https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/312/1898-02-01-The-Author-8-9.pdf ae50f216c913e7ec62bd05ce46770a49 PDF Text Text ���������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1898-02-01 Volume 8 Issue 9 Pages Page range in volume 229–252 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18980201 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin TLhe Hutbor* (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. VIII.—No. 9.] FEBRUARY I, if [Price Sixpence CONTENTS. General Memoranda Literary Property— 1. The Anflo-Oennan Copyright Ooovetition ... 2. Gcrraro r. Rldeal S. The Law of Author and Publisher 4. The Coat of Production 5. Cost of Binding '*. Copyright in Photographs 7. Schopenhauer on Authorship, Copyr fth' and Amendment of Copyright Law New York Letter. By Norman Hapgood The Birthday of the Alhamm PAOK 229 281 231 282 2'2 282 2:12 S'yle— 232 233 284 PA8B ... ise ... 237 ... 289 ... 23!l ... 240 ... 243 SotM and News. By the Editor. The Discount System Another Sporting Offer Personal A Sporting Offer Agreemont Books of W.<7 Correspondence.—1 Psper Corel lishlng. 'I The Fate of the Journalists' I'nion 6. Editor and Contributor. 6. Diseases in Fiction. 7. The Letter •* K." S. Question* and Answers... 244 Book Talk 247 Obituary t*l Books of the Month 2*1 2. The Problem of Pub- ■ Unknown." 4 Propose 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, 6s. 6d. per annum. Back numbers are offered at the following prices: Vol. I., io«. 6d. (Bound); Vols. II., III., and IV., 8*. 6d. eacli (Bound); Vol. V., 6s. 6d. (Unbound). 3. Literature and the Pension List. By W. Morris Colles, Barrister-at-Law. (Henry Grlaisher, 95, Strand, W.C.) 3.*. i. The History of the Societe des Gens de Lettres. By s. Squire Sprigoe, late Secretary to the Society, is. 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 Sprigoe. 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. 3*. 7. Copyright Law Reform. An Exposition of Lord Monkswell's Copyright Bill of 1890. 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 Spottis- woode. 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 Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Switzerland. By Ernst Lunge, J.U.D. 2.?. 6d. i.  ## p. 228 (#666) ############################################ 11 AD VER TISEMENTS. ^ti)e $ocieip of Jlut^ots (§ncorporafe6) PRESIDENT. GEOEQE IMTZEIEtlEIDITIH:. COUNCIL. 3ir Edwin Arnold, K.C.I.E., C.S.I. J. M. Baerib. A. W. 1 Beckett. Robert Batsman. P. E. Bkddard, F.R.S. Sir Henry Bergne, K.C.M.G. Sir Walter Bebant. Algustine Birrell, M.P. Rev. Prof. Bonnet, P.R.S. Right Hon. Jameb Brtce, M.P. Right Hon. Lord Burghclere, P.C. Hall Caine. Egerton Cabtle, F.S.A. P. W. Clatden. Edward Clodd. W. Morris Colles. Hon. John Collier. Sir W. Martin Conway. F. Marion Crawford. Right Hon. G. N. Curzon, P.C, M.P. Hon. A. W. a Beckett. Sir Walter Bebant. Eoerton Cabtle, F.S.A. W. Morris Colles. The Earl of Desart. Austin Dobson. A. Conan Doyle, M.D. A. W. Dubourg. Prof. Michael Foster, F.R.S. D. W. Freshfibld. Richard Garnett, C.B., LL.D. Edmund Gobse. H. Rider Haggard. Thomas Hardy. Anthony Hopb Hawkins. Jerome K. Jerome. Rudyard Kipling. Prof. E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S. W. E. H. Lecky, P.C, M.P. J. M. Lely. Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. Rev. W. J. Loftie, F.SA. Sir A. C. Mackenzie, Mas.Doc. Prof. J. M. D. Meiklejohn. Counsel — E. M. TJnderdown, COMMITTEE OF MANAGE Chairman—H. Rider Haggard. Sir W. Martin Conway. D. W. Freshfield. Anthony Hope Hawkins. J. M. Lely. Herman C Merivalk. Rev. C. H. Middleton-Wake. Sir Lewis Morris. Henry Norman. Miss E. A. Ormerod. J. C. Parkinson. Right Hon. Lord Pirbbioht, P.C, F.R.S. Sir Frederick Pollock, Bajrt., LL.D. Walter Herrieb Pollock, w. bapti8te scoones. Miss Flora L. Shaw. G. 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. Q.C. M ENT. Sir A. C Mackenzie, Mus.Doc. Henry Norman. Francis Storr. SUB-COMMITTEES. MUSIC C Villibrs Stanford, Mns.D. (Chairman). Jacques Blumbnthal. ART. Hon. John Collier (Chairman). Sir W. Martin Conway. M. H. Spielmann. ( Field, Roscoe, and Co., Lincoln's Inn Fields. \ G. Herbert Thring, B.A., 4, Portugal-street. Secretary—G. Herbert Thring, B.A. OFFICES: 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C DRAMA. Henry Arthur Jones (Chairman). A. W. 1 Beckett. Edward Rose. Solicitors- .A.. IP. WATT &c SO IDT, LITERARY AGENTS, Formerly of 2, PATERNOSTER SCIUARE, Have now removed to HASTINGS HOUSE, NORFOLK STREET, STRAND, LONDON", W.C. I THE TEMPLE TYPEWRITING OFFICE. f YPEWRITING EXCEPTIONALLY ACCURATE. Moderate prices. Duplicates of Circulars by the latest $ process. ^ ^OPINIONS OF CLIENTS —Distinguished Author:—"The moat beautiful typing I have ever seen." Laot of Titlk :—11 The $ $ work was very well and clearly done." Provincial Editor :—" Many thanks for the spotless neatnesw and beautiful accuracy." S MISS GENTRY, TCI,DON CHAMBKRg, 30, FLEET STREET, E.C.? |T  ## p. 229 (#667) ############################################ ^Ibe Hutbor, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. VIII.—No. 9.] FEBRUARY 1, 1898. [Pbicb 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, See. T riHE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all I 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. FOB some years it has been the praotioe 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 Bhould be borne in mind, and if any publisher refuges 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 VOL. VIII. in his own organs: or by charging exchange advertise- ments. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for " office expenses,' unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give 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. III. The royalty system. In this system, which has opened the door to a most amazing amount of overreaching and trading on the author's ignorance, it is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both tides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately and very nearly the truth. From time to time the very important figures connected with royalties are published in The Author. Readers can also work out the figureB 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 groat 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, Bhould arrange on the chance 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 Bides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those aooount books which belong to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) That there shall be no secret profits. (4.) That nothing shall be oharged which has not been actually paid—for instance, that there shall be no charge for advertisements in the publisher's own organs and none tor exchanged 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. u 2  ## p. 230 (#668) ############################################ 230 THE AUTHOR. HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. I. Ij^ VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive JjJ advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society's solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel's opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel's opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions conneoted 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 paBt 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 nouses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the oountry. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- lence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of The Author notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. 9. The committee have now arranged for the reception of members' agreements and their preservation in a fireproof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as con- fidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers:—(1) To read and advise upon agreements and publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. THE AUTHORS' SYNDICATE, MEMBERS are informed: 1. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. That it submits 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 npon which 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 nil 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 oases 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. THE Editor of The Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the oost 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 Sooiety than to make The Author complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for The Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each mouth. 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 Sooiety 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 P If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker's order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the following warning. It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they wonld give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest  ## p. 231 (#669) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 231 or dishonest? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P "Those who possess the 1 Cost of Production' are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent." This clause was inserted three or four years ago. Estimates have, however, recently been obtained which show that the figures in the book may be relied on as nearly correct: as near as is possible. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the " Cost of Production" for advertising. Of course, we have not included any Bums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—The Anglo-German Copyright Convention. THE telegram appearing in the Times of Jan. 29, announcing the withdrawal of Germany from the Anglo-German Conven- tion for the protection of authors' copyright, refers to those treaties existing between Germany, Prussia, and England prior to the Berne Con- vention. Questions have arisen from time to time during the past few years as to how far these prior treaties had any effect on the articles existing between the countries under the Berne Convention. As stated in the telegram they have lost their legal force in Great Britain, and have now been declared null and void by the withdrawal of Germany. There is, however, one question, how far this withdrawal may have an effect on books published under these treaties prior to the Berne Convention, whether the with- drawal is retrospective, and in what way it may bear upon past publications. The secretary has written to the Foreign Office asking whether they can forward information to the Society on the effect of the withdrawal. II.