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Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1897-12-01 Volume 8 Issue 7 Pages Page range in volume 173–200 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18971201 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Uhc Butbot\ (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. VIII.—No. 7.] DECEMBER i, 1897. [Price Sixpence. General Memoranda The Society of Authors and the Discount Question . Literary Property— I. Report on Copyright J. The Cost of Production 3. Serial Rights 4. A Case 5. A Fancy Offer New York Letter. By Norman Hapgood CONTENTS. PASS PA8B ..ITS j Note* and News. By the Editor. 187 .. 175 Two Poems—1. Ishmael. 2. Light and Night 190 Correspondence—1. "Literature." 2. The Published Price. 8. .. 182 Current Criticism. 4. The Publisher's Header as School- ..182 master. 5. "The Scotsman's Library." 6. A Book Wanted 190 .. 182 Book Talk 192 ..184 ! Literature in the Periodicals 198 .. 185 1 Story Competition 198 .. 185 The Books of the Month 198 PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 1. The Annual Report. That for January 1897 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., III., and IV., 8s. 6d. 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 (Jens de Lettres. By S. Squire Sprigqe, 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, Ac, 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 Sprigqe. 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 agreements. Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C. 3s. 7. Copyright Law Reform, An Exposition of Lord Monks well'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. i*. 6d. 8. The Society Of Authors. A Record of its Action from its Foundation. By Walter Besant (Chairman of Committee, 1888—1892). is. 9. The Contract of Publication in Sermany, Austria, Hungary, and Switzerland. By Ebnst Lunoe, J.TJ.D. 2s. 6d.  ## p. 172 (#602) ############################################ AD VER TISEMENTS. lft)e $ociefg of Jluffrors (gncotporqfe&). PRESIDENT. C3-EOieC3:E MEEEDITH. COUNCIL. S.I. | Austin Dobson. A. Conan Doyle, M.D. A. W. Duboueg. Pbof. Michael Fosteb, F.E.S. D. W. Freshfibld. Richard Garnett, C.B., LL.D. Edmund flossn. H. Rider Haooabd. Thomas Habdt. Anthony Hope Hawkins. P.C. | Jerome K. Jerome. Rudtard Kipling. Prof. E. Rat Lankester, F.R.S. W. E. H. Leckt, P.C. J. M. Lelt. Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. Rev. W. J. LoFTiE, F.S.A. Sir A. C. Mackenzie, Mas.Doc. Prof. J. M. D. Meiklejohn. Herman C. Merivale. Sir Edwin Arnold, K.C.I.E., C.I J. M. Barbie. A. W. X Beckett. Robert Batsman. F. E. Beddard, F.R.S. Sib Henrt Bebone, K.C.M.G. Sir Walter Besant. auqustine blrkell, m.p. Rev. Prof. Bonnet, F.R.S. Right Hon. James Bryce, M.P. Right Hon. Lord Burohclere, Hall Caine. Egerton Castle, F.S.A. P. W. Clatden. Edward Clodd. W. Morris Colleb. Hon. John Collier. Sir W. Martin Conwat. F. Marion Crawford. The Earl of Dbsart. Rev. C. H. Middleton-Wakk. Sir Lewis Morris. Henry Norman. Miss E. A. Ormerod. J. C. Parkinson. Right Hon. Lord Pirbrioht, P.C, F.R.S. Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart., LL.D. Walter Herries Pollock. w. bapti8te scoones. Miss Flora L. Shaw. O. R. Sims. S. Squire Sprigge. J. J. Stevenson. Francis Storr. William Moy Thomas. H. D. Traill, D.C.L. Mrs. Humphry Ward. Miss Charlotte M. Yonge. Hon. Counsel — E. M. Underdown, Q.C. A.. W. X Beckett. Sir Walter Besant. Eoerton Castle, F.S.A. W. Morris Colles. COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT. Chairman—H. Rider Haooabd. Sir W. Martin Conway. D. W. Frbshfield. Anthony Hope Hawkins. J. M. Lely. Sir A. C. Mackenzie, Mas.Doo. Henby Norman. Francib Storr. COMMITTEES. MUSIC. C. Villiers Stanford, Mus.D. (Chairman). Jacques Blumenthal. J. L. Molloy. SUB ART. Hon. John Collier (Chairman) Sir W. Martin Conway. M. H. Spislmann. 8oUeitors f *"IBLD> Roscob, and Co., Lincoln's Inn Fields \ G. Herbert Thring, B.A., 4, Portugal-street. Secretary—G. Herbert Thbino, B.A OFFICES: 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C. DRAMA. Henry Abthub Jones (Chairman). A. W. X Beckett. Edward Rose. j±. :p. watt & sonsr, LITERARY AGENTS, Formerly of 2, PATERNOSTER SQUARE, Have now removed to HASTINGS HOUSE, NORFOLK STREET, STRAND, LONDON. W.C. THE TEMPLE TYPEWRITING OFFICE. * TYPEWRITING EXCEPTIONALLY ACCURATE. Moderate prioes. Dnplioates of Circulars by the latest -*- process. OPINIONS OP CLIENTS.—Dibtihbuishrd Abthor:—"The most beautiful typing I have ever Been." Lady or Title:—"The work waa very well and clearly done." Provincial Editor :—" Many thanlra for the spotless neatness and beautiful accuracy." MISS GENTRY, KLDON CHAMBERS, 30, FLEET STREET, E.C.  ## p. 173 (#603) ############################################ XL he Hutbor* (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. VIII.—No. 7.] DECEMBER 1, 1897. [Price 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 sent by registered letter only. _ ^ Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. GENERAL MEMORANDA. EOR some years it has been the practice to insert, in every number of The Author, certain " General Con- siderations," Warnings, Notices, Ac, 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 obvious 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 to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements TOIi. VIII. in his own organs: or by charging exchange advertise- ments. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for " office expenses," unleBS the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up 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 solicitor or doctor! (7.) To stamp the agreement. HI. 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 neoessary 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. Headers can also work out the figures themselves from the "Cost of Production." Let no one, not even the youngest 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 success. 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 chanoe of a success which will not, probably, come at all; but which may come. The four points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are:— (1.) 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 thiB is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied o 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 for advertisements in the publisher's own organs and none for exohanged advertisements and that all discounts shall be duly entered. If these points are carefully looked after, the author may rest pretty well assured that he is in right hands. At the same time he will do well to send his agreement to the secretary before he signs it. Q 2  ## p. 174 (#604) ############################################ i74 THE AUTHOR. HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. i. ill VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society's solicitors. If the case is snch 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. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houBes—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the oountry. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society yo are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of The Author notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. 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 Seoretary, 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, "V/T EMBERS are informed: J3_L 1. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. That it Bubmits 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 whioh its services can be secured 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 every attempt is made to deal with all communi- cations promptly. That stamps should, in all cases, 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 case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. NOTICES. f 11HE Editor of The Author begs to remind members of the I 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 Seoretary 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 oomplete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send thoir names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write? Communications for Tlie 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, Ac. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year? 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. 175 (#605) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. i75 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 t 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 •f "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 £g 48. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the " Cost of Production " for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too •ften 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. THE SOCIETY OP AUTHOKS AND THE DISCOUNT QUESTION. THE Report printed below has been forwarded to Mr. C. J. Longman, president of the Publishers' Association, with the following letter from the chairman of the Committee of Management of the Society of Authors:— "Nov. 30, 1897. "My dear Longman,—In reply to your letter of July 6 re the publishers' and booksellers' pro- posals on the discount question, I now beg to forward to your Association a Report which has been presented to us by a sub-committee of our society appointed to consider and take evidence upon these proposals. The Committee of Manage- ment of this Society endorse and adopt the con- clusions arrived at by its sub-committee. I may add, however, that, independently of these detailed conclusions, we feel it impossible to give support to the joint proposals of the publishers and book- sellers as presented in the papers forwarded by you, on the broad ground that, even were it possible to carry them into effect—which remains an open question—they would, as we understand them, be in restraint of free trade and a fetter on individual liberty. It is with the greatest regret that we have come to a decision adverse to the wishes of your Association and to those of a large proportion of the bookselling trade, since the result of our inquiries and our own observations amply convince us that the distress among the country book- sellers is genuine and widespread. Thanking you for so kindly submitting the matter to the consideration of our Society, Believe me to remain, my dear Longman, Very sincerely yours, (Signed) H. Rider Haggard, Chairman of Committee of Management. P.S.—I shall be much obliged if you will con- sider the enclosed Report as confidential to your association until its appearance in The Author on Thursday next. To C. J. Longman, Esq., President of the Publishers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland." REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE. Report of the Sub-Committee ■ appointed by the Committee of Management of the Society of Authors to consider the Publishers'' and Book- sellers'1 proposals with regard to Raising Discounts. YOUR Committee have been constituted to inquire into and report upon a letter addressed to the Society on July 6th by Mr. C. J. Longman, President of the Publishers' Association, which is to the following effect:— "Stationers' Hall, E.C., July 6th, 1897. My dear Haggard, In accordance with a resolution passed item. con. at a special general meeting of the Publishers' Association, held on July 1st, I am writing to ask the attention of the Society of Authors to a matter which has for some time been the subject of anxious consideration in the bookselling trade. I need not go into the matter in detail, as the papers I inclose herewith, which I hope you will lay before your Society, contain full information on the matter in which we ask your co-operation. Briefly, we are anxious to assist the retail trade in the very serious difficulties which beset their business owing to the excessive discounts which are now given to the public in London and many other towns, though not in all. Although it is the retail trade only which are directly interested in the movement which we ask you to support, yet it is a matter of great importance, both to authors and publishers, that a numerous and flourishing body of retailers should exist throughout the Kingdom. I inclose six copies of a Report of the Sub- committee on Trade Terms to our Council, which contains the details of the proposal, and also six copies of the Publisher«' Circular for July 3rd, containing a report of the meeting on July 1st, which I have already mentioned. Great hopes are entertained among the retail booksellers  ## p. 176 (#606) ############################################ 176 THE AUTHOR. throughout the country that this movement will be carried to a successful issue, as has been done satisfactorily in France and in Germany. We trust, therefore, that we shall receive the hearty support of the Society of Authors. Should this be the case we have little doubt of the success of the movement, while in the contrary event the proposal must necessarily drop, to the deep disappointment of the retail trade. Should you desire it our Sub-Committee would be happy to meet you to give any further information you may desire. I am, yours faithfully, (Signed) C. J. Longman, President Publishers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland. H. Rider Haosaed, Esq., Incorporated Society of Authors." Your Committee having read the various documents and pamphlets placed before them, and having examined a numb, r of booksellers and representatives of trade societies, have now the honour to report: At the general meeting of the publishers on July 1st, the chairman, Mr. Longman, began by stating that "It is alleged by retail book- sellers, in town and country, that it is impossible for them to make a living profit by the sale of copyright books at the discount now given of 3d. in the shilling. . . . It is not stated that booksellers as a whole do not make a profit, but that the profit is derived from the sale of non- copyright literature, stationery, and fancy goods." (Publisher's Circular, July 3, 1897, p. 7). The proposals of the publishers to remedy the grievance were set forth by Mr. F. Macmillan at the same meeting as "Briefly, that the present trade terms should be given only to booksellers who agree to allow no more than 2d. in the shilling on ordinary books, and sell net l>ooks at full prices : and that those dealers who refuse to come into the arrangement, or who break their agreement, should be supplied at no better terms than scrip without odd books, or discount at settle- ment" (16. p. 8); or, speaking in plain terms, if a bookseller chose to sell the books at 25 per cent, discount, he would be selling them at cost price. Mr. Macmillan concluded by observing, "It is imperative that before entering into any arrange- ment with the Associated Booksellers as to this important question, we should approach the Society of Authors, should explain to them what it is that we and the booksellers propose, and should get them to agr^e with us in saying that the suggested action is taken in the interest of all connected with the commercial side of literature—of the authors who write books, of the publishers who bring them out, and of the booksellers who sell them to the public. I do not anticipate that there will be any difficulty in putting the matter before the Society of Authors in such a way as to induce them to coincide with our views and those of the booksellers" (ib. p. 8).