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Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1894-06-01 Volume 5 Issue 1 Pages Page range in volume 1–32 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18940601 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESAN. T. VoI. V.-No. 1.] JUNE 1, 1894. [PRICE SIXPENCE. Por the Opinions earpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as eaſpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. WARNINGS AND ADWICE, I , T is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.—In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP YOUR AGREEMENTS. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £10 must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no ea pense to themselves eacept the cost of the stamp. 4. ASCERTAIN WHAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVES To BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party WOL. W. business men. refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. 5. LITERARY AGENTS.—Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom yow appoint as your agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. CoST OF PRODUCTION.——Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.—Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FUTURE WORK.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. Io. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a MS. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. I2. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. - 13. ADVERTISEMENTS. —- Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. I4. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with Be yourself a business man. Society’s Offices :- 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. *~ * ~ * e- HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. B 2  ## p. 2 (#16) ############################################### 2 THE AUTHOR. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of the Author notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. *-- ~ *-* a- - - THE AUTHORS’ SYNDICATE, literary or artistic work are invited to communicate with the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. *- - --> NOTICES. EMBERS are informed : 1. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. With, when necessary, the assistance of the legal advisers of the Syndi- cate, it concludes agreements, collects royalties, examines and passes accounts, and generally relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. 2. That the expenses of the Authors' Syndicate are defrayed solely out of the commission charged on rights placed through its intervention. Notice is, however, hereby given that in all cases where there is no current account, a booking fee is charged to cover postage and porterage. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works for none but those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiation whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed exclusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least four days’ notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with the corre- spondence promptly, but that owing to the enormous number of letters received, some delay is inevitable. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence, and does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice. 8. The Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department” for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants' and Wanted ” has been opened. Members anxious to obtain 39 48. HE Editor of the Awthor begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Awthor complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P. If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker's order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest ? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production ” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at The figures in our book are as near the exact truth as can be procured ; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too  ## p. 3 (#17) ############################################### THE AUTHOR. 3. often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *~ * → g- -* THE AUTHOR, N the commencement of the fifth volume of the Author, it seems desirable that we should repeat the purpose for which the paper was founded and for which it exists. The fore words in the first number contain a state- ment of that purpose, which has always been kept steadily to the front. The Author is founded to be the organ of literary men and women of all kinds—the one paper which will fully review, discuss, and ventilate all questions con- nected with the profession of literature in all its branches. It will be the medium by which the Committee of our Society will inform its members generally of their doings, and it will become a public record of transactions conducted in the interests of literature, which have hitherto been secret, lost, and hidden for the want of such an organ. The chief aim of the Society—this has been advanced again and again—is to promote the recognition of the fact, hitherto most imperfectly understood, that literary property is as real a thing as property in every other kind of busi- mess: that it should be safeguarded in the same manner, and regarded with the same jealousy. Hitherto the mere existence of literary property even in the face of such patent facts as the enrichment of publishers, has been carefully concealed and even denied. Risks of publishing, costs of publishing, have been dangled before the eyes of authors, so that they should regard the subject as one of extreme peril and pure speculation. One can never even now read a leading article about publishing without being solemnly assured that the trade is one in which frightful risks are constantly run, and that the success of any book is pure speculation. - Now, as a matter of fact, there is very little speculation indeed in publishing, and there are very, very few publishers —only the leading houses—who ever run any risks at all, either by buying books or by bringing out books at a risk. Risks are run when a house starts a magazine, or when it embarks on illustrated editions of an expensive kind, or when educational books are published. The ordinary risk run in the production of books is, as a rule, next to nothing. For, first, the author is seldom paid except by results; next, the author, when a house consents to “take the risk,” is, for the most part, one who commands a certain sale. With the smaller houses books about which there is the slightest risk are always paid for by the authors in advance, either wholly or in part. And very, very seldom indeed, do the ill-advised authors who advance their money ever see it back again. . Again, as to the actual cost of production. By carefully keeping this a profound secret, interested persons have succeeded in establishing a kind of taboo, as of some holy, sacred thing which must not be so much as touched. We have, however, thoroughly investigated the whole question, and are now in a position to throw complete light upon the cost of producing any kind of book that can be named, in any type and in any form. This is a very important step. Its importance cannot be over-estimated. It enables the awthor, for the very first time in the history of literature, to know what it is he is asked to concede to the publisher, and what it is he reserves for himself. . We have also done more : we have collected together a vast amount of information as to publishers' agreements: especially as to what, in reality, is the meaning of the clauses contained in them ; we have ascertained what it is they ask the author to surrender and for what consideration. And we have acquired a knowledge of various frauds, made possible by the terms of these agreements, in the different methods of publishing. This knowledge is so beneficial to the author that its existence ought to be widely spread and made known to every person who is engaged in the production of literature of any kind. Again, the Society is constantly engaged in answering questions connected with every branch of literature and its practice. Many of these questions are answered by letter over and over again, taking up a great deal of the Secretary’s time. They would be answered much more effectively in a journal. It follows from these clauses that we may have a good deal to say about the seamy side of the publishing trade. It must, however, be borne in mind very carefully that the Society has not, and never has had, any quarrel with honourable publishers. It has always asked for one thing only—just and homest treatment, fair and open agreements, and honourable observance of those agreements. In further illustration of this programme let it be remembered that the Society, in its very first public utterance, and ever since, has always pointed out and repeated over and over again the fact that the literary and the commercial value of a book need not necessarily bear any relation to each other ; in other words, that the literary value of a book is not to be measured by its commercial success, and that the commercial success of a book is no gauge of its literary value. This, it would seem, is a self evident proposition, and would not need to be repeated but for the misrepresentations of those who wish to attack the Society and its organ. Let us therefore repeat one or two of the passages in which this distinction was clearly and unmistakably laid down. The same thing has been repeated over and over again : I. Literature, in all times, has had two sides—the artistic and the commercial kind. The singer expects to be paid, the poet is rejoiced at solid recognition of his genius. What is more, the artistic work of the highest genius in no way suffers from a careful attention to its material interests. Does anyone in his senses pretend that the work of Byron, Scott, Dickens, Thackeray, George Eliot, Wilkie Collins, Charles Reade, lost anything in Art because these writers were good and careful men of business P - II. Let us not confuse these two sides of the literary pro- fession. They are equally important, because unless the latter is looked after, the artist perishes. Both must be guarded jealously, the one because Literature is Art, and the other because the artist must be a free man—not the slave of the man who has the money, nor a hack, nor one who drives his pen all day long for a daily pittance, nor a man continually fretted by a sense of wrong and injustice, real or fancied.  ## p. 4 (#18) ############################################### 4. THE AUTHOR. When, therefore, we insist continually upon the necessity of safe-guarding literary property, of understanding what is meant by an agreement before we sign it, we are working in the highest and best interests of literature. III. Consider again. In no other branch of Art is a voice ever raised against those who fight for its material interests. The sculptor, the actor, the singer, the musician, the painter —all alike are understood to be working honestly at their art, even though at the same time they are watching care- fully over their material interests. No one accuses Meisson- nier of bad workmanship, because every one of his pictures is worth a pyramid of gold. Yet, directly a serious attempt is made to put these interests on a proper basis as regards letters, there is raised at once an outcry about degrading Art, taking all the joy out of Art, destroying the nobility of Art, and the rest of it. We mix up these two sides of literature. It is absurd to suppose that George Eliot was thinking of her commercial value when she wrote “Romola..” Yet she thought very much of it afterwards. That is the way of it. The true artist thinks about nothing but his work while he is engaged upon it. The man who is not an artist cannot understand how he can ever think about the business side of his work at all. Yet he always can, and does, as soon as he is satisfied that there is a business side to his work. -s:crºcº- Three or four accusations are, from time to time, brought against the Society or the Author or both. I. We are charged with saying that all pub- lishers are dishonest. When this accusation was last made, in the Athenæum, the publisher who advanced it was challenged to produce his autho- rity. He found a statement in one of the pamphlets published by the Society to the effect that “fraud and corruption were widespread.” That was perfectly true; it was more true ten years ago than it is now, thanks to the action of the Society. “Widespread,” however, is very different from universal. Over and over again it has been repeated that the Society has no quarrel with honourable houses. Those, there- fore, who endeavour to distort a plain statement, proved to the hilt by our exposures, into a universal charge clearly betray themselves. One never hears a respectable solicitor trying to distort the perfectly true statement that his profession contains a great number of black sheep into a charge that all solicitors are black sheep. 2. The next charge is, that we say that pub- lishers take no risks. We say no such thing. Over and over again we have said that in dealing with authors publishers take as few risks as they possibly can. In other branches of business, as when a publisher puts forth a new magazine, an encyclopædia, a dictionary of biography, a new atlas, he may incur very great risks. Since we, as authors, are not generally proprietors or venturers in this kind of property, we need not inquire into the nature of the risks thus incurred. But, in the production of books, the risk in- curred very rarely exists at all. In any case it is the difference between the cost of production and the number of copies subscribed at first, a mini- mum of which may be approximately known. If by risk the publisher means chance of great gains, then we are talking of different things. 3. The third charge is that of sordidness in looking after literary property at all. This is answered by the passages already quoted. 4. The fourth charge is that we measure literary value by commercial success. We have just shown how the contrary has been clearly laid down in the Author. Other charges will doubtless be invented and brought against us, but, so far, the repetition of one or other of these four is the only weapon which has been found by the gentry who object to the light of day. - Perhaps the policy of the committee during the Society’s existence may be fairly stated as this: The present conditions which belong to the acquisition and the administration of literary property are chaotic. Even with the best houses, no one, not the greatest historian, the greatest man of science, knows when he sends a MS. to a publisher on what terms he should confide to him the administration of his property. Nor does he know what terms the publisher will propose. Nor has he hitherto known what any terms mean. It is, on the other hand, highly desirable that he should know what terms may mean, and that he should know as much as possible about the reality and the extent of literary property, and particularly that of his own kind of literary property. The committee therefore have acquired and published, partly in pamphlets and partly in their organ, the Author, a tolerably complete explana- tion of these points: I. The cost of printing, binding, and advertis- ing various kinds of books. 2. The meaning of the “published price ’’ to the publisher or manager of a literary property. 3. Some of the various pitfalls and traps laid to catch the ignorant and the unwary author. - As regards the first point, one or two publishers have alleged that our estimates were too low. They were silenced by the offer to get their print- ing done on those terms. On the second point nothing has been disputed, for the simple reason that the figures given in the Society’s papers were actually lower than the truth. As to the pitfalls and traps, experience shows that it is necessary to examine jealously every agreement offered to an author, not always, be it understood, to detect a way open to fraud, but generally to detect some  ## p. 5 (#19) ############################################### THE AUTHOR. 