514 | https://historysoa.com/items/show/514 | The Author, Vol. 16 Issue 06 (March 1906) | <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.+16+Issue+06+%28March+1906%29"><em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 Issue 06 (March 1906)</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> | 1906-03-01-The-Author-16-6 | | | | | 161–188 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=89&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=16">16</a> | | | | | | | | | | | <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=76&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1906-03-01">1906-03-01</a> | | | | | | | 6 | | | 19060301 | FOUNDED BY SIR<br />
<br />
Che HMutbor.<br />
<br />
(The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.)<br />
<br />
WALTER BESANT.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Vou. XVI.—No. 6.<br />
<br />
[PRIcE SIXPENCE.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
TELEPHONE NUMBER :<br />
374 VICTORIA.<br />
<br />
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS :<br />
AUTORIDAD, LONDON.<br />
<br />
————————————<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 epinion<br />
of the Committee unless such is especially stated<br />
to be the case.<br />
<br />
Tur 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 />
oo<br />
<br />
List of Members.<br />
<br />
Tur 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 />
—<br />
<br />
The Pension Fund of the Society.<br />
<br />
Tux 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<br />
to invest a further sum. ‘They have now pur-<br />
chased £200 Egyptian Government Irrigation<br />
Trust 4 per cent. Certificates, bringing the invest-<br />
ments of the fund to the figures set out below.<br />
<br />
Vou. XVI.<br />
<br />
Marc# Ist, 1906.<br />
<br />
<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 />
Console 24 % ee. £1000 0 0<br />
<br />
Diocal loans «242.202... es 500 0 0<br />
Victorian Government 3 % Consoli-<br />
<br />
dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 Il<br />
<br />
War lo06n 2. 201. 9 8<br />
London and North Western 3 % Deben-<br />
<br />
ture SLOCK =... 250 0 0<br />
Egyptian Government Irrigation<br />
<br />
Tirnst 4 % Certificates ............--- 200 0 0<br />
<br />
Tid £2,448 9 2<br />
<br />
ee<br />
<br />
Subscriptions, 1905. £ 8. a.<br />
<br />
July 13, Dunsany, the Right Hon. the<br />
<br />
Lord : : : : 0 5 0<br />
Oct. 12, Halford, F. M. 0 5 0<br />
Oct. 12, Thorburn, W. M. 010 0<br />
Nov. 9, “ Francis Daveen’’. 0 5 0<br />
Noy. 9, Adair, Joseph Lt 8<br />
Nov. 21, Thurston, Mrs. lo<br />
Dec. 18, Browne, F. M. 0 5 0<br />
<br />
Donations, 1905.<br />
<br />
Noy. 6, Reynolds, Mrs. Fred.<br />
Nov. 9, Wingfield, H.<br />
Nov. 17, Nash, T. A. .<br />
Dec. 1, Gibbs, F. L. A.<br />
Dec. 6, Finch, Madame<br />
Dec. 15, Egbert, Henry<br />
Dee. 15, Muir, Ward ;<br />
Dec. 15, Sherwood, Mrs. A. .<br />
Dec. 18, Sheppard, A. T.<br />
Dec. 18, 8. F. G. :<br />
1906.<br />
Jan. 2, Jacobs, W. W. ‘ : :<br />
Jan. 6, Wilkins, W. H. (Legacy) .5<br />
Jan. 10, Middlemas, Commander A. C.<br />
Feb. 5, Roe, Mrs. Harcourt<br />
Feb. 5, Yeats, Jack B. :<br />
Feb. 12, White, Mrs. Caroline<br />
Feb. 13, Bolton, Miss Anna<br />
<br />
cococrorocorFCOrF<br />
on<br />
<br />
—<br />
o<br />
eocoooccooeo SCMWOCOTRMRWMOMWS<br />
<br />
cooooeon<br />
on<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
COMMITTEE NOTES.<br />
<br />
— 1 —<br />
<br />
HE February meeting of the managing com-<br />
mittee of the society was held on Monday,<br />
the 5th, at 4 p.m., at the offices of the<br />
<br />
society. After the minutes had been read and<br />
signed, the committee proceeded to elect those<br />
who had submitted their names for membership<br />
and associateship. Eighteen were elected, making<br />
the total for the current year forty-two. So far<br />
the number of elections is well maintained. Sir<br />
Henry Bergne and Mr. A. W. a Beckett, who<br />
respectively resigned from the chairmanship and<br />
vice-chairmanship, were re-elected to fill these<br />
positions, and accepted their re-election. The<br />
secretary reported that there was a sum of over<br />
£270 in the Life Membership Account to be<br />
invested as capital of the society. After some<br />
deliberation the committee decided to purchase<br />
West Australian 33 per cent. Inscribed Stock.<br />
The committee must congratulate the members on<br />
the increase of the invested capital of the society,<br />
which now amounts to over £1,000. The approxi-<br />
mate date of the general meeting was fixed for<br />
the end of March and of the annual dinner for the<br />
beginning of May, and the secretary was instructed<br />
to make the usual arrangements. When the<br />
actual dates have been fixed, the usual notices<br />
will be sent round giving information to all the<br />
members. ‘Three or four important cases were<br />
carefully investigated by the committee. Owing<br />
to their confidential nature, it is impossible to<br />
place the details before the members, but the com-<br />
mittee decided on one question to obtain a legal<br />
opinion from their American lawyer. Another case<br />
dealing with infringement in the Colonies was<br />
adjourned pending further information.<br />
<br />
The committee regret to say that the case which<br />
they carried through the Courts at Munich has<br />
terminated unsatisfactorily, owing to the fact that<br />
the most important witness disappeared, and the<br />
defendants have been unable to pay their creditors,<br />
and cannot be found. Acting, therefore, on the<br />
advice of the lawyers in Munich, who consider<br />
that it would be impossible for the society, even if<br />
successful, to recover either the amount they<br />
claim or the costs, the committee have decided to<br />
withdraw the action.<br />
<br />
—t—<—+<br />
<br />
Cases.<br />
<br />
Srnce the last issue of Zhe Author ten cases<br />
have passed through the secretary’s hands. It is<br />
unsatisfactory to report that of these fewer have<br />
been settled than in former months. Six were for<br />
the return of MSS., and in one of these the MS. has<br />
<br />
been returned and forwarded to the author. It<br />
should be repeated that the question of the deten-<br />
tion of MSS. is a very difficult one ; but it is hoped<br />
that the other MSS. may be returned in the course<br />
of the next month, when the results will be<br />
reported. There were two cases for accounts. In<br />
one of these the accounts have been settled, and in<br />
the other the accounts have been promised shortly.<br />
In one case for money a date has been fixed by<br />
which the magazine will forward the amount due<br />
to the author. One case referred to a dispute on<br />
an agreement. It is hoped that the society may<br />
be able to negotiate a settlement, as the question<br />
is one for amicable arrangement rather than for<br />
legal action.<br />
<br />
There were three cases remaining open from<br />
last month, two of them dealing with difficulties<br />
arising between publisher and author in America,<br />
and the third dealing with a publisher in England<br />
who, on former occasions, has ignored the requests<br />
of the society until process has been issued against<br />
him. No doubt, in this case also, when the<br />
matter is placed in the hands of the society’s<br />
solicitors a satisfactory arrangement will be made.<br />
<br />
———~< +<br />
<br />
February Elections.<br />
<br />
Arthur, Julian : .<br />
<br />
Besant, Miss Celia 18, Clovelly Mansions,<br />
Gray’s Inn Road,<br />
W.C.<br />
<br />
19, Castellain Road,<br />
Maida Vale, W.<br />
<br />
4, Radnor Road, North<br />
Kensington, W.<br />
<br />
78, Marine Parade,<br />
Brighton.<br />
<br />
4, Warwick Mansions,<br />
Gray’s Inn, W.C.<br />
National Club, 1,<br />
<br />
Whitehall Gardens,<br />
S.W.<br />
1, Alipore Lane, Cal-<br />
cutta, India.<br />
Stanton, Broadway,<br />
Worcestershire.<br />
Winforton _—_‘ Rectory,<br />
Hereford.<br />
Cottingham Rectory,<br />
East Yorks.<br />
Culham, New Eltham,<br />
Kent.<br />
<br />
14, Calverley Park,<br />
Tunbridge Wells.<br />
Pilkington, Col. Henry, Tore, Tyrrells Pass,<br />
<br />
C.B. Treland.<br />
<br />
Blanckensee, Mrs. Irma .<br />
Caleb, Arthur E.<br />
Crichton, Mrs.<br />
Delannoy, Burford .<br />
Durand, Ralph A. .<br />
<br />
Eggar, Arthur<br />
Harris-Burland, John B.<br />
Marshall, Mrs. Frances<br />
(Alan St. Aubyn)<br />
Minton, Francis.<br />
<br />
Mitford, Miss Eveline B.<br />
Omond, T. 8. ‘ :<br />
<br />
<br />
TAE<br />
<br />
Hanover ‘Terrace,<br />
Regent’s Park, N.W.<br />
Cashlauna Shelmiddy,<br />
Strete, Dartmouth,<br />
Devon.<br />
<br />
Raphael, Mrs. oes<br />
<br />
/Yeats, Jack B.<br />
<br />
Two of those elected in February do not desire<br />
either their names or addresses to be printed.<br />
<br />
—____—__—_e—_______<br />
<br />
BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF<br />
THE SOCIETY.<br />
<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 particulars. )<br />
<br />
AGRICULTURE,<br />
<br />
By H. Riper HAGGARD. New<br />
Longmans. 3s. 6d.<br />
<br />
A FarMER’sS YEAR.<br />
Impression. 7} x 5}. 489 pp.<br />
ART,<br />
EARLY ENGRAVINGS AND ENGRAVERS IN ENGLAND<br />
(1545—1695). By StpNEY CoLVIN. 203 x 153. 170 pp.<br />
British Museum, £5 5s.<br />
<br />
BIOGRAPHY.<br />
<br />
PoRFIRIO DIAZ: SEVEN TIMES PRESIDENT OF MEXICO.<br />
By Mrs. ALEC TWEEDIE. 9} x 63. 421 pp. Hurst<br />
and Blackett. 21s. n.<br />
<br />
Here AND THERE: MEMoRIES, INDIAN AND OTHER.<br />
By H. G. KeEene,C.1.E. 9 x 53. 215 pp. Brown<br />
Langham. 10s. 6d. n.<br />
<br />
DRAMA.<br />
<br />
Tur Dynasts. A Drama of the Napoleonic Wars, in<br />
three parts, nineteen acts, and 130 scenes. Part II.<br />
By THomas Harpy. 7} Xx 5}. 302 pp. Macmillan.<br />
4s. 6d. n.<br />
<br />
EDUCATIONAL.<br />
<br />
UNDER READER ror BEGINNERS. By Masor F. R. H.<br />
CHAPMAN. 10 x 6}. Ill pp. Thacker. 7s. 6d. n.<br />
<br />
FICTION.<br />
<br />
Tue ForBIDDEN May. By Coralie STANTON and<br />
Hearn Hosken. 7% x5. 310 pp. White. 6s.<br />
<br />
THe PoRTREEVE. By EDEN PHILLPOTTS. 73 x 5.<br />
364 pp. Methuen. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE CHAIN OF SEVEN Lives. By HAMILTON DRUM-<br />
MOND. 72x 5. 308 pp. White. 6s.<br />
<br />
Terence O’RouRKE, GuNTLEMAN ADVENTURER. By<br />
L. J. VANCE. 7% x 5}. 393 pp. Grant Richards. 6s.<br />
<br />
TuE BENDING oF A Twic. By Desmonp F, T. CoKn.<br />
<br />
_ 43x 5. 310 pp. Chapman and Hall. 6s.<br />
<br />
Mrs. Erricker’s Reputation. By THOMAS COBB.<br />
74x 5. 308 pp. Rivers. 6s.<br />
<br />
Nature's VAGABOND AND OTHER STORIES. By Cosmo<br />
HAMILTON. 74 <5. 384 pp. Chatto and Windus, 6s,<br />
<br />
AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
163<br />
<br />
WHITE CARL<br />
327 pp. Hurst and Blackett. 6s.<br />
<br />
FATE’s INTRUDER. By FRANK SAVILE and<br />
Watson. 74x 5. 295 pp. Heinemann. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE BLUE PETER. By MORLEY ROBERTS. 7? x 5.<br />
<br />
348 pp. Nash. 6s. :<br />
<br />
THE GAMBLER. By KATERINE CECIL THURSTON. 7?<br />
x 5. 389 pp. Hutchinson. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE SCHOLAR’S DAUGHTER. By BEATRICE HARRADEN.<br />
7% x 5. 284 pp. Methuen. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE GREAT REFUSAL. By MAXWELL GRAY.<br />
381 pp. J. Long. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE HEALERS. By MAARTEN MAARTENS. 7} x 5.<br />
379 pp. Constable. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE BisHop’s APRON. By W. SomersET MAUGHAM,<br />
7x x 5. 311 pp. Chapman and Hall. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE LAPSE OF VIVIEN EApDy. By CHARLES MARRIOTT.<br />
72x 5. 311 pp. Nash. 6s. ,<br />
<br />
THE House oF SHapows. By R. J. FARRER.<br />
335 pp. Arnold. 6s.<br />
<br />
IN SILENCE. By Mrs. FRED REYNOLDS. 7} x 5}. 336<br />
Hurst and Blackett. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE HATANEE: A Tale of Burman Superstition.<br />
A. Eagar. 7} x 54. 244 pp. Murray. 6s.<br />
<br />
For LIFE AND AFTER. By Geo. R. SIMs.<br />
344 pp. Chatto and Windus. 6s.<br />
<br />
THE BuURGLAR'S CLUB: A Romance in Twelve Chronicles.<br />
By Henry A. Hertne. 8 x 54. 280 pp. Cassell. 3s. 6d.<br />
<br />
THe Hanp. By JOUBERT. 72 x 5.<br />
<br />
A. ET<br />
<br />
72 x 5,<br />
<br />
7% x 5.<br />
<br />
72 x 5.<br />
<br />
HISTORY.<br />
<br />
THe History oF ENGLAND FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES<br />
TO THE NORMAN Conqugst. By T. HopGKIn, D.C.L.,<br />
Litt.D. 9x6. 528 pp. Longmans. 7s. 6d. n.<br />
<br />
LAW.<br />
<br />
TeN YEARS’ EXPERIENCE OF<br />
SALFORD CouNTY COURTS.<br />
<br />
PARRY. 9% x 7.<br />
<br />
THE MANCHESTER AND<br />
3y His Honour JUDGE<br />
Sherratt and Hughes. 1s. n.<br />
<br />
LITERARY.<br />
How To READ ENGLISH<br />
Mitton. By LAURIE MAGNUS.<br />
Routledge. 2s. 6d.<br />
ESSAYS IN THE MAKING. By EusTACE MILES.<br />
161 pp. Rivingtons. 3s. 6d.<br />
<br />
CHAUCER TO<br />
62 x 44. 207 pp.<br />
<br />
LITERATURE :<br />
<br />
7326 51<br />
(=X OG<br />
<br />
MEDICAL.<br />
<br />
A HANDBOOK OF CLIMATIC TREATMENT, INCLUDING<br />
BALNEOLOGY. By W. R. Hueearp, M.A,, M.D.,<br />
F.B.C.P. 83x 53. 536 pp. Macmillan. 12s. 6d. n.<br />
<br />
MISCELLANEOUS.<br />
THREEPENCE A DAY FoR Foop. By Eustace MILEs.<br />
64x 4. 94pp. Constable. 1s. n.<br />
<br />
MUSIC.<br />
<br />
ORIGINAL RECITATIONS,<br />
By MARY SENIOR<br />
11 x 8}.<br />
<br />
TWENTY-FOUR CHARMING<br />
SONGS AND GAMES FOR CHILDREN.<br />
CLARK. Set to Music by GAYNOR SIMPSON.<br />
Oo. Newmann.<br />
<br />
THEOLOGY.<br />
<br />
JOHANNINE GRAMMAR. By E. A. ABBOTT. 9 x 6. 687 pp.<br />
SMALL LESSONS OF GREAT TRUTHS. A Book for<br />
Children. By A. KATHERINE Parkes. 63 x 44.<br />
92 pp. Methuen. 1s, 6d.<br />
ANIMISM : ‘THE SEED OF<br />
CLopp. 7 x 4%. 100 pp.<br />
<br />
RELIGION. By EDWARD<br />
Constable & Co, 1s. n.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
164<br />
<br />
LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL<br />
NOTES.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
ROFESSOR FLINDERS PETRIE’S new<br />
work, “ Researches in Sinai,” published by<br />
Mr. Murray, gives an account of the recent<br />
expedition with a large working party, which lived<br />
in the desert excavating for some months. The<br />
oldest Egyptian sculptures known are reproduced,<br />
the geology and ancient ruins are described, the<br />
conditions of the Exodus are discussed with a new<br />
view of the Israelite census, and the life of the<br />
Bedouin of Sinai and the Egyptian desert is<br />
noticed.<br />
<br />
“The Gambler,’ Mrs. Thurston’s novel recently<br />
published by Messrs. Hutchinson & Co., has for its<br />
heroine an impulsive Irish girl who inherits a<br />
gambling propensity. ‘The scenes of the story are<br />
laid in Ireland, the Continent, and London.<br />
<br />
Miss Beatrice Harraden’s story, ‘‘ The Scholar’s<br />
Daughter,” published by Messrs. Methuen & Co.<br />
in the early part of last month, is the tale of an<br />
old country house in England, the home of the<br />
heroine’s father, who is engaged on the great work<br />
of his life, the compiling of a colossal dictionary<br />
on new lines. Like most of her former works, the<br />
present one is mainly a study of character.<br />
<br />
In his recently published work on “ Easy<br />
Mathematics, chiefly Arithmetic,” Sir Oliver<br />
Lodge’s aim has been to interest children and<br />
adults in fundamental facts of nature, to exhibit<br />
their easy reasonableness, and to remove the<br />
stigma of dulness from arithmetical teaching.<br />
Although the work is especially adapted to the use<br />
of parents and teachers and students who work<br />
by themselves, it is hoped that it can be used<br />
as a class book also. Mr. John Murray is the<br />
publisher.<br />
<br />
Mrs. Campbell Praed’s new novel, “ The Lost<br />
Earl of Ellan,” is running as a serial through the<br />
pages of the Canadian Magazine.<br />
<br />
“The Great Refusal” is the title of a new novel<br />
by Maxwell Gray, which Mr. John Long has<br />
recently published. The story depicts the conflict<br />
of character between two men of diverse tempera-<br />
ments: the father, a man of money, and his only<br />
son, a man of mind.<br />
<br />
“For Life—and After,” by Geo. R. Sims, pub-<br />
lished by Messrs. Chatto & Windus, is the romance<br />
of a woman who suffers penal servitude for life.<br />
It strongly illustrates the peril of a conviction<br />
founded entirely on circumstantial evidence.<br />
<br />
The same publishers have also issued a volume<br />
of short stories by Mr. Cosmo Hamilton, entitled,<br />
“ Nature’s Vagabond.” The first story, from which<br />
the book takes its title, deals with the gradual<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
decline into vagabondage of a distinguished Oxford<br />
man, and his subsequent return to respectability<br />
after experiencing a severe buffeting in the rough-<br />
and-tumble of life.<br />
<br />
“Stories from the Operas” is the title of a<br />
volume by Miss Gladys Davidson, which Mr.<br />
Werner Laurie is publishing at the price of 3s. 6d.<br />
nett. It contains twenty of the more popular<br />
tales written simply and in accordance with the<br />
operas.<br />
<br />
Dolf Wyllarde’s novel, ‘The Pathway of the<br />
Pioneer,” published by Messrs. Methuen & Co. in the<br />
middle of last month, depicts the life of a woman,<br />
gently born and educated, who has, through force<br />
of circumstances, to earn her own living.<br />
<br />
Messrs. Chapman & Hall have recently published<br />
a work by Mr. G. Ainsley Hight, entitled, “The<br />
Unity of Will,” in which the author propounds a<br />
new theory of volition and freedom of the human<br />
intellect. The published price of the work is<br />
10s. 6d. nett.<br />
<br />
Mr. Eden Phillpotts’ story, “ The Portreeve,” is<br />
one in the chain of narratives he is weaving about<br />
Dartmoor, and depicts various aspects of the life<br />
and ambitions of its folk. Messrs. Methuen & Co.<br />
have published the book, which contains a frontis-<br />
piece by Mr. A. B. Collier.<br />
<br />
The same author is also publishing in Messrs.<br />
Newnes’ Sixpenny Series a new story, entitled<br />
“The Unlucky Number.”<br />
<br />
Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. will publish in the<br />
spring a new story by the Rev. J. A. Hamilton,<br />
author of “The MS. in a Red Box,” entitled<br />
“Captain John Lister.” It is a tale of Ax-<br />
holme, and the time is the outbreak of the Civil<br />
War.<br />
<br />
Among the earliest publications of Messrs.<br />
Brown, Langham & Oo.’s Spring List is a book of<br />
reminiscences by Mr. H. G. Keene, C.1.E. Mr.<br />
Keene is one of the survivors of the old régime in<br />
India, and in this book of memories called ‘* Here<br />
and There,” there are many amusing stories of old<br />
Haileybury, and of Indian life in days before the<br />
Mutiny. The second part of the volume deals<br />
with later life spent in London and elsewhere, with<br />
gossip about some distinguished persons whom the<br />
writer had the fortune to meet on his return from<br />
exile. Mr. Keene is the author of “A Servant of<br />
John Company,” and ‘Sketches in Indian Ink,”<br />
and his reminiscences, which are published at<br />
10s. 6d. nett, with a frontispiece of the author,<br />
should appeal with special force to all who have —<br />
had experience of Indian life.<br />
<br />
The same publishers produced early last month —<br />
a new and cheaper edition of Mr. Lacon Watson’s<br />
“Christopher Deane.” In view of the interest —<br />