—Gerrare v. Rideal. In the Westminster County Court on Thursday, Dec. 16, his Honour Judge Lumley Smith (Q.C.) and a jury had before them the case of Gerrare v. Rideal and the Roxburghe Press, in which the plaintiff Mr. W. Gerrare, an author, sued the defendant to recover the sum of £27, which amount, he contended, was due to him under an agreement with the defendants for the publication of a book entitled " Phantasms." The plaintiff was called, and said he entered into an agreement with the defendants to publish his book, and place it on the market for three months, the idea being that during that time it would be seen what the public demand would be for it. That arrangement was duly carried out and the book was withdrawn from sale on Lady- day, 1895; but in spite of his repeated applica- cations for a statement of account, he (plaintiff) had been unable to induce the defendants to supply him with one; and, although he felt sure that there was a considerable sum due to him in respect of sales, he was unable to get from the defendants any approximate idea as to what was due to him. It was within his knowledge that 1000 copies of the book were issued, half at half- a-crown, and the remainder at three-and-sixpence, and all he now asked for was a statement as to what had been done with them. He had paid the defendants £6~ for printing expenses, but they had failed to register the book, as they undertook to do by the agreement, and on that point alone he contended that he had suffered damage. He further complained that the defen- dants agreed to pay the artist for the frontispiece, but he (plaintiff) had been threatened by the artist with an action. At tliis point of the case his Honour remarked that the plaintiff's damages looked rather remote at the present moment, but it was quite clear that he was entitled to a proper account, and could, if he wished, have it taken by the Registrar. The Plaintiff.—I have applied time after time to the defendants during the past three years, but have been unable to get one. In cross-examination by defendants' counsel, the plaintiff swore most positively that he had never received an account of which that now pro- duced was a copy. He had on several occasions expressed his willingness to have the figures gone into by a chartered accountant, but he could get no satisfaction of any kind. Counsel for the defence said his clients were perfectly willing to have the account taken by a chartered accountant, and were willing to pay the costs of any gentleman whom plaintiff chose to name. The Plaintiff.—That is what I have been asking for for the past three years, and 1 have a letter to the effect. His Honour said it was quite clear that the plaintiff was entitled to a full account as to what had become of the books which were printed. The defendants could not expect to have things all their own way, even although they were pub- lishers. Plaintiff.—I have paid the defendants .£67 in respect of their expenses, and all I have received back is =£23.  ## p. 232 (#670) ############################################ 232 THE AUTHOR. In the end his Honour said he thought it was quite clear that the defendants had broken their agreement with the plaintiff, but as they had undertaken to supply him with a proper account, he would adjourn the case for that purpose. Defendants' counsel.—We will see that a proper account is rendered, but we should like the plaintiffs claim for damages settled. His Honour.—Well, the jury are here. You may go further and fare worse. If the jury give damages they must do so. In the end it was agreed that the jury should lie discharged without giving a verdict, on the understanding that the plaintiff was to be supplied with a proper account drawn up by a chartered accountant. . III.—The Law of Author and Publisher. Mr. Wicks' s case, of which we extracted a. report from the Atheweum last month, though it lays down no new principle, is of great impor- tance from its recognition by the Lord Chief Justice of England of the rule that the contract between author and publisher is of a personal character, and cannot be assigned by one pub- lisher to another without the consent of the author. The rule was first laid down so far back as 1855 in the case of Stevens v. Benning, and was acted upon last year in Griffith v. Tower Pub- lishing Company by Mr. Justice Stirling, who restrained the receiver of an insolvent company, in a debenture holder's action against the com- pany, from assigning the benefit of a publishing agreement without the consent of the author. In Hole c. Bradbury, which was heard in 1879, the same rule was recognised by Mr. Justice Fry, and it is now settled law, although contracts except those between author and publisher, and any others in which a person is employed "with reference to his individual skill, competency, or other personal qualification," can be assigned by either party merely on notice to the other. IV.—The Cost of Production. Here are certain estimates received by an author anxious to learn what his book would cost to produce. They are placed side by side for com- parison with the figures in the Society's " Cost of Production." It must be explained (1) that the composition includes three lines of small type for every page, which partly accounts for the difference betweenthe printers' estimates and that of the Society; (2) that the estimates are for a single book, whereas those of the Society are intended, as approximately as possible, to represent the figures obtained where a large quantity of printing is ordered—many books, that is, not one; and (3) that the estimates include a profit on paper and binding, which would be avoided by going direct to paper-makers and binders, and ordering in large quantities. Even with these additions to the cost, an edition of 1000 copies can be produced by a first-class London house at a cost of ,£21 less than the estimate of the Society. Twenty-Bix sheets at 320 words to a page. The edition to consist of 1000 copies. Society (P- 47)- £. t. d. £. 8. d. £. d. 4. Composing ) (per sheet) ) 1 18 6 . .. 2 2 0 . 1 «4 0 . 1 Printing 0 9 0 . .. 0 10 0 . 0 11 6 . .. 0 Paper ... 0 9 6 . .. 0 17 0 0 16 6 . 1 Moulding... 0 S 0 . .. 0 5 4 .. 0 6 0 . 0 Binding ... 0 0 5 ■ .. 0 0 6 .. 0 0 9* .. 0 IOI 8 8 [21 12 8 125 10 8 136 9 o * Half open. V.—Cost of Binding. It is no longer necessary to continue the note as to the increased cost of binding. Binding has not increased; it has gone down. There is before us an estimate from a first-class bookbinder for a single book, not for a number of books. The estimate, with a specimen showing excellent work, is 30.V. per 100 copies, i.e., 3 a volume. Now, if a large number of copies could be ordered at once, the cost would be very much less. Therefore, the price per copy estimated in the "Cost of Pro- duction" may stand till further notice. VI.—Copyright in Photographs. A case is reported in the Birmingliam Post which seems to consider the copyright in photo- graphs to be established as soon as the photo- graph is taken. If the case is properly reported the facts were as follows: A. B., the photo- grapher, took a portrait of C. D., who paid nothing for the first dozen, but did pay the ordi- nary price for the next dozen. Certain local printers then printed some 400 copies, either for sale or for distribution, whereupon the photo- grapher took the case before the Petty Sessions. The defence was that there was no written agree- ment. The Bench fined the defendants, and ordered them to give up the block. VII.—Schopenhauer on Authorship, Copy- right, and Style—Amendment of Copy- right Law. Schopenhauer's essay on authorship and style, ably translated by Mrs. Rudolph Dircks, and to be had for I*. 6f/. with a dozen of his other  ## p. 233 (#671) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 233 essays, contains so much that is good as to choice of a title, and avoidance of diffuseness and obscurity, that every author who can spare the time would do well to read it through if he has not already done so. But in saying that " writing for money and the preservation of copyright are the ruin of literature," he not only said what is not true, but flew in the face of our EDglish Copyright Act (passed in the fifty-seventh year of his age), which by its preamble declares its object to have been "to afford greater encouragement to the production of literary works of lasting benefit to the world." That Act now confessedly requiring amend- ment in certain particulars, as pointed out in the Report of the Royal Commission of 1878, a Bill to promote the more urgent amendments was prepared by members of the Authors' Society, acting in concert with representatives of the Pub- lishers' Association and the Copyright Associa- tion last year, and intrusted to Lord Monkswell, who carried it through the House of Lords, after an investigation (with the aid of witnesses) by a Select Committee, and has kindly consented to reintroduce it, as amended by that committee, in the approaching Session. It may reasonably be hoped that the House of Lords will again pass the Bill, but popular enthusiasm for it can hardly be expected to be warm enough to make success in the House of Commons a certainty. The Bill was printed at length, together with a memorandum of its contents, in an Author of last year. Shortly put, its effect is to make trans- lations infringements of copyright, to reduce from twenty-eight years to three the period at the end of which contributors to periodicals may separately publish their contributions, to simplify copyright in lectures, to prohibit abridgments without the consent of the owner of the copy- right in the work abridged, to make the dramati- sation of novels and the novelisation of dramas alike infringements of copyright, and to give a summary remedy for the infringement of dramatic copyright. Judging from the declarations of Lord Dudley in the House of Lords, on the second reading of Lord Monkswell's Bill, it may, perhaps, be hoped that the Government will come forward, in the forthcoming Session, with a measure of their own. "The Board of Trade," the noble lord is reported in the Times to have said, "would he quite ready to introduce a Bill, dealing not only with the amendment of the