* Your Committee desire at the outset to endorse the statements as to the present depressed state of the retail book trade. Injury to the bookseller must partly fall upon the author, since much of his own welfare is bound up with the prosperity of the bookseller. Many books, indeed, cannot be said to be effectively published until the booksellers are interested in them; and no bookseller can be said to be interested in a book unless he gains a fair profit from selling it. In the general interest of literature, moreover, it is important that the race of trained and intelligent booksellers in this country should not be crowded out of existence. While fully recognising and deploring the existing conditions of the bookselling trade, your Committee cannot recommend you to give the "hearty support" asked for in Mr. Longman's letter, and still more difficult do they find it to agree with Mr. Macmillan's much more decided assertion that "the suggested action is taken in the interest of all connected with the commercial side of literature." The discount question is not one of senti- ment. It is purely an economic question, and must be considered from a commercial point of view. It is produced by modern com- petition, and it is to be paralleled by examples in many other trades. Chemists and druggists make the same complaint of excessive reductions in the retail price of patent medicines and well- known drugs. Retrospect. So far in general terms. Before proceeding to consider the question in detail, and as it is affected by the conditions of the day, it if necessary to recall previous attempts made in the same direction. The first and most serious attempt to regulate the rate of discount was made in the years' 1848-52. On July 12, 1850, the following de- claration was signed by every bookseller re- * The exact words of the resolution referred to by Mr. F. Macmillan were: "That the present trade terms should be given only to those booksellers who pledge themselves not to exceed 2d. in the Is. discount, and to maintain the published price of Net Books. "Those who are unwilling so to pledge themselves to b» supplied at scrip, net, and no odd copy."  ## p. 177 (#607) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. •77 siding within twelve miles of the Post Office. Their number was 1200. "1. 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. "2. That, as a general rule, no greater allow- ance than 10 per cent, for cash be made to private customers unconnected with the trade or with publishing. "3. That, as a general rule, no greater allowance than 15 per cent, be made to book societies. "4. 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 remon- strance, shall be no longer considered entitled to the privileges of the trade." This engagement was broken as soon as made. The chairman himself (Mr. J. M. Richardson at that time) admitted that he supplied books to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and that the latter re-sold them to its members at cost price. Another prominent member supplied books to a college at 25 per cent, discount. A third supplied the books to form the Bank of England library at a similar discount; and so on. Certain country book- sellers would on no account be guilty of selling a book 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 2s. elsewhere, the vendor at once overcame the difficulty by cutting open a few leaves of the volume, or if 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 condition as ' second-hand,' and therefore holding himself entitled, according to orthodox principles, to sell it at a reduced price!" In April, 1852, an important paper on "The Commerce of Literature " appeared in the West- minster Review. It was written by Mr. John Chapman. This article vigorously opposed the restrictive action of the publishers. The Times followed up the article; that great paper 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." On May 6th, 1852, a meeting of authors was held at Mr. Chapman's, 142, Strand, Charles Dickens taking the chair. It was a very remarkable gathering. Amongst the men distinguished 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. Letters concurring in the views of the meeting were read from Mr. Carlyle, Mr. John Stuart Mill, Mr. Gladstone, Professor de Morgan, Mr. James Wilson, M.P., Mr. Cobden, M.P., and others. From this meet- ing there arose the definite steps taken which ended in the 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 commerce; that the principles of the Booksellers' Association were not only opposed to free trade, but were tyrannical and vexatious in their operations, 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. This was not enough. On April 30, 1852, a circular was issued by Messrs. J. W. Parker and Son, addrossed to leading authors, inviting them to send a reply to the following question: "If a retail bookseller, of ascertained credit and respectability, applies to your publisher for copies of any book in which you are directly or indirectly interested, which he is ready to purchase on the terms at which 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 pub- lisher should refuse to supply him with books which he is ready to purchase and to keep in stock at his own risk? All, with the exception of three, who were dubious, answered in the negative. Among those who then replied were J. S. Mill, Tennyson, Dickens, Carlyle, Qoldwin Smith, Herbert Spencer, Darwin, Charles Kingsley, Francis Newman, Babbage, Forbes Winslow, Cornewall Lewis, and Leigh Hunt. Finally the question was referred to a commis- sion, consisting of Lord Campbell, Dean Mil- man, and George Grote. The commission decided that the regulations were unreasonable and in- expedient, and contrary to the freedom which ought to prevail in commercial transactions.  ## p. 178 (#608) ############################################ 178 THE AUTHOR. This, then, was the opinion of the most distin- guished men in Literature, Law, and Science in 1852. In 1869 another attempt was made to impose restrictions upon the retail booksellers. This proposal was speedily dropped. Witnesses and Documents. Your Committee, in order to ascertain the facts and figures necessary for th«ir guidance, have received evidence from: 1. Mr. Thomas Burleigh (secretary of the Booksellers' Association), 370, Oxford - street, W. 2. Mr. E. Gowing-Scopes (secretary of the Retail Newsagents' and Booksellers' Union, 185, Fleet-street, E.C.) 3. Certain representatives of booksellers, viz.: Mr. Frederick H. Evans, of Queen-street, Cheapside, E C. Mr. Henry Glaisher, of 95, Strand, W.C. Mr. Henry W. Keay, of Eastbourne. Mr. Robert Maclehose, of Glasgow. Mr. N. V. Collier (Mr. Edward Stanford's), of Cockspur-street, S.W. Mr. Arthur L.Humphreys (Messrs. Hatchard's), of Piccadilly, W. Mr. John Stone ham, of Cheapside, E.C. 4. The Committee have also before them a pamphlet issued by Mr. William Heinemann, of 21, Bedford-street, W.C, who kindly forwarded it to them. 5. The evidence contained in various issues of the Publishers' Circular, together with a full account of the speeches of Mr. Frederick Mac- millan and others, setting forth the publishers' views on the subject. 6. An article that appeared in the Westminster Review of 1852, entitled "The Commerce of Literature." 7. A pamphlet by Mr. Thomas Bosworth, of 215, Regent-street, W., dated 1868. 8. The evidence from the Booksellers' Review and correspondence in the Times and the other papers on the subject, together wifh a ' mass of private and confidential letters written to the Committee. 9. They have also had before them the answers of members of the Council of the Society to the same question as that put in 1852 by Messrs. Parker. Evidence. The following facts and opinions have been elicited: 1. It has been stated that the larger book- sellers get better terms than the smaller. 2. "Office expenses" are by some booksellers 'estimated as high as 15 or 16 percent, on receipts. This item must obviously vary enormously. 3. It is stated that country booksellers obtain 10 per cent, discount, instead of the London allowance of 5 per cent., as a set-off against carriage. 4. Books that are non-copyright are sold to the trade at various prices. The most common terms are a little over half the published price. 5. It is stated that the increasing practice of the drapers in selling non-copyright books very cheaply—even under cost price—greatly injures booksellers. 6. Several of the most experienced witnesses stated as their conviction that the proposed coercion could not be carried out; although they were aware that in the case of magazines some- thing has been done in certain provincial towns by the Newsagents' Association. 7. The probable effect of raising the price was variously estimated. The public, according to many booksellers, will not mind the addition of sixpence or so: the public, according to others, will not pay an additional sixpence: the public, according to some, will readily pay a net price: according to others, will insist on getting dis- count. The truth appears to be that the public will have discount if they can get it. As for reducing the retail price, it is generally considered by the trade that the increased sale would not compensate the loss. 8. Several witnesses were of opinion that some form of "sale or return" would be very helpful. One practical proposal before your Committee was to treat books as magazines are treated, viz., to allow so many per doz. to be returned; the book- sellers, of course, to have the choice of books to be sent to them. In the case of highly priced books it is absolutely necessary that they should be sent on sale or return if they are to be shown to the public by the smaller country booksellers. 9. There seems to be a universal consent in the trade that it would be of no use to rearrange terms with publishers unless some way could be found to prevent further increase of discount. 10. The publishers fix the price of books. One witness suggested that the publishers should fix only the trade price, leaving the booksellers free to sell the books at any price they please. This is the custom with prayerbooks. 11. As regards the proposed regulation of the trade, it is urged, on the oue hand, that there is no fear of further coercion, and that booksellers cannot be worse off than they are. On the other hand, it is pointed out that booksellers desire immediate relief by the reduction of the discount, and that they do not realise the state of dependence in which the attainment of their desires would place them.  ## p. 179 (#609) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. '79 Causb8 of Depression. So far for the evidence. We have next to consider the causes of the present depression of trade. 1. The 3d. in the shilling discount is generally advanced as the sole cause. This, however, is not the case; there are other causes, and this discount is not universal. Where the practice prevails, it is quite clear that the small bookseller cannot live by the sale of copyright works alone. Booksellers, however, have brought this discount system upon themselves. Publishers do not appear to have recognised it in their trade prices. Book- sellers introduced the system, and there is no possible guarantee that they would not be com- pelled, in the future, by the necessities of com- petition, to render inoperative any improved terms of sale that might be introduced with a view to their benefit. 2. A second cause of the position of the book- seller is the depression of agriculture, which has inflicted such enormous losses on country gentle- men, cathedral and county clergy, and fellows of colleges, all of whom were formerly buyers of books. 8. The competition of other traders who have added books to their other wares. 4. The partial loss of the educational book trade, whether of elementary or of higher schools, which is now often carried on direct between schools and publishers. 5. The practice of many Free Libraries, which deal with the publisher or the wholesale agent direct instead of with the local bookseller. (i. The failure of the bookseller to meet the new demands for reading from the many millions added to the number of readers by the spread of education. The drapers, for instance, seem to have discovered a new stratum of purchasers. 7. A want of energy and "push" among book- sellers as a whole. It is quite evident that if the mass of people are to buy books they must have lK>oks attractively offered to them. Conclusions. In considering the condition of the trade, and the proposals of the booksellers and publishers, your Committee have come to the conclusion that the coercive measures proposed could not be carried out. This was proved in 1852. Evasion in every form was then, and would be now, practised by the discontented, and successfully practised now as then. In connection with the vital question of the possibility of enforcing upon unwilling booksellers a uniform and reduced discount, your Com- mittee think it necessary to draw attention to an VOL. VIII. aspect of the matter which frequently escapes notice. Let us suppose that the publishers decide to raise their terms or to refuse books to any bookseller who gives a discount of more than 2d. in the shilling. Many booksellers would gladly welcome the announcement, but others—amongst these the great London shops, who often sell in an hour as many copies of a popular work as a small country book- seller sells in a year—certainly would not. On the contrary, they would frankly endeavour to find some method of evasion. "But," reply the publishers, " since ex hypothesi we should all be united in action, evasion would be impossible. The would-be 25 per cent, discount man simply could not get his books to sell, cither from us, or from a wholesale distributor himself dependent upon us." It is in comment upon this assertion that your Committee feel it necessary to speak. The publishers' contention may be perfectly true con- cerning the publishers who now exist, though all publishers do not belong to "the Association ": it is completely shattered by the fact that nothing prevents other publishers from coming into existence—indeed, from coming into existence ad hoc. For example, the success of the publishers would be at the mercy of a single author whose new book was certain beforehand of a very large sale. Such an author is in no way dependent upon a publisher. He might publish his new book hiinself, publish it through a bookseller, through a printer, through a literary agent, or through a draper. Having done so, he would supply it to booksellers at cheaper rates than those previously charged for his books, and leave the booksellers to give what discount they chose. Thus, instead of retail discount being reduced by the combinaton of publishers, it might well be increased. Lest it be thought that your Committee is imagining an impossible state of things, we may call attention to two statements in the evidence before us. First, a retail bookseller, doing, perhaps, the largest business in the United Kingdom, seriously asked your Committee, " Why not start a branch of the Authors' Society as the Authors' Publishing Association?" Secondly, a witness of great experience, being asked whether booksellers would be prepared to deal with the author direct, replied: "The trade would be quite willing to deal with a popular author direct, providing he gave suitable terms. In my opinion, such a move would have astound- ing results." We know of no reason why the retailer of R  ## p. 180 (#610) ############################################ i8o THE AUTHOR. books should be fettered as to the prices he charges, more than the retailer of any other commodity. If it were found possible to enforce the present proposals, other and more stringent restrictions would, doubtless, follow, such as refusal to supply books to booksellers who bought of firms outside the Publishers' Association. The independence of the author would be seriously compromised by the existence of a close ring of publishers and booksellers, who might as easily dictate to him a royalty of 5 per cent, as to the bookseller a 2d. discount. If experience showed that the public, would pay without complaint the enhanced price of books caused by the lowering of the discount, the next step would be that publishers would be strongly tempted to use the monopoly thus created to go on augmenting the price of their wares. Thus a result of the present proposals would probably be that the individual book - buyer would have to pay more and more for his literature. It should be observed that, according to the figures given to us, a 6s. book, now sold to the public at 48. 