in the gaily decorated boxes<br /> <br /> erected down the centre of the drive which formed —<br /> <br /> the course. ‘he Royal Pavilion, gracefully fes-<br /> <br /> tooned with flowers, was the chief seat of warfure<br /> during the afternoon, for from thence the King —<br /> launched his floral missiles with unintermittent —<br /> energy for an hour and a half; and it was here<br /> that the shouts of laughter were loudest as the —<br /> carriages filed by. Scenes from ‘Don Quixote”<br /> were, of course, the prevailing features of the festive —<br /> <br /> cars—“ The Watch of the Arms,” ‘‘ The Marriage<br /> of Camacho,” “‘ The Lepanto Prison,” being among —<br /> the most successful of the realistic representations ; —<br /> <br /> and the “Crowning of Cervantes” by a flying<br /> figure of Fate met with loud acclamations of<br /> delight.<br /> <br /> The military torchlight procession commenced<br /> at ten o’clock that night, and to give more force<br /> to the lights borne by the troops the street lamps<br /> were extinguished. The view from the War Office<br /> of the glittering bands of soldiers, passing from the<br /> Prado into the street of the Alcali, was very<br /> striking ; and the regiments formed a wide, moving<br /> line of light as they marched down the Alcalé on<br /> their way to the Royal Palace. The place of<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> honour in the procession was occupied by a white<br /> effigy of Cervantes, backed with an illuminated<br /> presentment of his book, “Don Quixote,” and<br /> topped with a large lamp of varying hues, which<br /> cast weird shadows on the rich tapestries hung<br /> from the windows of grandees’ houses on the route.<br /> <br /> Monday was the day of the state function at the<br /> Royal Academy, and that of the coronation of the<br /> Cervantes statue by the deputations and delegates<br /> _ of all the literary and educational societies inte-<br /> <br /> * rested in the centenary. It was only then that I<br /> sd heard my co-delegate had retired from action. For<br /> “ij the moment I shrank from publicly presenting the<br /> _ wreath which I had that morning purchased as the<br /> tribute of the Authors’ Society. But it seemed a<br /> pity that its glistening laurel wreaths and red, blue<br /> and white streamers, bearing the inscription in<br /> gold letters, “To Cervantes, from the Society of<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> oO<br /> ai English Authors,” should be wasted. So when the<br /> ml) time came! left my friends in the carriage, whichtook<br /> ‘g@ up its position as near as possible to the course of the<br /> procession,and tacked myselfon tosome young people.<br /> <br /> wo) = For as the Spaniards still mostly class women<br /> ,* “with children and idiots,” I thought I could thus,<br /> without exciting any resentment, meekly make my<br /> way to the statue facing the Houses of Parliament,<br /> » decked with the gorgeous canopy of state occasions,<br /> is, and the boxes filled with the Royal Family,<br /> grandees, diplomats, &amp;c., and there I deposited the<br /> tribute of the Society of English Authors. This<br /> 62 coronation of the Cervantes statue function followed<br /> of) the Royal Academy festival, when the discourse on<br /> J* “Don Quixote,” written for the occasion by Juan<br /> s¥ Valera, was read aloud by Sefior Pidal, as the author<br /> died a month ago when he had not quite finished<br /> the task to which he had been deputed by the<br /> learned society. The reading of the posthumous<br /> | pamphlet was followed by the King signing a<br /> decree for the erection of a monument to the<br /> memory of Cervantes.<br /> The Cervantes tri-centenary week was theoccasion<br /> * ‘cof a great gathering - from Catalonia, Galicia,<br /> me? Valencia, &amp;c., of the Orfeones (Societies of Orpheus),<br /> + ae and therespective bright-coloured capsofthe musical<br /> ‘mh unions and the sweet strains of their music added<br /> “b@ much to the cheerfulness of the city during the<br /> “9)&gt; fétes. But their great festival in the bull ring of<br /> ‘elf Madrid was not a great success. The vast arena,<br /> ‘which reminds one so much of pictures of the<br /> ose ancient Amphitheatre of Rome, was lighted for the<br /> / ‘| first time with electric lights, which failed to reveal<br /> | of the beauty of the decorations, as they did not act<br /> &#039; ley well, and there was such a want of organisation in<br /> of the proceedings that it was midnight before half of<br /> «| od the programme was over. However, the “ Gloriaa<br /> ‘n@@t Espafia ” and the “ Gloria d Cervantes ” were worth<br /> ‘so hearing in their perfect rendering by the well-<br /> ‘&quot;bet modulated voices of the massed choirs under their<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 257<br /> <br /> respective banners beneath the countless pennons<br /> strung from side to side of the creat cireus open to<br /> the deep blue sky ; and the King waved his cap in<br /> enthusiastic appreciation of the performance. The<br /> commemorative funeral service to Cervantes was<br /> certainly a triumph in realism. The dim-lighted<br /> church of San Jeronimo was draped with purple,<br /> and the catafalque was surmounted with the<br /> author’s books and surrounded by candles.<br /> Ministers, officers, diplomats and grandees assembled<br /> in full uniform in honour to the obsequies, and the<br /> King came in state to the service. The funeral<br /> oration was preached by the Bishop of San Luis de<br /> Potosi in Mexico, who came over especially for the<br /> occasion. a<br /> <br /> The final function of the gala performance at ~<br /> the Royal Theatre was a splendid exhibition of the<br /> gorgeous uniforms and the jewels and _toilettes<br /> which grace society in Spain; and the well-<br /> rendered scenes from “Don Quixote” of “The<br /> Watch of the Arms,” “The Convicts,” and “ The<br /> Knight of the Mirrors” were followed by an<br /> apotheosis to the great author to the music of<br /> Sefores Fernandez, Shaw and Maestro Caballero ;<br /> and the King and all the brilliant assembly were<br /> loud in their applause of this spectacular expres-<br /> sion of “Gloria to Cervantes.”<br /> <br /> Space forbids more than these notes of the “ Don<br /> Quixote” fétes this month, but I hope next time to<br /> give a short account of the glimpse I had into the<br /> literary life of Madrid, and to tell of the kindness<br /> I received from such Spanish celebrities as Silvela,<br /> Moret, Pando y Valle, Blasco Ibafiez, Palacio<br /> Valdés, &amp;c., and I must not conclude without say-<br /> ing that I was much pleased at being presented by<br /> the Minister of Instruction and the Fine Arts with<br /> the official bronze medal of the Cervantes Centenary<br /> with a kind address of appreciation.<br /> <br /> RacHEL CHALLICE.<br /> i<br /> <br /> AN AUTHOR’S RIGHT TO HIS WORK.<br /> ee<br /> <br /> (Statement of the case reprinted from the United States<br /> Publisher&#039;s Weekly.)<br /> <br /> UDGE McCALL, of the Supreme Court<br /> Special Term, handed down a decision in<br /> the suit brought by Basil Jones against<br /> <br /> the American Law Book Company, to restrain<br /> the defendants from publishing an article entitled<br /> “Army and Navy,” in the second volume of<br /> their “ Cyclopsedia of Law and Procedure,” except<br /> under the plaintiff’s name. It appears that<br /> the American Law Book Company of New York<br /> City, in order to attract attention to its cyclopedia,<br /> caused articles written by young law writers to be<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 256<br /> <br /> «Tes Derniéres Années de Chateaubriand,” by<br /> M. Edmond Biré ; “ Victor Hugo &amp; Guernsey,” by<br /> M. Paul Stapfer.<br /> <br /> “L’Age d’aimer,” by M. Pierre Wolff, has been<br /> a great success for Mme. Réjane at the Gymnase<br /> Theatre, and at the Thédtre Antoine; “ Le<br /> Meilleur Parti,’ by M. Maurice Maindron.<br /> <br /> Atys HALLARD.<br /> <br /> ———1-——_o_—_—__-<br /> <br /> THE DON QUIXOTE FETES IN MADRID.<br /> <br /> ——&gt; +<br /> <br /> T has been worth while coming to Spain to see<br /> I how the whole country has been permeated<br /> with the desire to do honour to Cervantes<br /> <br /> and his ‘‘Don Quixote.” In the capital itself<br /> the tri-centenary of the publication of the great<br /> Spanish classic has been celebrated with so much<br /> enthusiasm by the chief centres of art, science,<br /> education, music, literature, the army, and the<br /> church and the stage, that could Cervantes himself<br /> have returned to the city where he died in want<br /> and neglect three hundred years ago, he would have<br /> thought it was one of those dreams of his imagina-<br /> tion which so often played him false. For the past<br /> week the Puerta del Sol has resounded with the<br /> cries of the vendors of programmes of the fétes,<br /> * with flaring coloured pictures of “The Knight of<br /> the Sad Countenance ”’ and some of his adventures ;<br /> special stamps bearing the portrait of Cervantes<br /> and the ‘‘ windmill scene ” of “ Don Quixote” have<br /> been issued for use in Spain for the fourteen days<br /> of the centenary celebration. The fétes were pre-<br /> faced by ten lectures from the leading literary<br /> Spaniards of the day on the origin and the different<br /> aspects of ‘‘ Don Quixote” and its relation to science,<br /> politics, art, poetry, music and metaphysics. It is<br /> difficult to do justice to the flood of eloquence which<br /> emanated from the Chair of the Athenzeum on each<br /> of these occasions. The attention accorded to Sefior<br /> Navarro Ledesma, the well-known writer on Cer-<br /> vantes, was very marked, and impatient signs<br /> of displeasure met any cough or sound which<br /> threatened to impede the hearing of the sonorous<br /> voice of the speaker, which, with the regularity and<br /> rapidity of an express train, gave unintermittent<br /> expression for an hour and a half to the rush of<br /> ideas on the subject; and every evening saw the<br /> same large attendance to the other lectures of equal<br /> celebrity. Art added her tribute to the inaugura-<br /> tion of the fétes by an exhibition in the Crystal<br /> Palace of the Park of Madrid of the pictures painted<br /> for the “Don Quixote” competition; and the<br /> Marquesa de Villahermosa celebrated the occasion<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> by presenting the Society of Artists with a mag-<br /> nificent silver trophy. The exhibition of literary<br /> objects of interest relating to Cervantes and his<br /> works was opened by King Alfonzo and Queen<br /> Maria Christina on Saturday, the 6th of May, at the<br /> Biblioteca Nacional. As he grows to manhood,<br /> the young King’s resemblance to the well-known<br /> Velasquez portrait of his ancestor, Philip IV., is<br /> so marked that it almost seems as if he had walked<br /> out of the frame of the picture at the museum in<br /> the Prado.<br /> <br /> When the Wednesday preceding the commence-<br /> ment of the fétes brought no sign of help from<br /> my co-delegate of the Authors’ Society, who lives<br /> in Madrid, it seemed time to commence opera-<br /> tions on my own behalf. So, armed with an<br /> article which had appeared in a Spanish newspaper<br /> of that morning publishing my qualifications, I<br /> repaired to the Ministry of Public Education and<br /> the Fine Arts. There I saw the minister himself,<br /> and through his influence and that of the celebrated<br /> Spanish authoress, Sefiora Pardo Bazan, to whom<br /> the Marquis de Villobabar in London had written<br /> on my behalf, tickets soon arrived for every one of<br /> the fétes ; and as my countryman’s promise of a<br /> ticket for the function at the Royal Academy came<br /> to naught, I was glad to receive three for the same<br /> occasion. On Sunday, May 7th, military bands —<br /> paraded the city from early morning, and in the<br /> afternoon the battle of flowers took place in the<br /> beautiful Boulevard of the Castellana. The bitter<br /> east wind did not prevent crowds of people filling<br /> every available space under the trees, whilst ticket-<br /> holders had seats in the gaily decorated boxes<br /> erected down the centre of the drive which formed<br /> the course. The Royal Pavilion, gracefully fes-<br /> tooned with flowers, was the chief seat of warfare _<br /> during the afternoon, for from thence the King —<br /> launched his floral missiles with unintermittent<br /> energy for an hour and a half; and it was here<br /> that the shouts of langhter were loudest as the<br /> carriages filed by. Scenes from “Don Quixote”<br /> were, of course, the prevailing features of the festive<br /> cars—“ The Watch of the Arms,” “‘ The Marriage<br /> of Camacho,” ‘The Lepanto Prison,” being among<br /> the most successful of the realistic representations ;<br /> and the “Crowning of Cervantes” by a flying<br /> figure of Fate met with loud acclamations of<br /> delight.<br /> <br /> The military torchlight procession commenced<br /> at ten o’clock that night, and to give more force<br /> to the lights borne by the troops the street lamps<br /> were extinguished. he view from the War Office<br /> of the glittering bands of soldiers, passing from the:<br /> Prado into the street of the Alcald, was very<br /> striking ; and the regiments formed a wide, moving<br /> line of light as they marched down the Alcalé om<br /> their way to the Royal Palace. The place of<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> honour in the procession was occupied by a white<br /> effigy of Cervantes, backed with an illuminated<br /> presentment of his book, “Don Quixote,” and<br /> topped with a large lamp of varying hues, which<br /> cast weird shadows on the rich tapestries hung<br /> from the windows of grandees’ houses on the route.<br /> Monday was the day of the state function at the<br /> q Royal Academy, and that of the coronation of the<br /> ne) Cervantes statue by the deputations and delegates<br /> +0 of all the literary and educational societies inte-<br /> = rested in the centenary. It was only then that I<br /> 1 —sciheard my co-delegate had retired from action. For<br /> 1) the moment I shrank from publicly presenting the<br /> wreath which I had that morning purchased as the<br /> tribute of the Authors’ Society. But it seemed a<br /> pity that its glistening laurel wreaths and red, blue<br /> and white streamers, bearing the inscription in<br /> gold letters, “To Cervantes, from the Society of<br /> English Authors,” should be wasted. So when the<br /> ai time came] left my friends in the carriage, which took<br /> up its position as near as possible to the course of the<br /> procession,and tacked myselfon tosome young people.<br /> oo For as the Spaniards. still mostly class women<br /> 7 “with children and idiots,” [ thought I could thus,<br /> without exciting any resentment, meekly make my<br /> way to the statue facing the Houses of Parliament,<br /> decked with the gorgeous canopy of state occasions,<br /> _ and the boxes filled with the Royal Family,<br /> grandees, diplomats, &amp;c., and there I deposited the<br /> tribute of the Society of English Authors. This<br /> coronation of the Cervantes statue function followed<br /> the Royal Academy festival, when the discourse on<br /> “ Don Quixote,” written for the occasion by Juan<br /> Valera, was read aloud, by Sefior Pidal, as the author<br /> died a month ago when he had not quite finished<br /> the task to which he had been deputed by the<br /> learned society. The reading of the posthumous<br /> ‘185 pamphlet was followed by the King signing a<br /> woe decree for the erection of a monument to the<br /> &quot;6 memory of Cervantes.<br /> iT The Cervantes tri-centenary week was the occasion<br /> &#039; 4 of a great gathering from Catalonia, Galicia,<br /> ole” Valencia, &amp;c., of the Orfeones (Societies of Orpheus),<br /> ba and therespective bright-coloured capsof the musical<br /> ia) unions and the sweet strains of their music added<br /> ‘se much to the cheerfulness of the city during the<br /> / fétes. But their great festival in the bull ring of<br /> &#039; Madrid was not a great success. The vast arena,<br /> which reminds one so much of pictures of the<br /> S ncient Amphitheatre of Rome, was lighted for the<br /> &#039; &#039;*« first time with electric lights, which failed to reveal<br /> Jd of the beauty of the decorations, as they did not act<br /> Je. well, and there was such a want of organisation in<br /> _ 90 the proceedings that it was midnight before half of<br /> oc the programme was over. However, the “ Gloriaa<br /> Espafia ” and the “ Gloriad Cervantes ” were worth<br /> earing in their perfect rendering by the well-<br /> odulated voices of the massed choirs under their<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 1698<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 257<br /> <br /> respective banners beneath the countless pennons<br /> strung from side to side of the great circus open to<br /> the deep blue sky ; and the King waved his cap in<br /> enthusiastic appreciation of the performance. ‘The<br /> commemorative funeral service to Cervantes was<br /> certainly a triumph in realism. The dim-lighted<br /> church of San Jeronimo was draped with purple,<br /> and the catafalque was surmounted with the<br /> author’s books and surrounded by candles,<br /> Ministers, officers, diplomats and grandees assembled<br /> in full uniform in honour to the obsequies, and the<br /> King came in state to the service. The funeral<br /> oration was preached by the Bishop of San Luis de<br /> Potosi in Mexico, who came over especially for the<br /> occasion.<br /> <br /> The final function of the gala performance at<br /> the Royal Theatre was a splendid exhibition of the<br /> gorgeous uniforms and the jewels and _ toilettes<br /> which grace society in Spain; and the well-<br /> rendered scenes from “ Don Quixote” of “The<br /> Watch of the Arms,” “The Convicts,” and “ The<br /> Knight of the Mirrors” were followed by an<br /> apotheosis to the great author to the music of<br /> Sefores Fernandez, Shaw and Maestro Caballero ;<br /> and the King and all the brilliant assembly were<br /> loud in their applause of this spectacular expres-<br /> sion of “Gloria to Cervantes.”<br /> <br /> Space forbids more than these notes of the “ Don<br /> Quixote” fétes this month, but I hope next time to<br /> give a short account of the glimpse I had into the<br /> literary life of Madrid, and to tell of the kindness<br /> I received from such Spanish celebrities as Silvela,<br /> Moret, Pando y Valle, Blasco Ibafiez, Palacio<br /> Valdés, &amp;c., and I must not conclude without say-<br /> ing that I was much pleased at being presented by<br /> the Minister of Instruction and the Fine Arts with<br /> the official bronze medal of the Cervantes Centenary<br /> with a kind address of appreciation.<br /> <br /> RacHEL CHALLICE.<br /> Or<br /> <br /> AN AUTHOR’S RIGHT TO HIS WORK.<br /> a<br /> <br /> (Statement of the case reprinted from the United States<br /> Publisher&#039;s Weekly.)<br /> <br /> UDGE MoCALL, of the Supreme Court<br /> Special Term, handed down a decision in<br /> the suit brought by Basil Jones against<br /> <br /> the American Law Book Company, to restrain<br /> the defendants from publishing an article entitled<br /> “Army and Navy,” in the second volume of<br /> their “ Cyclopedia of Law and Procedure,” except<br /> under the plaintiff&#039;s name. It appears that<br /> the American Law Book Company of New York<br /> City, in order to attract attention to its cyclopadia,<br /> caused articles written by young law writers to be<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 258<br /> <br /> nominally “edited” by famous judges and jurists,<br /> and then published such articles without giving<br /> credit to the real author, but under the name of<br /> the distinguished gentleman who looked over the<br /> proofs.<br /> <br /> Judge McCall in effect holds that both usage<br /> and inherent right gave an author the right to<br /> have his literary production published under no<br /> name other than his own. The court’s opinion is<br /> as follows: “This is an action on the equity side<br /> of the court in which the relief sought is an injunc-<br /> tion against the defendant, restraining it from<br /> publishing an article entitled ‘Army and Navy,’<br /> found in yol. II. of defendant’s publication entitled<br /> ‘Cyclopedia of Law and Procedure,’ except under<br /> the plaintiffs name. The said article, it is claimed,<br /> was prepared and written by the plaintiff while<br /> under contract with the defendant to do work of<br /> this precise nature, and the grounds upon which<br /> the plaintiff asserts he is entitled to the relief<br /> prayed for are: First. That a custom or usage<br /> in the publication of law encyclopedias was a part<br /> of the contract entered into as between the parties<br /> herein, and as such gave plaintiff a contractual<br /> right to have his article published under his name.<br /> Second. That irrespective of any custom or usage,<br /> the right of an author to the public credit of his<br /> work and to the publication of his name in con-<br /> nection therewith is inherent and resides in him<br /> until waived or surrendered. It may be accepted<br /> that the right to literary property is as sacred as<br /> that of any other species of property, and as has<br /> been forcibly said : ‘The rights of authors in respect<br /> to their unpublished works have been so frequently<br /> and elaborately considered and carefully adjudi-<br /> cated by the courts of this country and England,<br /> and are now so well understood, that in considering<br /> first publications there can be no doubt. The<br /> author of a literary work or composition has by<br /> law a right to the first publication of it. He has<br /> a right to determine whether it shall be published<br /> or not, and if published, when, where, by whom and<br /> in what form.’ These rights were vouchsafed to<br /> authors at common law and statute has in nowise<br /> impaired them. What is true as general proposi-<br /> tions is not at all altered by the fact that the crea-<br /> tion of a man’s genius or mind may have developed<br /> while he was in the general employ of another.<br /> ‘For a man’s intellectual productions are peculiarly<br /> his own, and he will not be deemed to have parted<br /> with his right and transferred it to his employer<br /> unless a valid agreement to that effect is adduced’<br /> (Boucicault v. Fox, 5 Blatchford, U.S., p. 95).<br /> There is nothing in the contract before the court<br /> out of which can be spelled any such waiver, It<br /> is true that he stipulated that whatever he pro-<br /> duced should be submitted to a process of editing,<br /> but it would be a wide stretch of the imagination<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> that would work out of that proposition a sale or<br /> waiver of his rights to ownership to or credit for<br /> the results of his labour. The case is replete with<br /> evidence of a custom developed almost into usage<br /> of the right of this particular class of writers to<br /> have their productions published under their names.<br /> This defendant’s published volumes teem with such<br /> instances, and this particular author, plaintiff<br /> herein, has his first article published under his<br /> name. ‘That he wrote a letter of thanks to the<br /> representative of the publisher for so doing is<br /> rather a proof of his understanding of proprieties,<br /> and it would be absurd to treat it as an expression<br /> of any views that he was treated in any other<br /> manner than he had a perfect right to expect. Some<br /> proof has been offered that this particular article is<br /> not solely the work of the plaintiff. That may or<br /> may not be true, but to protect a person under<br /> such circumstances the law does not require thatit =<br /> should be his exclusive work. The work maybe ©.<br /> the result of the labours of one or many actingin =<br /> co-operation. Whatever may be the case, the right =<br /> is substantially the same and equally entitled to<br /> protection of the court (Z&#039;rench v. Maguire, vol. LY. ei<br /> How Pr., p. 479). Upon all the facts I believe the — pat<br /> plaintiff has made a complete case and is entitled =~ o<br /> to the relief he prays for. Decree and findingst0 ©<br /> be submitted accordingly.”<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> CoMMENTS.<br /> <br /> The case quoted has been reprinted from the<br /> United States Publisher’s Weekly. It is of com<br /> siderable interest to authors on both sides of th<br /> water; but we regret to say that the evidence<br /> out in the report of the case is meagre and unsatis<br /> factory, first, because the actual terms of the con-<br /> tract have not been printed, and, secondly, because<br /> the evidence adduced in support of the alleged<br /> custom has not been quoted. ‘The report, however<br /> if we understand it correctly, is of a decisio<br /> delivered in a court of first instance, and is pre-<br /> sumably subject to review upon appeal, in whicl<br /> case we may have the opportunity of reading<br /> further discussion of the subject.<br /> <br /> With regard to the custom, Judge McCall m<br /> have had a question of fact only to decide, and<br /> may take it that if there was evidence upon wh<br /> he could reasonably found his decision as to<br /> the court of appeal will not be able to inter<br /> with it. The judges in such a case would exp<br /> their views upon it, and possibly might hint t<br /> their finding would not be the same, but t<br /> would not disturb it. The wording of his judgm<br /> is rather peculiar. The claim of the plaintiff,<br /> he quotes it, is based upon a “ custom or usage<br /> the publication of law cyclopwdias.” If by this<br /> are to understand that law cyclopzdias stand u<br /> a different footing from that of other cyclope<br /> literature in the United States, they must be very<br /> much more numerous there than they are in this<br /> country, or it would hardly be possible to establish<br /> the existence of a custom with regard to the signing<br /> of the articles in them. In England it would be<br /> difficult to assert that a custom existed regulating<br /> the publication of law cyclopedias although customs<br /> relating to cyclopzedias generally or to the publi-<br /> cation of articles with names appended to them<br /> might conceivably be proved.<br /> <br /> Perhaps the most curious “ custom” however, if<br /> it can be called one, which the case shows, consists<br /> in the publisher employing a lawyer, learned pre-<br /> sumably but not famous, to write an article, and<br /> then having it read over and edited by a legal<br /> luminary, famous, but possibly not learned, and<br /> signed by the latter who apparently acquiesces in<br /> the arrangement. Whatever effect American<br /> cyclopedic enterprise may have had in this<br /> country, it has hardly yet, as far as we are aware,<br /> arrived at this point. We can imagine an excellent<br /> article on Marine Insurance, for example, being<br /> written by a young practitioner in the Admiralty<br /> Court, but we can hardly picture the President of<br /> the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division, or<br /> one of the gentlemen who practice within the bar<br /> before him, appending his name to it. Honesty,<br /> 9%, we hope, would not need the fear of exposure and<br /> <br /> ridicule to support it in prompting a refusal.<br /> That an editor publishing an article with a name<br /> attached to it should use the name of the true<br /> author of the work is a custom which has nothing<br /> _ Surprising about it. We could prove such a usage<br /> =) in this country, but it would not be one peculiar to<br /> | law cyclopedias. Judge McCall, by the way, talks<br /> * of “a custom almost developed into usage,” a<br /> distinction of terms which, as far as we are aware,<br /> ‘om @ is not recognised in England either in law courts<br /> 1 © or in ordinary “usage.” —<br /> “s —_-‘ Turning to the portions of the judgment which<br /> | 199 seem to deal more exclusively with the legal aspect<br /> oi) 1 of the case, the absence of information as to the<br /> “09% precise terms in which Mr. Basil Jones contracted<br /> With the American Law Book Company leaves us<br /> ‘ila little perplexed as to what the finding really is.<br /> 200 Does it amount to this, that the author, even if he<br /> #/@ sells his copyright, has the absolute right to have<br /> | his name appended to his article whether the editor<br /> ishes it or not. Apparently Judge McCall so<br /> olds, on the strength of the custom which he<br /> nds to exist, so that if the editor wished to publish<br /> cyclopzedia entirely composed of unsigned articles,<br /> € could not do so without the consent of all their<br /> authors. This goes along way beyond the right<br /> of the author to have no other name but his own<br /> am employed.<br /> i With regard to the use of another name than<br /> hat of the author, should such a case arise in<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 259<br /> <br /> England, we have little doubt that the remedy<br /> could be found. Such a deception would be a<br /> fraud upon the public; it might be a source of<br /> damage to the real author, and it might be a source<br /> of damage to the author whose name was used. It<br /> certainly would give rise to so much scandal that<br /> no publisher could afford to risk the possible<br /> discredit and loss attaching to methods such as<br /> those described, and no self-respecting editor would<br /> condescend to such an artifice in order to attain<br /> the doubtless desirable use of a well-known name<br /> for advertising purposes. The feelings of the well-<br /> known personage, whether lawyer or not, who<br /> discovered that his editing of an article entailed his<br /> being made known to the world as its author<br /> would probably in the first instance be expressed in<br /> private, but in plain terms, to the editor. What<br /> his feelings would be when he learnt that the<br /> transaction was coming into court for review (in<br /> the case of a lawyer) before his brother lawyers<br /> we can hardly imagine, but certainly the publisher<br /> and editor of the cyclopedia would get but scant<br /> support from the scandalised celebrity.<br /> <br /> Many legal writers receive considerable assistance<br /> from friends, generally junior to themselves collabo-<br /> rating withthem. This, however, is quite a different<br /> matter, and in legal text books, as in medical and<br /> other professional works, whatever indebtedness<br /> there may be to others is always frankly and<br /> cordially acknowledged in the preface or otherwise.<br /> In conclusion we would warmly congratulate Mr.<br /> <br /> 3asil Jones upon his success, and recommend the<br /> study of the case to the readers of the American<br /> Law Book Company’s publications.<br /> <br /> i 9<br /> <br /> LITERARY AGENTS,<br /> <br /> —t-——+- —-<br /> <br /> N opinion often expressed, but only in part<br /> true, is that a literary agent is invaluable<br /> to the man who has made his name, but of<br /> <br /> very little use to the beginner. Now, asa beginner<br /> —one of some years standing, yet still a beginner<br /> so far as the English Press is concerned—I am<br /> convinced that a literary agent of the proper sort<br /> would be of immense assistance both to the writer<br /> and to editors. ‘There are many men and women,<br /> whose duties take them to the uttermost parts of<br /> the world, who, if they keep their eyes and ears<br /> open and possess some little skill in the scribbler’s<br /> craft, could furnish matter which editors would be<br /> glad to take. They are, however, prevented from<br /> disposing of their literary wares by their ignorance<br /> of the proper market. :<br /> The writer who lives in England may acquire,<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 260<br /> <br /> by the judicious expendittire of a few pence weekly<br /> at the railway bookstall, a wide and very thorough<br /> knowledge of the style of work required by the<br /> various monthly and weekly periodicals ; but those<br /> whose lives are spent in distant lands may have<br /> never heard of the papers most anxious to get the<br /> very thing which they are able to produce.<br /> <br /> Time and money are other and vital considera-<br /> tions. A man in China or Peru may write an<br /> article on some topic which is of pressing interest<br /> at the moment, but if it has to travel to and fro—<br /> when each journey means a month’s delay—until<br /> it has found its proper goal, the opportunity will<br /> have passed and the article be valueless.<br /> <br /> Now what is required by such a man is an agent<br /> who is an expert in the requirements of the monthly<br /> and weekly Press, and who for a matter of a couple<br /> of shillings, to cover postage, etc., would dispose of<br /> short stories and articles short and long, reserving<br /> to himself the right to return such as he considers<br /> unsaleable (but making no charge beyond actual<br /> expenses for doing so), and making his profit out<br /> of a percentage on all money received by him from<br /> publishers. There may be such agents, but one<br /> does not hear much about them, and the little one<br /> does sometimes hear is not, to their credit. Yet it<br /> appears to me that such a business could be run<br /> honestly and yet profitably.<br /> <br /> Some years ago, at the close of a short visit to<br /> England and before returning to my duties many<br /> thousand miles away, I applied to several literary<br /> agents whose advertisements I had noticed in<br /> various literary papers, for I had a small collection<br /> of articles and stories which I had written in exile,<br /> and I hoped by disposing of them to add materially<br /> to an utterly inadequate income. One firm replied<br /> that they did not undertake small matter of that<br /> description as it was not sufficiently profitable :<br /> another offered to buy outright any they approved<br /> of at one pound a thousand words, which, if my<br /> work was good, meant that they would give one-<br /> half of what it was worth, besides which I should<br /> never be able to discover my real value in the<br /> literary market. A third firm offered to try and<br /> <br /> dispose of my work for a payment in advance of<br /> five pounds for every half-dozen articles or stories,<br /> taking no percentage on receipts. This plan<br /> appeared to me to offer them no inducement to<br /> dispose of my work. Finally I left England<br /> without having effected anything and disposed of<br /> my manuscripts to papers abroad.<br /> <br /> The ideal agent for the beginner would be one<br /> who would make his profit by taking a percentage<br /> on sums received. He would have classified and<br /> tabulated the monthly and weekly — periodicals<br /> somewhat in this manner. The two main classes<br /> would be “illustrated” and “ unillustrated,” and<br /> these would be subdivided into sections according<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> to the class of work they require: topical, personal,.<br /> anecdotal, religious, philosophical, scientific, and:<br /> soon. Further sub-divisions as to style might be<br /> necessary, such as short and crisp, solid, humorous,<br /> literary, etc. The names of the papers would<br /> appear under the class-heads, and a paper might<br /> appear under various classes. The heads of the<br /> firm could decide in a few minutes, by skimming<br /> through the article, which class or classes it would<br /> suit, and they would mark it accordingly, say,<br /> ‘1 B. 3,” which might mean “ Not illustrated—<br /> personal—humorous.”” A clerk could then send it<br /> the round of the papers classed under that head.<br /> A quick reader could class from fifty to sixty<br /> manuscripts a day averaging two thousand words.<br /> and worth anything from fifty to a hundred and<br /> fifty pounds.<br /> <br /> Such an agency would supply “a_ long-felt<br /> want,” and if some firm of undoubted integrity<br /> were to take up such business there can be little-<br /> doubt that they would find it immensely profitable:<br /> once they became known.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “sige range RE<br /> <br /> Henry FRANCIS.<br /> <br /> a<br /> <br /> AUTHORS AND INCOME TAX.<br /> <br /> += ——<br /> <br /> N one of the past issues of Zhe Author there =<br /> appeared an article under the above heading, —_ 1!<br /> containing a case put before counsel for his =<br /> <br /> opinion by the Committee of Management of the =<br /> Society (summarised in the five questions with, —<br /> which it concluded) and counsel’s opinion on the<br /> case, with a reference to the Act under which income<br /> tax is levied, and his answers to those questions. —<br /> <br /> It is not here the intention to dispute the<br /> correctness of counsel’s opinion, but, assuming that,.<br /> to show the absurdity and insufficiency of the law<br /> in so far as it relates to the levying of income tax.<br /> on payments made for literary work, to show what<br /> should be the underlying principle which would<br /> place the question whether any such. payment<br /> should be regarded as capital or income beyond all.<br /> doubt, and finally, to suggest that there be intro-<br /> duced into any new Copyright Act a definition 0<br /> what constitutes capital and what income<br /> payments made for literary. work.<br /> <br /> ‘According to counsel, all payments, whether fo<br /> copyright or “minor” rights, are to be treated 1<br /> exactly the same way; they are all to be lumped<br /> together as income from which the expens<br /> incurred for the earning thereof are to be deducted<br /> in calculating the amount.on which income tax 1<br /> payable. Under “minor” rights. are specifie<br /> serial rights, rights of translation, right. of drama:<br /> tisation, There is “etc.” added, but it is difficult<br /> to conceive what. rights.are.included thereunder. —<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Taking this as correct, then, the Government<br /> regards all payments for literary work, whether for<br /> copyright, serial rights, rights of translation or<br /> right of dramatisation in one light ; it is all income:<br /> thence it follows that, from the Government point<br /> of view, there is no such thing as capital in pay-<br /> ment for literary work.<br /> <br /> Now, no one, I think, will dispute that the value<br /> of a land freehold is capital. A freehold is a<br /> property from which income can be derived from<br /> leasing or hiring it out, from letting someone else<br /> have the use of it to enjoy or to derive a profit<br /> from. Now a literary work, a musical work, a<br /> sculpture, a picture, an invention, or any other<br /> work of the imagination ig really an intellectual<br /> d freehold; and that it is this is acknowledged by the<br /> <br /> } copyright or patent granted for it as a matter of<br /> justice. Every such work is a portion of the<br /> domain of the intellect reclaimed for mankind,<br /> and, as such, the universal freehold of the person<br /> acquiring it (rightly of limited duration). That<br /> being the case, it follows that payments for the<br /> copyright of literary works are really payments<br /> made for the purchase of freeholds, of properties<br /> from which profit is expected to be derived from<br /> if letting others have the enjoyment of their contents;<br /> ij thus, then, the value of an intellectual freehold, a<br /> © _ Copyright, is capital as much as is the value of<br /> .@ a land freehold.<br /> <br /> A literary work being an intellectual product,<br /> and not immoveable like land, is the author’s<br /> freehold for the whole surface of the earth ; his<br /> one creation is capable of being dressed in the<br /> garb of every nation into which the inhabitants of<br /> the earth divide themselves ; but it is still one<br /> and the same production, in whatever national<br /> garb, #.¢., language, it may be clothed. Therefore,<br /> then, an author has, in justice, as many copyrights<br /> as there are nationalities. From this it follows<br /> that when he sells a right of translation into any<br /> language he sells the freehold in one of the other<br /> countries than the native one; he sells a copyright<br /> which exists because mankind is divided into<br /> different nationalities ; and, as he sells a copyright<br /> <br /> + when selling a right of translation, any payment<br /> 1) for a right of translation is also capital.<br /> <br /> A literary production, besides being capable of<br /> changing its dress, is also capable of altering its<br /> 6) form without altering its essence; it may be<br /> “ist transformed from some other form into a drama,<br /> o &amp; or froma drama into some other form. In whatever<br /> <br /> ‘ig form the work may originally exist, the right of<br /> “oe% transforming his own production is as much the<br /> ilat right of the originator of the work as is that to it<br /> © in its original form ; and, when a literary work is<br /> transformed, it is not the original work that is<br /> »iialtered on the original site, as would be the case if<br /> “7 e8the work were standing on the earth, but the old<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> 261<br /> <br /> form is left existing and the new one created<br /> without interfering with it. A new portion of<br /> Intellectual domain is reclaimed—a new copyright<br /> is created. The right of dramatisation, or vice versa,<br /> is thus the right to a freehold or copyright, a right<br /> from which a profit can be made in an entirely<br /> different way from the original form of the<br /> work. The right of dramatisation is, in justice,<br /> as extensive as the copyright of the work in its<br /> original form; it is universal, and carries with it<br /> the right of translating the drama into every<br /> language. When, therefore, a writer sells the<br /> right of dramatisation he sells the right to create<br /> a copyright in a new form of hig work, and, that<br /> being so, what is paid for the right of dramatisa-<br /> tion is also capital.<br /> <br /> When a writer sells serial rights, whether for one<br /> country, one language, or more, he sells the right<br /> to use his property in a specific manner or for a.<br /> specific period. When that purpose has been<br /> carried out, or when that time has elapsed, he has<br /> made a profit from having thus sold a limited use<br /> of his property, but the freehold or copyright is<br /> still his to sell. Having, thus, still in his own<br /> possession the copyright, by utilising which only<br /> can a profit be made, what he receives for the use<br /> of his copyright in the form of serial rights in one<br /> or more languages or countries is income and not<br /> capital.