that has been shown lately in stories of school and<br />
college life, ‘ Christopher Deane,” which treats —<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
of Winchester and Cambridge, should have con-<br />
siderable success in its present form.<br />
<br />
“Mr. Tumpsy,” written by Charles Croft, and<br />
published by Mr. Henry J. Drane, is a fairy tale,<br />
which, though appealing to children, will not, the<br />
author hopes, be found uninteresting to adults.<br />
The pieces of music which are scattered throughout<br />
the book have been specially arranged to suit the<br />
powers of those who play the piano with only one<br />
finger. The illustrations to the work are from the<br />
pen of Mr. G. E. Kriiger.<br />
<br />
The scene of Mrs. Philip Champion de Cres-<br />
<br />
igny’s new novel, which Mr. Eveleigh Nash will<br />
publish shortly, is laid in France during the 16th<br />
century. The title of the book is “The Grey<br />
Domino.”<br />
<br />
“Pictures from the Balkans,’ which Messrs.<br />
Cassell & Co. will publish shortly, is the fruit of<br />
an extensive tour of the Near East, which Mr.<br />
John Foster Fraser made last autumn. The book<br />
will be illustrated from photographs taken by the<br />
author.<br />
<br />
Miss Oliver Katherine Parr (who has, for some<br />
time, been a member of the honorary literary staff<br />
of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty<br />
to Animals) contributes a special illustrated article<br />
on the famous Mount St. Bernard Hospice to<br />
the current issue of the Animal World. Under<br />
the editorship of Mr. Edward Fairholme, this<br />
journal has inaugurated some new features. Con-<br />
tributcrs who wish for it are now paid a small<br />
remuneration, 10s. per thousand words, and<br />
monthly photographic competitions have been<br />
opened. The journal is published by Messrs.<br />
Partridge & Co.<br />
<br />
«A Huguenot Heroine,” is the title of a serial<br />
by Miss Edith C. Kenyon, which is running<br />
through the pages of Our Own Gazette. Messrs.<br />
S. W. Partridge & Co., who published Miss<br />
Kenyon’s last book, “ Love’s Golden Thread,”<br />
have commissioned her to write them a work for<br />
this year’s autumn season.<br />
<br />
«By Law Eternal,” a novel by Geraldine Kemp,<br />
has been published by Messrs. Jarrold & Sons at<br />
the price of 3s. 6d. The keynotes of the story are<br />
heredity and work, and the author deals with one<br />
of the gravest ills of life. Pauline, the principal<br />
character, inherits from her mother insanity ; from<br />
her father strength of character, nobility and<br />
intellect, combined with a sound physique. The<br />
author’s aim has been to show how, through the<br />
influence of power, will, and feeling, properly<br />
directed and rationally developed, her sorrowful<br />
heritage could be mastered.<br />
<br />
Messrs. Hurst & Blackett published, in the<br />
middle of last month, Mrs. Alec T'weedie’s Life of<br />
General Porfirio Diaz, for thirty years President of<br />
Mexico. Mrs. Tweedie has compiled this life with<br />
<br />
TAR AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
165<br />
<br />
the President’s sanction from authentic diaries<br />
and documents placed in her hands for the<br />
purpose. It is the life-history of a man who,<br />
born in obscurity, has lived a wildly exciting life<br />
as a soldier, has played an important part in the<br />
history of Maximilian and Carlota, and has now<br />
assumed the position of Perpetual President and<br />
brought his country from chaos and revolution to<br />
peace and prosperity. The volume is published<br />
at the price of 21s. nett.<br />
<br />
Mr. R. H. Sherard’s volume of reminiscences,<br />
“Twenty Years in Paris,” which Messrs. Hutchin-<br />
son & Co. published recently, has gone into a<br />
second edition. Arrangements are in progress for<br />
a French and a German translation.<br />
<br />
“A Veneered Scamp” is the title of a new<br />
novel by Miss Jean Middlemass. The story,<br />
which is of a sensational nature, is published by<br />
Mr. Jobn Long.<br />
<br />
Dr. Paget’ Toynbee’s book, “ Dante in English<br />
Literature,” will be published in the spring by<br />
Messrs. Methuen & Co. The work covers a period<br />
of 464 years, from the date of Chaucer’s second<br />
visit to Italy in 1380 to the death of Cary in 1844.<br />
Nearly 300 English writers, who make mention of<br />
Dante or quote his works during this period, are<br />
traced by Dr. Toynbee. Rather more than forty<br />
of these belong to the sixteenth century, about<br />
thirty to the seventeenth, and nearly one hundred<br />
to the eighteenth, the greater number of the<br />
remainder falling within the first forty years of the<br />
nineteenth century. The work contains a brief<br />
biography of each of the writers mentioned.<br />
<br />
Mr. Somerset Maugham’s new novel, “The<br />
Bishop’s Apron,’ published by Messrs. Chapman<br />
& Hall, presents him as a satirist and humourist.<br />
The schemes of the ambitious clerical party and<br />
the intrigues of the new nobility form the material<br />
for the work.<br />
<br />
Messrs. A. & C. Black have just published<br />
Mr. E. A. Reynolds-Ball’s handbook “ Rome, a<br />
Practical Guide to Rome and its Environs,” with<br />
illustrations in colour by Albert Pisa. Although<br />
the work is mainly intended to meet the require-<br />
ments of tourists only able to spend a few weeks<br />
in the city, it does not neglect the interests of<br />
more leisured visitors. It contains, in addition,<br />
full details on matters affecting the comfort of the<br />
tourist, such as hotel accommodation.<br />
<br />
Mr. Robert Machray has completed a new serial<br />
story dealing with a remarkable and successful<br />
case of personation, the truth regarding which is<br />
only brought to light by the merest accident.<br />
Messrs. Chatto & Windus will publish the story in<br />
book form in early autumn.<br />
<br />
Mr. Fisher Unwin will publish this month a<br />
novel by Mrs. Archibald Little, the title of which<br />
is “A Millionaire’s Courtship.” A millionaire’s<br />
166<br />
<br />
yachting tour forms the groundwork of the story.<br />
The book contains many descriptive passages<br />
which, however, are subordinated to the interest<br />
of the characters.<br />
<br />
Sir Edward Durand has written, and Mr. Sidney<br />
Appleton will publish, a work entitled “ Cyrus the<br />
Great King.” It is in the form of a poem<br />
depicting the life of the great Persian who figured<br />
in the period of war and conquest that only came<br />
to a pause with the siege and fall of Babylon.<br />
<br />
The second volume of the new edition of the<br />
Dictionary of Music contains a sympathetic article<br />
on Sir George Grove by Mr. C. L. Graves, while<br />
Mr. J. A. Fuller Maitland, who is editing it,<br />
writes on Grieg, J.iszt, and other composers.<br />
<br />
The social committee of the Pioneer Club,<br />
assisted by Rowland Grey, has arranged what<br />
should prove an interesting commemoration of<br />
Mrs. Browning’s centenary upon March 6th. Mrs.<br />
Meynell has promised to read a paper upon the<br />
poems, her relationship with Mrs. Browning<br />
making any word from the author of such sonnets<br />
as “Renouncement” of fresh interest. Miss<br />
<br />
Wynne-Matthison will recite two of the sonnets<br />
from the Portuguese, and the songs set to ‘‘ Leaving<br />
yet Loving,” ‘‘ How do I Love Thee,” “A Sabbath<br />
Evening at Sea,” will also be given in the presence<br />
<br />
of a portrait of Mrs. Browning, wreathed with the<br />
true poet’s laurel. The wreath is to be sent<br />
afterwards to Florence and laid upon her grave.<br />
<br />
The two series of “Chronicles of the Burglar’s<br />
Club,” by Henry A. Hering, which have recently<br />
appeared in Cassell’s Magazine, have just been<br />
published in volume form by Messrs. Cassell & Co.,<br />
with illustrations by F. H. Townsend. Mr.<br />
Hering’s burglars differ from other light-fingered<br />
gentry, inasmuch as they are men of position, who,<br />
having exhausted all legitimate excitemenis of<br />
civilisation, burgle for the sport of the thing, and<br />
promptly return the articles purloined.<br />
<br />
Mr. Pinero’s new play, “ His House in Order,”<br />
produced at the St. James’ Theatre on February<br />
1st, deals with the marriage of a widower with a<br />
kind-hearted irresponsible girl who, lacking the<br />
domestic abilities of her predecessor, loses the<br />
regard of her husband, and is snubbed and scolded<br />
by most of his relations. ‘The good qualities of<br />
the lady whom she has replaced are constantly<br />
brought to her notice, in order to indicate her own<br />
shortcomings. The discovery of incriminating<br />
facts relating to the past life of this “ model of<br />
propriety ” forms the pivot of the play. The caste<br />
includes Miss Irene Vanbrugh, Mr. Herbert Waring,<br />
Miss Beryl Faber and Mr. George Alexander.<br />
<br />
Miss Netta Syrett’s one act play, “The Younger<br />
Generation,’ was produced in front of “The<br />
Heroic Stubbs” at Terry’s Theatre on the third of<br />
Jast month. It deals with the disappointment of<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
a widow who, expecting a proposal of marriage<br />
from one of her former admirers, finds that his<br />
affections are centred on her daughter. The piece<br />
ends by the widow sacrificing her desire in favour<br />
of “The Younger Generation.” The three char-<br />
acters in the play were interpreted by Miss Irene<br />
Rooke, Miss Estelle Winwood, and Mr. G. F,<br />
Tully.<br />
<br />
Capt. Robert Marshall’s comedy, ‘‘ The Alabaster<br />
Staircase,” was produced at the Comedy Theatre<br />
on the 21st of last month. The main characters<br />
in the piece are a Tory Prime Minister, his<br />
daughter, and her lover—a wealthy “Socialist”<br />
Member of Parliament. The play indicates the<br />
change of political faith of the Premier, caused by<br />
a fall down an alabaster staircase. In consequence<br />
of this change he takes leave of his cabinet,<br />
and expresses admiration for the views of the<br />
“Socialist,” which were previously abhorrent to<br />
him. The caste includes Mr. John Hare, Mr. Leslie<br />
Faber, and Miss Lottie Venne.<br />
<br />
PARIS NOTES.<br />
<br />
><br />
<br />
IOGRAPHIES, memoirs and letters are all<br />
more in favour than ever in France, and<br />
some of the recent books of this kind are<br />
<br />
certainly quite as interesting as fiction. Among<br />
such volumes is “ Madame de Prie ” (1698—1727),<br />
by H. Thirion. The author has taken the trouble<br />
to give us in detail the whole story of the life of<br />
this extraordinary woman, who at the age of fifteen<br />
was married to the Marquis de Prie, a man twenty-<br />
six years older than she was. Later on comes her<br />
liaison with the Duc de Bourbon, and then we have<br />
all the hardships which follow this. According<br />
to M. Thirion’s documents Mme. de Prie has<br />
been basely slandered, for the account he gives of<br />
her differs widely from the idea of her usually<br />
given in histories.<br />
<br />
“Le Voyage de Sparte,” by M. Maurice Barres,<br />
is now published in volume.<br />
<br />
“Le Journal inédit du duc de Croij” is the<br />
title of the book of memoirs published by MM. the<br />
Vicomte de Grouchy and Paul Cottin. The Due<br />
de Croij (1718—1784) left manuscript memoirs<br />
enough to have completed something like forty<br />
ordinary-sized volumes, but the authors of the<br />
present publication have wisely given in two large<br />
volumes details concerned with life at Versailles<br />
and in Paris. The book is particularly interesting<br />
as a picture of the times.<br />
<br />
“Le Roman de Sainte-Beuve,” by M. Gustave<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
Sopher NS<br />
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we<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
Simon, is another volume on the much-discussed<br />
question of Sainte-Beuve’s affection for Mme. Victor<br />
Hugo. ‘Les Impressions d’une Francaise en<br />
Amérique,” by Mme. Vianzone ; “ A l’autre bout<br />
du monde,” by M. Paul Varrego, treats of<br />
adventures and habits and customs in Australia.<br />
<br />
“De Sebastopol 4 Solférino,” by M. de Cham-<br />
brier ; ‘“‘Le Coup de Grice,” by the Général de<br />
Piépape ; “Les Campagnes de 1799,” by M. Edouard<br />
Gachot—three volumes of history which are each<br />
well worth reading.<br />
<br />
A volume, published by M. Louis Loviot,<br />
containing the “Lettres de Gabrielle Delzant,”<br />
with a preface by Mme. Blanc-Bentzon, gives us<br />
two types of the modern woman in the best and<br />
highest acceptance of thisterm. The letters them-<br />
selves are charming, and M. Brunetiére says of the<br />
writer of the admirable preface to the volume :—<br />
“Depuis trente ans je doute si quelque femme a<br />
fait plus ou autant pour la revendication des droits<br />
de son sexe que Mme. Th. Bentzon. On! elle n’a<br />
jamais élevé la voix! Ce n’est pas sa ‘maniére’<br />
ni celle des femmes de son monde. . . . Elle a vécu<br />
de la vie des unes et, 4 force de sympathie, elle a<br />
reconstitué ‘l'état d’ame’ des autres... . Elle a<br />
passé des mois en Russie pour y observer la femme<br />
russe. lle a fait deux ou trois fois le voyage en<br />
Amérique pour étudier la femme américaine. Je<br />
ne dis rien de |’Angleterre qu’elle connait aussi<br />
bien que la France. .. .”<br />
<br />
“Science et Libre Pensée” is the title of a<br />
volume by M. Berthelot, of the French Academy.<br />
This is the fourth volume of articles, essays and<br />
speeches published by the eminent scientist, at<br />
whose jubilee commemoration in Paris, some four<br />
years ago, savants from all parts of the world met.<br />
Among the articles contained in the present collec-<br />
tion are the following :—‘ Les Causes finales,”<br />
“Les relations entre la France et l’Angleterre,”<br />
“La Paix par la Justice,” “ Le réle des races<br />
scandinaves dans le développement de la civilisa-<br />
tion moderne,” “ La méthode scientifiques en<br />
politique,’ “ L’evolution des sciences au XIX*<br />
siécle.”<br />
<br />
“La Marine qu’il nous faut,” by M. Charles<br />
<br />
' Bos, with a preface by M. Edouard Lockroy, is a<br />
<br />
book that is now being discussed. A sketch of<br />
“Le Président Falliéres,” illustrated by photo-<br />
graphs and drawing, has been published by the<br />
author, M. Jean de la Hire, at the right<br />
moment.<br />
<br />
“ La Comédie protectioniste,” by M. Yves Guyot.<br />
The author goes back to the time of Colbert to<br />
show the economic evolution in France, and shows<br />
later on the work of Cobden and Napoleon III.<br />
destroyed by the establishment of custom duties<br />
still in vigour.<br />
<br />
“Le Mécanisme de la vie moderne,” by the<br />
<br />
167<br />
<br />
_ Vicomte d’Avenel, a volume in which the author<br />
<br />
treats of the subject of the Stock Exchange. He<br />
shows how from 1815 to 1850 the bank became an<br />
Important spring in national life, directed chiefly<br />
by men of Swiss Protestant birth. From 1850 to<br />
1870 Pereire and Rothschild came to the front, and<br />
under the cover of Turkish affairs the first syndi-<br />
cates between French and German financiers were<br />
established.<br />
<br />
“Hssai d’une psychologie de l’Angleterre con-<br />
temporaine, les crises belliqueuses,” by Jacques<br />
Bardoux.<br />
<br />
Among recent volumes of fiction are the follow-<br />
ing :— Le Coeur disséqué,” by M. Ferri-Pisani, a<br />
nephew of George Sand ; “ La Bonne Etoile,” by<br />
M. Jean Rameau ; “L’Age de Raison,” by Mme.<br />
Claire Albane; “Janua Cceli,” by Mme. Jean<br />
d’Ivray ; “ L’Inoubliable Passé,” by Mme. Ré-<br />
musat; “Ceux qu’on méprise,” by M. Georges<br />
Verdéne, with a preface by M. Anatole France.<br />
<br />
“Tia Cité des Idoles,” by M. Henri Chateau, is<br />
a curious novel based on the problem of an ideal<br />
society. The author endeavours to show how this<br />
can be evolved from contemporary society, but at<br />
the same time he shows the instability of it, when<br />
built up on the old errors and oppressions.<br />
<br />
In the Revue des Deux Mondes M. A. Bellessort<br />
writes an interesting article, “ La vie japonaise.”<br />
In the Revue de Paris M. Anatole France continues<br />
“La Bataille de Patay.”<br />
<br />
In the two last numbers of Za Revue are<br />
articles by Edmond Scherer on “ L’Invasion de<br />
Versailles’ (1870); Emile Faguet, “Un Ménage<br />
d’Ecrivains” ; Dr. Lowenthal, “Pourquoi la<br />
France se dépeuple ” ; Charles Wagner, “ A propos<br />
de la Morale sans Dieu”; G. Savitch, “ Les types<br />
littéraires de la Crise russe.”<br />
<br />
At the Frangais “ Les Cceurs timides,” by Paul<br />
Adam, is announced, and “Deux Hommes,” by<br />
Alfred Capus. Other forthcoming pieces are ‘‘ Le<br />
Ruisseau,” by Pierre Wolf, for the Gymnase ;<br />
“La Dette,” by Bernstein; “Le Bourgeon,” by<br />
Feydeau; and “Paris-New York,” by Francis de<br />
Croisset.<br />
<br />
“La Piste,” by M. Sardou, is running at the<br />
Variétés, and “Les Hannetons,” by M. Brieux,<br />
and “ Au Petit Bonheur,” by M. Anatole France,<br />
at the Renaissance. At the Théaitre Antoine a<br />
French version of “Old Heidelberg” is being<br />
played, and the Thédtre des Arts has produced a<br />
five-act piece by M. Saint Georges de Bouhélier,<br />
entitled “ Le Roi sans couronne.”<br />
<br />
ALYS HALLARD.<br />
<br />
o—~<>—-e-<br />
<br />
<br />
SPANISH NOTES.<br />
ee<br />
HE advance made by women in Spain in<br />
7 literature is seen in Dona Emelia Pardo<br />
Bazan appearing as a dramatist. Her four-<br />
act drama, “Verdad” (Truth), was given for the first<br />
time on 9th January, and the enthusiastic applause<br />
with which the performance was received, showed<br />
the welcome accorded by Spaniards to the work of<br />
a woman. Thestory of the play is based on the<br />
hero’s love of truth— Truth, truth at any price!”<br />
is his watchword, and in this spirit he confesses<br />
the murder of his first wife to her sister whom he<br />
has married. The murder had been committed in<br />
the rage induced by the confession extorted from<br />
the victim. The play shows that Truth cannot<br />
be welcome, when it reveals shameful deeds of<br />
treachery and cruelty, and the drama is another<br />
laurel to the fame of the writer, whose novels<br />
and philosophical works have long made her name<br />
celebrated.<br />
<br />
The Spanish stage has just suffered a great loss<br />
in the death of the popular actor Riquelme.<br />
Thanks to the united generous efforts of the<br />
above cited artistes, and Borras, Lucrecia Arana,<br />
Consuelo Majendia, Josefina Roca, Ruiz Tatay,<br />
Ramirez, Gonzalez, etc., the grand performance at<br />
the Apolo Theatre produced a large sum for the<br />
widow and orphans of the artist.<br />
<br />
The political world has also sustained a loss<br />
in the death of Sefor Esteve, the well-known<br />
liberal leader of Murcia, and the large conclave of<br />
10,000 people at his funeral proved his popularity.<br />
The Imparcial is publishing interesting articles<br />
on some of the leading emissaries for the conference,<br />
and it is interesting to see the appreciative tone of<br />
the remarks relating to Sir Arthur Nicolson, whose<br />
departure from the British Embassy at Madrid is<br />
so much regretted. ‘‘ Whatever disagreements or<br />
conflicts may ensue at Algeciras,” says Luis Bello,<br />