6d., yields to the bookseller a profit of from lOd. to Is.; if sold at 5s., it would yield him a profit of from Is. 4d. to Is. 6d.; on the other hand, a book sold to the public at a net price of 5s., yields to the bookseller, by the present arrangements of the trade, a profit of Is. 0|d. Thepubbsher receives for a 5s.net book from 3|d. to 5|d. more than for a 6s. book subject to the discount system, whether the discount be 3d. in the Is., or whether it be lowered (as by the proposal under consideration) to 2d. The net system, therefore, being so much more profit- able to publishers, would tend to supplant the revised discount system, and the author must be prepared to rearrange terms with the publisher on this new basis. If proposals limiting the freedom of the retail bookseller are to be considered at all — a course of action which your Committee earnestly deprecate — they must be taken up by representatives of authors, publishers, and booksellers. In every such consideration or dis- cussion the whole question of book production will have to be freely and openly laid on the table, including actual cost of production, money actually spent on advertisements, &c, before anything definite can be arrived at as regards the proper proportion of profit to be assigned to the author, the bookseller, and the publisher. With regard to the pamphlet issued by Mr. Heinemann, and sent by him to your Committee: The German system there explained is a system of which it can only be said that no tiador in these islands could possibly adopt or endure it. While all other dealers and traders around him were free to do as they pleased with their own property, he alone would be a ser- vant and a clerk, ordered to sell as he was told or to be ruined. The pamphlet invites the closest attention, as showing the actual desire of some among the promoters of these measures. Your Committee believe that the Germanisation of the British Book Trade in- volved in these proposals would not be to the advantage either of the "commercial," or any other side of literature. Remedial Measures. Tour Committee venture to suggest the following as remedial measures: 1. An endeavour by local booksellers to get the whole of the local trade—school books, prize books, books for free libraries—and to reach the lower strata of readers by stocking and pushing the sale of cheap editions of sound literature. Greater energy and enterprise, as displayed in other retail trades, if the country book trade is to be saved from extinction.* 2. The development of a system of sending out on sale or return books protected in suitable wrappers or cases. 3. The publication of non-copyright books by booksellers for themselves. The printing and issue in an attractive form of such books would require little preliminary capital, provided there were an undertaking of the trade generally to further the sale of the series. 4. It is obvious that unless the retail book- seller himself knows the difference between good and bad style and workmanship in paper, print, binding, and illustration, he cannot direct the taste of his customers to purchases which, while securing for him a remunerative business, provide them with a collection of books of permanent and even increasing value. 5. It is suggested that country booksellers should add to their business that of selling second-hand books. 6. A great feature of modern trade in printed publications is the sale of magazines, and the consequent notable increase in the number of newsagents. It is suggested that the news- agent, who must (at present, at any rate) be a local tradesman, is destined to supplant the country bookseller, unless the latter, on his * Ono of our most capable witnesses—himself a book- seller—declared that the country bookseller who fails to make a living deserves to fail, and that the profits upon bookselling are sufficient to-day in the hands of a man of real intelligence, ingenuity, and industry to enable him to thrive.  ## p. 181 (#611) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 181 side, takes over the business of the newsagent, and adopts his methods, as, indeed, the more enterprising are already beginning to do. Pub- lishers, we think, will do well to bear this development in mind, and extend accordingly the system of issuing expensive books in cheap weekly or monthly parts. 7. The fusion of the Booksellers' Association with the Booksellers' Union and the sinking of minor differences, are desirable in the interests of the trade. your Committee venture to suggest that the Committee of Management of the Society of Authors should signify to the Booksellers' Trade Organisations aud other similar bodies their willingness to advise and assist in the discussion of trade questions if so desired. Tour Committee make the above suggestions as the best that have come to their notice, with- out, however, attaching undue importance to them. We cannot hope that the country book trade will be restored to prosperity by com- paratively superficial methods. Owing to the operation of economic forces, destined in the future to increase and not to diminish in energy, the old - fashioned methods of book- selling cannot possibly survive. Rapid- and cheap means of communication tend to place all small local dealers at a disadvantage, and no formation of trading rings, or limited monopolies of sale, can invert the normal development of the processes of trade. It is only by following and taking advantage of new opportunities afforded by that normal development that injuries suffered can be repaired. (Signed) A. VV. a'Beckett. P. E. Beddard. Walter Besant. Martin Conway. Henry Arthur Jones. Henry Norman. P. Storr. Henry R, Tedder. The Bookselling Question, As one who has had nearly forty years practical experience of the book trade, perhaps you would allow me to venture a suggestion that, if given effect to, might help very considerably to relievo the present unsatisfactory condition of the retail book business. The main pressure upon the town and, particu- larly, the country bookseller is felt in the risk he is made to run in stocking his shop with new copyright books. These, when asked for, he is expected to dispose of at so bare a margin ($d. in the is.) above the invoice price that insufficient VOL. VIII. profit remains to allow of a certain proportion of his stock failing to find purchase, but which he has to pay for all the same. Here it is the publishers might come to the help of the retailer by adopting the practice which so largely prevails in Germany of permitting the bookseller to obtain new books " on sale or return" for a limited time after publication. By this means the retailer is freed from loss on unsuccessful books, while the volumes are exposed to the public on his counter, and the author can count upon his work being brought within the purview of the book-buyer for a month or two after it has been published. This arrangement may not be an alto- gether agreeable one to the publishers, who have naturally a strong preference for the " buying out and out" system. They don't take kindly to "returns." Nevertheless, the proposed relaxation of the purchase terms would radically improve the pecuniary conditions of retail bookselling, and at the same time be a gain to the public and. to the author as well. _____ Ex-Publisher. Additional. [The following additional considerations are submitted by a member of the Committee.] The bookselling trade has been subject to two contrary, though not contradictory, tendencies of the age, the tendency to combination, and the tendency to differentiation, and by both these movements the present race of booksellers have been disastrously affected. The former move- ment, of which the Co-operative Stores are the concrete embodiment, will be considered in a later portion of this report. Of the tendency to specialisation, one result is such an integral feature of our inquiry that it must be clearly pointed out at starting. To the general public, booksellers form a single class, distinguished only by the extent of their business. Those behind the scenes know that they may be roughly divided into two distinct classes—those who deal in copyright books, and those who deal in non- copyright books. There is, of course, the hard- and-fast line between the two; the seller of new books will keep among his ware a popular reprint of a standard work, and the seller of reprints will speculate in a new novel bearing some well-known name on its title-page—there are not at the present moment more than half a dozen such names at most—and he will procure for his cus- tomers any new book they may demand, but he will not keep it in stock. But though the two classes may overlap, the distinction between them is essential. Thus among the hundreds of book- shops and bookstalls east of St. Paul's, we believe there is not a single boo_aeller, in the older and stricter sense of the word. And the b 2  ## p. 182 (#612) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. reason is not far to seek. In rough figures, the seller of copyright books makes 15 per cent, gross profits on his sales, the seller of non- copyright books makes anything from 2 5 to 50 per cent., or even more. This is a no less serious matter for authors than for booksellers. A book that is not dis- played can hardly be said to be published, and the vast majority of the population, all—in fact, except the inhabitants of great centres like London, Manchester, and Oxford—have uo oppor- tunity of seeing a new book, unless it happens to be in the Free Library, or they order it through the Circulating Library, and the class which makes use of these two agencies is not to any great extent a book-purchasing class. LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—Report on Copyright. THE Report of the Royal Commission on the Law of Copyright, which has been out of print for some ten years, has been reprinted, in consequence, we presume, of a fresh demand being caused by the proceedings in the House of Lords in connection with the amending Bill pro- moted by the Society of Authors last session, which passed the House after investigation by a Select Committee with the assistance of skilled witnesses. Since the first issue of the Report in 1878, con- solidation and amendment of the law have been three times attempted: first, in 1879, by the present Duke of Rutland, then Lord John Manners, on behalf of the Conservative Govern- ment; secondly, in 1886, by the Society of Authors in a Bill which was not brought before Parliament; and thirdly, in 1891, by Lord Monkswell's Bill, promoted by the same society after consultation of all parties interested, and read a second time in the House of Lords subject to the singular condition imposed by Lord Hals- bury, as representing the Government, that it should not be further proceeded with. Various amending Bills have also been introduced, notably that of last session by Lord Monkswell, which will be re-introduced in Parliament as soon as possible. All the Bills, whether consolidating or amending, have, as might be expected, been framed on the lines marked out by the Report of the Commission of 1878. The Bill of 1891 is prefixed by an elaborate memorandum summaris- ing its contents, and giving reasons for almost every alteration proposed; and the same course was pursued on a smaller scale in connection with the Bill of last session. Perhaps the best mode of procedure in the matter would be for Parlia- ment to pass the Bill with such amendments, if any, as may seem desirable, but to postpone its operation for a few months, before the expiration of which period a consolidating Bill repealing and precisely re-enacting it may also be passed. This procedure, which has the advantage of dis- tinguishing amendment from re-enactment, and of enabling the opinion of Parliament to be taken separately on amendments, was successfully fol- lowed in connection with the amendments of the law of lunacy which were placed on the Statute- book in 1889 and 1890.—Law Times, Nov. 13, 1897. II.—The Cost of Production. I have before me estimates from four printers of a certain piece of work. I tabulated these estimates, and compared them with the corre- sponding figures in the Society's "Cost of Production." Whenever I get accounts or esti- mates I always make this comparison, and always with the same result. And yet we find certain publishers gravely and impudently asserting that the figures in the "Cost of Production" are far too low: Composing Printing Paper for the Per sheet. Per sheet. whole work. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Society's figures 1 16 6 ... o 16 2 ... 28 7 o PrinterA i is 6 ... 1 4 6 ... 18 2 3 » B 1 16 o ... 1 40 ... 30 2 o „ C 2 5 o ... o 17 6 ... 18 o o ( (Lumped these items } 1, U > . , i IS II O (. togother) ) 3 The very low estimate of printing—16s. zd. a sheet—(see "Cost of Production," p. 28) is perhaps due to its being the charge for printing after stereotyping. Observe the wonderful unanimity of the charge for composing. As for the cost of paper, we must, it is evident, lower this item by 36 per cent., an immense saving. The Secretary showed me recently three accounts. They all came from the same house: they were all, under every head, lower than those of the Society's book. I think, with these facts before us, we need not distress ourselves with the complaints about our impossible figures. W. B. III.—Serial Rights. As serial rights have been steadily growing in importance, it has been found necessary from time to time to repeat in The Author the difficul- ties of dealing with this kind of property and the pitfalls that should be avoided. By serial publication is meant not publication in a series of books, but publication in the form  ## p. 183 (#613) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. »83 of periodical issue. Serial rights may be divided as follows. These are the common formB: :. Rights in Some important London maga- zine or paper. 2. Rights in some important American maga- zine or paper. 3. Secondary rights in England. 4. Secondary rights in America. 