copyright law but also with its consolidation," when certain negotiations between this country, the colonies, and foreign countries should be completed. I would venture to suggest, however, that the consideration of amendment, apart from and prior to consolidation, would be for the interest of all parties concerned. Such a consideration would, in all probability, give us something before the end of the Session, whereas the consideration in one whole of a con- solidating and amending Bill would be only too likely to end in nothing. J. M. Lely. NEW YORK LETTER. New York, Jan. 18. ONE of the members of a large publishing firm, having a house in England as well as in New York, said the other day that there was a rapidly growing interest in Great Britain in historical and literary works about the United States, especially in those which go into the causes of its development in various direc- tions. It is very probable that the scheme which the Macmillan Company is about to carry out will find almost as much attention on the other side of the water as on this. It is the publication of the sixth volume of Craik's "English Prose," dealing with the United States. The preparation of this volume and the amount of attention given to the different writers really involves the task of placing American prose writers in the order of their importance more carefully than has ever been done before. The work is in charge of Professor Geo. R. Carpenter, of Columbia, whose books on grammar and rhetoric, besides his occa- sional writings and college teaching, have made him well known. He is particularly fitted also to reach a final decision of this kind by tempera- ment, and to carry it out successfully by wide acquaintance with living writers. In selecting the men to criticise the authors he will draw somewhat on English as well as on the leading American critics. The task is somewhat simpli- fied by the fact that only dead writers will be dealt with. The longest space will be given to seven authors, namely, Hawthorne, Holmes, Irving, Lowell, Cooper, Emerson, and Poe. The selection of these seven for a little fuller attention than any of the others means practically that they are, from a strictly literary point of view, the most important authors that this country has produced. Personally, I should be inclined to doubt whether Irving and Holmes will in the long run find their places ahead of two men who come in the second rank. Of course, the authors are not divided off this way in the book, and the relative amount of importance attached to them is indi- cated by space only. That Emerson, Hawthorne, and Lowell come first would hardly be disputed  ## p. 234 (#672) ############################################ 234 THE AUTHOR. by anyone, and the originality of Poe, and espe- cially the very American originality of Cooper, probably make it safe to put them next. In the second class are Whitman, Thoreau, Franklin, Parkman, Motley, and Webster. Whitman is just now enjoying a special vogue, and it is impossible to form any valuable guess at the verdict of time in his case. New editions of his works have been issued recently, and another will be issued at once, and Whitman societies are forming in various parts of the country, with the same spirit of worship which marked the Browning excitement in a few of our cities some years ago. Thoreau is marked by the intense admiration of a comparatively small number of intelligent readers. Parkman and Motley, of course, owe their main value to their historical comprehension of the tendencies of American civilisation. The other two men are the ones who seem to me to belong in the very first rank of American literature; especially Franklin, who has been appreciated time and again for his common sense, judgment, and inven- tion, but much less than he deserves to be for his peculiar and permanent literary charm. The others who are admitted come in the third class, and include Cotton Mather, Jonathan Edwards, Prescott, Lincoln, Washington, Jeffer- son, Samuel Adams, Mrs. Stowe, George WiUiam Curtis, Tom Paine, Chauning, Margaret Fuller, Hamilton, Madison, Phillips, Garrison, Sumner, and Calhoun. Of these writers it may certainly be said as a generality, that the earlier ones are far more interesting. Alexander Hamilton has an importance not only for what he thought, but for the way he expressed his ideas, which puts him very near the top in genuine literary interest. Edwards is among the most important figures for students of our life and literature to understand, for he represented Calvinism at its height as ably as Franklin represented common sense and Emerson Transcendentalism. Samuel Adams and Tom Paine and Margaret Fuller were all jour- nalists essentially. They all have a profound interest for that kind of strong, scattered influence on their times which American journalists have exerted and still do exert. Washington is in only by courtesy, I fancy, as his writing is common- place, and Lincoln is probably included mainly for one great speech. The importance of George William Curtis is a very difficult thing for me to understand. It is practically certain that when the volume appears it will give rise to more dis- cussion about the various landmarks of American literature than any book of recent times. Other works somewhat allied to this in interest will also be brought out shortly. Professor Moses Coit Tyler is preparing a volume on the literary history of the American Republic during the first half century of its independence, to be published by Putnam. The two volumes on the literature of the Revolution, also published by the Putnams, were so valuable in bringing these fertile fields within the reach of the ordinarv reader, that this new volume will attract especial attention. The same author will also publish a series of works, through the Putnams, called "A Century of American Statesmen," beginning with Jefferson and coming down to our day. The first volume will include chapters on Jefferson, Hamilton, Burr, John Randolph, Josiah Quiney, Madison, Monroe, Gallatin, Marshall, and John Quincy Adams. Senator Perkins has introduced into Congress a Bill proposing a change in the copyright law. by which six copies of every book published in the United States must be deposited with the Librarian of Congress iu order to secure copy- right, instead of the present number of two. One of these copies is to be given to the public librarian at Chicago, one at Denver, one at San Francisco, and one at New Orleans. It is said that this Bill is backed by the Librarian Association of Central California, which wishes to get books nearer home than the Congressional Library, and so proposes to steal them from the authors or publishers under forms of law. There is cer- tainly very little probability that the Bill will pass. There has been a good deal of agitation lately about the effect of the immense sale of books by the department stores on t he publishing business. A recent investigator finds that, although it is easy to get standard works very cheap in almost any one of these mammoth shops, uew books are much slower in finding their way to them. His optimistic conclusion is, that there will be plenty of business for the regular publishers at the same time that standard literature is brought at a cheaper price within reach of the large reading public. Norman Hapgooo. THE BIRTHDAY OF THE "ATHEN.EUM." ON Jan. i, 1828, the first number of the Atheiueum was published, the first editor, or proprietor, being Mr. James Silk. Buckingham. Teii years afterwards the paper passed into the hands of a member of the family with which it still remains. It was reasonable, and to be expected, that the present conductors of the journal should take the opportunity of congratulating themselves upon the long life and honourable record of their paper.  ## p. 235 (#673) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 235 It will be acknowledged, I think, that, although there may have been cases of injustice and incom- petence, even of personal spite—all of which it is extremely difficult to keep out of a literary paper—the Athenseum has deserved well of litera- ture during the whole of this long period. In some branches, especially that of poetry, there has been a very high standard of criticism, maintained to the present day with no falling off as to canons and standards, and with increased generosity and readiness of appreciation. It will also be acknowledged that the reviews of im- portant works have generally been confided not only to scholars of the branch of learning con- cerned, but also to men of fairness and justice. "But," to quote from the paper, "what the Athenseum specially claims to have inherited without change from the t-aditions of its founders is that deep sense of the enormous responsi- bility of anonymous criticism which is seen in every line contributed by the Maurice and Sterling group who spoke through its columns. While in a signed article the things said have the power of the utterer's voice and none other, in an unsigned article the speaker is clothed with all the authority of the journal in which he writes. Even for those who are behind the scenes, and know that the critique expresses the opinion of only one writer, it is difficult not to be impressed by the accent of authority in the editorial' we.' But with regard to the general public, the reader of a review article finds it impossible to escape from the authority of the 'we,' and the power of a single writer to benefit or to injure an author is so great that none but the most deeply conscien- tious men ought to enter the ranks of the anonymous reviewers. These were the views of Maurice and Sterling: and that they are shared by all the best writers of our time there can be no doubt." Some very illustrious men have given very emphatic expression to them. "There is one kind of mis- creant," said Eossetti, " a miscreant who in kind of meanness and infamy cannot well be beaten, the man who in an anonymous journal tells the world that a poem or picture is bad when he knows it to be good. That is the man who should never defile my hand by his touch. By God, if I met such a man at a dinner-table I must not kick him, I suppose; but I could not, and would not, taste bread and salt with him. I would quietly get up and go." Tennyson, on afterwards being told this story, said: "And who would not do the same? Such a man has been guilty of sacri- lege—sacrilege against