“We can count upon the beneficial effect of Sir<br />
Arthur Nicolson’s wide and generous mind, which<br />
exceeds the force of mere words and forms, and<br />
which is characteristic of his race.”<br />
<br />
An interesting meeting was held on January 7th,<br />
at the Academy of Moral and Political Science,<br />
under the presidency of H.M. King Alfonzo XIIL.,<br />
who made a short speech congratulating the society<br />
on the encouragement it affords the country in the<br />
study of the sciences. Presentation of the medal<br />
was made to Sefior Guisasola, the new member,<br />
who delivered his maiden speech on “The Prin-<br />
ciple of Authority, its Origin, Character, and<br />
Relations.” After drawing masterly distinctions<br />
between undue extensions, and undue limitations of<br />
authority, the speaker said, “ The base of authority<br />
ig a force which is in fact divine, and it is<br />
communicated in various forms to the person or<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THER AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
institution that exercises it. The force to com-<br />
mand is from God, but the form of exercising this<br />
force is determined by man.”<br />
<br />
The speech by the Marquis del Vadillo on the<br />
connection between natural and moral forces was<br />
also full of metaphysical truths.<br />
<br />
The Academy of Political and Moral Science<br />
has recently elected as a member the ex-minister<br />
Don Pio Gullen, whom Sefior Azcarate welcomed as<br />
‘¢a well-informed and discreet politician, an honest<br />
and intelligent functionary, a clever writer, and a<br />
fluent and accurate parliamentary speaker.” This<br />
distinction has been afforded to Pio Gullen in<br />
consideration of his studies of the bases and the<br />
systems of the parliamentary methods prevailing<br />
in Europe and America.<br />
<br />
“Bl Idolo” (The Idol) by the well-known<br />
dramatist, Don Manuel Linares, is a striking<br />
picture of the corruption of the Spanish parlia-<br />
mentary system, to which the hero, Don Cesar<br />
Pedroso, succumbs. For his original ideal is not<br />
proof against feminine persuasion to use his<br />
influence to her profit. As the Spanish critics of<br />
the play remark : ‘‘ The stage reflects our customs.”<br />
And it is these customs which Spanish patriots<br />
trust will be gradually reformed.<br />
<br />
The Atheneum of Madrid has just been opened<br />
to women as members, and the first to enrol them-<br />
selves are la Marquesa de Mont-Roig, la Marquesa<br />
de Ayerbe, Sefiora Carmen Figuerola de Ferretti,<br />
Sefiora Pardo Bazan, and Sefiora Blanca de los<br />
Rios.<br />
<br />
The Woman's Agricultural Times offers to publish<br />
articles from notable Spanish ladies in their own<br />
language if Colonel Figuerola Ferretti edits the<br />
contributions. This first Anglo-Spanish magazine<br />
will promote the en/ente cordiale between the women<br />
of the two countries and voice the cordial welcome<br />
awaiting Princess Ena of Battenberg as the future<br />
Queen of Spain.<br />
<br />
The Spanish agricultural magazine ( Ganaderva y<br />
industriales rurales) has moreover invited contri-<br />
butions from English women encouraging Princess<br />
Ena, when Queen, to patronize efforts to forward<br />
the lighter branches of agriculture as occupations<br />
for women.<br />
<br />
The distinguished Spanish journalist Sefior<br />
Ramiro de Maeztu has won the gratitude of his<br />
countrymen by the able way he has reported from<br />
London the methods he has marked in the recent<br />
English elections ; and he has also surprised his<br />
countrywomen by the accounts he has given of the<br />
able way many wives aided their husbands in the<br />
contest.<br />
<br />
A Spanish magazine suggests publishing Mrs.<br />
Alec Tweedie’s Life of Porfirio Diaz, the Spanish<br />
minister of Mexico, as a serial, if it be translated.<br />
<br />
by Don Manuel de Figuerola in the Foreign Office<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THK AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
at Madrid, whose success in a diplomatic mission<br />
in Paris was rewarded with the Légion d’Honneur.<br />
<br />
The great banquet recently given to the political<br />
reformer Soriano, in Madrid, was an occasion for<br />
the orator to give noble tributes to the authors<br />
Galdos and Rusifiol, who were present. He declared<br />
that he himself only aimed at being “the ambas-<br />
sador of the national conscience,’ and in this he<br />
was aided by Galdos, “ the splendid pioneer of cul-<br />
ture and morality,” and by Rusifiol, the Catalonian,<br />
“who,” to quote the speaker, “represents the<br />
intelligence which is the bond of union between all<br />
parts of the country.”<br />
<br />
The Spanish press publishes two charming<br />
poems in honour of the Infanta Dofia Paz on her<br />
departure from Madrid after the marriage of<br />
the Infanta Maria Teresa with her son Prince<br />
Ferdinand of Bavaria. The Doita Infanta de la<br />
Paz, sister of the late King Alfonzo XII, is well-<br />
known for the works of her pen. Her article<br />
comparing Cervantes to Schiller was circulated in<br />
the Royal Academy at the Don Quixote fétes. The<br />
King and Queen patronised this literary function,<br />
when the article was read which was written<br />
for the occasion by the veteran blind author, Juan<br />
Valera, who died a short time before the day of his<br />
triumph. A fine edition of the works of this<br />
great writer is now in preparation, and the first<br />
volume now out contains the ‘“ Eulogy of Saint<br />
Teresa,” “Liberty in Art,” and “The Study of<br />
Don Quixote and the Various Forms of Judging it.”<br />
<br />
The Geographical Society of Spain held an<br />
interesting meeting the other evening, under the<br />
presidency of the minister of the navy to hear<br />
the account of Colonel Delmé Radcliffe’s travels in<br />
Uganda and many parts of the Victoria Nyanza<br />
Lake district in Central Africa. The traveller gave<br />
his experiences in good Spanish, and his reports on<br />
the progress of the railway scheme of the country,<br />
the manners and customs of the natives, and the<br />
fauna and flora of the land, were listened to with<br />
<br />
great interest. RACHEL CHALLIOE.<br />
a<br />
<br />
PUBLICATION AND COPYRIGHT.<br />
<br />
——_+—<—+—__<br />
Part I.<br />
<br />
O discuss in detail the various aspects of<br />
<br />
“‘ publication” considered with reference to<br />
<br />
the law of copyright, would be to supply<br />
<br />
The Author with a great deal of matter conveying<br />
very little definite information to its readers. The<br />
text books of Mr. Copinger, Mr. MacGillivray, and<br />
of Mr. Scrutton contain many scores of pages<br />
devoted to the subject, and if the judgments upon<br />
which they found their summaries of the law, and<br />
to which they refer in footnotes, were set out at<br />
length, considerably more space would be occupied,<br />
<br />
169<br />
<br />
only to show more clearly, what alone appears to<br />
be plain, that various points which may arise at any<br />
time are undecided, and that the statutes which<br />
should provide the definitions dealing with rights<br />
that arise out of statute alone, leave a great deal<br />
to be settled by the courts at the expense of<br />
suitors. As Mr. Scrutton, K.C., observes, in an<br />
early page of his work, ‘‘ These Statutes are, with-<br />
out exception, of most involved and _ inartistic<br />
draftsmanship, and present to the Legislature a<br />
suitable, even an urgent, case for codification.”<br />
Is it too much to hope that a new government,<br />
having among its members an unusual number of<br />
well-known authors, may be able to find time to<br />
introduce and to pass a new Copyright Act, dealing<br />
exhaustively with books, and with literary and<br />
journalistic matter generally, and also with plays,<br />
lectures, engravings (a very wide-spreading branch<br />
of the subject under modern conditions), sculp-<br />
ture, paintings, drawings, photographs and music.<br />
To leave the law relating to all these to be dug<br />
out from many Acts of Parliament and the deci-<br />
sions relating to them, and to be amended by<br />
privately introduced measures drafted by bodies<br />
interested in, and acquainted with, only what<br />
concerns themselves, is to suffer the continuance<br />
of an “ungodly jumble” to the loss and incon-<br />
venience of a deserving and law-abiding section of<br />
the public, who are neglected only because they<br />
give little trouble to anybody.<br />
<br />
When we consider the important part which<br />
“publication” plays in the law of copyright, it<br />
would not be too much to suggest that it is a<br />
word that should oceupy the attention of the<br />
codifying draftsman almost as scon as he has<br />
finished his “preamble.” At present it is the<br />
dividing line which marks the passage in most<br />
cases from the common law right in the originator<br />
(to prevent others from appropriating the product<br />
of his brain), to the statutory right (copyright,<br />
strictly so called), which takes the place of the<br />
common law right directly ‘ publication” has<br />
occurred. It is also for this reason the starting<br />
point from which, in many instances, the time<br />
“begins to run,” during which copyright is to be<br />
enjoyed. Publication may therefore be said to<br />
demand a statutory definition which has never<br />
hitherto been accorded to it, or such varying<br />
definitions as will suit the various subjects of<br />
copyright.<br />
<br />
Mr. Scrutton quotes a suggested definition of<br />
publication from a case argued in the Chancery<br />
Division (Blank v. Footman, 39 Ch. D. 678),<br />
whereby it is described as “ making a thing pablic<br />
in any manner in which it is capable of being<br />
communicated to the public,” and he adds that,<br />
though not necessarily so, the subject of publica-<br />
tion is generally for sale, or, at any rate, so as to<br />
<br />
~<br />
170<br />
<br />
be accessible to all who desire to obtain it, son<br />
conditions imposed not by the author, but by the<br />
law. Publication for private circulation only, and<br />
under conditions imposed by the author, does not<br />
divest the common law right. This, it will be<br />
seen, is a very general definition, and one of<br />
which, as of some others, it may be observed that<br />
the bearings of it lie in its application. It is not<br />
difficult to deduce from it that “ the publication<br />
of a work for private purposes and private circula-<br />
tion is not a publication sufficient to defeat the<br />
common law right of the author,” but more is<br />
needed when some of the subjects of copyright<br />
are considered. Anyone would be ready to say<br />
offhand that a book or an etching of which copies<br />
printed at the author’s expense have been given or<br />
even sold to a few (or to a large number) of his<br />
<br />
ersonal friends has not been “ published.” It<br />
would be less easy for the same person not<br />
acquainted with the various judgments, to con-<br />
jecture or to reason, whether a picture which has<br />
been exhibited at the Royal Academy, or at a<br />
print-seller’s for the purpose of securing sub-<br />
scribers to an engraving, or of which process<br />
reproductions have been circulated in Academy<br />
guides, and in illustrated newspapers, has been<br />
“published ” or not. If he were to go into the<br />
matter he would find that these points and many<br />
others concerning literary, dramatic, musical, and<br />
artistic publication have been decided, as has been<br />
said, not by the Legislature in the various copy-<br />
right Acts, but by the courts of law after expensive<br />
litigation at the expense of suitors anxious to<br />
defend their rights imperilled by no fault of<br />
theirs. There has usually been someone, that is<br />
to say, anxious to make a profit out of the rights<br />
in a book, a play, a musical composition, or a<br />
work of art, and someone else endeavouring in his<br />
own interest to prevent him, and these, instead of<br />
finding the law ready made for them, have had to<br />
pay for obtaining an interpretation from a judge,<br />
which has had to be discussed on appeal. The<br />
decision thus obtained may be useful to others by<br />
laying down general principles which will govern<br />
their cases on some future occasion, but it neces-<br />
sarily will leave many points in doubt. To take<br />
at random one of the instances referred to above,<br />
the seeker after the law might satisfy himself that<br />
according to an old decision of the Irish Chancery<br />
Court, the exhibition of a picture, say at the Royal<br />
Academy, does not constitute such a publication of<br />
it as to divest the painter of his common law right.<br />
He might also be gratified to find that a recent<br />
decision in the United States had endorsed this<br />
view in a case in which it was essential to show<br />
that the picture had not been already “published ”<br />
before steps were taken to protect ib in America.<br />
He might, however, be tempted to apply the<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
knowledge thus acquired to the case of a piece of<br />
sculpture, and find that in the Irish case already<br />
referred to (Turner v. Robinson, 1860, 10 Tr. Ch,<br />
516), Lord Chancellor Brady said: “In the<br />
Statutes bestowing protection upon works of sculp-<br />
ture the terminus @ guo from which the protection<br />
commences is the publication of the work, that is,<br />
from the moment the eye of the public is allowed<br />
to rest upon it. Many large works in this branch<br />
of art, which decorate public squares and other<br />
places, are of course so published, but there are<br />
others not designed for such purposes which could<br />
never be published in any other way than in<br />
exhibitions ; therefore I apprehend that these<br />
works of sculpture must be considered as published<br />
by exhibition at such places as the Royal Academy<br />
and Manchester, so as to entitle them to the pro-<br />
tection of the Statutes from the date of publica-<br />
tion.”<br />
<br />
Leaving out of the question the advantages<br />
which a work of sculpture may be entitled to<br />
through “publication” of such a nature, it is<br />
evident that these rights rest at present upon the<br />
obiter dictum of a Chancellor who founded them<br />
upon somewhat insufficient grounds. The publi-<br />
cation of a statue, great or small, may date from<br />
its exhibition at the Royal Academy, but it is<br />
absurd to say that this is because it “could never<br />
be published in any other way.” A piece of<br />
sculpture can be reproduced and multiplied by<br />
castings or otherwise, just as a painting can<br />
be multiplied by engraving, or an engraving,<br />
by the taking of more impressions from the<br />
same plate; and it can be, and often is, pub-<br />
lished by sale in a limited or unlimited edition,<br />
just as easily as a mezzotint; or, if there is any<br />
inherent difference between the two classes of<br />
artistic work, it requires considerable mental<br />
subtlety to discern it.<br />
<br />
Books are published as a rule in amanner which<br />
leaves little or no doubt as to the fact of publica-<br />
tion, and as to the date on which it takes place.<br />
Under the Copyright Act, 1842, a book includes<br />
“every volume, part, or division of a volume,<br />
pamphlet, sheet of letter-press, sheet of music,<br />
map, chart, or plan separately published.” Publi-<br />
cation means distribution to the general public<br />
either gratuitously or by sale, and the doubt<br />
whether a book has been published or not at a<br />
certain time generally arises when some kind of<br />
circulation has taken place, and it is a question<br />
whether this was “ private” or not. Notes issued —<br />
to students at classes, and republished by one of<br />
them, and manuscripts circulated by a clergyman —<br />
among his parishioners, have been the subject of —<br />
legal decisions in this class of case, and have been<br />
held not to have been published.” The distri-<br />
<br />
bution of lithographed copies of music for private<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
use has, on the other hand, been held to be publi-<br />
cation. Naturally, when in the ordinary way a<br />
“publisher ” announces a forthcoming book, and<br />
on a pre-arranged day sends out the copies ordered<br />
to the trade, in order that booksellers may retail<br />
them, there can be no doubt as to publication<br />
taking place. It has to take place on British soil<br />
in all cases, but this does not affect the question<br />
what is, or is not, publication. This, in the case<br />
of books, is sometimes quite clear ; sometimes not<br />
easy to decide, and the decision is not made clear<br />
by any effort of the legislature.<br />
<br />
A dramatic piece includes every “ tragedy,<br />
comedy, play, opera, farce, or other scenic, musical,<br />
or dramatic entertainment.” Formerly, acting a<br />
play, as distinct from publishing it like a book, was<br />
not a publication of it, so that, as one result of<br />
this, a man might produce another’s play without<br />
infringing his statutory copyright. Since the Act<br />
of 1842 (sect. 20), the first public representation<br />
or performance of any dramatic piece or musical<br />
performance is “deemed equivalent” to the first<br />
publication of a book. The representation or per-<br />
formance has to be public, but how far many<br />
dramatic performances held with the intention of<br />
thereby securing copyright are “public” within<br />
the meaning of the Act need not be discussed here.<br />
In the United States the law seems to be in the<br />
same condition that it was in England before<br />
1842. Ina case decided in the Superior Court of<br />
New York in 1870, the plaintiff had bought from<br />
the author, Mr. Tom Robertson, the right to<br />
produce in the United States a certain play which<br />
had been acted in London. The defendant had<br />
taken the play down in writing when it was acted<br />
at the Prince of Wales’s Theatre, or bought the<br />
text of it from ingenious, if dishonest, persons who<br />
had done so. If the play had been published in<br />
England it would have been free for all Americans<br />
to annex, or whatever may be the appropriate<br />
term. It was argued, however, successfully that<br />
the acting in England was not a publication in the<br />
eyes of American law, so that the author had not<br />
lost his common law right, and could protect<br />
himself under it. The result, at all events, was<br />
consistent with justice. Apparently, however, if<br />
the play had been published and sold as a literary<br />
work, as well as produced on the stage, the decision<br />
would have been the other way.<br />
<br />
In England a dramatic composition is looked<br />
on from two points of view, that of a book to<br />
be read, and that of a performance to be held<br />
publicly. The copyright, strictly so called (i.e.,<br />
the right to multiply copies) dates from publication<br />
as a book, and the performing right from the first<br />
public representation, so that dispute as to what is<br />
or is not “ public”’ may arise in either case.<br />
<br />
It has been suggested above that definitions of<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
171<br />
<br />
publication are desirable ; it would perhaps be<br />
better if its importance were diminished by making<br />