5 clause by which the author, through ignorance, is tempted to surrender rights and to give up an unfair proportion of his property. In other words, the man of business is always tempted to use his superior knowledge for his own benefit. We do our best to place the author on the same level as regards the facts of the case. To throw a flood of light upon every point con- nected with the management of literary property is, and has always been, the settled policy of the committee. The next step, that of arriving at a modus vivendi recognised as fair by both sides will be taken, it is hoped, before long, and when the ersons chiefly concerned, viz., the producers, shall have thoroughly learned the facts revealed by this light. *= a -º LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—CANADIAN COPYRIGHT. HE question of Canadian Copyright has in the past few weeks again been brought into publicity, owing, in the first instance, to a rumour that the Canadians were once more pushing forward their claims. The question is naturally one of great importance to the English author on account of the great interests in- volved. As regards the present state of Canadian Copy- right, any member of the Society who is interested in the subject is referred to the November number of the Author, 1890, containing a very useful paper written by W. Oliver Hodges, honorary secretary of the Society's Copyright Committee, and to an opinion in the January number 1893, given at the request of the Society by J. Rolt, 3, New-square, barrister. With regard to the steps at present being taken, it will be as well to put forward a short statement. As soon as the rumour of the Canadian move had been substantially verified, the secretary of the Society, at the request of the chairman, wrote to the Colonial Office, and in due course received a reply, which was as follows: Downing-street, May 18, 1894. SIR,-Lord Ripon desires me to acquaint you that the Society is in error in supposing that there is any new Bill on copyright in Canada now before Her Majesty's Government. His Lordship presumes your letter refers to a clause in the Tariff Bill of the Canadian Parliament which is intended to remove the duty on foreign reprints of British copyright works. - I am to enclose a copy of the clause in question, which it is understood is not intended to come into operation until the end of the next session of the Dominion Parliament. In the meantime Lord Ripon has invited the attention of the Government of Canada to the effect which the second section of the Colonial Laws Walidity Act, 1865, may have upon this clause in the Tariff Bill. I am to add that a communication on the general question of copyright in Canada has been received, and will be sent to the Society when printed for any remarks they may have to offer.—I am, sir, &c. The following is the clause referred to : Books and Papers.-British copyright works, reprints of, six cents per pound, and in addition thereto 12% per cent. ad valorem until March 27, 1895, and thereafter six cents per pound. The importance, however, of the letter lies in the last paragraph. At about the same date the Secretary of the Society received a letter from the London Chamber of Commerce stating that a meeting of the copyright interests was going to be held, and requesting that the Society would appoint delegates to attend. At once a meeting of the committee was called, and Mr. Thring, the Secretary of the Society, together with Mr. W. Oliver Hodges, Hon. Secretary of the Society's Copyright Committee, and Mr. Emery, of Messrs. Field, Roscoe, and Co., the Society's solicitors, was appointed to attend. On Wednesday, May 23, the delegates met at the London Chamber of Commerce, where various copyright interests were represented, namely, the musical publisher, the photographer, the Copyright Asso- ciation, and the Society of Authors. Mr. Daldy, the Honorary Secretary of the Copyright Associa- tion, was voted into the chair, and, after a few preliminary remarks, he read through a series of letters written by himself to the Colonial Secretary and the replies from the Colonial Office. Mr. Thring, the Secretary of the Society, then read the letter he had received from the Colonial Office, which was dated later than Mr. Daldy's last letter from the same source, and which contained infor- mation with regard to the steps the Canadian Government were taking, which was not included in Mr. Daldy's letters. Then followed a discus- sion upon what was the fittest course to take, and it was finally decided to appoint a committee to hold as it were a watching brief upon the Anglo- Canadian copyright question. The following resolutions were then agreed to, placed before the meeting, and unanimously carried :— I. Proposed by Mr. Ashdown, and seconded by Mr. Thring (Secretary of the Society of Authors) : That a special committee representing all copyright interests be appointed to watch the question of Anglo- Canadian copyright, and to take such steps to protect that property as may to them seem best. 2. Proposed by Mr. Thring (Secretary of the Society of Authors), and seconded by Mr. Mendlesohn : That the said committee consist of two representatives of each of the undermentioned bodies and interests : The  ## p. 6 (#20) ############################################### 6 THE AUTHOR. Copyright Association, the Society of Authors, musical interests, fine art interests, photographic interests, dramatic publishers and authors, with power to add to their numbers from their own or other bodies as they think fit. The next step for the Society to take will be, of course, to elect delegates to attend upon the com- mittee. This committee, when formed, will care- fully go into whatever papers may be laid before them by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and will consider the advisability of sending a deputation to the Marquis of Ripon on the matter. Further information will be conveyed to the members of the Society through the Author, as the question and the steps taken are proceeded with. II.--THE WORKING OF THE COPYRIGHT IAw. I. Mr. George Haven Putnam's thoughtful article on “Results of the Copyright Law,” in the January Forum, was an excellent summing up of the situation as developed since the passage of the Copyright Act of March 4, 1891. To my mind, his opinion that, in spite of the law’s defects, “it would be unwise at this time to make any effort to secure amendments * is the correct one. At the same time, the fact that a petition has been brought into the German Parliament calling for the abrogation of the copyright agree- ment between the United States and Germany, and that this petition has been approved by the committee having it in charge, gives a serious turn to the copyright situation. Mr. Putnam, in his article, noted that “it is almost impossible for a French or German author to arrange to issue his book in this country (either in the original or in a translation) simultaneously with the publication abroad. The re-setting in the Original language, for such limited sale as could be looked for here, would be unduly expensive, while time is required for the preparation of a satisfactory translation.” The great trouble, Mr. Putnam tells me, is that to secure copyright in a work in a foreign language, it must be re-set here in the original language. The copyright of a translation protects that translation only, and if the book is not also published in the original, anyone is at liberty to issue a new translation. This state of affairs was brought about by the eagerness of the typographical unions to grasp every advantage. The French Society of Authors made this discovery some time ago, and now that Germany threatens to take the matter up, the result of the immense amount of labour per- formed by our copyright leagues is somewhat dis- couraging. After all, I presume that our copy- right relations with Great Britain are the chief issue at stake, and these are progressing in a fairly Satisfactory manner at present. It is curious to observe how closely the success of books by new English authors is watched by the American reprinters. Of course, the successful English author's second book at once finds an authorised publisher in the United States, and is copy- righted; but the way every new English success is pirated in this country shows plainly the need of a time clause in the Copyright Act as long as the printing clause remains. - Another vexatious copyright question has been raised in a recent interview with Mr. Spofford, Librarian of Congress. I have not the slightest doubt that ninety in a hundred of those interested will be immensely surprised to learn from that interview that in the United States the name or title of a book is not protected by copyright. “The law is, said Mr. Spofford, “that the sub- stance, the literary contents, of a book or publica- tion may be protected by copyright, but not the name—not the title.” The filing of title-pages of books in this country, which is required by law, is not, then, for purposes of protection, but for identification merely. This seems to be a great injustice, and I asked Mr. Putnam if a change in this respéct were not needed when the Copyright Act is next amended. Mr. Putnam assented, and gave me some interesting information as to the present condition of English copyright law on this point, and as to certain proposed changes. In England, Mr. Putnam said, the law as to book titles goes as far in the contrary direction as does ours, in that it permits anyone to copyright all the titles he can think of with or without any real intention to use them for actual books. This copyright in a title or titles lasts for the full English term of forty-two years, or seven years after the copyrighter's death. In many cases, authors of books have had to pay such copy- righters to relinquish titles on which they unluckily had stumbled. Mr. Putnam thinks that authors should be at liberty to copyright the titles of their proposed books, but that such copy- right should be completed by the publication of the book within a reasonable period (six months or a year), and that failing of this the copyright should become void. Also he thinks that copy- right in a title should lapse if the book which it represents is out of print for a long period. The proposed new English law, introduced by Lord Monkswell in the present Parliament, and still pending, covers these points very fully. Copy- right in a title must be perfected by publication of the book within six months, and is lost in the case of books which remain out of print over two years. - II. The copyright questions touched upon in my last letter have brought me further information  ## p. 7 (#21) ############################################### THE AUTHOR. . 7 as to the working of the Act of 1891. A sufficient time has now passed to enable publishers generally to understand what methods of procedure to follow in securing themselves and their authors here and abroad. Single stories, poems, and articles in English periodicals, which have not been “placed ” in the United States, are now sent over in advance to this country, put in type, and issued in pamphlet form on the day of the periodical's publication in England, thus securing copyright here for the same matter when subse- quently issued in book form. It is becoming more and more dangerous to reprint such articles from English magazines, especially if the authors are distinguished. All this has, of course, become the A B C of the trade among publishers, but it will be in the nature of information to many of the writing guild. Such copyrighted matter as that just mentioned is published here in three different ways: first, by the American branch of the English house; second, by an American pub- lishing house, which is the agent of the English firm; third, by the private agent of the English publisher. In any case protection is legally secured. So thoroughly do the English houses under- stand this question, and in so many cases have they established branch firms here for the publi- cation of their own books, that a leading Boston author was tempted to remark to the head of a large American publishing house that the chief effect of the International Copyright Act seemed to be to enable English publishing firms to establish branch houses here, manufacture dupli- cate plates, and flood the market with English books. This is only partially true, however, as most English publishers still prefer to issue their books through American houses, who manufac- ture the plates for both sides of the ocean. As to American authors, they no longer have to compete with five-cent. editions of current books by leading English authors, but issue their works in even competition with the latter. In view of the working of the Act, there may be a modicum of wisdom in requiring plates to be manufactured in this country, as otherwise we might be swamped by cheap English sheets in a way to shut off American authors and publishers from fair competition. These are the views of a protectionist, however, and I understand that those interested in copyright reform insist that protection and free trade ought not to enter into the question. International copyright is now secured between the United States and Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, and Italy. The American Copyright League, so its secretary tells me, is now working for copyright WOL. W. with Greece, Norway, and Sweden, Spain, and Austria. Russia is considered hopeless on account of the press censorship. Austria, I believe, objects to the printing clause. Oddly enough, the printing clause is not considered a grave objection by the Spanish authorities, but they do object seriously to the requirement that American editions of Spanish books be registered at Washington and the fee paid before copyright can be secured. In most international copyright agreements between European countries, regis- tration in the author's country is all that is necessary for protection in other countries. Our late Minister to Spain, the Hon. E. Burd Grubb, was unable to overcome this objection on the part of the Spanish authorities. It has been suggested that a certificate of copyright from the United States Consul at Madrid, or from the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, could be made to serve at Washington by a special Act of Congress. The benefit would accrue chiefly to Spanish authors, so that Spanish hindrance seems absurd. — ARTHUR STEDMAN in the Chicago Dial. III.-FoED v. SMITH. (Before MR. JUSTICE MATHEw and a Special Jury.) This was an action (May 30) by Mr. Thomas Murray Ford, a dramatic author and journalist, against Mr. Valentine Smith, a theatrical manager and actor, arising out of the produc- tion of an English version of Adam's opera. “Si j’étais Roi.” The plaintiff's case, as stated by counsel, was that in December, 1888, he was asked by the defendant to translate and prepare an English version of “Si j’étais Roi.” No remuneration was fixed for the work, as the plaintiff said he could not tell how long it would take, but it was agreed that a reasonable price should be paid. The original libretto was by MM. Dennery and Brésil, and this was handed to the plaintiff by the defendant. Dr. Storer and Miss Harte- Potts assisted him, and, when finished, the English lyrics were written into a full score of the opera, by Dr. Storer. The work occupied two months, and was of a difficult nature, as first a translation had to be made of the French verse, and then English lyrics fitted to the music. When the words were completed they were sent to the defendant, who sent plaintiff a sum of £5 some time afterwards in reply to an application for payment. Plaintiff, however, wrote back and said that such a sum was quite insufficient. He, however, heard no more for four years, when he heard that defendant was performing an opera C  ## p. 8 (#22) ############################################### 8 THE AUTHOR. entitled “King for a Day,” which he suspected was his work. He accordingly procured a book of the words, which were identical with his version, and found that the defendant had registered both the opera and the book. The defendant's case was that he had only asked defendant to “write up ’’ a music score; that the version the defendant used was written up and adapted by him and Dr. Storer from what he remembered of the American version; that he had never used anything that plaintiff had written; and that he was unaware the plaintiff had prepared any version at all. Evidence was given on both sides in support of these statements. Mr. Justice MATHEw, in summing up, said the questions for the jury were--(1) Was the plain- tiff employed to do the work? If so, he was entitled to be paid for doing it. (2) Was the manuscript sold to the defendant P If it was, he was entitled to register it. (3) Was the version the defendant used substantially the one prepared by the plaintiff P and (4) Had the plaintiff, in fact, accepted the £5 in full payment or was he entitled to anything more ? The learned Judge then proceeded to review and criticise the evi- dence in detail. The jury immediately found a verdict for the plaintiff, damages 3850. ON ROYALTIES. INCE a great many of our members have S joined during the last four years—in 1890 the number of members was 4oo, at the present moment, May, 1894, it is nearly 1300– the facts and figures published in the early numbers of the Author are practically inaccessible to the younger members. But some of these are of the highest importance. Also, some of them require revision in consequence of slight changes. We purpose, therefore, to reproduce them. Per- haps the most important of all are those which relate to royalties. Nothing is more chaotic than the royalty system; but, since it is, for many reasons, the plan generally preferred by both authors and publishers, it is one that must be thoroughly understood. The figures given in the Author (Vol. I., p. 39, and Vol. III., p. 7) have been carefully revised. I. Cost of Production: As before, an ordinary six-shilling book is taken as an example. It may be a book of essays, a biography, a novel. Since a large circulation is contemplated, the figures will, in general, be found more useful for the novelist than for the essayist. But the latter will do well to consider the results on a single edition only. We take a very common form : it is one used for the greater number of six-shilling novels. The type is called Small Pica : there are twenty-nine lines in the page, and there are about 250 or 26o words to the page ; there are seventeen sheets, or 272 pages. The following is tendered as an approximate cost; that is to say, we could our- selves get the work done at these figures. It must be understood that a book of greater length will cost more; if, for instance, there are twenty-four sheets instead of seventeen, the cost of production would be increased, and the figures modified throughout. Illustrations would also increase the cost. I. A first edition of IOOO copies costs about £92 2. A first edition of 3000 copies costs g - about £180 3. A second edition of IOOO copies costs about £52 4. A second edition of 3000 copies costs about £135 In other words, in a first edition of S. d. ... IOOO copies, each copy costs about... I Io; 3OOO 25 5 x 2 3 » . . . I 2; , In a second edition of s. d. IOOO copies, each copy costs about... I o 3OOO 5 y 55 35 32 - - O The above is approximately the cost of produc- tion. The publisher now has IOOO copies in his hands—what does he get for them P. We reckoned in our last published figures 3s.6d. for an average price. We have since learned, on closer inquiry, that this is too low an average. There are slight variations with different firms, and sometimes special terms may be made. Thus, there are four or five firms who “subscribe’” their six-shilling books, i.e., issue them to the trade, on a first subscription at 4s., counting 13 as 12, and with 5 per cent. discount at the quarterly settlement. This is just over 3s. 6d. But a first subscrip- tion generally means a very small proportion of the whole afterwards taken in the case of a suc- cessful book. Other firms subscribe their 6s. books at 4s. 2d.; 25 as 24; or 13 as I 2 ; and 5 per cent. On the quarterly settlement. Thus we have, at 25 as 24, the price at 3s. 9%d., say 3s. 9%d. nd at 13 as 12 the price at 3s. 7+}d., or very nearly 3s. 8d. There are other variations. Some firms give a large discount for an order of so much. - - Stated generally, the average price to the trade 4. IO;  ## p. 9 (#23) ############################################### THE AUTHOR. - 9 of a 6s. book is 3s. 8d., and in all calculations as regards royalties this price may be taken as the basis of calculation. g - Thus with an edition of - IOOO copies the difference between return and cost is ... ... ... ... 