https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/299/1897-02-01-The-Author-7-9.pdf a24ad1b8be095c33513559172b0f998e PDF Text Text �������������������������������� 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 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) 1897-02-01 Volume 7 Issue 9 Pages Page range in volume 209–236 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18970201 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Uhc Hutbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. VII.—No. 9.] FEBRUARY 1, 1897. [Price Sixpence. CONTENTS. PACE PAO« Notices, &c 209 Is there an American Literature? 226 Literary Properly— Book Talk 217 I. Editor and Author 211 Correspondence.—1. The I.S A. as Publishers. 2. Educational 2. Cost of Production 212 Criticism. 3. A Want. 4. The County Contributor. 5. A 3. Notes on Agreements 213 Voice from Chili. 6. Facetious Reviewing. 7. The Fiction ot 4. Publishing on Commission 214 the Future. 8. Thirteen Copies as Twelve. 9. Presentation 5. Publications of the International Bureau 214 Copies. 10. Reviewing. 11. Reviewing or Puffing? 221) The Battle of Books in the Eariy Fifties 215 1 Mr. Herbert Spencer's Portrait 288 New York Letter. By Norman Hapgood 220 'Literature in the Periodicals Obitusry 284 NoteB and News. By the Editor 222 234 The Byron Papers 225 1 The Books of the Month 23C PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 1. The Annual Eeport. That for January 1896 can be had on application to the Secretary. 2. The Author. A Monthly Journal devoted especially to the protection and maintenance of Literary Property. Issued to all Members, 6*. 6d. per annum. Back numbers are offered at the following prices: Vol. I., io«. 6d. (Bound); Vols. II., HI., and IV., 8s. 6cl. each (Bound); Vol. V., 6s. 6d. (Unbound). 3. Literature and the Pension List. By W. Morris Colles, Barrister-at-Law. (Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C.) 3*. 4. The History of the Societe des Gens de Lettres. By S. Squire Sprigoe, late Secretary to the Society, i*. 5. The Cost Of Production. In this -work specimens are given of the most important forms of type, size of page, &c, with estimates showing what it costs to produce the more common kinds of books. Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C. 2s. 6d. 6. The Various Methods of Publication. By S. Squire Sprigge. In this work, compiled from the papers in the Society's offices, the various forms of agreements proposed by Publishers to Authors are examined, and their meaning carefully explained, with an account of the various kinds of fraud which have been made possible by the different clauses in their agreemoats. Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C. 3*. 7. Copyright Law Reform. An Exposition of Lord Monkswell's Copyright Bill now before Parlia- ment. With Extracts from the Report of the Commission of 1878, and an Appendix containing the Berne Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lely. Eyre and Spottiswoode. is. 6d. 8. The Society of Authors. A Record of its Action from its Foundation. By Walter Besant (Chairman of Committee, 188§ jg 2j I4.. 3. The Contract of Publication ia „ „ Aust™ Hungary, and Switzerland. By Ernst Lunge, J.U.D. is. 6d. WmS&J* A"slna> a 5  ## p. 208 (#256) ############################################ 11 AD VER TISEMENTS. ^i)e goctefg of Jluf^ors (§ncotporafe5). Sib Edwin Arnold, K.C.I.E., C.S.I. Alfred Austin. J. M. Barrik A. W. a Beckett. F. E. Beddard, F.R S. Robert Batekan. Sib Henbt Bergne, K.C.M.G. Sir Walter Besant. augustine blrrell, m.p. Rev. Prof. Bonnet, F.B.S. Eight Hon. James Bryce, M.P. Right Hon. Lord Burghclere, P.C. Hall Cains. Egerton Castle, F.S.A. P. W. Clatden. Edward Clodd. W. Morris Colles. Hon. John Collier. Sir W. Martin Conwat. F. Marion Crawford. PRESIDENT. GEOBGE MEEEDITH COUNCIL. The Earl of Desart. Austin Dobson. a. conan dotle, m.d A. W. Dubourg. Pbof. Michael Foster, F.B.S. Richard Garnett, C.B., LL.D. Edmund Gosse. H. Rider Haggard. Thomas Hardy. Anthony Hope Hawkins. Jerome K. Jerome. Rudyard Kipling. Prof. E. Ray Lankesteb, F.R.S. W. E. H. Lecky. J. M. Lely. Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. Rev. W. J. Loftie, F.S.A. Sir A. C. Mackenzie, Mus.D. Prof. J. M. D. Meiklejohn. Herman C. Merivale. Rev. C. H. Middleton-Wake. Sir Lewis Morris. Henry Norman. Miss E. A. Ormerod. J. C. Parkinson. Right Hon. Lord Pirbright. Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart., LL.D. Walter Hebries Pollock. W. Baptists Scoones. Miss Flora L. Shaw. G. R. Sims. S. Squire Sprioge. J. J. Stevenson. Prof. Jab. Sully. William Moy Thomas. H. D. Traill, D.C.L. Mrs. Humphry Ward. Miss Charlotte M. Yonge. A.. W. X Beckett. Sib Walter Besant Egerton Castle. W. Morrib Colles. Hon. Counsel — E. M. Underdown, Q.C COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT. Chairman—H. Rider Haggard. Sir A. C. Mackenzie, Mus.D. Henry Norman. S. Squire Sprigge. Hon. John Collier. Sir W. Martin Conway. Anthony Hope Hawkins. J. M. Lely. -j . ., ( Messrs. Field, Roscoe, and Co., Lincoln's Inn Fields. i G. Herbert Thring, B.A., 4, Portngal-street, W.C. Secretary—G. Herbert Thrino, B.A. OFFICES: 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C. -A.. IP. WATT &c sonsr, LITERARY AGENTS,. Formerly of 2, PATERNOSTER SQUARE, Have now removed to HASTINGS HOUSE, NORFOLK STREET, STRAND, LONDON, W.C. WINDSOR HOUSE PRINTING WORKS, BREAM'S BTTILZDIILSra-S, E.G. Offices of "The Field," "The Queen," "The Law Times," &e. Mr. HORACE COX, Printer to the Authors' Society, takes the opportunity of informing Authors that, having a very large Office, and an extensive Plant of Type of every description, he is in a position to EXECUTE any PRINTING they may entrust to his care. ESTIMATES FORWARDED, AND REASONABLE CHARGES WILL BE FOUND.  ## p. 209 (#257) ############################################ XL he Hutbor* (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. VII.—No. 9.] FEBRUARY i, 1897. [Peice Sixpence. For the Opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. THE 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 Bent 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 Btamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. GENERAL MEMORANDA. IT^OK some years it has been the praotice to insert, in J every number of The Author, certain " General Con- siderations," Warnings, Notices, &c., for the guidance of the reader. It has been objected as regards these warnings that the tricks or frauds against which they are directed cannot all be guarded against, for obviouB reasons. It is, however, well that they should be borne in mind, and if any publisher refuses a clause of precaution he simply reveals his true character, and should be left to carry on his business in his own way. Let us, however, draw up a few of the rules to be observed in an agreement. There are three methods of dealing with literary property:— I. That of selling it outright. This is in some respects the most satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent. II. A profit-sharing agreement. In this case the following rules should be attended t (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which thn , » ' « duction forms a part. 0 Cost of pro- (2.) Not to give the publisher the power r.» profitu into his own pocket by charging for 'pitting ^e VOL. VII.' in his own organs: or by charging exchange advertise- ments. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for " office expenses," unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give np serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solioitor or doctor! (7.) To stamp the agreement. III. The royalty system. In this system, which has opened the door to a most amazing amount of overreaching and trading on the author's ignorance, it is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately and very nearly the truth. From time to time the very important figures connected with royalties are published in the Author. Readers can also work out the figures themselves from the "Cost of Production." Let no one, not even the youngeBt writer, sign a royalty agreement without finding out what it gives the publisher as well as himself. It has been objected that these precautions presuppose a great success for the book, and that very few books indeed attain to this great suooess. That is quite true: but there is always this uncertainty of literary property that, although the works of a great many authors carry with them no risk at all, and although of a great many it is known within a few copies what will be their minimum circulation, it is not known what will be their maximum. Therefore every author, for every book, should arrange on the chance of a success which will not, probably, come at all; but which may oome. The four points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are:— (t.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) That there shall be no secret profits. (4.) That nothing shall be charged which has not been actually paid—for instance, that there shall be no charge fo advertisements in the publisher's own organs and none tor exchanged advertisements; and that all discount*! sha be duly entered. If these points are carefully looked after, the author may rest Dretty we^ assured that he is in right hands. At the *.;mn he will do well to send his agreement to the secretary before he s.gnsxt.  ## p. 210 (#258) ############################################ 2io THE AUTHOR. HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. I. "T7WERY member has a right to ask for and to receive JQj advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the oondnct of hie bnsinesB 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. 2. Bemember 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 suoh 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 yonr agree- ments, and the resnlts 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 docnment to tho Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent nouses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Bemember 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 yon 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. 9. The committee have now arranged for the reception of members' agreements and their preservation in a fireproof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as con- fidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers:—(1) To read and advise upon agreements and publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. THE AUTHORS' SYNDICATE. MEMBERS are informed: 1. That tho Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the bnsiness of members of the Society. That it gnbmits MSS. to publishers and editors, concludes agree- ments, examines, passes, and collects accounts, and, gene- rally, relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. 2. That the terms upon which its services can be socured will be forwarded upon detailed application. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works only for those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiations 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 two days' notice should be given. 6. That overy attempt is made to deal with all communi- cations promptly. That stamps should, in all oases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence; does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice; and that in all cases MSS. must be accompanied by stamps to defray postage. 8. That 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" is open. Members are invited to communicate their requirements to the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any cose 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. THE Editor of The Author 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 Author 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? Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21 st 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 following warning. 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  ## p. 211 (#259) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 2 I I 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? 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 J69 4«. 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 oourse, we have not included any Bums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too 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. LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—Editor and Author. I^HE Committee of the Society of Authors have taken the opinion of counsel on the following point. A member of the Society sent a MS. to the editor of a magazine. The MS. was not returned, and on application to the editor by the Secretary of the Society the editor refused to hold himself in any way responsible for the return of MSS., trusting to a notice inserted amongst the advertisements in his magazine, which ran as follows: Unsolicited contributions are not returned nnder any circumstances. In case of acceptance, notification is made within a month from the receipt of the MS. The editor further objected to the intervention of ihe Secretary, who is also Solicitor for members in tluse cases, and as such intervenes as a right. The former point is naturally one of great im- portance to everybody concerned, and counsel's opinion was asked on the matter. In the case for counsel his attention was called especially to the case of magazines as differing from the daily papers. The three questions put were as follows: 1. Whether the editor is responsible when an author has not become cognizant of any notice disclaiming responsibility. If yes, to what extent responsible. 2. Whether an editor would be taken to t>e responsible with reference to + L' xj cular case, as the notice is not • ^ ■ a prominent place in the iuq,^, tinted 111 posing that the author has n^^iiie, sUP" Seen sue11 notice, and that editors under ordinary circumstances are responsible. 3. If the editor who inserts a notice is not responsible unless the notice come to the cognizance of an author, on whom does the burden of proof lie'? Below is counsel's opinion. "Editor and Author. "i.I am of opinion that if a manuscript be sent to the editor of a magazine without any previous request or agreement, the editor is not responsible for its loss while in his possession unless the loss be due to some gross negligence on his part. So long, however, as the manuscript remains in his possession the editor is bound to return it on demand, and the publication in his magazine of a notice that he will not return manuscripts does not, in my opinion, alter his liability in this respecs towards an author who was not cognizant of such notice when he sent in the manuscript. "The editor's responsibility for the manuscript while in his possession is, in my opinion, that of a gratuitous or voluntary bailee, who is answerable for loss through his gross negligence, but not for any ordinary neglect. (See 1 Smith's Leading Cases, 10th edition, pp. 189, et seq.) If the manuscript has been lost, the onus lies upon the author to shew that the loss was caused by the editor's gross negligence, for which alone the editor is answerable. (See Story on Bailments, 9th edit. s. 410, and the cases referred to in the notes there.) "If the manuscript was in the editor's possession when its return was demanded, the editor is liable, in my opinion, to an action of detenue if he refuse to return it. Evidence that the editor received the manuscript would raise a presumption that it was still in his possession when the demand was made. But the editor could rebut that p»esumption by proving that the manu- script was lost prior to the demand. The editor would not escape liability by proving that he had improperly destroyed or wrongfully parted with the manuscript (see Jones v. Dowle, 9 M. & W. 19) or had lost it through his gross negligence (see Eeeve v. Palmer, 5 C.B..N.S. 84). But it would be a good defence for the editor to show that before its return was demanded the manuscript was lost without default on his part (see 5 C.B., N.S. pp. 85-89), or in some manner which could not be ascertained. In the latter cases the editor would not be liable unless the author could adduce affirmative evidence cf gross negligence (see Powell v. Graves, 2 Times L.B. 663; Howard v. Hams, C. & E. 253). "2 I ain °^ °I^n'on *na* m the particular case referred to the author sent his manuscript to tl &toT *Q ^>coraD-ce of the existence of any  ## p. 212 (#260) ############################################ 212 THE AUTHOR. such notice as that -which is in the magazine, then the editor could not successfully rely upon the notice as a defence to any action brought against him. In this case the notice would in my opinion be immaterial, but, of course, the editor might have a complete defence on other grounds, such as those I have already referred to in my answer to the first question. Ef the author saw or knew of the notice before he sent his manuscript, I think he would be held to have sent it on the terms of such notice: (see Parker v. South-Eastern Rail- way Company, 2 C. P. D. 416; Richards v. Rowntree (1894), A. C. 217). The exact part of the magazine in which the notice is inserted is im- material, except in so far as it renders it more or less likely that the author in fact saw or did not see the notice, assuming that he ever saw the magazine. I would point out that there is a reference to the notice on page 27 of the magazine. "3.I am of opinion that the burden of proving that the author was cognizant of the notice would lie upon the editor. "T. Willes Chitty." From the Committee. 6. Herbert Thring. II.—Cost or Production. We are so well accustomed to assurances that it is impossible to get work done at the cost indi- cated by the Society's book, that it is hardly worth while repeating that those figures were arrived at by estimates sent in from different printers. In any case they were only offered as approximate, because a printer's bill is a very elastic document indeed. Here, however, we submit a case which illustrates the amount of belief which is to be placed in those who, con- tinually asking and receiving estimates, declare that our figures are impossibly low. Estimates were asked from three printers of the cost of composition, printing, and binding for a certain MS. The paper was supplied separately. The book was one of 440 pages, each page con- taining twenty-eight lines, and the type was small pica. The binding was to be quite simple, but what is called "handsome." Let us take first the figures given in the "Cost of Production." Very nearly the exact size of page and the type are given on pp. 18 and 19. Our page is slightly larger. 1. Composition at £1 7*. 6d. a sheet of sixteen pages. 