the conditions of protection cease to be dependent<br />
upon it, and by making publication, where it has<br />
to be considered, a matter of compliance with<br />
specified formalities, which could easily be done<br />
in more if not all of the matters subject to<br />
copyright.<br />
<br />
ESSA ea Iara<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
A HINT TO WRITERS UPON TECHNICAL<br />
SUBJECTS.<br />
<br />
—+—~<—+- —__<br />
<br />
T has been stated at times, by not well-informed<br />
persons, that the Society of Authors exists<br />
only to assist writers of fiction. Though, no<br />
<br />
doubt, a large number of the members of the<br />
Society are writers of fiction, there are many<br />
hundreds, dramatists, writers on technical subjects,<br />
history, theology, and so on, composers of music<br />
and illustrators of books, whose property the<br />
Society undertakes to protect. There are two<br />
chief reasons why it is advanced against the<br />
Society that its main business lies with writers<br />
of fiction. One is the fact that many of the<br />
articles in The Author refer to writers of fiction—<br />
—especially those articles which deal with the<br />
work of the agent ; and the other the fact that in<br />
examples of the cost of production, the 6s.<br />
book is generally taken as a fitting standard.<br />
This is not because the 6s. book is necessarily the<br />
work of a writer of fiction, but because, taking<br />
the market as a whole, the majority of books are<br />
published at this price, and it is, therefore, a con-<br />
venient price from which to start any calculation.<br />
Because of the prevalent impression it may, there-<br />
fore, be as well to explain how technical writers<br />
can be benefited by the work and funds of the<br />
Society. In the past year one or two examples<br />
have occurred which demonstrate clearly that<br />
writers other than writers of fiction need advice<br />
from the Society, and to quote them will be the<br />
simplest way of showing the larger scope of our<br />
work.<br />
<br />
Many years ago a member of the Society, a<br />
medical man now famous in his special branch,<br />
wrote a work dealing with his particular subject.<br />
Being then comparatively unknown to the public,<br />
he found some difficulty in placing his book, and<br />
finally published it by selling his copyright to one<br />
of the medical publishers. Hight or nine years<br />
afterwards he had advanced not only in reputa-<br />
tion before the public, but also in the skill and<br />
knowledge of his subject. He therefore came to<br />
the conclusion that his book ought to be reissued<br />
and brought up to date with the examples gathered<br />
172<br />
<br />
from his own experience and added knowledge.<br />
But on his approaching the publisher he was<br />
unable to obtain anything like satisfactory terms,<br />
and the publisher was unwilling to make the<br />
alterations required. He found himself in the<br />
following difficult position : Hither he must<br />
abandon his publication and see an imperfect work<br />
of his own placed before the public, or he must<br />
repurchase the copyright from the publisher at<br />
the publisher’s price before he could bring out the<br />
new book, as it was absolutely essential for him to<br />
use the old as the basis of the new. At this point<br />
he came to the Society of Authors, when, the<br />
position being explained to him, he decided to buy<br />
back his work and republish it himself. He was,<br />
of course, at the mercy of the publisher, who<br />
could ask practically any figure he liked for the<br />
copyright. This position is not unique ; it has<br />
occurred-on two or three other occasions. On one<br />
of these the author was not in a position to pur-<br />
chase the copyright of his original work from the<br />
publisher, and was bound, therefore, to transfer<br />
the copyright of the new edition to the same pub-<br />
lisher or not to publish at all. Whether we take the<br />
first example or the second, in either case the author<br />
is at the mercy of the publisher. To all readers<br />
of The Author it must be quite clear that this<br />
position could have been avoided if the authors<br />
had taken the advice which is put forward from<br />
time to time in these columns when criticising<br />
the agreements drafted on behalf of technical<br />
writers. As it was, the authors could only obtain<br />
the assistance of the Society to draft their new<br />
agreements and to make the best bargain on their<br />
behalf in order to get their works out of the hands<br />
of their old publishers.<br />
<br />
It has been pointed out in many places and on<br />
many occasions that publishers are essentially men<br />
of business, and if they find they can obtain a<br />
large price for any property they will naturally<br />
make the best bargain for themselves. It is usual<br />
for publishers to try to enforce more stringent<br />
terms upon authors who write on technical subjects<br />
than upon authors who write on more general sub-<br />
jects. There are two reasons for this. (1) Authors<br />
writing on technical subjects, as a general rule,<br />
have not the best knowledge of the business value<br />
of their works ; and (2) in some technical works a<br />
good part of the cost of production has sometimes<br />
to be undertaken by the author, even though his<br />
treatise may be by the greatest authority on the<br />
Sie as the subject may only appeal to the very<br />
<br />
ew.<br />
<br />
In both these cases the Society can be of assist-<br />
ance. In the first case, by showing the technical<br />
writer what is the real market value of his work<br />
under certain conditions ; and in the second, by<br />
testing for him the cost of production, and any<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
other details that may come into the agreement, if<br />
it has been made essential for him, by the pub-<br />
lisher, to pay asum towards the cost of production.<br />
<br />
Finally, it should be added that some technical<br />
works, if adopted by any of the educational<br />
centres, become very valuable property, and an<br />
author should always remember that such a chance<br />
may occur in the case of his own work.<br />
<br />
G. HE<br />
<br />
(8<br />
<br />
MUSICAL COPYRIGHT.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
E have watched with considerable interest<br />
the energetic measures that the music<br />
publishers have been taking against the<br />
<br />
pirates. It is their natural desire to protect the<br />
property which they have, in nearly all cases, pur-<br />
chased outright from the musical composers.<br />
<br />
Their last success was to obtain a conviction in<br />
a criminal prosecution for conspiracy. The trial<br />
lasted for eight days, but the time was certainly<br />
not wasted, as it brought again to the notice of the<br />
public the urgent need to remedy the difficulties<br />
under which the musical composers labour. Refer-<br />
ence has been made from time to time in The<br />
Author to the steps the music publishers have<br />
taken in order to protect their property and to<br />
bring in a Bill which would deal with the question<br />
in an adequate way. Their efforts have, to a limited<br />
extent, been successful ; but the first Bill which<br />
was passed was in many particulars insufficient ;<br />
and the second Bill, which they attempted to push<br />
through the House last summer to fill up the<br />
deficiencies, met with strong opposition from a<br />
few who appear to be entirely ignorant either of<br />
the ethics of the rights of property, or of the<br />
history and evolution of copyright property in<br />
particular.<br />
<br />
While, however, we are exceedingly glad of the<br />
result of the prosecution, we should like to add a<br />
few remarks regarding musical composers. The<br />
publishers who have during the past years taken<br />
these active steps in order to protect musical<br />
property, put themselves before the public as<br />
acting for the composer of music, and for the<br />
musical composer only. They pose as the generous<br />
guardians of the author of music, just as, in the<br />
old days, the publisher of literary wares did on<br />
behalf of the author of books. The public, how-<br />
ever, must not be deceived by this attitude, for the<br />
fact is, that although the musical composer is the<br />
author of the work, and is the man in whom the<br />
copyright rested originally, yet owing either to his<br />
ignorance of the value of his property or, as is<br />
more probable, to his lack of gregarious instinct,<br />
he continues to sell that most valuable asset—his<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
‘4<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
copyright and performing right—to the publisher,<br />
sometimes for a sum down and sometimes on a<br />
royalty basis. So the publishers are fighting<br />
rather for their own acquired rights than for the<br />
musical composers, and should openly state that<br />
this is their point of view, instead of coming<br />
forward under false colours.<br />
<br />
The efforts of the society to show to musical<br />
composers the value of their property, that is, the<br />
value of sound agreements, and to stir up some<br />
kind of opposition to the wholly illiberal and<br />
unfair contracts which are offered to them, have<br />
so far been unsuccessful. It is true that the<br />
society has a certain number of composers on its<br />
books, but a small body can bring but little<br />
pressure to bear upon the powerful publishing<br />
houses who have so long usurped the rights to<br />
which they are not entitled. Once again, it should<br />
be impressed upon the composers’ minds that not<br />
only are they getting inadequate returns for the<br />
works of their brains, but they are transferring<br />
their property without any guid pro quo.<br />
<br />
—______—~<—_e—_<_<br />
<br />
COPYRIGHT LAW IN THE<br />
UNITED STATES.<br />
<br />
—+-—— + —<br />
Tur Statutory NOTICE.<br />
<br />
HE importance of the decision in the recent<br />
case of the G. & C. Meriam Company v.<br />
United Dictionary, which was fully set out<br />
<br />
in the last number of 7he Author, can hardly be<br />
exaggerated. The effect of it is staggering to<br />
publishers and authors, and particularly to the<br />
latter in cases where by an assignment or agree-<br />
ment they have no control over the form of printing<br />
or publishing in this country.<br />
<br />
The American Courts have laid it down in<br />
effect that if a single copy of a book, duly copy-<br />
righted in the United States, is published with the<br />
consent of the proprietor of the copyright in any<br />
part of the world, without the American copyright<br />
notice inserted in it, the proprietor cannot sue for<br />
infringement in the American Courts, and the<br />
copyright in the United States is practically lost.<br />
<br />
An important feature of the case is the way in<br />
which the defendant avoided committing a breach<br />
of the law against importation. The book was<br />
<br />
originally printed in America from plates manu-<br />
factured from type set in the United States, and the<br />
plates were sent over to England for the purpose<br />
of printing an English edition, and as the prohibi-<br />
tion against the importation into the United<br />
States of American copyright books does not apply<br />
to books printed from plates manufactured in that<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR. 173<br />
<br />
country,* the defendant did not offend against the<br />
law in that respect ; moreover, this prohibition is<br />
excepted,t where not more than two copies are<br />
purchased and imported “ for use and not for sale,”<br />
and this was another plea put forward by the<br />
defendant.<br />
<br />
It is the latter exception which makes the<br />
decision so fatal to the English publisher. No<br />
doubt many American copyright books are printed<br />
in England from plates manufactured in the<br />
United States, but this is not always the case.<br />
On the other hand there is nothing to prevent any<br />
person from buying two copies from an English<br />
publisher, which may perhaps contain no American<br />
copyright notice, and importing them “ for use and<br />
not for sale,” and so the prohibition against<br />
unlawful importation may be evaded.<br />
<br />
The harshness of the law was realised by the<br />
learned judge who tried the case, because the<br />
American copyright notice, as he pointed out, is<br />
of no importance in England and might conceiv-<br />
ably be detrimental to the sale of the book. Asa<br />
matter of common practice it is frequently dispensed<br />
with in books and periodicals which are published<br />
for sale in England. The merits of the case, the<br />
judge admitted, were entirely in the plaintiff's<br />
favour, and he regretted being driven to a legal<br />
conclusion which ignored them. ‘ The remedy,”<br />
he added, “rests with Congress and not with the<br />
courts.”<br />
<br />
The requirement of the copyright notice by the<br />
law of the United States is more than a century<br />
old, and it may be worth considering whether it is<br />
adapted to the reciprocal conditions of the present<br />
day. It first appears in the American Act of 1802,<br />
which, amending the original Copyright Act of<br />
1790, provided that no author or proprietor of<br />
copyright should be entitled to the benefit of that<br />
Act unless he inserted the copyright notice. This<br />
was slightly altered in the Act of 1831, and revised<br />
to its present form in 1870, except that the alterna-<br />
tive form of the notice was added by the Act of<br />
1874.<br />
<br />
The copyright law in the United States is at the<br />
present time undergoing revision, and it is to be<br />
hoped that Mr. Thorvald Solberg may devise a<br />
scheme which will lighten the burden of those who<br />
are at pains to secure copyright protection in the<br />
United States.<br />
<br />
The principal countries in the copyright world<br />
give protection to the American author with com-<br />
paratively little trouble. A book published in the<br />
United States can, by simultaneous publication of<br />
some copies in England—which may be printed in<br />
the United States—and registration at Stationers’<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
* Revised Statutes, sect, 4956.<br />
+ Lbid.<br />
<br />
<br />
174<br />
<br />
Hall, acquire copyright protection without further<br />
formality, throughout the British Dominions and<br />
+n the other fourteen countries within the Copyright<br />
Union.*<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the difficulty of a foreign<br />
author in obtaining copyright protection in the<br />
United States is even greater, and the formalities<br />
more onerous, than in the Netherlands or Siam.<br />
In the first place, the author must belong to a<br />
proclaimed or treaty country before he is competent<br />
to acquire any copyright at all.t Secondly, the<br />
book must be printed from type set up in the<br />
United States and two cupies delivered to the<br />
Librarian of Congress, in addition to a printed<br />
copy of the title of the book, on or before the day<br />
of publication.{ And, further, the statutory copy-<br />
right notice must be inserted in the several copies<br />
of every edition, whether published in the United<br />
States or, according to this recent decision, in any<br />
other part of the universe.§<br />
<br />
The wording, even, of the notice must be precise,<br />
as is shown by the cases in the American courts.<br />
Tt has been held, for instance, that where the<br />
notice was<br />
<br />
« Entered according to the Act of Congress, in<br />
<br />
the year 1878, by H. A. Jackson e<br />
an action could not be maintained by the proprietor<br />
of the copyright because the notice was insufficient. ||<br />
And in another case,<br />
<br />
“Copyright, 1891. All rights reserved,”<br />
was held to be a bad notice, because the proprietors<br />
were not specified, although the name of the<br />
publishers appeared upon the title page and they<br />
were the proprietors of the copyright.4]<br />
<br />
It may be pointed out that the Canadian Act of<br />
1875 and the Newfoundland Act of 1890, which<br />
are based upon the law of the United States,<br />
contain similar requirements as to the statutory<br />
copyright notice. ‘There is an important distine-<br />
tion, however, because the Canadian and New-<br />
foundland Acts are local, and do not operate<br />
outside the limits of the respective colonies.<br />
(See International Copyright Act 1886, sec. 8, (1-)<br />
and (4.) ).<br />
<br />
A country, it is suggested, should only impose<br />
obligations within its jurisdiction, and there seems<br />
to be something anomalous in the United States<br />
legislation which compels an English publisher to<br />
observe a formality in England which is not<br />
required according to English law.<br />
<br />
Haroitp Harpy.<br />
<br />
* Berne Convention, art. 3, as amended by the Additional<br />
Act of Paris.<br />
<br />
+ Chace Act, 1891, s. 13.<br />
<br />
+ Revised Statutes, sect. 4956.<br />
<br />
§ Ibid., sect. 4962.<br />
|<br />
<br />
| Jackson v. Walkie, 29 Fed. Rep. 15.<br />
{ Osgood y. Aloe Co., 83 Fed. Rep. 470.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THB AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
MAGAZINE CONTENTS.<br />
<br />
—— 1+<br />
<br />
BLACKWOOD’S.<br />
By the Warden of Wadham.<br />
<br />
BOOKMAN.<br />
By Elizabeth Lee.<br />
<br />
Book MONTHLY.<br />
Welsh Wales: A Literary Republic unknown to Eng-<br />
land. By 8. R. John.<br />
Our Sea Poetry. By J. E. Patterson.<br />
Scott in Ireland.<br />
<br />
An Oxford Trimmer.<br />
<br />
Heinrich Heine.<br />
<br />
CONTEMPORARY REVIEW.<br />
An Agnostic’s Progress.—II. By William Scott Palmer,<br />
Scotch Education : How Ought it to be Organised. By<br />
James Donaldson.<br />
The Celtic Spirit in Literature. By Havelock Ellis.<br />
<br />
CoRNHILL.<br />
<br />
Society in the Time of Voltaire.<br />
<br />
George Eliot’s Coventry Friends.<br />
Draper.<br />
<br />
Grandeur et Décadence De Bernard Shaw. By A Young<br />
Playgoer.<br />
<br />
Freeman versus Froude.<br />
<br />
By 8. G. Tallentyre.<br />
By Warwick H.<br />
<br />
By Andrew Lang.<br />
<br />
FoRTNIGHTLY REVIEW.<br />
Critical Notes on “ As You Like it.” By H. M. Paull.<br />
Ebenezer Elliott: The Poet of Free Trade. By H. G.<br />
Shelley.<br />
INDEPENDENT REVIEW.<br />
Quo Vadis. By G. Lowes Dickinson.<br />
Sir Thomas Browne. By G. L. Strachey.<br />
Macterlinck as Moralist. By Algar Thorold.<br />
Flowers and The Greek Gods. By Alice Lindsell.<br />
Leonidas Andreieff. By Simon Linden.<br />
<br />
MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE,<br />
<br />
The Stuarts in Rome. By Herbert M. Vaughan.<br />
Lay Canons in France. By Egerton Beck.<br />
<br />
MONTH.<br />
Religion versus Religions. By C. C. Martindale.<br />
Edmund Campion’s History of Ireland.<br />
<br />
MontTHLy REVIEW.<br />
<br />
Lord Byron and Lord Lovelace. By John Murray.<br />
<br />
‘Ancient and Modern Classics as Instruments of Educa-<br />
tion. By J. Herbert Warren.<br />
<br />
Froude and Freeman. By Ronald McNeill.<br />
<br />
A Forgotten Princess. By Reginald Lucas.<br />
<br />
NATIONAL REVIEW.<br />
Shaw and Super-Shaw. By Edith Balfour. ;<br />
The Northern University Movement. By Talbot Baines.<br />
NINETEENTH CENTURY.<br />
<br />
- An Official Registration of Private Art Collections. By<br />