3OOO copies the difference between return and cost is ... ... 2 5 Thus with a second edition of IOOO copies the difference between return and cost is ... ... ... ... 2 8 3OOO copies the difference between return and cost is ... ... ... ... 2 9% We can thus get an idea of what the royalty system means when an edition is completely exhausted. I. On the sale of an edition of IOOO only : - . Per cent. On a royalty of......... IO I5 2O 25 s. d. I 9 # # * smºs Publisher ........................ 360 ... 345 ... 330 ... 31.5 Author ........................... 383O ... 3845 ... 36O ... 3875 2. On the sale of a first edition of 30OO : Per cent. IO I5 2O 25 3O Publisher...... £280 ... 3240 ... 3190 ... 31.45 ... 38 IOO Author......... £90 ... 3135 ... 3180 ... 3225 ... 3270 3. On the sale of a second edition of IOOO : Per cent. IO I5 2O 25 3O Publisher............ £IOO ... 385 ... 370 ... 355 ... 3840 Author............... 483O ... 345 ... 386O ... 375 ... 3890 4. On the sale of a second edition of 3000: Per cent. IO I5 2O 25 30 Publisher...... £325 ... 3280 ... 3235 ... 3190 ... 31.45 Author......... £90 ... 3135 ... 3180 ... 3225 ... 3270 These figures show that for a half-profit system, supposing a book to be successful, a royalty of about 22% per cent. on such a work, of such a length, without illustrations, means half profits to author and to publisher. But it may be objected, very few books indeed attain to such a circulation as is here presented. As a matter of fact, many more books attain to wide circulation than we suspect. We are too much accustomed to think of novels alone as successful books. There are, however, educa- tional, religious, scientific, historical, biographical books which obtain very great success. We do not hear much about them ; of the novel we hear a great deal. Let us next, then, reserving this important fact, speak of books which cannot expect a large circulation. A philosophical treatise, for instance; a book of essays by a writer who is not popular; a book of poems by a poet not yet popular; can hardly expect a large WOL. W. sale. Indeed, in some cases, the writer is fortunate in getting published at all; and there are many cases in which a publisher has produced a book by which he cannot hope to do more than recoup his expenditure. Let us return to a book, of which a single edition of IOOO copies represents the whole. If it is a volume of essays it is generally longer than the example quoted. Suppose it contains twenty sheets. The cost of production, not counting moulding, would be about £1oo. This cost is covered with a sale of 550. If, however, it is saddled with a royalty of 15 per cent. to the author, the book is not covered until a sale of 723 copies. Now, the publisher may see his way to dispose of something like this number, but not of many more. Where, then, is his own share in the return ? It is manifestly impossible, with a sale so limited, to give so large a royalty. This consideration seems to introduce the deferred royalty; and, indeed, if the accounts are honestly presented, on an agreed understanding as to the proportion or share, a deferred royalty would seem the fairest. Thus with our figures a royalty would begin after 550 copies were sold. What should be the amount of the royalty P Clearly, the sale of every copy in the edition of Iooo, except the presentation copies, after 550 are gone, is so much profit. Therefore a royalty of 50 per cent. is only the old-fashioned half profit plan honestly carried out. Unfortunately the deferred royalty has been —and is—the easiest and the most common way of conveying the whole of the property into the publisher's hands. For instance, a case occurred some time ago in which such a book as we are considering was to be charged with a royalty of a shilling a copy after I 600 copies had been sold. Now, the book was of such a nature that its sale would probably never reach, or only just reach, I 600 copies. Suppose, however, an edition of 2000 copies were produced and all were sold. The cost of the book would be about 3130; the returns, at 3s. 8d. a copy, would be about £350. The author would receive Is. On 4OO copies, i.e., 32O ; the publisher would receive over £2OO. The figures are only approximate, but they are not far wrong. How does such an agreement as this strike the reader for equity ? Again, a very distinguished writer sought the advice of the Society sofme time ago on the following proposal. He was to give a certain firm a book—a little book which would cost a trifling sum to produce, and would be absolutely certain of success from the name alone of the writer. The firm proposed that a royalty of one-sixth should be given to the writer, to begin after 2000 copies had been sold / There • C 2  ## p. 10 (#24) ############################################## IO THE AUTHOR. is no need of figures in this case in order to show the beauty of the arrangement. A third case. It was concerning a three- volume novel. The author accepted terms which promised large returns after the sale of 350 copies. He never got anything. He found out afterwards that the publisher, guessing that there would be no demand for the book over and above 350 copies, had not only named that number as the starting point for the royalty, but had also printed that number and no more, and had then distributed the type. He gave away about twenty copies and the libraries took the rest, and he made the little profit of £150 or so on the trans- action. How does this strike the reader for loyalty and honour? Under these circumstances a proposal of a deferred royalty must be regarded with great suspicion. This paper does not advance any opinion as to the royalty which should be regarded as fair. It gives the facts, approximately, as regards cost of production and returns. Readers must remember that, though it is always neces- sary to consider the case of a great success, it does not by any means follow that their own books are going to be greatly successful. They must also remember that to recoup the cost of production alone is not exactly satisfactory to the publisher. These considerations belong to the application of the figures given above. *— — —” P- - -e TWO AFTER DINNER SPEECHES, N responding to the toast of the “Trade,” proposed by the Lord Mayor at the book- sellers' trade dinner, held on April 14, Mr. John Murray said: “As regards that section of the trade with which I am personally connected, I will say that we publishers get a great deal of abuse, but up to the present we have not perished under that abuse. I believe there are certain people writing against us frequently. I believe there is a periodical devoted more or less to our shortcomings. But you know an author would not be an author if he were not a man of brilliant imagination. Well, gentlemen, when I think of what has passed, I am reminded ºf a little inci- dent which may have come within your know- ledge. There was an American gentleman—one of those whose tendencies lead them to come to other nations and teach other people their busi- ness—who came to Scotland and addressed some tenants against the landlord, and, feeling he had the sympathies of his audience, he asked if any- one would like to ask him a question. An old farmer arose and said, ‘Well, Mr. George, I think you are an owner of land yourself?’ ‘No,' was the reply. “Never interested in one?’ said the farmer. “No ; I am neither agent or landlord, I have never had anything to do with land or landlords.” “No ; I thought so,” said the farmer and sat down. Now this is the way to treat our critics, and I offer them a hint not offered before. There were plans which in the long run would require the sanction of the courts to be enforced. I make a better sugges- tion: I say find me a man to write down in legal phrase, ‘Good feeling, mutual confidence, and friendship.' I say find me a man prepared in a right minded spirit to enter into an agreement honourably conceived, and I will show you the man who will draw up an agreement which will not require the courts to enforce it. That is the basis on which such a business should be made.” - It is fair to suppose that Mr. Murray directed these remarks against this paper—in fact, lest the audience should think that some other paper was intended, Mr. Macmillan afterwards explained that it was the Author. If so, one has to point out that the Author has never, at any time, or in any place, abused publishers. The Society of which it is the organ has pointed out most clearly and distinctly that it has not the slightest quarrel with honourable publishers. The Society has investigated and has exposed, partly in this paper, certain practices which make publishing in certain hands a mean and a dishonest trade. If Mr. Murray “has found certain persons writing against us,” I think he may fairly be called upon to explain more clearly what he TT168,1].S. - Next he relates a parable, by which he seems to imply that the Author tries to teach publishers their business. The Author does nothing of the kind; it does, however, try to teach authors their business. With this object in view it publishes the facts as to the actual cost of production, the trade allowances, the methods of advertising, the extent of copyright, the law of copyright, the meaning of royalties—all the points, in short, necessary to teach the author what the various clauses of an agreement may mean. Does Mr. Murray object to this kind of light? Finally, Mr. Murray offers to do the very thing which the Society most ardently desires and has always in view. I know not whether he was present at a meeting held in December, 1892, at which the chairman, Sir Frederick Pollock, stated plainly that it was incredible that honourable men could not meet and recognise some method or methods of publishing as fair and acceptable to both sides. That statement still stands unanswered—what is  ## p. 11 (#25) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. I I In the way ? Frankly, the chief obstacles are the men who, being the leaders of the publishing trade, assume, at such meetings as the Book- sellers' dinner, that exposures—exposures which must be made—of over-reaching or sharping by the baser sort—are meant as attacks upon them- selves. If Mr. Murray will turn to page 9 of this number he will find there, as illustration, three agreements, not fraudulent, but sharp, recently offered to authors. One would ask him if they are such agreements as he approves. One would further ask him if he does not approve of the exposure and explanation of such agree- ments. I will show Mr. Murray, if he cares to See them, one or two other curious little agree- ments and accounts. And I will tell him, if he wishes, in confidence, the names of the firms concerned. The Committee, one is quite sure, will gladly consider any agreement which Mr. Murray may communicate in the very spirit which he desires. But, one would ask, how can there be any agree- ment which can be outside, and independent of, the law P Are publishers unique among mankind in being, as a body and individually, beyond reproach P Does Mr. Murray really believe this P For myself, I have always thought it a great misfortune for literature that such a publisher as Mr. John Murray does not welcome the Society with open arms. I have often said this privately. I now say it publicly. For—consider—if we tell a solicitor of standing that there are many black sheep in his profession; if we expose the tricks and sharpings of these black sheep, does that Solicitor get up in public and complain that certain people are always abusing “us?” Our experience of the methods of publishing is wide, and, in fact, unique. It is nothing less than a knowledge of the methods pursued by every pub- lishing house in London. And of certain houses —I must not say in this place which they are or how many they are—I declare that I cannot Conceive it possible that a single sentence in the Author (not counting correspondence) should be able to offend or irritate any member of any one of these firms. At the same dinner, Mr. Frederick Macmillan also spoke at greater length about the Author. He is reported to have said: “The relations between publishers and authors have always been satisfac- tory, and I believe the contrary opinion is chiefly due to the Author, which I believe has hitherto been thoroughly misunderstood. When this periodical first made its appearance before the world, and put before us preposterous statements based on elaborately collected information, varied by vague but offensive charges of dishonesty, there were many respectable persons who had passed their whole lives producing books who were much surprised, and some went so far as to be annoyed. I gave it some consideration, and tried to find what this periodical was. . In fact, if it is once established that the Author is a comic periodical, no doubt its circulation will very much increase. This is a digression merely suggested by Mr. Murray's reference to the Author.” I cannot agree that the relations of author and publisher are, or ever have been, satisfactory, for the simple reason that they are absolutely undefined, and that an author has to go and ask a publisher what terms he proposes. This is simple fact, and not an opinion at all. It is a fact in no way due to the Author, but is known and lamented among all authors whose work has any commercial value. As for the “preposterous statements,” one would like to know in detail, and with reference to page and volume, what these are. “Vague, but offensive charges of dis- honesty.” What are these ? Our charges of dishonesty are not vague, but perfectly clear and precise. For instance, he who makes a false return of accounts to his partner—how should he be described P. In general terms, what would the world call such a man? This is not vague. Will Mr. Macmillan explain how such a charge is Offensive P Or, since we cannot assume that he could be offended by such a charge as this, what and where are the “offensive ’’ charges? There are other practices which have also been quite clearly defined, and will be so again. As for the facts published, they chiefly consist of the facts as to the cost of production. Does Mr. Macmillan refer to these ? Does he object to this kind of light? One cannot assume that it is possible. In that case, what are the offend- ing statements P The part of Mr. Macmillan's speech which was directed personally against myself, I have taken out ; it does not concern our readers. He con- cludes with the soothing reflection that the Author is a comic paper. It is astonishing how much consolation has been obtained by persons who, for this or that reason, are angry with a paper by the consideration that, after all, it is only a comic paper. Since that is so, let us laugh and go on our way. There are many more little jokes coming along which will, we hope, preserve the comicality of our columns. Meanwhile, I repeat, what are those preposterous statements which have made Mr. Frederick Macmillan so very angry with the Author? EDITOR.  ## p. 12 (#26) ############################################## I 2 THE AUTHOIR. BOOK TALK, HE report in the newspaper London, of April 19, dealing with the metropolitan and suburban free libraries has received much attention from those interested in the free library movement, because statistics are there given which tend to show that the working of the Free Libraries Acts is not as successful as had been expected. To begin with, there are some parishes which will not adopt the Acts at all, and, whatever may have been their original reasons, it would be short-sighted and impolitic not to ask whether these statistics supplied in the article “What Londoners Read,” furnish these parishes with any new arguments for con- tinuing in the same course. The article states that the “free library move- ment in London seems to have come to a dead stop. It was late in starting, and only made satisfactory progress for a short period. Recently there have been discouraging defeats. It looks as if all the energy and enthusiasm thrown into the movement in 1887 and 1889 had been exhausted. . . .” Only half the people have yet the benefit of these valuable educational institutions. What is read in these libraries P Turning to the statistics themselves, there is only one thing to be said—readers of fiction are the class who have been able to find their wants most easily satisfied. Fiction in all the libraries has always the highest percentage. The writer of the article, who seems to think that people ought not to read novels, adds a special warning to show that the “conclusion that the public libraries are mainly used for the dissemination of fiction is erroneous,” for, and these are the three chief reasons: (1) Libraries possess more novels than other works quite as much because they are cheap as that they are often asked for. (2) Novels take a much shorter time to read than serious works. (3) Many novels borrowed and recorded in the per- centages are not read at all. And then follow three other minor reasons. The writer then goes on to make a comparison between the free library novel reader and the subscriber to Mudie, Smith, and the Grosvenor. Nothing, however, can be gained for the free library movement by such a course. If the free library readers have their weaknesses, they are not excused because the patrons of Mudie and Smith have theirs. In the next column the writer shows us what he considers the special weakness of the free library, for he gives us the names of the six most popular novelists. By a process of exhaustion it seems as though we could always find one of these libraries in which one or more of the novelists, popular elsewhere, received but little attention ; but we ning through them all. should find one name—Mrs. Henry Wood—run- If we proceed in the same way with particular novels, there is but one novel which seems to be read everywhere— Chelsea, Holborn, Bermondsey, Clerkenwell—they must have “East Lynne.” Saint Martin’s-in-the- Fields requires eight copies. “It is the demand for ‘East Lynne' which gives Mrs. Wood the first position. “East Lynne’ being the favourite, it is perhaps, after all, a fair comparison to say that the free library is to one class of people what Mudie and Smith are to another. How very unwise then it is to pit the masses against the classes in this matter of reading, when really their tastes overlap. The outcome of this clearly is that, judged as an educational institution, the education furnished by the free library is chiefly conveyed through the modern novel; a form of text-book which teaches history, manners, customs, religion, morals, taste, and a great many things besides. It must, of course, be very trying to the autho- rities of public libraries to see so many works, which would well deserve a place on their shelves, published at prices far beyond the reach of the free library resources. We have before us a small volume, “The Life of Fra Paolo Sarpi,” by the Rev. Alexander Robertson, which is enjoying a large sale, and which seems to us to be suitable in every way for our free libraries. It is the history of a very great man which is here brought into a small compass without losing sight of either the material facts of his life, or, what is the essence of biography the spirit with which he went about his own and his country’s affairs. It is not usual to find a manual of history and biography which can be recommended as a guide and a stimulus to our own people in their attempt to be perfectly clear minded on the two most difficult political ideas of our time—pro- gress and patriotism. It is just possible that those who have hitherto been content to take their knowledge of Fra Paolo Sarpi from Miss Campbell’s life will be disappointed with Mr. Robertson's monograph, because, except in the last chapter, he does not appear to give any very fresh information. The chief reason for recommending the book just Inow is that it brings out most clearly how English sympathies have hitherto been entirely on the side of true freedom, both in action and in thought, whenever the sup- port of England has been sought by States struggling against religious tyranny. If there are any who are inclined to question the support given by England to the formation of the Italian kingdom—a united Italy, catholic, patriotic, and anti-papal, will not fail to note how easily the struggle could be misrepresented by the misuse of our current political terms or Tories and Liberals.  ## p. 13 (#27) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. I 3 It is almost impossible not to consider this volume as a political manual intended to show the triumph of the Liberals (using the word in a foreign sense) or constitutional party over the clerical party, the upholders of the absolute authority of the ruler of the then existing Papal States. Such an opposition of parties may seem strange to us who are, perhaps, accustomed to consider constitutionalism more as the property of Tories, or, let us say, Conservatives, than Liberals. Nevertheless, there is one reflection to be made, if we in England have not hitherto had a clerical party there are good reasons for believing that such a party may spring up and declare itself in the near future; and it will be interesting to see how the name Liberal, as we now use it, will have to be extended to include many who at the present time would style themselves Conserva- tives. It is from this consideration — the possibility of a clerical party arising in England —that Mr. Robertson's book will derive another element of popularity. He leaves us in no doubt whatever as to the vitality of the struggle. When we consider the varied literary and scien- tific achievements of our day, there is always a danger of overlooking the importance of pro- portion in time, especially in things political. For instance, we have here a conflict between liberty and tyranny which has been waged since the time of Dante. If we are considering the history of Man from Abraham to Darwin that is not a very long time, but if we are thinking only, as is here the case, of the development of con- stitutionalism, it is impossible not to contrast the quick growth of our free political institutions in England, after we had substituted the Sovereign for the Pope, with their growth in those countries which had still to reckon with the papal claims. To recognise that a constitution is a growth and not the creation of a minister—even a Sarpi–is the political lesson of this biography. It is shown that to be free to develop is the simple requirement of a constitutional commonwealth like the Venetian, or a constitutional monarchy like the kingdom of Italy. Mr. Robertson has written a most interesting book. As it is not our duty here to do more than find reasons for recommending its purchase to private buyers, and justifying the same by public ones, we may draw attention to the heads of the chapters showing the method adopted. We have three chapters dealing with Sarpi, as scholar, professor, and then provincial of the Servite Order of Friars. Chapter 4 describes him as scientist and philosopher, in which his position with regard to the discovery of the circulation of the blood and the amount of Harvey’s indebted- mess to him are noted. We observe that Mr. Robertson appears to take a somewhat different view of that question than Miss Campbell does. Up to this point Sarpi is shown rather as making preparation for the duties which afterwards devolved upon him; while the three following chapters are devoted to the noble and successful struggle of his political life. He is described as theological counsellor, as martyr, and as states- man-author. The last chapter, “In tomb and on pedestal,” tells how Sarpi's enemies tried to revenge themselves even on his remains, and gives their attempts—which were very successful—to prevent the statue decreed by the Senate and Doge On Feb. 7, 1623, being set up. This was not dome till 1892. Mr. Robertson writes: “In recognition of the fact that Fra Paolo embodied the spirit not only of the old republic of Venice, but also of the new kingdom of Italy, the day chosen for the unveiling of the statue was the auspicious one, Sept. 20.” The volume has a photograph from a picture of Sarpi, and another of the statue; there is also a fac-simile letter in Sarpi’s handwriting. * * * a- - -º CALIFORNIAN NOTES. HE following notes on two or three Cali- fornian writers, furnished by a Californian, may serve to infroduce them to the readers of the Author. The first is on Mrs. Margaret Collier Graham, whose stories in the Atlantic Monthly and in the Century magazine have attracted some attention during the past eighteen months. She is a California woman, having her home at Pasadena, in Southern California. Mrs. Graham first made her appearance in literature twelve years ago with a story which appeared in the California Magazine, a publication which after- wards became merged in the new series of the Overland. This story, “Jamie,” attracted much attention at the time, and was followed only by one or two fugitive efforts, after which the writer dropped into obscurity. The real cause for this suspension of literary effort was the prolonged illness of her husband, who died three years ago. The twelve years that intervened between Mrs. Graham's earlier and later work were filled with work and sorrow and love. But meanwhile the writer was unconsciously preparing for strong and purposeful effort in letters. This is why she seems to have sprung full fledged into literature. Her stories show the subtle discernment of cha- racter, and the happy sense of humour peculiar to Miss Mary E. Wilkins, whom she resembles without imitation. As Miss Wilkins belongs to the east, so Mrs. Graham belongs to the west. Where Miss Wilkins introduces us to the New  ## p. 14 (#28) ############################################## I4. THE AUTHOR. England sewing circle, Mrs. Graham tells us of the outdoor life of the Far West. While Miss Wilkins shows us the homely furrows ploughed on the stony hillsides of the Granite Hills, Mrs. Graham pictures the freshly upturned virgin soil, full of latent possibilities, bathed in sunshine. The pathos of life is in her tales, yet what most captivates us is their humour. She has a fine touch, and the little she has published has been talked about, thought about, and dis- cussed, like the work of few writers during these last two years. Yet one who knows her well, ventures the prediction that these exquisite pictures of western life that she has given the reading public, will seem but child's play when compared to the strong and serious work of which she is capable, and which she will yet accomplish. Another writer, as yet not popular with English readers, is Mr. Cromwell Galpin, a newspaper man of Los Angeles. chiefly by his contributions to the child-literature of the day. He has now nearly completed a novel whose scenes deal with the ancient life of the Pueblo Indians, of which he has made a special study. The subject is a unique one, and the novel is certain to have a literary and historical value. Mr. Galpin is the writer who conceived the very original undertaking of publishing a folk- lore tale of several thousand words, which should Tead pleasantly and with euphony, without the employment of a single word that was not of pure Saxon origin. This feat he accomplished successfully, and the result was published in Wideawake two years ago. The Overland Monthly, California's best known literary publication, and from which Bret Harte sprang from obscurity to fame, has lately changed hands, becoming the property of Mr. Rounseville Wildman, a consular representative and writer of some repute, who takes the editorial chair. It is understood that Mr. W. W. Foote, a San Francisco criminal lawyer of repute, will have a voice in the management, and will become a regular contributor to the magazine. *— - —” TO A DISCOURTEOUS BEAUTY. (From CoRNEILLE.) Although my features, fair marquise, A trifle weatherworn have grown, The day will come, remember please, When you’ll find furrows on your own Naught upon earth, however bright, Can brave the scathing touch of Time; My wreath, now wan with winter's blight, Had once, like yours, its April prime ! He has hitherto been known The same just stars in yonder blue, Life's course for both of us decree ; My past I gaze upon in you, Your future you behold in me ! Yet charms I own which, sooth to speak, When yours have perished, shall endure, Against the worst that Time can wreak, Proudly, impregnably secure : Tricked in mere beauty’s transient gloss, My charms in chill disdain you hold; Yet, when all yours are worthless dross Mine still shall gleam intrinsic gold ! They could preserve those lustrous eyes, Or bid their light extinguised be ; They could award you Helen's guise, Or hand you down as Hecate | Ay, with posterity, who'll lend Some slight regard to what I’ve writ, Your boasted beauty will depend On just what I may say of it ! Lay this to heart, then, fair marquise— When next with “hauteur’ superfine You’d fain some hapless oldster freeze, Choose one whose pen's less sharp than mine ! WILLIAM TOYNBEE. *-- ~ 2–? r—- * ~s NOTES AND NEWS. HE Report of the Dinner of the 31st ult. will appear in the July number. “Les éditeurs catholiques Letouzey et Ané com- paraissent aujourd'hui devant la cour d’assises de la Seine, présidee par M. Potier, sous l'accusa- tion de faux en écritures de commerce au préjudice de M. Léo Taxil. L'expertise aurait 6tabli que M. Léo Taxil avait été frustré, de la part de ses éditeurs, a propos du tirage de ses publications, d'une somme dépassant 38,000 fr. M* Pouillet et Georges Maillard assistent MM, Letouzey et Ané. M. l'avocat-général Van Cassel soutient l’accu- sation. - - - L'affaire a 6té renvoyée.”—Siècle, May 30. We are called upon to thank certain Americans for a graceful act. They have quite privately and secretly collected a sum of money. With this they have caused to be made a marble bust of Keats, which is to be placed in Hampstead church. Mr. Gosse was informed of the plan as soon as the bust was completed, and was permitted to communicate it to the Times of May 25. The bust has arrived. It was brought over by Mr. Day, the projector of the gift. I suppose we ought, long ago, to have put up such a monument to the poet; certainly no poet lives more surely and more lovingly in our hearts than Keats; yet, on  ## p. 15 (#29) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. I5 the whole, it seems a good thing that we have left this offering to the Americans. We read in it a claim, or, if you please, an acknowledgment, that everything good and great written in our common language belongs to all who speak that language. We recognised this truth when we put up the monuments to Lowell and to Long- fellow in Westminster Abbey. I wish we could do more. We might present a statue of Haw- thorne to the pretty little town of Concord. We might put up a bust of Washington Irving in the City Hall of New York. We might give a statue of Oliver Wendell Holmes to the great hall of Harvard. Let us consider the subject. Mean- time we must welcome our American friends. The Weekly Sun has discovered a poet in a coal mine. That is to say, he has been in a coal mine, but ill-health keeps him in the light of day. He is quite young, about twenty-two years of age; his education has been slender; he is very poor. The Weekly Sun has published one of his poems, called “Life at Play.” The following stanzas, which seem to me graceful, simple, and promising, are taken from this poem :— The field-flowers rise from out their beds Of undulating green, And shyly lift their pretty heads To look upon the scene. All things are gay ! For earth has doffed her garb uncouth, And beauty crowns and kisses youth, And Life's at play. The breeze blows gaily o'er the land, And whispers in the trees, And tosses with a playful hand The corn to tumbling seas. All things are gay ! A thousand waves in concert run, And glare and glitter in the sun, While Life’s at play. The world looks young, as golden gleams Of sunshine wreathe her brow ; And Nature’s wealth of fruitage teems, And Age seems younger now. All things are gay ! The living rules the dead again, The dreams of youth pulsate the brain, While Life’s at play. An attempt is being made to raise a small fund for this young poet. It is to cultivate his know- ledge. The editor of the Weekly Sun, Tudor- street, E.C., is willing to receive contributions. Will the readers of this paper, who should, above all others, love poetry and poets, respond to the appeal? The man may be another Burns— another Keats. I read in the Westminster Gazette that there