2. Printing 1000 copies at 10s. 6d. a sheet; or, 2000 copies (see p. 57) at 16*. a sheet. 3. Paper at 16s. a sheet. 4. Binding at 27*. per 100 volumes, or ^\d. a volume. (But for the last two years an announce- ment has been made regularly in The Author to the effect that binding has gone up 15 per cent. This brings the binding very nearly to 3frf. But this was an estimate for a three-volume novel. The volumes in this form are small. On p. 27 the binding of a single volume is put down at 4<f.) Now for the estimates. I. A town firm, one of the very best printers in London: 1. Composing per sheet of thirty-two pages at £2 lis. per sheet, i.e., £1 5s. bd. the sheet of sixteen pages. 2. Printing 1000 copies at 8.?. Sd. a sheet. 3. Binding 1000 copies, ,£16 u»., i.e., very nearly 3-j"//. a copy. 4. Printing 2000 copies at 14*. 2d. a sheet. 5. Paper at 10s. a sheet. II. —A country firm :— 1. Composing £1 js. a sheet. 2. Printing 1000 at 9s. a sheet. 3. Printing 2000 at 14s. a sheet. III. Another London firm: 1. Composing and printing 1000 copies at £2 3«. 3|</. a sheet. 2. Composing and printing 2000 copies at £2 Ss. Sd. a sheet. 3. Paper at 12*. a sheet. Compare these estimates with our own figures:— Society. 1st Printer. 2nd Pi inter. Composition per theet 1 Printing 1000 per sheet o Paper per sheet o Binding per vol o Printing 2000 copies per sheet) (" Cost of Production," p. 28) j 0 S. d. £ s. 7» 1 5 10 6 o 8 16 o o 10 04 o o 16 2 o 14 d. 6 8 o 3 1 a 2 3rd Printer. £ s. £ s. d. £ s. d. 1 70 2 3 3^ (for o 9 o composing and printing) o 12 o 0140 ( composing and print ing, I 288a sheet.  ## p. 213 (#261) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 213 The figures are actually lower than our ■own all along the line. The estimates are in Mr. Thring's hands. They can be seen by members. It cannot be denied that if instead of one book the printers were asked for an estimate of five-and-twenty books, all these figures would be greatly reduced. III.—Notes on Aoeeements. I. LITERARY. The following agreement has been handed to the secretary of the Society. It has been signed by an author, and, like all the agreements printed in The Author, can be verified by any member of the Society who cares to inquire at the office for full particulars. The outlines of this agreement have been printed in The Author two or three times previously, as the publisher issues the same printed form on nearly every occasion. On this particular occasion the figures of the agreement are perhaps rather more in favour of the publisher than usual, owing to the author's ignorance and to the fact that he obtained no advice before signing the document. It will be seen on perusal that the publisher is to publish " an edition" of a certain work, and to sell it at the published or advertised price of 10.9. 6d. per copy; this edition is to be the pro- perty of the said publisher. There is no state- ment as to how large the edition is to be, so that if the book should prove a success the publisher might, if he chose—there is nothing to pre- vent him—claim the first edition to be one of 3000 or perhaps 5000 copies. Nest, the author is to guarantee at the end of nine months the sale of 450 copies at the price of six shillings, or ,£135. This amount will almost certainly cover all the cost of production, if only a small edition is produced in the first instance, and will also put a certain sum into the publisher's pocket. Keinark, therefore, that it is not to the interest •of the publisher to push the book until the expira- tion of the nine months, because he will then demand the author's money according to the agreement, and afterwards he will put in his own pocket the proceeds of every book sold. If the book is not a success, the publisher is well paid, and the author, inasmuch as he has to purchase three or four hundred copies of his own book, has to take upon himself really the publisher's duty ■of putting these copies upon the market in order to endeavour to recoup his outlay. For writing the book therefore; for paying for the cost of production; and for undertaking to a 1 large extent the publisher's duty, the author obtains nothing whatever; and, further, has very little probability of ever obtaining anything, if, as has been pointed out, there should be practically no limit to the first edition. Memorandum of Agreement made this day of between (publisher) of the one part, and (author) of the other part. The said publisher hereby agrees to produce in tasteful form, and publish in the usual manner at his own expense, an edition of a volume written by the said author and entitled" ," the said volume to consist of 504 pages, crown octavo size, and to be published at ten shillings and sixpence per copy. The said author hereby agrees to be responsible for the Bale of 450 copies of the said volume, and undertakes, at the expiration of nine months from the date of publication, to purchase at the rate of six shillings per copy whatever number of copies, if any, be necessary to make the sales up to the said number of 450 oopios. This edition to be the property of the said publisher, and all proofs of the same to be corrected and returned promptly to the printer by the said author. It is understood that the copyright of the said volume is, and remains, the property of the author. As witness, &c. II. MUSICAL. The following agreement was handed to a composer by one of the best-known musical publishing houses. It was a printed form, and there appears to be no doubt, as one or two other copies of this agreement have been sent to the office, that it is the usual form handed by this firm to composers. It is in the form of a letter to be signed by the composer and to be handed to the publisher, and, like all musical publishers' agreements, which are at present considerably worse for the composer than the literary pub- lishers' for the author, it asks for everything that the composer possibly has to give, and offers the smallest of small royalties in return; the royalty not to increase with the sales if the piece is a success, as very often happens, and only to be paid after the sale of a certain number of copies, the price of which would be almost, if not more than, sufficient to cover the cost of production. On it being pointed out to the publisher that the composer would also like to have a signed copy, it was stated that it was not the custom of the publishing house, and the com- poser finally had to give up this point if he desired to see his music published. By this step, of course, the publisher obtains the whole copy- right, but does not bind himself in any way even to produce the work if he does not feel so inclined. The composer, therefore, has only to rely upon the good faith of the publisher. In this particular case there seems to have been no reason to doubt that good faith, but it is not the proper wav *° conduct a business transaction, and the sooner that musical publishers are brought to s tb>t it is necessary to have a formal contract  ## p. 214 (#262) ############################################ 214 THE AUTHOR. between themselves and the composers on reason- able terms the better. London, To Messrs. I hereby assign to you the whole of my oopyright (includ- ing the right of pnblio performance), for Great Britain and Ireland and the Colonies, in my , entitled "in consideration of your paying me a royalty of pence per copy on all copieB sold of the «ame: thirteen copies to be considered as twelve, and the firBt 2O0 copies not to be subject to royalty. London, To Messrs. I hereby assign to you the whole of my copyright and right of performance for the United States of America, in my , entitled" "in consideration of your paying me a royalty of per cent, on the marked prico of all copies Bold of the same in the said country, or imported from the United States into Canada. The first 200 copies not to be aubject to royalty. IV.—Publishing on Commission. There has been received a circular from a firm hitherto unknown offering terms for publishing on commission. The terms are these: 1. The author to pay the estimated cost before the work goes to press. 2. The publishers allow vouchers and keep open books. 3. They advertise their books in a monthly catalogue which circulates 80,000 a year, or 6666 6 every month. (The repeating decimal is probably a special feature in the circu- lation.) 4. The publishers reserve the right of taking the " usual discount on printing, &c." 5. They acoonnt for all sales at 25 as 24, or at 13 as 12, with S percent off. 6. Copies Bent out of London must have the porterage charged to the author. 7. The publishers take a 10 per cent, commission. Now let us consider. The author pays before- hand, say, £120 to cover all expenses, including advertising. It is assumed that the publishers' statement of the estimate is honest. In fact, this examination of the circular is not an attack upon the bona Jides of the publishers at all. The book perhaps sells 750 copies. About half the number sold are taken by 12 as 12. It will be found that the publishers therefore, by putting down all at 13 as 12, put into their pockets, on a sale of 750 copies, a sum of a little over £3 to which they are not entitled. The 5 per cent, discount on the sale of 750 copies, taking an average of 3«. 6d. a volume, amounts to j£6 i is. 3d., for which no right or reason exists. The publishers need not pay their printers for six months. They have therefore the use of the author's money for that time. And if they are dishonest they may charge the full amount, con- cealing the discount. The charge of 10 per cent, on the sales means ,£13 zs. 6d. Now let us see how the author's account will stand. £ s. d. £ s. d. Payment 120 o o 10 percent commission ... 13 2 6 5 per cent discount on cost of production 3 o o 5 per cent 011 sales 6 11 3 Alleged 13 as 12 3 o o 145 13 9 By sales: 750 copies at 3s. 6d 131 5 o Loss 14 8 9 H5 13 9 The author, then, on a moderate sale of 750 copies, loses .£14 8s. yd. The publishers on the other hand have some- thing pleasant out of the transaction, viz,: £ s. d. Commission 13 2 6 Discount on printing, &c 3 o o 5 per cent on sales 6 11 3 Use of author's money for an average of 9 months at 5 per cent 4 10 o Alleged 13 as 12 3 o o <£3o 3 9 Not a great sum, but these are not great people. Besides, 30 such books in the year would make quite a pretty lit;le income. V. — Publications of the International Bureau. The Berne International Bureau for the Pro- tection of Literary and Artistic Property has re- quested us to mention that—■ The International Bureau for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Property replies to requests for information sent to it by its official organ Lc Droit d'Auteur, if the question is one of general interest; by letter, under cover, when the question is of a private nature. The following documents can be procured from the International Bureau. All questions respecting the protection of literary and artistic property are, at the present date, much more generally studied than they have been for the last ten years. Of this fact, which is well known, we have a proof in the great number of requests addressed to us for informa- tion as to where it is possible to obtain the official documents relating to the history of the founda- tion of the Literary and Artistic Union. We believe that we shall be doing a service to all that are interested in these questions, as well as to those journals whose readers are concerned  ## p. 215 (#263) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 2'5 about them, by publishing here a list of the docu- ments for sale at our Bureau. These are the following: 1. The "Actes" of the three international diplomatic Conferences held at Berne in the years 1884, 1885, and 1886, to fix the terms of the Berne Union. Three numbers, large paper, stitched, in wrapper. 1884, eighty-nine pages; 1SS5, eighty-one pages; 1886, forty-four pages. 2. Copies of the "Convention d'Union," Sept. 9, 1886; official edition in two languages, German and French. 3. Complete file of Le Droit d'Auteur, each year stitched in wrapper. 4. Conspectus of the wishes expressed by the various Congresses and Assemblies since the foun- dation of the Union, stitched in wrapper. 1896, twenty-three pages. 5. Studies on divers questions connected with the revision of the Berne Convention. Special edition of the principal articles which have appeared on this subject in Le Droit d'Auteur, 1896, seventy pages. In addition the Bureau will send gratis to any- one asking for them the following Studies, which have been separately printed:— 1. The relations existing between the Berne Convention and the Swiss law respecting literary and artistic property on the one hand, and the treaties concluded on the other hand by Switzer- land. A Conference by Professor A. d'Orelli, eight pages. 2. The codification of the laws respecting the protection of author's rights in Great Britain. Twenty-five pages. 3. The fundamental principle of the Berne Convention. Four pages. Hie official documents relative to the recent Paris Diplomatic Conference will not be placed at the disposition of the public until after the ratification of the Acts adopted at Paris, which will take place in the spring of next year. We may add that the Bureau of the Union for the Protection of Industrial Property, a bureau which is under the same management as our own, sells the Acts of the Paris Conference, 1880, 1883; Rome, 1886; and Madrid. 1890, at which the Convention of March 20. 1883 was either drawn up or revised; the file of Propriety Indns- tricllc, 1885-1896; and the first volume of the •' Reeueil " of laws and treaties respecting indus- trial property, which has just appeared. VOL. VII. THE BATTLE CF BOOKS IN THE EAELY FIFTIES. TINHERE W'IS a bookselling question fifty I years ago a good deal keener than that of to-day, yet bearing some points of resem- blance to it. An article appeared in the West- minster Review of April 1852, entitled "The Commerce of Literature." The writer, it trans- pired shortly afterwards, was Mr. John Chapman, a young and enterprising publisher and book- seller in the Strand, who was also proprietor and editor of the Westminster Review. The tax upon paper and upon advertisements; the duty on foreign books; our anomalous literary relations with America; and the conditions of book dis- tribution, were all questions which Mr. Chapman passed under lengthy and minute review. Mischievous Profits to Booksellers. The bookseller supplied his customer without commission, and depended for his profit on a discount to be obtained from the publisher. This system was the parent of innumerable con- flicts and trouble. "The nominal discount allowed to the trade," wrote Mr. Chapman, " i.e., by the publisher to the bookseller, is 25 per cent.; more- over, twenty-five copies are charged as twenty- four, and in cases of low-priced books thirteen as twelve, or seven as six and a half." The great publishers also held annual or semi-annual sales —attended by the " select booksellers of London and Westminster "—with the accompaniments of dinners and wine. Provincial booksellers were rigorously excluded; and on these occasions the remainders, or unsold copies of publications which had ceased "to sell" at their original prices, were offered on reduced terms, or sold by auction, while new works, often even before they had been issued, were offered at 10 and 15 per cent, below" the trade price, with the advantage of long credit. These enormous profits—varying from 2: to 40 per cent., besides the twenty-fifth or thirteenth book — tempted enterprising men to offer a portion of this discount to private purchasers in order to increase their connections and the amount of their returns. But to do this was to fly in the face of A Formidable Pha.la.nx op Monopolists. Indolent tradesmen, publishers who wished to add to their vocation that of retail booksellers, and, lastly, the book merchants of Paternoster- row, all had inducements to extinguish competi- tion. These last-named, whose chief source of strength lay in the fact that the partners of the greatest publishing houses in London were also extensive book merchants and retail vendors, B B  ## p. 216 (#264) ############################################ 2 1 6 THE AUTHOR. supplied the literary institutions and libraries— hence the loss of this branch of trade would be more serious to them than to the small book- sellers, who di 1 not purchase on such advan- tageous terms, but whose competition might prove nevertheless injurious. At this point we must turn back to 1774, in order to get the incep- tion of the idea of cheap books and free trade in selling, and by consequence, the beginning of an opposing association to keep up prices. In that year James Lackington began business humbly, with only five pounds, but in a few years his annual sale grew to 100,000 volumes, and he was invited to attend the trade sales. "When first invited to these trade sales," he says in his "Memoirs," "I was very much sur- prised to learn that it was common for such as purchased 'remainders,' to destroy one- half or three-fourths of such books, and to charge the full publication price, or nearly that, for such as they kept on hand; and there was a kind of standing order amongst the trade, that in case anyone was known to sell articles under the publication price, such person was to be excluded from trade sales; so blind were copyright holders to their own interest." Lackington reflected that if some of the books were not worth six shillings, they were worth three or two; and he resolved not to destroy any books that were worth saving, but to sell them off at half or quarter of the publication prices. In spite of strenuous opposition in the trade, his husiness prospered enormously; and the Booksellers' Asso- ciation sprang into being in 1806 to prevent the spread of the practice he had initiated. The operations of this body of monopolists, which saw many ups and downs, had a certain rude thoroughness. About 1830, for instance, they hired spies to discover by what means booksellers on the "black list" succeeded in purchasing through indirect channels those books which were denied to them directly by the publishers. The spies followed such booksellers as pertinaciously as their own shadows. In Aug. 1831 a party of the defaulters" sallied forth, and Mr. Bounds (the secretary of the combination) and his accomplices were immediately on their track. "Cabs were taken to the river, where they embarked, the spies with them, and were carried as far as Calais, where for some days the four travellers took up their quarters at the Hotel de 1'Europe. They then adjourned to the Hotel d'Orleans at Boulogne, where they rested three days, and then took flight again for Dover. Here the booksellers separated in order to perplex their pursuers, one of whom lost his cue by intoxication, while the other on reaching Hythe gave up the chase and returned to London to report his proceedings to the committee, which, it is said, having on this occasion expended <£8o only to be defeated, reluctantly determined to discontinue the costly system." The Laws: Inconsistency and Casuistry. Nearly the whole trade, however, comprising about 2400 persons, signed an agreement to observe the arbitrary laws of the combination, and though a powerful blow was dealt it in Professor Babbage's work "On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures," it rallied, and in 1849 a warning was issued—signed by Longman, Brown, and Co.; Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.; Whitaker and Co.; and Hamilton, Adams, and Co.