5. Rights in the Colonies and Dependencies of Great Britain. In selling any of these rights the author should be very careful of what he is selling, and of the date of publication. If the author is careless, he may find that he has sold all serial rights, that his story is being syndicated in the provinces and in America and is bringing in moneys that he could have put into his own pocket, or that his work is being con- stantly reproduced in serial versions in the same paper. Another result of this carelessness may be that he finds his work in serial form advertised at absurdly cheap prices, which may tend to depre- ciate the value of any fresh work from his pen. He may find again, that he has brought him- self within the toils of the 18th section of the Copyright Act. The 18th section runs as follows: "XVIII. And be it enacted, that when any pub- lisher or other person shall, before or at the time of the passing of this Act, have projected, con- ducted, and carried on, or shall hereafter project, conduct, and carry on, or be the proprietor of any encyclopaedia, review, magazine, periodical work, or work published in a series of books or parts, or any book whatsoever, and shall have employed or shall employ any persons to compose the same, or any volume, parts, essays, articles, or portions thereof for publication in or as part of the same, and such work, volumes, parts, essays, articles, or portions shall have been or shall hereafter be composed under such employ- ment, on the terms that the copyright therein shall belong to such proprietor, projector, pub- lisher, or conductor, and paid for by such pro- prietor, publisher, projector, or conductor, the copyright in every such encyclopaedia, review, magazine, periodical work, and work published in a series of books or parts, and in every volume, part, essay, article, and portion so composed and paid for, shall be the property of such proprietor, projector, publisher, or other conductor, who shall enjoy the same rights as if he were the actual author thereof, and shall have such term of copyright therein as is given to the authors of books by this Act; except only that in the case of essays, articles, or portions forming part of and first published in reviews, magazines, or other periodical works of a like nature after the term of twenty-eight years from the first pub- lication thereof respectively, the right of publishing the same in a separate form shall revert to the author for the remainder of the term given by this Act: Provided always, that during the term of twenty-eight years the said proprietor, pro- jector, publisher, or conductor, shall not publish any such essay, article, or portion separately or singly, without the consent previously obtained of the author thereof, or hiB assigns: Provided also that nothing herein contained shall alter or affect the right of any person who shall have been or who shall be so employed as aforesaid to publish any such his composition in a separate form who by any contract, express or implied, may have reserved or may hereafter reserve to himself such right; but every author reserving, retaining, or having such right shall be entitled to the copyright in such composition when published in a separate form, according to this Act, without prejudice to the right of such proprietor, projector, publisher, or conductor, as aforesaid." It will be seen from this that when the pro- prietor employs and pays (a most important feature) a writer on the terms that the copyright in the work done shall belong to such proprietor, then the proprietor can for twenty-eight years republish the work, but only with the consent of the author; but that the author may on the other hand expressly or impliedly retain his copy- right. The question of what would happen if nothing was said about copyright is left open. Does the author impliedly reserve it? One case decided in the courts seems to point to this view, but the question is still by good authorities considered doubtful. The author should always endeavour to have a special contract with regard to the sale of serial rights, and should under all circumstances try to avoid coming under the ban of the 18th section. The Society of Authors in their Copyright Bill which passed through the House of Lords last session, having been settled by a very strong committee of that House, have remedied this difficulty, and in that Bill have repealed the 18th section. The committee of the Society intend to use their utmost endeavours to push the Bill through, as they have the support of the Publishers' aud Copyright Associations and hope to succeed, but as the 18th section is still law it must still In- dealt with. If the author can sell both the American and English serial rights he must arrange for simul-  ## p. 184 (#614) ############################################ 184 THE AUTHOR. taueous publication so as not to lose t he American copyright. There are certain periodicals that publish long stories in single numbers. This is often the case with annuals. The author when selling to such periodicals should keep this point before him, as it is possible that such circulation may damage the book rights, and if this is likely he should secure an enhanced price. The author should never sign a receipt for moneys in payment for serial use which is so expressed as to convey the copyright to the proprietor. If an author does not understand what he is signing he had better take the advice of someone who does. He should be careful of the date of publication, for the very simple reason that the tale will be published in book form, and it cannot appear in this form until it has ran at any rate for some months as a serial. It is important for an author to arrange that the publication of one story does not conflict with the publication of another. There is the further question that many periodicals do not pay until publication takes place. This, of course, could not be delayed indefinitely, but the expense and difficulty of bringing the machinery of the law to work ought, if possible, to be avoided. Let the contract be quite clear by taking a little care in the beginning. Authors should be careful also that their MS. is sent type-written. If type-writing is too expensive, then the writing should be very distinct. There is no doubt, however, that a type-written MS. increases an author's chance of being read, and he should not neglect this chance. The author should always retain a copy in case of accidents, and should be very careful of the position and repute of the periodical he intends to deal with. An author when writing to an editor should clearly state what he is offering for sale. Thus: "Dear Sir,—I beg to offer you the enclosed for serial publication in number of , or any number that may be subsequently agreed upon." The author should also mention the price that he is willing to take, that is if he is particular on this point. If the tale is accepted without any further special stipulations, then it is accepted on the terms of the letter. It is important therefore to keep copies of letters. Lastly, and this is most important, do not assign to publishers when contracting with them for the publication of a book, "serial, &c, &c., rights," either on half profits or any other terms. The much-abused agent charges in nearly all cases between 5 and 15 per cent., whereas the publisher when undertaking this agency work for sale of serial rights charges anything from 2 5 to 50 per cent. He is, in addition, not nearly so competent as an agent to carry through this work, and in many cases does not even attempt to do so. As this work is really outside his publishing business he does not strive to make a good bargain in order to maintain the author's interests, but is willing to sell for whatever he can get, as he is reaping a large benefit from that for which he has not toiled. It would be possible to quote many clauses taken from various agreements in the Society's hands, but the following, as perhaps most typical, is chosen as an example: "That the publisher shall have the sole right to sell or assign the serial, American, Colonial, Continental translation and dramatic rights in the above work, and the publisher shall pay to the author one half of the profits from the sale of the same, such amounts to be payable as and when provided in Clause 5 hereof. In the case of stereo-plates, electro-plates, or shells with rights being sold, the net profits of their sale, after deducting the invoiced cost of their production, shall be received, divided, and paid over in the same way. Quires or bound copies sold to America shall come under Clause 5 hereof." IV.—A Case. The following case will no doubt be a very interesting one to members of the Society :— An article was sent to one of the best known evening papers on a certain subject, and shortly afterwards the writer obtained the following letter: Aug. 24, 1897. Dear Sir,—Your article on" "has been accepted by this paper, and will be nsed in due course,—Tours faithfully, (Signed) , Acting editor of the paper Two months later, without hearing anything in the meantime, the writer received the subjoined letter. He had naturally taken for granted that his article would either appear in due course, or in case of non-publication that the editor would at any rate pay him for it as it had been definitely accepted. It never entered his head that the  ## p. 185 (#615) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. •85 editor would not carry out the contract that he had entered into: ^ a ^ The editor of the" "regrets that he is unable to make use of the enclosed MS., whioh he accordingly returns with many thanks. The article has been returned to the paper, but nothing further has been heard from the editor up to the present date. The secretary of the Society will be pleased to give the name of the paper to any member of the Society who cares to verify this statement. V.—A Fancy Offee. Here is a publisher's offer of a fancy or sport- ing kind. A young writer has a MS. which he thinks likely to attract attention. He offers it to a certain firm; he receives the following pro- posal: 1. He is to pay down in advance «£uo. 2. The publishers will produce an edition of 1500 copies free of cost to the author. 3. After 100 copies have been sold, they will pay the author is. 6d. a copy royalty. Let us see how this works out. (1) On the sale of 500: £ s. £ s. Cost of production, say 100 o Royaltyon400at2*.6rf. 50 o Profit to publisher ... 47 10 197 10 (2) On the sale of 1000: Cost of production ... Royalty on 900 at2s. 6d. Profit to publisher ... I 10 0 87 10 100 0 112 10 72 10 IIO 0 175 0 197 10 285 (3) On the sale of 1500 copies: Cost of production ... 100 o Royalty to author on 1400 copies 175 10 Profit to publisher ... 97 o 285 372 10 By author no o Sale of 1500 at 3*. 6d. 262 10 372 10 £ *. So that, the author, by 500 copies, loses 60 o „ 1000 „ gains 2 10 „ 1500 „ „ 65 io The publisher by 500 „ „ 47 10 1000 „ „ 72 10 1500 „ » 97 ° Very likely the new writer accepted the pro- posal because he wanted his work to appear. Yet, you see, the publisher, who is completely covered from risk, gains =£72 io*. on a thousand copies, and the author £2 10s. I The fault of the agreement is that the royalty is paid by the publisher to the author instead of by the author to the publisher. NEW YORK LETTER. New York, Nov. 16. THE questions of ethics and of business between authors and publishers are being discussed with as much liveliness now in the United States as they are in England. The latest contribution to the subject is an article by Professor C. G. D. Roberts, a minor poet of some reputation, in the Illustrated American. He makes some pleasant concessions to the human nature of publishers, but says that before the days of international copyright they acted like brain cannibals. One of his exceptions, the Harpers, who tried to pay Mr. Gilbert some- thing on account of one of his operas, had the cheque returned by him with a sarcastic letter! Rather entertaining light is thrown on the busi- ness of providing the public with what it wants by the prospectus for 1898, just published by Scribner's Magazine. A series of articles on great businesses is to be continued another year. The central idea of each article is to show what a tremendous lot of brains the men who run the business possess. Anything critical, anything which takes away from the magnificence of the impressions, is frowned upon. The idea is not unlike that which animates our so-called yellow journals, to get the reader excited, enthu- siastic, to give him what we call a sensation. Of course, that is only one part of a great magazine, though it is coming to be the principal part. Another of the Scribner's announcements is a con- tinuation of a series of articles which tell how a college graduate occupied himself with various humble employments and learned to know the people. This series has been very popular, and shows that there is rather wide taste for this condescending interest in all sorts and con- ditions of men. One of the more cheerful signs of the times as given by the fodder promised by the magazine is that, if a man is famous enough, he may write as well as he pleases. A poem is promised on Stevenson by James Whit- comb Riley, which will undoubtedly have life in it, and Kipling is to be a contributor. Henry Cabot Lodge will write a history of the American  ## p. 186 (#616) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Revolution in instalments, and it is interesting to notice that the principal emphasis is put on the pictures. The picture is becoming the central point, not only of magazines, but of a large part of the book-publishing business. The other day a writer was talking to a publisher about a forth- coming yolume. "I wish we could have that book," said the publisher, " it would go well; but the difficulty would be to make the pictures." Now, the book was a series of essays, requiring absolutely no illustration in the real sense, for pictures would do nothing to bring out the mean- ing of the text. The publisher's comment simply represented a judgment which is becoming an instinct. Another commercial feature of the treatment of literature is brought out by the Chap Book in its last number in connection with a matter of which I have already spoken, the great library of the World's Best Literature. The periodical calls attention to the fact that Abigail Adams has 25 pages and Addison 23 ; iEschylus 17 and T. B. Aldrich 37; Alfieri 12 and George W. Cable 20. The moral is very obvious, and besides, it has been clearly enough stated before. Clearly as we may see these unhappy elements of literary life, however, it is only decent to realise the strength of the temptation. Most of our publishers are exceptionally moral and high- minded men. They almost always succeed in deceiving themselves before they deceive the public. When a strong temptation to make a popular move comes up they reason about how much more good you can do by working with the prejudices of the populace than by working against them, and what bad taste and unkind- ness it is to speak evil of anybody. After a little course in this sort of thought, the habit of cater- ing to a large circulation becomes an easy one, quite in line with their convictions. While some men seem to lose their equilibrium in the business desire to stretch the maxim Vox Populi Vox Dei