will shortly be issued a History of the Riving- tons from the year 1711. There have been VOI,. W. published from time to time several books on the history of publishers and booksellers, but never, so far as I know, any complete history of any one house. We want in such a record, not only an account of the books published, and the general success, enterprise, and glorification of the firm, but also a history of its relations with authors. In the year 1711, for instance, and for a hundred years afterwards, the men who lived by literature were a miserably poor and, for the most part, a despised race; they were called Grub-street poets, publishers’ hacks, starveling authors, and other agreeable names; the luckless tribe were game for everybody, and especially for their more successful brethren. Will the historian of the Rivington House tell us something of the actual conditions under which literature was then produced ? What, for instance, was the extent of the market for English books? Was there any export to America P. Were the poor scribes paid for their work in anything like a fair proportion to its marketable value P When Oliver Goldsmith got 2960 for the “Vicar of Wakefield,” what did the purchaser make out of it? When Pope received the sum of £9000 for his translation of Homer, what did his publishers make P When was the practice of buying a work outright changed to that of a profit sharing agreement P When and by whom was a royalty system introduced? What losses show the existence of the risks that were certainly encountered in the last century? I have in my possession a bundle of accounts showing how publishers associated for the pro- duction of one book, each taking a proportion of the expense of production. I believe that, until quite recently, the practice was common. Then one would like printers’ accounts of the last century; others of fifty years ago, and others of to-day, showing the changes in that respect. And there should be an account of dealings with the country bookseller. In this way the history of the Publishing House of Rivington might become a most important contribution to the history of the commercial side of literature. The proposals for a collected edition of Steven- son's works are before me. They have been issued by several publishers in varying forms, and it has hitherto been rather difficult to put together a complete collection. Arrangements have been made with all his publishers, and the result has been a general consent to the issue of a uniform edition. Mr. Sidney Colvin will super- intend the edition; Mr. W. Hole, R.S.A., will provide an etched portrait ; Messrs. Constable, of Edinburgh, will print the work—their name is a guarantee that the printing will be the best D  ## p. 16 (#30) ############################################## I6 THE AUTHOR. possible.; and Messrs. Chatto and Windus will distribute the books when they are ready. The edition is limited to 1035 copies, of which thirty- five will be reserved for presentation copies; the remainder will be offered to the public in twenty volumes, at 12s. 6d. each. Of the thousand, 300 have been subscribed for America and the colo- nies. It is evident that the desire of the editors is to produce an edition which will become scarce and costly from the very commencement. Any bookseller will receive an order. I shall be very much surprised if there are any left within a week of this date. The Ossianic problem is to be reopened. It is like the “Man with the Iron Mask,” or the “Letters of Junius,” always waiting to be re- opened and discussed over again. The world should be thankful to Mr. Macpherson for pro- viding one more subject for the discussion of every successive generation. This time it is Mr. Bailey Saunders who revives the dispute, with a life of Macpherson in which to set it. “An Oxford Graduate” sends his literary experience. He says that he has for many years attempted to obtain entrance into the magazines, but with very discouraging results. The best magazines always return his MSS. ; he some- times succeeds in the second-rate papers. But he says: “However bad my work may be, it is at least as good as one-half of the average articles published even in first-class magazines. There is the sting ; this the bitterness one cannot get over.” Here lies, as the Oxford Graduate puts it, the true bitterness of failure, that the writer who cannot get in is unable to discern in what respects his work is worse than that accepted. It is not enough to say that MSS. offered by unknown writers are returned unread. A vast number of writers, from Boz downwards, have begun by offering their unknown work. Nor is it enough to say that editors do not read what is offered them. Editors may sometimes make mistakes; they may not always have the time to read all the MSS. sent to them; but it is a certain fact that editors, as a rule, do read contributions sent in to them, and do try to get good work. Otherwise they would not be editors, but mechanical clerks. There seems no reply possible to the “Oxford Graduate,” except the suggestion that long-con- tinued and almost unbroken failure must mean something—it may be in the form or the style— which militates against his success. § A correspondent asks the following question: “Could the Society give any indication to young writers as to the character of publishing houses, so as to avoid the great waste of time in sending work & priori unlikely to suit them P’’ The Society cannot possibly do this. It can advise, and daily does advise, authors in all branches of literature what houses are likely to consider their work, and what houses are likely to treat them fairly if they are inclined to accept their work. So that, if the writer confines himself to these houses, and is careful not to sign agree- ments without advice, he is at all events kept out of harm. But our correspondent means more than this. He is of opinion that publishers have certain leanings in this direction or that. This is not generally the case. Those publishers who publish novels will publish novels of any kind, provided they are not contra bonos mores and are likely to be in demand. And the same may be stated of every kind of book, except technical works, e.g., a general publisher should not be asked to produce new books on Arabic Philology, or on Medicine, or on Law, or on Cuneiform Inscriptions. But history, poetry, fiction, voyages, travels, and belles lettres generally of all kinds fall into the work undertaken by any publisher. The Society has to deplore the death of Mr. Edmund Yates. He had been a member of our council since the formation of the Society. He always took a deep interest in the welfare of the Society. At the outset, when our future was uncertain and extremely dark, the adhesion of every single man or woman of letters was important, and especially of such a man as Edmund Yates, novelist, journalist, and editor. His literary career, which practically ended with- the success of the World, was wide and varied. He was editor, One after another, of half a dozen magazines; he wrote many admirable novels, some of which still keep their place, and will continue to live a great deal longer than the space generally allotted even to successful novels. And he was a man of most kindly heart. With him has gone one of the few links remaining to connect the men of the Nineties with the men of the Fifties. Edmund Yates was from his birth associated with literary and dramatic folk. He was a personal friend of men much older than himself—Dickens, Albert Smith, Frank Smedley, Anthony Trollope. He began to write very early, and some of his novels still retain their hold upon the public. To the younger generation he is known chiefly as the editor of the World, which he himself founded in 1874. When one considers that the World is always regarded as a “personal ‘’ paper; that he was almost considered as the sole writer of it, though his staff was large, and included many writers of the very first order, it is wonderful that he made so few enemies. There are papers,  ## p. 17 (#31) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 17 for instance, whose editors make more enemies in a single year than Yates made in twenty years. The crowd of mourners—representing all kinds of people — which filled the Savoy Chapel at his funeral, and the grief that was marked on every face, proclaimed the loss that his death has caused. It was perhaps in kindness of heart that he once opened the pages of the World to a couple of men who were trying an experiment in collaboration. That was in 1876, and the turning point in that experiment proved to be that appearance in the World. I have always regarded this event in my little literary history not so much a stroke of good fortune as a personal favour bestowed, out of sheer kindness, upon my collaborateur, whom he knew slightly, and upon myself, whom he did not then know at all. — Another loss to letters is the death of Henry Morley. No two men could be more opposite than Edmund Yates and Henry Morley. The former an artist of the true artistic temperament; the latter a worker, always at work—learning, writing, teaching, transcribing, editing, inditing, histories of literature. We want such men as Henry Morley; they are most useful in their generation. Literature is like an army always on review. First and foremost are the fighting men; they are represented by the authors them- selves, the poets, dramatists, novelists, essayists, historians; then there are the critics, who repre- sent the bystanders and lookers on ; then the commissariat, represented by the publishers — some of the soldiers complain that the uniform of the commissariat is much finer than their own, and that their mess is much superior to the regimental mess; then there are the men like Henry Morley, who are represented by the clerks and keepers of the regimental records. Henry Morley was not one of the regiment, a fighting man, an original writer; nor was he a critic ; his work was to keep the records of the regiment, and he kept them very well. As a professor, and as the Warden of University Hall, he was widely and deservedly popular. Yet a third. Dr. Richard Morris is dead. With the single exception of Professor Skeat, no man living or dead has ever done so much for the study of our own old literature. It was fortunate for us, as well as the Early English Text Society, that his services were available, as well as those of Professor Skeat, during the early years of its existence. Very few societies have been able to command the work—gratuitous work, I believe—of such eminent scholars and patient workers as those two contributors, who simply created the success of the Society. The book of the month is Mr. Conway's Hima- layan Exploration. There has been universal agreement in all the papers on that point. One thing, at least, may be said concerning critics. When they all agree that a book is good the verdict may be accepted without a question. WALTER BESANT. *—— — —” -*. FEUILLETON, A PIOUS FRAUD. - Y the railway system irreverently known as the “Flying Watkin,” two gentlemen, with whom we are about to become acquainted, were travelling down into Kent. One was a man in the prime of life; a well-made fellow, with a pleasantly obtrusive waistcoat, and an evidence of comfortable prosperity about him. He had a merry eye, with attachments of white crow's-feet, as though he had been for a long time past smiling and laughing in a strong sunlight. And yet in spite of all this lurking mirth there was something hard about his face. His mouth was scornful, and there was something of the cynic apparent in spite of his look of bonhomie. His companion—or rather his fellow traveller, for they were not acquainted—was a much younger man, not more than twenty-five; rather above the middle height, and with a fine pair of intelligent eyes in his head. He was not good looking, but yet he was undeniably attractive. How, it would be perhaps impossible to explain. Grim determi- nation was his chief characteristic, tempered with a quiet air of disgust and weariness. These two travellers had the compartment to themselves, for it was a midday train, and almost empty. The younger traveller had exhausted his paper before they had travelled many miles, and then, with a muttered curse at the line in general, he rose, put his hat in the rack, and taking down down from that altitude something rolled in brown paper, began to undo the string. “I wonder what is wrong now,” he said under his breath, as he opened a small note inclosed in the parcel. He read the note and laughed, while his vis-à-vis looked at him in some amazement. It was not a pleasant laugh by any means, and it was not good to hear. Next he unrolled the document contained in the brown paper roll, and, as the elder traveller saw at a glance, it was a type-written play. He turned over certain leaves, removing certain marks as he did so, and laughing each time—if possible more unpleasantly than before. He soon, however, resumed his accus- tomed looked of weariness, and, leaning back in his corner, proceeded to read again. But by this  ## p. 18 (#32) ############################################## 18 THE AUTHOR. time he had excited the interest of the elder man, who, putting on his glasses, read the name of the play on the cover. He became uneasy, and rather excited—why he did not quite know. At length he could contain himself no longer. “Allow me, sir, to congratulate you on the name of your play.” The younger man looked up curiously and suddenly. The elder continued, “Hope you don't think me rude, but I’ve been watching you ever since you undid your roll. I watched your disgust, I heard your laugh. I am well acquainted with that sort of thing. I’m a playwright myself. My card.” The young man took the pasteboard smilingly. Looked at it. His face immediately became serious. He was so astonished that he was momen- tarily incapable of any other remark than “Oh.” For he read “Herod Wingiffle,” and knew then that he was sitting opposite to perhaps the leading playwright of the day “It’s rather a formidable name I’ll allow,” said Wingiffle apologetically. “It is, indeed,” said the young man, “I haven’t a card with me, but my name is Herbert Grant.” “Thank you,” said the other simply. “Yes, it is rather startling, but I didn’t christen myself or I’d have managed differently.” “Oh, I wasn’t meaning that way,” said Grant, laughing; “I was rather surprised at finding a man in such a position as yours”—Wingiffle inclined his head—“taking any notice of a new hand.” “Inoticed the title of your play, and whether it is a good name for that play or not of course I can’t say, but it's an attractive title anyway.” “You are very good.” “Not at all. I suppose you have had it returned P’’ “Yes—that’s it.” “They don’t like it?” “So they say here,” putting hand on note, “but I used certain marks which have not been disturbed at all !” “You mean ?” queried Wingiffle. “That it can’t have been read at all. have changed the wrappers, and that is all “Ah, there are a lot of funny little ways con- nected with theatrical management. Er—How old are you, and when did you begin to write for the stage?” He asked these two questions very abruptly. “I’m twenty-five, and I began to scribble when I was nineteen.” “Oh,” said Wingiffle, rather heartlessly, as Grant thought. Wingiffle continued musingly, “I began at seventeen, and my first produc- tion happened when I was thirty-five.” They 122 It was Grant's turn to say “Oh,” and he said. it with considerable fervour. “I don't want to discourage you,” Wingiffle was going on when Grant laughed—that hard hopeless laugh of his. “Ah! I see,” said the sympathetic playwright, “you have had a good deal of it; perhaps I had better say no more.” “Oh, please do,” said Grant, stopping his laugh suddenly. “I have had a good deal of discouragement, and I have been robbed, but you are the first playwright I have ever met, and— and—please go on.” Wingiffle smiled at the ingenuous young man. “Robbed, eh?” he queried. “Aye, robbed. I sent a play—not this one— up to a certain manager, say in the late spring. I got it back in August with an intimation that it was unsuitable, as “women did not do such things.’” “You had made use of the eternal woman question?” asked Wingiffle. “I had and I hadn’t. I had used woman— oh, well then—as she never was yet used. But that wasn’t to say that she won’t be so used Some day. Can you, can any man, get up and declare that there is anything a woman will not do P” - “You mustn't put me on my oath,” said Wingiffle, laughing. “Anyhow,” continued Grant, smiling in spite of his indignation. “Anyhow I got my play back in August. In the following January was produced—at this very theatre—a play by a crack author—Ishan’t mention names—dealing broadly with my subject, with the difference that it placed women in an absolutely impossible light. And I know for a fact that this play was not commenced until the late autumn after the return of my MS.” “Possible,” said Wingiffle. “It isn't always the playwright's fault. Managers, you see, are un- doubtedly inundated with MSS.; those belonging to unknown authors are perhaps scamped through. There are details, say, in a play by a new hand that are not liked while the main idea is approved. Then, instead of writing to the luckless author, saying, “I like your play, will you make certain alterations, and so forth,’ the fellow calmly returns your screed