Eugénie Strong.<br />
<br />
The Reading of the Modern Girl. By Florence B. Low.<br />
<br />
The Reviewing of Fiction. By Richard Bagot.<br />
<br />
TEMPLE BaR.<br />
<br />
Richard Jefferies. By Edward Thomas.<br />
<br />
(There are no articles dealing with Literary, Dramatic,<br />
or Musical subjects in Chambers's Journal or Pail Mail<br />
Magazine.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS<br />
OF BOOKS.<br />
<br />
—— + —<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 />
Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of<br />
agreement).<br />
<br />
In this case the following rules should be attended to:<br />
<br />
(1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro-<br />
duction forms a part without the strictest investigation.<br />
<br />
(2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the<br />
profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements<br />
in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise-<br />
ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements.<br />
<br />
(3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,”<br />
unless the same allowance is made to the author.<br />
<br />
(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 The Author.<br />
<br />
IV. A Commission Agreement.<br />
<br />
The main points are :-—<br />
<br />
(1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production.<br />
(2.) Keep control of the advertisements.<br />
<br />
(3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book,<br />
<br />
General.<br />
<br />
Allother forms of agreement are combinations of the four<br />
above mentioned.<br />
<br />
Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author.<br />
<br />
Never sign any agreement without competent advice from<br />
the Secretary of the Society.<br />
<br />
Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp.<br />
<br />
Avoid agreements by letter if possible.<br />
<br />
The main points which the Society has always demanded<br />
from the outset are :-—<br />
<br />
(1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement<br />
means.<br />
<br />
(2.) The inspection of those account books which belong<br />
tothe 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 />
—___—_—_+—_+—____———__<br />
<br />
WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS.<br />
<br />
——— +<br />
EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the<br />
Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com-<br />
petent legal authority.<br />
2. {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 />
THE AUTHOR. 175<br />
<br />
3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays<br />
in three or more acts :—<br />
<br />
(a.) Sale outright of the performing right. 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 />
(b.) 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 />
(c.) 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 />
likely to be small or difficult to collect. The<br />
other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply<br />
also in this case.<br />
<br />
4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is<br />
better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum<br />
paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely<br />
important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should<br />
be reserved.<br />
<br />
5. Authors should remember that performing rights can<br />
be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and<br />
time. This is most important.<br />
<br />
6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but<br />
should grant a licence to perform, The legal distinction is<br />
of great importance,<br />
<br />
7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a<br />
play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager<br />
holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot<br />
print the book of the words.<br />
<br />
8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed-<br />
ingly valuable. ‘They 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 />
<br />
<br />
e«—~<>°<br />
<br />
WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS.<br />
<br />
—_<br />
<br />
ITTLE 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 />
176<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 />
—_—_——_e—<>—_-—__<br />
<br />
HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY.<br />
<br />
—-—>+<br />
<br />
VERY member has a right toask for and to receive<br />
<br />
4 advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub-<br />
<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 />
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) To 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 />
<br />
8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements.<br />
The<br />
<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 41s. per<br />
annum, or £10 10s. for life membership.<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS.<br />
<br />
+4<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 />
NE<br />
<br />
THE READING BRANCH.<br />
ee<br />
<br />
EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this<br />
branch of its work by informing young writers<br />
of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and<br />
<br />
treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term<br />
MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry<br />
and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under<br />
special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The<br />
Readers are writers of competence and experience. The<br />
fee is one guinea.<br />
<br />
—_—_—__—_+—— —___<br />
<br />
NOTICES.<br />
<br />
—<br />
<br />
HE Editor of The Author begs to remind members of<br />
<br />
I the Society that, although the paper is sent to them<br />
<br />
free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a<br />
very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great<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. lHvery effort will be made to<br />
return articles which cannot be accepted.<br />
<br />
—— +<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 />
ee<br />
<br />
LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE<br />
SOCIETY.<br />
<br />
—-~—+—_<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, H.C.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
AUTHORITIES.<br />
<br />
—<br />
<br />
In last month’s issue we gave a short statement<br />
that the decision in Werckmeister v. Amerwan Litho-<br />
graphic Company had been upheld by Judge Holt<br />
of the United States Circuit Court for the Southern<br />
District of New York. In his judgment he made<br />
some very trenchant remarks on the question<br />
whether or not the Act demands a copyright notice<br />
on the original painting. The words of the section<br />
making it necessary that the notice of the copy-<br />
right shall be inscribed run as follows :—‘‘ Upon<br />
some visible portion thereof, or of the substance on<br />
which the same shall be mounted.” Judge Holt<br />
points out that the word “ thereof,” and the words<br />
“the same,” do not refer to maps, charts, &c., but<br />
refer back to “the several copies.” He continues<br />
to show that the copyright notice is not written on<br />
the original MS., or on the original map, but on<br />
the copies that are made public, and though he<br />
draws the distinction that the original painting is<br />
more often made public than the map and the MS.,<br />
yet he thinks the reason for the construction which<br />
makes the Copyright Act provide that the notice<br />
demanded by it shall be put on the copies of the<br />
copyrighted thing instead of upon the thing itself, is<br />
so weighty that such a construction should be<br />
given to the statute. He ends his judgment by<br />
saying :-—“It would seem almost a deliberate<br />
vulgarization of art if the finest specimens of<br />
painting and sculpture exhibited in the Paris<br />
Salon, the London Royal Academy, or the leading<br />
art societies in this or other countries were all<br />
ticketed with copyright notices. I cannot see why<br />
the law should require it, or that it does require<br />
1G.<br />
<br />
This judgment and this decision are very satis-<br />
factory and seem to give a sound common sense<br />
interpretation to the United States Act on this<br />
point.<br />
<br />
In addition to the Werckmeister case, another<br />
case was printed in The Author from the Pub-<br />
lishers’ Weekly of New York. We must thank<br />
Mr. A. P. Watt for calling our attention to this<br />
important decision. It deals with some legal<br />
aspects which touch nearly all authors who publish<br />
in the United States of America and Great Britain,<br />
and an article from the pen of Mr. Harold Hardy,<br />
printed this month, will, we hope, explain the<br />
position more clearly to our members.<br />
<br />
We have received from the Copyright Office of<br />
the Library of Congress the statement of its work<br />
during 1905.<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
gg<br />
<br />
A comparison of the figures for that year with<br />
the figures of 1904 indicates sufficiently clearly<br />
the increasing work of this office. Whereas, in<br />
1904, the sum received from every branch of the<br />
copyright business amounted to 75,520 dollars, in<br />
1905 it totalled 78,518 dollars, or an increase of<br />
2,998 dollars. Moreover this increase has not<br />
been obtained by an excess in one particular branch<br />
of its work, but has been manifested in all depart-<br />
ments. The number of titles registered, the<br />
certificates granted, the copies of records supplied,<br />
the assignments and the searches made, each shows<br />
an increase on the preceding year.<br />
<br />
The entries have risen from 106,577 in 1904 to<br />
116,789 in 1905.<br />
<br />
The largest number of entries refers to musical<br />
compositions, 25,567 coming under this category.<br />
Periodicals, with 21,925 entries, come second ; while<br />
photographs, with 16,061, come third on the list.<br />
The entries referring to books (which include<br />
pamphlets) number 15,393. In addition, there<br />
are 3,872 entries referring to booklets, leaflets,<br />
circulars, and cards, and 10,204 entries of news-<br />
papers and magazine articles.<br />
<br />
The fact that on January 4th, 1906, all appli-<br />
cations, with the exception of 273 non-certificated<br />
entries, had been acted upon, indexed, and cata-<br />
logued, is sufficient testimony to the prompt and<br />
businesslike methods of the Copyright Office, and<br />
reflects the greatest credit on Mr. Thorvald Solberg,<br />
the Registrar of Copyrights.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Sm Francis Burnanp who has been for over<br />
forty years connected with Punch has now<br />
resigned the editorship. There is no need, after<br />
the many tributes from other sources, to reiterate<br />
the fact that Sir Francis Burnand has always<br />
maintained the high principles of the paper, both<br />
in his selection of artists and in his selection of<br />
authors.<br />
<br />
We must congratulate the retiring editor on<br />
his long and successful connection with the paper.<br />
We are especially pleased to do so, as he has<br />
been a prominent member of the society for some<br />
years.<br />
<br />
His successor, Mr. Owen Seaman, whose work<br />
in Punch and in other papers is so well known,<br />
will, we are sure, fill the chair worthily. The<br />
society has also been honoured by Mr. Seaman’s<br />
membership, and he is, in addition, a member of<br />
the managing committee. He has always shown<br />
great interest in the arduous duties which he and<br />
the other members so generously undertake on<br />
behalf of those who belong to the society.<br />
<br />
——_—_—_+——-_<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
OBITUARY.<br />
<br />
—-— + —<br />
<br />
E have, with regret, to chronicle the death<br />
of Mr. C. J. Cornish, which occurred at<br />
the end of January.<br />
<br />
The late Mr. Cornish, who was in his forty-sixth<br />
year at the date of his death, had been a member<br />
of the Society for some fifteen years, and showed<br />
during that period his practical appreciation of the<br />
Society’s work by frequently consulting it for advice<br />
relative to the marketing of his property.<br />
<br />
Most of his books dealt with natural history,<br />
sport, and outdoor life, and although his life was<br />
but a short one, he found time to write about a<br />
dozen of these works, in addition to contributing<br />
to numerous magazines articles dealing with those<br />
subjects on which he was an authority.<br />
<br />
«Life at the Zoo,” “ Wild England of To-day,”<br />
“Nights with an Old Gunner,” are a few of the<br />
works which came from his pen.<br />
<br />
—_—_—_——__+—_—_+-___—_-<br />
<br />
THE LAW OF INTERNATIONAL<br />
COPYRIGHT.<br />
<br />
1<br />
<br />
HE work on this subject, by William Briggs,<br />
which has just been published by Stevens<br />
and Haynes, is divided into five parts:<br />
<br />
(1) The Evolution of International Copyright ;<br />
(2) The Theory of International Copyright ;<br />
(3) The Berne Convention, with a chapter on the<br />
Montevideo Convention ; (4) International Copy-<br />
right in the British Dominions and Colonial<br />
Copyright ; (5) Protection of Authors in the<br />
United States.<br />
<br />
Mr. Briggs starts from the very commencement.<br />
He shows how, gradually, property rose from<br />
something physical to something metaphysical,<br />
and that property, strictly speaking, is a right not<br />
a thing; how it became subject to certain laws in<br />
each state ; and how, with the evolution of society,<br />
different kinds of property were recognised, each in<br />
its turn coming under the legislature. He draws<br />
attention to manual labour as a title to property,<br />
then to intellectual labour as a title, and, finally,<br />
to copyright based on labour. Judge Thomson,<br />
an eminent American judge, stated: “The great<br />
principle on which the author’s right rests is that<br />
it is the fruit or production of his labour, and that<br />
labour by the faculties of the mind may establish<br />
aright of property as well as by the faculties of<br />
the body. Every principle of justice, equity,<br />
morality, fitness, and sound policy concurs in pro-<br />
tecting the literary labours of men to the same<br />
extent as the property acquired by manual labour<br />
is protected.”<br />
<br />
This is the view of the great French writers om<br />
the subject, but France has always been more<br />
liberal, and has always taken a broader view than<br />
any other nation in the evolution of this kind of<br />
property. Quoting another authority, he says:<br />
“‘ Distinct properties were not settled at the same<br />
time nor by one single Act, but by successive<br />
degrees,” and he goes on to show that although<br />
copyright property only became valuable at a late<br />
date, with the introduction of printing, it is not,<br />
therefore, a whit the less a real property on this<br />
account. It has been argued that copyright pro-<br />
perty is merely the granting of a monopoly.<br />
Mr. Briggs shows the fallacy of the argument. It<br />
is argued that although for many years it was not<br />
the subject of legislative enactments, it is not the<br />
less the property of the author. It is, in truth, as<br />
he points out, “‘an antecedent right of property<br />
deriving only its legal protection from the State.”<br />
<br />
England has the distinction of passing the first<br />
copyright law in which the author’s interests were<br />
considered. This is the Act of Anne, 1709, but<br />
though England may boast of this, it is France<br />
which can boast of treating most liberally the real<br />
ideal of copyright—that is, the right of foreign<br />
authors to protection. Her example has in recent<br />
years been followed by Belgium and Luxembourg.<br />
<br />
The writer having shown conclusively that copy-<br />
right is the property of the author, then discusses<br />
the ethical side. His remarks on this point are of<br />
great interest. His chapter on this question begins<br />
as follows :—%“Though piracy at sea was at one<br />
time considered an honourable profession, general<br />
morality has so far advanced that at the present<br />
day it is a barbaric practice, is regarded as<br />
criminal, but intellectual property has not yet been<br />
acknowledged as worthy to rank with material<br />
goods in respect of international protection,” but<br />
he points out, in a subsequent chapter—the<br />
history of international copyright—how, by slow<br />
degrees, the immorality of this piracy grew on the<br />
international conscience, and sometimes for ethical<br />
reasons, and sometimes for practical reasons,<br />
nations began to enter into treaties for the pro-<br />
tection of foreigners. It is curious to note how<br />
the ethical reasons have sometimes preceded the<br />
practical development. The nation that has given<br />
the greatest freedom to foreigners does not find it<br />
more difficult to enter into treaties, but finds it<br />
less difficult to do so, and we are glad to think<br />
that the English Copyright Commission gave as its<br />
opinion that reprisals in the matter of literary —<br />
plunder were illegitimate. Piracy, in many cases,<br />
does not lead to the production of the best books<br />
of other countries in the country that upholds the<br />
piracy, and is ever disastrous to its own literature. —<br />
<br />
The whole question of international copyright, —<br />
and the arguments brought forward in its favour, —<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
prove a strong indictment against the present<br />
position of the United States in the civilised<br />
world. Darras, the great- French authority, speak-<br />
ing of Russian law, says: “It seems to protect<br />
foreigners to a certain extent, but if the reality of<br />
the facts alone is taken into consideration, its<br />
place is marked side by side with the United<br />
States and Turkey.” We are pleased to think,<br />
however, as from time to time we have pointed<br />
out, and Mr. Briggs confirms this fact, that the<br />
cultured and intellectual minority in America have<br />
always been in favour of the higher evolution<br />
of international copyright and repudiated trade<br />
restriction.<br />
Having dealt exhaustively with the evolution of<br />
property generally, and copyright property in<br />
particular, Mr. Briggs then proceeds to consider<br />
the theory of International Copyright. He shows<br />
by careful argument the result of piracy on the<br />
’ literature of nations, and on this question he is in<br />
entire agreement with the views that have been<br />
expressed from time to time in 7he Author. He<br />
next treats, in some detail, the evolution of Inter-<br />
national Copyright. He shows how the movement<br />
was inaugurated by treaties between the countries.<br />
He examines the advantages and disadvantages of<br />
treaties as a means of international agreement.<br />
Treaties between individual states are, no doubt,<br />
advantageous for the protection of their writers,<br />
but when there are many countries, and the treaties<br />
dealing with the same subject are multiplied in-<br />
definitely, then confusion is likely to reign, unless<br />
some international system such as is provided by<br />
the Berne Convention is adopted. Mr. Briggs<br />
points out very strongly that the question of copy-<br />
right should not be dealt with in commercial<br />