art." When the Athenaeum was founded, the literary papers were regarded as "the mere bellows of the great publishing forges," used only to puff their books. The mere suspicion of such a thing is fatal VOL. VIII. to the authority of a literary paper. "Trade criticism " was the name of this blowing of the bellows. The Athenseum announced that it would be " under the influence of no publisher." Next to " Trade Criticism," the chief abhorrence of the early writers for the Athenseum was " the cheap smartness of Jeffrey and certain of his coadjutors." "From its commencement the Athenseum has striven to avoid slashing and smart writing. A difficult thing to avoid, no doubt, for nothing is so easy to achieve as that insolent and vulgar slashing which the half-educated amateur thinks so clever. Of all forms of writing, the founders of the Athenseum held the shallow smart style to be the cheapest and also the most despicable. And here again the views of the Athenseum have remainel unchanged." The Athenaeum rejoices in its early appreciation of Coleridge, Southey, Wordsworth, Tennyson, and others, There are still modern dragons to fight. "Trade Criticism " is not dead, although scotched. The "log-roller " is always with us—let us hope that he may keep out of the Athenaeum. The spiteful misiepresenter is also with us: and the " smart slasher." There are also two new dragons, neither of them to be despised: the critic who does not read the books he is paid to review, and the review that has an eye to the advertisements. This last is, perhaps, the modern form of " Trade Criticism." Publishers' advertisements ought not to be considered, because publishers must of necessity advertise in a literary organ of authority. The very honesty and fearlessness which some of them would fain see corrupted and defiled by dishonest puffs of their wares, make an advertise- ment in the columns of such a paper absolutely necessary to every publisher. Therefore, let us look to the fat layer of advertisements in each number of the Athenseum as a sign that its reputation and its authority are based upon a seventy years' record of honesty and competence, and fearlessness. One may take this opportunity of acknowledg- ing the position of the Athenaeum with regard to our Society. It was not to be expecteJ that attacks would not be made upon us by those persons whose interest it is to keep from writers the truth about the administration of their estates. The publication of such attacks we had no reason to resent, provided there was a fair field and no favour. There has been a fair field: our replies have always been inserted, with the result that the Society has advanced year after year always the stronger for every attack made upon it. Perhaps in another seventy years another cause for congratulation will be that the Athenseum x  ## p. 236 (#674) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. at the outset gave a fair field and no favour to men of letters ■when they were struggling towards independence. For this reason, if for no other, one reproduces with all good wishes for the future the words with which the Athenivum of Jan. i sums up its retrospect:—" We look back through our career and recall the writers whose talents have gone to make the journal what it is—writers like Charles Lamb, Landor, Thomas Hood, Maurice, Sterling, Carlyle, Leigh Hunt, Hazlitt, Douglas Jerrold, Mrs. Browning, Barry Cornwall, Mary Brotherton, Miss Strick- land, Sydney Dobell, Archbishop Whately, West- land Marston, Faraday, Sir William Hamilton, Sir Charles Lyell, and the rest. We remember the rise and fall of smart journal after smart journal, whose audacity or whose insolence or whose fireworks were to illuminate the course and eclipse all those old-fashioned drivers with the dull motto of ' honesty and fair play.' We look back, and we remember these things, and the future seems full of hope." W. B. NOTES AND NEWS. f 11HE best of the attacks by publishers, one of I which is dealt with in another part of this issue, is that they do the Society of Authors so much good. One would wish for one every week. They generally, besides, lead to side lights of an unexpected kind. Who, for instance, would have suspected that publishers are united together for the purpose of preserving the honour of the trade't Yet it must be so, for Mr. Heinemann says so. "We publishers," he declares, "are anxious—no class more so—to purge our ranks of black sheep if they exist." This is very good reading. We had hitherto been under the impression that publishers had neither the desire nor the power of "purging" their ranks of black sheep. Perhaps they have not the desire because they have not the power. However, let us see. If a publisher solemnly assures an author that the figures given in these pages and in the "Cost of Production" are wholly wrong and untrustworthy: that he cannot print on those terms, and that he cannot sell his books on the terms there presented; if, at the same time, he is disputing with another writer who knows whether a book can be produced on terms actually lower than those figures; if he is therefore a liar and a " black sheep," and if he was presented to the Publishers' Association as such, what would that body do "to purge their ranks of this black sheep "? They cannot forbid him to publish: they cannot forbid booksellers to sell him: they cannot forbid the public to buy him. Then what can they do Y What purgative medi- cine will they apply? However, it is pleasant to learn that there has arisen this new and unex- pected development in the direction of virtue. The Academy has made its selection of the two best books of the year. The judges have chosen a poet for the first prize. To Mr. Stephen Phillips has been awarded the first "crown " of 100 guineas; to Mr. W. E. Henley, for his *' Burns," has been awarded the second "crown" of fifty guineas. If Mr. Henley has ever derided the custom of "crowning " books, it is hoped that the arrival of this substantial coronet will change his views. To the younger man the prize will bring with it a great increase of popularity, with a corresponding demand for his works. It will probably lift him out of the unregarded class of minor poets into the front rank. There can be no doubt that, if this "crowning" of writers is continued, the honour will be derided by some and questioned by some, but it will be refused by none and it will be coveted by all. That the practice will produce a beneficial effect on literature I do not doubt, for the simple reasons that style and form will be the first things considered, and that young writers will have the necessity of attending to style and form kept constantly before their eyes. A lady sends me a letter from a daily paper in which the writer very humorously calls the atten- tion of a critic in that paper to the fact that Sir Walter Scott did not, as he stated, write the lines:— Thanks, dear sir, for your venison, for finer or fatter, Never roamed in a foreBt or smoked on a platter. He says: "They are the opening lines of a poem, ' The Haunch of Venison,' by a man named Goldsmith—to be precise, Oliver Goldsmith. This Goldsmith was a contemporary of a Dr. Johnson, an eminent lexicographer of the last century. If your reviewer takes an interest in English literature, he might do worse than buy a collected edition of Goldsmith's works." My correspondent speaks of "ignorant and incompetent reviewers." Yes; but this funny mistake does not prove either ignorance or incompetence. There is no end to the extraordi- nary mistakes which a journalist may make. I do not for a moment believe that this writer really thought that the lines were Scott's, but that he got confused for the moment. The mistake is too elementary to betray ignorance. Of course, it laid the writer open to the neat little letter from which I have quoted. My  ## p. 237 (#675) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 237 correspondent goes on to say that she has before her a " notice" in the same paper, so full of mis- statements that it must have been written by someone who had not read the book at all. Just so: it has been pointed out over and over again that no scale of pay—not the most lavish ever offered—will make it possible for the writers of short "notices" to read the books. The writers are not to blame: it takes the best part of a day for a book to be read and reviewed; when the review has to be compressed into a few lines, who can afford to spend many minutes upon it? This consideration seems to me perfectly simple and harmless: it has, however, been violently assailed. Would it not be possible to give up the short " notice" altogether, and to give instead a column "describing" the books—subject, length, price, illustrations, outline, and statement of its intentions and aims, and so forth? In the case of poetry, would it be impossible to give a specimen to show the author's powers, all this without a word of praise or blame? Eeviews, on the other hand, would be given only of books judged of sufficient importance to deserve one: they would be written seriously, they would be of reasonable length, and they would not be entrusted to friend or enemy of the author. A long review in a great daily is a prize for the author; to be considered important is a "crown- ing" of the book. Some change in this direction seems necessary unless the reputation of the reviewer and the influence of the review are to decay and die altogether. Mr. Birrell, Q.C., M.P., the Queen's Professor of Law, University College, will deliver a series of lectures on Copyright at the Old Hall, Lincoln's-inn, on Monday and Friday afternoons, at 4.30, beginning on Friday, Feb. 4, until the course is completed. These lectures—open to the public, without payment or ticket—will be very interesting to members of the Society, as according to the syllabus, in addition to other important matters, the present state of public opinion on copyright will be treated, the Authors' Society, the commercial value of copyright, and last but by no means least, the Society's amending Bill that passed the House of Lords last Session. A correspondent sends the following correc- tion: "With regard to the statement in The Author of Jan , 1898, that'ten or twelve years ago a ten per cent, royalty was the utmost ever offered,' I am informed of instances to the contrary (royalties of one-sixth and sometimes one-fifth of the published price) in the practice of one leading