<br /> <br /> Tncome tax is a tax upon one’s income, As it is<br /> levied yearly, the inference is that it is a tax upon<br /> the income obtained during the year for which it<br /> is levied. But whether it is go or not, that is what<br /> it should be, as it is called income tax and is levied<br /> yearly ; and, therefore, the income obtained during<br /> any one year should not be taken into consideration<br /> in any other year when the assessment for income<br /> tax is being made, because one’s income may in-<br /> crease or decrease, and an annual income tax can<br /> take notice only of the income of the year for which<br /> it is levied. The object of an income tax is to be a<br /> tax proportional to one’s income, to take cognisance<br /> of any increase or decrease therein, so that it may<br /> remain proportional, and, therefore, to calculate<br /> an annual income tax on a three-year or any other<br /> than an annual basis, is not only to depart from<br /> the very purpose for which an income taxis levied,<br /> but also to make the term a misnomer and what is<br /> done under it an act of injustice.<br /> <br /> In accordance with what is stated above, the<br /> questions propounded to counsel should, then, be<br /> answered as follows :— :<br /> <br /> (1) The sum received by an author in respect of<br /> a work of which he retains the copyright should,<br /> in all cases, be considered as income.<br /> <br /> (2) The sum received on the sale of a copyright<br /> is always to be considered as capital. “A lump<br /> payment for such minor [?] rights as serial use,<br /> 262<br /> <br /> right of translation, dramatisation ”” is income to<br /> the extent of that portion of it which is paid for<br /> serial rights, whether for one country or the whole<br /> world ; the balance, being that portion paid for the<br /> right of translation and or of dramatisation, is<br /> capital, whether the former includes the right of<br /> translation into one language or into more ; the<br /> right of dramatisation carries with it the right<br /> of translating the drama throughout the world.<br /> <br /> (3) It can make no difference in an author’s<br /> liability to pay income tax in what manner payment<br /> is received for the copyright, a right of translation,<br /> or the right of dramatisation, whether “ (a) by a<br /> lump sum in full discharge ; (6) by a share of the<br /> profits ; (c) by a royalty ; (d) by a sum in advance<br /> of royalty”; because payment for all these rights is<br /> capital. With regard to payment “(e) by a lump<br /> sum on sale of serial use to a magazine, periodical,<br /> or paper,” it must be divided, as stated above,<br /> into payment for serial use, which is income, and<br /> payment for any other right or rights, which is<br /> capital, income tax being leviable only on the former.<br /> <br /> (4) An author has (in justice) the right to<br /> make deductions for expenses incurred in his<br /> literary work “ (a) directly, as railway journeys,<br /> purchase of books, purchase of photographs,<br /> stationery, typewriting, etc.; (4) indirectly, for<br /> rental of portion of his house as office.”<br /> <br /> (5) The amount received in any one year by an<br /> author for his literary work has no right to be<br /> calculated on a three-year basis when the assess-<br /> ment for income tax is being made. The income<br /> tax, being levied yearly, is a tax upon the income<br /> obtained during each one year, and, therefore, each<br /> year’s income is quite independent, the object of<br /> an income tax being the levying of a tax propor-<br /> tional to the income.<br /> <br /> Husert Hazs.<br /> <br /> —_—_———_-—&gt;——__—_<br /> <br /> A NEW MARKET FOR ENGLISH BOOKS<br /> AND PUBLICATIONS.<br /> <br /> ee oot ee<br /> <br /> HE introduction of a postal order service<br /> <br /> between Russia and England opens a new<br /> <br /> and a great market for the output of English<br /> literature.<br /> <br /> Till last October it was impossible to send small<br /> amounts of money from Russia to England; thus<br /> the Tsar’s subjects were obliged to buy books from<br /> local booksellers only. ‘There was scant attention<br /> paid to the wants of customers, and the vendor<br /> had no catalogues of English publications ; the only<br /> catalogues obtainable were published by German<br /> booksellers, such as Messrs. Brockhaus &amp; Co., of<br /> London and Leipzig.<br /> <br /> Notwithstanding the slight difference in value<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> between a shilling and a German mark—the mark<br /> being counted at 50 kopecks (real value 46), and<br /> the shilling at 60 kopecks (real value 47)—the six-<br /> shilling book was usually sold at 7s. 114d., and it<br /> was necessary for the customer to wait a month to<br /> obtain his book or to pay an additional 2s. for<br /> postage. As for cheap editions, their existence was<br /> unknown to the general public on this account.<br /> English books being difficult and costly to buy,<br /> the Tauchnitz edition of English authors was<br /> generally sought for, unless the purchasers could<br /> afford to pay the higher price. For this reason”<br /> the sale was small. The introduction of the<br /> postal order system between Russia and the<br /> United States has brought American literature on<br /> the market, and such publications as Success,<br /> Frank Leslie’s Monthly, Harper&#039;s Weekly, Every-<br /> body’s, and scores of other magazines may be<br /> found everywhere, subscribed for directly by<br /> the public through various American agencies.<br /> But still much time is lost in transit, and all<br /> advertisers are not honest. Some people have<br /> given orders to unprincipled -traders, or there has<br /> been a difficulty where the Post Office has altered<br /> the name in the Postal Order Exchange Office, and<br /> after payment was made no books or magazines<br /> were sent to the purchaser. ‘This naturally<br /> deterred many from giving orders.<br /> <br /> The Polish and Russian booksellers publish<br /> regularly a list of various English magazines,<br /> <br /> which, notwithstanding the fact that it is issued<br /> <br /> from rival houses, is practically the same list. :<br /> The selection seems to have been compiled by<br /> Messrs. George Routledge or their “ Literary Year-<br /> <br /> Book” editor, and how fanciful is the arrangement |<br /> <br /> of prices the following extract will show :—<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Annual Subscription,<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Roubles. £<br /> 6d. Weeklies—<br /> Black and White... ee Oe 2<br /> Country Life on ut 2e 2<br /> Graphic eee oe a. | 20 2<br /> Queen... en os ve) 2<br /> 1d, Weeklies—<br /> Golden Penny 6°50 0<br /> Tit-bits As ee 6°20 O41<br /> Penny Illustrated ... eee 5:50 0<br /> Good Wordsand Leisure Hour 6:0 0<br /> <br /> 6d. Magazines—<br /> <br /> Cassell’s Family | 10°50 1<br /> <br /> Family Herald Bee ae 90 0<br /> <br /> Pearson’s Mag. ne 6°40 0<br /> <br /> Windsor Mag. ve ee 50 0<br /> 1s, Magazines—<br /> <br /> Cornhill a a 9°75 1<br /> <br /> Macmillan ... ae oe 9-0 0<br /> 2s. 6d. Reviews and Mags.—<br /> <br /> Blackwood ... &lt;e aed pee 2<br /> <br /> Fortnightly ... tae ot ee 2<br /> <br /> Nineteenth Century eal 48 2<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> It is only natural that most people will prefer to<br /> pay to Grumiau, Hanson, or any other American<br /> agency, 15s. for Country Life than to a Warsaw or<br /> St. Petersburg bookseller £2 12s. 1d., or for<br /> Pearson’s Magazine 7s. 6d. instead of 19s. 64d. ;<br /> and to have the right to buy the best American<br /> dollar-and-a-half book post free for 2s. 6/., rather<br /> than to give a local bookseller for the same book<br /> 8s. to 10s.<br /> <br /> There are few people in Poland or Russia who<br /> can speak English, bus many can read English and<br /> understand what they read, and they will seize<br /> very gladly an opportunity of buying English<br /> books and publications at a reasonable price if<br /> they can be sure of receiving them quickly and in<br /> proper order,<br /> <br /> At present publications and books are ordered<br /> from London in the following manner :—The<br /> Polish or Russian bookseller sends the order to his<br /> agent in Leipzig ; he, through Messrs. Brockhaus<br /> or any other German house, sends it to London,<br /> whence, once a week, the parcel is sent to Leipzig ;<br /> but previous to this all the advertisements are<br /> torn out by the Germans to save the weight.<br /> From Leipzig the agent sends the publications to<br /> the bookseller, who receives them at the censor’s<br /> office and then posts them to the customer, who<br /> thus receives a copy which has already been spoiled<br /> by German hands. Should he protest against<br /> this destruction of his property, he is told that it<br /> was torn at the censor’s office, but this is untrue.<br /> Most of the magazines which the censor knows do<br /> not contain articles on Russia or of a socialistic or<br /> immoral description he will pass without look-<br /> ing at. Some years ago a novel by Mr. Max<br /> Pemberton, I think in the Pearson or some such<br /> magazine, treating of Nihilists, passed the censor’s<br /> office, as he did not suspect the magazine would<br /> publish a tale dealing with such matters.<br /> <br /> Of course, The Clarion, Free Russia, J ustice, can<br /> under no circumstances pass the censor’s office,<br /> and various reviews may often be cut in half by<br /> his scissors. Books of the type of “The Woman<br /> who Did ” have not always passed under his favour-<br /> able criticism, but there are thousands of books<br /> with which the censor would not interfere.<br /> <br /> Now, then, is the opportunity for the introduc-<br /> tion of English literature. The literature of France<br /> has an enormous sale, not only in book-form, but<br /> also as periodicals. It is mostly directly sub-<br /> scribed for by customers from Paris, notwithstand-<br /> ing the fact that the French books and publications<br /> are everywhere on sale, and the price is reasonable,<br /> owing tothe competition of a few French booksellers<br /> who in Warsaw, St. Petersburg, and other towns,<br /> opened shops, and have cut down the price of books.<br /> <br /> It only remains to state what kind of books are<br /> likely to command a sale.<br /> <br /> 263<br /> <br /> First, owing to the large number of English<br /> governesses who live not only in Warsaw, but<br /> everywhere in the provinces, all kinds of children’s<br /> books and publications for the young people of<br /> both sexes will meet with a ready sale ; secondly,<br /> novels and magazines, especially cheap novels ;<br /> then illustrated high-class papers. There is no<br /> restaurant or café where you will not find Black<br /> and White, the Graphic, or the Illustrated London<br /> News, which, with the Cornhill Magazine and Family<br /> Herald, are now universally popular. These five<br /> publications most probably have a larger sale in<br /> Russia than all other publications put together,<br /> even including the Review of Reviews.<br /> <br /> It would be difficult to start an English book-<br /> seller’s shop in St. Petersburg or Warsaw, but if a<br /> reliable English bookseller would take the trouble to<br /> publish a catalogue of well-selected publications and<br /> a catalogue of cheap English half-crown and six-<br /> penny books, even including in the catalogue<br /> scientific or literary books at an expensive figure,<br /> and would advertise the list in a few Russian and<br /> Polish papers, as Novy Mir, Kraj, Petersburgskye<br /> Vedomosty, in St. Petersburg, and Kurjer Warszaw-<br /> ski, Slowo, Gazeta Polska, Tygodnik Llustrowany,<br /> in Warsaw, in a few weeks he would see a splendid<br /> result from his advertisement. Customers would<br /> come in large numbers, and notwithstanding that<br /> the local booksellers would expect to improve their<br /> own trade, he would make a profitable and ever-<br /> increasing business.<br /> <br /> Many French publishers spend a good deal of<br /> money in advertisements in Russia every December,<br /> and certainly they reap great profits thereby. Now<br /> it is a question whether the English booksellers<br /> will seize the opportunity or will leave it to the<br /> Americans. Before the introduction of the postal<br /> order system there was no practical use in<br /> advertising, but now the whole position is<br /> altered.<br /> <br /> If English publishers were only to send their<br /> catalogues regularly to the principal newspapers<br /> and booksellers, or even their publications on<br /> commission or approval, as the Germans do to<br /> booksellers of standing and repute like Gebethner<br /> and Wolf, Wende &amp; Co., J. Fisher, M. Borkowski,<br /> and I. Hoesick, in Warsaw, or N. Kimmel in<br /> Riga, and M. O. Wolf, Ltd., in St. Petersburg, it<br /> would help to a certain extent to push forward the<br /> sale of books and publications ; but advertisements<br /> in local papers are more likely to serve the<br /> purpose, even though the booksellers, a very<br /> conservative class, seeing business escaping from<br /> their hands, would also try to push their sales for-<br /> ward. Austrian or German Poland has no market<br /> for French or English books. Few people know<br /> English or French, and English governesses are<br /> scarce. The introduction of cheap English books<br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> 264<br /> <br /> on the market would prevent their being adapted,<br /> translated into Polish or Russian, and pirated, as<br /> is now so often the case.<br /> <br /> “ ALMAR.”<br /> <br /> ——_—_—__+—&gt;—_+-—___—__<br /> <br /> FOREIGN PRESS-CUTTING AGENCIES.<br /> <br /> — +<br /> <br /> USTRIA-HUNGARY. Vienna, Observer,<br /> Concordiaplaz.<br /> Bupaprst.—Fygielo, 8, Nyar Ut.<br /> <br /> BreLGrum.—Bruxelles, European Press, 3, Place<br /> Royale.<br /> <br /> DENMARK.—Copenhagen, On Dit, Hobrogade, 13.<br /> <br /> Francr.—Paris, Le Courrier de la Presse, 21,<br /> Boulevard, Montmartre.<br /> <br /> GrerMANy.—Berlin, Berliner Litterarische<br /> Bureau, 127, Wilhelmstrasse, 8.W., 48.<br /> <br /> Hoiuanp.—Amsterdam, Handels<br /> Bureau Marcurius, Steenmeyer et Cie.<br /> <br /> Iraty.—Milano, Eco della Stampa.<br /> <br /> Mex1co.— Mexico, Camacho David, 8, Apartado<br /> postal, 37.<br /> <br /> Norway.—Christiania, Norske Argus, 21, Pruss-<br /> engade.<br /> <br /> Russta.—St. Petersburg, Université Populaire,<br /> 17, Nadezhdinskaja.<br /> <br /> Sparn.—Madrid, Prensa de Madrid, 28, Calle de<br /> Serrano.<br /> <br /> Swepen.—Stockholm, Argus, Mille. A. L.<br /> Andreson Observator, 5, Hamngaten.<br /> <br /> SwITzERLAND.—Geneva, Agence de coupures de<br /> journeaux, case Stand 57, and Argus Suisse de la<br /> Presse, Rue de Mont Blanc.<br /> <br /> Unrrep States.—New York, American Press<br /> Information Bureau, World Building, 61, Park Row.<br /> <br /> Informatie<br /> <br /> ———__+—_+____—_-<br /> <br /> MAGAZINE CONTENTS.<br /> <br /> + —<br /> <br /> BOOKMAN.<br /> <br /> Frederick von Schiller. By Elizabeth Lee.<br /> More Wampum. By Y. Y.<br /> <br /> Book MONTHLY.<br /> <br /> “To Be Continued,” or The Gentle Art and Craft of<br /> Writing Serial Stories. By Ernest Treeton.<br /> <br /> CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL.<br /> <br /> Social Pioneers of Science. By T. H. 8. Escott.<br /> A Journey with Sir Walter Scott in 1815. By A. Francis<br /> Steuart.<br /> CONTEMPORARY REVIEW.<br /> <br /> Hans Christian Andersen. By George Brandes.<br /> Has the Clock Stopped in Bible Criticism. By the Rev.<br /> Canon Cheyne.<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> The New Trend of Russian Thought. By the Count<br /> S. C. de Soissons. .<br /> <br /> Church Reform in Russia: Witte versus Pabedonosteff.<br /> By Laicus.<br /> <br /> The Scientists and Common Sense. By Professor E,<br /> Armitage.<br /> <br /> The Interpretation of Nature. By Professor C. Lloyd<br /> Morgan.<br /> <br /> FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW.<br /> <br /> The Real Chrysanthemum. By Ethel M. M. McKenna,<br /> <br /> The Calling of the Actor. By H. B. Irving.<br /> <br /> A Valuation of Mr. Stephen Phillips.<br /> Wodehouse.<br /> <br /> Journalism New and Old. By Edward Dicey, C.B.<br /> <br /> By E. A,<br /> <br /> Dramatic Thoughts —Retrospective—Anticipative. By<br /> <br /> Sir Squire Bancroft.<br /> <br /> A Causerie on Current Continental Literature. By<br /> S. W.<br /> <br /> The Irish University Question. By Stephen Gwynn.<br /> <br /> INDEPENDENT REVIEW.<br /> <br /> The So-called Science of Sociology. By H. G. Wells.<br /> <br /> The State and Secondary Education. By T. J. Mac-<br /> namara.<br /> <br /> “ Mere Technique”: An Answer by Simon Bussy.<br /> <br /> The Optimism of Browning and Meredith. By A. C,<br /> Pigou.<br /> <br /> Mr. Henry James and His Public. By Desmond<br /> MacCarthy.<br /> <br /> LONGMAN’S MAGAZINE.<br /> <br /> Sydney Smith. By the Rev. Canon Vaughan,<br /> The Demeter of Cnidos. By St. John Lucas.<br /> <br /> MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE,<br /> <br /> Western Influence on Japanese Character,<br /> Moyna.<br /> <br /> The Quest of the Dactyl.<br /> <br /> The Fellow Workers of Voltaire : I1I.—Galiani. By<br /> 8, J. Tallentyre.<br /> <br /> By E. G. T.<br /> <br /> MONTHLY REVIEW.<br /> <br /> Music as a Factor in Everyday Life.<br /> Somervell.<br /> Walter Savage Landor. By Walter Sichell<br /> <br /> NINETEENTH CENTURY.<br /> <br /> The After Dinner Oratory of America.<br /> Crilly.<br /> <br /> What is the Raison D’Etre of Pictures. By H. Heath-<br /> cote Statham.<br /> <br /> Some Noticeable Books. By Walter Frewen Lord.<br /> <br /> Church and State in France. By Comte de Castellane.<br /> <br /> By Daniel<br /> <br /> PALL MALL MAGAZINE<br /> <br /> Real Conversations Recorded. By William Archer!<br /> J. Churton Collins.<br /> <br /> TEMPLE BAR.<br /> <br /> Nine Letters from Edward Fitzgerald to Mrs. Kemble.<br /> A God-Daughter of Warren Hastings.<br /> <br /> Grier.<br /> UNIVERSITY REVIEW.<br /> <br /> The University Movement: Introductory Note.<br /> Right Hon. James Bryce. |<br /> Shakespeare and Stoicism. By Professor Sonneschien.<br /> <br /> There are no articles dealing with literary, dramatic oF<br /> <br /> musical subjects in the Cornhill Magazine or The World&#039;s<br /> Work.<br /> <br /> By the<br /> <br /> &lt;&lt;<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> By Arthur<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> By Sydney G. —<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS<br /> OF BOOKS.<br /> <br /> oe<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. Selling it Outright.<br /> <br /> This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be<br /> obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a<br /> competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of<br /> the Society.<br /> <br /> II. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of<br /> agreement).<br /> <br /> In this case the following rules should be attended to:<br /> <br /> (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro-<br /> duction forms a part without the strictest investigation.<br /> <br /> (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the<br /> profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements<br /> in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise-<br /> ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements.<br /> <br /> (3.) Not to allow a special charge for ‘office expenses,”<br /> unless the same allowance is made to the author,<br /> <br /> (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental<br /> rights.<br /> <br /> (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights.<br /> <br /> (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher.<br /> As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or<br /> doctor !<br /> <br /> III. The Royalty System.<br /> <br /> This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form<br /> of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know<br /> what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now<br /> possible for an author to ascertain approximately the<br /> truth. From time to time very important figures connected<br /> with royalties are published in Zhe Author.<br /> <br /> IY. A Commission Agreement.<br /> <br /> The main points are :—<br /> <br /> (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production.<br /> (2.) Keep control of the advertisements.<br /> <br /> (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book.<br /> <br /> General.<br /> <br /> All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four<br /> above mentioned.<br /> <br /> Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author,<br /> <br /> Never sign any agreement without competent advice from<br /> the Secretary of the Society.<br /> <br /> Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp.<br /> <br /> Avoid agreements by letter if possible.<br /> <br /> The main points which the Society has always demanded<br /> from the outset are :—<br /> <br /> C1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement<br /> means.<br /> <br /> (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong<br /> to the author. We are advised that this.is a right, in the<br /> nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or<br /> withheld.<br /> <br /> (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright.<br /> <br /> —___+—_+—&lt;&gt;—e —___—_<br /> WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS.<br /> <br /> ge<br /> N | EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the<br /> Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com-<br /> petent legal authority.<br /> 2. {t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for<br /> the production of a play with anyone except an established<br /> manager.<br /> <br /> 265<br /> <br /> ; 3. There are three forms of dramatic contr:<br /> in three or more acts :—<br /> <br /> (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This<br /> IS unsatisfactory. An author who enters into<br /> such a contract should stipulate in the contract<br /> for production of the piece by a certain date<br /> and for proper publication of his name on the<br /> play-bills.<br /> <br /> ().) Sale of performing right or of a licence to<br /> perform on the basis of percentages on<br /> gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5<br /> and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a<br /> percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts<br /> in preference to the American system. Should<br /> obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed<br /> date on or before which the play should be<br /> performed.<br /> <br /> (¢.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to<br /> perform on the basis of royalties (i.c., fixed<br /> nightly fees). This method should be always<br /> avoided except in cases where the fees are<br /> ae? to be small or difficult to collect. The<br /> other safeguards set out under heading (8.) ¢<br /> also in this case. aide<br /> <br /> 4. Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is<br /> better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum<br /> paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely<br /> important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should<br /> be reserved.<br /> <br /> 5. Authors should remember that performing rights’ can<br /> be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and<br /> time. This is most important.<br /> <br /> 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but<br /> should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is<br /> of great importance.<br /> <br /> 7, Authors should remember that performing rights in a<br /> play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager<br /> holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot<br /> print the book of the words.<br /> <br /> 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed-<br /> ingly valuable. ‘’hey should never be included in English<br /> agreements without the author obtaining a substantial<br /> consideration.<br /> <br /> 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully<br /> drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced.<br /> <br /> 10, An author should remember that production of a play<br /> is highly speculative : that he runs a very great risk of<br /> delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract.<br /> He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in<br /> the beginning.<br /> <br /> 11, An author must remember that the dramatic market<br /> is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object<br /> is to obtain adequate publication.<br /> <br /> As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on<br /> account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con-<br /> tracts, those authors desirous of further information<br /> are referred to the Secretary of the Society.<br /> <br /> act for plays<br /> <br /> ——____ +<br /> <br /> WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS.<br /> eps<br /> <br /> ITYLE can be added to the warnings given for the<br /> assistance of producers of books and dramatic<br /> authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as<br /> <br /> a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical<br /> composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan-<br /> cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic<br /> property. The musical composer has very often the two<br /> rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He<br />  <br /> <br /> 266<br /> <br /> should be especially careful therefore when entering into<br /> an agreement, and should take into particular consideration<br /> the warnings stated above.<br /> <br /> o&gt; —<br /> <br /> HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY.<br /> <br /> —_e<br /> <br /> I. VERY member has a right toask for and to receive<br /> advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub-<br /> lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his<br /> <br /> business or the administration of his property. The<br /> <br /> Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any<br /> <br /> special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the<br /> <br /> Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they<br /> <br /> deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this<br /> <br /> without any cost to the member.<br /> <br /> 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright<br /> and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi-<br /> ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use<br /> the Society.<br /> <br /> 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past<br /> accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The<br /> Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new<br /> or old, for inspection and note. The information thus<br /> obtained may prove invaluable.<br /> <br /> 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send<br /> the document to the Society for examination.<br /> <br /> 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society<br /> you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you<br /> are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are<br /> advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting<br /> the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer.<br /> <br /> 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception<br /> of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire-<br /> proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as<br /> confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary,<br /> who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers :<br /> —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give<br /> advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements<br /> in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep<br /> agreements. (4) T&#039;o enforce payments due according to<br /> agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work<br /> can be obtained in the Prospectus.<br /> <br /> 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary<br /> agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society.<br /> Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful<br /> consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to<br /> them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit<br /> them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary<br /> of the Society.<br /> <br /> This<br /> The<br /> <br /> 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements.<br /> must be done within fourteen days of first execution.<br /> Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members.<br /> <br /> 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from<br /> referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so<br /> do some publishers. Members can make their own<br /> deductions and act accordingly.<br /> <br /> 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 1s. per<br /> annum, or £10 10s for life membership.<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS.<br /> <br /> &gt;<br /> <br /> HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on<br /> behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or<br /> part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the<br /> <br /> Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct<br /> with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to<br /> the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble.<br /> <br /> o—~D&gt;<br /> <br /> THE READING BRANCH.<br /> <br /> —e<br /> <br /> EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this<br /> branch of its work by informing young writers<br /> of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and<br /> <br /> treated as a composition is treated by a coach, ‘he term<br /> MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry<br /> and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under<br /> special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The<br /> Readers are writers of competence and experience. The<br /> fee is one guinea.<br /> <br /> &lt;&gt;<br /> <br /> NOTICES.<br /> <br /> ge<br /> <br /> HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of<br /> <br /> the Society that, although the paper is sent to them<br /> <br /> free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a<br /> <br /> very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great<br /> <br /> many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest<br /> 5s. 6d. subscription for the year.<br /> <br /> Communications for “The Author” should be addressed<br /> to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s<br /> Gate, S.W., 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 general interest to<br /> publish.<br /> <br /> Communications and letters are invited by the<br /> Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on<br /> no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to<br /> return articles which cannot be accepted.<br /> <br /> &gt;<br /> <br /> The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice<br /> that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post,<br /> and he requests members who do not receive an<br /> answer to important communications within two days to<br /> write to him without delay. All remittances should be<br /> crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent<br /> by registered letter only.<br /> <br /> OO<br /> <br /> LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE<br /> SOCIETY.<br /> <br /> a<br /> <br /> ENSIONS to commence at any selected age,<br /> either with or without Life Assurance, can —<br /> be obtained from this society. :<br /> <br /> Full particulars can be obtained from the City<br /> Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance _<br /> Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C,<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> AUTHORITIES.<br /> <br /> —— 4<br /> HE Manchester Guardian has paid the society<br /> the compliment of writing a leader upon it<br /> on the occasion of its twenty-first birthday.<br /> The article is not merely laudatory, but shows<br /> an accurate grasp of the work that the society<br /> undertakes. It says:<br /> <br /> “The Society of Authors is more akin to a Trade Union.<br /> It aims at dealing with all questions affecting literary<br /> property, either as regards copyright or the commercial<br /> relation between authors and publishers.”<br /> <br /> This article has roused some remarks from a<br /> contributor to The Sphere, who writes over the<br /> initials “C. K.8.” With his expressed opinion<br /> on Mr. Kipling or Mr. Barrie’s work, however<br /> erroneous, we do not desire to deal, nor with his<br /> suggestion that literature is divorced from the<br /> drama ; but the following paragraph needs some<br /> explanation :<br /> <br /> ‘When Sir Walter Besant spoke of literature he really<br /> only thought of fiction, which is the least important factor<br /> of our literature to-day. Our best literature, our poetry—<br /> which the illiterate man in the street calls ‘‘ minor” because<br /> he thinks that Tennyson was the last of the poets—our<br /> history, our biography, and our criticism are none of them<br /> helped in the least by the Society of Authors or by the<br /> literary agent.<br /> <br /> The opening statement is entirely erroneous, as<br /> anyone who was an intimate friend of Sir Walter’s<br /> for many years could readily have informed the<br /> writer. But the latter part of the paragraph is<br /> altogether misleading, and, taking the mildest<br /> view, shows an absolute ignorance of the work of<br /> the Society. As a writer in The Academy phrases<br /> it when dealing with the matter :<br /> <br /> “Tt is no part of the functions of the Society of Authors<br /> to ‘help literature,’ whether good, bad, or indifferent. It<br /> exists to define and protect literary property, which is<br /> quite another matter. Does the writer mean that the<br /> Society refuses to admit poets, biographers, and critics to<br /> membership? Or that it takes the guineas of poets,<br /> biographers, and critics, but denies to them privileges<br /> which it accords to its other members? Or what does he<br /> <br /> mean? We have a strong suspicion that he has been<br /> : &gt; é ;<br /> using at random words which mean nothing at all.’<br /> <br /> But a further point: biographers, poets, essayists,<br /> critics, historians, all make contracts for the pub-<br /> lication of their works either with editors or<br /> publishers. It is of the utmost importance, since,<br /> according to the view of “0. K.8.,” they cannot<br /> make money by their work, that they should lose<br /> as little as possible. To attain thisend the Society<br /> can and does give most valuable assistance.<br /> <br /> But consider for a moment, is this statement of<br /> the commercial value true? Surely in a great<br /> many cases it is utterly untrue, although it may<br /> be for the benefit of both publishers and editors to<br /> persuade these biographers, poets, and critics that<br /> their labours must be financially unsuccessful.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 267<br /> <br /> Ir appears that a question has been raised in<br /> Italy concerning the reproduction of music by<br /> gramophones and phonographs. The information<br /> before us shows that such reproduction has been<br /> held not to be an infringement of copyright.<br /> <br /> France, we know—always the most forward<br /> country where copyright legislation is concerned —<br /> has held such reproductions to be an infringement<br /> of copyright. The English Courts have held that<br /> the stamped cylinder was not an infringement of<br /> copyright ; but, surely, the reproduction of music<br /> by this means, as we have pointed out in Zhe<br /> Author on former occasions, is an infringement of<br /> performing rights. Unfortunately, owing to the<br /> lax way in which music composers deal with their<br /> performing rights and owing to the control which<br /> publishers have obtained over musical property,<br /> these rights are seldom turned to account.<br /> Thereby much valuable property is lost.<br /> <br /> The matter is one of serious importance, when<br /> we take into consideration the fact that composers<br /> in England are unable, as a general rule, to live<br /> by the product of their compositions only, but are<br /> bound to teach or obtain some other appointment<br /> in order to gain a livelihood. Publishers have<br /> sneered at the French method of collecting royalties<br /> on performing rights. This is not surprising to<br /> those who have knowledge of the method by which<br /> they obtain control of the composer’s property in<br /> England and the means they use to market the<br /> same.<br /> <br /> We have received an interesting and amusing<br /> letter from the manager of one of the leading<br /> music-publishing houses in London, whose ire has<br /> been roused by the article that appeared in the<br /> last issue of Zhe Author. ‘The publisher sets out<br /> in glowing language what he and other publishers<br /> have done for composers in the matter of securing<br /> sound copyright legislation. It is very interesting<br /> to see the trade posing as the saviour of the com-<br /> poser. This will deceive no one who has any<br /> knowledge of music publishing. The composers<br /> at the present time are in a much worse way than<br /> the authors. As a matter of fact, there are very<br /> few in a position to make, and there is no combina-<br /> tion strong enough to insist on the making of<br /> agreements which will prevent the copyright and<br /> performing rights being transferred to the pub-<br /> lishers. In consequence, all these statements about<br /> the energetic and generous action of the publishers<br /> are not for the benefit of the composers, but for the<br /> benefit of the trade. Our correspondent concludes<br /> his letter by saying ‘‘ we have been fighting for<br /> the cause of copyright alone and unaided for five<br /> years, consequently we are unable to feel the<br /> respect and veneration for Mr. Algernon Sidney’s<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 268<br /> <br /> Society of Authors which we might otherwise<br /> have oeen disposed to entertain.”<br /> <br /> As we have already pointed out, this struggle for<br /> reasonable copyright legislation is at present for<br /> the benefit of publishers only, to enable themselves<br /> to market and safeguard their own property.<br /> <br /> It is clear that our correspondent, though he<br /> may have some knowledge of his own business, is<br /> in woeful ignorance of the methods of the society, of<br /> what it has done and is willing to do for composers.<br /> <br /> Composers should strike at the root of the evil.<br /> At the present time it is not so much a matter of<br /> importance to them that these works, the outcome<br /> of their brains, in the possession of the publisher,<br /> should be protected for the benefit of the publisher,<br /> as that they should strive for better agreements<br /> and for more effective control and management of<br /> their own property. If they obtained this, then<br /> the copyright question would be to them one<br /> worth fighting for, and the society is anxious to<br /> show them what methods they should employ in<br /> order to obtain a more satisfactory position.<br /> <br /> We must take it as a compliment, therefore, that<br /> our correspondent is unable to feel respect and<br /> veneration for the Society or its work. This<br /> expression of opinion was frequently in the<br /> mouths of the book publishers when the Society<br /> was first started. Music publication has to pass<br /> through the same phase of evolution.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> A RATHER curious case of re-issue has come<br /> under our notice. Hight or nine years ago Sir<br /> Herbert Maxwell and Mr. F. G. Aflalo jointly<br /> edited half a dozen volumes for Messrs. Lawrence<br /> and Bullen, under the name of ‘ The Anglers’<br /> Library.” After the reconstruction of that firm,<br /> Mr. Bullen, it appears, sold the rights in the library<br /> to Messrs. Routledge, who are reissuing it in a new<br /> binding and at a lower price than originally.<br /> Neither of the editors has in any way resented<br /> this, but the transaction is somewhat complicated<br /> by the fact that the Press has with one accord<br /> accepted these as entirely new books, apparently<br /> forgetting that they reviewed the originals (not a<br /> line having been altered) many years ago. ‘This,<br /> in the case of technical books, in which the very<br /> latest information is always desirable, might have<br /> two results equally distressing to the original<br /> editors and contributors. In the first place, the<br /> <br /> angling public might think itself hoodwinked into.<br /> <br /> buying old books as new. In the second, the<br /> angling writers who contributed to this library<br /> may justly deprecate their stale information of nine<br /> years ago being reviewed as if it had been written<br /> within the year. Such results would obviously be<br /> grossly unfair to the editors, who had no intimation<br /> of the proposed re-issue.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> THE COMING OF AGE.<br /> <br /> —-— +<br /> Tue Soctety’s Work.<br /> <br /> a twenty-first anniversary of the incorpora-<br /> tion of the Society of Authors takes place<br /> on June 30th.<br /> <br /> It is not unfitting, therefore, that at its coming<br /> of age, a short retrospect of its aims and the work<br /> that it has done should be placed before the present<br /> members.<br /> <br /> The first meeting recorded in the books took<br /> place at a private house in Kensington on the 28th<br /> day of September, 1883, where the following<br /> gentlemen assembled with a view to making<br /> arrangements for its foundation.<br /> <br /> Sir Walter Besant (then Mr. Walter Besant), in<br /> the chair, Ulick Ralph Burke, A. Egmont Hake,<br /> Prof. Fleeming Jenkin, the Rev. W. J. Loftie,<br /> Wilfrid Meynell, 8S. G. C. Middlemore, J. Henry<br /> Middleton, Walter Herries Pollock, W. R. S.<br /> Ralston, W. Baptiste Scoones. Tristram Valentine<br /> acted as honorary secretary.<br /> <br /> The next recorded meeting occurred on the 18th<br /> day of February, 1884, in a room lent by Mr.<br /> Baptiste Scoones, and at that meeting, the first real<br /> meeting of the society, sixty-eight members were<br /> elected.<br /> <br /> In May of the same year Lord Tennyson accepted<br /> the presidency of the society, and Sir Walter<br /> Besant was elected chairman of the committee.<br /> <br /> In those days the society was composed of a<br /> president, vice-presidents, fellows and associates.