treaties between different countries, as copyright<br />
property, owing to its peculiar nature, cannot be<br />
dealt with on the same basis as bales of cotton and<br />
other similar commodities. He goes further and<br />
deals with the question of treaties made by<br />
countries that are members of the Berne Conven-<br />
tion with countries outside the Convention, or with<br />
countries within the Convention, and discusses the<br />
advantages to be derived from these separate<br />
treaties. He is inclined to think that treaties<br />
with countries outside the Convention will tend<br />
finally to bring those countries into the Convention,<br />
and that treaties between countries in the Conven-<br />
tion will broaden and will not narrow the advan-<br />
tages which those countries derive from the Con-<br />
vention, and therefore would assist the widening of<br />
the Convention should such widening at a later<br />
date be feasible. Finally, he arrives at the Berne<br />
Convention and takes it clause by clause, and<br />
views it from the point of view of its general<br />
application. Under this chapter he also deals<br />
<br />
with the Convention of Montevideo.<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
179<br />
<br />
The next division of the work, Part 4, refers to<br />
the particular application of International Copy-<br />
right to Great Britain under the Imperial Laws,<br />
and alternately, with the rights of Englishmen<br />
in foreign countries. Part 5, the last, deals with<br />
the United States and their relations with foreign<br />
countries.<br />
<br />
Thus he covers the whole range of International<br />
Copyright from end to end, showing the gradual<br />
advance of civilisation ; the gradual development<br />
of the rights of property, and, finally, of copy-<br />
right property ; how nations dealt with the newly<br />
developed property, and how the more civilised<br />
they became the more liberal became the protection<br />
which they afforded it. From beginning to end,<br />
his arguments lead to the conclusion that the<br />
United States have not yet risen to the level of the<br />
great nations of Hurope. It is hoped, however,<br />
that the consolidation of the United States Law<br />
may produce a satisfactory result.<br />
<br />
To deal with such a wide subject and in so<br />
detailed a manner necessitated the production of a<br />
large book and an enormous amount of labour.<br />
Mr. Briggs’ book covers more than 800 pages. It<br />
could not, in order to be of value to the student<br />
: — as the specialist, be very greatly reduced in<br />
<br />
ulk.<br />
<br />
The author cannot be too highly commended for<br />
his careful and laborious work, dealing as it does<br />
with the laws and technicalities in all the countries<br />
of the world, from many of which it is not always<br />
easy to obtain satisfactory and reliable informa-<br />
tion.<br />
<br />
With the exception of one or two minor slips,<br />
we have been unable to find any mistake in the<br />
facts quoted. In conclusion, we must express our<br />
gratitude to Mr. Briggs, not merely for producing<br />
a book of over 800 pages with great labour and<br />
care, but because by this production he has filled<br />
a gap which has existed in treatises on copyright<br />
property.<br />
<br />
a ———$<br />
<br />
SOME FRENCH-CANADIAN WRITERS.<br />
<br />
ee<br />
<br />
HE “Voyages” of Champlain, the “ Relations”<br />
of the Jesuit missionaries, and the epistles<br />
of Marie de l’Incarnation, will always be<br />
<br />
interesting to those who endeavour to trace back<br />
to its source the stream of French-Canadian litera-<br />
ture. In these early writings we discover the<br />
influence of those conditions under which French-<br />
Canadian litlérateurs have usually worked. With<br />
few exceptions they have been chiefly controlled by<br />
religion and patriotism. Living in a stimulating<br />
atmosphere of sunlit purity, in the midst of the<br />
most picturesque scenic surroundings, they have-<br />
<br />
<br />
180<br />
<br />
always possessed the consciousness of a not less<br />
picturesque past. In addition to this, a large pro-<br />
portion of them have enjoyed the advantage of<br />
well-bred ancestors. ‘There was something of the<br />
spirit of the Crusaders in those who went out two<br />
or three centuries ago—some of the best blood of<br />
France—to found a New France in the western<br />
hemisphere. It is true that they had the Indian<br />
fur trade in mind, together with schemes of<br />
colonization of a more or less business-like descrip-<br />
tion; but many of them had also romantic dreams<br />
of glory, while every expedition was bathed in the<br />
spirit of faith and of religious proselytism. The<br />
Church has continued to hold the position it took<br />
at the outset in the Province of Quebec, when,<br />
indeed, it was not the Province of Quebec, but<br />
New France. It had seventy thousand inhabitants<br />
at the cession to the British in 1760; these have<br />
increased to one million six hundred and fifty<br />
thousand now. But they are all Roman Catholic,<br />
and in the main their customs and their civil law<br />
have been preserved as they were under French<br />
domination. Itis one of the triumphs of the British<br />
genius for managing colonies that the French-<br />
Canadians are loyal to the Crown, contented, happy<br />
and well-to-do, and that they have not the slightest<br />
wish to change their allegiance. Less than might<br />
<br />
have been supposed have they been influenced by<br />
<br />
France. They present a unique example of a<br />
branch severed from a parent stem and starting an<br />
independent existence. Their literary separation<br />
from France has been almost as complete as their<br />
political separation. The Church has attended to<br />
their education—they have not sent their sons and<br />
daughters “ home” for their teaching. They have<br />
not felt the impact of literary transformations any<br />
more than the rebound of political revolutions.<br />
Hon. Hector Fabre has well said :<br />
<br />
“ Our society is neither French nor English, nor Ameri-<br />
can, it is Canadian. One finds in its manners, its ideas,<br />
its customs, its tendencies something of each of the peoples<br />
in the neighbourhood of which it has lived; French<br />
petulance corrected by English common-sense, British<br />
stolidity brightened by French sprightliness. The con-<br />
tinuous practice of constitutional liberty, an incessant con-<br />
tact with institutions and forms foreign to our old mother<br />
country, the almost total cessation of intimate communica-<br />
tion with her... while they permit the ineffaceable<br />
mark of origin, they have destroyed any striking re-<br />
semblance. The Canadian feels himself as much a stranger<br />
in Paris as in London, for if our language is French, our<br />
customs and tastes are so no longer. ... Itis this society,<br />
miraculously preserved in certain respects, singularly dis-<br />
figured in others, that we must paint if we seriously wish<br />
to have a Canadian literature.”<br />
<br />
It is impossible.within the compass of a short<br />
article to mention in detail every author hailing<br />
from the Province of Quebec who has produced an<br />
historical monograph, blossomed into a fewtlleton,<br />
or penned a chanson. Suffice it to say that there<br />
<br />
TAR AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
have been many amateurs of a high type of excel-<br />
lence, and that out of a total list of a hundred and<br />
seventy or a hundred and eighty respectable writers,<br />
no fewer than seventy have indulged in verse as<br />
well as prose. The poetic form in which the<br />
literary genius of a people first breaks out has not<br />
been wanting, and if it has been born to blush<br />
unseen, it has at any rate served to keep alive a<br />
certain interest in things literary, for it is cer-<br />
tainly one use of the minor poet that he helps to<br />
clear a space in which the undoubted song-birds<br />
of the first order may sing.<br />
<br />
Between the production of the early works of<br />
which mention was made at the outset, and the<br />
date which marks the beginning of the French-<br />
Canadian literature of our modern day, there lies<br />
a somewhat arid period. If the stream of literature<br />
was in existence, it was surely flowing through<br />
subterranean passages ; buried beneath the laborious<br />
details of the lives of the pioneers. Such names as<br />
Joseph Quesnel, Michel Bibaud, Réal Angers,<br />
Bartle, Turcotte, Derome and others, though they<br />
were early in the French-Canadian field, were a<br />
long way behind their somewhat archaic fore-<br />
runners. But in them, as in those forerunners,<br />
we discover that naiveté and freshness of senti-<br />
ment which is one of the marks of French-<br />
Canadian writing. It is at the very antipodes of<br />
anything like Voltairean cynicism, Gallic frivolity,<br />
or Zolaesque realism.<br />
<br />
Among the early writers in whom these charac-<br />
teristics are strongly marked, a definite place is<br />
taken by Octave Crémazie, whose “Le Vieux<br />
Soldat Canadian” has been deservedly admired,<br />
and who has by some been considered, in his poem<br />
“Les Morts,”’ the superior of Lamartine. Among<br />
other poems of his are “Castelfidardo,” and ‘ Le<br />
Drapeau de Carillon.’ Crémazie was inspired by<br />
a keen pride of race, and he was a man of more<br />
than common reading. The attractions of com-<br />
merce seem, however, to have been stronger in his<br />
case than those of poetry. Though one or two of<br />
his poems have lived, he produced but little.<br />
<br />
The name of Léon Pamphile Lemay is familiar<br />
as the translator into French, for the benefit of his<br />
compatriots in Quebec, of Longfellow’s ‘ Evan-<br />
geline,” a work which was performed by him with<br />
an ease and sympathetic insight which are worthy<br />
of remark. M. Lemay also published a volume<br />
entitled ‘‘ Essais Poétiques.” His verse is of a<br />
tender, melancholy and dreamy cast ; a dim veil<br />
of sadness and pain seems to enshroud its beauty ;<br />
yet there is in it a simplicity, a pathos, and a<br />
transfiguring of familiar objects which commend<br />
it to the appreciative reader.<br />
<br />
But these names of literary pioneers are taken<br />
somewhat at random, and it may be that to some<br />
extent accident gave them a prominence over their<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
compeers that was not borne out by their essential<br />
attributes. That they were admired and appreciated<br />
shows, however, that a literary taste was being<br />
developed. This was further assisted from time to<br />
time by the establishment of literary magazines.<br />
The first of these was “La Bibliotheque Cana-<br />
dienne,” which was published in Montreal, in 1825,<br />
by the poet Bibaud, already named, and edited by<br />
him. It is interesting to turn to this carefully<br />
edited periodical, the contents of which were<br />
ambitious enough to comprise not only literary, but<br />
scientific and historical, matters. It appeared up<br />
to 1830. In 1830-81 the same editor brought out<br />
a magazine called “ L’Observateur,” and in 1832,<br />
he produced two volumes entitled “ Magasin du<br />
Bas Canada.” ‘Le Repertoire National,” in four<br />
volumes, published in 1848, was compiled by J.<br />
Huston. It contains a somewhat miscellaneous<br />
collection of all the writings of the French<br />
Canadians in prose and verse from 1777 to 1850.<br />
A fine edition of this work was produced in Mon-<br />
treal in 1895. ‘La Ruche Littéraire” (1853-59)<br />
was read with great interest by French Canadians<br />
of taste and culture. For by that time literature<br />
in French Canada had set for itself more definite<br />
aims, and there had arisen a little galaxy of stars<br />
upon the Quebec firmament. Among these the<br />
<br />
most distinguished are Pierre J. O. Chauveau, a<br />
<br />
novelist of ability; Etienne Parent, journalist,<br />
philosopher, and thinker—disposed, sometimes, to<br />
kick over the traces of the Church; Abbé J. B. A.<br />
Ferland, a careful and interesting historian ; J. C.<br />
Tache, a journalist of great force of character ;<br />
Hector Fabre, from whom a quotation has already<br />
been made—a man of fine taste, a great faculty of<br />
expression, and a considerable gift in delicate<br />
satire ; Benjamin Sulte, now the President of the<br />
Canadian Royal Society, and a very capable<br />
historian ; Abbé Provencher, a master of natural<br />
history, with especial accomplishments in ornitho-<br />
logy—-a man who found plenty to occupy his clever<br />
and industrious pen in the Canadian fields, forests,<br />
and waters ; James M. Lemoine, the historian of<br />
the old families of Quebec; Professor Paul Stevens,<br />
a writer of exquisite parables and gems of polished<br />
prose that were reproduced again and again by the<br />
newspapers ; Hector Langevin, an able lawyer who,<br />
at the age of twenty-one, became the editor of an<br />
ecclesiastical journal, and never afterwards lost his<br />
taste for literature. Here were ten men who may<br />
be said to have formed a sort of epoch, and to have<br />
brought together into a focus the wandering rays<br />
of French-Canadian literary ability. ‘They repre-<br />
sented the love of literature for its own sake, and<br />
with that disregard of pecuniary reward which<br />
has always been characteristic of the French-<br />
Canadian author, they helped to create a unique<br />
atmosphere of culture. It is impossible to read<br />
<br />
181<br />
<br />
their productions without being conscious that they<br />
contain a sincere and genuine enthusiasm that is as<br />
far removed as possible from the dollar hunting<br />
proclivities of many of the authors of their continent.<br />
To these names may be added those of Abbé<br />
Faillon, a preserver of the early folk-lore of the<br />
colony, and Emile Chevallier, a writer of charming<br />
romances.<br />
<br />
No name is more deservedly celebrated in Cana-<br />
dian letters than that of Francis Xavier Garneau,<br />
author of the great work “ Histoire du Canada,”<br />
which was published in three volumes in 1848.<br />
Like many of his compatriots, Garneau had in his<br />
youth written graceful and elegant verse. He takes<br />
a front rank, not only in the hearts of his country-<br />
men, but in their critical and literary estimate of<br />
him. He was a man of initiative courage, heroic<br />
perseverance, indomitable will, disinterestedness,<br />
and self-sacrifice. His ‘ Histoire” at once took a<br />
dignified place among the distinguished chronicles<br />
of other nations, and it remains, up to the present,<br />
the chief historical work among a people who have<br />
shown that they are by no means destitute of<br />
historic genius.<br />
<br />
Garneau has not been surpassed for his discern-<br />
meni of the causes that were at the back of the<br />
facts revealed in the papers referring to the early<br />
history of the colony. He is less passionate and<br />
partial than the writers who had dealt with the<br />
subject before him; for instance, he never hides<br />
the good deeds of the British. Taking his views<br />
from an elevated standpoint, he did much to raise<br />
the tone of French-Canadian history to a high,<br />
philosophical, and fruitful level.<br />
<br />
Antoine Gerin-Lajoie had the singular good<br />
fortune to acquire a wide local fame in the pro-<br />
vince before leaving college. A tragedy and a<br />
sone—especially the song—made him famous in<br />
1842. The tragedy was based on the adventures<br />
of La Tour and his son in Nova Scotia, during the<br />
early part of the seventeenth century. The song was<br />
merely the expression of home-sickness, placed in<br />
the mouth of a Canadian exiled to a foreign land.<br />
So popular did the words of this song become<br />
among the French-speaking population, that they<br />
are now heard wherever French-Canadians have<br />
wandered on the continent of North America.<br />
<br />
The historical novel has an excellent model in<br />
“ Les Anciens Canadiens,” by M. de Gaspé, which<br />
was published at Montreal about forty years ago.<br />
It is a book that has a good place allotted to it in<br />
French-Canadian libraries. Its pages are animated<br />
by the flame of the past and the spirit of other<br />
days, for their author, who produced this work at<br />
seventy years of age, had with his own eyes seen<br />
much of what he narrates. Besides “ Les Anciens<br />
Canadiens,” two romances have had a considerable<br />
vogue. Of “ Jean Rivard’’—the work of Gerin-<br />
<br />
<br />
182<br />
<br />
Lajoie—we have already spoken as having brought<br />
an immediate fame to its clever young author. The<br />
other—* Charles Guérin ”—is the work of Pierre<br />
G. O. Chauveau. If the two heroes of these<br />
writers had met in the world they would have<br />
been friends. Both stories are true to life, inter-<br />
esting and well-planned. The people are natural<br />
and the local colour is good. “Jean Rivard” is,<br />
perhaps, the better of the two as an exact study of<br />
French-Canadian manners.<br />
<br />
Louis Honore Frechette, C.M.G., D.C.L., is<br />
greeted throughout Canada and the United States<br />
as the poet laureate of Canada. His poetry is of a<br />
high order ; it shows variety of conception and<br />
great delicacy of touch. His lines to various<br />
persons, whether distinguished in public life, or<br />
endeared to the author by private ties, are par-<br />
ticularly happy. He is a truly national poet, and<br />
his inspiration is found, not only in the past, but<br />
in the present. The grand dim old Canada, region<br />
of the savage huntsman and the pioneer, the<br />
voyageur, the trapper, and the missionary, with<br />
their all but fabulous doings, of these Frechette<br />
sometimes sings. But he sings also of a Quebec as<br />
it now stands ; of Montreal, as it now is ; the glories<br />
of Niagara ; the Sagueuay, the Thousand Isles, Cape<br />
Eternity, Beloeil Lake, Lake Beauport, Cape Tour-<br />
mente, and so on—the beautiful natural scenery<br />
which retains still its picturesque wildness. It is to<br />
people of to-day, or of yesterday, that his strophes<br />
are addressed. He sings rather of what French-<br />
Canada still has, as well as of what has passed<br />
away from her forever. He is the poet of the<br />
present, as Crémazie of the past ; the poet of joy<br />
and joyous nature, as Lemay is the poet of sadness<br />
and the autumn tints of earth. There is a whole-<br />
some warmth and freshness, a human life and joy<br />
about his poems which are truly refreshing. Among<br />
his more serious works are his drama of “ Papineau,”<br />
based on Canadian historical incidents ; his “ Dis-<br />
covery of the Mississipi,” his “ Canadian Year,” and<br />
his “ Légende d’un Peuple.” His poems fall natur-<br />
ally into two classes ; one treating of national, #.¢.,<br />
French-Canadian subjects ; the other consisting of<br />
verses which might have been written in any<br />
country, with due regard to local colours. The<br />
former perpetuate the nobler days of French-Canada,<br />
when patriotism had not degenerated into mere<br />
provincial sentiment and race-hatred ; when the<br />
antagonism between English and French was as<br />
legitimate a feeling in Canada as on the battle-<br />
fields of Blenheim and Ramilies. But they do more<br />