house between fifteen and twenty years ago. But, with the substitution of 'commonly' for ' ever' I still believe the original statement to be correct, and in that form it is sufficient for its purpose." o-c In order to strengthen the assertion referred to, in case it should be disputed, I referred the matter to one who knows better than myself the former practice as regards royalties. He assures uie that the statement is practically quite correct. "The former custom used to be a ten per cent, royalty with half the profits from American and Conti- nental editions. But there were certain excep- tions." Among them he mentioned one or two writers who were able to extort larger royalties. Walter Besant. THE DISCOUNT SYSTEM. IT was to be expected that the Report of the Society on the Discount System would be received with a certain amount of dissatis- faction, especially from those publishers who desire to enslave the bookseller, and those book- sellers who see no hope except in slavery. Among the letters and papers issued on the subject, there is one by Mr. Robert MacLehose, of Glasgow, which is remarkable for its extreme virulence. He says, among other things :— "The main ideas underlying the Report are three: (1.) That a very low place is to be given to literature generally. (2.) That the novel must be taken as the standard on which all calculations are to be based. (3.) That the pub- lisher is not to be trusted." The reason for the first idea is difficult to be gathered from his words. He quotes Mrs. Oliphant as saying that "Literature is now weighed by the thousand words, like a packet of tea," and says that the Society accepts the "gentle irony" in serious earnest. I wonder what he means, except that he is certainly muddling things. If literature is sold there is but. one way of selling it, by the book. Or, if we regard the author, by the MS. Does Mr. MacLehose mean that a poem by Swin- burne would be bought by an editor by the thousand words? Or does he pretend that the Society has ever said so? In the sale of papers and stories to magazines, undoubtedly length must be considered; whether length is reckoned by so many sheets or by so many thousand words makes no difference. The second point is that the Society has only considered the novel. The  ## p. 238 (#676) ############################################ 238 THE AUTHOR. average book considered is the 6s. book simply because it is a convenient and a common form. Afterwards he attacks our figures. The Report said the bookseller makes a profit of "lod. to a shilling in the sale of a book for 4«. 6d." It is impossible to state his profit exactly, because there are so many different prices. This, however, is acknowledged to be very near the mark. Mr. MacLehose says we are wrong because we have not reckoned the working expenses. But we do not reckon publishers' working expenses when we say that their profit on a book of the kind which pays a shilling royalty is eighteenpence when the sale is large. Nor do we reckon the author's working expenses. The next " idea" is that the publisher is not to be trusted. Very well. That is most true. The confidence that should be reposed in a publisher is neither more nor less than should be reposed in any other man of business. When property is administered, as a book, for its creator, the same precautions must be observed as in any other form of business. One does not "trust" the man in the street when he proposes to take your house and to fix his own rent—if he pays any. We are quite right in pointing out all the dangers and all the possibili- ties of over-reaching, or of trickery, or of fraud; and no honest publisher has any reason to be offended at the attitude which we recommend in business of this kind, an attitude which he himself assumes in every other kind of transaction. Therefore, of the three " main ideas" advanced by this gentleman the first two are silly stuff, and the third is not only a simple precaution, but a simple necessity. Of course when a writer sits down with the intention of finding materials to feed his wrath upon we expect incoherence. The Bookseller contains half a dozen letters, chiefly from country booksellers, on the question. These letters express strong disappointment for the most part: indignation with some. One writer says that it was a "gigantic mistake of the publishers to consult the authors in any way whatever." In other words, the administrators of property are not to consult the owners! One writer, however, Mr. Simms, of Bath (where the great number of booksellers seems to show a healthy condition of trade), takes a more sensible view:— As regards the Publishers' Association, I believe their policy (defeated for the present) to be, if not illegal, at least unwise and doomed to fail ultimately. Of what other busi- ness besides the bookseller can it be said that the owner of goods bought and paid for is liable to dictation as to how he Bhall dispose of them to his customers P It is rumoured that other means are to be resorted to to bring about the desired equalisation of discounts. If bo, they will fail, as other schemes have done, and deservedly so. I don't admit the con- dition of the country bookseller to be so very desperate. Only let him face the difficulty and fight it manfully. Leaving alone the new book trade, which is not worth his notice, let him take up the "remainder" and second-hand business (books of the day), the chief reprints which in these days are made bo attractive, and copy the tactics of his neighbour the draper, who with his unjust "Wonderful Bargains," "Alarming Sacrifice," Ac, arrests the attention of passers-by to "compel them to oome in "—and inasmuoh as the draper does not scruple to sell books and stationery, so let the bookseller add to his stock purses and haberdashery, or anything else (their name is legion) which oomea under the title of fancy goods. By these means he may hope to leave off deploring his sad fate, and find life after all to be worth living. The Committee advocated a great extension of the sale or return system. It already prevails to a certain extent. A bookseller, however, com- plains that a certain publisher will send on sale or return seven copies to count as six: but if, say, only five of them are taken and he returns two, he is not allowed the odd copy: i.e., he pays as if he had ordered five separate copies. The follow- ing seems a practical suggestion. "Here is a suggestion. Let publishers send out broadcast to the trade advance copies bound in brown paper. If these were stocked, they could get orders for bound copies. The difficulty of sale or return is the enormous proportion of soiled copies. I am just closing an account, and we are bothered by a number out on sale or return, as to which we cannot get any certain information, and I can understand that to publishers this is a difficulty." The whole system of thirteen as twelve is intro- duced for the apparent benefit of booksellers, and is used by some publishers—pray observe the word some, because the next thing will be for some interested person to proclaim that all are charged with the offence—-as a means of grinding the author. Thus he enters in his agreement that royalties are to be paid on thirteen as twelve. This is equivalent to a reduction of 8 per cent, on the author's returns, of which, perhaps, half goes into the publisher's pocket, for he does not sell all, or anything like all, at thirteen as twelve. I believe that the two agents whom we recommend to our members are awake to this little trick. The following extract was quoted in the Daily Chronicle from the New York Nation. We copy it with gratitude to both papers for publishing so fair and sensible a summary of the case: The real difficulty, from the point of view of a cIobc corporation, or ironclad agreement, among publishers, is that there is no law, human or divine, by which they have the sole right to print and sell books. This truth was set forth with much force by the committee of the Authors' Society. Granting the desirability of keeping up the prices of books, there was no way of compelling a popular author to do it. If he knew that he oould sell 20,000 copies at  ## p. 239 (#677) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 239 one dollar as against only 5000 at two dollars, he would have the publishers at his mercy. He could print his book himself, or get a draper or a department store to do it. And if it were said that he would be kept out of the regular ohannels of the trade, the answer would be that one of the big shops often sell more books in an hour than a country book store does in a year. It thus appears that book publishing is, in the nature of the case, not a business which can be monopolised or made into a trust, even if the majority of authors were willing to see it done. ANOTHER SPORTING OFFER. IN the December number of The Author was published a proposal called a "Sporting Offer." This was the offer which was made the subject, as may be seen in another column, of many inventions by our amiable and imaginative well-wisher Mr. Alfred Nutt. There is before us another offer of precisely the same kind, The publisher humorously proposes to produce an edition of 2000 copies at 3s. 6d.: and to give the author a royalty of is.6d. a copy after 250 are sold. He is, however, to advance the sum of £112. The beauty of this arrangement is that, under the most favourable conditions, viz., the sale of the whole 2000 copies, the author realises on the whole transaction the magnificent sum of e£i 5 or so, while the publisher gets all the rest. Are there, really, people bound to accept such a proposal? When a writer pays the publishers for the pro- duction of his own work—a thing no one should do except under very exceptional circumstances— he makes the publisher simply an agent for its sale. What should he do then? (1) He should get an estimate from the pub- lisher of the full cost of production. (2) He should get another estimate from a good printer. The latter to be some check on the former. (3) It is best to deliver the book bound and ready for sale to the publisher. This avoids dis- putes and suspicions. (4) The author should then pay the publisher a royalty cr percentage—say 12 J per cent.—on the sales. Now compare the difference between this method and the one proposed in the agreement before us. On the most favourable terms, the sale of 2000 . copies—say 1950—of a 3$. 