—to such booksellers as bad been acting con- trary to the regulations for the guidance of the trade, agreed to at the Albion Tavern, Oct. 3, 1848. This had not much effect, however, and at a general meeting in Exeter Hall, on July 12, 1850, the following declaration was drawn up to be signed by every bookseller residing within twelve miles of the General Post Office, before he could be allowed to trade with the subscribers. It was signed by 1200 booksellers: 1 at. That we will not supply books at trade price, except to those who are in possession of a ticket. Special trades dealing occasionally in books connected with their trade, may be supplied with such books at trade price, at the discretion of each bookseller. 2nd. That, as a general rule, no greater allowance than 10 per cent, for cash be made to private customers uncon- nected with the trade or with publishing. 3rd. That, as a general rule, no greater allowance than 15 per cent, be made to book societies. 4th. That we will not advertise, or ticket, at less than the publication price copyright books, unless bond fide second- hand or unless depreciated by the publisher, or such as are notoriously unsuccessful. We mutually agree that any one systematically acting contrary to these regulations, after remonstrance, shall be no longer considered entitled to the privileges of the trade. But the law-makers failed to keep their own Jaws. The chairman himself (Mr. J. M. Richard- son at that time) admitted that he supplied books to the Society for Promoting Christian Know- ledge, and that the latter re-sold them to its members at cost price. Another prominent member supplied books to one of the colleges at 25 per cent discount. A third supplied the books to form the Bank of England library at a similar discount; and so on. Several Glasgow booksellers would on no account be guilty of selling a hook under its published price, but to be equal with their neighbours who had no such scruples, they fell upon the following expedient:—" If a person asked one of them for a book, published at 2s. 6d. for example, it was offered to him at that price, but if he objected that he could get it at 28. else- where, the vendor at once overcame the difficulty by cutting open a few leaves of the volume, or if  ## p. 217 (#265) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 217 it chanced to be cut when published, by allowing a drop of ink to deface it—the conscientious bibliopole being able to regard it in that condi- tion as 'second-hand,' and therefore holding himself entitled, according to orthodox principles, to sell it at a reduced price!" The Effect upon the Author. Mr. Chapman's contention on the ground of the public interest, was that booksellers were willing to accept less profit than was allowed by the regulations, and therefore to sell books at a cheaper rate. How vitally the author was affected by the system of distribution that pre- vailed, may be seen readily from the single case of Mr. Babbage's book, one of those upon which the writer based his article. The retail price, 68., on 3052 copies, produced =£915 121. Of this sum ,£266 os. 1 id. was paid for printing, paper, and taxes on paper and advertisements; £61 os. lod. was the publisher's commission; and the author received £283 6s. lid., thus leaving the enormous sum of .£305 3*. 4c?. to be divided among the wholesale and retail booksellers. The booksellers therefore received £21 16s. 5f/. more for distributing it than the author received for writing it! The Times on the Controversy. The facts of the dispute were placed before the readers of the Times, which immediately followed up Mr. Chapman's article. The great journal could not discover any valid reason for "this anomalous interference with the free course of competition and the natural operation of trade," and did not hesitate to call the methods of the publishers "an organised system of coercion." It had been argued in justification of the existing practice that it commanded the assent of the vast majority of the trade, but the Times dismissed this argument as invalid, because in the face of such absolute powers as the Book- sellers' Association possessed over its members it was plain that the number of those venturing to dissent would be exceedingly few. A great many letters poured into the Times within the next few weeks. Messrs. Longman, Brown, and Co. and Mr. John Murray wrote jointly, saying that the Association was not a publishers' association, and that as publishers they were no further interested in it than so far as it had been supposed to pro- mote the solvency of the trade and the prosperity of literary speculations. Mr. Richard Bentley took quite the contrary view, remarking that a glance at the list of the members of the committee of the Association would show that, with nrobably two exceptions only, it consisted of ]>ub]jshers aU<* the wholesale book merchants of Put,,* , ^ row, vol. vii. trnost«r-r "who are interested in the maintenance of monopoly." Fifteen per cent, quite Sufficient. Mr. Murray stoutly maintained that 25 per cent, was not too much to allow the book- seller. Nevertheless Messrs. Bickers and Bush, Leicester-square, one of the most constant oppo- nents of the Booksellers' Association, promptly proved that as a matter of fact they were con- ducting their business satisfactorily on 15 per cent, discount. Mr. Sydney Williams, Henrietta- street, was one of a number who gave similar testimony. And two months later, after the Times had in one of its articles estimated the discount at 33 per cent., "Parvus Julius," writing from Lincoln's-inn, said that even this was "con- siderably understating" it. He added: Retailers always get twenty-five copies of the larger works at the price of twenty-four copies. Of pamphlets they get thirteen to the dozen. Thns, for 100 books sold over the counter at 10*. each the retailer has only paid 96 times 7«. 6d.; his outlay is JE36, and his return .£50. A profit of ill4 on ^36 is equal exactly to 385 per cent. Energetic Steps taken by Authors. On May 4,1852, a meeting, numerously attended by authors (and a few booksellers who had smuggled themselves in as spies), was held at Mr. Chapman's, 142, Strand. Mr. Charles Dickens took the chair. Amongst the men distin- guished in literature and science who were present were Professors Owen, Newman, and Ansted, Mr. Babbage, Mr. Tom Taylor, Dr. Lankester, Dr. Arnott, and Mr. Crabbe Robinson; and letters concurring in the views of the meeting were read from Mr. Carlyle, Mr. John Stuart Mill, Mr. Gladstone, M.P., Professor de Morgan, Mr. James Wilson, M.P., Mr. Cobdeu, M.P., and others. From this meeting there arose the definite steps taken which ended in abolition of the trade restrictions. Five resolutions were adopted, declaring that free trade ought to be applied to books as to all other articles of com- merce; that the principles of the Booksellers' Association were not only opposed to Free Trade, but were tyrannical and vexatious in their opera- tions, and had the effect of keeping the prices of books much higher than they would otherwise be; and that the retailer, not the publisher, should determine the retail prices. Mr. Gladstone on the Trade. Mr. Gladstone had already denounced the Booksellers' Association as unjust in principle and injurious in practice, and he wrote Mr. Bentley that only feelings of personal regard had restrained him from taking more public steps in the matter. He furnished a practical eomni'Mvt on his own words by supplying certain mn-c m- 11 h i  ## p. 218 (#266) ############################################ 2l8 THE AUTHOR. firming booksellers with his pamphlets on Italy, which his publisher—being a member of the combination—could not sell to those persons. But at length Mr. Gladstone took "more public steps." In his speech in the House of Commons on May 12, 1S52, during the debate on the Paper Duty, he said he did not believe there was any article for which the public were called on to pay a price so high, in comparison with the actual cost of production, as books. The system of the bookselling trade was a disgrace to their state of civilisation. With the exception of the works of certain distinguished authors—with the excep- tion of such cases as Macaulay's "History of England"—new publications in an enormous majority of cases scarcely ever passed the sale of 500 copies. An immense proportion of those that were published did not pay their expenses at all; and he believed the number that passed the sale of 500 copies was certainly not more than some- thing like 5 per cent., or, at any rate, not more than from one-twentieth to one-tenth of the whole number produced. The Government could do a great deal for the removal of the evils; not so individuals. "If a particular person who has a work to publish says, 'I will fix the price of this work at one-half the ordinary charge,' he merely makes a victim of himself without in the slightest degree affecting the state of the market, or without acting sensibly on the demand fur his own book. The book societies and circulating libraries are not sensibly affected by the price of the book being more or less; and consequently the natural healthy play which ought to regulate the price which the books ought to fetch and the price of books in general— the operation of those principles is totally inter- cepted by this system, which has been so long in action." A Symposium of Authors. A circular inviting the opinion of authors was issued on April 30, 1852, by Messrs. John W. Parker and Son, and about a hundred replies, embracing the views of every branch of intellec- tual production, were received and afterwards published. This was the question that was put to them: If a retail bookseller, of ascertained credit and respect- ability, applies to your publisher for copies of any book in which yon are directly or indirectly interested, which he is ready to purchase on the terms at whioh the publisher has offered them to the trade at large, but with the avowed intention of retailing his purchases at a smaller profit than that provided for between the wholesale rate and the retail price fixed for single copies, do you consider the intention to sell at a low rate of profit a good and sufficient reason why the publisher should refuse to supply him with books which he is ready to purchase and to keep in stock at his own risk r The authors almost unanimously replied, " No."" There were only three exceptions, and these were not very pronounced in any direction. The following are a selection of replies: J. S. Mill.—I think that there is no case in which a combination to keep up prices is more injurious than in the sale of books; and I wish success to the [" rebel "] booksellers in their resist- ance to the trade regulations which restrict their liberty of selling books at a low price. Alfred Tennyson.—I am for free-trade in the bookselling question, as in other things. Charles Dickens.—No; most certainly not. Thomas Carlyle.—My answer to this "ques- tion," for my own interests, and for those of the world, so far as I can see them, is decidedly " No,, it is not a sufficient reason "; and, indeed, I can see no issue, of any permanency, to this contro- versy that has now arisen, but absolute free-trade in all branches of book-selling and book-pub- lishing. Goldwin Smith.—The intention to sell at a low- rate of profit does not appear to me a good and sufficient reason why a publisher should refuse to sell a book to a respectable retail dealer. Herbert Spencer (after answering "No," added) :—On the contrary, believing, as he does, that every reduction in the cost of distributing books must inevitably extend their sale, and by so doing increase authors' profits, Mr. Spencer is of opinion that a publisher will best serve authors by giving the underselling retailer every facility. Charles Darwin.—As an author of some scientific works, I beg to express strongly my opinion thai, both for the advantage of authors and the public, booksellers, like other dealers, ought to settle, each for himself, the retail price. Charles Kingsley (having answered " No," added).—The gain deducted from the profits of booksellers by the cheap plan will go—First, to the consumer: and I suppose there can be no doubt that if a book be good and right it is good and right that it be sold as cheap as possible. Next, to the producers—under which term I include, not only authors, but publishers. Professor Newman.—It appears to me trans- parently equitable that a publisher who at all sells books to a second party should allow that party to be the sole judge at what prices the books shall be again sold; and that every attempt to control one another's sales is inconsistent with the nature of property, confounds men's notions of right and wiong, and can lead to nothing but waste of valuable goods, capital, and time, of so serious a nature that evasions and duplicity will be widely used as a partial remedy for so great an evil.  ## p. 219 (#267) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Dr. Lindley.— I am of opinio;! that, the retailers of books should bo free to fix for them- selves the profit they require, and that it is unwise and unjust that publishers should inter- fere in the matter. I believe that it is impossible to name any considerable branch of trade, except bookselling, in which that interferenci is even attempted. Professor Craik.—In so far as the point involved in your "question" rests upon purely economical or commercial grounds, it plainly will not bear arguing. The only thing that a person interested in the sale of any kind of production or commodity can desire or care for, with a view to its pecuniary returns, is that the sale, at a given price, should be as extensive as possible. So long, therefore, as the retail dealer giv ;s me or my publisher our own price for the books which he purchases, we have nothing more to ask. His rate of profit, let it be as low, or, if you will, as inadequate as it may, does not affect ours. Professor Ansted, F.R.S.—I say most dis- tinctly and emphatically No. I cannot distin- guish any difference between the tradi in books and other articles; nor do I see what possible advantage can be gained to authors or the public, nor inde :d to the bookselling trade itself in any branch, by putting restrictions on the mode which any retailer may think the best of dealing with purchases he may have made in the fair way of business. Charles Babbage, F.R.S.—I consider the purchaser of any of my works is fully entitled to sell them at any price he may find most con- venient. The Dean of Hereford (Very Rev. Richard Dawes).—I think every retail bookseller ought to be allowed to sell at any rate of profit he may think proper. Lieut.-Gen. Sir Charles Napier, G.C.B.— No! Dr. L. Schmitz.—No, I do not; I believe that such a retail dealer will increase the sale of the work, and thereby benefit both author and publisher. Dr. Forbes Winslow.—I think the attempt to make the retail bookseller sell at a price previously agreed upon by the large trader is an unjust and tyrannical proceeding, and must, if acted upon, very materially limit the circulation of books, and consequently injure a'l classes of the community. G. Cornewall Lewis, M.P.—It appears to me not desirable that the publishing booksellers should attempt to enforce upon retailers the exaction from their customers of f]j) £UH retail price originally appointed by tbeij^ C! e8f if the retailers ai-e willing- t) sell to the public at a less price. Leigh Hunt (after apologising for delay).— But I was anxious to make myself better acquainted than I was with the details of the "Question," in order that I might add the remarks desired of me, and so give all the strength I could to my approval of that spirit of free trade and cheapness in literature, in which I hid already expressed my hearty concurrence to Mr. Chapman. Archdeacon Hone. — I think that the removal of thi restriction imposed on the book trade by a combination of publishers and retailers would issue in the increased sale of books. The Commission of Inquiry. The resolutions adopted by the afore-mentioned meeting of authors, as well as the re [dies to Messrs. Parkers' question, were placed before a Commission of three gentlemen, to which at length the publishers agreed to submit the issue. This consisted of Lord Campbell, the Dean of St. Paul's (Dr. Miliuau), and Mr. George Grote. Both sides were to state their cases, but a hitch occurred to the original meeting, as only the representatives of the Association appeared. The " undersellers " wrote that they had not had sufficient notice. On May 17, however, both parties came before the Commission at Stratheden House. The following geutlemen were present: "Uxdei!sellers." — Messrs. Bush, Bickers, W. Teg?, and Jjhn Chapman, of London; Mr. Perrin, of the firm of Horge and Perrin, of Manchester; and Mr. Griflin, of Glasgow. Booksellers' Association.