beyond its legitimate meaning, others lose it by too thorough distrust of the popular verdict. George Bernard Shaw, whose clever play "The Devil's Disciple" is running with unexpected success here, has taken the trouble to write an open letter, in which he shows how he is always right and the public always wrong whenever there is any difference of opinion about the success of one of his manwuvres. Now the particular thing which aroused bis wrath was not a moral or intellectual difference at all, but a very bad piece of execution, where human beings were made to act ridiculously in order to keep the outcome of the plot from being seen at a particular time. Mr. Shaw accuses the public of Philistinism, which whether true or not, is beside the mark. The audience in America, at least, and presumably elsewhere, is an un- critical mass of persons which responds to certain dramatic effects and fails to respond to others. It may put its judgment in intellec- tual terms, but what really causes the success or failure of the play is usually a matter of con- structive workmanship. Mr. Barrie's "Little Minister," now running in New York to remark- able houses, is an instance of practically perfect dramatic construction. The play is so well balanced and so neatly written, so without any superfluous touches, that even Mr. Charles Frohman's characteristic move of making one of the principal characters unimportant in order to pay only one prominent actor, fails to ruin the play. An instance, however, of how a bad play can be made to score some sort of a success is being given at the same time. "A Lady of Quality " is constructed in such a childish way, so full of idiotic speeches, long pauses, and affected explanations, that almost everybody is surprised that even Julia Arthur's acting carries the venture to success, but it does with the aid of a liberal allowance of scenery. One of our most intelligent actors, Minnie Madden Pisk, has just made a strong protest against what is known as the Theatrical Trust, an institution which does more to stifle original dramatic production than anything else in the country. It is under the control of two or three small-natured but successful business men, who control the largest theatres in all of the cities, and all of the theatres in some of the cities, and refuse to allow any play or actor there until con- cessions are made to them. Not one of these two or three men has any idea of art, or any ideal beyond money and large type for his own name in the playbill, and the result is disastrous. One trifling incident which happened a few weeks ago has been a good deal misjudged. "Les Miserables " was excluded from a course of reading in a Philadelphia school on account of supposed impropriety. The Journal des Debats say that commercial motives were uppermost in this move. A good deal has been done to favour American books, but nothing quite so ridiculous as that. The motive was honest, however foolish. It was a case of ignorant goodness. Norman Hafoood.  ## p. 187 (#617) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. NOTES AND NEWS. THE Keport of the Sub-Coruuiittee appointed to consider the publishers' proposals with regard to the discount question will be found in another page. The Committee was intended to be a representative one. In Mr. a'Beckett and Mr. Henry Norman, Literature and Journalism are combined. Sir Martin Conway is not only a distinguished traveller but he is also a distinguished writer on Art. Mr. Beddard, F.R.S., is a leader in science. Mr. Storr, editor of the Journal of Education, is an authority on all subjects connected with educational literature. Mr. Henry Arthur Jones very fitly represents the Drama. Mr. Tedder probably knows more about books and the history of books and their circu- lation than any other living man. Of the last member, myself, it would be false modesty to pretend, after five years' chairmanship of the Society, and six years' editing of The Author, that I do not know something of the subject. I hope that every member of the Society will read this Report very carefully, and will agree with it. The Sub-Committee, briefly, cannot adopt the proposals. There is every conceivable reason why they should not, and not one why they should, for— (i.) The 3(7. in the shilling discoimt is only one of many reasons, as is shown in the Report, for the alleged depression in the book trade. (2.) There is no depression in the book trade, which was never more flourishing, but a grave depression in the trade of the country bookseller. (3.) It would be impossible to carry out the proposed coercion. (4.) If it were possible, the reduction of a large body of men to practical slavery is a thing against which all Englishmen must protest. (5.) The system is in vogue in Germany, where it is a grinding tyranny. (6.) These reasons are enough, but the Report shows more. Should we, for instance, regard the proposal as the first step in an organised plan for placing the whole of the business of literature in the hands of the publishers H (7.) The next step would then be to prohibit booksellers from buying and selling any other than the books of the Publishers' Asssociation. (8.) That step would prevent the author from publishing at all, except through the Association. (9.) The Association would then be able to make any terms they pleased with authors. (10.) The slavery of the author following on that of the bookseller, would naturallv lead to the decline of literature. This anticipation is not by any means imagi- nary. There is every reason to believe that some such action is contemplated with the view of bringing royalties down to 10 per cent. What does a 10 per cent, royalty mean? It means several things. (1.) That the publisher on a 6s. book gives the author jd. and takes for himself is. nd. (2.) That no one except the few very successful men could live by writing. (3.) That a writer who now makes ,£2000 a year would be reduced to £800 a year. (4.) That a writer who now makes £600 a year would be reduced to £250. Of course similar reductions would be made in the magazines. If any other reason were wanted, we might find it in the consideration that the reduction of the discount by one penny in the shilling would increase the price of books in a corresponding degree, and therefore prohibit the sale. In a word, people will not pay 5*. when they have been accustomed to pay sixpence less. But the whole business is a question for book- sellers. If they agree among themselves in any town it is open and legitimate for them to do so. It is also to be observed, very carefully, that the proposals of the publishers do not cost themselves a single penny. On the other hand, as they contemplate the substitution of net prices for the present system, they actually mean to put a substantial addition of money into their own pockets. Thus, the 6«. book will become 5*. net. At present the publisher gets 3s. 6d. on an average for a 6s. book. At the net price he will get 3«. n^d. He therefore pockets 5|rf. by the change so benevolently advanced for the good of the book- seller, who takes for his share about $d. It is indeed disinterested. The question of the Publishing " Trust" must be kept over for a time. Action of some sort may be forced upon us sooner than was anticipated. Meantime many encouraging notes have been received, and I shall be glad to hear more if members, especially members whose works have been successful, will consider the scheme, or any scheme of a similar nature. It may, for instance, be found more easy to develop the trade outside the regular channels: to make drapers and others booksellers in reality of new and copyright works. _ I have received the following private letter from a member. It seems to me to concern all of us, not the editor of this paper alone; therefore, I have asked leave to publish it:—  ## p. 188 (#618) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. "I am always concerned when I read the annual report of the Committee to mark how slow the progress of the Society is. Do you agitate enough? Do you make the world of letters really understand that the Society does not exist for novelists only, as our enemies are fond of declaring: that it is not a fad or a sham distinc- tion or an affectation of this, that, or the other: t hat it is not a body which arrogates to itself the function of 'encouraging' literature, or " advanc- ing " literature: but that it is, on the other hand, a perfectly serious society, whose work is wholly devoted to the business aspect of the literary profession? If writers once understood and realised this they would all flock in. If they would be taught, at the same time, what the Society has already effected: how royalties have been doubled, trebled, quadrupled; how lying accounts have been checked; how the cost of production has been, for the first time, revealed to the world, having always before been studiously concealed—the intention being to trade on the ignorance of the author: how, for the first time, the author has found himself protected: then there would be no hesitation: every man of letters whose work was a property, however small, would become a member. And it would be the duty, even of those who did not want the services of the Society, to join for the sake of others. "General literature and fiction, I take it, are well represented on your list. I believe that education is very poorly represented. Why is this? Educational books are, commercially, the most important branch of letters. Your late report shows how widespread are the iniquities endured by educational writers. Why do they not become members in larger numbers? They have great interests, increasing every day, to defend. They seem to have received your educa- tional report with a kind of apathy. In business matters they are for the most part entirely at the mercy of their publishers. Yet they seem incapable of making an effort for themselves even by joining a society which would look after their affairs for them. It may be that some of them are afraid of publishers. If they themselves are of repute and in demand, they have no occasion to be afraid, because where there is money there are always business men to snatch at it. Some, perhaps, look on their books as a means of extend- ing their own connection: still, if their books sell, there are men of business always ready to take them over. My point is this: Why do not educa- tional writers give the Society a larger support P "Men of science, I am informed, do belong, but not all men of science. My own desire is to see the Society a catholic body, including men and women in all branches of literature—that is to say, in every line of intellectual endeavour, because every line has its own literature. Will not the members themselves take this view, and bring the claims of the Society before those who have not yet thought it worthy of support from themselves?" _____ I make no apology for criticising the critic, first because he ought to be criticised as well as the author; second, because in this case it is the Spectator, a paper which, more than any other, endeavours to present the whole truth to its readers. The paper to which I refer is a review of Putnam's "Authors and Publishers," a book which has been already noticed in these columns. The writer, after pointing out that the Messrs. Putnam do not like the literary agent, and quite failing to see the humourous nature of their objection, goes on to speak of the literary agent. He says, "After all, it is the author who, though he may not know it, pays the literary agent." Is it? Let us examine. The author hitherto has been made to sign agreements in complete ignorance of what they mean. It therefore follows, as a matter of course, that his ignorance has been made the means of getting a one-sided agree- ment. Much stronger language might be used, suitable for the great majority of cases. But this will suffice. The literary agent knows. That is the first thing. He knows. He therefore pre- vents his client from suffering through his ignorance. The publisher has to substitute a proper agreement. Who pays for that transaction? The author, whose property is perhaps doubled in value? Or the publisher, whose gains have shrunk by a half? Here are two cases, both of which are abso- lutely true: I. A. B. is a novelist of repute. He took a MS. to a certain firm, who offered him a certain sum of money. Fortunately he became suspicious. He went to a literary agent, who, the very same day, obtained from the very same firm four times their original offer! II. C. D. received a call from a publisher, who invited him to write a paper for a certain magazine. C. D. expressed his willing- ness to consider the proposal. The pub- lisher drew out his cheque book. "Let me say," he spread it on the table and took a pen. "Let me say—so much." He relied on the temptation of an out- ward and visible cheque. "My work," said C. D.," is in the hands of Mr. . He will call upon you." The literary  ## p. 189 (#619) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. agent called: the amount he arranged for was exactly five times the amount offered. Who paid the literary agent in these two trans- actions? Was it the author or was it the pub- lisher F And now, I hope, if the writer of that review sees this note he will alter his views as to the side which pays the agent. | If one thinks of the situation for a moment it becomes .self evident that so long as the literary agent exists, it is the publisher who pays him and not the author at all. For the literary agent exists for the purpose of obtaining fair terms for the author. The moment that the publisher of his own accord proposes those fair terms, the literary agent is not wanted: he has no locus standi: if the author knows that he has only to present himself to the publishers to receive equi- table proposals, there is no reason at all for the existence of the agent. That existence, in fact, is a standing proof that publishers as a body do seek to trade on the ignorance of the author, to get him to accept the very lowest terms they can venture to offer. Ten years ago nothing was more common than a royalty of 10 per cent, or even of 5 per cent. Where is now the publisher who dares to offer a royalty of 5 per cent.? Out of the difference between the old prices and the new the literary agent is paid—by the publisher. The Americans take a sensible view of the literary agent. I have before me a long slip from the New York Sun, describing the work .and the great success of the literary agent in this country. The writer, who is not accurate in all the details, begins with a statement which will be received with a smile :— The literary agent is one form of the middleman against whom little complaint has been heard. Maybe this oomes from the fact that he deals with writers who are apt to know little abont business matters. However that may be, it is certain that the writers accepted the middleman with enthusiasm. With his advent the traditional antagonism between publishers and writers lost its sharpest edge. Nor does the old spirit vent itself on the agent who serves as buffer between the opposing interests. The writers swear by him. The publishers are not unfriendly to him. He has never heard of the publisher's clerk who was put on to abuse the literary agent in a maga- zine; or of the publisher who called the literary agent a "canker," because