while he gives out an order to a dramatist, whose work he knows is generally approved, for a play to be written round an idea and some scenes. Your idea and your scenes. It is the greatest fluke for a novice to gain a footing. Be his work ever so good, someone is sure to object to something. His dialogue, his characterisation, his dramatic action, his Scenes, his curtains—all can be attacked. If he’s  ## p. 19 (#33) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. I9 right in one, A. says he's wrong in another, while B. reverses A.’s verdict. I candidly tell you that I got my first footing by fluke; the story is too long to tell now. I’ve been snubbed just as you have been ; but I beat you in one particular ”— and he laughed heartily—“I have actually been criticised before production—the production was delayed at the last moment, but the criticism came out ; and so did the recompense—out of the rascal's pocket.” Here both passengers laughed in concert until Wingiffle spoke again, for Grant was altogether too fascinated to utter a syllable. Wingiffle continued, - “But all this talk of myself isn’t touching you much. I don’t know how you’ll take it—you may be suspicious, I couldn't express surprise at it—but if you like, as a practical, accepted play- Wright, I’ll read your play and see if I can give you any hints that might be useful.” Grant thanked his new-found friend very much for his kindness. Wingiffle took no notice at all of this except by a bow. He said, “Written much P” “A good deal,” Grant replied, “but it all comes back to me; but I know—(here he looked dreamily out of the window)—I shall get a hear- ing some day.” His companion gazed at him critically ; he seemed interested in the young man. “I believe you will,” he said rather impres- sively. “I couldn't tell you why I say so or why I believe it, but—I believe you will.” “Really, this is very encouraging,” said Grant, brightening up, “and I think I shall try again, after all.” “Of course you'll try again—you weren't going to give up P” “For a time I was. You see, I do a little hack work for a paper or two, and I was going to devote myself more to that. I manage to scrape together enough to live upon down in the village, but I want to be doing something better. Still, I must go back to it for a time.” “Give me your play,” said Wingiffle. Grant rolled it up and handed it over. It gave him a little pang to see his cherished play coldly set aside with newspapers and gloves, but Wºme chatted so kindly that he soon forgot that. Even a railway journey by the S.E.R. must come to an end at some time or other, and in due course Grant got down at his station. Wingiffle had to go some seven miles further, where he had taken a cottage for the summer. “Then I'll write you and let you know all about your play. Mind, I shall criticise it, I promise you, just as it seems to me, a practical dramatist. Good-bye, good-bye ’’ and the cheery fellow drew in his head after waving adieu to his late companion, on whom his ex- hilaration and heartiness had acted like cham- pagne. You may be quite sure that Grant passed a very pleasant evening with the remembrance of Wingiffle's comforting words for company. Of course he couldn’t sleep when at last he went to bed, thinking it a wonderful thing that he should have awakened sympathy in a man at the top of his profession ; and equally of course, when he awoke next morning he was disposed to take a rather gloomy view of his prospects, just by way of reaction. At eleven in the morning Mr. Wingiffle sur- prised him by a visit. - “Mr. Grant,” he said, “I was distinctly patro- nising to you last night.” This was a bold statement which could bear more than one interpretation, so Grant looked uncomfortable and said nothing. “Yes, I was,” said Wingiffle as though Grant had denied it, “and I have come to apologise for it.” “I assure you there is nothing to apologise for.” “My dear young fellow,” said the dramatist rising, “allow me to shake hands again.” Grant rose. “I patronise you ! Ha!, ha. It's laugh- able. Your play is a masterpiece.” “Good heavens,” ejaculated Grant, pale as a ghost. “Yes, a masterpiece. It's well conceived, interesting, absolutely novel in treatment and design, and—in short, my dear fellow, allow me to congratulate you on a most striking performance. I—well—I can't tell you much now, I’m feeling almost excited but—are you doing anything parti- cular to-day ?” Grant said he was not. “Then it will be a real pleasure to my wife and self if you will drive back with me to lunch —you'll come won't you?” - “I’ll come with pleasure,” then he laughed, this time pleasantly. “You must excuse me,” he added, “if I seem at all wandering in my replies, but I—this is rather a shock. It would be mock modesty on my part to pretend that I didn’t think it a real good play. I know it is. . But I didn’t know it was a masterpiece.” “You go and change your clothes,” said Win- giffle, “at once, and come along.” Away went the young man. He trod on no floor—he encountered no stairs. It was all cloudland to him, and as for his bedroom that was fairyland, and his change of clothes wishing- garments. He wasn't long you may be sure, and soon he was seated beside Wingiffle bowling along towards the latter's cottage.  ## p. 20 (#34) ############################################## 2O THE AUTHOR. “And now then,” said Wingiffle, after lunch, as they sat out under the trees, “will you put yourself further into my power? Ha, ha!” he exclaimed, in melodramatic fashion, “but I must dissemble or I shall frighten my prey,” and the odd creature took two or three long strides of the sort favoured by stage conspirators, while his wife and his visitor laughed at his antics. “Seriously now,” and he sat down again, “this is what I want. Will you let me have that play run out again in type ; will you put a new title to it, and will you let my name appear as the author of it?” - “If it's any use—-” Grant was beginning. “Any use ! Look here. Only my name, it is still your play, but my name appears. I will take it again to Magnus Maximus. He hasn’t seen anything but the title, and probably not that. I know it is just the play for him, and I know it will be the play of the year. I can make a better bargain, too, with him than you could ; and, upon the whole, I think we shall make Magnus Maximus look rather insignificant.” “I don’t know what to say to you, or how to thank you - “Don’t try it then—don't try it. Wait until it is launched, and then we’ll see what we shall see. You will place yourself unreservedly in my hands P” - “I will.” “T'is well; ha, ha!” About a month later Wingriffle looked in upon Grant again. He was in a great state of excite- ment. - “Taken P” cried Grant. “Taken; I should just think so,” almost shouted the other. - And then Grant, forgetful of all dignity, began to perform one of the wildest dances ever seen upon this globe. His landlady, looking out of window on hearing the turmoil, withdrew shud- dering at the prospect of having a madman for a lodger. “In with you,” cried Grant. “Now tell us all about it.” “Well, you know,” said his hardly less excited friend, “I dressed the part so to speak—culti- wated a haggard look—and then rushed him with blood-shot eyes—as though I had been up all night superintending something stupendous.” “Good heavens, my dear chap,” said old Maximus, “here sit down here, sit down—here drink this,” and so on. “Oh, I played well, Herbert’” (by this time, of course, they were on front-name terms). “I laid my hand on the play. Read that. I said, read that ; if it doesn’t stagger you—if it doesn't bring you a fortune— never produce another play that I bring you. With that I walked straight out, leaving him staring after me in amazement.”. Grant laughed heartily at his description. “It won't hurt him,” continued Wingiffle, “and it's only a pious fraud. Maximus is not a bad fellow in his way, but he—well, he should attend to business better.” “But after all this?” queried Grant. “Why, he sends round to me same afternoon, is coming to supper with me that night. Never had anything like it, and so on. Well, the long and the short of it is that the play is accepted, that I have stipulated that it shall be produced friend’s within three months, and that I’ve made such terms that I can only whisper them. Now, no thanks— you're to wait, you remember that. Wait until the production Maximus likes the name—he likes his part—though I’m glad you haven’t put all the fat into one part—and he likes himself generally, for he knows, and I know, that he is going to produce a success.” - # # *: #: $: The long-expected night arrived at last. A typical first-night house had gathered to witness Herod Wingiffle's latest masterpiece. Herod himself was there in front (everyone said how calm and cool he looked, and how unusual, &c., and everyone was very much surprised), with his wife and a young friend, Mr. Herbert Grant, who for some reason was looking rather wild-eyed and pale. - * “Your friend unwell ?” whispered a critic to Herod. - “No, oh no!” Herod whispered back, “sympa- thetic, intensely sympathetic.” The critic replied by raising his eyebrows to express his surprise, and just then the curtain went up. - “Keep cool,” said Herod to his young friend, and Mrs. Wingiffle added a few soothing phrases. It soon became apparent that it was a singularly interesting play. At the end of the first act people turned to congratulate Herod, but he had mysteriously disappeared, though he returned to his seat as the curtain rose on Act II. The same thing occurred at the end of each act, and at the close there was a perfect hurricane of applause. After obeying the laws of precedent governing similar proceedings, the manager stepped before the curtain, when the author was called, with a puzzled look on his face, and a slip of paper in his hand. As soon as he could speak he said: “Ladies and gentlemen.—I have just received this note from Mr. Herod Wingiffle.  ## p. 21 (#35) ############################################## THE AUTHOI?. 2 I “‘Dear Maximus, I have imposed upon you piously, and with the consent of the real author of this play. I did not write it. You haven’t hurt yourself, and you have done an act of justice. I may say that the author is in front.—Yours, FIEROD.’ “Does anyone know what this means ?” asked the manager of the astonished house. “Is the author in the house P” he added. And then there was a short pause. Everyone looking at everyone else. “Get up and speak,” whispered Mrs. Wingiffle, and Herbert rose. They were seated rather to the right in the last row but one of the stalls. “I am the author,” he said, and his voice, though he did not speak loudly, rang through the house. A thousand eyes were instantly bent upon him. He continued rather mercilessly, “I sent this play up to Mr. Maximus myself more than six months ago. It was returned to me by him as being unsuited to his theatre. How he knew that then it is not for me to say, for certain marks I had placed between the leaves were undis- turbed when the play was returned to me. It had not been read at all. Only the title of the play has been altered since. Luckily I met Mr. Wingiffle. He offered to read my play. He said that he liked it and would play a pious fraud upon Mr. Maximus (some people laughed here, but seeing the sternness on the young man's face they looked grave again). He took it for me to him as his own piece, and that very day it was accepted. I have only to apologise to you all for making you so long a speech.” And he bowed to the house and sat down, while cheer after cheer rose to the roof. The manager had disappeared. R. S. *-* -º ar- ~~ S0-SO-SOCIOLOGY. 167. ISEASE is a medium between weaken- |) ing cause and wasting effect. - I68. When mystery becomes a luxury, misery seems a necessity. I69. It is far easier to love the unlikely than to like the unlovely. 170. Ignorance of ignorance is bad; indiffer- ence, worse; insolence, worst. I71. Civilisation is a concord of cohesion, co- operation, and culture. 172. Were the human always the humane, Man would have no despairs. - 173. The present is more miraculous than the past, but less mysterious. I74. The blend or the breed is of more avail than the brand: - - 175. Education gives Man a greater chance: evolution, a higher choice. 176. From the common conflict of options emerges the consensus of opinions. - 177. The value of machinery depends on whether it ministers or masters. I78. Gratitude is an education as well as an expediency expedience. - 179. Discipline ceases to be a duty when it becomes a tyranny. * 18O. Love will always out, but few can always recognise it. * 181. Only the wisest can ever find the best in the worst. 182. Love and contempt, though ever least akin, seem often most alike. º, 183. Spite is one of the commonest simulators of sincerity. 184. Folly is the favourite child of ignorance and of Vanity. 185. Gift without grace is like knowledge without wisdom. -- 186. Truth is oftener a talent than an accom- plishment. 187. Lies complicate existence: love simpli- fies life. 188. Man makes myths, myths make mysteries, mysteries make miseries. - 189. Energy may sink with the sun, but fancy rises with the moon. . I90. The least sound too often makes the most sound. 191. Not all the godliest die young; not all the best miss fortune. I92. It is easier to convert taste than to con- trol tendency. - - 193. We wish more than we can, but will more than we may. I94. Love's shams appeal to self; its spirit to soul. I95. Men may know their own minds more than their own motives. - I96. Capacity far oftener fails than oppor- tunity. I97. Misfortunes have consolations than compensations. I98. Self-love has no scientific frontiers. 199. Man, of both sexes, is God’s best and Worst practical providence to Man. 2OO. History is the great-grandmother of prophecy. oftener PHINLAY GLENELG.  ## p. 22 (#36) ############################################## a. - THE AUTHOR. “LIFE IN LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE." “TT is the office and function of the imagina- tion to renew life in lights and sounds and (motions that are outworn and familiar. It calls the soul back once more under the dead ribs of nature, and makes the meanest bush burn again, as it did to Moses, with the visible presence of God. And it works the same miracle for language. The word it has touched retains the warmth of life for ever. We talk about the age of superstition and fable as if they were passed away, as if no ghost could walk in the pure white light of science, yet the microscope that can dis- tinguish between the disks that float in the blood of man and ox is helpless, a mere dead eyeball, before this mystery of Being, this wonder of Life, the sympathy which puts us in relation with all nature, before that mighty circulation of Deity in which stars and systems are but as the blood- disks in our own veins. And so long as wonder lasts, so long will imagination find thread for her loom, and sit like the Lady of Shalott weaving that magical web in which ‘the shows of things are accommodated to the desires of the mind.” It is precisely before this phenomenon of life in literature and language that criticism is forced to stop short. That it is there we know, but what it is we cannot precisely tell. It flits before us like the bird in the old story. When we think to grasp it, we already hear it singing just beyond It is the imagination which enables the poet to give away his own consciousness in dramatic poetry to his characters, in narrative to his language, so that they react upon us with the same original force as if they had life in them- selves.”—Low ELL in the Century. *- as as-º CORRESPONDENCE, I.—A STRANGE CorncIDENCE. ^{ONTRIBUTORS to the Author sometimes point out strange coincidences in relation to subjects treated by several persons. The French proverb, Les esprits forts se rencontrent, sums up the matter with French precision. Here is another curious instance. . . In the year 1891 I was travelling rather out of the beaten track upon the eastern frontier of Germany, and I heard of a curious religious pro- cession. Never before had I seen anything of the kind, and only the local guide mentioned it. Naturally it struck me that it would make a good subject for an illustrated magazine article. So when I returned I set to work. Early in 1892 my MS. and drawing trotted about in the usual manner, and I received the usual polite letters from the editors of many first-class magazines— I never trouble the second and third-class folk. Then I threw the MS. into a drawer, where it rested for some nine months. I Ought to say that I first made a wash drawing, from which to make another in pen and ink, to accompany the MS. in its walks about town; strictly speaking, I ought to say in its globe-trottings, for it crossed the ocean, and likewise the so-called silver streak. * . In the spring of ’93 I brought out my MS. again, and towards the anniversary of the fête day described therein, I sent it on its way once more, when alas! after many days and many voyages, the MS. returned without the drawing, which is quite “lost in the post,” although my name and address were written upon the back— showing the carelessness of the returned letter department of the Post-office. Oris a drawing not of sufficient value to be worth returning P Possibly, in the eyes of officials. Well, this year I made another pen and ink drawing from my original wash one, with the same result—refusal. Only here is the gist of the business; not only was my matter stale instead of new, as I thought, but in the words of the editor : “So far from the matter being ‘untouchei you will find it all described and illustrated in of May, 1893. More- over, the sketch you send me is actually copied from the illustration we then published l’” This was rather strong ! * . I represented to the editor that my work had been done in 1891-2, and that I did not relish being accused of purloining other people's work. Here is the half-hearted apology: “I had not the least idea of making any accusation against you” (observe above “actually copied,” and the “!” at end of sentence), “what at Once occurred to me was that your sketch was made from the same photo- graph which we reproduced—a photograph which I suppose is sold in the shops l’ But note, that beyond the two illustrations representing a pro- cession, a crowd, and the same street, they differ much in detail. However, that is not the ques- tion. Why I relate this little history is simply to show that les esprits forts se rencontrent, even in matters which have lain dormant for many years, and even with a short interval between the results of les esprits. In my case, my fortunate rival forestalled me (in print) a year after my work was completed; which shows that the spirit which wafted me to in 1891, and whispered to me to write an article thereon, like- wise spoke to another scribe in 1893 after the same manner. Mean little spirit, why not have let me earn the reward of my labours ? M. S. A.  ## p. 23 (#37) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 23 II.-ConsoDATORY. Will you allow me to say a few words in answer to “Experto Crede?” I have a very large experience of penny papers, and I have met from their editors and proprietors the greatest kindness, consideration, and courtesy coupled with fair prices and prompt payments. We cannot all be famous, and if long prices for a single story do not fall to our lot, modest cheques are not to be despised. I have for many years earned a very comfort- able income by my pen solely from penny papers. I never expect to be famous, or even to see my name on a three-volume novel, but I sell my tales as fast as I can write them. Unlike the more distinguished folks who publish on the royalty system, I know exactly what they will bring in, I have no anxiety and no suspense, and I do not possess a single rejected manuscript, so that I have no cause to grumble. I fancy the con- tributors who write to you and complain of failure, either expect to succeed in too great a hurry, or else write their stories and then expect them taken by the first paper they think of, instead of deciding on the paper first and adapting the story to its style. Their plan is a kind of putting the cart before the horse arrangement, which must ail. - f Girls tell me their tales are much better than many they see in print, but they can’t get on because they have “no introductions.” I don’t like to reply they are not impartial critics, but I can and do assure them that introductions are useless. My testimony is just that of an average woman worker, for I have had no advantages to help me on, I never had an introduction to editor or publisher, and I don’t even (after years of literary work), possess a single “famous.” acquaintance. - C. O. III.-GRAMMATICAL. Which is correct after not and no, or or nor 2 In some extra good writers, whom one might be tempted to consider authorities, you find nor; in others as good, or. . It did not rain nor blow. It did not blow or pain. There was no rain nor wind. There was mo wind or rain. Which are correct of the above ex, mples? Neither Murray nor Mason answers the question. I used to put or until I began to think about the matter. Then it occurred to me that, as it is right to put nor after neither (an abbreviation of not either), upon the same principle it must be right to put nor after no and not (either being implied). But the other day a more knowing person than myself, when criticising a careful writer's work, said: “He makes just the mistake that so many authors—including even so fine a writer as Marion Crawford—make; he invariably puts nor after not and no, which, whether or not absolutely incorrect, is hideous,”—or something to this effect. I agree with him that or sounds better, but if nor is incorrect after not, it must have been created simply to suit the convenience of neither, and as a means of breaking the rule against two negatives, where they would naturally destroy one another. Nor sounds better than or after neither, but why should it be more correct after neither than after not either ? . . However, apart from right and wrong, eupho- nious, or non-euphonious effects, there are so many uses for the word or, that a person who does not understand the English language might be puzzled by the use of it in lieu of nor. For instance, “He is not pious, or pleasant,” might be taken to signify “He is not pious, by which I mean pleasant.” Still, of course, the thing could be differently expressed without the use of nor; and I do not feel at all sure that the word nor ought to exist. - A MEMBER OF THE SocIETY OF AUTHORs. IV.-REMAINDERs. I am obliged for your note in response to Iſl11162. You did not say whether you considered that at the present time authors were satisfied with the ordinary way of disposing of their remainders. I wrote under the assumption that they were not, and would perhaps have discussed the matter under the auspices of your Society. At present a large number of provincial book- sellers have no inducement whatever to purchase the works of numerous authors. The publisher takes little or no risk, and wants little or no trouble. If a bookseller buys from a publisher any but those books in most demand there is no possible means of getting a profit, and every chance of making a loss. If publishers will not come to the rescue, why not the authors them- selves through their business agency the Authors’ Society P It ought to be to the author's interests to see that every bookseller is put into a fair way of making a profit if he cares to push the sale of the book. But as no attempt has been made in this direction, I assume that that is impossible, and that when a book does not go under ordinary circumstances at once that it must be sold as a remainder.  ## p. 24 (#38) ############################################## 24 THE AUTHOR. Then could not the loss be lessened on re- mainders ? Why could not you or your repre- sentatives create a central agency, invite book- sellers to take up authors’ works on sale or return terms, and issue a general catalogue P E. B. W.—ExPERIENCES OF A LITERARY BEGINNER. I have had many painful experiences of the MS. that goes a begging ; yet, strange to say, they do not belong to the period when I was a beginner with the pen. The very first article which I submitted to a strange editor was accepted and printed, and the same success attended my second venture, and so on till in the course of time I had contributed quite a respectable series. But I am speaking now of nearly a quarter of a century ago, when journalistic lotteries were unknown, when the prize-giving periodical was quite in its infancy, and when the sole end and aim of an editor was not to sell the paper by the tens of thousands, so as to put money into the purse of the proprietor. And I am also speak- ing of a time when there existed one of the most generous, discriminating, impartial, and pains- taking of editors who ever lived, and one, moreover, who was always ready to encourage young authors, and help them to success if he found any good in their youthful essays. The name of that editor was Charles Dickens, and the journal which I had the honour of con- tributing to was then called All the Year Round. After Dickens' regrettable death I continued to contribute to his popular periodical, and to a few others which, like his, did not refuse a manuscript simply because they were overstocked with litera- ture of all kinds, or because the article offered happened to be too long, too discursive, or too something else. But, unfortunately for myself, some of those journals came to grief, or were unable to pay the same fees as before, owing, perhaps, to the increased competition which the “new journalism,” as it is called, gave rise to. Then my troubles as an outside contributor began in earnest, for I was tempted to try my “luck” with the new papers which now com- pletely flooded the market, and in doing so I learnt what it was to send an MS. “the round.” Out often or a dozen articles which I “submitted to the consideration” of various editors only one was accepted and used, and that one had cost me so much trouble in reconstructing, or re-writing to suit the requirements of the different journals to which it was sent on approval, that the fee eventually received scarcely repaid me for the time and labour bestowed upon it, to say nothing of the time and labour bestowed upon the other nine or eleven articles which I had written and submitted before this last one was accepted. So, as I am wholly dependent upon my work for the bread and cheese of existence, I have been reluctantly obliged to abandon my literary labours, which began under such promising auspices, and to turn my attention to something far less congenial, but rather more profitable. ExPERTO CREDE. WI.-MoRE ExPERIENCEs. My first work was on the past, present, and future of a cause in which circumstances caused me to be deeply interested. I submitted the MS. to the committee of a society to which I purposed to give the profits, if any, of publication. Reply from chairman (lord-lieutenant of his county): “Committee feel honoured by being associated with such a production, and propose to be respon- sible for the cost.” This I declined. A large edition was sold, and a useful amount was paid to the society in about twelve months. This success led to my writing a larger work. It was published on the “mutual profit” system. Whole edition disposed of ; but small profit to the author, notwithstanding most flattering notices of the book. One popular author wrote to me, “I hope your inkstand will never be dry.” Then a magazine, edited by a well-known Cambridge man, came under my notice. I wrote a short tale with a purpose, which, being appre- ciated, was followed by a series, and when the editor retired, he thanked me warmly for what he was pleased to call my “valuable aid.” I next proposed to write a series of articles on various subjects, to a then popular shilling maga- zine. Reply was: “Being already acquainted with your former works (reviewed in our magazine), any contributions from your pen will be valued.” A small work on religious subjects was brought out by one of the oldest leading publishers in London, on his responsibility, and is still recom- mended in a leading journal to inquirers. My next venture was a one-volume novel (pub- lished on the “mutual profit” system). Well re- viewed in first-class journals; but financially a failure. I then competed with several authors, whos names were known to the public, for leading serial in a magazine, established over a quarter of a century. I was successful, and, of course, received the usual remuneration. I may mention, en passant, that I have received 32 for quite a short article. I continued to write for the above magazine, and my articles were favourably noticed. Meanwhile I wrote a pamphlet on a subject of  ## p. 25 (#39) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 25 public interest and importance ; took the opinion of an eminent man; sent the MS. to a publisher, who was manifestly anxious to secure the publi- cation; and it was issued quickly. The price, at the publisher's suggestion, was fixed at one shilling. In an incredibly short time, a friend said to me that he wanted a copy, and could not get one as they were all sold. I at once wrote to the publisher. He replied that he wished my information was correct. That, expecting a large sale, he had kept the type set for five weeks, and had then broken it up, as the pamphlet was not selling. I called upon him when I went to London, but could get no intelligible statement from him. I had paid him a fixed amount for publishing and advertising. Yet he intimated that if I had the unsold copies he must charge extra for advertising. So he kept all but two dozen, which I had, and the matter ended. I ought to have taken advice, but being afraid of law proceedings, I weakly, as I now think, gave up the whole affair. Some years after I showed the pamphlet to a man in London, who has some knowledge of the ways of the world as well as of letters. He read it, approved and praised it, and gave his verdict in few words, “That pamphlet was suppressed; there is too much truth in it.” w Since then I have been a constant writer for a leading journal, and my articles have been criti- cised at home and abroad. Of one recent work 2000 copies were disposed; and now my last work, which I venture to think is not inferior to what I have previously written, and which has been so highly praised, is in one sense a failure. By no means so complete a failure as the suppressed pamphlet was—and in this case no suspicion can attach to the publisher —yet I cannot understand why this novel should fail to be a complete success. I wrote it with a definite purpose, and some reviewers consider that I have fully accomplished that purpose. One ends his critique with “ Unlike most novels, this is a book to be re-read—in fact, it ought to have an index, there is so much for reference, as well as of so much besides.” Another critic says: “We have looked in vain for a single sentence that could justify these discussions being printed.” Since that was written a New York publisher has written about taking 250 or 500 copies if a cheap edition is published, as he says that they (the firm) consider it “a remarkable and inte- resting book,” and that the purpose of it is of as much value in America as in England. M. M. “AT THE SIGN OF THE AUTHOR'S HEAD." R. C. H. COOK (John Bickerdyke) has published (Constable and Co.) a small volume called “Thames Rights and Thames Wrongs, a Disclosure; with Notes Explanatory and Critical on the Thames Bill of I894.” He says, by way of preface, that he is not writing as a lawyer for lawyers, but for the merry crowd who take their pleasure On the river, and his desire is that the facts dis- closed will startle the public out of its apathy, and bring about that legislation which is urgently needed. “The Plays of Sir Richard Steele” forms the new volume in the Mermaid Series (Fisher Unwin). It is edited, with a critical introduction and notes, by Mr. G. A. Aitken, who in 1889 published a life of Steele. “Doctor Quodlibet, a Study in Ethics" (Leadenhall Press), is a new story by the author of the “Chronicles of Westerley.” In a note the author reminds his readers that “Bishop Quodlibet’’ was a subordinate character in the above-named novel, and that now he has ventured to give him a small book all to himself. - “The Ghosts of the Guardroom,” a story by Annabel Grey, forms the first volume of the Annabel Grey Library (G, Stoneham). According to the author's preface, “the story deals with military life, of the struggles and trials of an English lad, a young recruit; it is, moreover, true.” Miss Mary Colborne-Weel has published a volume of verse entitled “The Fairest of the Angels” (Horace Cox). As the title implies, some of the poems are religious, of which there are one or two—“Jael,” for instance—which seem to us to be more successful than the one the author has chosen as a title. “The Local Government Act, 1894,” has just appeared, with introduction, notes, and index, by J. M. Lely and W. F. Craies, Barristers-at- law. The publishers are Sweet and Maxwell, 3, Chancery-lane; Stevens and Sons, I 19, Chan- cery-lane. Is. 6d. Also “The Sale of Goods Act, 1893,” with introduction, notes, and index. By the same authors, and the same publishers. - The “Goethe-Jahrbuch" for 1894 will contain an account, by Dr. Suphan, of “Napoleon's Unterhaltungen mit Goethe und Wieland und F. von Müller's Memoire darüber für Talleyrand.”  ## p. 26 (#40) ############################################## 26 THE AUTHOR. Messrs. G. P. Putnam's Sons announce “In Varying Moods,” by Miss Beatrice Harraden; “Red Cap and Blue Jacket,” a tale of the French Revolution,” by Mr. Robert Dunn ; and an “Autonym * series of stories by well-known writers. Mr. J. J. Haldane Burgess, M.A., the author of “Rasmie's Büddie”—a second edition of which was lately issued by Mr. Gardner, Paisley and London, and to which the Scotsman alluded as “a book which is likely to make a name for its author”—has just finished a romance of the Norse time, dealing with the Viking occupation of the Shetlands in the days of Harold Fair- Hair. A new novel, in 2 vols., by Mrs. Deith-Adams (Mrs. R. S. De Courcy Laffan) will shortly be published by Messrs. Jarrold and Sons. It is entitled “Colour-Sergeant, No. 1 Company,” and the scene is laid in the South of Ireland. The story of Soho-square and its associations has been taken in hand by Mr. George Clinch. This old aristocratic quarter is full of interesting associations with celebrities of the past. Collec- tions have been made of drawings, prints, pamphlets, and books bearing upon the quarter. Many of these, including the collection of the late Dr. Rimbault, have been placed in the hands of the author, who wishes us to state that he will grate- fully receive and acknowledge any information or suggestions from residents in the district or others. The work will be a volume of small quarto, and will be limited to a small number of copies. The fifth edition of “Marcella " (in three volumes) is announced. The cheap edition of “David Grieve" is also ready. Mrs. Steel's new novel “The Potter's Thumb,” 3 vols., is now ready. The publishers are Heine- mann and Co. The same publishers have the three novels of “Sarah Grand.” A new work by Ruskin, called “Verona and other Lectures,” will be issued early in June. The publisher, of course, is Mr. George Allen. The book will contain five lectures, delivered between the years 1870 and 1883. It will be illustrated by a frontispiece and eleven photogravure plates from drawings by the author. The Athenæum (May 26) notes the formation of a “Transatlantic Publishing Company,” which will publish a magazine intended principally for the purpose of copyrighting in America short stories written by our people. We shall be glad to hear more about this company. Without doubt there is great need of such a medium. Fuller inquiries shall be made at once into the proposed Company and the magazine. A new and cheaper edition of “The Way of Transgressors,” by E. Rentoul Esler, will be issued shortly. (Sampson Low and Co.) Baron Tauchnitz has secured the Continental rights of this author's Willage Idylls, “The Way they Loved at Grimpat.” After three editions of “A Superfluous Woman,” in three volume form, the publishers, Messrs. Heinemann and Co., have produced the book in a cheap Colonial series, and it will be shortly produced in England in a cheap form also. The New York Critic announces the formation of a Walt Whitman Society, which is about to be incorporated. Its aims are threefold: The consolidation within a single organisation of all persons who are interested in the life and work of Walt Whitman; the establishment of centres in different parts of the world, which shall bring together the lovers and admirers of Whitman, and which, by the maintenance of correspond- ence and the exchange of views, shall tend to close fraternal relations among the members of the society; and the publication, from time to time, of Whitman literature and of such essays and other papers as may be deemed valuable in elucidation of Whitman’s philosophy of life, or in exposition of his poetry and principles. The following announcements are also made by the same paper:— “The Phantoms of the Footbridge" is the title of a volume of short stories by Charles Egbert Craddock, to be published by the Harpers. Messrs. D. C. Heath and Co. are publish- ing a “History of the United States,” by Mr. Allen C. Thomas, Professor of History in Haverford College. The aim of this work is to give the main facts of the history of the United States clearly, accurately, and impartially. In the belief that the importance of the events which have occurred since the adoption of the Constitution is becoming more and more recog- Inised, much the greater part of the book is devoted to the era beginning with 1789. The earlier period, however, is treated with sufficient fulness to show clearly the origins of the people and their institutions. Throughout special atten- tion is given to the political, social, and economic development of the nation.  ## p. 27 (#41) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 27 Messrs. Longmans, Green, and Co. have become the owners of Colonel T. W. Higginson’s histories and miscellaneous works, by purchase from Messrs. Lee and Shepard. Mr. John Jacob Astor is about to make his first venture in literature with a story of the year 2000, entitled “A Journey in Other Worlds: a Romance of the Future.” * - - -º sº- * - WHAT THE PAPERS SAY, I. —LITERARY STANDARDs. 4 & S there such a quality in a literary pro- duction as absolute merit P” inquires W. J. L. “If so, is there a man or woman in the country of the capacity to judge it by that standard P I am moved to ask these questions by my own experience and lºy the history of literary productions which have wandered through a veri- table wilderness of editorial hands before reaching the promised land of publication. It is hardly necessary to recount the early trials of these martyrs since made glorious. As to my own work, which is journalistic rather than purely literary, I have had such queer experiences that I am beginning to lose faith in what has been called literary judgment. I have repeatedly had editors refuse my matter, only at a later date to reprint it from other papers; I have had articles refused once and accepted later; I have had one magazine refuse an article and one of higher class accept it at double the price; I have known editors correct the metre or rhyme of famous poems I may have had occasion to quote or to parody in places; I have known a newspaper of recognised literary standing refuse a poem at 5 dollars which a periodical accepted at 15 dollars; I have had good things rejected with promptness and despatch, and those of less merit accepted. And so on through a complexity of moods and measures. I don’t understand it, do you ? Is it due to the fact that publishers of literature—is it literature if not published?—are governed, not by the genuine merit of the article, but by the tastes and demands of their readers, or by a consideration of the interests of the business office P If you can throw a little light on this subject you will benefit a good many people who do not hesitate to damn the literary judg- ment of publishers with whom they have had experience.” - - The simple answer to the foregoing would be that no one is infallible. An editor is just as likely to make mistakes as any other man. Don’t you hear people say every day that, if they had only known, they would have bought certain land which had been offered to them for a few dollars and is now worth thousands P. The wise man is he who has foresight. The editor who can discover a Kipling in the callow efforts of a novice is such a one as is not often met. You oftener meet the man with foresight in matters of real estate transactions for a very simple reason: taste is never a factor in the sale of building lots. What is one editor's meat is another's poison. The editor of this magazine may have a weakness for dialect stories, while the editor of that maga- zine despises them. He may print those of a certain author because he has discovered that they have a market value, but he never would think of accepting them on their merits. Editors, I fancy, are governed by a great many things. The “genuine merit of an article” is an impor- tant factor in its favour, and “the tastes and demands of their readers” is another. How the “promulgation of the interests of the business office ’’ can be made to enter into the question at all I do not sce, beyond the matter of making a periodical that will sell. An editor who made a magazine that no one would buy would certainly be a very strange man, and one unfitted for his position. No journal can be published at a loss unless it is published by philanthropists, and even they would soon tire of the fun, for there is nothing that can swallow up umoney like an unsuccessful periodical. w As for literary judgment, who shall be the judge? A novel of which the Athenæum said that it was one of the best of 1893, the Critic declared not to have been worth publishing. The reviewers of the book were both unquestionably persons of intelligence, and yet what one pro- nounced a work of unusual merit the other pronounced unmitigated trash. The question is largely one of taste, and with posterity alone remains the decision as to what has come to stay.—New York Critic. II.-MR. TRAILL ON LITERATURE AND - Journ ALISM. Mr. H. D. Traill delivered, on Saturday after- noon, his second and concluding Royal Institution lecture on the relations between literature and journalism. The critics of journalism, he said, were prone to exaggerate its influence in respect of the undoubted over production in these days of literary matter. Of the existence of such over production there could, unfortunately, be no doubt. There never were so many people anxious to rush into print; never was the literary craft so invaded by amateurs. One  ## p. 28 (#42) ############################################## 28 THE AUTHOR. reason, perhaps, was the excessive cheapness of the material. Pen, ink, and paper were never dear commodities, and compared with the canvas, paint, marble, and studio of the artist were infini- tesimal items. Moreover, failure or incapacity was not so glaring with the literary amateur as in the case of painting, sculpture, or music. Popular education had more, however, to do with this tendency than any other cause. The State had renounced Dogberry’s maxim that to read and write come by nature and might be charged with going too far in the other direction —that people can be taught to write what others will care to read. A day might come on which we should all be so busy writing as to have no time for reading at all, and we might be reduced to the condition of the islanders who tried to get a living by taking in each other's washing. Exaggerated, however, as is the share attributed to journalism in this result, it had to be admitted that the flood of novels poured forth day by day was partly due to the daily journals. But the circulating libraries were more to blame than the newspapers, and any or no quality was good enough to find a place in the periodical box of books. The journalist, however, did perform a useful function in guiding the taste of the public, and he could not be accused of neglecting his duty in this respect. On the whole it may be said that this duty is performed honestly and capably. The verdict of the reviewer in the daily press was usually conscientious and generally correct. As to the merits of signed and unsigned articles much might be said on both sides. But anonymity was too firmly established in this country to be disturbed, and, in his opinion, pos- sessed the balance of advantage. If the journalist on the whole encouraged good literary work, it was to be feared that he did not do enough to discourage the bad. The publishers knew their public, and that it is a book's fortune to be talked about on account of its eccentricity or glaring impropriety or suggestiveness. The best remedy would be to leave bad books alone. This might be done if we were living in Utopia, but was hardly possible in the world in which we live. In Utopia the publisher would approach the critic as a petitioner approaches a judge, and the book would be noticed or disregarded in strict accor- dance with its merits. But, as things are, news- papers are not carried on merely from the love of letters or a desire to increase knowledge. They were, above all things, commercial enterprises, and the proprietors could not afford to disregard the advertisements of the publisher. Thus a kind of professional morality was established on the basis of the relative value of the notice to the publisher and of the advertisement to the owner of the newspaper. Another charge brought against the daily journals was that they were corruptors of the English language. The term “newspaper English" had become a byword. Thus jour- malists were promoted to a kind of sinister dignity as the debasers of their mother tongue—they became sinners on an heroic scale. Was this charge true P To a limited extent undoubtedly a verdict of “Guilty” must be recorded. The daily papers were not wells of English pure and undefiled. There was apt to be a lack of simplicity and directness, a tendency to circumlocution and verbosity, a wrong use of words and phrases. But it was easy to over- estimate the extent of the wrong done. The number of phrases so misemployed was after all not great; “transpire’ for “happen’; the mis- application of such terms as Frankenstein, “ comity of nations,” “benefit of clergy,” “Caudine Forks,” “ horns of a dilemma,” “cui bono,” and a few others would exhaust the list of habitual offences. Nor was the charge of corrup- tion of style based on a much larger foundation. It should be remembered that the daily paper was written against time, with no leisure for revision. The leisurely critic after breakfast, with his feet on the fender, complained of “newspaper slip- shods.” It would be more fair to use the term “in slippers” than slipshod. In any case, the style of the newspaper was a good deal better than that of the great majority of its readers. Another question is whether journalism ever makes real contributions to literature. Are its leading articles, its reviews, and its essays ever themselves really literature ?' It is not true to say that what is really good literature is always written slowly and at leisure, and it is equally wide of the mark to suppose that all the work of a newspaper is hastily performed. A substantial part of what appears in the daily prints is done under most favourable conditions. Days may be occupied over the review of a book, though it too often consists of little more than a summary of the contents. At other times so much time is taken up in the composition of the critique that none is left for the perusal of the book. The newspaper essay or article bears considerable resemblance to the sermon, though the one is composed five or six times as often as the other. Sermons, as we know, form a real part, some- times excellent, of literature. Then it was an open secret that the obituary notice is often composed at leisure, with many opportu- nities of revision. Indeed, it was a jour- nalistic superstition that the composition of a biography and the recovery of an illustrious patient were frequently connected as cause and effect. Even the political leader might now and  ## p. 29 (#43) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 29 º again rise to the dignity of literature, notwith- standing the disparaging observations of Carlyle. Speed is not always the enemy of excellence. It may tend to animation, and animation may pro- duce eloquence. Unfortunately, the form of the newspaper was against it. The column seems interminable, and the writer may be haunted with the consciousness that his leaders during a short period might reach from Charing-cross to Ludgate-hill. The fate, too, of the newspaper was more rapid and humiliating than that of the printed book, however vapid the latter might be. The virtuoso with the hand-barrow at the back door came all too soon for the ephemeral pro- ductions of the journalist. To-day is—to-morrow is for the dust-heap. Journalism unquestionably might be useful to literature—it might waken the interest and hold the attention of the reader and direct him to what is more abiding than itself. The journalist might have a good deal to say in defence against all the charges that are brought against him. He might say that he regarded literature as his instructress, his playmate, his guide, his venerated mother; but he might also complain that she did not discharge all the duties of a mother, but disclaimed all responsibility for his maintenance, and failed to supply him with the material necessities of existence, and that in his hour of need it was journalism which took him in and became his foster-mother, and that therefore, whilst holding literature in respect and affection, he could not disregard the charity which had taken compassion on him in his destitution.—Times, April 30. **. NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS, Theology. BARRETT, REv. GEORGE S. Family Worship. Second edition. Jarrold and Sons. 2s. 6d. BENNETT, REv. W. H. The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Chronicles. Hodder and Stoughton. 7s.6d. Book of NEEDs OF THE HOLY ORTHoDox CHURCH, done into English by G. V. Shann. Nutt. 5s. BUTLER, REv. DR. Meditations on the Hundred and Nineteenth Psalm. 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St. Anselm's Society. -  ## p. 30 (#44) ############################################## 3O THE AUTHOR. Fiction. ALAN ST. AUBYN. In the Face of the World. 2 vols. Chatto. AMYAND, ARTHUR. Only a Drummer Boy. Osgood, M*Ilvaine, and Co. 3s. 6d. ANDREA, PERCY. Stanhope of Chester : a Mystery. Smith, Elder. 68. BARR, AMELIA E. Girls of a Feather. IS. BAYLOR, F. C. Claudia. and Co. 318. 6d. BLACKMORE, R. D. Mary Anerley. New edition. Sampson Low, Marston, and Co. Limited. 2s. 6d. BLIND, MATHILDE. Tarantella. T. F. Unwin. Is. BoIDREwood, Rolf. Macmillan James Henderson. 3 vols. Osgood, M*Ilvaine, A Modern Buccaneer. and Co. 31s. 6d. BRAY, CLAUDE. The Tavistock Library : Sir Joseph’s Heir. Frederick Warne and Co. Is. 6d. CARDELLA, G. The Perfect Way of Honour. 3 vols. Swan Sonnenschein and Co. CAREw, MAUD. Uncle Phil. S.P.C.K. Is. CHRISTIAN, E. B. W. At the Sign of the Wicket. Arrow- Smith. CHRISTIAN, SYDNEY. Sarah ; a Survival. 2 vols. Sampson Low. - CLARK RUSSELL, W. A. Sailor's Sweetheart. 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Clive, University Correspondence College Press. 6s. 6d. ROBERTS-AUSTEN, PROF. W. C. An Introduction to the Study of Metallurgy. Third edition, revised and enlarged. Griffin. 12s. 6d. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author, Vol. 05 Issue 01 (June 1894) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 01 (June 1894) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1894-06-01-The-Author-5-1 publications The Author