—Mr. W. Longman (the Chairman), Mr. Murray, Mr. J. H. Parker (.Ox'ord), Mr. Pickering, Mr. Beilby (Birmingham). Mr. Douglas (Edin- burgh), Mr. Taylor (of Mr. Hatehard's), Mr. R. B. Seeley, Mr. J. J. Miles, Mr. Rivington, Mr. Bohn, and Mr. S. Low (Secretary to the London Association). Mr. Longman, in his speech defending the Association, said its object was to destroy com- petition in the retailing of books, and insinuated its disinterestedness by remarking that those who would most benefit by competition would be the aforesaid "book-merchants," who had big capital and every facility for doing business on a large scale. He was convinced that Lackington's system of underselling was totally different from that of the present day; it was extensively prac- tised in Lackington's time, and met with the approbation of the publishers. Mr. Lackington bought " remainders,"—the copies of unsuccessful books which remained on the publishers' hands— and sold them at a reduced pricii If the Book- sellers' Association ceased to exist, Mr. Longman feared thit not a little confusion and ruin would ensue; but he l.elieved it would be u:ces?ary for  ## p. 220 (#268) ############################################ 220 THE AUTHOR. a time to let events take their natural course. The retail booksellers, unless they speculated, only received 25 per cent. A reduction of the allowance had been recommended, and that appeared to him the best suggestion that had teen made, but it would be attended with very technical difficulties. The Association Condemned. The result of the inquiry was a complete victory for the " free traders." The Commission decided that the regulations were unreasonable and inex- pedient, and contrary to the freedom which ought to prevail in commercial transactions. The consideration that weighed most with the Commission was the peculiar mode in which in the book trade the wares to be disposed of were distributed. They recognised that there was a great advantage to literature in having respectable booksellers' shops in London, Edin- burgh, and Dublin, and all work was thereby made known more efficiently than by advertising. "But," continued the report, " the existence of a larger number of retail establishments than is necessary to supply the commodity to the public has an evident tendency to raise the price to the consumer; and, according to all experience, the demand will increase as the price is diminished (though not perhaps to the extent contemplated by some of the more ardent opponents of the 'regulations')." In accordance with this decision, the Book- sellers' Association was dissolved—for this was the understanding with which its representatives approached the Commission (although the" under- sellers," on the other hand, had distinctly refused to alter their system of business even should the decision of the Commission go against them, while the authors also had taken up the position . that a compromise was impossible). The dissolu- tion took place after a stormy debate on May 28, 1852. On June 19, the Scottish Booksellers' Protective Association followed suit—surlily. Clearing the Air. Immediately afterwards there appeared in Frasers Magazine a remarkably able review of the whole dispute, under the title "The Makers, Sellers, and Buyers of Books." This writer also demonstrated, by facts and figures, that the Association's system was for the benefit not of the retail bookseller, but of the wholesale purchaser. He agreed, too, with Lord Campbell that "the bookselling trade will have the best chance of flourishing without any special regula- tions of any sort." Only after the decision of Lord Campbell and his colleagues did the Athenmim give its opinion, which had been kept in type, but of which it had withheld publication on hearing that the question was to be considered by a conference arranged by the parties themselves. The Athenwum came to the same conclusion as the Commission. Merely to reduce the dis- count, it wrote, would be a waiver of the whole question. "The sole, simple, and safe principle seems to be, in this as in all other cases, leave the buyer and the seller to arrange terms between themselves." Ou June nth the Times repeated the old arguments in favour of free trade, because it assumed from evidences before it that the pub- lishers were extremely ill-satisfied, and more desirous of reviving their system under another name than of acquiescing in the deliberate opinion of their own selected arbitrator. The Tilarm on this score on the part of the Times was, however, unnecessary, for seeing this article, Mr. Bevis E. Green, who had been chairman of a meeting of the principal publishers held on the previous Saturday, at once communicated to the Times the following resolutions proposed at that meeting by Mr. Thomas Longman, and unani- mously passed: 1. That the meeting declare that they have no intention of taking any steps to oontrol the dealings of the retail booksellers with the public. 2. That this meeting consider it probable that it may be expedient before long to rednce the retail prices and trade allowances on some books already published. 3. This meeting are not prepared at present to recom- mend and pat in foroe the second resolution. "I unwillingly intrude myself on the public," Mr. Green added, " and trust that, as the question now appears to be at rest, we may receive that valuable support from the public Press which is so important to all concerned in the publication of books." NEW YORK LETTER. New York, Jan. 15. THE increase in the number, scope, and excellence of the critical journals is one of the most noticeable signs in the literary field just now. A new monthly has just been born, the Month, published by the editors of the Critic, and made up of matter which appears in that weekly. It is reported that the admitted object of the new periodical is to compete directly with the Bookman, which has had great influence in starting up other periodicals since the American edition sprang into being some two years ago. Nothing is said in the Month about the Critic, probably from a realisation of the danger to the circulation of the weekly made by the fact that a reader can now get most of the contents of four numbers of the weekly for  ## p. 221 (#269) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 22 1 10 cents. To-day's mail brings the first number of the new Chap-Booh, in which it enters the field of the critical journals, while keeping its own features. It is no longer noticeable for its smallness, being in its new form about the size of the Saturday Review. Magazine editors in New York treat this little Chicago venture with more consideration than would be expected for a periodical not free from callowness, and the reason they do so is that they realise that it has in it something vital and sincere, although as yet crude. It occupies its new fie'.d alone, and has every promise of success. With these two signs of increased interest in literary criticism should be put the Book Buyer, which has been a mere advertising pamphlet for Charles Scribners' Sons until the last two numbers, have brought it decidedly into the field of the magazines. It adheres more strictly to book subjects than the Boohman, but it has variety, and intends to have more, containing not only criticisms of current works but general literary essays. The last two numbers have had signed reviews by the most prominent literary critics of America. Taking the birth of these periodicals, all of which are practically new, with the increase in the output of literary essays by the publishing houses, one is justified in concluding that the taste for criticism in America is rapidly growing. The literary daily which sprang up here a few weeks ago, called the Daily Tattler, died in a fort- night, partly because it was too flippant, the danger to which many of our newest publications are falling in the desire to escape dryness. The newspapers also show the tendency to give more and more attention to comment on literature. The New York Times, which has had several disastrous years, is, under new management, gaining thousands of subscribers a week, and improving rapidly in all departments. It pub- lishes now a special supplement on Saturday, which is really a separate paper containing book reviews, literary gossip and editorials on purely literary matters ; and the Sunday edition contains an illustrated article on some book. The other papers give more and more space to reviewing, and one of the editors of the most sensational dailies in town said the other day to me that he believed the Times showed a clear foresight of the coming popular demand in its emphasis of literature and art. Opposed to this increase in papers which aim at the interest of culture, however elementary, must be put the ever-growing number of flashy monthlies. Some new; some made °ver out °^ magazines which found respectabi^ and twenty- five cents a failure, and decided ' frV ror ten cents and a larger if lower a ~ce. The inventor of the ten cent system, and the man who carried it out with remarkable ability, Frank A. Munsey, who has kept his magazine in the biggest circulation of any monthly in the country, has just started a new venture somewhat in the field of the Ladies' Home Journal. His success with the public has been so great that his ideas may be worth quoting. In the advertisements of his new venture he asseits very frankly the principles on which he appeals to the reading public. "This house is somewhat noted for doing things quickly. An idea, and, presto, the thing itself! A few days ago the Puritan was a conception ; to-day it is a fact. This is the way we do things. It is dramatic. There is a hum about it that is an inspiration. Hurried work does not show the effect of the polishing stone; but to be alive—a tangible fact—with imperfec- tions, is better than to be a polished idea that has no life, no place. The Puritan is here—this is the concrete fact." "We like to read from pictures—to get the story from pictures. It is quick, easy, dramatic. The salient points are seen instantly; the mind, in a flash, fills in the detail, and the reader has the story—all he desires of it, in these rapid transit days. Picture-reading to the reader is what shorthand is to the stenographer. A note in the December number of The Author about the duties of majazine editors calls to mind the fact that Mr. Alden, the editor of Harjiers Magazine, follows a course directly contrary to that of most of our editors. The others read only those contributions which have passed under the eyes of their assistants. Mr. Alden, in order to keep up more thoroughly with what the people are writing about, and also to form his own judgment on any new note sounded in the work of some unknown writer, has only the purely illiterate contributions sorted out for him, and then glances at all the others, after which he hands the ones which are neither certainly good nor certainly bad to an as>istant to sort out, leaving the final decision for himself on a second reading. In the correspondence which has been pub- lished for some weeks in the Dial of Chicago on the subject of American Literature, there has been a general agreement that when the great American novel appears, the novel which is to have at once general importance and distinct local characteristics, politics will be one of its main themes; a description of that part of American history which consists in the formation of a new political life to harmonise with new social and physical conditions. It is also said by most of the writers on this subject that the novel will be democratic, and ethically representative of  ## p. 222 (#270) ############################################ 222 the a union. a civilisation based upon Puritanism. All the suggestions are of necessity vague, but they all reflect an opinion, widespread among our serious thinkers, that if this country ever has a national literature it will be made out of an original treatment of our .special social and political conditions. Some New York importers fear that the free importation of books devoted to scientific research is in danger at this time of proposed tariff revi- sion, as the lahour unions, not appreciating how small is the sale of these books, the importance of which is mainly to the student, seem to be stirring themselves for an attack on this section of the present law. The following circular was sent out on Nov. 27: "To Collectors and other Officers of the Customs: "The attention of (Xficeiu of the Customs is invited to paragraph 410 of the Act of August 28, 1894, which is as follows: Books, engravings, photographs, bound or unbound, etchings, music, maps, and charts, which thall have been printed more than twenty years at the date of importation, and all bydrographic charts and scientific books and periodicals devoted to original scientific research, and publi- cations issued for their subscribers by scientific and literary associations or academies, or publications of individuals for gratuitous private circulation, and public documents issued by foreign governments. "It has been represented that books aud periodicals not strictly 'devoted to original scientific research' have been admitted to free entry, under too broad a construction of para- graph 4io; the Department accordingly notifies Officers of Customs that the terms of the law must he carefully observed. "The Solicitor of the Treasury advises the Department that, in his opinion, the words 'scientific books and periodicals devoted to original scientific research' relate to new dis- coveries in the field of science, and do not include text-books, compilat ous and discussions of scientific subjects already understood. "This construction of the law is concurred in by this Department. "Charles S. Hamlin, "Assistant Secretary. "1896. Department Circular No. 158. Division of Customs." This circular is generally believed to have been caused by the influence of the typographical unions, and although in itself it is of compara- tively little importance, it shows the activity of an influence which will undoubtedly do all it can during the reconstruction of the tariff to increase the duties on books. Norman Hatgood. NOTES AND NEWS. ri^HE opinion of Mr. Chitty, Q.C., will he read B with considerable interest by editors of magazines and journals. According to this opinion an editor does not protect himself by the usual announcement that lie will not be responsible for the safety or the return of MSS. sent to him. It is, of course, quite clear that some way must be found out of this impasse. My own sympathies are entirely with the editors, l>ecause I know something of the mass of "stuff" that is poured in upon them from all quarters. In the case of journals which have a limited circulation, the return postage of MSS. and the extra clerical expense in sending them back, are a serious con- sideration. The difficulty is this: An editor generally depends to a certain extent on contribu- tions uninvited; out of a hundred things sent in, he finds one that he is aide to accept: the other ninety-nine he has to reject. Shall he throw them into the waste-paper basket, or shall he send them back to the contributor? Generally he does tli3 latter, but demands very proper] v stamps for return postage. Sometimes he announces that he does not ask for outside contributions, and that he will not send them back. And now this opinion informs him that he has no right to take up this position. Fortunately, The Author is a paper whose aims and ruison d'etre are so limited that the editor is not overwhelmed with MSS. We are bound by our Articles of Association to protect and define literary property in every way, and to throw light upon every dark place dis- coverable—these aims do not much encourage the casual outsider. However, as I said above, my own sympathies in this matter of MSS. rejected are entirely witli editors, and I hope that they may find a way out. What right has publisher or editor to alter, add to, or omit any part of an author's manu- script? In my own view, none, if the work is signed. It seems impossible to believe that any Court of Law would hold that he has the right of making changes except in work that is unsigned. If a writer offers an article to a news- paper or journal which is accepted by the editor us an anonymous contribution, or if he writes an anonymous article, say, as a member of the staff, he has no reputation to make or to lose by this piece of work. Moreover, the editor assumes the whole responsibility for the article. The contributor, to put the thing plainly, sends in a piece of work which may be altered or finished, or changed in any way that the respon- sible editor pleases. But when a paper or a book is signed, everything is different. The reputation  ## p. 223 (#271) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 223 of the author is concerned in it; he presents hi-; work as his, all his, and no other's. He sells, or gives, the right of publishing this MS. as his; he does not invite, nor would he accept, the degradation of having his work corrected. This position has been repeatedly taken up in these columns. It is, however, greatly to be desired that the question should be heard in a Court of Law. Meantime, here is a case which happened recently. The author, a well-known novelist, arranged for the serial right of a story in a certain periodical. The story was to appear in the magazine first, anonymou-ly; but in volume form afterwards. The editor had to deal, therefore, with an anony- mous work which might seem to give him the right of alteration. But, as the work was to appear afterwards with the author's name, it was only anonymous for so many months. Therefore the author would have had to explain that the differences between the volume form aud the serial, if any, were due to the editor and not made with her consent; and that she had not invited the editor's corrections, and did not admit his literary superiority or his power of improving her style. Now when the proofs came in, she found that, certain alterations had been made. She refused absolutely to accept them. She said that she had sent in a MS. to be used for a certain purpose, exactly as it left her hands, and that she neither invited, nor would she accept, any "improve- ment " offen d by the editor. She therefore for- bade the publication of the story in its amended form, and took away the MS. to another publisher, who brought it out in his magazine. She might perhaps have insisted on the publication of the story as agreed upon: in that case the matter would have been taken, very usefully, into the Courts. Meantime, novelists are warned against such alterations. The name of the magazine is with Mr. Thring. The following is from the Literary World of Jauuaiy 15:— May I be allowed to put on record, through the columns of your paper, my indignant protest against the alteration by publishers of the text of an author's book without his knowledge or consent 1 There are five editions, dated 1895, of a book which I wrote thirty-two years ago now offered for sale by a certain firm of publishers, in which four outrageous alterations have been made in the text for tho purpose of suiting certain en- gravings introduced into the more expensive editions. On page 207 ten lines are inserted giving Robin the character of a mean and contemptible rascal which is ■entirely at variance with the spirit of my story. Page 334 has had three lines taken out and three inset.j j which confuse the narrative in a ridiculous q,. ' On page 41S an incident has been wholly revereej1 0 ^ what I wrote; while upon page 479 eleven lines have been cut out t> introduce a pi'ture which has nothing what- ever to do with the text. The story H thus twisted altogether from the purpose which I originally designed. The question, never yet decided, is whether a publisher who has bought the copyright of a book has bought the right to publish any part or parts of it, to omit portions, to insert portions— in a word, to alter as he desires. Suppose, for instance, a publisher in possession of the copyright of Shakespeare's sonnets. Would he be allowed to alter the lines; to take out phrases which he disapproved; to add lines which chinged the sonnet into .something non- descript? Suppose a publisher owning the copyright of Tennyson. Would he lie justified in publishing a Tennyson "improved" by a scribe in his own office? The thing is absurd. Why, then, is it less absurd when a lesser than Tennyson is concerned? The principle is the same, whether the author is at the top or the bottom of the ladder. But the question has never been decided in a court of law. Surely it is time to get it decided. Meanwhile, the tempo- rary remedy is for the author to insert a clause in the agreement that the right of publishing means publishing as a whole and without altera- tion or omission of any kind. The reading of tho L?eds people is shown jby the returns of the Free Libraries, Fiction, of course, heads the list. The most popular authors are Marie Corelli, Dora Russell, " Rita," and Mrs. Hungerford, among th 3 factory girls and the middle class of pe q>!e. Coming to the men, who seem numerically of less importance than the women in Leeds, "Trilby," of which twenty copies are on the shelves, is never left on the shelf for ten minutes; Stanley W. ymau and Conan Doyle are the next favourites. Annie S. Swan is a good second to Marie Corelli. Leeds people do not read poetry at all. Crockett and Maclaren and Barrie seem to be under a cloud. It will be only temporary. Hardy's earlier books are in great request. "Ouida" is forgotten. But—to repeat—Marie Corelli leads the .way. "More books of Marie Gondii's a e being lead at this moment than of any oLher novelist, living or dead." -■- It is the part of the complete critic to explain, and to account for. the popularity of a writer. Now the most popular writer of the day, who changes from year to year, is one X. Why? What qualities are those which create such a popularity? Weakness? No. Silliness? No.  ## p. 224 (#272) ############################################ 224 THE AUTHOR. Vulgarity? No. A w.'ak, or silly, or vulgar writer never becomes, therefore, popular. Why, then, is this X. popular \ No critic so far has ever considered the question. It is no answer to fay that people like skimble-skamble stuff; because they do not. They will not have it. Tennyson, Scott, Longfellow, Marryatt, Dickens, have always had an immense hold upon the people. Their work is not skimble-skamble stuff. The critics, when a writer becomes popular, have got to explain why. Then let them tell us what qualities has this X. in common with these writers? I put aside altogether the theory that what the people desire is vulgarity and clap- trap. If that is what they want, why, I repeat, are the authors above-named in such request and popularity? The case lately brought before the courts, which was concluded by Mr. Stead's offer to submit extracts to the publishers, is a really remarkable example of the prevalent belief, not only that literary property does actually belong to the publisher, but that it must belong to him. Now, if he buys it, of course, it belongs to him: but if he administers it on terms agreed upon it ought not, and need not, belong to him. Arbitrarily to assume that property belongs necessarily to a steward or agent—to argue on the assumption that it must belong to him—would be remark- able if it were so treated by a newspaper; it becomes more remarkable still when it is so treated by a judge, by counsel, and by every- body concerned. Besides, apart from the pecu- niary part of the question, has the author nothing to say as to reprinting portions of his own work? Surely the author is the person most concerned. His reputation depends upon the faithful presentation of his work. Yet no one in this case suggested that the author had any- thing whatever to do with the business. One would like to ask the counsel concerned if they think that the publisher really ought to have and to hold, and is entitled to have and to hold, literary property created and originally belonging to the author. The secondhand booksellers not only under- stand their trade, but have also of late introduced a few allurements or temptations for the collector. A favourite dodge is to advertise "first editions." Now one who really collects has no notion of col- lecting for a fall, but for a rise. How many first editions of the present current literature will have the slightest value in twenty years' time 'i One says this without in the least wishing to under- rate the writers of the present day. They now command the ear of the reading world. Do they expect to command the ear of the reading world in twenty years to come? Anthony Trollope was no mean writer in the sixties; he commanded the ear of an enormous circle of readers. Who would care to purchase at a fancy price, as believing that it will run up in value, the original edition of any one of his novels? There are many other names whom it would be cruel to mention, in their day greatly popular, but now subject to that law of selection which takes one or two of our author's works and consigns the rest to oblivion. Nay, these gentlemen still set down in their cata- logues at a hi«hprice first editions of books ten or twenty years old, and now as completely forgotten as if they had never been written. But I sup- pose your genuine collector passes them by. We have on several occasions spoken in these columns on the folly of paying for publication. A correspondent (in the January number of The Author) touches the true reason when he points out the overwhelming desire of a man, who has made a book, to present it to the public. He wants to be heard. He thinks that if he gets a chance, he too will run over the- face of the habitable globe like Du Maurier with "Trilby." It is no use trying to keep him back: he must publish : he will pay. Therefore he pays; but does he publish? Let us consider. A con- sideration of the facts may lead him to understand that he pays: but he certainly does not publish. To publish means not only printing and bindin,g but also offering to the world. How is a book offered to the world? By the booksellers, by the libraries, by the advertisements. There is no other way. If a book is not so- offered it is not published. Now, what happens? A MS. is submitted to publishers to whom as a. class we have always accorded the natural desire- to acquire the right of publishing good work. Three readers, one after the other, decline this- MS. That ought to be enough. Unfortunately it is quite true that readers have been known to- make terrible mistakes; it is understood that they do not at all times understand what people want; perhaps a nvstake has been made over this MS.. Therefore the author listens while a proposal is made to him. He accepts; he pays beforehand, and he pays through a feature not intended for- the process; his book is ready. Then? Then— nothing. The booksellers will not take it; the libraries will not take it; in most cases it is not seriously offered to booksellers; it is not adver- tised: in a word, it is not published. We come to another question; if it is not published, if it is not produced, if it is not offered, if it is not distributed, if it is not circulated; what is. done-  ## p. 225 (#273) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 225 . to it? It is shelved until the pretended publisher writes a curt letter explaining that he cannot have it taking up costly room upon his shelves. Then it is sold as remainder stock at nothing a volume: and thus the end of a dream. But it is no use telling the aspirant these things. He wants a chance; he pays a hundred pounds; and he gets no chance; not the faintest chance. Now I will tell this dreamer how he can get his chance. He must find a printer who will undertake his work at reasonable terms; he must undertake to pay for printing and binding on easv terms — say with six months' credit; he will bind, however, only a few copies to begin with; he must then print a circular describing the work, designed for booksellers; he must offer copies on sale or return on liberal terms; where a country bookseller takes copies the author must advertise ; he must advertise a little, feeling his way as the book goes; he must issue it to the trade from his own house unless he can arrange with his binder; he must send it for review to a chosen list of London and country papers, remembering that the dailies are by far the best friends of literature as regards advertising; and, after a year or so of this amusement, if he is still out of pocket, he will certainly find that he has done a great deal better with his book than if he had paid his hundred pounds down to the man who made him so "favourable" an offer. The note from the Daily Chronicle on the Byron letters serves as a reminder that letters belong to the person who writes them, and not to the person to whom they are written. The latter, of course, may say that the paper is his, and the ink: he may put them away and lock them up: in this way he may prevent their publication. He cannot, however, publish them himself without the consent of the heirs and executors of the writer, nor can he forbid their publication. Let us have patience; in another generation or two there will be less sensitiveness as to private details. Would Shakespeare's great- great-great grandson care very much about that alleged drinking bout which hastened the end of the Stratford Bard? I think not. '• Mr. X." proposes (see the January number) that the leading men and women in letters shall agree to boycott all editors vrh0 do not pay on accepting an article, aurj veep tne author waiting for months or ^ * The first difficulty is that even if ill the > a men and women of letters did agree to such an act of association it would not make the least difference in the world to the editors of magazines, because they can get on pretty well without the leading men and women of letters. Not these—not the historians, poets, novelists, dramatists, who stand in the front rank—keep the magazines supplied, but quite another folk. In fact, these celebrated people are not generally wanted at all. The writers to whom the editor very naturally looks are the experts in the subjects—scientific, political, economical—which are at the moment before the world. Next he looks for travellers who can discourse on the countries at the time most before the world. The things of the day arranged, he has the choice of an immense number of articles offered to him by people who desire, above all, to appear before the world. A great many can write cleverly and attractively within their range. One of our greatest historians, Sir John Robert Seeley, who died a year or two ago, hardly ever wrote in any magazine. One could mention other great names whose record is unconnected with any magazine, or only occasionally connected with one. When these great writers send an article to a magazine it is generally by invitation. They do so in entire ignorance of the character of the editor, who, on the levels on which these scholars write, is not likely to be one of the kind objected to. Boycotting, in fact, is impossible and impracticable, even if it were desirable. My correspondent laments that he is not independent. Then, to speak plainly, he must put up with the consequences of dependence, which involve waiting upon the will and pleasure of the editor. Here, however, is another way. How would it do to inform the editor courteously that the con- tributor is grateful at being accepted, but that 'his circumstances oblige him to offer the editor no more than three or four or five months of delay. If the editor does not see his way to accepting such a limitation of time, he will send back the contribution, with no bad feeling or angry words, or quarrel, on either side at all. If the editor really desires the paper he will accept the limitation or propose another. And this is the only solution of the grievance that seems to me feasible. Walter Besant. THE BYEON_PAPEES. INTEREST has been excited by the announce- ment which comes from the legal repre- sentatives of the Byron family. The effect of it, of course, is that they mean to "exercise their right of controlling the publication" of any new Byron letters or documents. In other words  ## p. 226 (#274) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. they say " yon must not publish anything which Lord ov Lady Byron may have written unless you first have our approval." There have been signs for some time back that we are hastening towards a Byron boom, when any fresh material would be keen reading for the public. It was important to understand the full meaning of the official announcement—what was behind it—and accordingly light has been sought in a quarter likely to be well informed. What was gathered? The executors of Lord Byron were Lord Broughton and Mr. Kinnaird. After their deaths their authority descended to others. The names of the present holders of that authority one did not learn. Similarly, stewardship over any documents Lady Byron may have left is repre- sented to-day. Speaking generally, and taking both Lord Byron and Lady Byron, a variety of material his been in the possession of the family. Other material is known to be scattered about— letters written by the Poet or Lady Byron— and over these it is now proposed to exercise the right of approval so far as publication is con- cerned. That is to say, if a man writes a letter to any person, that person does not secure the least ownership in the contents. What was written remains the writer's, although the paper and the ink are nece'sarily the property of the receiver. So the law was explained; and when the writer of a letter dies his ownership in its con- tents descends to his executors. Here we havo the position in reference to Byron correspondence, and the reason why the legal representatives have made their intimation is simple enough. They wrish to protect the memory of the Byrous from any misapprehensions or misunderstandings—to obviate the publication of unauthorised or unauthenticated Byronia. Since Byron's death, for instance, two distinct sets of forgeries are said to have been palmed off upon the world as true Byron letters. Again, neither Byron nor Lady Byron would have cared, perhaps, to have some of the letters published which they did .write, One sees, therefore, the iutended effects of the announcement, and the line of law upon which it is based. As to the latter, it appears that an instance in point aro.-e only a few years ago in reference to the proposed publication of some Bulwer Lytton letters, and then the rights of the executor were duly upheld. It will be curious to see how the Byron renaissance is affected by what may. perhaps, be describe! as an ultimatum of considerable dimensions.—Daily Chronicle, Jan. 25, 1897. IS THERE AN AMERICAN LITERATURE? rTYHE Dial writer. Mr. Pattee, who pleads J for American literature as distinct from British, or, as he calls it, English litera- ture, seems to me to confuse things. No one, for instance, would claim a great poem written by an American in the United States as belonging in any sense to this country. No one has ever claimed Lowell, Longfellow, Holmes, Emerson, Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, or any other great American writer, as belonging to the literary history of this countrv. On the con- trary, we are ready to acknowledge all that Mi-. Pattee claims for them—that they are distinc- tively American; their atmosphere, their con- ditions are American j no Englishman would have written quite in their way: their speech betrayeth them. But what is the language in which they write? It is English, the language that grew up in this island, in the southern part of this island, which is called after the name of that southern part; the language which is spoken by five great Republics and one Kingdom : or, if you please, the language spoken by two great and powerful Confederations. Unless, therefore, one of these Confederations changes its language, its literature will continue to be, first and above all things, that of its language. Cannot American literature be content uot to be tied by apron strings, as Mr. Pattee puts it, to its mother, but to be an independent branch; perhaps destined to be the greater of two branches, perhaps destined to be one of five or six branches of the noble literature which we call English 'i There are no more illustrious ancestors that the American poet can desire than those which he possesses. They do not make him dependent on the place where they flourished: they are his possession, while Byron, Tennyson, Browning,are in no sense his possession, any more than Lowell and Longfellow are the possessions of Swinburne and Austin Dobson. Did not Professor Brander Matthews put the matter plainly and sufficiently when he claimed that English literature covers all that is written in the English language, while that by no means gives English literature to England, whose modern literature is British? There is, in a word, the local and current literature, most of which is ephemeral and fleeting : there are many thousands of books p\iblished every year in this country which never get beyond the narrow seas, and are, indeed, not much wanted within those limits. Good or bad, they make up modern British literature: a very few, which are demanded all over the world by those who speak the common langu<ge, form English literature. R. L.  ## p. 227 (#275) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 2 2 J EOOK TALK. MR. W. D. HOWELLS says that " there is no American poet who has done so much as James Whitcomb Riley to define the familiar America of most Americans, or to reveal the heart of our common life in terms of such universal import and appeal." Mr. Whitcomb Riley is a poet belonging to the same school as the late Eugene Field, of Chicago, the author of the lovely lyric "Little Boy Blue." Auer his bibliography of Robert Browning's works, which has been appearing in the Atkenieum, Mr. Thomas J. Wise is about to compile those of Lord Tennyson and Robert Louis Stevenson. He make.