he protects authors; or of the publisher who refused to deal with the literary agent—till he found he was obliged to do so; or of the publishers who go behind the back of the agent and try to trap the author into con- ducting the business himself. Whatever the American publisher may do, the English pufj lisher as a rule resents the appearance of the agent and would refuse to deal with him if he dared. In America, according to the Sun, the publisher is pleased to deal with an agent simply because he is a business man. As regards his work and functions, they are thus summed up:— The snocess of the literary agent here is easy enough tc understand, for he relieves the writer of the work whioh the latter was least capable of doing. The agent has time to make himself acquainted with facts whioh the writers wonld never have the opportunity of finding out. He knows, for instance, where books or stories of a eertain kind are needed and how badly they are wanted. He knows which magazine is buying material and spending its money and which is using only stuff that was bought long before. Among the publishers, he knows whioh firm is in search of a book on any particular subject, or, if a novel is wanted, what kind it should be. These are things which no writer has the time to find out, even if he oonld learn them. Knowing the situation as well as he does, the literary agent can demand better terms. It happens sometimes that a magazine may have enongh stories of adventure or travel to last for two or three years and yet be entirely withont stories of social life. In another office exactly the opposite condition may exist. The writer does not know this usually, and it is a waste of time to send to these places the sort of material which is not needed. But writers do this, and it of course moans a loss of time. The agent knows just where to place material so that it will have a show. One magazine has for the past two years paid out absolutely nothing for fiction and has used the large supply on hand. But writers are not supposed to know that, and the magazine had no idea of allowing it to become known. So writers continued to send stories right along, and the manuscripts were always returned. By placing work where it is most wanted and by attending to the business of writers, with a care which the writers themselves are not likely to show, the agents can get better rates and insure the sale of more matter. Since I have had an agent to take charge of my work I have as many orders as I can fill and get a cent more a word than I ever did before. The agent simply means the introduction of business principles into the business of publishing. One cannot understand why a publisher should resent his intervention save on the ground that he decides to go on the old system of trading in ignorance. If there is any other reason one would like to know what it is. I cut the following paragraph from the West- minster Gazette of Nov. 23 :— The old literary gibe, " Now Barabbas was a publisher" has been steadily losing point since the new generation of publishers arose. The London correspondent of the Western Daily Mercury hears of a case of confidence placed in one of the newest of our publishers by a novelist whose books sell by thousands and tens of thousands. This writer was so well satisfied with the fairness and even generosity displayed by the publisher in regard to his last book, that he has now given him his next work unreservedly, without contract or promise, saying that he will be per- fectly content with whatever cheque the publisher may ultimately send to him. This is a very pretty paragraph. First, we are  ## p. 190 (#620) ############################################ i go THE AUTHOR. informed that "since the new generation of pub- lishers arose" the old gibe has lost point. Does that mean that the older publishers were all robbers? I suppose that it is useless to ask whether the author of the remark has ever read a book issued by the Society of Authors, called "Methods of Publishing" The old gibe has cer- tainly not lost its point, Barabbas is among the new publishers as well as the old. Yet not even' new publisher—any more than every old publisher —is a Barabbas. There are new publishers who, if they can, will fleece and rob every author who is so unfortunate as to go to them. This is not a surmise or a suspicion. It is a grave, serious fact: and it is the reason why the Society must be carried on, and why literary agents exist. Next, for the story of the confidence case. A novelist whose novels "sell by tons of thousands "—■ there are not a dozen of them, so that it would be easy to "spot" the writer—is pleased with the fairness and "even the generosity" of his publisher. Generosity? I really had thought that we had done with the degradation of the word "generosity." Is the steward " generous " with his employer's money? Has this novelist no sense of self-respect at all? He has now given his next work unreservedly to his publisher, and will be content with whatever the latter is good enough o give him. Well, he can do what he likes with his own. If he chooses—1>eing the master— to become the servant: bein< the employer, to become the employe1: being the owner of a great estate, to give it to a steward: he can. At the same time, as I know the names of all the novelists whose works command a sale of " tens of thou- sands," and as I know, besides, how most of them manage their own affairs, I venture to express my profound disbelief in the whole story. Walter Besant. TWO POEMS. I.—ISHMAEL. Some men have souls like gardens: Fair plots of fruitful ground; Smooth lawns, and ways well orderM, With choicest blossoms border'd, And walls to fence them round. Oh, still and safe and fragrant! Fair homes of peace and lore! All things unoouth excluding. Free only to the brooding Of the great sky above. Tis said, by angel footsteps Those garden paths are trod— Angels, the sky forsaking, Tend every blossom, making A pleasure-place for God. I have walk'd in some such garden. How well it was, how meet'. Yet, down eaoh alley shining, With tears I wander'd, pining For wild things round my feet. Sweeter than thrush or robin, To me, the seagull's scream. Fairer the blacken'd heather That fronts the bleak moor-weather, Than that soft garden-dream! Ob, peace is not bo precious, Perchance, as is distress'. Forbid Thine angels, Father, To tend me! Keep Thou rather One unwall'd wilderness! II.— LlOHT AND NlOHT. Ligh t.! Light! Light! Mother of the wide-ey'd flowers, Mother of glad lips, and bright Dancing feet of the noon-day hours, Dancing with delight! Oh, the joy, the rapture (strong Thrilling thro'- the adoring air, When thy glory rides along Heaven's high ramparts Dare! Mother of ecstasy, mother of might, Come, sweet Light: Light, fierce Light! O intolerable gaze! 0 unslaked, relentless blight, Battening thine insatiate blaze On hidden roots of sight! Mercy! mercy! Mind and heart Writhe beneath the answering 6re. Mercy, mercy, Light' Depart, O thou first-born of Ire! O for darkness, dulness, Night! Hence, dread Light! B. K. B. CORRESPONDENCE. I.—" Literature." IAM delighted to see that the new publica- tion, Literature, print* the prices of the books reviewed in the review itself, and is issued with machine-cut pages, but regret that the publishers have not seen their way to placing the table of contents on the front page, as in The Author, the Spectator, and one or two other weeklies, but, alas! no dailies as yet. The important new departure in treatment of books sent for review and not intended by the editor to be reviewed (on which I commented in your last issue) is carried out as follows in the issue of Nov. 6: A considerable number of volumes, which will not be noticed in Literature, are at the disposal of publishers, and will be handed to anyone they may authorise to receive them. They will be otherwise disposed of if not called for by the 20th inst.  ## p. 191 (#621) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 191 The period during which the books are to be at the disposal of the publishers is, I think, shorter than that stated in the prospectus, but this altera- tion would be a small matter when the importance of the new departure—which cannot be too widely made known—is considered. As for the contents of the new publication, their praise (or blame) "is hymned by loftier harps than mine," but I will ask you to allow me to suggest, hpropos of the fourth volume of Dr. Pusey's life and its review (unhappily omitted from the table of contents) that four octavo volumes are too much for the biography of any man whatever, and the index to the fourth volume might well have been at least four times longer than it is. J. M. Lely. Nov. 7. II.—The Published Price. In the current number of The Author Mr. J. M. Lely writes as if the only periodicals that announce the prices of books in reviews were Literature, the Literary World, and the Book- man. Permit me to state that for many years past the Dundee Advertiser has regularly given the prices of all books reviewed, where these prices had been furnished by the publishers. I have forwarded the two most recent copies of the Advertiser in which reviews appear, and from these you will see how this announcement is made. A. H. Millar. Dundee, Nov. 11. III.—Current Criticism. Have you not admired Mr. Stephen's bold and original estimate of Tennyson in the National Review? Surely, in the din of indiscriminate eulogy, it is something to find the voice of a critic who can keep his head. One is reminded of Landor's comment on the " Ode on the Exhibition of 1862," where the grand old Pagan writes: "I wish our present roets would pay more attention to solid models, and less to hollow and light plaster. The Laureate could well afford to throw away the last verse, which, in fact, is two verses—an Alexandrine in an overall. Do not think I undervalue this excellent man o' poetry." Mr. Stephen is one of the few sincere and thoughtful critics who have seen that the real merit of the late Laureate is his technique and not his philosophy. If only he could have had Browning's mind, or Browning his incomparable art! You are perhaps acquainted with an anecdote which shows how much truer was Tennyson's own appreciation. Dining with John Sterling at Ventnor, about the time when his lovely little volume of lyrics appeared, he suddenly observed: "I don't think that since Shakspere there has been such a master of the English language as I," and when those at table looked round as if astonished, added calmly, "To be sure I've got nothing to say." I had this from one who was present; and it may be new, and not uninteresting, to some of your readers. Senex. IV.—The Publisher's Beader as School- master. Another terror for the unfortunate author! The manuscript of a novel which I submitted a few weeks ago to a well-known publishing firm has just been returned to me "declined with thanks." So far, so bad! But what is my amazement and horror, on turning over the pages of my work, to discover that the obliging "reader" has been amusing himself by giving gratuitous advice and making gratuitous correc- tions, and that page after page of the manuscript will have to be re-typed at considerable expense. On and off I have been scribbling for the press for a good many years, but this is the first time in my experience that a "reader" has assumed the post of schoolmaster as well. A broad state- ment against the work as a whole might have been wholesome, and perhaps tolerable; but the finicking manner in which this gentleman has played the critic is, to a sensitive author, simply unbearable. I cull one or two instances from many of this "reader's" method. I wrote colloquially, "A 'varsity man"; the correction is "university man." "Rubbish and commonplace" is the comment in another place. I am not even allowed the use of certain words, and for "pallid" my censor insists on " pale." As for punctuation, I am nowhere; and the self- appointed critic waxes diffuse on this subject. "Clauses in opposition," he says, "must not be divided by a full stop." Heavens alive! why not? He is rigid, too, on capital letters. I ventured to personify wind and rain, honouring them with a capital W and a capital B respec- tively. The "reader's" well-pointed pencil stabbed them through, and neat "l.c.'s dis- figured the margin for yards. Somehow I cannot escape the conviction that this gentleman has gained the critic's chair from the compositor's desk at a single leap. Bichard Free. V.—"The Scotsman's Library." Will you allow me to inquire among your correspondents and readers whether anyone knows a small book called "The Scotsman's Library"? I bought a copy of it in Edinburgh some years ago; it has lost its title-page; the  ## p. 192 (#622) ############################################ 192 THE AUTHOR. printer's name is D. Sidney and Co., Northuniber- iand-street, Strand. The only information I could obtain respecting its authorship is that it was compiled by "Mitchell of Aberdeen." I should be very glad to know who Mitchell was, who Sidney and Co. were, and whether they are non- represented by any publishing firm. F. Bayford Harbison. f ^Suffolk House, Weybridge, Nov. 14. VI.—A Book Wanted. May I suggest to authors through The Author that a book is much wanted describing and illus- trating the mansions of Great Britain, something after the style of "Baronial Halls," published in 1858, and "The Stately Homes of England," 1 inly that it should be very much more compre- hensive and complete than either? Owners would probably give a competent author considerable assistance. The work would probably comprise several volumes. It would be in great demand by owners, the various branches of their families, by local residents, solicitors and agents, as well as by the general public. C. P. Dowsett. 