6tl. book would pro- duce the sum of about ,£210. We then have: • Cost of production, say £112, since that sum was asked for. Publishers' com. at i2| per cent., £2(1 54-. Author, £71 i$s. instead of £15. At the same time it must be remembered that a VOL. VIII. MS. which no publisher will accept is very doubt- ful. Most probably the sales would not amount to anything like the whole edition of 2000 copies. PERSONAL. LADY MURRAY has just purchased (accord- ing to the Daily Mail) near Autibes, in the Riviera, a large house which she pro- poses to convert into a home of rest for authors and artists, of any nationality, in poor health and circumstances. The following are the rules :—■ 1. That the health of the applicant is such as to make a winter in a mild climate necessary, or at least advisable. 2. That he is unable to obtain this without such assis- tance as he will find here. 3. That his medical advisers are able to give a fair hope that, with the benefit of a winter abroad, he will be ablo to return to his work. 4. That those admitted pay their journey out and back and £ 1 a week for board and lodging. Personal washing, extra fires and lights, and wine, will be charged extra. No dogs allowed. Applicants should address Lady Murray, at the Villa Victoria, Cannes. This year the Home will be open from Feb. 1 to May 31, and in future years from Nov. 1 to May 31. Mr, William Black wrote the following letter to the Scotsman in reply to Mr. Balfour'.s recent speech on novel-writing :— At this pacific season of the year, would you allow a perfectly obscure person to endeavour to calm the perturbed spirit of Mr. A. J. Balfour f He appears to be agitated about the probable future of the novel. At Edinburgh the other day be spoke of " the obvious difficulty which novelists now find in getting hold of appropriate subjects for their art to deal with": and again he said, with doubtful grammar, " Where, gentlemen, is the novelist to find a new vein? Every country has been ransacked to obtain theatres on which their imaginary characters are to show themselves off," and so forth. Mr. Balfour may reassure himself. So long as the world holds two men and a maid, or two maids and a man, the novelist has abundance of material, and there is no need to search for a "theatre " while we have around us the imperishable theatre of the sea and the sky and the hills. If Mr. Balfour cannot master these simple and elementary propositions, then it would be well for him to remain altogether outside the domain of literature, and to busy himself (when not engaged in party politics) with somo more recondite subject—say, bimetallism. The Royal Institution has received £'1000 from Mrs. Louisa C. Tyndall, the widow of the late Professor Tyndall, "as an expression of his attachment to the Institution with which he was so long connected, and of his sympathy with its objects." The money will be employed for the promotion of science. y  ## p. 240 (#678) ############################################ 240 THE AUTHOR. A SPORTING OFFER AGREEMENT. ri^HE following is a comment upon certain I remarks of ours on an agreement (see The Author of December, 1897). Another agreement on similar lines is considered in the present number (p. 239). The letter appeared in the Academy, and was followed by certain obvious remarks from the editor of this paper. Nobody heeds statements made by The Author,Q) which are as little likely to mislead as those, let me say, of La Libre Parole or the New York Sun. But copied into your columns under the title of "A Faulty Agree- ment" they may do some mischief. It is worth while, therefore, to examine this characteristic example of The Author s method of dealing with figures. In the agreement criticised the publisher asks the writer to contribute <£no to the cost of pro- ducing 1500 copies of his work, and the result arrived at, according to The Author, is that the publisher makes close upon M100 profit without risking a penny, whereas the writer in return for his risk only nets X'65. Now, in the first place, the cost of production is set down at, "say, £100," an assumption based upon nothing but the conviction that the publisher must inevitably be trying to swindle the author. (2) Let us see if we can test its validity. As the book produces 3s. 6f/. to the publisher, it must be published at 6s., and may be assumed to be a crown 8vo. of 12 sheets of 32 pages, or 388 pages at least.(3) The binding of 1500 copies at 5*7. each (a low figure) works out at £31, paper for the same number (36 reams of double crown at 155.) at £27, so that only £42 are left for composing and machining 388 pages. I will not say this price is impossible, but it is very low, and it allows absolutely no margin for corrections (which may safely be estimated at from £7 to £10), nor for the printing of prospectuses, circulars, order forms, &c, nor for the postage of gratis copies, nor, most remarkable omission of all (and one which the Academy should surely have spotted), for advertising. Unless the author differs greatly from his kind, and the publisher is less squeez- able than most of his fellows, this last item may be put down at £20 at least. In other words, the cost of production assumed, in order to create a prejudice against the pub- lisher, to be £100, is almost certainly from £130 to £140, and may, if author and publisher believe in advertising, reach any figure up to £200. So much for tht basis of The Authors calculation. (') Then why pay so much attention to them '{ Hardly a month passes without someone declaring that no one heeds the statements made in The Author, and then proving most forcibly that he does heed them verv much. (■') There is not one word or hint that any "swindle" was attempted. The agreemeut was quite open. The author had only to examine into its meaning, and then to accept or reject. It is really very unfair on publishers for one of them- selves to sniff out a swindle with such alacrity. (3) He lays down a rule, observe. He states that it is the rule that a certain book must lie at least 388 pp. in length. There is no such rule. A great many books of the kind are very much shorter: the average is very much less, according to the experience of the Society. Observe, also, that if this "rule" is proved base- less, down go the whole of Mr. Nutt's figures. There is no such rule. There is no such obser- vance. There is no such custom. The length varies as in the old-fashioned three-volume novel, whose length varied from 100,000 words to 300,000 words. Here are some examples taken from my own shelves. They are for the most part writers accepted and popular. I do not buy, as a rule, novels except by such writers :— Pages. Sheets. Rudyard Kipling, "The Light that Failed". 248 or 15J Becke, "The First Fleet Family" 271 „ 18A Barri' A Window in Thrums" 267 „ 14!  ## p. 241 (#679) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Now for some further developments. The sale of the entire edition is assumed to bring in .£262 10s. to the publisher (ieoo copies at 3*. 6d.), so that nothing is deducted for copyright purposes, nothing for traveller's and office copies, nothing for gratis copies to the author, nothing (how came you, Mr. Editor, to pass over this omission'() for review copies! According to The Author's calculation the young writer's work has sold without being circularised, without being adver- tised, without being reviewed. Lucky young writer, and yet he and The Author are not happy. (4) We are now in a position to substitute for the misleading figures given by The Author the following approximately correct ones :— Pages. Sheets. Stanley Waterloo, "A Man and a Woman" 321 „ 20 Mark Twain, "Prince and Pauper" 332 „ 20} Couan Doyle," Brigadier Gerard" 334 „ 21 Besant, "Citv of Refuge" 312 „ iyi J. O. Hobbes", " Some Gods, &e." 296 „ 185 Rider Haggard, " Nada" 295 „ 18i „ "Allan Quarter- main" 278 „ i7i "Montezuma's Daughter"... 295 „ i8£ The average length, then, of eleven novels, all by popular writers, so far from being at least 388 pages, is 295 pages; while the average number of sheets, so far from being as Mr. Nutt says, 24 sheets of 16 pages, i.e., 12 sheets of 32 pages, is 18^ sheets. It would be quite easy, of course, by looking about, to find many longer: it would also be quite easy to find many shorter. The average, in my own opinion, as well as that of the secretary, is about 17 or 18 sheets. For further proof here is a list taken from the books standing on a club table. There were thirteen novels of one volume, all appearing to be 6*. books. One of them, "Peter Halkett," only reaches 264 pages by using very large type. God's Foundling 316 Peter Halkett..'. 264 Count Antonio 337 Christie Murray's "Tales" 271 Pride of Jennico 346 Martha Washington 283 Miss Balmaine's Past 324 Folly of Pen Harrington 248 A Hard Woman 346 The Tormentor 288 Traits and Confidences 372 David L* all 302 Way of Marriage 308 The average here is 30S pages and 18J sheets. (*) All this is absolutely without foundation. Allowance was made for such advertising as would be spent on such a book, and for review and other copies.  ## p. 242 (#680) ############################################ 242 THE AUTHOR. On the sale cf 1500 copies ("') — £ s. Cost of production, say 140 o Royalty to author on 1400 copies (allowing 100 for gratis copies), at 2*. 6d 17; 10 Profit to publisher 39 10 £ 355 o By author no By sale of 1400 (allowing 100 for gratis copies), at 3.V. 6d 245 355 o Ex hypothesi the author risks A'no and gets ■£175 10s., or =£65 10s. profit, the publisher risks ^30 and gets ,£39 10*. profit. But if he adver- tises beyond the figure of ,£20 his risk is increased pro tauto, and if the advertisement charge rea ches the figure of ^50, his possible profit is reduced to a vanishing point. The bargain, assuming the entire edition to be sold, is a hard one for the writer, but it is not the iniquitous one denounced by The Author. Moreover, no mention is made of the possible failure to sell 100 copies, in which case tho publisher gets nothing for his risk. True, the writer is in the same plight, but he has at the least the satisfaction of seeing his book published, a satisfaction conceivably worth £\oo to him, but under no circumstances worth any- thing to the publisher, unless, indeed, the work has a scholarly value, and he issue it for the benefit of science. I ask you, sir, and readers of the Academy generally, if it is advisable to give the sanction of your support to statements which can only be cleared from the charge of unfair animus by a plea of gross and ignorant carelessness ? (") Alfred Nutt. 11. To my notes, which are the substance of my reply iu the paper, Mr. Nutt makes a lame defence. He states :— '• I do not wish to take up the . tcademy's space by showing that the other assumptions made by The Author in order to arrive at its imaginary balance-sheet are just as reliable as the one I have examined. One assertion, however, is too characteristic to be passed over. I pointed out that The Author made no allowance for review and presentation copies, and I estimated thern at 100. Sir Walter asserts that only forty would be used,(r) and that this number would come out of the ' overs.'