than this. Beginning with the solitudes of the<br />
primeval forest, broken only by the red man in<br />
pursuit of his game, they retrace, in a long series of<br />
pictures the history of a colony, brilliant even under<br />
a cloud of obscurity. As it comes down through<br />
the excessive ages, this epic in short. poems shows,<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
in three epochal divisions, the development of the<br />
country from wilderness into settlement ; from<br />
settlement to the strife of the occupants ; and from<br />
the victory of the English race to events still pain-<br />
fully fresh in the memory of Canadians. “O notre<br />
histoire, écrin de perles ignorées,” says the poet ;<br />
and with the most finished art he arranges the<br />
jewels of his casket, disposing each so as to bring<br />
out its best and purest glitter. Cartier, La Salle,<br />
Jolliet, Daulac, the missionary martyrs, and others,<br />
usually left ‘unnamed among the chronicles of<br />
Kings,” stand first with him; and though generals<br />
and statesmen get a share of praise, it is with<br />
humbler men that this chiefest of French-Canadian<br />
poets loves chiefly to linger.<br />
<br />
ope<br />
<br />
THE POET v. THE STONEMASON;; or,<br />
WHY NOT A NEW MARKET FOR<br />
POETRY ?<br />
<br />
+<br />
<br />
4 RADE again!” I fancy I can hear you<br />
mutter as you read my title... . Wait!<br />
You are not altogether wrong ; but I will<br />
try to show that there is much to be said in favour<br />
of a “market” even for such goods of the gods as<br />
poems, and this from a higher standpoint than<br />
merely the mercenary.<br />
<br />
To-day, poetry is, to use a term applied to<br />
grosser things, a “drug” on the literary market.<br />
No writer will doubt this; for his or her own<br />
experience will have taught them that this is an<br />
indubitable and dreary fact ; but supposing any-<br />
one to think the statement inaccurate, let them<br />
remember a remark made by one of the most<br />
prolific publishers we have of belles lettres, that<br />
he has been forced to refuse poems which half a<br />
century earlier would have brought their authors<br />
into prominence, and they will realise how appro-<br />
priate is the word “drug” when applied to the<br />
demand for poetry.<br />
<br />
Now, but a very cursory glance into the result<br />
of this lack of demand will show how the want of<br />
a “market” is proving actually destructive to our<br />
highest form of literature.<br />
<br />
Men—men with the real thing in them—dare<br />
not give to the use of their talent the time and<br />
application that is necessary to bring out all of<br />
that which is in them; for if they did so they<br />
would of a certainty go hungry. ‘This, if single,<br />
they might endure until finally the old story would<br />
have to be again re-told :—<br />
® A sepulchre was built—a dead man’s throne ;<br />
<br />
A dozen thousand pounds were spent on stone<br />
<br />
And those who in his need denied him bread<br />
Now poured their riches o’er the hapless dead<br />
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But, if married, their hearts would speedily cry<br />
“Nay!” when the bairns began to voice their<br />
urgent needs. Or if not, then would the voice<br />
of the wife and mother prove just as effectual ; for<br />
she would grow mightily “dispatient” to see the<br />
man and father writing poems, however beautiful,<br />
whilst the ‘‘leetle ones ” clamoured.<br />
<br />
And go, because of a lack of market for their<br />
wares, poets dare not or must nol waste (forgive<br />
the word) time upon the exercising of that which<br />
is their right and proper function. And because<br />
of this I have little doubt but that the world is<br />
losing much fine work, and losing it in a peculiar<br />
manner. For it must not be supposed that you<br />
can silence a poet, worthy of the name, even by<br />
starving his bairns. No! instead of silencing<br />
him, in too many cases the combined terror of<br />
dumbness and the sheer need of food, force him<br />
into a compromise . . . . in fact, turn the rivers<br />
of his mind into another channel—too often to him<br />
an unnatural channel. For the poet, finding that<br />
his natural form of expression—the greatest ever<br />
gifted to man—is monetarily valueless, ai least<br />
until after he is dead, turns to upon the produc-<br />
tion of that more saleable article—the novel.<br />
Now, a man may be a great poet and but a poor<br />
novelist, so that, as a result, the world gets often<br />
badly-constructed novels in place of fine poems.<br />
<br />
Have I said enough to justify from the highest<br />
standpoint my plea for the need of a market—a<br />
mart pure and simple where poems may be sold,<br />
and the poets with the proceeds of their sales<br />
enabled to buy bread whereby they may live to<br />
work undisturbed at their art, and so give to the<br />
world other, and, perhaps better poems ?<br />
<br />
Now to my idea.<br />
<br />
I have entitled this small article “The Poet<br />
y. The Stonemason.” I find now that I had<br />
done better to have put Sculptor in place of Stone-<br />
mason; for it is chiefly with the wealthy people of<br />
the world that I look to find my market—with<br />
those who can afford the artist in place of the<br />
tradesman,” and who could afford the produce of<br />
the poet instead of the graven commonplace in-<br />
scriptions which are hideous in their frozen inability<br />
to express anything of the heart sorrow that<br />
prompts the nearest and dearest to show some<br />
mark of their love by means of a fit resting place.<br />
<br />
In short, I propose that the poet should have<br />
equal chance with the sculptor in making beautiful<br />
the Last Abode. I will go even further, and sug-<br />
<br />
gest that in many cases the poet might well take<br />
the place of the sculptor, especially where the<br />
relatives of the dead are not of the wealthiest.<br />
<br />
This, then, is the market that I propose should<br />
be opened to the poet. Let the artist take the<br />
place of the inscription-monger. Only a poet can<br />
hope to express even a tithe of the things that<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
183<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
suffocate man in sorrow. Then, obviously, the<br />
poet is the one to whom the work should be<br />
entrusted. Wherefore a fine monument and a<br />
wretched, inadequate inscription? Better a poor<br />
monument and a great inscription. Think you, if<br />
‘“Gray’s Elegy ” had been in truth written upon a<br />
tombstone, that anything less than a pyramid<br />
could have equalled it as a /asting memorial ? And<br />
the pyramids are dumb, save to the imaginative ;<br />
but the Elegy speaks even to those who lack the<br />
seventh sense.<br />
<br />
One more plea in the poet’s favour. Even<br />
people of but medium worldly means could fee the<br />
poet ; for the requiem in shape will be ever costlier<br />
than the requiem in words.<br />
<br />
In closing my little paper, I would suggest, with<br />
some humbleness of spirit, that poets need not<br />
write personal eulogies of the dead, but express<br />
rather the universal emotions of grief and despair<br />
and hope . . . and give voice to the human sense<br />
of lonesomeness and loss. For, it seems to me,<br />
that monuments and inscriptions are to comfort<br />
the living ; and nothing gives such ease as expres-<br />
sion.<br />
<br />
Such poems could be universal ; for such feelings<br />
and emotions as they would express are shared by<br />
all. In such wise might be written poems to the<br />
little child or the grown man which would prove<br />
universal treasures, appealing to the whole world<br />
with that true touch which makes us all akin.<br />
<br />
Sorrowful man bids the sculptor shape his sorrow<br />
in stone; let him call in also the poet who alone<br />
may speak heartfully of one who has passed<br />
<br />
Beyond the bellowing of Time’s aeon-surge.<br />
<br />
I feel a certain grave yet whimsical laughter<br />
as I ask my final question : Will any one open the<br />
market ?<br />
<br />
Wiiu1am Horr Hopeson.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
————<br />
<br />
ESSAYS ON MEDIZVAL LITERATURE.*<br />
<br />
— +<br />
<br />
LL lovers of literature, and still more all<br />
serious literary students, will be grateful to<br />
Professor Ker for having collected into a<br />
<br />
single volume his “ Essays on Mediaeval Litera-<br />
ture.” The fact that all have previously appeared,<br />
either as parts of other works, or in reviews of high<br />
standing, in no way diminishes their value as a<br />
whole. Though the publications which contain<br />
them are easy of access, it is by no means always<br />
the case that the reader interested in matters of this<br />
kind finds it convenient to be culling information<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
7 ea<br />
* W. P. Ker: “Essays on Medieval Literature.”<br />
London: Macmillan & Co.<br />
<br />
1905.<br />
<br />
<br />
184<br />
<br />
from a number of different volumes; whilst—<br />
and this is of superlative importance—the various<br />
essays gain much in interest and significance by<br />
the light which they throw upon one another.<br />
<br />
The range is somewhat wide, from a brief<br />
treatise on Early English prose, to a notice of the<br />
late M. Gaston Paris. But the author is always<br />
keeping close to his subject, and invariably<br />
handling the topic immediately under his con-<br />
sideration with the suggestive facility of a man<br />
whose lucid and penetrating knowledge enables<br />
him to give freely out of the abundance of his<br />
information.<br />
<br />
There is nothing that Prof. Ker cannot make<br />
interesting. That means simply that he knows<br />
thoroughly what he is writing about. In a general<br />
way Harly English prose is for every reader, whose<br />
interests are not exclusively philological, a very<br />
dreary waste in which to be doomed to wander. Prof.<br />
Ker nowhere veils the peculiar kind of aridity that<br />
is a painfully leading feature in mediaeval litera-<br />
ture. On more than one occasion he makes<br />
pointed mention of this vice of most writers of the<br />
middle ages, and has interesting things to say<br />
about it. But even in the normal dulness of Early<br />
English prose his acumen discovers important<br />
merits. Where the interest of the subject is all to<br />
<br />
seek, and the art of treating it conspicuously<br />
<br />
absent, he shows the evidences of well-directed<br />
striving to reach methods of expression, that in<br />
time bore fruit of style and lucid exposition.<br />
<br />
Opinions will probably differ respecting the<br />
comparative interest of the several treatises. For<br />
our own part we must confess to a strong pre-<br />
ference for the three essays entitled “ Historical<br />
Notes on the Similes of Dante,” “ Boccaccio,” and<br />
* Chaucer.”<br />
<br />
In the first of these the author works out<br />
admirably his theme that “Dante is the first<br />
modern poet to make a consistent use, in narrative<br />
poetry, of the epic simile as derived from Homer<br />
through Virgil and the Latin poets.” The in-<br />
fluence of Dante is traced through Boccaccio<br />
to Chaucer (Prof. Ker is ever coming back to<br />
Chaucer)—and again from Chaucer onwards. One<br />
result is a revelation of how all modern poetry has<br />
its source in Dante, just as all occidental poetry<br />
has its source in Homer. Another result is the<br />
proof of ‘the vitality of classical poetry in its<br />
influence upon the moderns.” ‘Ihe essence of the<br />
Homeric simile is happily elucidated as the illus-<br />
tration that is not merely mentioned as containing<br />
a resemblance, but is further elaborated, beyond<br />
its mere parallelism, in such a manner that the<br />
picture evoked has a substantiality and value of<br />
its own.<br />
<br />
Of the immortal Boccaccio, Mr. Ker has, of<br />
course, things to say that never present themselves<br />
<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
to the imagination of the ordinary scribbler who<br />
blunders into writing about “John of the Tran-<br />
quillities,” under the delusion that he knows all<br />
that is to be said concerning him. The great man<br />
of letters, the great student, the great stylist, the<br />
great novelist, the great poet, the inventor of the<br />
otlava rima, the great literary discoverer, stands<br />
out in these pages in all his magnificent eminence,<br />
Most interesting is the insistence upon Boccaccio’s<br />
infallible instinct. ‘ The talents of Boccaccio for<br />
finding new kinds of literature, and making the<br />
most of them, is like the instinct of a man of<br />
business for profitable operations,” writes Prof. Ker,<br />
Nor less engaging is the elucidation of the contrast<br />
between Boccaccio and his master Petrarcha; the<br />
latter always melancholy, and the former always<br />
facing life in good spirits; Petrarcha always<br />
master, and Boccaccio always a deferential pupil ;<br />
but a pupil who saw some things with clearer, and<br />
all things with happier eyes than had been vouch-<br />
safed to his master.<br />
<br />
What Boccaccio was to Chaucer we have never<br />
seen elsewhere so clearly and fully put into words.<br />
There are always new things to be said about<br />
Chaucer—notwithstanding all that has been said<br />
about him; and some of these new things are<br />
admirably expressed in Prof. Ker’s essay.<br />
<br />
“‘ Chaucer is always at his best when he is put on<br />
his mettle by Boccaccio. . . . He learns from the<br />
Italian the lesson of sure and definite exposition.”<br />
<br />
Not that Chaucer copies or imitates Boccaccio.<br />
Prof. Ker shows that he does neither. But he learns<br />
from Boccaccio what Boccaccio had discovered for<br />
himself (for the Greek novelists where he might<br />
have found the same methods were unknown to<br />
him), the laws of construction and the art of con-<br />
ducting a story. ‘There were occasions when<br />
Chaucer took his own way, disregarded everything<br />
that he had learned from his master, and “let<br />
himself go” in the manner of the other medisevalists<br />
of his day: and then he did all the things that<br />
his master had shown him that he ought not to do,<br />
conformed with his age and its manners, and could<br />
relate in the dreariest and stalest of medizeval<br />
fashions. He gives himself a positive debauch of<br />
this kind in “The House of Fame,” and is tedious<br />
and monotonous with the dreariest. Very possibly<br />
he enjoyed it, and here and there his natural<br />
wit comes to light, and lifts him for the moment<br />
above the medizeval conventions.<br />
<br />
We have left ourselves but little space for allusion<br />
to a careful study of Gower, and an essay on<br />
Froissart (the longest in the book) in which both<br />
the course and the character of the original and of<br />
the English translation of Lord Berners are fully<br />
analysed. But we must not omit to mention the<br />
short notice of M. Gaston Paris with which the<br />
volume concludes ; an appreciation so warm and so<br />
<br />
<br />
THE<br />
<br />
sympathetic that we should commiserate the reader<br />
who could lay it down without feeling tempted to<br />
plunge into that literature of Old France to which<br />
M. Gaston Paris devoted his life.<br />
<br />
—_—___—_——_+—__+—______<br />
<br />
AN AUTHOR’S LETTER BOX.<br />
<br />
—+-—~+—<br />
<br />
(Reprinted from New York Bookman, by kind permission<br />
of the Editor).<br />
<br />
YOUNG married American woman living in<br />
London was presented to Queen Victoria,<br />
who paid her a pretty personal compliment.<br />
<br />
A couple of hours later, at a tea at the American<br />
Embassy, a daughter of the Queen conveyed an<br />
intimation to the same American lady that she<br />
would soon be invited to Windsor Castle. This<br />
unusual incident was, naturally, much the talk of<br />
society in Tondon, and I heard every particular,<br />
for I was at the time visiting the home of the<br />
young American woman and her husband. Some<br />
years later I worked the incident into a story, and<br />
it was pretty generally sneered at by reviewers as<br />
a silly example of a writer venturing into social<br />
places about which, of course, he could know<br />
nothing. I’m case-hardened against that sort of<br />
<br />
criticism, but I took notice of a polite personal<br />
<br />
letter from a college lecturer on literature, who<br />
wrote to me condemning the use of such a highly<br />
improbable invention. To him I explained. He<br />
was all right ; he wrote and delivered a lecture<br />
on the inexpediency of the use of fact in fiction!<br />
<br />
T’ve had lots of fun out of an assumption in<br />
certain places that I am Bowery-derived—an<br />
assumption which has aided some of my critics in<br />
knowing that I know nothing about polite people.<br />
I once made use, ina short story, of some adyen-<br />
tures I shared with a couple of Harvard men while<br />
travelling in the Hawaiian Islands. This made<br />
one Harvard undergraduate so angry that he could<br />
not resist the call to rebuke me. That I should<br />
presume to speak of men and measures not of the<br />
Bowery made him sad, he said ; but that I should<br />
attempt to tell what a Harvard man would do<br />
under any circumstance was a piece of imperti-<br />
nence he could not encounter without protest.<br />
His further remarks and advice conveyed the<br />
impression that Harvard, as a social institution,<br />
depended much upon his sprightly resentment of<br />
such offending as mine. Not long after that I<br />
was a guest of Harvard Union, and inquired as to<br />
my correspondent, but no one could inform me.<br />
One took the trouble, however, to pursue his<br />
search as far as the records, and reported that<br />
there was, indeed, such a person there, but that he<br />
“was a mucker no one knew.”<br />
<br />
In my youth I reported for a newspaper a trial<br />
<br />
AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
185<br />
<br />
at law, famous throughout the mining States and<br />
Territories, which revealed that a mine swindle<br />
had been perpetrated through the “salting” of a<br />
bag of ore samples by an injection of a solution of<br />
gold. The cautious expert, who had personally<br />
broken down the samples of ore, had placed the<br />
bag containing them under his pillow at night,<br />
but the needle of the syringe had got there ¢owt de<br />
méme. Well, I used that incident in a magazine<br />
story not long ago, and promptly received a letter<br />
from a man whose letter-head acclaimed him to be<br />
a metallurgist and assayer, firmly informing me<br />
that such a trick was a chemical impossibility, and<br />
adding that I should shun such technicalities in<br />
fiction. One more story of this kind and then I'll<br />
tell what I’m driving at. In Lees and Leaven<br />
there is a deed to be recorded under circumstances<br />
related to the plot, and I told how it was done.<br />
From out of the West, where that part of the<br />
<br />
story lay, I received a number of letters protesting<br />
<br />
against my highly illegal procedure. T don’t know<br />
about that, either, for I had asked a lawyer who<br />
attends to such matters for a number of important<br />
industrial corporations, and I had recorded the<br />
deed strictly in accordance with his advice.<br />
<br />
Here, then, is the point: am I alone among<br />