<br /> This arrangement, under the present constitution,<br /> has been varied. There is a president and council,<br /> members and associates. The managing committee<br /> is elected from the members of the council, and in<br /> the hands of the managing committee the work<br /> of the society lies.<br /> <br /> The following is the first list of vice-presidents,<br /> which was afterwards much enlarged :<br /> <br /> R. D. Blackmore, Lord Crewe, R. G. Egerton-<br /> Warburton, F.S.A., Prof. Michael Foster, General<br /> Sir Frederick F. Goldsmid, His Eminence Cardinal<br /> Manning, Hon. Sir Henry Parkes, Sir William<br /> Frederick Pollock, Charles Reade, George Augustus<br /> Sala, Sir Henry Thompson, Canon Tristram, The<br /> <br /> Rev. Henry White and Miss Charlotte M. Yonge. —<br /> <br /> So that from the very first, with Lord Tennyson as<br /> president “and a representative list of the vice-<br /> presidents, the society reveived the substantial<br /> support of the literary profession.<br /> <br /> One of the first matters to engage the attention<br /> of the committee was the draft of a Memorandum<br /> and Articles of Association. When this was settled<br /> a Board of Trade licence under the Companies’ Acts<br /> was procured. The incorporation took place, as<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> y<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> already stated, on the 30th of June, 1884. In the<br /> same year the Lord Mayor of London (Sir Robert<br /> Fowler) invited the infant society to dinner at the<br /> Mansion House.<br /> <br /> In the early days of the society, meetings were<br /> held every week in order to get the work into<br /> shape, but it was soon found that weekly meetings<br /> were unnecessary. Since then, the committee<br /> have been called together once a month except in<br /> cases demanding immediate action, when they have<br /> met more frequently.<br /> <br /> On the death of the first president, Lord<br /> Tennyson, Mr. George Meredith was elected to<br /> fill the position, which he still occupies. Sir<br /> Walter Besant as the first chairman of the com-<br /> mittee was succeeded by Sir Frederick Pollock,<br /> father of the present baronet. Sir Frederick<br /> Pollock resigned the position in January 1888, and<br /> Sir Walter Besant was re-elected and held the post<br /> till November 1892. At that date he resigned<br /> with the full idea that the society was then able to<br /> stand by itself, and in order that those who desired<br /> to detract from the society’s work, might not, as<br /> was constantly their custom, state that the society<br /> was Besant’s Society. On his retirement, and till<br /> his death, Sir Walter Besant continued to act as<br /> Editor of The Author, and was aconstant attendant<br /> at the committee meetings, giving in both capacities<br /> a great deal of his valuable time to the general<br /> welfare.<br /> <br /> Sir Frederick Pollock, the present baronet,<br /> succeeded Sir Walter Besant. Then followed Sir<br /> Martin Conway, H. Rider Haggard, Anthony Hope<br /> Hawkins, Douglas Freshfield, and lastly, Sir Henry<br /> Bergne.<br /> <br /> These are the names of those who have so<br /> unselfishly given both time and money to help their<br /> follow workers, and to protect the property of their<br /> fellow authors. No one can appreciate how heavy<br /> and laborious is the work of chairman of the com-<br /> mittee, except those who have gone through the mill.<br /> Members of the committee may find the work a<br /> serious call on their time, but the comparison is as<br /> the chastisement with whips to the chastisement<br /> inflicted with scorpions.<br /> <br /> Dramatic authors and writers of books on all<br /> subjects, technical as well as essentially literary,<br /> were included as the first members of the society.<br /> The Memorandum and Articles of Association, how-<br /> ever, were drafted on wider lines in order to give<br /> the society scope—in the event of its success—for<br /> the protection of other kinds of copyright property.<br /> Since those early days its field has been somewhat<br /> widened. Now it deals with the works of musical<br /> <br /> composers and musical copyright, also artistic copy-<br /> right so far as refers to the illustration of books,<br /> for the artistic copyright of book illustrators is very<br /> closely joined to literary copyright.<br /> <br /> At present,<br /> <br /> 269<br /> <br /> therefore, the society embraces four distinct classes,<br /> dramatic authors, authors of books, musical com-<br /> posers, and book illustrators.<br /> <br /> In the early days of the society, according to the<br /> old records, it appears that the committee were<br /> immediately overwhelmed with work, for many<br /> complaints were forthcoming, and much discontent<br /> was abroad, the copyright laws also were in a dis-<br /> graceful condition. There were many claims on<br /> the resources of the society, which at that time<br /> were very limited. In fact, in order to fight one<br /> or two actions, a special subscription was pro-<br /> posed, to which the members willingly con-<br /> tributed. Once or twice the balance at the bank<br /> ran perilously low. But the founders never<br /> despaired of the society’s ultimate success.<br /> <br /> To relate the early struggles of the society is<br /> not the purport of the present article. The record<br /> of unselfish labour on its behalf undertaken by<br /> many men of letters, and especially by Sir Walter<br /> Besant, is long. Instances of financial support, in<br /> addition to valuable time, freely and generously<br /> given, were many.<br /> <br /> To show in what manner and with what success<br /> the society has exerted itself to carry into effect<br /> the purposes of its original programme is the more<br /> immediate purpose of this paper. And here it<br /> may be convenient to record first what has been<br /> done for the consolidation and amendment of the<br /> law of domestic copyright and for the promotion<br /> of international copyright.<br /> <br /> The question of American copyright was one of<br /> the first to occupy the attention of the society.<br /> From the moment of its foundation the society<br /> threw all its weight and influence (by no means so<br /> great then as now) into obtaining a friendly<br /> understanding with American authors, and those<br /> other Americans who were interested in the passing<br /> of an equitable copyright law. New copyright<br /> legislation was obtained in America in 1891. As<br /> everyone knows, this law leaves much to be<br /> desired. ‘The society is still in constant touch<br /> with the promoters of equitable legislation in the<br /> United States, and will avail itself of every oppor-<br /> tunity to obtain a more generous legislation. To<br /> proceed with caution is, however, necessary. A<br /> false move might prove fatal.<br /> <br /> In the direction of the consolidation of domestic<br /> copyright, the society has been able to act more<br /> directly, and with important results. There<br /> existed no difference of opinion as to the unsatis-<br /> factory state of the law, and no need for hesitation.<br /> A copyright committee was appointed ; numerous<br /> meetings were held; other bodies interested in<br /> copyright were consulted, and finally a new copy-<br /> right law was drafted under counsel’s care. This<br /> was a full consolidating and amending bill, dealing<br /> with copyright property, literary, dramatic, artistic<br />  <br /> <br /> 270<br /> <br /> and musical. To bring it before Parliament<br /> ultimately proved impossible, but it was found<br /> useful to have such a bill ready. Subsequent<br /> events have, it is true, demonstrated this bill to<br /> have been cumbersome and inadequate. The<br /> action of the society was, however, at the time<br /> sound, and beneficial to authors.<br /> <br /> In 1891, after the passing of the new United<br /> States law, the society found itself in a position to<br /> take a further step. Lord Monkswell brought<br /> forward a bill that had been drafted by the society.<br /> This bill reached a second reading in the House of<br /> Lords, but was not taken further. In 1896, a new<br /> copyright law committee was formed. This com-<br /> mittee, persuaded that the time for a consolidating<br /> Act had not yet arrived, decided to draft a small<br /> amending Dilf. This bill was drafted by counsel,<br /> and was, after much expense and labour, agreed<br /> upon in its final shape.<br /> <br /> Of this bill Lord Monkswell, always indefatig-<br /> able in questions of copyright, and ever willing to<br /> assist the efforts of the society, took charge. The<br /> pill passed its third reading in the House of<br /> Lords on the 23rd of July, 1897. In the autumn<br /> of the same year a consolidating bill was brought<br /> forward by the Copyright Association. The latter<br /> bill and the bill of the society ran concurrently<br /> at the beginning of 1898. Finally, however, the<br /> whole question was taken up upon a new basis. A<br /> bill was drafted by Lord Thring separating literary<br /> from artistic copyright. This bill was carefully<br /> studied by the members of the Copyright and<br /> Dramatic Committees of the society, and a number<br /> of valuable suggestions regarding it were offered,<br /> and the bill passed through the House of Lords.<br /> It was also adopted by the Government, but was<br /> finally put aside. In 1900, owing no doubt, in a<br /> great measure, to the persistent action of the<br /> society, the Government made a public declaration<br /> of an intention to take up the question of copy-<br /> right. It must be added with regret that since<br /> this declaration nothing in the shape of a draft bill<br /> has appeared from the Government offices, but the<br /> above record will suffice to show how perseveringly<br /> the society has laboured for the amelioration of<br /> domestic copyright. It need hardly be said that<br /> the expenses have been heavy, whilst the members<br /> of the committee and others have generously made<br /> ungrudging sacrifices in order to forward the<br /> interests of their fellows of the craft.<br /> <br /> Colonial copyright has, during the same period,<br /> presented serious difficulties. In this direction<br /> <br /> the importance of the society’s action can hardly<br /> be over-estimated. The committee of the society<br /> were the first body to perceive that the colonial<br /> position formed one of the chief impediments in<br /> the way of new copyright legislation on the part<br /> To put the matter on a more<br /> <br /> of the Government,<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> satisfactory basis became immediately one of the<br /> society&#039;s foremost aims. At one time Mr, Hall<br /> Caine was appointed delegate of the society during<br /> a visit which he paid to Canada. Subsequently,<br /> in 1899, the secretary of the society visited the<br /> Dominion. The persevering efforts of the society<br /> to solve the complex difficulties which existed<br /> were rewarded with some success when the<br /> Canadian Parliament in 1900 passed an Act<br /> embodying the ideas for which the society had<br /> been so long contending.<br /> <br /> Respecting international copyright, it may<br /> suffice to say that all its bearings, ramifications,<br /> and modifications have the society’s constant<br /> attention, and only last year the society endea-<br /> voured to obtain the accession of another country,<br /> Roumania, to the convention. The society is in<br /> touch with those interested in copyright property in<br /> France, Germany, Italy and other countries. All<br /> changes in the domestic or international copyright<br /> laws of different countries are carefully watched<br /> both from the domestic and international point of<br /> view. The information at the society’s disposal<br /> is kept strictly up to date, and everything of<br /> importance is duly chronicled in the pages of Zhe<br /> Author.<br /> <br /> To sum up, the society has done everything that<br /> it is possible to do in the way of procuring more<br /> liberal legislation in America. It has helped to<br /> bring about satisfactory legislation in Canada.<br /> Its perseverance has forced the question of the<br /> improvement of domestic legislation upon the<br /> English Government, and it is in constant touch<br /> with other countries on all questions relating to<br /> international copyright. On these grounds alone the<br /> society has a right to claim that such results<br /> merit the support of all members of the literary<br /> profession.<br /> <br /> The next point demanding consideration is<br /> what the society has done to maintain, define, and<br /> bela literary, dramatic, and musical property at<br /> 10me.<br /> <br /> It has, in the first place, published technical<br /> works on a number of questions of primary import-<br /> ance to authors. These works contain accurate<br /> information previously nowhere to be found.<br /> During the earlier years of the society’s existence,<br /> much time was devoted to the collection and due<br /> arrangement of a mass of statistics now embodied<br /> in these works. The publication of these books<br /> though a small undertaking when compared with<br /> the more important enterprises in which the society<br /> has been engaged, is one of serious moment to<br /> authors. Sir Walter Besant was the soul of this<br /> department of the society’s work. His time and<br /> labour were given without hesitation, and without<br /> prospect of return. His practical mind grasped<br /> and his mathematical talent enabled him to make<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> plain what particulars were to be investigated,<br /> and how the results of the investigations could<br /> be lucidly presented. In both he was ably<br /> seconded by Mr. Squire Sprigge, whose name is<br /> associated with “The Cost of Production” and<br /> “Methods of Publication.”<br /> <br /> As copyright law is one of the most intricate<br /> and difficult laws to elucidate, so copyright<br /> property is one of the most difficult proper-<br /> ties to market to the best advantage. In conse-<br /> quence, members of the society are constantly<br /> seeking advice and assistance. The record of the<br /> reports for the past ten or fifteen years will show<br /> the enormons amount of money the society has<br /> spent in legal advice year by year, its annual bill<br /> with its solicitors amounting to about £300. The<br /> assistance the society must have given by this<br /> expenditure is easily gauged. The excellence of<br /> its solicitors, owing to constant practice in the<br /> special subject, must also be of very great benefit<br /> to the members.<br /> <br /> We should like to point out as an obifer dictum<br /> that all writers, dramatists, composers who are not<br /> members of the society, should hasten to join when<br /> they see a statement of this kind, for every legal<br /> opinion taken, every case fought, must benefit them<br /> as a body and bring them, indirectly, assistance.<br /> It is not fair, therefore, that they should increase<br /> their income from the subscriptions of their more<br /> generous fellow-craftsmen.<br /> <br /> An ordinary opinion upon an agreement would<br /> cost a writer from one guinea to three guineas.<br /> To obtain such an opinion is one of the commonest<br /> ways by which members make use of the society.<br /> A member can obtain opinions on as many agree-<br /> ments as he likes during the year for the fee of<br /> £1 1s. only, in addition to any other legal advice<br /> he may require on copyright questions. The<br /> benefit that must accrue to the member is clear,<br /> therefore, from this most sordid point of view. It<br /> would have been unnecessary to touch upon this<br /> point had it not been so frequently overlooked.<br /> <br /> The society has also, on several occasions,<br /> obtained opinions from counsel at great expense,<br /> and the record of the cases taken in hand during<br /> the past four years is as follows :—<br /> <br /> I. EL IT.<br /> 1901. 102 cases: 4 County Court. 5 High Court,<br /> <br /> 1902. 146 cases: 10 County Court. 8 High Court.<br /> <br /> 1903. 127 cases: 9 County Court. 4 High Court.<br /> 1904. 112 cases: 8 High Court, 6 High Court.<br /> <br /> No. 1 refers to those cases and disputes, in<br /> which the Secretary acts as between a member and<br /> the editor, publisher, or other delinquent ; No. 2 to<br /> those cases taken through the County Court ; No.<br /> 3 to High Court cases.<br /> <br /> Besides this list, again, there are many matters<br /> which, placed in the hands of the society’s solicitors,<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 271<br /> <br /> are settled without being brought into Court—in<br /> fact, it may be stated that out of three cases placed<br /> in the solicitors’ hands for settlement only one<br /> will go to trial. It is not to the advantage of a<br /> trade defendant to obtain the publicity of a court<br /> of law. :<br /> <br /> _This record then may, on the whole, be con-<br /> sidered an honourable record of the society in<br /> carrying on the work of its founders. The society<br /> has been accused of being a bitter enemy to pub-<br /> lishers, editors and others. This, as Sir Walter<br /> Besant so often repeated, is not really the case ; but<br /> the members of the society when they have got a<br /> case which should be fought must be prepared to<br /> fight it, as the very vitality of the society must lie<br /> in its fighting strength. The general knowledge<br /> of this fact is the surest means of obtaining satis-<br /> faction for the author and fair dealing from the<br /> publisher.<br /> <br /> It is possible that at no distant date the time<br /> may arrive when the society will have no need to<br /> put this quality into practice; but although the<br /> society numbers fully 1,600 members, it is still far<br /> from the ideal laid before it by Sir Walter Besant<br /> and those others interested. It should have a<br /> membership of at least 3,000, and in proportion as.<br /> the society becomes more and more the association<br /> of all British authors and copyright holders, the<br /> more rapidly will it be able to accomplish the<br /> objects which it has set before itself.<br /> <br /> oe gg ge<br /> <br /> THE ANNUAL DINNER.<br /> Oe ‘<br /> <br /> PFVYE annual dinner of the Incorporated Society<br /> of Authors took place on Tuesday, May 16th,<br /> at the Hotel Cecil, more than a hundred and<br /> <br /> fifty members and guests being present. The fact<br /> that the society was completing the twenty-first<br /> year since its incorporation, and was consequently<br /> celebrating its coming of age, added special interest<br /> to the occasion, and was a subject of frequent<br /> allusion in the speeches. These followed closely<br /> upon the conclusion of the last course, when the<br /> chairman, Sir Henry Bergne, K.C.B., K.C.M.G.,<br /> proposed briefly the usual loyal toasts, followed<br /> by the permission to smoke, of which many of<br /> those present, not exclusively male members of the<br /> company, proceeded to avail themselves.<br /> <br /> In proposing the toast of the Incorporated<br /> Society of Authors, the chairman made reference<br /> to the twenty-one years which had elapsed since<br /> Sir Walter Besant had founded it, and inaugu-<br /> rated the policy afterwards followed during his<br /> lifetime and since his regretted death. In dealing<br /> with the objects of the society and indicating the<br />  <br /> <br /> 272<br /> <br /> extent and manner in which these were being<br /> carried out, Sir Henry Bergne spoke first of the<br /> defence of literary property, conducted by the<br /> society throughout its existence. A defence which<br /> members were aware could be effected far better<br /> by combination and co-operation than by the<br /> isolated efforts of individuals. In carrying out<br /> this defence of literary property, the society had<br /> been taken in one of its actions to the House of<br /> Lords, with the result that at least a doubtful<br /> point of law had been settled. Secondly, in the<br /> Amendment and Consolidation of the Domestic<br /> Law of Copyright, the society had made and was<br /> continuing to make efforts on behalf of authors,<br /> and if not much had been actually achieved, a bill<br /> had been drafted, and the amendment of the<br /> existing law had been promised in a Speech from<br /> the Throne. Further progress, however, had been<br /> delayed by the difficulty of combining domestic<br /> with colonial law upon the subject. Possibly the<br /> best mode of dealing with that difficulty might lie<br /> in cordial consultation and co-operation with the<br /> great self-governing Colonies on the subject of<br /> Copyright, and he was not without hope that some<br /> progress in that direction might shortly be made.