* an appeal for the loan of material, parti- cularly lists of magazine and newspaper articles by Stevenson. Mr. Wise's address is 15, St. George's-road, Abbey-road, St. John's Wood, Loudon. Mr. Herbert Flowenlew will very shortly pro- duce a satire under the title of " The Tenth Muse" (Fisher Unwin). Later on in the spring lie will bring out a novel, the name of which is not yet advertised, through Mr. John Lane. "The Dreams of Dania," a tale of Irish life, by the Rev. Frederick Langbridge, will be published shortly by Mr. James Bowden. It run last year in the Leisure J/our as a six months' serial. "The Three Daughters of Night" is the title of a new novel by Derek Vane, just published by Messrs. Hutchinson. This is the author's most important work since " The Sin and the Woman," a story that excited a good deal of interest and some controversy on its appearance two or three years ago. A volume of the letters and speeches of the late Farl of Carnarvon is being prepared by Sir George Svdenham Clarke for publication under the title, '•The Defence of the Empire." Miss Marie Corelli's new novel, "Ziska," will appear from Mr. Arrowsmith's on the 15th inst. Mr. Crockett's new novel, "Lad's Love," will In? published a fortnight hence by Messrs. Bliss, Sands, and Co. It has appeared serially in a condensed form, and is spoken of as not having much " dialect," although it is a Galloway story. Mr. A. Hilliard Atteridge, who acted for a London paper as special correspondent with the British forces in the recent Soudan campaign, is about to publish, through Messrs. Innes a book 011 the subject, entitled "Towards IfJ^j-tourn." Maps, portraits, and illustrations f 0rji the author's photographs will be given. 1 There is to be a new volume of detective stories by "Dick Donovan" very soon, entitled "The Chronicles of Michael Danevitch" (who is supposed to belong to the Russian secret police). Messrs. Chatto and Windus are the publishers. The firm of C. Arthur Pearson, Limited, announce that they will greatly extend their book- publishing trade, and among their enterprises will be a series of volumes at 2s., by leading English authors, which will include travels, autobio- graphies, &c, as well as fiction. Mr. G. B. Burgin is to take charge of this development of Messrs. Pearson's business. Mr. Gladstone's complaint of the quality and the cost of modern uookbiuding has been followed up by enquiries made on behalf of the Stationer, Printer, and Fancy Trades Register, which publishes the opinions of Mr. R. Birdsall, North- ampton, Messrs. Kelly and Sons, London, and Mr. J. Rosenbluth, Edinburgh. Mr. Birdsall lays the blame on bad paper rather than bad glue. It would be interesting to know, he says, what proportion, if any, of linen fibre is now to be found in, say, fifty samples of modern printing papers. The only difficulty in so binding a book that it will lie open is the quality and thickness of the paper, some paper being so stiff and thick that no treatment will make the books lie flat. As to the cost, says Mr. Rosenbluth, "if you would ascertain what publishers pay for binding it would no doubt surprise you to know that books can open at all." Messrs. Kelly say that if material is less reliable to-day than it was fifty years ago, the workmanship is better. This trade organ, by the way, in speaking of Smith, Elder, and Co. v. Stead, remarks that reviews may serve three purposes: (1) first, though not foremost, to warn readers from bad books; (2) to excite interest in books, and lead readers of the review to read the book itself; (3) to act as a substitute for the volume under notice. Our contemporary, of course, thinks that the sooner the last course is stopped the better. It expresses, too, the idea which a correspondent originated in The Author some months ago, namely, that "perhaps it would be the best course for the review editor to consult the book publisher or copyright holder before he makes any questionable extracts." A novelette by Richard Wagner, entitled " A Pilgrimage to Beethoven," is being published by the Open Court Publishing Company. Few persons are aware, says the announcement, that Wagner devoted himself to belles let ties. This little volume, selected as a type of his literary productions, is a rare story, and gives, under the  ## p. 228 (#276) ############################################ 22S THE AUTHOR. #uise of a mythical conversation with Beethoven, Wagner's own views of musical art. Dr. Nansen's book is to be called "Farthest North." Captain Sverdrup, who had charge of the Fram after Nansen left her, will supply an appendix to the book. Mr. Louis Becke will is <ue another volume of South Sea stories during the spring. Mr. Brayley Hodgetts has placed with Mr. Macqueen a story entitled "A Russian Wild- flower,'' which will appear soon. Mr. Clark Russell's new story, "The Last Entry," will be published by Messrs. Chatto and Windus. Mr. Russell has been remarking, in connection with the correction of his proofs, that printers can never be trusted with the lan- guage of the sea. Among other announcements of Messrs. Chatto and Windus are " Three Partners," by Mr. Bret Harte, and "A Missing Witness," by Mr. Frank Barrett. Mr. Leonard Merrick's story, entitled "Oue Man's View," will be published by Mr. Grant Richards, a new publisher. Miss Jessie Middleton, a journalist, has in preparation for early publication an edition of the poetical works of James Clarence Mangan, the Irish poet. From the new volume of Mr. J. H. Slater's "Book-Prices Current," we learn that from December, 1895, to November, i8q6, 47,268 lots of books were disposed of, and the amount realised was £80,111. This shows an average of £1 13*. lod. per lot, as compared with £1 11s. 4<Z. in 1895, ,£ 1 8s. 5<7. in 1894, and £1 6s. "jd. per lot in 1893. The reason of the increase, says Mr. Slater, is not that prices were in the aggre- gate much higher, but that a few very extra- ordinary aud extremely valuable books contributed so lavishly to the grand total that it was raised to the extent of several thousand pounds above its proportionate, and therefore normal, level. Amongst these were one imperfect copy of the first edition of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," printed by Caxton about the year 1478, sold for £1020, and another for £1880, which raised the average on the whole year's sales by as much as i*. 2d. Still, Mr. Slater thinks that books of a certain kind are selling rather better than they have done for some time past, and this change is due to the improvement in the state of trade. He points out this year again that among the classes of books which have fallen on evil days are the manufactured "limited editions" of contemporary authors, usually poets and essayists; they have absolutely vanished. Mr. B. Fletcher Robinson, who wrote the volume on " Rugby Football " for Messrs. Innes's Isthmian Library, has undertaken the general editorship of this series of books on sport, resigned, owing to the pressure of other work, by Mr. Max Pemberton. The fund for the Huxley memorial is now about £2900, which has come from all parts of the world. The full-sized model for the statue, on which Mr. Onslow Ford, R.A., is engaged, is well advanced; and the t rustees of the British Museum of Natural History at South Kensington have accepted the offer of the statue itself, which will be in marble. The nature of any additional memorial must largely depend upon the amount still to be subscribed. Professor G. B. Howes, Royal College of Science, South Kensington, S.W. is the hon. secretary. To his numerous contributions to the study of Early and Middle English, Dr. Sweet is adding a " Student's Dictionary of Anglo-Saxon." The head words are given in plain modern English, and brevity and conciseness have been aimed at throughout. The Clarendon Press will publish the work. Two important books about Africa are announced by Messrs. Methuen, namely, by Sir H. H. Johnston on " British Central Africa," and by Captain Sidney Hinde on " The Fall of the Congo Arabs." The latter is au account of the Belgian expedition to the Upper Congo. At a general meeting of the London Library the committee received authority to borrow £25,000 to cover the expenses of reconstructing the library. The number of members has increased in eight years from 1600 to 2380. The death took place recently of Mr. Robert Harrison, who was formerly secretary and libra- rian to the London Library, and in that capacity assisted a great many famous writers—Thackeray, Carlyle, Charles Reade, Kingsley, George Eliot, Lord Lytton. When writing " The Virginians," Thackeray came for a Life of General Wolfe. "I don't want," he said, "an historical account of his career, Lord Mahon's book gives me that, but I want something that will tell me the colour of his breeches." The most conspicuously original man among them was Carlyle, Mr. Harrison told the Librarians'Conference in 1891: He often visited tbe library. His conversation was most amusing, fall of extravagant and exaggerated statements, and always ending with a loud langh, apparently at himself. He need the library books extensively for his later works, and was guilty of the reprehensible praotice of writing on the margins of their books. HW remarks were never meaningless, bnt chiefly consisted of corrections of dates or errors in the text.  ## p. 229 (#277) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 229 COBRESPONDENCE. I.—The I. S. A. as Publishers. IS not the idea contained in the concluding remarks of Julie Sutter's letter feasible and worth close consideration? It seems almost a ■duty for this Society to show the world of letters how a book should be turned out on true business lines, with every detail square and above board, no false parade at the start, no mystifying accounts at the finish. Such a departure could not fail to furnish a most excellent model. And why should not the venture prove lucrative as well? That the opportunity would be welcomed by members, I imagine there can be no manner of doubt. This old bird's eyes are growing a bit filmy. He hopes they may yet be gladdened with a sight of the inscription, I. S. A., upon many a title-page. According to Julie Sutter there are certain valuable hints in respect of literature " made in Germany" which are by no means to be despised. Let us hasten to consider them for our mutual advantage. Old Bird. Authors' Club, S.W., Jan. 9th, 1897. II.—Educational Criticism. As a University graduate, taking almost as great an interest in the cause of education as if I were personally engaged in that profession, I was very glad to read some recent letters in your journal on the subject of educational criticism; for it is difficult to form any idea of the amount of injustice perpetrated in this branch of litera- ture. Some time ago, the Spectator had some sensible letters commenting on the absence of rancour in the English political world; it were much to be desired that we could likewise speak of the absence of rancour in the educational world, but, unfortunately, such is not the case. Just as there is no branch of literature in which so much log-rolling is going on, so there is none in which so much relentless hostility is prevalent. It is true that, as your correspondent, "Fair Play," has pointed out, intelligent people will systematically disbelieve any virulent educational criticism; but, unfortunately, there are still some innocent readers who implicitly believe them, and others who are always inclined to accept the bad rather than the good. But the worst feature of the evil is that the whole department of educational criticism is brought into discredit by the ubiqui- tous educational log-roller, although there are still some honest and impartial educational critics. It is hard to see how the evil is to be eradicated, but the only practical remedy lies in the hands of editors, to whom your first corresjoadent on the subject, signing himself an "Education^ ^uthor," has addressed a sensible warning. If they made a practice of rejecting all acrimonious and person- ally insulting criticism on educational works, they might succeed in putting down an abuse which causes so much mischief, and inflicts so much pain. _^^o__ B.A. (Oxon.) III.—A Want. A correspondent writes :—" S. G." asks in the last number, " Is it not time that we had a good German-English Dictionary?" There is a great probability that the want will be supplied. I have just seen announced that the celebrated Germanist Dr. Daniel Sanders has undertaken to compile the German-English part of Professor Muret's excellent "Encyclopodisches WSrterbuch der Englischen Sprache" (published by Langen- scheidt at Berlin), and that the first Lieferung will be issued by the beginning of this month. Professor Sanders combines profound scholar- ship with the knack of producing thoroughly practical books, and so it may be confidently expected that his German-English dictionary will supply the desideratum. IV.—The Country Contributor. May I call your attention to a want that is greatly felt among contributors to magazines who live in the country and abroad. Supposing we have from fifteen to twenty articles out at a time, we are obliged to buy from fifteen to twenty magazines weekly or monthly, as the case may be, till we see our work in print. Sometimes we are obliged to look out for more than a year before we are rewarded, so you may imagine how little profit remains. Are there none among your readers who for a small fee would undertake to make a weekly visit to a reading-room in town and look up our articles for us? We should be grateful. A Well-wisher. V.—A Voice from Chili. I am too far away, and generally too much in "the wilds," to keep in touch with the Society, but it may interest my fellow members to learn that in this little Republic they have a good precedent for claiming more liberal terms in regard to postage of printed matter. For the encouragement of literature all news- papers, magazines, and pamphlets are posted free in Chili; so that in the most out-of-the-way parts the press of Valparaiso or Santiago can be obtained by arrangement at face value. Letters may equally be re-addressed again and again without extra charge. In the cities letters are posted for 2 centivos, while from one  ## p. 230 (#278) ############################################ THE A UTIIOR. end of Chili to tli<* other they only cost 5 centivos, or little over Jr/. When it is con- sidered that the length of Chili is about 2400 miles, the advantages to the people of the country can be better appreciated. It is true that the working of the system is not equal to the intention. But England can say nothing as to this so long as the penny postage principle has been persistently ignored in practice, and in place of the rich and populous centres paying for the less populous extremities, no facilities— postal or telegraphic—are extended without local guarantees. We may hate given the world the lead, but it has passed us hopelessly in liberal treatment of Press and people. This will remain so long as the country is robbed, by a monopoly, of thrte millions sterling anuually, which belongs to the people for increased facilities. W. Anderson Sjhth. .Coronel de Chili, Dec. 16, 1896. VI.—Facetious Eeviewino. Has not the individual who uses a responsible calling as a vehicle for the advancement of his own facetiousness been somewhat lightly treated by those who have of late propounded their views upon the duties of critics? No one who takes the trouble to follow the methods of latter-day bouk- dissection can be blind to the existence of a school worked upon these offensive lines at the expense of the unfortunate writer. Most of us appreciate genuine humour. When, however, we supply the opportunities for the misplaced efforts of other.-, the relish for it is distinctly bitter. Few, perhaps, will dispute the fact that such notices are, in themselves, clever and amusing. But are they criticisms at all in the accepted sense? To employ the literary scalpel for the selfish purpose of slashing and wounding seems to me an altogether mischievous abuse of power. Yet such is surely only too often the practice of many reviewers of the class I venture to condemn. One experts advice rather than ridicule from the conscientious examiner. When he sacrifices his talents upon the altar of smartness the result is undignified. It is not a pleasant reflection that the stories we are weaving in serious inood may prove mere pegs for the facetious critic's sallies. Authors' Club, S.W. Cecil Clarke. Jan. 19th, 1897. VII.—The Fiction of the Future. As the editor shows himself so ready to throw open the columns of The Author to correspon- dence, I should like to elicit the ideas and opinions of those of our members and others competent to form an opinion on a question which has frequently occurred to me of late, and which seems to me of importance, namely, What is the present position of the English novel and the immediate future of English fiction? That we are in a state of transition and that the end of the nineteenth century brings with it the end of an era in fiction, that we are moving towards something different, appears to me to be the case. But whither are we tending? The long-laboured :md long-winded efforts- in fiction of some of our still most highly respec ed forefathers and foremothers, running into two or three hundred thousand words, and culmi- nating in or gravitating into the old yellow-back which was to be seen in every other reading young lady's hand, as characteristic of the mid- Victorian epoch of fictional literature, has become a thing of the past, and possibly the ancient yellow-back relegated to the retirement of the museums as examples to the young of what their grandfathers and grandmothers once read. The "three-decker," which has had a highly cieditable innings and done good service in its day, is now condemned, and will very soon no more meet modern requirements than Nelson's gallant old ship the Victory, now lying in Portsmouth harbour, will stand by the side of modern fast cruisers and ironclads. I can tell what won't be. I can tell that these forms of fictional literature will be things of the past. But what will take their place? Fiction, in some shape or form, the reading world will hunger for, and will pay for, and will have. The detective story has had its run. The noble red man enthralled the imagination of our schoolboy days, the untrodden wilds of Africa have been tapped of wonderous romance, our own social life has been depicted in all its forms. But what must be the next craze? What form will it take? is what I ask, and what I don't know, unless, if I may hazard a suggestion, we follow on American lines—short, crisp, original, thrilling, tragic, like everything else in the United States. But this would open a wider question than I can hope for a moment to be allowed space to discuss. One thing: it seems to me that the greater and increasing speed at which we live will render impracticable and intolerable to the patience of readers any but shorter or more exciting books, and these, of course, only of one-volume length. That serial publications will continue to absorb vast quantities of fiction there can be no doubt. But what besides? T. W. D. L. VIII.