3, Lincoln's-inn-fields. London. BOOK TALK. MR. MORLEY is writing a work on modern political history, in which, we understand, much of the inner history of the Irish Home Rule movement will be revealed. It is probable that his monograph on Lord Chatham, for the "Twelve English States- men" series, will also, at length, be completed before long. The first volume of the important revised edition of Byron—prose and verse—will probably be ready about the beginning of February. It is being issued with the authority of the family and representatives of Byron, whose grandson, Lord Lovelace, and Mr. E. H. Coleridge are responsible for the laborious revision. There will be twelve volumes in all, and new material from the MSS. in the possession of Mr. Murray will be incorporated. Thus the first volume will con- tain several unpublished poems of Byron's early days, and some new portraits of him. The pub- lisher of the work is, of course, Mr. Murray. A series of College Histories of Oxford, and another of Cambridge, will be published by Mr. F. E. Robinson during the next two years, begin- ning early in 1898. Each book will be written by one connected with the College; the Oxford series will consist of twenty-one volumes, and the Cambridge of eighteen, price 54-. net each. Among the writers in the Oxford series are: University College, A. C. Hamilton, M.A.; Balliol, H. W. Carless Davis, B.A.; Queen's, Rev. J. R. Magrath. D.D., Vice-Chancellor of the University; New, Rev. Hastings Rashdall, M.A.; All Souls, C. Grant Robertson, M.A; Magdalen, Rev. H. A. Wilson, M.A.; Brasenose, J. Buchan; Corpus Christi. Rev. T. Fowler, D.D.; Trinity, Rev H. E. D. Blakiston, M.A.; Jesus, E. G. Hardv. M.A.; Wadham, J. Wells, M.A.; Pembroke, Rev. Douglas Macleane, M.A. The writers iu the Cambridge series include: Peterhouse College, Rev. T. A. Walker, LL.D.; Clare, J. R. Wardale, M.A.; Pembroke, W. S. Hadley, M.A.; Caius, J. Venn, Sc.D., F.R.S.; Corpus" Christi. Rev. H. P. Stokes, LL.D.; King's, Rev. A. Austen Leigh, M.A.; Queen's, Rev. J. H. Gray, M.A.; St. Catherine's, the Lord Bishop of Bristol; Christ's, John Peile, Litt.D., the Master; St. John's, J. Bass Mullinger, M.A.; Magdalene, W. A. Gill, M.A.; Trinity, Rev. A. H. F. Boughey, M.A., Fellow and late Tutor of Trinity, and J. Willis Clark, M.A. After a month, the late William Morris's Kelmscott Press will be no more. The type will be retained by the trustees; the special orna- ment will be discontinued; and in the British Museum the charming wood blocks will find a resting place. There are still some works to appear from the Press, however. Among them "Sigurd the Volsung," "Love is Enough," "The Sundering Flood," and "Some German Woodcuts of the Fifteenth Century." The last- named consists of thirty-five reproductions from books that were in the library at Kelmscott House. Last of all will come "A Note by William Morris on his Aims in Starting the Kelmscott Press," to which Mr. Coekerell adds a list of the books there printed. Mr. Wells's "War of the Worlds" will In- considerably revised, and several chapters added, for book publication, which will take place iu January (Heinemann). The author is writing a long novel of city life in the next century, to be entitled " When the Sleeper Wakes." Mr. Kipling will contribute " Just-So Stories" —about animals— to St. Nicholas during 1898. Mrs. Croker's new novel, to be published by Messrs. Chatto, is called "Miss Balmain's Past." Mr. Zangwill's "Dreamers of the Ghetto," is not expected lefore January. It will contain a character-sketch of Heine.  ## p. 193 (#623) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. i93 Mr. Robert Chambers is writing " The Haunts of Men," which will appear early in 1898. Mr. William Le Queux's novel of Monte Carlo life, "If Sinners Entice Thee," is running in the Golden Penny and New York Truth. "Edna Lyall" is writing a romance of the period of William and Mary's reign. The action is in the North Country, and the title will be "Hope the Hermit," but the book will not appear for a year yet. Lady Gregory will publish shortly (Smith and Elder) the correspondence of her late husband's grandfather, the Bight Hon. William Gregory, Under-Secretary for Ireland from 1813 to 1830. New light on the government of Ireland during that period is promised in the work. A Life of the Prince of Wales is being prepared. Dr. Traill, the editor of Literature, is reported to be the author, but the ascription is not confirmed. The publisher is Mr. Grant Richards. The Life of Cardinal Wiseman, by Mr. Wilfrid Ward, will appear on Dec. 7 (Longmans). Mr. P. H. Emerson has edited a genealogical history of the family from the earliest times, which Mr. David Nutt will publish shortly under the title of " The English Emersons." The first volume (of four) of the Life of Spurgeon, edited by Mrs. Spurgeon and Mr. Harrald, who was the preacher's private secre- tary, will be ready about the middle of this month. A book on the Indian frontier warfare, from the pen of Major Younghusband, will be issued shortly by Messrs. Kegan Paul, in their "Wolseley " series. Commenting on the analysis of the books of the season, which appeared in The Author last month, the Globe says:— It is a little sad to find only 20 books of essays on this list. The essay is so exquisite a vehicle for the presentation of thought and fancy and pleasant personality, that one can- not bnt regret that its vogue is for the time over. Perhaps a better day will dawn soon. When the 20 volumes of essays are placed beside the 54 mathematical works our loss is made the more clear. Nor is it right for 221 theological books to assail ns in one Beason. The number of children's books is again vastly greater than it should be. Children are not to-day one whit happier, with all this reading afforded them, than they were a hundred years ago, with a nursery library of some poor half-dozen volumes. A poor half-dozen—but better thumbed than is the case with any- thing now published. Mr. Warington Smyth was superintendent of mines under the Siamese Government for five years, and he is about to publish, through Mr. Murray, a work on "Siam and the Siamese," with reproductions of his own sketehes Captain Count Gleichen, of the Grenadier Guards, who acted as Intelligence Officer to Mr. Rennell Rodd's mission to Abyssinia, has written an account of the expedition, entitled "With the British Mission to Menelik, 1897," which Mr Edward Arnold will publish immediately. "The great historic county of Bucks," as Beaconsfield, who knew the district well, called it, is the principal subject of Mr. J. K. Fowler's "Records of Old Times," which Messrs. Chatto and Windus are about to publish. Its character is variously social, historical, sporting, and agricultural. A series of volumes on modern schools of painting, under the editorship of Mr. Gleeson White, is announced by Messrs. Bell. The first, "The Glasgow School," will be by Mr. David Martin, with an introduction by Mr. Frank Newbery and sixty reproductions of paintings. Count Tolstoy's new book, translated by Mr. A. Maude, and to be published by the Brother- hood Company, Croydon, will be called "On Art." Mr. Arthur H. Neumann tells of his elephant- hunting experiences in East Equatorial Africa, in a volume which Messrs. Rowland Ward will shortly publish, with illustrations and a map. Captain Mahan, of the United States Navy, is publishing through Messrs. Sampson Low a work on "The Interest of the United States in Sea- Power, Present and Future." He will also con- tribute a paper to the third volume of Mr. Laird Clowes's History of the Royal Navy. Mr. Sidney Low has resigned the editorship of the -S'f. James's Gazette, and is succeeded by his assistant, Mr. Hugh Chisholm. Mr. Barry Pain has succeeded Mr. Jerome as editor of To-Day. "The Antipodean," a Christmas annual written by Australians, will be published shortly by Messrs. Chatto and Windus. Mr. E. S. Prior is dealing, in a book on English Gothic which Messrs. Bell will publish, with the evolution of an original and characteristic style from the style which, introduced by the Normans, was for a time common to England and Northern France. Mr. Gerald Horsley will illustrate Mr. Prior's work. The story of England's growth from Elizabeth to Victoria has been told by Mr. Alfred Thomas Story, in two volumes which Messrs Chapman and Hall will publish shortly, entitled "The Building of the Empire." There will he portraits of these two Sovereigns in photogravure, and upwards of 100 portraits and illustrations.  ## p. 194 (#624) ############################################ i94 THE AUTHOli. From the Pall Mall Gazette :— BALLADE OF THE PUBLISHING SEASON. Year by year, at the sommer's close, I watoh the Season of Books draw nigh, Troops of poetry, hordes of prose, Books, books, books for the world to buy. Can you wonder reviewers sigh i Think of the parcels strewn about, Cases for critics to test and try— MoBt of them books we could do without. • • * • But fiction—there is the stuff that goes: Novels and stories, piled on high, What becomes of them? Goodness knows Critics are hard to satisfy. Many are smitten hip and thigh (They sell the better for that, no doubt). Some are published only to die— Those are the books we conld do without. Envoy. Prinoe! Who writes this rubbish, and why '< All the lot should be put to rout, Save two or three; and you can't deny Most of their books we could do without. Mr. Frank Preston Stearns, an American, is the author of "Modern English Prose Writers," which Messrs Putnam will publish. Mr. T. B. Harbottle has during many years been preparing a dictionary of classical quotations. The work is nearly ready to be published by Messrs. Swan Sonnenschein. "The Gleaming Dawn," by James Baker, which has just gone into its third thousand, has elicited some remarkable letters from well- known Churchmen. The Bishop of London, in writing upon it, says: "It deals with a period of English history which is often overlooked. The connection of England with Bohemia is of great interest, and Peter Payne is a forgotten Englishman who deserves notice. I think your story is very true to the time of which it treats." The Bishop of Manchester also writes: "I have read ' The Gleaming Dawn' with great interest, and believe it may be profitable at the pi'esent time. It is written with great spirit and power." The Bishop of Hereford, Dean Farrar, and Archdeacon Sinclair also write of it in terms of appreciation and praise. Mr. Lawrence Gomme's lectures on " Principles of Local Government," delivered last year at the London School of Economies, have been revised and will be published by Messrs. Constable. The letter Z will be reached in the " Dictionary of National Biography" in the course of 1899. Another year will be occupied with getting out a supplement containing memoirs of persons who have died during the progress of the "Dictionary," and a general index. The relations of Scot', and the Ballantynes are discussed from a special point of view by the Rev. James Hay. of Kirn, in a work on Sir Walter Scott which he is writing. Scott, he contends, was ambitious of reaching the position of head of a great publishing house which should outrival that of Constable. An essay on bimetallism, by Major Darwin, is among Mr. Murray's forthcoming publications. Lord Charles Beresford and Mr. H. W. Wilson are writing the " Life of Nelson," and giving new letters, &c. Messrs. Harmsworth are publishing the work in parts. A new edition of Mr. Ferrar Fenton's "New Testament in Current English " is called for, and will be shortly issued. This will make the fifth edition of his "St. Paul's Epistles" and the second of the Gospels. A one-act play by Mrs. Clifford, the author of "Mrs. Keith's Crime," &c., will be produced at the Comedy Theatre in a few days. It is called " A Supreme Moment." The chief part is to be taken by Mrs. Bernard Beere. It has been translated into French by Mr. Walter Pollock with a view to its production on the French staj;e. An adaptation of one of Mrs. Clifford's stories was lately played in Paris. The author is herself dramatising the same story for home consump- tion. "A Woman Tempted Him," a story written by William Westall and syndicated by Messrs. Tillotson and Son, will be published by Chatto and Windus early in 1898. The same author is writing a story for Pearson's Weekly, and in the course of next year he hopes to complete a historical romance, begun some time ago, dealing with the same period as " With the Red Eagle," which is now in a third edition. Several illustrated poems by Miss Helen Marion Burnside are published as Christmas and New Year gift-books by the Artistic Lithographic Company, 13, Buuhill-row. Of these one entitled "A Cycle of Song" is also suitable for a gift-book for any season. The same firm also issues daily text-books, edited by Miss Burnside. Mrs. George Corbett has been one of the first to make copy out of the new goldfields, and her latest novel, " The Star of Yukon," is now running in serial form. It is being syndicated by Messrs. Tillotson and Son, and will be published in book form twelve months after the commencement of the serial run. Mrs. Corbett has also written a musical farce entitled "Back from Klondyke," which was enthusiastically approved by the West-end audience before whom it was produced on Oct. 21.  ## p. 195 (#625) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. i95 Jean Carlyle Graham hopes to finish a seven years' labour of love early in 1898. She wishes to present "The Words of Oliver Cromwell" on good paper, printed at the Edinburgh University Press, bound in comfortable volumes, with por- traits of Cromwell, his family, and correspon- dents. Only 100 copies will be printed, and she trusts that each free library in the British Empire will possess a copy, in order that the veriest man in the street may have, at last, a chance of knowing the mighty Englishman who strove to win for him hie individual liberty. "Many Memories of Many People," by Mrs. Simpson, daughter of the late Mr. Nassau Senior, is to be published by Mr. Arnold. The daughter was companion to the father, and with him dwelt among various distinguished people. A privately-circulated volume of the reminis- cences of Miss Grant of Rothiemurchus, after- wards the wife of General Smith, of Baltiboys, co. Wicklow, is now to be published by Mr. Murray, and is being edited by Lady Strachey, a niece of the author. A chief note of the book, which is to be called "The Memoirs of a High- land Lady," will be its light upon Scottish social life in the early part of this century. The author, however, also introduces the names of Mr. Perce- val, Mr. Canning, Lord Lauderdale, Shelley, Sir Walter Scott, and other notabilities. Dr. Max Nordau is very displeased with the Maupassant monument which Paris has just erected in the Pare Monceau. The monument is a bust on a pedestal, below which is represented a French woman reclining on a couch with one of Maupassant's novels in her hand. "The likeness," says the author of "Degeneration," "is almost terrifying. It has the low forehead, the short fleshy nose, the bristling moustache, the vulgar, coarsely sensual mouth, and the general expres- sion of a soldier on his Sunday out bent on gay adventures." Travel and adventure are to be the interests of a new magazine—the "Passport "—which Mr. Pearson will begin to publish, probably in the spring.—Mr. Newnes, at a much earlier date, gives to the world a monthly paper called the "Ladies' Field." Antiquarian Gossip is a new sixpenny monthly which will aim at making the study of antiquities popular. Mr. H. C. Cust contributes an introduction to the ninth of the reproductions of Tudor trans- lations, Philemon Holland's " Historie of Twelve Ceesars, Emperors of Rome," translated from Suetonius. The work will be issued (600 copies) early next year by Mr. Nutt. LITERATURE IN THE PERIODICALS. Authors, Publishers, and Booksellers. The Times on the following dates: Article, "From a Correspondent," Nov. 9; E. Marston and K. MaoLehose, Nov. 10; the editor of the Bookseller and Messrs. Skeffington, Nov. 11 ; Secre- tary of the Society of Author?, Eev. Harry Jones, and W. Day, Nov. 12 ; The Writer of the Article, A Member of the Publishers' Association, M. J. B. Baddelcy, A Country Hook seller, Publisher's Reader, Alfred Wilson, Nov. 15; Leading Artiole, Nov. 15; The Writer of the Article, F.R.S., Andrew W. Tuer, Nov. 19. Thc Bookselling Question. Andrew Lang. Chap- man's Magazine for November. An Academy -of Letters. The Academy for Not. 6, 13, 20. Is it Literary Suicidei Daily Chronicle for Oct. 28. Tennyson. Hamilton Wright Mabie. Atlantic Monthly for November.—Blackwood's Magazine for November.