<br /> The first Government to succeed in passing a<br /> satisfactory Copyright Act would earn the lasting<br /> gratitude of authors. In the promotion of Inter-<br /> national Copyright, satisfactory advance had been<br /> made. Since the foundation of the society the<br /> International Copyright Convention of Berne and<br /> the additional Act of Paris had been signed,<br /> and a separate Convention concluded with Austria-<br /> Hungary. In speaking of this the chairman<br /> referred to the recent accession of Japan to the<br /> International Copyright Union. With regard to<br /> the recognition of the rights of British authors in<br /> America, good progress had also been made. This<br /> made a really good record in regard to International<br /> Copyright. Sir Henry Bergne expressed cordial<br /> appreciation of the co-operation and assistance of<br /> the Copyright Association, saying that wisdom,<br /> like water, took the form of the vessel into which it<br /> was poured, and that if, indeed, the wisdom of the<br /> Society of Authors differed sometimes in form from<br /> that of the Copyright Association it was at least<br /> certain that the endeavour of both societies had been<br /> directed to protect all the legal rights of intellectual<br /> property. He called attention, while upon this<br /> topic, to the presence of Mr. John Murray, who<br /> was seated near him on his right, and paid a<br /> ‘tribute of regret to the memory of Mr. John Daldy.<br /> <br /> In conclusion, he urged that the society had<br /> much left to do; and he specified three main<br /> objects for its efforts, namely : first, the securing<br /> of domestie copyright legislation ; second, the<br /> -obtaining of a more satisfactory position for authors<br /> with regard to their rights in the United States ;<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> and third, the obtaining of fresh accessions to the<br /> International Copyright Union.<br /> <br /> After the toast of the society had been duly<br /> honoured, Sir A. Conan Doyle, replying in a<br /> vigorous speech, expressed his regret that Sir<br /> Walter Besant had not survived to see the coming<br /> of age of the society, which in its younger days<br /> had had so much opposition to face and so few<br /> friends. It had ever fought the cause of the<br /> weaker brother against the oppressor, or still<br /> more so, that of the weaker sister. It had not,<br /> however, as some might think, to protect the fool<br /> from his folly, because the fool was so self-satisfied<br /> a person that he felt no desire to be enrolled as a<br /> member ; it was rather for the assistance of those<br /> handicapped by want of experience that the society<br /> existed. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle desired to say<br /> no word against publishers as a class, but referred<br /> to them as a profession, for which no qualification or<br /> licence was required before admission, and alluded<br /> humorously to the popularity due to Napoleon<br /> among authors for having once had a German<br /> publisher shot. In conclusion, he referred to the<br /> fact that all classes of writers were benefited by<br /> the society’s efforts, and appealed to members to<br /> support the pension fund.<br /> <br /> Mr. Egerton Castle next rose to propose the<br /> health of the “ Guests of the Society,” comparing<br /> them to the friends and neighbours assembled to<br /> do honour to a promising youth attaining his<br /> majority. He contrasted the position of author-<br /> ship in modern days with that which it once<br /> occupied, and referred to the man of intellect as<br /> recognising, in the words of Sheffield, that<br /> <br /> “Of all the arts in which the wise excel,<br /> Nature’s chief masterpiece is writing well.”<br /> <br /> Among the guests Mr. Castle first made reference<br /> to Sir Richard Henn Collins, the Master of the<br /> Rolls, whom he described as a ripe classical scholar,<br /> holder of every high university honour, chairman<br /> of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, arbitra-<br /> tor on the Venezuelan Boundary Commission, and<br /> the editor of “Smith’s Leading Cases,” with which<br /> he, Mr. Castle, confessed himself only acquainted in<br /> the metrical form known as “ Leading Cases<br /> done into English,” by Sir Frederick Pollock.<br /> Enumerating other distinguished men present,<br /> Mr. Egerton Castle named Mr. Fletcher Moul-<br /> ton, K.C., M.P., who, he said, had been defined<br /> as a rare example of the mathematical mind<br /> triumphant, and to whose connection with patent<br /> law, a kindred subject to copyright, he made<br /> special reference ; he also called attention to the<br /> presence of Mr. John Tweedy, the president of<br /> the Royal College of Surgeons ; of Sir Henry<br /> Howorth, K.C.1.E., whom he described as<br /> <br /> &lt;P<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 5<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR. 273<br /> <br /> an antiquary, a lawyer, a politician, and a dis-<br /> tinguished raconteur; of Mr. John Murray, the<br /> representative of the fourth generation of the<br /> great publishing house, a fifth generation of which,<br /> he mentioned, was now growing up. Mr. Castle<br /> referred to Mr. Murray as himself a scholar, a<br /> man of the highest culture, a past president of the<br /> Publisher’s Association, and a man of letters, and<br /> observed that no doubt many present would grate-<br /> fully acknowledge the invaluable intellectual help<br /> which he always so generously afforded to authors<br /> in the production of their books ; if all firms of<br /> publishers, he added, resembled that of John<br /> Murray in their methods, there would never have<br /> arisen any need for a Society of Authors. Among<br /> foreign guests by whose presence the society was<br /> honoured, Mr. Castle named Monsieur E. Pettileau,<br /> representing the Société des gens de Lettres,<br /> which suggested and formed the model upon<br /> which the Society of Authors was founded, and<br /> Mr. Hugenet, editor of La Chronique, the only<br /> French paper published in London, an instructor<br /> at Greenwich Naval College, an officer, a journalist,<br /> anda novelist. To the presence of these two gentle-<br /> men he referred as a contribution by the Society<br /> of Authors to the promotion of the entente cordiale<br /> destined to have such lasting and beneficent effect<br /> upon the peaceful progress of the world.<br /> <br /> Sir Richard Henn Collins, in replying on behalf<br /> of the guests, declared that he found it difficult not<br /> only to represent those whose distinguished names<br /> had been enumerated, but also to distinguish the<br /> large number of other guests unnamed among<br /> those present, and to do this without consultation<br /> and without hope of remuneration and reward,<br /> His real difficulty, however, lay, he said, not in<br /> voicing the thanks of his male guests, but of the<br /> ladies also. He humorously described himself as<br /> deeply impressed by the collective power of author-<br /> ship around him, which he averred inspired him<br /> with a sense of awe, and made him feel that the<br /> guests should have been provided at the door<br /> with slippers like worshippers entering a mosque.<br /> For the large output of printed matter for which<br /> judges were mainly responsible he disclaimed the<br /> title of “ literature,” but he was able to assert that<br /> judges and lawyers were much addicted to the<br /> study of novels. With regard to these he described<br /> the domain of fiction as having been conquered by<br /> lady novelists, who now no longer should be<br /> described, as they had been by Sir Arthur Conan<br /> Doyle, as the “ weaker sisters.” On the contrary<br /> he himself would predict that some day men would<br /> adopt feminine pseudonyms when publishing<br /> novels. He congratulated the society upon its<br /> <br /> attitude towards litigation and upon the satisfac-<br /> tion with which it viewed having obtained a<br /> binding decision in the House of Lords.<br /> <br /> Mr. A. W. A’Beckett, in conclusion, proposed<br /> the health of the chairman, and alluding to his<br /> own position as acting chairman of the committee<br /> of management, declared that with Sir Henry<br /> Bergne it had become a sinecure, as the chairman<br /> was never away. He also referred to the changed<br /> position of modern journalism in relation to litera-<br /> ture, making special allusion to distinguished<br /> literary men, members of the society, who were<br /> also journalists. The day was past when journalism<br /> could be described as the Cinderella of literature<br /> or as the grave of literary ambition.<br /> <br /> After the health ofthe chairman had been drunk<br /> with enthusiasm, and Sir Henry Bergne had briefly<br /> replied, an adjournment was made to another room,<br /> where the rest of the evening was spent.<br /> <br /> —_—_—t_—e—<br /> <br /> SOME REFLECTIONS ON CRITICISM.<br /> <br /> DES<br /> e VERY now and then—perhaps twice in the<br /> year—lI have noticed that the magazines<br /> and papers take it into their heads to dis-<br /> cuss the art and practice of reviewing. For some<br /> abstruse reason the public is supposed to enjoy<br /> these dissertations. Possibly, in the interests of<br /> fair play, they like to see the critics subjected to<br /> a taste of that discipline which they mete out to<br /> others : possibly, too, they enjoy getting a glimpse<br /> of the inner workings of journalism. I find, in<br /> most of these articles, a consensus of opinion as to<br /> the uselessness of Press notices (which 1s somewhat<br /> disturbing), and an equally strong conviction that<br /> the British public cannot do without its daily<br /> allotment of criticism (which is reassuring). For<br /> my own part, I like reading reviews. When I<br /> pick up a daily paper I generally turn to them<br /> as soon as I have satisfied myself that nothing<br /> very startling has happened in the world of<br /> politics or of sport. But then it must be admitted<br /> that I do not suffer myself to be influenced<br /> by what I read—to any great extent. [ have<br /> given up buying modern books: I do not even<br /> belong to a circulating library; but I probably<br /> read as many new novels in the course of the year<br /> as most people. The fact is—to be quite candid<br /> —I am myself one of the despised band of critics ;<br /> which may, or may not, make my opinion the more<br /> valuable on some disputed points.<br /> <br /> As a guide to purchasers, I dare say that reviews<br /> are useful enough. As a means of inducing the<br /> general public to buy, I believe them to be prac-<br /> tically useless. If we suppose that a man has<br /> already made up his mind to form a library of<br /> modern writers, it is conceivable that a good review<br /> might induce him to add a certain book to his<br /> collection ; but there are few indeed who are bitten<br /> with this mania. The mass of readers have to be<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 274<br /> <br /> bullied, so to speak, into buying a book—they must<br /> run up against the name at every turn until it<br /> strikes them with an air of familiarity ; in most<br /> cases, even then, they will content themselves with<br /> borrowing the work from a more generous neigh-<br /> bour. Of course, I will allow that there may still<br /> be a considerable number who order books from<br /> their libraries on the strength of a flattering notice<br /> that happens to catch their eye, but these are<br /> chiefly ladies, exiled in the country, and the books<br /> they look for are lives of eminent men, reminis-<br /> cences (with plenty of anecdote), or, more rarely,<br /> a novel by some favourite author. It is very<br /> seldom indeed that they can be induced to venture<br /> upon a work by a new hand. Probably a series of<br /> favourable reviews (say even as many as twenty)<br /> scattered among what are generally considered the<br /> best papers, would not sell more than a very small<br /> edition of a new book by an unknown writer. The<br /> case of well-known authors is different. So long<br /> as the fact of their having produced a new work is<br /> given sufficient prominence, it matters little to<br /> their sales whether the reviews are good or bad.<br /> And as theirs are the only books (except in the<br /> rarest instances) that ever receive notices of a<br /> really useful length in any important paper, it<br /> must be admitted that reviewing does not exercise<br /> so great an influence, either for good or evil, upon<br /> an author’s career, as the world is apt to suppose. *<br /> <br /> I am speaking here of reviews properly so called<br /> —that is to say, reviews of a reasonable length,<br /> which may be defined as something over half a<br /> column in most papers. I suppose everyone is<br /> agreed that the short notices so liberally scattered<br /> about in many journals are almost entirely worth-<br /> less, except possibly for the purpose of quotation<br /> in publishers’ advertisements. Here, with the aid<br /> of judicious /acune, they often make a brave show<br /> enough. But in their original position they are<br /> not much regarded. In the eye of the public a<br /> short notice is evidence of mediocrity, at the best ;<br /> and, be it never so laudatory, it cannot hope to<br /> attract more than one or two casual purchasers.<br /> Not many people read these cursory comments at<br /> all: the few who do (with the exception of the<br /> author himself and the friends to whom he proudly<br /> displays them) read them merely in the hope of<br /> finding a touch of smart sarcasm. They are not<br /> infrequently well repaid for their trouble. Some-<br /> times it is possible to put quite a lot of venom into<br /> a few lines ; and when a hard-worked reviewer<br /> takes up a volume towards the end of a long day’s<br /> work, and finds himself with very little space to<br /> spare, this method certainly gives a quick and<br /> satisfactory finish to his labours. Many worthy<br /> books suffer because of the sins of their forerunners.<br /> And it is always easier to blame than to praise—<br /> when space is at a premium.<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> If short notices were entirely abolished, it is<br /> possible that good reviews might be of some value<br /> to the struggling author. But that would mean,<br /> of course, immensely increased labour in the matter<br /> of selection. As things stand, even now, the<br /> process of weeding out unworthy books is an<br /> extremely difficult one : it would become formid-<br /> able indeed (to a conscientious man) if a second<br /> and a third revision had to be undertaken in<br /> addition to the first. And then, there is always<br /> the personal equation of the selector to be con-<br /> sidered. Who is to attempt the ungrateful task ?<br /> Is the editor to go through the vanloads of new<br /> volumes delivered at his office personally, in order<br /> to separate the tares from the wheat, or is he to<br /> delegate this work to the reviewers themselves ?<br /> It is certain that very few editors could find time<br /> for this extra labour, in itself sufficient to occupy<br /> an able-bodied man pretty thoroughly. In most<br /> cases, at present, some member of the editorial<br /> staff settles, approximately, the amount of space<br /> to be allotted to each volume; but his ruling is<br /> commonly determined by matters quite foreign to<br /> the merit of the book submitted to him. Probably<br /> he is very much pressed for time ; he has a thousand<br /> other things to occupy his attention, and a very<br /> cursory glance at a new book has to determine its<br /> fate. If by an unknown writer, there must<br /> generally be something out of the common in its<br /> scheme, or it must bear the imprint of a good<br /> publishing house, in order to gain admission to his<br /> list at all.<br /> <br /> Sometimes, however, the reviewer has to do his<br /> own weeding. A parcel is sent out to him, with<br /> instructions to notice only such books as are worthy<br /> of remark. This practice, I have always thought,<br /> is alittle bit rough upon the reviewer, who feels the<br /> weight of added responsibility, and, in addition,<br /> is only too well aware that he is paid by the column.<br /> If he reads a book carefully from start to finish,<br /> and reluctantly finds it unworthy of discussion, he<br /> has an unpleasant feeling that he has wasted his<br /> time. Besides, it is undeniably easier to review a<br /> thoroughly bad book than a moderately good one.<br /> Most men, I fancy, enjoy writing a really severe<br /> critique, when they can assure themselves of the<br /> justice of their cause. I make no doubt that<br /> Macaulay enjoyed composing his onslaught on<br /> ‘Satan’ Montgomery more than his other contri-<br /> butions to the Edinburgh Review. Similarly,<br /> there is a certain gusto in Lowell&#039;s attack on Pro-<br /> fessor Masson’s ‘“ Milton,” which differentiates it,<br /> pleasantly enough, from his essay on Keats. Most<br /> reviewers, if they got the chance, would take the<br /> brightest and the dullest of their batch, and leave<br /> those that do not seem particularly interesting at<br /> first sight. This would be well enough, no doubt,<br /> <br /> from the reader’s point of view, but hardly from the<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THER AUTHOR. 275<br /> <br /> author’s. The brightest does not always mean<br /> the best. There is such a thing as solid worth,<br /> and it is not always very fascinating on a casual<br /> acquaintance.<br /> <br /> 1 apologise for uttering a commonplace when<br /> I say that the chief agent of the booksellers is<br /> the talkative lady who advises her friends to get<br /> the last book that has happened to catch her fancy.<br /> Conversation is the great factor in popularity, to<br /> an author; if he can get himself talked about at<br /> afternoon teas he is not far from success. It sounds<br /> degrading, but it is none the less true. And for<br /> that reason I take it that personal paragraphs are<br /> of more value to him than the best reviews.<br /> Somehow or other he must contrive to get his<br /> name known. When you come to consider it, sell-<br /> ing books is very much like selling mustard, or<br /> cocoa, or any other of the luxuries (or necessaries)<br /> of life. The public goes to the name it has heard<br /> of before ; and the oftener that name is repeated<br /> in the Press (in any connection or phrase) so much<br /> the better for its owner. It is true that authors<br /> do not, as yet, employ all the methods of advertise-<br /> ment used by manufacturers of soap and pickles.<br /> They say it would be beneath the dignity of a<br /> noble profession. But time will show. Methods<br /> of attracting attention have been used lately that<br /> would have astonished our fathers considerably ; it<br /> is not improbable that the hoardings of the future<br /> will be covered with pictorial recommendations to<br /> buy the immortal works of our descendants. &lt;A<br /> few of the bolder spirits have inaugurated this new<br /> departure already.<br /> <br /> I am reluctant to enter into a debate here as<br /> to the competency, or the conscientiousness, of<br /> reviewers. Perhaps | am not altogether an<br /> unbiased critic of the tribe, and my opinion may<br /> not be worth much, but I will state my conviction<br /> that the common book-reviewer generally knows<br /> quite as much of his business as the musical and<br /> artistic critics do of theirs. This may not be a<br /> fulsome compliment, but it would not become me<br /> to say more. As to his conscientiousness, I<br /> believe him, in the main, to be sufficiently honest.<br /> “Log-rolling,” about which we used to hear so<br /> much some years since, is a moribund form of<br /> amusement, if not actually extinct. Frankly, I do<br /> not suppose that there were ever many reviewers<br /> who conspired together, of malice prepense, to<br /> puff each other’s wares. But, obviously, the per-<br /> sonal element must play its part in reviewing, as<br /> in other things. You may say that a critic should<br /> strenuously refuse to receive a book for review that<br /> chanced to be written by any personal friend—still<br /> more by an enemy—of his own. I can only reply<br /> <br /> that such a critic would have to live a very secluded<br /> life, or else to be content with very little work. Of<br /> course, most men will try to say something nice<br /> <br /> about a friend’s book—unless it is very bad : per-<br /> haps some of the less conscientious among us will<br /> even impart a trifle of personal animosity into a<br /> critique of an enemy’s book—especially if it be<br /> very good. But I fancy that there are not many<br /> critics who suffer their judgment to be warped to<br /> any great degree in this latter direction. We err,<br /> if at all, rather in the direction of undue kindliness.<br /> The critic is no longer the author’s natural enemy,<br /> as he was in the days of Pope, and Swift, and<br /> Sterne—who were never tired of having a fling at<br /> that “‘ most tormenting form of cant.” It is seldom<br /> now that you shall see an incompetent scribbler<br /> handled as he deserves. Perhaps we are afraid;<br /> perhaps we are more humane than our progenitors ;<br /> perhaps—and I fancy this is the most likely<br /> hypothesis—the critic is now almost invariably<br /> himself an author, and has a not unnatural<br /> sympathy with his victim.<br /> <br /> EK. H. Lacon Watson.<br /> <br /> ee se<br /> <br /> IF ONLY!<br /> <br /> aces<br /> By Onz wHo Dipn’t.<br /> <br /> ‘“ HAVE always said you were the coming<br /> man,” declared Ardale, with animation,<br /> “ and now you have come, my dear Lessing,<br /> no one rejoices in your good fortune more than I.”<br /> <br /> “Thank you,” said the man with a tired face<br /> who sat opposite to him, rolling a cigarette between<br /> thin, nervous fingers.