writers in this matter of receiving letters con-<br />
demning me for errors I have not committed ? I<br />
set down these few cases, but [ recall scores. I<br />
think that many such fault-finding letters have<br />
been rejected by some newspaper, and the writers<br />
send them to authors after failing to get them<br />
into print. They sound like “letters to the<br />
editor.’ The man who approves is usually in a<br />
state of mind milder than that which moves him<br />
who disapproves, and the latter is the one who<br />
more often feels that the world will be better if<br />
he weeps forth his feelings from a fountain pen.<br />
<br />
Harper’s Weekly once turned over to me a letter<br />
from a Cincinnati lawyer scolding that excellent<br />
repository of Mr. Harvey’s thoughts for printing a<br />
“Chimmie Fadden” sketch wherein, asserted the<br />
indignant letter writer, I had been guilty of<br />
absolute indecency in “Chimmie’s” account of a<br />
night at the opera. In dismay I turned to the<br />
<br />
rinted page and found that “ Chimmie” had<br />
related, with some such reservations as one would<br />
make in telling the story to a child, the plot of<br />
Faust! hat letter I answered, pointing out that<br />
the Faust story in some form had been able to<br />
maintain a respectable place in literature so long<br />
that my Bowdlerised edition did not deserve the<br />
scorn of even the righteous. But the letter writer<br />
was not satisfied ; he saw a low purpose on my<br />
part in thrusting such a story before the pure eyes<br />
of Harper’s readers, who, he told me, were a<br />
different sort, morally, from the godless patrons of<br />
the opera. :<br />
<br />
<br />
186<br />
<br />
I have had many, perhaps more than a just<br />
share, of letters of commendation ; but, I repeat,<br />
those who dispraise have been very busy with my<br />
hide. The answer is obvious, of course, if one<br />
were asked to give a reason—lI’ve got only what I<br />
deserve—yet I wonder if I am alone among authors<br />
in this respect.<br />
<br />
A correspondence which came from every part of<br />
the country arose from ‘my use, in the person of<br />
“Major Max,” of the lines :<br />
<br />
Is it true, O Christ in heaven! that the wisest suffer most,<br />
That the strongest wander farthest and most hopelessly are<br />
<br />
] x<br />
That ihe mark of rank in nature is capacity for pain,<br />
<br />
That the anguish of the singer lends its sweetness to the<br />
strain ?<br />
<br />
I would not dare to give an estimate of the<br />
number of letters I received asking the name of<br />
the author, what more verses, if any, there were,<br />
in what book the whole poem could be had, and<br />
similar questions. The Sun, in which that ‘‘ Max”<br />
story first appeared, found it expedient more than<br />
once, so many similar letters it received asking<br />
such information, to print replies in its answers to<br />
correspondents department.<br />
<br />
What seems to me to be the most whimsical<br />
letter I ever received was from a New York mer-<br />
chant, asking if the copyright in my books pre-<br />
vented the use of a menu one of them contained.<br />
Being assured that my menus were free to all, he<br />
explained that he wanted to give a certain chef an<br />
order to duplicate a dinner I described in Days<br />
Like These, but that a painful experience he had<br />
had with the law prompted him to ask my consent<br />
before proceeding with his dinner @ Ja Garnett.<br />
<br />
Epwarp W. TOowNSsEND.<br />
<br />
a<br />
<br />
THE TRANSFORMATION OF A GREAT<br />
NOVELIST.<br />
<br />
ere<br />
(Republished by kind permission of the Editor from the<br />
Westminster Gazette, December 30th, 1905.)<br />
<br />
7 ¥ often speak of Laurence Wilders at the<br />
Scribblers’, and always with bated breath ;<br />
for, famous as the great novelist was to<br />
<br />
the public, he seemed still greater to us fellow<br />
literary men, who could gauge his work more truly<br />
and regard it more sympathetically than could the<br />
general reader. Even Blossop lowers his voice<br />
when he refers to the dead master. Only one man<br />
among us, and he is not usually silent, has been in<br />
the habit of listening without remark ; and yet<br />
Gorham and Wilders were intimate friends.<br />
<br />
But the other evening, after we had been speak-<br />
ing of Wilders’s last book, of the many personal<br />
qualities which had endeared him to us, of his<br />
fierce outbursts of passion, his impulsive generosity,<br />
<br />
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<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
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his almost womanly tenderness of heart, Gorham,<br />
gazing at as much of the fire as Blossop permitted<br />
to be seen, said slowly and gravely, rather as if he<br />
were communing with himself than addressing us :<br />
<br />
“Poor Wilders has been dead nearly twelve<br />
months ; I wonder whether the time has come for ts<br />
me to unseal my lips ? ” |<br />
<br />
We said with ill-concealed emphasis and eager-<br />
ness that it certainly had; and Gorham went on,<br />
still more gravely: “As you all know, I was<br />
Wilders’s most intimate friend. You were speaking<br />
just now, Millan, of the extraordinary change which F<br />
took place in him some years ago, of the cessation | ¥ \<br />
of those outbursts of passion which used to trans- — =<br />
form the gentlest of men into .<br />
<br />
‘CA frenzied lunatic,” said Millan. “ Why, yes ; ¢<br />
don’t you remember how he used to rush in here § @><br />
waving a magazine containing one of his stories, es<br />
and, striking the thing furiously with his clenched cals?<br />
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fist, inveigh against the artist ? I recollect on one ha<br />
occasion he actually tore the illustrations from a peu! |<br />
book of his, and, flinging them on the floor, me<br />
danced upon them, yelling, ‘ Look at this! I have (gy<br />
described this man as a gentleman ; observe the at<br />
<br />
bounder this “artist ’ has made of him!<br />
my heroine — heroine !<br />
beautiful.” I have taken pages to describe the<br />
girl. Look at: this—this hideous housemaid with<br />
her nose out of drawing, and her figure like a sack<br />
tied round the middle! ‘This, if you please, is the<br />
illustration of a scene at a lunch-party ; of course,<br />
the “artist” has put the men in evening dress !<br />
And this is a boat. A boat! The wretch has<br />
made the man rowing it stern first. The animal kw<br />
in this picture is intended for a horse. I know it ~<br />
is, because the line underneath says ‘ He bent Pd<br />
from his horse.” ’”’ bad<br />
Gorham nodded. ‘‘ Yes, poor Wilders suffered tal<br />
a great deal from the artist in his early and strug- oe<br />
gling days. Ofcourse they did not give him the<br />
best men. But when the drawing was good, how<br />
delighted, how grateful he was! And now we bot<br />
come to speak of the change in him. Later on, at or<br />
a certain period of his life, you will remember that, Flag<br />
however bad the block may have been, he never<br />
raged, never uttered even a word of complaint. fF...<br />
The change was an enigma to all of us. Itshall —<br />
be an enigma no ionger; I can explain it. The<br />
night before he died I was sitting beside his bed.<br />
He knew that death was near, but he was quite<br />
placid, and even cheerful, and his face wore a look<br />
of absolute content. It was a moonlight night ;<br />
he lay on his side looking through the window—he<br />
had asked me to pull up the blind—on the pretty FF —<br />
little garden at the back of that quaint, old- fF !<br />
fashioned house of his at Leatherhead. 5<br />
“Vou are all right—there is nothing I can do<br />
for you, old man ?’ I asked.<br />
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This is Hl<br />
“Tall, slim, graceful, itn<br />
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THE AUTHOR.<br />
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“éNo’ he said, ‘nothing. I am going out<br />
quietly and comfortably with, thank Heaven, a<br />
mind and a heart at rest. For some time past I have<br />
known that my innings were drawing to a close.’<br />
<br />
“© Yes,’ I said; we have all noticed at the<br />
Seribblers’ how—how much calmer and more<br />
peaceful you have been of late.’<br />
<br />
« ¢ He turned his eyes to me and smiled. ‘ Ah,<br />
yes,’ he said, in that soft pleasant voice of his. ‘I<br />
imow what you mean. But the knowledge of my<br />
coming death was not the reason of the change.<br />
I have often thought I would tell you. I will tell<br />
you now. You are referring to the fuss I used to<br />
make over the illustrations? Yes, yes ; of course.’<br />
<br />
“* You grew resigned?’ I suggested.<br />
<br />
« «No it was not resignation ; it was action. It<br />
began this way: One night after I had been<br />
storming at the Club at one of the blocks to a<br />
story of mine in the Park Lane Magazine, | came<br />
home here, still fuming, and found the artist<br />
waiting for me. He had come to ask me some-<br />
thing about the illustration for the next number,<br />
of which he had brought a sketch. It was a<br />
horrible thing, worse even than the one which had<br />
driven me almost mad ; but the wretched man was<br />
quite complacent ; and I suppose his complacency<br />
upset me, for as he gazed at the sketch admiringly,<br />
<br />
with his head on one side and a conceited smile<br />
across his stupid face, I caught up the poker and<br />
struck him on the back of the head. He fell<br />
without a word or a groan, and, after tearing up<br />
the sketch and carefully burning it, I knelt down<br />
and examined him. He was quite dead ; oh quite.<br />
It was a great nuisance, of course, and I was very<br />
much annoyed, for I assure you, my dear fellow,<br />
that I did not intend to kill him. But the thing<br />
was done ; and as I hate any thing like a fuss—I<br />
fear that some men you and I know would have<br />
used this affair as an advertisement !—I said<br />
nothing about it; but later on, when my house-<br />
keeper and the servants had gone to bed, I dug a<br />
grave in the garden and buried him.’ ”<br />
<br />
“ Wilders was silent for amoment or two, and<br />
then he continued reflectively, with that pensive<br />
smile which made his face almost womanly in its<br />
‘softness :<br />
<br />
“<T am quite convinced, my dear boy, that we<br />
literary men don’t take enough exercise. Jor<br />
instance, up to that time I used to be a bad<br />
sleeper ; it was not exactly insomnia, you know,<br />
but I was just a bad sleeper. That night after<br />
digging the grave I slept like a top. Of course it<br />
<br />
was the healthy exercise, the good smell of the<br />
newly turned earth, the work in the fresh air, the<br />
pleasant excitement accompanying the wholesome<br />
physical exercise. Oh, of course J am not forget-<br />
ting the soothing influence of an approving con-<br />
science. We are all so selfish ; we so loathe to do<br />
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187<br />
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good if the doing of it should entail a little trouble.<br />
But this affair was a lesson to me, a kind of<br />
inspiration. I think scarcely a week passed<br />
without my disposing of an artist. No; I did not<br />
again use the poker. You know how I detest<br />
physical violence. A blow is crude, brutal ; and,<br />
my dear Gorham, we must consider the feelings of<br />
even the lowest types of humanity. Think of the<br />
shock of a sudden blow! No; I used to invite<br />
them up to chat over their drawings and give them<br />
a glass of wine. There is very little taste in<br />
cyanide, you know, and it works with charming<br />
celerity. I am glad to think that they never, or<br />
scarcely ever, endured a pang. And I always<br />
buried them myself. You have no idea how soon<br />
I learned to dig even a full-sized grave quickly and<br />
neatly. I have often thought that if literature<br />
failed me I shoald apply for a sexton’s place. It<br />
is a peaceful, wholesome occupation. It is the<br />
contemplative man’s vocation.’<br />
<br />
“ He was silent for a minute or two, then he said :<br />
<br />
“Do you think you could drag the bed a little<br />
nearer the window ? Thanks, thanks! Yes, lam<br />
sorry to leave my garden. It hasn’t many flowers—<br />
for obvious reasons ; but I have grown toloveit. I<br />
have “ got ” most of my books there, strolling round<br />
or sitting in that rustic seat under the plane-tree in<br />
the corner. I worked out “ Anabel-Snow ” there.’<br />
<br />
«<< The sweetest, the most pathetic, and the most<br />
tender of idylls,’ I said.<br />
<br />
«You are good to say so, dear fellow,’ he mur-<br />
mured shyly, his eyes growing moist: you know<br />
how he used to melt at a word of praise from one<br />
one of us. ‘I don’t think it could have been<br />
written anywhere. : . . [am glad [have mentioned<br />
that little matter. I—ah, well! I don’t want to<br />
talk of example and the rest of it; but, my dear<br />
lad, if at any time you should be tempted to turn<br />
aside from the performance of an obvious duty<br />
just remember the comfort and consolation, the<br />
deep and lasting peace, which the discharge of this<br />
duty of mine has brought to me.... How<br />
exquisitely the moonlight falls on the grass-plot !<br />
Tt is a little uneven; I never could succeed in<br />
relaying the sods quite level, quite as they<br />
were before. But the next man should grow some<br />
good flowers there—the soil must be rich. Will<br />
you give me a drink? Thanks, dear Gorham !<br />
T think I can go to sleep now; our talk has<br />
soothed me.’<br />
<br />
« Tt was his last sleep, as you know,” concluded<br />
Gorham, almost inaudibly.<br />
<br />
Blossop turned his face to the fire and blew his<br />
nose loudly.<br />
<br />
“He was a good man,” he said in a smothered<br />
voice ; and we nodded assent. None of us could<br />
<br />
speak, and there were tears in all our eyes.<br />
CHARLES GARVICE.<br />
THE AUTHOR.<br />
<br />
CORRESPONDENCE.<br />
<br />
—+—<—+ —_<br />
Tue UNIT or An EDITION.<br />
<br />
Srr,—Much has been gained by the distinction<br />
between an edition and an impression. The<br />
question of the unit of either is not so easily<br />
settled. Much may be said for the unit of 1,000<br />
and the designation of “half edition” or “ quarter<br />
edition” where 500 or 250 copies are printed.<br />
But there can be no difficulty in stating the actual<br />
number of the copies printed, and such a statement<br />
would, I submit, be more satisfactory to all persons<br />
interested. Perhaps the best solution is to leave<br />
the matter to be settled by the discretion of<br />
individual producers, and not to overdo the number<br />
of general rules which cannot bind anybody. A<br />
more important point, and a point so important<br />
that compulsory legislation might be brought to<br />
bear upon it, is the statement of the date of<br />
publication upon the title page.<br />
<br />
Yours obediently,<br />
J. M. Luty.<br />
<br />
1+<br />
<br />
Sir,—In The Author for January Mr. Lewis<br />
Melville writes of Trollope that he “is not dis-<br />
appearing, he has disappeared,” and that it is<br />
<br />
impossible to obtain a set of his best works,<br />
<br />
If the first of these assertions has ever been<br />
true, which I am rather inclined to doubt, it has<br />
certainly not been applicable to the United States<br />
during the past year or two. There has, indeed,<br />
been a regular “boom” in Trollope. I have found<br />
it difficult to get his best novels from the public<br />
libraries of New York and Cambridge, and the<br />
librarians informed me that they were in great<br />
demand. Paragraphs or articles about Trollope<br />
are constantly appearing in daily, weekly, or<br />
monthly periodicals, and his name turns up at<br />
social gatherings with almost as much frequency<br />
as those of present-day favourites like Mrs. Whar-<br />
ton or Miss May Sinclair. Messrs. Dodd, Mead &<br />
Co. are publishing an excellent edition of his<br />
novels.<br />
<br />
I imagine if Baron Tauchnitz were asked, he<br />
would be able to tell of a pretty steady sale of<br />
Trollope’s works. At any rate, during my present<br />
visit to the United States I have seen more<br />
Tauchnitz copies of Trollope than of any other<br />
single author ; and Tauchnitz reprints are pretty<br />
common over here.<br />
<br />
I would therefore humbly submit that Mr.<br />
Melviile’s attitude towards Trollope is rather<br />
belated, or, at any rate, insular.<br />
<br />
Yours very truly,<br />
James F, MuIRHEAD.<br />
<br />
6, Riedesel Avenue, Cambridge, Mass.<br />
<br />
A Missine Vouume.<br />
<br />
Srr,—Since my communications to The Author<br />
of November and December last, certain develop-<br />
ments, which may prove of interest to members,<br />
have occurred in connection with the old novel<br />
“ Rebecca, or the Victim of Duplicity,” whose third<br />
volume is still eagerly sought.<br />
<br />
In the first place we succeeded in tracing, through<br />
the kind offices of a gentleman in Paris, a catalogue<br />
for 1815 of the publishers of the book, Messrs,<br />
Lackington, Allen & Co., London, with a brief<br />
extract from a notice thereon, culled from The<br />
European Magazine, but without any date. This,<br />
however, was soon supplied, and the loan obtained<br />
from another friend of the volume of the magazine,<br />
January to June, 1808, in the March number of<br />
which appears an exhaustive review of “ Rebecca,”<br />
signed J. M., the initials, it is assumed, of Joseph<br />
Moser, a well-known contributor to The European<br />
und like periodicals of his time. Happily, the<br />
doubt which prevails in some minds as to any<br />
existence after all of a third volume is now quite<br />
set at rest, although we have not been so fortunate<br />
in establishing the identity of the writer. The<br />
fact, however, that ‘* Rebecca” was printed at<br />
Uttoxeter, whence was also issued, in the year<br />
1821, a work entitled ‘“* Tales Serious and Instruc-<br />
tive,” by Ann Catherine Holbrook, distinctly lends<br />
colour to the inference that this lady was the<br />
authoress. J. M. was apparently ignorant of the<br />
name of the writer, as, although he attributes the<br />
authorship to a male—we find the words “he,”<br />
“him,” “his” often employed—no other indica-<br />
tion is ever given, so he was probably unable to<br />
pierce the mask of anonymity. ;<br />
<br />
The motive of the book was to lash unmercifully<br />
the evils of some “new philosophy ” which<br />
obtained at that period, and a discourse anent<br />
which occupies much space at the commencement<br />
of a very able criticism highly appreciative of the<br />
novelist’s efforts and the power of his, or her,<br />
denunciations.<br />
<br />
The book must have created some stir in its<br />
day, and have contained scenes of a most pathetic,<br />
harrowing description, calculated forcibly to im-<br />
press upon its readers the lessons of tolerance and<br />
Christianity it was the object of the author, or<br />
authoress, to convey.<br />
<br />
It has been suggested how it would be appro-<br />
priate to reprint the novel at Uttoxeter on the<br />
occasion of its centenary. But we must first trace<br />
that missing third volume.<br />
<br />
CEcIL CLARKE.<br />
<br />
Authors’ Club, 8.W.<br />
<br />
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