(8) I can assure him that the nominal 'overs' do little more than compensate for the inevitable 'shorts' on a long number. On an edition of 1500 I should think myself lucky to (5) All these figures are bowled over by the simple fact that there is no such " rule " as that assumed, and that the average is much less than that advanced for the purpose of destroying the figures of The Author. (") There is neither unfair animus nor gross and ignorant carelessness. The former is cer- tainly manifest in Mr. Nutt's production. As to the latter, no—He is not ignorant. (7) I did not say that " only forty would be used," but "I estimate for such a book forty copies." That is not quite the same thing. (8) I did not say that "this number would come out of the ' overs.'" I said that " probably " on  ## p. 243 (#681) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 243 get a clear twelve or fifteen over the nominal number (on an edition of 500 copies, which I have just issued, I get one over), and these have to be reserved against the inevitable chapter of accidents, returns of damaged copies, &c, the loss entailed by which would otherwise fall upon the book." in. Again Mr. Nutt comes forward. He now says, wisely leaving figures alone, "I do not see that I can say anything fresh. So far from fixing upon this or that detail, (8) I stated, in the broadest way, a charge, which Sir Walter Besant makes absolutely no attempt to meet. Let me restate it —finally, I hope.(10) A publishing proposal is sub- mitted to The Author; whether that -proposal be fair or not obviously depends upon the special circumstances of the case—extent of the work, presence or not of illustrations, quality of paper and binding, amount expended in adver- tising, &c." an edition of 1500 there would be enough to meet the demand. I did so with some knowledge of " overs." (") Look back. Why, his letter is all detail. (10) Very good. This proposition can be met with the greatest ease. There was no need of inquiry because it was very well known what kind of work was offered to the publisher. There was no need of asking what we knew already. Mr. Nutt never reads The Author. Just a copy now and then by accident falls into his hauds. We congratulate him on having the good chance of always finding something to make him fall into an unholy rage. Perhaps, at the same time, Mr. Thring has been engaged in reading Mr. Nutt's agreements. BOOES OP 1897. rpHE Publishers' Circular has issued its I usual classified list of books published in 1897. The numbers show an increase of 1010 over those of 1896. We must expect this increase to go on, because the readers are every year increasing by leaps and bounds. Every department shows an increase, except those of Arts and Sciences, Voyages and Travels, and Pamphlets. If we consider that a single edition of 1000 copies represents the average circulation, then 7,926,000 books have been bought and sold during the year. If 5.?. be the average price, this represents a total of £1,981,500 spent on new books and new editions, without counting old books, which would, perhaps, come to as much again. These figures are quite likely to be wrong, but, some time since, certain publishers were questioned as to the average book trade, and some put it down at ,£3,000,000. If, however, a list were compiled of all the books announced (not advertised) in the columns of a London daily, it would not give anything like these figures. For instance, the novels would include only those issued by London publishers, which are, practically, all that need be considered. These alone would certainly not amount to 1000; and so with other things. A more important column is that of the new editions. They represent not new editions of books of 1896, but new editions of all the books that form English literature from the very beginning. There are probably among them Chaucer, Milton, Pope, Cowper, Defoe, Scott, Thackeray, Dickens, Wordsworth, Keats. There are also among them Barrie, Conan Doyle, Hall Caine, Ian Maclaren, and many others. The new editions of the year include probably the whole corpus of English literature that is thought worth preserv- ing, except such things as Anglo-Saxon and Early English Literature, Theology, Philosophy, History, works of scholarship, and works which are only wanted and only read by students on special subjects. Ought " year books and serials in volumes" to be counted? If so, we ought surely to include Army Lists and Law Lists, and the Cambridge Calendar.  ## p. 244 (#682) ############################################ 244 THE AUTHOR. CORRESPONDENCE. I.—Paper Covers. IS there any reason why it pays publishers in America to issue, at the same time, two editions of their books—a dollar edition in cloth, a quarter-dollar one in paper covers—while English publishers bring out only a single 6s. edition \ I would put in a plea for paper covers. There are numbers of persons who do not care to belong to librarips and cannot afford to lay out money in expensive books that they may or may not like; just as there are many who would never buy one that would not look well on their book- shelves. It seems a pity all classes should not be catered for here as in America. X. II.—The Problem op Publishing. Ten years ago nothing was more common than a royalty of 10 per cent., or even 5 per cent. "Where is now the publisher who dares offer a royalty of 5 per cent. '<" I quote from the Decem- ber Author. I believe a 10 per cent, royalty is still very commonly offered to authors who have made no particular mark, and many are glad enough to get it. I refused it for a book I wrote a year and a half ago, and have since had no offer at all! My first novel was a success, and several pub- lishers wrote to me asking to see my second. This was instantly snapped up It was not a success, although critical persons declared it vastly superior to my first. The third has been going the weary round for eighteen months, and seems doomed to go on for ever, despite the judg- ment of several readers (unknown to me person- ally) who have praised its literary merit!" Not likely to be popular" is the usual verdict. I wa3 a year studying my characters and think- ing over this novel; another year writing it. Three years and a half have gone by. How can I stand out for a 15 or 20 per cent, royalty? Is it not natural that, as I feel convinced this is the best work I have done—the most care- ful, thoughtful, and ambitious—I shall be ready to jump at any chance of getting it published't Is it surprising that I am inclined to say to a publisher, "Give me what you can after expenses are paid; only let my book see the light"? What is to be done? I can't make a publisher share my conviction, and unfortunately it is a fact that a book may be good and yet not sell. Of course, I can wait a few more years, but the MS. is getting very dog-eared, and I paid nearly ,£6 for having it typed. It has to come out, and I can't afford to pay for its production. What then p It must he given awav—if I can find anyone to accept it1 One of the Unarrived. III. —The Fate of the "Unknown." A friend of mine recently proposed to submit a MS. novel to a London publisher. In the course of the publisher's reply, he said, " I regret to say that it would be useless to send it (that is, the MS.) to me, or, I imagine, to anyone else, to publish, unless you are prepared to incur the risk and expense. Novels by 'unknown' writers are not the sort of books we care to take up as a commercial speculation." So the murder is out at last! Hapless authors, anxious for fame and cash, are deluging the publishers with manuscripts good and bad, new and old. The average publisher courteously permits the anxious author to forward his manu- script, and, after the lapse of a decent period, courteously returns it to him again. Here, however, is one publisher who has the courage of his convictions, and declnres that if you happeu to be " unknown " you must remain "unknown" for .ever, unless your pocket is deep enough to pay for the production of your own work. O shades of Dickens and Scott! Other authors, please copy! ^ Richard Free. IV. —Proposed Journalists' Union. Although your organ is primarily intended for the interests of authors, you have, I believe, before now generously permitted the bitter cry of the poor journalist to be heard in its columns. Will you allow me, then, to appeal to my brothers and sisters of the trade or profession—or whatever they like to call it—of journalism, to consider whether some union may not be formed to compel (of course, by moral, not legal, pressure) the pro- prietors of magazines and weekly journals to pay cash for the literary goods they purchase, or, failing this, to pay higher terms for credit. If this became the custom, instead of as now, a favour, the editor of a magazine would no more keep a contributor waiting six months or twelve months for productions he has purchased than he would his butcher or baker. Of course, I know very well that objections will be raised: "pro- prietors naturally want a turnover for their money;" that "if they cannot purchase goods upon the present system, they will buy a much more limited stock, and so indirectly injure the casual contributor." I do not propose to take up your space by any reply to such arguments, beyond saying that if editors, &c, did purchase articles in smaller quantities, used them within more reason- able time, and paid for them on acceptance, the  ## p. 245 (#683) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 245 mass of genuine literary bread-winners would be immeasurably happier and better off. All that is needed is for each contributor in sending in his article to stipulate for such a price upon im- mediate payment, and for a higher price for pay- ment on publication, with the result, as a rule, of payment on acceptance. The Strand Magazine—all honour to it—in- variably pays upon acceptance if requested, yet such journals as are considered beyond reproach in their treatment of contributors decline to make any payment till publication, which may mean waiting a year, perhaps two years, for one's money. Still in Grub Street. V.