<br /> <br /> “Only the other day,” pursued Ardale com-<br /> placently, “I was talking with Grantley about<br /> your stuff. He had just come across your first<br /> book and was effusing over it. Said he had never<br /> read such a first book. I told him that I had<br /> prognosticated your ultimate success from it,<br /> twenty-five years ago. You know I always boast<br /> that I discovered you.”<br /> <br /> “Yes,” said Lessing wearily. His face looked<br /> wan in the firelight, and his lips were strangely set.<br /> <br /> “One is always proud of having discovered<br /> genius before the great dunder-headed public<br /> realises it,” Ardale went on, warming with his<br /> subject. “Lord! what a time it takes to get<br /> anything into the common skull! I knew when<br /> I read your remarkable first book, that you’d get<br /> right there some day, sure enough; but it has<br /> taken the British public five-and-twenty years to<br /> recognise you.”<br /> <br /> He smiled in satisfaction at his own superior<br /> judgment, and flipped the ash from his cigarette<br /> as if it were vulgar opinion.<br />  <br /> <br /> 276<br /> <br /> “You knew twenty-five years ago that I&#039;d ‘ get<br /> there’ ; did you ?” said Lessing slowly.<br /> <br /> “JT did, by Jove!” declared the critic.<br /> <br /> “Then why the devil didn’t you say so, then?”<br /> demanded Lessing, with sudden fierceness. His<br /> friend gasped.<br /> <br /> “« My dear chap ’”’—he began.<br /> <br /> “Why didn’t you say so in print when I was<br /> fighting the uphill fight, longing and praying for<br /> the spark to set my name afire? What made you<br /> write columns about the men whose reputations<br /> were already established, who needed no aid to<br /> sell their thirty thousand copies? What?”<br /> <br /> “JT don’t remember ”—Ardale began to stammer.<br /> The content on his face had given way to a look<br /> of discomfiture.<br /> <br /> “No, you don’t; but I do. I remember well<br /> the time you were reviewing for the Daily Post,<br /> and I envied, with all my heart, your position on<br /> the staff of that important paper. I envied your<br /> power and those upon whom you bestowed it. I<br /> knew who wrote the notice of my first book in its<br /> columns. It was little more than a paragraph of<br /> commonplaces about ‘merit,’ ‘promise,’ and so<br /> forth, tucked away in a corner ignominiously as if<br /> to avoid the public eye. I knew, also, who wrote<br /> the two columns of pseudo-criticism and fulsome<br /> adulation that Sir Potter Patterson’s last novel<br /> received in the same issue. It was a silly, con-<br /> ventional pot-boiler, as you were well aware, but<br /> you treated it to an enthusiastic gush of applause<br /> that was read with an equally enthusiastic gush<br /> of acceptance from one end of England to another.<br /> Why did you do it? You knew the book was<br /> rot.”<br /> <br /> “My dear Lessing, how the deuce can I tell you<br /> now why I did idiotic things twenty-five years ago !<br /> A boy like that—let me see—not more than six or<br /> seven and twenty—I s<br /> <br /> “You were no boy, Ardale. You held a<br /> responsible post as critic on a leading paper, and<br /> you were qualified for it. I’m not saying a word<br /> against your lack of ability. You had ability and<br /> knew your business. You knew then, as well as<br /> you know now, a good thing when you saw it. Why<br /> could you not say so then, as you say itnow ? Why<br /> could you not give me acolumn of support then,<br /> when I needed it a thousand times more than I need<br /> it now? You gave me two in the Pioneer last<br /> week. It was waste of time and space. Hveryone<br /> reads my books, they no longer need advertisement.”<br /> <br /> “But, my dear man, that has nothing to do<br /> with the case. What editor do you suppose would<br /> afford a column to a young and unknown writer,<br /> however great his merits ? Don’t you know better<br /> than that ? Pray, be reasonable.’’<br /> <br /> “J am reasonable, and my common sense tells<br /> me that it is senseless to ‘ gild refined gold and<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> paint the lily’; that there is no earthly use in<br /> writing pages of gush about the work of an author<br /> whom everyone reads and judges for himself ;<br /> that it is worse than useless, it is degrading<br /> and abominable, to eulogise feeble work because<br /> the author of it has made a name; and that it is<br /> drivelling idiocy to write, as so many of you do,<br /> reams of abuse against some author you agree to<br /> despise. Your columns of vituperation against<br /> Ball Mayne’s last novel, a few weeks back, were<br /> <br /> as unnecessary and uncalled for as your adulation —<br /> <br /> of me.”<br /> <br /> “Upon my word, Lessing, you are in a strange<br /> mood to-day. What makes you so devilishly<br /> cornery ? Most men do not resent adulation, and<br /> as for Ball Mayne, he’s such a prig and self-<br /> advertising charlatan that a<br /> <br /> “You find it advisable to help advertise him by<br /> quoting yards of his stuff and exciting the curiosity<br /> of the public to know what has incurred your<br /> wrath! Really, Ardale, it surprises me that the<br /> absurdity of this does not strike any man with a<br /> sense of humour.”<br /> <br /> “Would you never, then, warn the public<br /> against rot?” demanded the critic testily.<br /> <br /> Lessing laughed. “Warn! Did you ever see<br /> a fence with ‘ Caution’ on it that you did not long<br /> to climb? Surely you, a man of the world, know<br /> the irresistible attraction of a warning. Every<br /> man Jack who read your savage onslaught the<br /> other day will have resolved, swr-le-champ, to read<br /> Mayne’s book, either to refute or agree with you.<br /> It’s human nature. ‘&#039;There’s only one way to treat<br /> bad work—ignoreit. Or, better still, zive it the same<br /> kind of faint praise and patronage you gave my<br /> first book. That will help it to die comfortably !”<br /> <br /> “Tt is all very well,” said Ardale impatiently,<br /> “to talk in that strain, as if we poor servants of<br /> the Press had any voice in the matter. But you<br /> must be perfectly aware of the fact that we havn&#039;t,<br /> that we are the slaves of demand and of the men<br /> who employ us. The public like to read about its<br /> celebrities and notorieties. How can space be<br /> spared for new men whom nobody knows, or cares,<br /> anything about ?”<br /> <br /> “It is the manifest duty of the Press to make<br /> the public ‘know and care,’ to hail fresh talent<br /> when it appears. How else can it be discovered ?<br /> The critic’s function is to lead and guide opinion,<br /> not follow weakly in its train. Instead of that<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> now-a-days, in England, at least, there’s a con- —<br /> <br /> spiracy against the new man, whatever his poten-<br /> tiality. He has to wrest his laurels from an<br /> unwilling Press, and if he has pluck and genius to<br /> succeed it isin the face of every obstacle the mind<br /> of man can devise. Whether this results most<br /> <br /> from ignorance, cowardice, jealousy or snobbery<br /> I can’t pretend to determine.”<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> .and I can’t have it.<br /> <br /> orange.<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> ‘Your candour is refreshing,” said Ardale, with<br /> <br /> tight lips, “ but you forget vi<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “‘T forget nothing. I only know, and I convict<br /> you out of your own mouth, that when I was a<br /> youth and showed, as you admit, distinct talent,<br /> you gave me no encouragement whatever ; you<br /> slowed me down, crushed me back, wasted my best<br /> years—you and your damned crew—when half a<br /> column of good, strong arresting criticism would<br /> have called attention to my work and given me<br /> my chance. Shall I tell you what I thought then ;<br /> what I think now? It is that you are all cowards—<br /> shrinking pitiful cowards! You dare not give an<br /> independent verdict until the world has applauded ;<br /> <br /> you are afraid to let your voices be heard above<br /> <br /> the crowd. Can you deny it?”<br /> <br /> Ardale was silent a few minutes. Then he<br /> spoke, gently, as if arguing with an angry and<br /> unreasonable chiid.<br /> <br /> “T can’t understand you, Lessing ; for the life of<br /> me, I can’t. If you were some callow youth just<br /> starting on a literary career, full of bumption and<br /> resentful of criticism, your attitude would be<br /> natural enough. We all think, at that period,<br /> that the world is conspiring against our marvellous<br /> genius. But you—you who have ‘arrived,’ the<br /> man of the hour, the talk of Europe—I’ll be hanged<br /> if I can see what you have to complain of. A<br /> great name, a great fortune, a great future—what<br /> more can you want ?”’<br /> <br /> “JT want,” said Lessing slowly, “life, faith,<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> enthusiasm. I want youth.”<br /> <br /> Ardale smiled.<br /> <br /> “Oh well, we all want that, when we’ve lost it.<br /> But it isn’t in the market.”<br /> <br /> “No; it isn’t in the market. It’s all I want,<br /> What I have, I don’t eare<br /> about. Under this flap,” he laid his hand upon<br /> his writing desk, ‘I have proofs of a new novel<br /> <br /> -and the last chapters of a serial ; I have requests<br /> <br /> for stories from several editors, on my own terms ;<br /> I have letters from foreign translators begging for<br /> right to translate my works ; I have offers from<br /> <br /> &#039; publishers that would make a young author&#039;s<br /> <br /> blood dance. I am getting royalties on all the<br /> books I ever wrote, and my plays are bringing me<br /> in seventy pounds a week. My income is fifteen<br /> thousand a year, and if I had time, or power, to<br /> write more words a day, I could double it. But<br /> what is the use of it all tome? I want nothing,<br /> need nothing, but peace and quietness.”<br /> <br /> “Oh come now,” protested Ardale.<br /> <br /> “T take little or no interest in my work. Some-<br /> times I hate it, and I know it is not so good as it<br /> was. I am wrung out, in fact, dry as an old<br /> And when I think of the days when one-<br /> <br /> hundredth part of what the world lavishes upon<br /> ‘me now would have made me deliriously happy—<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 277<br /> <br /> more than happy—would have opened heaven’s<br /> gates for me on earth—when I think of this, the<br /> horrible irony of it eats into my very sonl. I want<br /> to stand up before my fellows and curse this<br /> damnable ‘scheme of things entire’ that ‘either<br /> gives a stomach and no food,’ or food and no<br /> appetite. It enrages me!”<br /> <br /> “No good getting enraged,” counselled Ardale,<br /> with a fatuous smile; “console yourself with the<br /> reflection that all the younger men envy you your<br /> good fortune.’’ :<br /> <br /> “Console myself!” cried Lessing, “It is the<br /> thought of them that stings and lacerates me.<br /> Are you prepared to listen to a short story of real<br /> life, or will it bore you ?”<br /> <br /> “Go on,” said Ardale, watching him anxiously.<br /> “You are always interesting, even when you&#039;re<br /> serious and truthful. Most men aren’t. Go on.”<br /> <br /> Lessing rose and poured some brandy into a<br /> glass. Ardale had begun to notice that his face<br /> was ash-coloured.<br /> <br /> “Help yourself,’ he said, drinking the spirit<br /> raw. “I forget the duties of hospitality in the<br /> ardour of this discussion.”<br /> <br /> He seated himself again, paused a few moments,<br /> and then began his story.<br /> <br /> “Twenty-five years ago,” he began, “I was full<br /> of ambition and enthusiasm. Moreover, I was in<br /> <br /> love—in the way one loves at twenty-two. There<br /> wasn’t any other girl in the Cosmos. But her<br /> <br /> people were in a good position and they were kind<br /> to me, trusted me. It was impossible to requite<br /> that kindness and confidence by a cool request<br /> that they would endow me with their only daughter<br /> and a sufficient income to keep us both. And<br /> my income was nothing a year, with occasional<br /> accidental windfalls. So I kept quiet and the girl<br /> and I were—friends.”<br /> <br /> He drew a long breath.<br /> a little uneasily.<br /> <br /> “Tt was at that time,” Lessing continued, “I<br /> put all my hopes, longings, even prayers, into the<br /> novel which you said just now was a remarkable<br /> first book ; from which you deduced my future<br /> success. It was remarkable. Crudeand unfinished,<br /> it yet had something in it that will never be in<br /> my work again. I could write nothing so power-<br /> fal and convincing now, though I have learnt all<br /> the tricks—to make much out of little. Well, it<br /> came out. The girl was enchanted, excited. 1<br /> was in a burning fever of anticipation. ‘The reviews<br /> were all flattering, in that little easy, careless,<br /> patronising way which the young writer knows so<br /> well and finds so hard to bear. They were all nice,<br /> in fact, but they didn’t matter. They impressed<br /> nobody, least of all the most important persons—<br /> the autocrats and rulers of the market, those<br /> gigantic middlemen, the distributors upon whose<br /> <br /> Ardale shifted his seat<br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> 278<br /> <br /> will and whim we rise or sink. So my ‘promising’<br /> first book sank, buried under the heap of others<br /> that came out with it, Sir Potter Patterson’s silly<br /> pot-boiler atop. You, and others like you, might<br /> have saved it, might have run me, at least, into<br /> a second edition upon a wave of enthusiasm. But<br /> you dared not. I was a new man, and you<br /> distrusted your own discrimination too much.”<br /> <br /> “You do us an injustice, Lessing; we spoke<br /> well of the book, you admit that,” declared Ardale<br /> in a wounded tone.<br /> <br /> “JT admit that you poured a little stream of<br /> tepid praise upon it, while you exhausted all the<br /> complimentary adjectives in the language upon the<br /> work ofa well-known writer. Don’t be a humbug,<br /> Ardale. You know as well as I do that a certain<br /> sort of feeble praise damns a book more than any<br /> slating can. But to return to mystory. I was to<br /> receive a royalty of 10 per cent. on copies sold and<br /> £25 onaccount. I got the £25—and that was all.<br /> Then I began to debate with myself whether rat<br /> poison or the Thames offered the best mode of<br /> escape from a world that had no use for me.”<br /> <br /> “ Surely, it didn’t go as far as that with you!”<br /> said Ardale, shocked.<br /> <br /> “Just as far as that—the thought—but no<br /> farther. 1 accepted a post as war correspondent<br /> to a moribund paper, on very low terms. Some<br /> months later the girl wrote me a sweet, friendly<br /> letter asking advice. A nice man she rather liked,<br /> and her parents liked very much, had proposed to<br /> her. She did not wish to marry him, but she<br /> respected him, and might love him in time.<br /> Would I counsel her what to do. She knew I<br /> would understand and not think her horrid for<br /> writing. She would never be happy again if I<br /> thought her horrid. It was a pathetic little note,<br /> and tore me all to pieces. Of course I knew what<br /> she meant. There was no help for me. I wrote<br /> back and advised her to marry the nice man.”<br /> <br /> “You were a fool!” said Ardale with pleasure.<br /> lt gave him great satisfaction to return his friend’s<br /> candour.<br /> <br /> “T was—a proud fool. I ought to have told<br /> her the truth and left the matter with her. But<br /> you must remember I saw no prospects whatever<br /> of being able to keep a wife. The choice did not<br /> seem to lie between being a fool ora sensible man,<br /> but between being a rogue or a man of honour.<br /> So she married her nice man.”<br /> <br /> “ And you?”<br /> <br /> “J married, three years later, a writer, as you<br /> know. She was a journalist when we met, and we<br /> were excellent friends. But our wedded life wasn’t<br /> bliss. We did not often agree; we earned very<br /> little between us, and she hadn’t the remotest<br /> notion of engineering a frugal menage. We faced<br /> the sordid struggle, however, with some courage<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> for awhile. My second and third books came out,<br /> and each time we hoped afresh for the spark to fire<br /> it, the advertising puff that would give us some<br /> hold on the future. We even dared to have a<br /> child. But the books died and the child died,<br /> My wife lost heart—and faith in me. She left me<br /> for a bachelor existence, and I was not sorry. Since<br /> then I have lived alone. Five years ago she died.”<br /> <br /> “And now you are going to marry the most<br /> charming womanin London. Everyone raves of the<br /> <br /> beauty and goodness of Lady Evelyn. The masculine _<br /> <br /> half of society envies you like the devil!”<br /> <br /> “Tt is true,” said Lessing, “that Lady Evelyn is<br /> charming. I think her the most perfect woman I<br /> ey ever met. But I am not going to marry<br /> <br /> er.”<br /> <br /> “Not!”<br /> <br /> Ardale laid both hands on the arms of his chair,<br /> and looked as if about to spring up in surprise.<br /> *« You are not going to marry her, after having the<br /> engagement announced in all the society papers!<br /> In Heaven’s name, why not ?”<br /> <br /> “Because,” replied Lessing, with quiet emphasis,<br /> “Tam not going to marry at all.” He paused,<br /> then went on, with some apparent effort :<br /> <br /> “T am dying.”<br /> <br /> “Good God !”<br /> <br /> The two men stared into each other’s eyes<br /> speechlessly. In Ardale’s face a ghastly horror<br /> appeared, but Lessing’s bore no expression of dread<br /> or panic. His eyes were dark with feeling, his<br /> face pale, but he was quite calm.<br /> <br /> “You don’t mean it,”’ Ardale breathed.<br /> <br /> ‘‘T do. To-day I have had the third verdict on<br /> my case. All three specialists are in accord,<br /> They wrap up the death sentence with infinite<br /> tact and assure me, in the most genial and cheerful<br /> manner that, with care and luck, I may live quite<br /> a time—perhaps even a year !<br /> <br /> “Jt is horrible! horrible!” exclaimed Ardale,<br /> in sharp agony. ‘“ Just when you have made your<br /> name—when you have everything at your feet—I<br /> can’t believe it—I won’t.”<br /> <br /> The man of the world was thrown off his ©<br /> <br /> balance, tears stood in his eyes, and he trembled.<br /> <br /> ‘Tt is true, nevertheless.”<br /> <br /> “ T have known men under the same verdict go on<br /> gaily into old age. Specialists often err. They<br /> are cocksure of necessity to preserve their reputa-<br /> tion. You&#039;ll live, Lessing, you must.”<br /> <br /> “ Why should 1?” asked Lessing, ‘since &#039;ve<br /> <br /> no desire for life.”<br /> <br /> “‘ No desire!” echoed Ardale faintly.<br /> <br /> “Not the least. I’m too tired to enjoy it, to<br /> care about it. Pain has worn me out lately.<br /> Don’t look so tragic, Ardale. You must not<br /> frighten me, you know. A person with acute<br /> heart disease must be soothed, calmed, and told<br /> <br /> *<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR. 979<br /> <br /> lies about himself. You have no tact, man, or you<br /> would not look at me with such eyes.”<br /> <br /> j {His smile was whimsical; neither sad nor<br /> frightened, but a trifle nervous. For some time<br /> Ardale could not utter a word.<br /> <br /> Then he rose and held out his hand.<br /> <br /> “Tm sorry, Lessing,” he said in a voice that<br /> shook painfully. ‘‘ Forgive me for what I did not<br /> do, for the cowardice of which you so justly<br /> accuse me. But how should I know that you<br /> if only a<br /> <br /> “Tf only!” echoed Lessing.<br /> <br /> And the broken phrase, the most tragic in our<br /> language, melted like a twilight ghost into the<br /> silence of the room as Ardale went out with<br /> bowed head.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> se ee<br /> <br /> STORIES OF AUTHORS’ LOVES.*<br /> — 1<br /> N writing “Stories of Authors’ Loves” Clara<br /> I E. Lauchlin has set herself no easy task.<br /> Perhaps such a subject is best treated lightly<br /> and sympathetically, without probing much below<br /> the surface, or “violating the fine reticences of<br /> life.” Even authors may be allowed some privacy,<br /> some plot of holy ground where&#039;the public may not<br /> penetrate, where the intellectual man of science<br /> may not tear up the flowers with the questionable<br /> desire of seeing how they grow, or exhume long-<br /> buried bones of contention.<br /> <br /> The book contains much pleasant reading,<br /> though but little is added to the information<br /> already before the public to explain the motives or<br /> elucidate the mental development of those with<br /> whom the author deals. The style is easy and<br /> colloquial, almost too easy at times: for we are<br /> told tbat Byron was a “ preternaturally sensitive<br /> little chap,” and that his ancestors were a “ mixed<br /> lot.” By such phrases as these his subsequent<br /> lapses from virtue and general eccentricities are<br /> explained and condoned.<br /> <br /> Nowadays it is the fashion to whitewash every<br /> black sheep, but why should poor Lady Byron be<br /> dismissed with a few wordsof complacent ridicule for<br /> resenting his treatment of her; and Byron’s actions<br /> be gently alluded to as “very vexatious”? No early<br /> Victorian admirer could have said more for him.