— Tennyson in Ireland : A Reminiscence. Alfred Peroival Graves. Cornhill Magazine for November. Modern Education. Professor Mahaffy. Nineteenth Century for November. The Coming Literary Revival —I. J. S. Tunison. Atlantic Monthly for November. The analogy between the bookselling question of the early fifties and that of the late nineties is borne out in still another respect by the appear- ance of this controversy in the columns of the Times. If such a mild judgment may be allowed to one who has studied both series of letters, there is now a spirit of reticence and guardedness in expressing opinion in favour or against the proposed system of uniform discounts, which was not a pronounced feature of the letters of the earlier period. This may be, and probably is, clue, however, to the fact that the Society of Authors has the matter under consideration. One correspondent, Mr. Robert MacLehose, of Glasgow, does, indeed, attest anxiety and zeal, if these qualities be judged by the fact that, writing from the important bookselling centre of the West of Scotland, he is able to publish a reply to the Times article in the very next issue of that journal. The article "From a Correspondent" which opened the discussion, did not favour the new proposal of compulsorily making the discount 2d. in the shilling instead of $d. In the first place, he argued, a strong minority of the booksellers themselves is opposed to it. Let such be boy- cotted 'i But that was done in 1850, and yet the recalcitrant firms succeeded in obtaining the books they wanted; and it has been done now in the case of certain firms who persisted "in doing what they liked with their own," with the same result. Next, the proposal is one involving " thc well-being, nay, the very existence of the author." Were the rate of discount reduced, sales would drop; because the public cries aloud for cheap books. In this connection the writer places books outside the economic pale as being neither  ## p. 196 (#626) ############################################ 196 lllh AUTHOR. necessity nor luxury. Willy, nilly, the average book-buyer thinks that in this age of mechanical ingenuity books might be produced both in better taste and at less cost; and the writer goes so far as to say that, as a rule, sixpence more or less will decide whether a book shall be bought or remain unsold. Nor has salvation been found in the net system, which, he says has been "prac- tically abandoned owing to the rooted aversion of buyers." The writer plumps, therefore, for a cheaper book:— Matthew Arnold was generally accounted a visionary, bat he was eminently practical when he pleaded for cheap books. That way lies the true remedy for existing evils. Were a popular writer and powerful publisher to make the experi- ment of bringing out, let ub say, the six-shilling novel at 3s., the result would probably be gratifying beyond expecta- tion—provided, of course, the booksellers did not repeat their old folly. Tne history of popular literature proves that fortunes lie, not in high prices, but in big sales. The cost of production need not frighten anyone. The book of to-day is produced at a figure which even five years ago would have been thought impossible ; and the cheaper book could be produced at a yet lower rate without sacrifice of quality. What has been done in France with Buoh signal success can be done in England. With the three-shilling or the half-crown volume "every genuine reader," to quote Arnold again, " will feel that the book be cares to read he will care to possess." Would not that awakened desire of possession be the best of all auguries? Would it not, in fact, mean a final solution of all the difficulties whioh now hamper and oppress the book-trade? "A Member of the Publishers' Association" came forward with a case for the 6*. novel. He takes a recent popular book; he estimates the cost of production and advertising at is. 6d. per copy; he knows very well that it is under a shilling: this fact vitiates all the figures that follow. "A Country Bookseller " asks, what is the use of books being both "good" and "cheap" if the public is not to have a chance of examining them in booksellers' shops? The public ought to pay adequately for this service, and every town, large or small, support its bookseller. The Rev. Harry Jones, on his part, attributes the non-purchasing of books to the fewness of the booksellers, whom also he would have show their menu as attractively as the newspaper shop at the corner of a dirty street. The editor of the Bookseller credited the Society of Authors with having, in taking up with the matter, recognised the advantage that less-known writers would reap if booksellers were enabled to display their books; stated that, as a matter of fact, the author was a "wholly unimportant factor in the arrangement of trade terms" ; and was corrected on the following day by Mr. Thring for having assumed that the Society had assented to the new proposal—the fact being, of course, that the sub-committee had not yet issued its report. He supported the idea of coercion, pointing to the leading case of Germany as a shining example of "completest success " in this policy. Even at home, in places where the reduced discount had been now enforced, the public readily acquiesced in the arrangement, and the booksellers' turnover had in no way suffered. As for the cry for cheap litera- ture, to obtain this a wide circulation must be assured, and, except in the case of a well-known and popular writer, such wide circulation was usually impossible. Let the coercion be rigid, and recalcitrant booksellers would soon find resistance to be unprofitable. Apropos," Publisher's Reader" suggested that someone learned in the law should first say "whether it will be a sufficient protection for the Publishers' Association, should they resolve to follow the editor's advice, to declare themselves a 'trade union,' and register their association under the Trades Union Act of 1871." Mr. MacLehose intervened in defence of the net system, which, he said, so far from having been "practically abandoned," had grown quite remarkably within the last few years. Mr. M. J. B. Baddeley testified that his "Thorough Guide " series, notwithstanding the facts that the net price was printed on the binding and that big firms in London who advertised 25 per cent, dis- count on all books had boycotted these volumes, had been eminently successful all round. In answer to Mr. E. Marston, publisher, who said that whatever the published price might be the public expected their full 2 5 per cent, therefrom, Mr. Alfred Wilson, bookseller, said that the public certainly wanted to buy at the lowest price, but if they could get no discount they would be quite content to pay the published price if they thought the book worth it. Mr. Andrew W. Tuer contributed to the dis- cussion the interesting speculation that " books, like tea and tallow, may oue day perhaps be bought and sold by the pound," but, for a league of publishers to charge all booksellers alike would mean simply that another and more complacent race of publishers would arise. "Too many books and ' cutting' are ruining the book trade. Among the other letters was one of Mr. W. Day, a business man, who suggested a fresh way out of the difficulty, namely:— for the publisher to work out the exact net amount per book he gets from the large buyer, including odd books and extra discounts, and then, having arrived at the figure, for ever after charge this price, thus getting rid of odd copies and extra discounts, charging the bookseller who buys one book the same price as the man who buys 1000. The little man would thus have the same rate of profit as the big man, and would have a margin of profit to work upon. The country bookseller would be at a disadvantage still as com- pared with the London bookseller, as he would have to bear carriage in addition to the cost of the books.  ## p. 197 (#627) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 197 Everything turns, said the Times itself officially, on the point of whether the frugal and often impecunious book-buyer will be persuaded to forego the discount of 3d. Upon this it will not commit itself at the present stage. If the bulk of the leading publishers legally decline to supply books except on the basis of the 2d. discount, "it is not very easy to see how eveu the largest retail booksellers can continue to make a profit by selling at the larger discount." And if the case were properly put to him the aforesaid frugal book- buyer would probably recognise that his interests and requirements are best served by supporting the booksellers. After a reflection upon the general superiority of the provincial bookseller "whom many of us recollect," compared with his successor who to-day "ekes out a precarious existence by catering for the taste in trifles of customers whose taste in literature is nothing if not trifling," the Times concluded as follows: Meanwhile the " hungry sheep," who onee were wont to browse on the pastures of good literature, "look up and are not fed "—we will not continue the quotation, though it is not a little to the purpose. In any case we are satisfied that if the retail bookseller could be restored to his former ttatus and dignity in the world of letters neither authors nor publishers, neither booksellers nor book-buyers, would in the long run have any reason to complain of the result. It may be, as our correspondent has suggested, that the loss incurred by book-buyers through the proposed reduction of discount will have to be compensated in some measure by a general reduction in the price of books. But ... it is not perhaps amiss to observe that publishers probably understand their own business best, and that not many of them have been known to make their fortunes. Mr. Lang does not pretend, in his discussion of the question in eight pages of Chapman's Magazine, to give an opinion about the discount question, which, he says, " I am sensible is beyond my limited faculties." He is willing that his own royalties should be cut down, if that will make even one bookseller happy. But before "the few rich authors" will be equally charitable, publishers must have a trade union, and persecute the pub- lisher who pays the author more than a certain rate. Mr. Lang confesses, indeed, that he knows no remedy for devotion to discount but increased enerosity, and no specific against the circulating brary but the production of books which readers will desire to own—though verily the public "does not greatly want any book." But in the last case he appeals to "our great dealers in fiction." "Peddling science and history of belles lettres are ndgligeables. We therefore await the voice of the novelist on Discount." The custom of using bad paper in books—a subject which contains the possibility of " literary suicide "—has not offered any practical evidence up to the present at the British Museum. Dr. Garnett has not seen any consumptive books there, but probably the particular kinds of paper which hold the germs of decay have not been in use sufficiently long to permit of the disease show- ing itself. Mr. John Murray wonders whether poor land in England might not be employed to grow some fibrous plant which would make good paper at a cheap rate. Much of the paper now iu use he stigmatises as abominably cheap and nasty. The interviewer who has thus questioned several authorities on the matter supposes the case of a historian, three generations hence, going to the British Museum to consult Blue Books, which, as he takes them up, fall to dust in his hand; for Blue Books, on the authority of Mr. MacAlister, are the worst offenders. Such a prospect Mr. John Murray's father used to laugh over. "It will be the grand time for publishers," he would say, "when a book on falling from a table goes to pieces like a piece of china." Finally, the views of Mr. Frank Lloyd, of the great paper-manufacturing firm of Edward Lloyd (Limited), on this question of bad paper (which a committee of the Society of Arts is now consider- ing) possess a special interest:— There were one or two facts whioh might be taken for granted. A considerable proportion of the paper printed upon at present must be expected to prove wanting in the qualities of very lengthened endurance. He instanced paper made from wood pulp from which the resin had not been extracted. Technically this ingredient was called "mechanical wood," as distinct from wood pulp which had been purified by ehemioal process. Needless to say, paper made from the latter oost muoh more than paper manu- factured from the former. Now, paper in which there remained " mechanical wood " had for years been used in the printing of books. The Germans had done a good deal towards the introduction of this, but the great factor was the rise and development of popular literature. That meant the production of paper at less and less cost; otherwise there could not be the wonderfully cheap books. It was one thing or the other. Similarly it was only the cheap- ness of paper that made possible the size of the modern journal. "I am afraid," Mr. Lloyd summed up, " that after a hundred years a book would not bear handling if its paper had been of the nature to whioh I have alluded." The "coming literary revival" is coming on the other side of the Atlantic. There, the present is the age of the short story and the minor poet, two classes of literary art that " lack seriousness, if considered as an end in themselves," and "are characteristic of a tentative, a waiting age." Who is to write the great American novel, or the great American drama, or the great American epic? If the outline here given of the opportunities of genius be approximately correct, this much- desiderated American may never emerge. "The only lesson which America is now teaching the world in the ideal realm is precisely the lesson which von Hartmann has already put in words— namely, that the literature of the future is to be as the tarce which the Berlin business man goes g li  ## p. 198 (#628) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. to see of an evening by way of recreation." The writer would welcome a profoundly one-sided thinker who should arise and "shake to pieces the eminently respectable but fatally monotonous philosophy of the American schools." For him a search will be made over a wide area in another article. Professor Mahaffy discovers, in spite of national reforms in education, a decline in the quality of our reading: the great masters—poets, philo- sophers, historians, even novelists—set aside for the trivial, the sensational, the affected, the ephemeral. STORY COMPETITION. Jw APRIZE of .£100 is offered by the People's Journal, Dundee, for the best short serial story, in fifteen or twenty instalments of about 4200 words each. Stories must be located in Scotland, in some place or district the correct name of which is given, while its features are described and its local peculiarities introduced. The story should be told as largely as possible in dialogue, and the subject be either historical or modern—modern factory life, railway life, mining life, or school teachers' life, &c. Com- petitors must send in the first three chapters of their stories, along with a short summary of the remainder, not later than Jan. 14, 1898. THE BOOKS OF THE MONTH. [Oct. 25 to Nov. 23.-379 Books.] Abbott, T. K. Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the EpiB to the Ephosiana and to the Colossians. 10/6. Clark. Addcrley. James. Paul Mercer. 8/6. Arnold. Adie, B. H., and Woods, T. If. Agricultural Chemistry. 11- net. Regan Paul. Aflalu, F. Q. Sea Fish. 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