—Thirteen Copies as Twelve. In the January issue of The Author my old friend Mr. Tuer, who writes on this subject,  ## p. 231 (#279) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 231 appeal's to have misunderstood my letter which was published in your December number. My complaint was that the majority of publishers in rendering an author his royalty accounts pay him no royalty on every thirteenth copy, on the grounds that when a bookseller orders a dozen copies they have to give him a copy in. It is no doubt a fact that while many book- sellers are unable to order a dozun copies of any particular book, they, to put it in bookseller's language, secure the odd copy by sorting up various books; that is, they take a mixed dozen and are given a thirteenth volume of some kind in. At the same time publishers, particularly the smaller firms, undoubtedly sell a certain number of copies in ones, twos, and threes, in which < ase there is no thirteenth copy given away. The author is thus, one might almost say, defrauded of his royalty on a certain number of copies, and there also comes in the very important question whether the publisher is entitled to refuse to pay- royalty in those cases where he "gives away," as he terms it, a thirteenth copy to any person ordering a dozen copies of one book, or of various books. I hope Mr. Tuer, and othars who may have read the letter, will understand that J was not running a tilt against the system of (to use Mr. Tuer's word) "bribing" the bookseller to take a dozen copies by giving hiin an extra one in; and in defending that system he has, if he will forgive me saying it, entirely missed my point. To include a few extra articles in the price (or to sell at a lower price, which is the same thing) when a large quantity is taken, is a common practice in most trades, and there is nothing un- reasonable in it. In the publishing trade the custom of handing to a bookseller thirteen volumes when he pays for twelve, seems to me unobjectionable, except so far as it gives the publisher an opportunity of declining to pay the author one-thirteenth of the royalties to which he is entitled. The arrangement seems to me not only primitive but unbusinesslike. In almost any other trade—that of the baker perhaps excepted— the thirteenth copy would be done away with in favour of increased discount on large orders. The bookseller is not really given a copy; he is sold the books at a lower price in considera- tion of his taking a certain number. I trust I have made it quite clear that both my letter and Mr. Hutchinson's remark referred not to transactions between publisher and bookseller, but between publisher and author, and that I was justified in applauding Messrs. Hutchinson's system of, when rendering royalty accounts, ignoring the fact that they give thirteen copies as twelve to the bookseller, on the grounds that the thirteenth copy is a matter of business between the publisher and bookseller, and does not concern the author. I am glad to know that in this opinion they do not stand alone. The whole subject, I would venture to sug- gest, might with advantage be discussed and settled by the new Association of Publishers and our Society. John Bickerdyke. IX.—Presentation Copies. The following correspondence should be of interest to readers of The Author. Blankton is really one of the wealthier quarters of London. Mr. " X. Y. Z." is strongly of an opinion that to comply with such a request would be not only weak-minded but wrong—his reason appears in his letter: From the Blankton Free Public Library (supported by J'oluntary Contributions) to X. V. Z., Esq. Dear Sib,—I am writing in the name of the committee of the above Institution to ask if you will kindly help us with some of your books, as a free gift. Finding they are asked for, but unfortunately owing to over small subscrip- tion list, being a voluntary library, the funds will not permit ns to purchase. All previous efforts to obtain assistance from the rates have proved unsuccessful. We have over 600 free readers, and could increase our number considerably if we bad more books. As many noted authors like yourself have most generously helped us, I trust that we may not appeal to you in vain to aid us to distribute good literature among the people, who cannot afford to buy books for themselves.—I am, dear Sir, The Librarian. Reply of X. Y. Z., Esq. Dear Sir,—1 have carefully considered your request for books. It seems to me that Blankton people should have the rudimentary public spirit necessary to support a free library adequately. I fail to see why I should atone for the meanness of the local ratepayer. I entirely respect your motivea, but I believe your methods are unsound. The more successful your library the less need (parsimony will say) for assistance from the public funds.—Yours faithfully, ^ X. Y. Z. X.—Reviewing. Unquestionably "Annabel Gray" is right to a certain extent. I know that in certain cases the editor in giving out a book to the reviewer reminds him that the author is a friend, and this ev' 11 when the policy of the paper is a perfectly honest one in matters of notice. There are probably few journals so completely organised that there is entire independence in the respect of reviewing. A journal for which I used at one time to do some reviews, the Nation, of New York, had a rule which was observed as rigidly as possible, never to give a book for review to a member of the staff who was either a friend or an en- my of the author, but it was impossible  ## p. 232 (#280) ############################################ 232 THE AUTHOR. to refuse to raview a book by a friend of the editor, and difficult to prevent this fact from influencing the mind of the reviewer. But if thi friendship involved also the giving of the advertisement to the paper it would be still more difficult to stop the quid pro quo, viz., a shade in the review. The translation of personal friend- ship into interested relation is so easy ihat it is difficult to draw any line of demarcation. The direct praise of a book because of the advertise- ment is, I should think, very rare with any journal of sufficient character to exercise any influence on the public, but there is a fonn of log-rolling in reviewing which is equally dishonest, and which, to my personal knowledge, has been in one eminent case tried with preat success. Several friends of the author, in more or less intimati relations with several hading journals, secured the reviewing of the book, and were provided with early proof-sheets of if, so that th«y had leisure to prepare elaborate reviews before the general public or the Press at large had a sight of it. Their reviews were all printed at the earliest moment possible after the issuing of the book, and before any unfriendly critic had a chance to say a word to stem the torrent of laudation which was set in motion by the clique. The consequence was, naturally, the impression on the public of an unanimity of approval which was far from being the fact. W. XI.—Reviewing ok Puffing? Most persons who care anything about literary criticism, and who reflect upon its condition in England to-day, will agree with your correspondent, Cecil Clarke, that "signed criticism" is desirable if any improvement is to be hoped for. But—and I have some know- ledge of the facts—I believe this change to bi imperative, not because unsigned criticism gives an opportunity for personal spite and malignity on the part of the reviewer, but because the present system of "puffs," by dishonest, incom petent "critics,'" is infinitely more injurious to anything that can be called literature, than the wholesale slashing and slaughter of the critics of yesterday. The argument that signed criticism by Jones or Smith would have no weight, may be disposed of in an instant. At the present moment with whom does the greater mass of reviews have any weight? Not certainly with any person of scholarship, taste, and acquaint- anceship with letters in England, France, Germany, and Italy. This body of readers attaches no more weight to the " notices" of one paper than another, and knows that on an average they are pretty much on the same level. When, as occasionally happens, the name of Professor Dowden, or Professor Hutchinson, or Mr. Hale White is appended to a review, no matter where it appears, the attentive considera- tion of those persons whom the French called lettres, is immediately secured, and the same process takes place when reviews appear unsigned by men of critical judgment and scholarship. This, however, only affects a small section of the reading public; whereas the puffing system carried on by most papers affects the mass of readers, and is no doubt responsible for the national taste in fiction at this moment. Books are puffed, either because the publishers are good advertising customers, or because the authoress meets the editor in society, or because she (or he, as the case may be) is a friend of the critic; or because the eminent Mr. So-and-so (also a friend) has described a volume of mediocre painstaking essays in extravagant language, and the "critic" is too ignorant or too timid to express an honest contrary opinion. For example, a few weeks ago a journal-—I will not say at what period in the day it appears —exhausted language to puff a second-rate cleverish novel. It was a lone: review, nearly a page long. Yet the glaring untruth to life—and what is more important to all artistic propriety?— which is to be found in the figure of a country servant who talks "epigrams" precisely of the same quality and order as the authoress's own, were never even hinted at. Now this review is not taken, as it ought to be, as the expression of opinion on the part of a young gentleman who verv likely had the privilege of talking to the brilliant and possibly handsome authoress the night before at dinner, but as the deliberate record of a paper with some literary reputation and tradition, and, per se, carrying authority and weight. Had the review been signed, it would be easy in future for persons of discernment to know what value to attach to the literary opinions of the critic responsible for it; and to discriminate between the reviews of this individual and those of better-informed and more impersonal members of the staff—a great gain all round. Here is another instance. There has appeared this season an edition of some of Hans Auderseu's stories which, though containing the actual incidents of the original, are, owing to the version in which they are given, nothing but a travesty of the exquisite art of this poet. Now I have taken the trouble to collect the "reviews" that have appeared; and I find amongst some twenty not a single comment upon the production of this version, so remote from the beauty of the real Andersen, but, instead, interjections about its being a "charming gift book " and the like. It  ## p. 233 (#281) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 233 is perfectly clear not only that these critics, attached to highly respectable papers with literary reputations, have never read the German version of the stories, but that they are furthermore unacquainted with the perfect rendering of them by Dr. Dulcken. Now why should persons wholly unacquainted with the elementary knowledge of their crafts- manship be entrusted with the functions of criticising? We cannot all be classical scholars, but surely, at least, the man or woman who gets up to criticise even the most trumpery modern novel should have some standard to which to refer; and how can he (or she) do this without a prolonged and persistent study of the best that has been written, at any rate in English, French, German, and Italian, and with some acquaintanceship, if only gained by translation, of the spirit of classical literature? Why should there not be an examination for the critic upon the book he is going to review with some such questions as these ?— What is bis age? What are his favourite authors? What are his chief studies? Does he ever read any literature prior to the birth of Tolstoi and Ibsen p Does he dine ont with authors and authoresses: and is he on terms of friendship with the fashionable ones? Is he usually honest in the expression of his opinion? F. H. L. MR. HERBERT SPENCER'S PORTRAIT. ALETTER from Mr. F. Howard Collins appeared in the Times on Jan. 6, com- municating the address of congratulation which had been forwarded to Mr. Herbert Spencer, and the reply of the latter to the same. Mr. Collins added: "I am happy to be able to state that Mr. Hubert Herkonier, R.A., has expressed his gratification at being asked by the committee, and has consented to undertake the painting of the portrait. An account, entitled 'The Herbert Spencer Portrait Fund,' has been opened at the western branch of the Bank of England, Burling- ton-gardens, W., to which donations may be sent." The following is the address •.— The Camp, Sunningdale, Dec. 16, 1896. Dear Sib,—We, the undersigned, offer you our cordial congratulations upon the completion of your "System of Synthetic Philosophy." Not all of us agreeing in equal measure with its conclu- sions, we are all at one in our estimate of the great intellectual powers it exhibits, and of the immense effect it has produced in the history of thonght; nor are we less impressed by the high moral qualities which have enabled you to concentrate those powers for so many years upon a purpose worthy of them, and, in spite of all obstacles, to carry out eo vast a design. To the many who, like us, have learned to honour the man while profiting by his writings, it would be a satisfaction to possess an authentic personal likeness of the author. It has therefore occurred to us that the occasion might be appropriately marked by requesting you to permit us to employ some eminent artist to take your portrait with a view to its being deposited in one of our national collections for the benefit of ourselves and of those who come after us. We hope that your health may be benefited by the leisure which you have earned so well, and that you may long continue to enjoy the consciousness of having com- pleted your work. The above address was signed by eighty-two of the leading men and women in the sciences and literature in the Kingdom. Mr. Herbert Spencer replied as follows :— "2, Lewes-crescent, Brighton, Dec. 19, 1896. "My dear Hooker,—If, as may fitly be said, the value of congratulations increases in a geome- trical progression with the eminence of those offering them, I may, indeed, be extremely gratified by the accumulation coming from men standing so high in various spheres. And an accompanying pleasure necessarily results from the good wishes expressed for my health and happiness during my remaining days. "The further honour offered has caused in me some mental conflict. Eight years ago, to the inquiry whether I would sit for a subscription portrait to be painted by Millais, I replied nega- tively, assigning the reasons that the raising of funds to pay the costs of conferring marks of approbation had grown into an abuse; that the moral coercion under which contributions were in many cases obtained was repugnant to me; and that I objected to have my known and unkuown friends asked to tax themselves to the required extent. These reasons survived, and, swayed by them, I recently sent a copy of the letter in which they had been stated to the gentleman with whom the proposal now made originated, thinking thereby to prevent further trouble. I was unaware to how large an extent the proposal had been adopted, and how dis- tinguished were the numerous gentlemen who had given it their support. I now find myself obliged either inconsistently to waive my objec- tion or else rudely to slight the cordially-expressed feelings and wishes of so manv whose positions and achievements command my great respect. Between the alternatives there seems to be practi- cally no choice. I am compelled to yield to the request made in so sympathetic a manner by signatories so eminent, and at the same time must express to them through you my full sense of the honour done me. "I am, my dear Hooker, sincerely yours, "Herbert Spencer."  ## p. 234 (#282) ############################################ 234 THE AUTHOR. OBITUARY. SIR TRAVERS TWISS, Q.C., D.C.L., the eminent jurist, died on Jan. 14, in his eighty-eighth year. His works included "A View of the Progress of Political Economy in Europe since the 16th Century," "The Law of Nations in Time of Peace," "The Law of Nations in Time of War," and " The Black Book of the Admiralty." Mrs. Hungerford died at Bandon, Ireland, on the 24th ult. She was the author of over forty novels, besides numerous short stories and maga- zine articles. Her literary career began when, as a young wife of eighteen years of age, she wrote "Phillis," which Messrs. Smith and Elder pub- lished on the strong recommendation of Mr. James Payn, their reader. "Molly Bawn," the novelist's second venture, had a great success, and all through the subsequent years Mrs. Hungerford had a constant public for her books. Among others, these included " The Duchess," very popu- lar in America, "Portia," " Airy Fairy Lilian," "Rossmoyne," "A Life's Remorse," "Under- currents,'" "A Born Coquette," "Lady Patty," "Nor Wife, nor Maid." Only three weeks ago Mrs. Hungerfcrd's last published book, a col- lection of (ales entitled "An Anxious Moment, &c." appeared; but two finished stories remain which it had been arranged should appear this spring. Mrs. Hungerford, who was twice married, was the daughter of the late Canon Hamilton, rector and vicar choral of St. Fanghnan's Cathe- dral, Ross Carberry, county Cork, one of the oldest churches in Ireland. The cause of death was typhoid. Mr. Frederic John Mouat, M.D., F.R.C.S., LL.D., who died at Kensington, on Jan. I2tb, was president of the Royal Statistical Society from 1890-92, and member of the Senate of Calcutta University. He was the author of " An Atlas of Anatomy, with descriptive letterpress in English and Hindustani," "A Manual of Anatomy," and other works, and was joint author of "Hospital Construction and Management," "Prison Ethics and Prison Labour," &c. A historian of India passed away in Mr. James Talboys Wheeler, whose works included "History of India," in four volumes; "Shorter History of India and the Frontier States," and " India under British Rule." Mr. Wheeler was Assistant- Secretary in the Indian Foreign Office during the Viceroyalty of Lord Lawrence, and afterwards held the post of secretary to the Chief Commis- sioner of British Burma. Mr. Robert Harrison, the Librarian of the London Library, (76), had lived about ten years n Russia in early life, and was well-informed upon Russian literature. He wrote a small book entitled "Nine Years in Russia"; and, in con- junction with the late Mr. Gostwick, " The Out- lines of German Literature." He also edited. Mackenzie's " Universal Dictionary of Biography." Sir Isaac Pitman, the inventor of phonography, died at Bath on the 22nd, aged 84. The Rev. Thomas Arnold, Northampton, (8o), was the author of "Education of Deaf Mutes: A Manual for Teachers." Miss Isabella Blackwood (85) was the eldest daughter of the founder and editor of Maga, and recollected Sir Walter Scott dining at her father's house at Newington. The venerable French geographer, M. Vivien de St. Martin, has died at the age of 94. LITERATURE IN THE PERIODICALS. Twenty Years of Reviewing. Professor George Saintsbury. Blackwood's Magazine for January. The Question of Reviewing. Opinions of authors in the Westminster Gazette for Jan. 7, 12, 15, 18, 19, and 22; The National Observer for Jan. 19. Non-Literary People. The Spectator for Jan. 16. Victorian Literature. Andrew Lang. Good Words for February. Literary Recollections. Professor F. Max MiiUer. Cormopolis for January. William Morris: The Man and His Work. William Sharp. Atlantic Monthly for Deoember. Thackeray's Haunts and Homes. Eyre Crowe, A.R.A. Scribner's Magazine for January. A Brilliant Irish Novelist (William Carleton). G. Barnett Smith. Fortnightly Review for January. Novels of Irish Life. Macmillan's Magazine for January. Mr. Charles Lamb of the India House. Macmillan's Magazine for January. Hk.n 11 ik Ibsen. R. H. Shcrard. Humanitarian for January. The New Realism. H. D. Traill. Fortnightly Review for January. Coventry Patmore. Arthur Symons. The New Review for January. Professor Saintsbury delivers himself as the Old Reviewing Hand. Except that he once refused a book in Syriac, because he does not know the language, and that he has always declined books on the currency, he has written reviews of all kinds of work. He has had twenty years' experience, but he says that it is only at the end of the journey that a man becomes a really qualified reviewer. It is very fascinating work, and he is as sure that there is an Art of Criticism as he is that there is no Science in it. Specialist knowledge is not, as a rule, necessary or even desirable in the critic. There is at the present moment a little too much reviewing. The individual review, and even the "chorus of  ## p. 235 (#283) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 235 reviewers," indolent or otherwise, has lost some of its old authority. "Reviews come out so thick and so fast that any mark made by a single one on that elastic target the public apprehension is quickly effaced by others." Here is what Professor Saintsbury thinks is demanded at the present day: Fewer reviews; greater concentration of power and authority in those that are given; something like despotism, provided it be vigilant, intelligent, and benevolent on the part of the editor; better training in the history and methods of criticism in general literature and knowledge. The critic's business is in the main that of judging, not the man or the merits of the man so much as the work and the nature, rather than the merits or demerits, of the work. The blame and the praise will occur, but they are rather accidents than essentials of the critic's function. For the rest, Professor Saintsbury regards the mere "account rendered " as the worst review of all; though it is rivalled by the kind which simply makes the book a peg on which to hang the reviewer's own reflections, grave or gay. In all the varieties, however, ignorance, as usual, is more to blame than malice, and not ignorance of fact so much as what may be called ignorance of art. Some rather despairing views of the criticism in vogue have been elicited by the Westminster Gazette. Mr. David Christie Murray, for instance, has come to the conclusion that in the lump the criticism of fiction is hopelessly incom- petent or incurably dishonest. Perhaps a score of journals, he says, offer a real aid to judgment. Hundreds more are quite outside the sphere of sordid influences, but are manned by people who follow the lead of the critical smasher, whose business it is to make false coin pass for U'ue. "Edna Lyall" wishes that the rompte-rendu form of review were abolished, and helpful criticism take its place. Mrs. Sarah Grand has been astonished by the bias, the absence of anything like dispassionate consideration, and the utter want of discrimination shown by most of her critics; and she is sorry to say that she has also been horrified by their want of honesty. On the other hand, Mr. Crockett, Mr. Hall' Caine, and Mr. Blackmore express themselves generally satisfied, the last declaring, however, that the reviewer's first duty is to the public. Mr. Le Gallienne regards log-rolling. <r la Leigh Hunt, as desirable; but he differentiates between this and dishonest reviewing. Mr. Ian Mac- Laren thinks reviewers should be a distinct order in the- profession of letters, and that their reviews should be signed just as a report by a scientific expert is signed. Mr: Lends Hind, Mr. Henry Norman, and Mr. Clement Shorter, as literary editors, pronounce upon the cire which is taken to secure fair reviews and to detect merit. Log-rolling, says Mr. Norman, simply wouldn't pay; editors don't go to sleep in these matters, and if a reviewer of a reputable paper puffs a bad book, he is likely to hear of it very soon from his editor. Mr. Hind, the editor of the Academy, in the same way, is almost inclined to deny the existence of log-rolling altogether. Mr. Shorter, however, says the force of circum- stances is all too strong for us to get quite rid of it. Among ready suggestions of defect which crop up in all these letters, the most notable is that which comes at the same moment from Mr George Gissing and Mrs. Sarah Grand—namely, the reviewer's habit of quoting sentences uttered by a character in a novel as though they came from the author himself. "In one little story of mine," says Mrs. Grand, "a very pompous character talks of a sound having 'penetrated to the inner- most recesses of audition.' One reviewer tore this passage from the text and quoted it as an example of my own execrable style, with a com- ment on the prica which he stated I received for such stuff." Mr. William Archer, unlike most of the other authorities, thinks the practice of pluralism is to be viewed with a certain suspicion; for, as we all have likes and dislikes, it is extremely unfair that the reviewer who has in one paper c.illed a book bad should take advan- tage of his influence to do the like in five or six other papers. Mr. Oswald Crawfurd suggests that reviews should be written from a less superior standpoint—authors being human beings, and reviewers not absolute gods. Mr. George Manville Fenn wishes, for one thing, that the reviewer could grasp the fact that a novel is often written to suit the needs and clientele of some particular magazine, and to appear in serial form. Mr. Max Pember- ton t'e:irs that there is a good deal of dishonest work done in the shadow of anonymity, and suggests that where a review is very bitter it should bear the signature of its author. "A Literary Editor" explains the difficulties of his office. He says that the residue of books—the crowd of novels and poems by altogether un- known people which remain after the others have been divided into their classes of history, science, novels by well-known writers, and so on—are generally dealt with by a more or less haphazard selection being made, the preference being given to the books of well-known publishers or to those which have been well advertised by the puff preliminary. And it. does not pay a reviewer to carry out the ideal of reading a large number of books for no purpose beyond the purely negative  ## p. 236 (#284) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. one of ascertaining that they are not worth reviewing. A writer in the National Observer, finally, upholds the class of reviewers for per- forming well a thankless task, and says they will assure you that they have to read 'so much trash that when a well-written and able book comes their way they are almost reduced to tears of thankfulness. THE BOOKS OF THE MONTH. UNDER this heading it is proposed to give a monthly return of all the books worthy of being called books published during the month, excluding the little story books, &c., which swell up the enormous total of books returned in the annual list. [December 24 to January 23—135 Books.] Allen, G. Historical Guide to Florence. 3 6 net. Richards. ., Historical Guide to Paris. 3/6 net. Anonymous. Watch-Song of Heabane the WitneBS. 10 fi. Murray. Austin, A. The Conversion of Winckelmann, Ac. 6 - Macmillan. Bax, P. B. J. The Cathedral Church of St. Asaph, ft - net. Stock. Beardslev. Aubrey. A Book of Fifty Drawings. 10 6 net. Smitbers. Benson, E. F. The Babe, B.A. 6 - Putnam. Bewes, W. A. Church Briefs. 18 - net. Black. Bickerstaff, J. B. Philomath Triumphant, 4c. 1 - net. Andrews. Blackmore, E. The British Mercantile Marine. 3 6. Griffin Blaikie,W.G. Thomas Chalmers (Famous Scots Series). 16. Oliphant. Bolt, Ben. Anthony Jasper. 2 - Unwin. Bo wen, H. W. International Law. (/- Putnam. Braddon. Mrs. London Pride. Simpkin. Marshall. Breton, F. The Black Mass. f. - Hutchinson. Burroughs, J. (Selections). A Year In the Fields, t - Smith. Elder. Cartwright, Mrs. E. A Slight Indiscretion. 1- Unwin. Cberbullez.V. With Fortune Made (tr. M. E. Simkins). fi - Hutchinson Colls, W. L. Pictorial Photographs (18 Plates). 21- Kegan Paul. Conder, C. B. Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. 10H9-1291. 71\. Palestine Exploration Fund. Crane. S. The Black Riders, and other Lines. Heinemann. Crawford, J. H. Summer Days for Winter Evenings. Macc(ueen. Croker, B. M. Beyond the Pale. Chatto. Crump. A. Wide Asunder as the Poles. 6 - Longmans. Clodd, E. Pioneers of Evolution. 6 -net. Richards. Collectanea, Third SerieB (Professor Burrows, editor). 21, - Frowde. Craggs, J. U. Heavy Trial Balances Made Easy.'.' 6. Scientific Press. Dawkins. G. H. Present-Day Sires and the Figure System. H. Cox. Diet, of National Biography—xlix. Robinson—Russell. Smith, Elder. Duggan, J. The Life of Christ. 6/- Kegan Paul. Duryea, A. S. P. Sir Knight of the Golden Pathway. 5 - Putnam Dutton. Thos. Obesity. Its Cause and Treatment. It! net. Kimpton. Eales.S.J. Msbillon'B "St. Bernard "—iii..iv. 12- net each. Hodgej. Emerson. P. H. Ca.ibs. the Guerilla Chief. 6 - Nutt. Evans, E. E. Ferdinand Lassalle and Heleue von Donnizes. 1 - Sonnenachein. Eyre-Todd, G.. editor. Scottish Poetry of the 18th Century—v. - Glasgow: Hodge. Fletcher, J. S. God's Failures. S <> net. Lane. Fyne (N'eal). Tbe Land of the Living Dead. 3 6. Drane. Gardner, E. A. Handbook of Greek Sculpture—ii. 5 - Macmilltn. ciibbon. Edward. Autobiographies and Letters. 316. Murray. „ J. C. The Ambassador of Christ. Washbourne. Gissing, A. Tbe 8cholar of Bygate. HutchinBon. Gregor. N. T. History of Armenia. 3/- J. Heywood. Harland, M., and Herrlck, C. T. National Cook Book. 7 fi. Unwin. Harper, A. P. Pioneer Work in Alps of New Zealand. 21 - net. Harria, J.C. Sister Jane. 6,'- Constable. Haycraft, T. W. Executive Powers in Relation to Crime, fi - Bulterworth. Hazlitt, W. C. Four Generations of a Literary Family (The Hazlitts). 31 fi. Redway. Henty, G. A. The Queen's Cup. 15-net. Chatto. Howetson, G. H. The Strike, and Other Poems. 5- Putnam. Higgs, H. The Physiocrats. 3 fi. Macniillan. Hoffman, Professor, editor. Every Boy's Book of Sport. Routledge. Holm, A. History of Greece (from Gorman)—iii. 'I - net. MacTifllan. Hungcrford, Mrs. An AnxiouB Moment, &c. 8(6. Chatto. Hunter. Sir W. W. The Thackerays in India. 2 6 net Frowde. Hutcbeson, J. 0. Young Tom Bowling. 5/- Warne. Ibsen, H. John Gabriel Borkman (tr. W. Archer). Heinemann. James, C. The Finger and the Ring, fi,- Ward and Downey. Johnson, J. C. F. Getting Gold; a Practical Treatise. 8 6. Griffin. Keashey, L. M. The Nicaragua Canal and the Monroe Doctrine. 18.- Putnam, Keightley, S. B. The Last Recruit of Clare's. 6 - Hutchinson. Kingidev. Mary H. Travels in West Africa. 21 - net. Macmillan. Kirby, W. F. A Handbook to Order Lepldoptera—iii. 6/- W.H.Allen. Lang. A. Pickle, the Spy. 18;- Longmans. Langdon, W. E. Application of Electricity to Rail. Workings. Spon. Larchey, L. Narrative of Capt. Colgnet (tr. Mrs. Carey). 3/6. Chatto. Leach, A. F. English Schools at Reformation. 12 - net. Constable, ^eakc, F. Historic Bubbles. Suckling and Galloway, Xentzner, K. Short Hist, of Danish Language. The editor, at Oxford. Lepsius, L. Armenia and Europe (ed. J. R. Harris). fi,- Hodder and Stougbton. Lindsay, J. Recent Advances in Theistlc Philosophy of Religion. 12 6 net. Blackwood. Lorimer. G. C. (ed.). People's Bible History. 20 - Christ. Com. Co. Lowe, C.E. Cyclopaedia of Musicians and Musical Events. 2 - Weekes. Lydekker, R. (editor). The Royal Natural History. Warne. Macalister. R. A. S. Ecclesiastical Vestments. Stock. MacDonagh, M. Bishop Doyle, J.K.L 2 - Unwin. Marmery, J. V. Wit, WiBdom, and Folly. Digby, Long. Martin, Mrs. H. Gentleman George. Hurst and Blacken, Maurier, George du. English Society (Sketches). 12 6. Osgood. Miller, Esther. The Sport of the Gods. 6 - Innes. Morgan, Sir G. O. Eclogues of Virgil in English Hexameter Verse. 4 C net. Frowde. Morrison, W. D. Juvenile Offenders. I',- Unwin. Newton, A. A Dictionary of Birds—Part iv. 7 6 nM. Black. Ogle. W. Tr. of Aristotle on Youth and Old Age, Ac. 7 fi. Longmans. Paullan (L.). The Beggars of Paris (tr. Lady Herschell). Arnold. Peek. H. (editor). The Poetry of Sport. Longmans. Peel. Sir R. A Bit of a Fool. 6 - Downey. Phillpotts, E. Lying Prophets. 6 - Innes. Phillpson, J. The Art and Craft of Coachbuilding. Bell, i'hilpot, Mrs. J. H. The Sacred Tree. 8 6 net. Macmillan. Post, M. D. Strange Scheme* of Randolph Mason. 8 fi. Putnam. Powell, Q. H. Animal Episodes and Studies in Sensation. 3 6 net. Redway. Putnam, G. H. Books and their Makers during the Middle Ages—li. Putnam. Renton. A. W. Law of and Work in Lunacy. Stevens and Haynes. Revnolds, Sir J. Essays and AddiesseB. 12/- net Macmillan. Rideal, S. Water and its Purification. Crosby, Lockwood. Risley, J. S. The Law of War. 12/- Innes. R. V. The Sentimental Vikings. 2 6 net Lone. Roberts, Lord. Forty-t >ne Years in India. 86/- Bentley. Roliettson, J. M. The Saxon and the Celt (Sociology). Univ. Press. Robinson, Percy. Relics of Old Leeds. Batsford. Romanes, G. J. Essays (edited by C. L. Morgan). 6 - Longmans. Rushington. W. L. Shakespeare an Archer. Liverpool. Lee. Sabbab, J. M. Fanti Customary Laws. 21 -net. Clowes. Salkeld-Cooke, H. Reprobatus, or the Journey of Death a - Church Printing Co. Sanders, N. A Comedy of Three. 1, - I'nwin. Sargant, A. Brownie (with music and illustrations). Dtnt. Scholey, H. Electric Tramways and Railways. 2 - Paasmore. SchwartzkopfT, P. Prophecies of Jesus Christ (tr. N". Buchanan*. •> - Edinburgh : Clark. Sen, Sun Yat. Kidnapped in London. 1 - Bristol: Arrowsmith. Sergeant. A. The Idol-Maker. 6/- Hutchinson. Sharp. Win. Madge o' the Pool, and other Tales. 2 6. Constab'e. Shuckburgh, E. S. History of Helvetian War. 1, 6. Clsy. Soldene. E- My Theatrical and Musical Recollections. 10 fi. Downey. Street, G. S. The Wise and the Wayward. 4 6 net. Lane. Stuart-Glennie, J.S., editor. Greek Folk Poesy—ii. IOC. Nutt. Tarliell, F. B. History of Greek Art 6 - Macmillan. Taylor, H. O. Ancient Ideals. W - Putnam. Thompson, N. (}.. and Cannan, F. L. Figure Skating. Longmans. Tirard, N. Diphtheria and Antitoxin. 7 6. Trobridge, O. By a Way They Knew Not. Spiers. Tubeuf, K. Diseases of Plants induced by Cryptogramic Parasites (tr. W. G. Smith). IS - net. Longmans. Tweedale. V. "And They Two ." 3(1 Redway. Tytler. Sarah. Lady Jean's Son. 6/- Jarrold. Underhlll, F. T. Driving for Pleasure. 28/- net. Heinemann. Warriner, John. National Portrait Gallery of British Musicians. 14 - net. Simpson Low. Watson, R. S. Hist, of Lit. and Philos. Soc. of Newcastle. 21 - Scott. Watson. William. The Yoar of Shame. 2.6 net Lane. Watt, W. A. Theory of Contract in its Social Light. 3- Edin : Clark. Wenall. W. With the E-d Eagle. 6/- Chatto. White, u.,.v Strange, E. F. (editors). Canterbury Cathedral. 1 6. Bell. .. Salisbury Cathedral. 1 S. Bell. Wflemann. J. P. Brazilisn Exchange. Wilson. Willis, J. C. Manual and Dictionary of the Flowering Plants and Ferns. Clay. Wundt, W. Outlines Psychologv (tr. C. H. Judd). Williams & Norgato.  ## p. 236 (#285) ############################################ AD VER TISEMENTS. iii IR/IE^IDir ABOUT MARCH. THE LITERARY YEAR-ROOK 1897 EDITED BY FREDERICK G. AFLALO, F.R.G.S., &c. An Exhaustive Book of Reference for all Writers and Readers of Books. AMONG THE CHIEF FEATURES ARE :- A Critical resumi of the past year's Literature, by Krnest Rhys. Portraits and Biographical Sketches of a number of Distinguished Authors. The Year's Obituary, with Portraits. A New and Complete Calendar for Literature. Some Account of the Chief Literary and Scientific Clubs, and Learned Societies and Institutions in the Kingdom, with their Addresses. Directories of Authors, Publishers, and Booksellers. A Directory of the chief Free, Public, and Subscription Libraries in Great Britain and Ireland. Pz-actical Information in connection with the Reading Rooms of the British Museum, Bibliothkque Nationale (Paris), and Knnigliche Bibliothek (Berlin). Articles on various Literary matters. Information concerning the Production of Books and the Processes in Illustration. &c, &c, &c. About 300 pages, crown 8vo., cloth, 3s. 6dm It is hoped that this volume, which deals with every matter of practical interest to the Literary World, will supply a long-felt want. LONDON: GEORGE ALLEN, RUSKIN HOUSE, 156, CHARING CROSS ROAD, AND OF ALL BOOKSELLERS.  ## p. 236 (#286) ############################################ AD VER TISEMENTS. ♦ ♦ * ♦ LOWEST PRICES IN LONDON. ♦ -A-vrthora* >1SS. correctly and neatly copied ♦ Carbon ^Duplicates G-ENKHAI. COPYING- at lOd. at Id. per iolio per lOOO words. ♦ LEGAL AND ♦ fVe have a skilled and tccll educated staff of operators. Give us a trial, and compare our tcork and prices with those of other ojices. J Note our address- LARGE ORDERS ESTIMATED FOR. : THE ECLIPSE TYPEWRITING AND SHORTHAND OFFICES, | : 28, FENCHURCH STREET. LONDON, E.C. I ♦ It THE TEMPLE YPE WRITING EXCEPTIONALLY TYPEWRITING OFFICE. ACCURATE. Moderate prices. 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Title A name given to the resource The Author, Vol. 07 Issue 09 (February 1897) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 07 Issue 09 (February 1897) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049239455" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049239455</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1897-02-01-The-Author-7-9 publications The Author