<br /> <br /> Shelley, on his side, might resent the playful<br /> raillery against his passions—such treatment re-<br /> minds us of a patronising Elder patting an excitable<br /> little boy on the head to calm him ;—with equal right<br /> he might object to the assumption that he was a<br /> child full of childishness up to the last hour of his<br /> life.<br /> <br /> But as the author states that “God only smiled<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> * “Stories of Authors’ Loves,” by Clara E, Lauchlin.<br /> Published by Isbister &amp; Co., London,<br /> <br /> patiently” on his blasphemy because he was so young:<br /> it is not for man—or woman—to take him seriously.<br /> <br /> Keats does not fare much better for another<br /> reason. His love was not ideal enough to save<br /> him from the tortures of jealousy, and, there-<br /> fore, loving in a low form, he was bound to be<br /> tormented where another would have found content.<br /> <br /> The tragedy of the Carlyles can hardly be dealt<br /> with adequately in a book which is intentionally<br /> superficial. ‘Therefore it is not surprising to find<br /> but a few pages devoted to their story.<br /> <br /> Love is the mainspring of the volume: it is<br /> natural, therefore, to find not only everything<br /> focussed on this point, but the character regarded<br /> as incomplete where that feeling is lacking or latent.<br /> Whilst acknowledging the truth of this view in<br /> the main, it does not quite reconcile us to the<br /> lofty pity extended to George Eliot’s earlier years<br /> any more than to the entire espousal of Byron’s<br /> cause on the plea that he had an early ideal in<br /> Thyrza, which led. him to find all other women<br /> who attracted him—and there were many—want-<br /> ing and unworthy of his fidelity.<br /> <br /> Surely the subjects under the author’s pen would<br /> infinitely prefer their original shortcomings left<br /> in all their bitterness and incompleteness : for they<br /> would then gain in strength what they Jost in<br /> sweetness. ‘The lack of strength is the principal<br /> fault in this book.<br /> <br /> The real success of the author lies in her de-<br /> scription of wedded bliss unmarred by storms or<br /> complications, though deferred by hard fate or<br /> obdurate fathers.<br /> <br /> The story of the Brownings affords an oppor-<br /> tunity for some charming writing and a real<br /> insight into a woman’s mind. ‘The Tennysons,<br /> too, have a graceful tribute to their love story,<br /> and a few lines at the close describing the wife<br /> who made his life so complete are worthy of<br /> quotation.<br /> <br /> “ Serene and sweet she walked by his side for<br /> more than forty years, quickening his insight,<br /> strengthening his faith, fulfiling his every heart’s<br /> desire : and when the eventide was come,<br /> <br /> “&lt;«Pwilight and evening bell,<br /> And after that the dark.’<br /> <br /> “She was still there, nor let go his hand until he<br /> put it in that of the pilot himself, when he had<br /> crossed the bar.”<br /> <br /> Other lives, not so fortunate, figure in these<br /> pages. Dickens, Thackeray, and poor Charles<br /> Lamb, who renounced so much for a different sort<br /> of love. The book has a wide range and aims<br /> high, but lacks the strength and breadth of a<br /> serious study for serious people. It would be an<br /> excellent book for girls if it were a little more<br /> bracing, but here also it fails. Whilst fall of high<br /> ideals and the praise of true love as distinct from<br />  <br /> <br /> 278<br /> <br /> will and whim we rise or sink. So my ‘promising’<br /> first book sank, buried under the heap of others<br /> that came out with it, Sir Potter Patterson’s silly<br /> pot-boiler atop. You, and others like you, might<br /> have saved it, might have run me, at least, into<br /> a second edition upon a wave of enthusiasm. But<br /> you dared not. I was a new man, and you<br /> distrusted your own discrimination too much.”<br /> <br /> “You do us an injustice, Lessing ; we spoke<br /> well of the book, you admit that,” declared Ardale<br /> in a wounded tone.<br /> <br /> “JT admit that you poured a little stream of<br /> tepid praise upon it, while you exhausted all the<br /> complimentary adjectives in the language upon the<br /> work ofa well-known writer. Don’t be a humbug,<br /> Ardale. You know as well as I do that a certain<br /> sort of feeble praise damns a book more than any<br /> slating can. But to return to mystory. I was to<br /> receive a royalty of 10 per cent. on copies sold and<br /> £25 onaccount. I got the £25—and that was all.<br /> Then I began to debate with myself whether rat<br /> poison or the Thames offered the best mode of<br /> escape from a world that had no use for me.”<br /> <br /> “ Surely, it didn’t go as far as that with you!”<br /> said Ardale, shocked. &#039;<br /> <br /> “Just as far as that—the thonght—but no<br /> farther. 1 accepted a post as war correspondent<br /> to a moribund paper, on very low terms. Some<br /> months later the girl wrote me a sweet, friendly<br /> letter asking advice. A nice man she rather liked,<br /> and her parents liked very much, had proposed to<br /> her. She did not wish to marry him, but she<br /> respected him, and might love him in time.<br /> Would I counsel her what to do. She knew I<br /> would understand and not think her horrid for<br /> writing. She would never be happy again if I<br /> thought her horrid. It was a pathetic little note,<br /> and tore me all to pieces. Of course I knew what<br /> she meant. There was no help for me. I wrote<br /> back and advised her to marry the nice man.”<br /> <br /> “You were a fool!” said Ardale with pleasure.<br /> lt gave him great satisfaction to return his friend’s<br /> candour.<br /> <br /> ““T was—a proud fool. I ought to have told<br /> her the truth and left the matter with her. But<br /> you must remember I saw no prospects whatever<br /> of being able to keep a wife. The choice did not<br /> seem to lie between being a fool ora sensible man,<br /> but between being a rogue or a man of honour.<br /> So she married her nice man.”<br /> <br /> “And you?”<br /> <br /> “TI married, three years later, a writer, as you<br /> know. She was a journalist when we met, and we<br /> were excellent friends. But our wedded life wasn’t<br /> bliss. We did not often agree; we earned very<br /> little between us, and she hadn’t the remotest<br /> notion of engineering a frugal menage. We faced<br /> the sordid struggle, however, with some courage<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> for awhile. My second and third books came out,<br /> and each time we hoped afresh for the spark to fire<br /> it, the advertising puff that would give us some<br /> hold on the future. We even dared to have a<br /> child. But the books died and the child died,<br /> My wife lost heart—and faith in me. She left me<br /> for a bachelor existence, and I was not sorry. Since<br /> then I have lived alone. Five years ago she died.”<br /> <br /> “And now you are going to marry the most<br /> charming womanin London. Everyone raves of the<br /> beauty and goodness of Lady Evelyn. The masculine<br /> half of society envies you like the devil!”<br /> <br /> “Tt is true,” said Lessing, “ that Lady Evelyn is<br /> <br /> charming. I think her the most perfect woman I<br /> have ever met. But I am not going to marry<br /> her.”<br /> <br /> “Not!”<br /> <br /> Ardale laid both hands on the arms of his chair,<br /> and looked as if about to spring up in surprise.<br /> «You are not going to marry her, after having the<br /> engagement announced in all the society papers!<br /> In Heaven’s name, why not?”<br /> <br /> “ Because,” replied Lessing, with quiet emphasis,<br /> “Tam not going to marry at all.” He paused,<br /> then went on, with some apparent effort :<br /> <br /> “T am dying.”<br /> <br /> “Good God!”<br /> <br /> The two men stared into each other’s eyes<br /> speechlessly. In Ardale’s face a ghastly horror<br /> appeared, but Lessing’s bore no expression of dread<br /> or panic. His eyes were dark with feeling, his<br /> face pale, but he was quite calm.<br /> <br /> “ You don’t mean it,” Ardale breathed.<br /> <br /> ‘‘T do. To-day I have had the third verdict on<br /> my case. All three specialists are in accord,<br /> They wrap up the death sentence with infinite<br /> tact and assure me, in the most genial and cheerful<br /> manner that, with care and luck, I may live quite<br /> a time—perhaps even a year !<br /> <br /> “Tt is horrible! horrible!” exclaimed Ardale,<br /> in sharp agony. ‘Just when you have made your<br /> name—when you have everything at your feet—I<br /> can’t believe it—I won’t.”<br /> <br /> The man of the world was thrown off his ~<br /> <br /> balance, tears stood in his eyes, and he trembled.<br /> <br /> ‘“‘ Tt is true, nevertheless.”<br /> <br /> «“ T have known men under the same verdict go on<br /> gaily into old age. Specialists often err. They<br /> are cocksure of necessity to preserve their reputa-<br /> tion. You&#039;ll live, Lessing, you must.”<br /> <br /> no desire for life.”<br /> <br /> “No desire!” echoed Ardale faintly.<br /> <br /> “Not the least. I’m too tired to enjoy it, to<br /> care about it. Pain has worn me out lately.<br /> Don’t look so tragic, Ardale. You must not<br /> <br /> frighten me, you know. A person with acute<br /> heart disease must be soothed, calmed, and told —<br /> <br /> *<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 4<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ee ee eee<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “Why should 1?” asked Lessing, “since I&#039;ve | | é<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> lies about himself. You have no tact, man, or you<br /> would not look at me with such eyes.”<br /> <br /> f tHis smile was whimsical; neither sad nor<br /> frightened, but a trifle nervous. For some time<br /> Ardale could not utter a word.<br /> <br /> Then he rose and held out his hand.<br /> <br /> “Tm sorry, Lessing,’ he said in a voice that<br /> shook painfully. ‘‘ Forgive me for what I did not<br /> do, for the cowardice of which you so justly<br /> accuse me. But how should I know that you<br /> if only u<br /> <br /> “Tf only!” echoed Lessing.<br /> <br /> And the broken phrase, the most tragic in our<br /> language, melted like a twilight ghost into the<br /> silence of the room as Ardale went out with<br /> bowed head.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ————_—__—&gt;—_+-—___—-<br /> <br /> STORIES OF AUTHORS’<br /> <br /> ee<br /> N writing “Stories of Authors’ Loves” Clara<br /> E. Lauchlin has set herself no easy task.<br /> Perhaps such a subject is best treated lightly<br /> and sympathetically, without probing much below<br /> the surface, or “violating the fine reticences of<br /> life.” Even authors may be allowed some privacy,<br /> some plot of holy ground wherethe public may not<br /> penetrate, where the intellectual man of science<br /> may not tear up the flowers with the questionable<br /> desire of seeing how they grow, or exhume long-<br /> buried bones of contention.<br /> <br /> The book contains much pleasant reading,<br /> though but little is added to the information<br /> already before the public to explain the motives or<br /> elucidate the mental development of those with<br /> whom the author deals. The style is easy and<br /> colloquial, almost too easy at times: for we are<br /> told that Byron was a “ preternaturally sensitive<br /> little chap,” and that his ancestors were a “ mixed<br /> lot.” By such phrases as these his subsequent<br /> lapses from virtue and general eccentricities are<br /> explained and condoned.<br /> <br /> Nowadays it is the fashion to whitewash every<br /> black sheep, but why should poor Lady Byron be<br /> dismissed with a few words of complacent ridicule for<br /> resenting his treatment of her ; and Byron’s actions<br /> be gently alluded to as ‘‘very vexatious”? No early<br /> Victorian admirer could have said more for him.<br /> <br /> Shelley, on his side, might resent the playful<br /> raillery against his passions—such treatment re-<br /> minds us of a patronising Elder patting an excitable<br /> little boy on the head to calm him ;—with equal right<br /> he might object to the assumption that he was a<br /> child full of childishness up to the last hour of his<br /> life.<br /> <br /> But as the author states that “ God only smiled<br /> <br /> LOVES.*<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *“ Stories of Authors’ Loves,” by Clara E. Lauchlin,<br /> Published by Isbister &amp; Co., London,<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 279<br /> <br /> patiently” on his blasphemy because he was so young,<br /> it is not for man—or woman—to take him seriously.<br /> <br /> Keats does not fare much better for another<br /> reason. His love was not ideal enough to save<br /> him from the tortures of jealousy, and, there-<br /> fore, loving in a low form, he was bound to be<br /> tormented where another would have found content.<br /> <br /> The tragedy of the Carlyles can hardly be dealt<br /> with adequately in a book which is intentionally<br /> superficial, ‘Therefore it is not surprising to find<br /> but a few pages devoted to their story.<br /> <br /> Love is the mainspring of the volume: it is<br /> natural, therefore, to find not only everything<br /> focussed on this point, but the character regarded<br /> as incomplete where that feeling is lacking or latent.<br /> Whilst acknowledging the truth of this view in<br /> the main, it does not quite reconcile us to the<br /> lofty pity extended to George Eliot’s earlier years<br /> any more than to the entire espousal of Byron’s<br /> cause on the plea that he had an early ideal in<br /> Thyrza, which led. him to find all other women<br /> who attracted him—and there were many—want-<br /> ing and unworthy of his fidelity.<br /> <br /> Surely the subjects under the author’s pen would<br /> infinitely prefer their original shortcomings left<br /> in all their bitterness and incompleteness : for they<br /> would then gain in strength what they Jost in<br /> sweetness. ‘The lack of strength is the principal<br /> fault in this book.<br /> <br /> The real success of the author lies in her de-<br /> scription of wedded bliss unmarred by storms or<br /> complications, though deferred by hard fate or<br /> obdurate fathers.<br /> <br /> The story of the Brownings affords an oppor-<br /> tunity for some charming writing and a real<br /> insight into a woman’s mind. The Tennysons,<br /> too, have a graceful tribute to their love story,<br /> and a few lines at the close describing the wife<br /> who made his life so complete are worthy of<br /> quotation.<br /> <br /> “ Serene and sweet she walked by his side for<br /> more than forty years, quickening his insight,<br /> strengthening his faith, fulfiling his every heart’s<br /> desire : and when the eventide was come,<br /> <br /> “* Twilight and evening bell,<br /> And after that the dark.’<br /> <br /> “She was still there, nor let go his hand until he<br /> put it in that of the pilot himself, when he had<br /> crossed the bar.”<br /> <br /> Other lives, not so fortunate, figure in these<br /> pages. Dickens, Thackeray, and poor Charles<br /> Lamb, who renounced so much for a different sort<br /> of love. The book has a wide range and aims<br /> high, but lacks the strength and breadth of a<br /> serious study for serious people. It would be an<br /> excellent book for girls if it were a little more<br /> bracing, but here also it fails. Whilst full of high<br /> ideals and the praise of true love as distinct from<br /> <br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> 280<br /> <br /> expediency, or the “second best,” it is uncon-<br /> vincing, and leaves an impression of sweet senti-<br /> ments wanting tone. The idea is there, but the<br /> vigour is lacking.<br /> <br /> ——— +<br /> <br /> CORRESPONDENCE.<br /> <br /> —t——+ ——<br /> <br /> Is “AuTHor” A PROPER DESCRIPTION ?<br /> <br /> Srr,— In signing some legal papers recently I<br /> was surprised to have it objected by the solicitor<br /> then present that the term author was no proper<br /> “description.” “Journalist” and “ editor” he<br /> allowed were admissible, but not “author.” In<br /> fine, faute de mieux, there I was, reduced to brand-<br /> ing myself as “of no occupation.” I wish to ask,<br /> sir, whether the being reduced to so extenuated a<br /> condition does not, in duly qualified opinion,<br /> literally constitute a reductio ad absurdum. As<br /> a class, it seems to me, authors must be up to<br /> something ; and, if so, that something should be<br /> describable. Indeed, have they not, like Cowley’s<br /> wise man, “all the works of God and Nature under<br /> consideration,” and so more business than a first<br /> minister:of State? Can it be, then, that there is<br /> no name for so comprehensive an occupation as<br /> this ; and that, contrary to the rule, a man may<br /> be veritably in the midst of the most important<br /> affairs, and yet nominally ‘of no occupation ”<br /> at all?<br /> <br /> Shakespeare in his will describes himself briefly<br /> asa “gent.” That is not bad ; but too general to<br /> serve as a precedent here. ‘Thoreau, to make a.<br /> skip, experienced more difficulty in the matter<br /> “T don’t know”—he wrote in answer to a circular<br /> —‘T don’t know whether mine is a profession or<br /> a trade, or what not. ... It is not one, but<br /> legion. . . . My steadiest employment, if such it<br /> can be called, is to keep myself at the top of my<br /> condition, and ready for whatever may turn up in<br /> heaven or earth.” Consulting ‘‘ Who’s Who,” I<br /> find much the same uncertainty. Some writers call<br /> themselves writers, some authors, some men of<br /> letters, some novelists, some critics, some poets ;<br /> and, of course, there is a heavy percentage of the<br /> legitimate “ journalist ” and “editor,” with possibly<br /> a stray essayist, philosopher, or publicist thrown<br /> in. But, apart from too fine a specialization, the<br /> question is, what should be the accredited and<br /> authentic designation of a person who writes, not<br /> for any paper or magazine, nor exclusively in any<br /> way, but, in general, publishing a book every now<br /> and again? Further, the mere publishing of a<br /> book only makes one half an author (which is<br /> worse than none). Unless the public ratifies the<br /> <br /> title, it has a savour of presumption to appropriate<br /> There seems something<br /> <br /> it without more ado.<br /> <br /> THE AUTHOR.<br /> <br /> spurious about the “author” who, for all the<br /> reading world knows of him, is none. Yet what<br /> is such a one to call himself meanwhile ?—author-<br /> prospective, author-presumptive ?<br /> <br /> Norman ALLISTON.<br /> —-—~&lt;&gt; +<br /> SatomE: A REMINISCENCE.<br /> Sir,—The belated performance of Oscar Wilde’s<br /> <br /> play must have recalled forcibly to the minds of<br /> <br /> many of us the events of a certain evening just<br /> thirteen years ago when the inaugural dinner of the<br /> Authors’ Club was held at its first home, 17,<br /> St. James’ Place.<br /> <br /> Unless I am much mistaken the ban of the<br /> censor had been issued against Salomé that very<br /> afternoon.<br /> still smarted under the prohibition when he joined<br /> us on that memorable night in June. Those who<br /> listened to his speech on that occasion can scarcely<br /> have doubted this, or have been deceived by the<br /> “J don’t care” with which the dramatist announced<br /> the fact, as he waved his cigarette in the air with<br /> seeming indifference to a decision which, you may<br /> depend upon it, was very keenly felt.<br /> <br /> To-day, as things have gone, one is tempted to<br /> reflect how it might have been more wise and<br /> kindly to have still accepted the examiner’s inter-<br /> dict and withheld Salomé from the boards<br /> <br /> altogether. OLD Brrp.<br /> <br /> — +<br /> <br /> REVIEWING EXTRAORDINARY.<br /> <br /> Dear Srr,—May I draw your attention to an<br /> innovation in the matter of reviewing which con-<br /> stitutes, I consider, a dangerous abuse? In a<br /> review: of my book, “The Child Slaves of<br /> Britain,” which appeared in the Daily News on<br /> the 8th of April, the following sentence occurs +<br /> “But in his summary he singularly enough<br /> announces that ‘the real root of slavery m<br /> England rests in the free ingress of aliens.’”<br /> The passage I have italicised was put im<br /> inverted commas as though a quotation from<br /> my book. The reviewer next proceeded to show<br /> <br /> its inanity. I at once wrote to the editor to say —<br /> that no such passage occurred anywhere in my<br /> book, that it was entirely opposed to my own —<br /> <br /> views on the question, that I considered it absurd<br /> and imbecile, and I asked him to be so good as to<br /> insert my disclaimer. To tell the public that my<br /> book was based on such a theory was to discredit<br /> the book and injure its chances.<br /> the Daily News took no notice of my letter and<br /> inserted no rectification.<br /> <br /> Yours faithfully, Ropert SHERARD.<br /> <br /> At any rate, the gifted writer thereof<br /> <br /> The editor of —<br /> <br /> Is this fair play ?— a	https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/506/1905-06-01-The-Author-15-9.pdf	publications, The Author