—Editor and Contributor. 1. 1 have just had an experience with an editor which might be of use to other beginners, if you thought it worth mentioning in The Autlwr. I sent a MS. to him in Jan. 1896. A year later I wrote inquiring for it, as I had heard nothing from him. He replied that the MS. was accepted, and would be published and paid for in due course. I wrote again this January, asking when it would be published. The MS. was then returned, with a letter to say that the old editor had gone abroad, and the new editor apologised for the delay in returning it. I had, in my letter to him, mentioned the date on which it was accepted. I then wrote to Mr. Thring, and he replied that the new editor had no right to return an accepted MS. unpaid, but unless an Inland Revenue stamp was attached to the form of acceptance within a fortnight after receiving it I should be heavily fined. I have had MSS. accepted by many magazines, but have never yet had the form of acceptance stamped, and do not quite understand about it. Should the form be returned to the editor for its stamp? I might add that I am not pursuing this case, as the sum due to me would probably not cover the fine. A. I. 11. A propos of the letters which have recently appeared in The Author on the subject of "Young Authors' Grievances," the following may serve to show to what extent young and unknown writers are often subjected to incon- venience and annoyance by the loss and delay of their MSS., and I regret to say that editors of prominent and well-known periodicals are invari- ably the worst offenders. Exactly sixteen months ago, I sent a MS. to the editor of a well-known magazine (having pre- viously obtained his consent to do so, I may mention), and in a few days I received a letter informing me that the article had been accepted. Very patiently I waited, almost daily expecting to receive the proofs, but when three months went by, and these had failed to put in an appearance, I wrote to the editor. He replied that the article was accepted and due notice of publication would be given me. Several weeks went by, and I heard nothing farther, and wrote again, but received no reply. At length T wrote again, but, to insure a reply, I inclosed a stamped addressed envelope. This had the desired effect. The editor replied: "If a contributor does not receive his MS. back within a week he may conclude his article has been accepted." Then he went on to state that he could not give exact date my effusion would appear, but "it should be put forward." This was in the early part of '97, and from that time to this I have heard nothing more concerning my unfortunate contribution. In conclusion, I might add that I lost no less than four MSS. in twelve months. The first, a story of 3000 words, was sent to a certain weekly (now defunct) and never returned. The second, a story of 4000 words, was submitted (by request) to the editor of a certain Christian paper, and has never appeared in print or been returned to me. The third, specially written for a well-known weekly, met with a similar fate; and the last, a story of 8000 words, written by request of the editor for the '96 Christmas number of a prominent weekly, reached the editorial offices quite safely, but has not since been seen or heard of. And I cannot do anything to recoup myself for the loss I have sustained, for the simple reason that I am one of a vast multi- tude of struggling writers who cannot afford to offend those who sometimes "give us a show." F. J. M. VI.—Diseases in Fiction. With reference to the letter in the July number on "The Mockery of Realism," has not H. K., as well as Dr. Conan Doyle, been more severe on novelists than they deserve? At least, I would contend that the convention as to diseases applies only to heroes and heroines; minor characters, so fur as I can see, being left perfectly free to have any ailment, above or below the diaphragm, that Fate, in the form of a realistic novel-writer, chooses to send them. Then even for the more romantic personages, the list is a little longer than H. K. makes it. Think of cholera, for instance, a disease which kills off subordinate characters without mercy and sometimes brings a tragical  ## p. 246 (#684) ############################################ 246 THE AUTHOR. end upon the hero. Frank Headley in "Two Years Ago" describes its first attack: "Can you conceive a sword put in on one side of the waist, just above the hip-bone, and drawn through, handle and all, till it passes out at the opposite point?" And with cholera you may kill anyone but the heroine. I don't think it is allowable to dismiss her in that way, unless in a very short story, such as Rudyard Kipling's "Without Benefit of Clergy." Spinal diseases are frequently useful. Poor wicked Adelaide in "Ravenshoe" breaks her back, and the same accident has happened, with more or less of lingering agony afterwards, to many of my acquaintances in fiction. The heroic parson in "It is Never too Late to Mend" suffers from jaundice; and Maisie, in "The Light that Failed," according to Dick Heldar's account, was "a bilious little body." Gastric fevers, typhoid fevers, and typhus itself, all with the seat of illness below the belt, are by no means denied to novelists. Argemone, in another of Charles Kingsley's novels, died very realistically, of typhus. Miss Haleombe had typhus fever at a very critical moment; and Robert Blackmore gives an interesting account of a typhoid illness treated successfully by the heroine with yeast. You will observe generally, however, that it is only when these are epidemic that they become dignified illnesses. If introduced in any arbitrary way, apart from the impressiveness of a wide- spread pestilence, you must make it very clear that it was through some self-denying action or other that your hero or heroine fell a victim. It would be interesting to know how much truth there is in Miss Nightingale's dictum, that persons dying of hurts above the diaphragm are inclined to be bright, cheerful, and religious, while those hurt below have a tendency to despon- dency and gloom. This might suggest a very reasonable explanation of the novelist's preference. If one wishes a heroine to be saintly, or a hero strong-souled, it is manifestly wiser not to handi- cap them by giving an illness that would operate in the wrong way. How much better to visit them only with the lung affections and heart troubles, keeping gout and liver diseases for those unimportant elderly folk whose fractious- ness will not hurt the pathos of the story. Again, should one not consider, even for Realism's sake, that diseases of the lumbar regions do not as a rule attack persons in early life, that is, until the hero and heroine days are over? Imagine any heroic young man or charming young woman of our acquaintance being un- fortunate in love matters, and thereupon develop- ing gout, or cancer, or dropsy! Whereas a young woman neglecting her health and pining in a love disappointment, in real life, is extremely likely to fall more or less into a consumptive state. And fretting, brooding, overstrain of all the emotional faculties, has a real tendency to pro- duce an actual heart trouble. The romantic school has a very fair founda- tion of fact to go upon. Speaking as a constant and warmly grateful friend of novelists since the age of seven, may I take the side of the "third class passenger " and the multitude "who only ask to be amused "? We don't require that our heroes and heroines should l>e invulnerable; we can even stand a great deal of blood-shedding at times. If they get soaked in a boat-upset, or lose their way in a storm, we are quite prepared to hear of rheumatic fever. If they visit infectious fases, from the best of motives, they do it at their own risk and must take the consequences. Then, with scarlet fever, brain fever, heart disease, spinal troubles, bronchitis, pleurisy, inflammation and congestion of the lungs, besides every manner of violent accident to choose from, surely the most medically and siu-gieally-minded of romancers should be satisfied. I do not say, like Marianne Dashwood, that a man is absolutely disqualified for a lover if he has felt a twinge of rheumatism and wears a flannel waistcoat, but why should H. K. wish to see every hero only in the guise in which dear Alan Breck presented himself to the good wife, "A fine, canty, friendly, cracky man, that suffered with the stomach, poor body!" M. C. V. New Zealand, Aug. 17. VII.—The Letter "E." The letter "e" seems to be in a condition of unrest at he present time. As we have no Academy to settle our orthography for us, it would be interesting to know who does settle the fashion of our spelling; and one would like to suggest to these unknown powers that it would be only con- siderate if they would advertise the changes they introduce in some conspicuous place, the first column of the Times for instance. As things are, one may wake up some morning and find that what was right the day before is now frowned upon by examiners, and vice vcrsd. Now, this is hard upon those who still have to face exams., unless due notice be given of the changes inaugu- rated by the powers who arrange these matters. For example, a few years ago, only a few, it would have been the worse for the examinee who ventured to spell "forego'- without the "e "; though he would have been as much in the right as he is to-day, when he would be held guilty if he put it in!  ## p. 247 (#685) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 247 The letter " e" is being gradually eliminated from words in which it is either superfluous or incorrect, and, of course, "forgo" has no more right than "forget" to an "e" in the first syllable ; Dr. Pusey, we believe, clung to the last to the middle "e" in "judgment" ; but there is not much beyond old association to be alleged in its favour here. If, however, "e" is being ousted from some words, it is in turn superseding "a " in others; though upon what grounds it is hard to see. Thus fashion, or some other power, appears to have decided that we shall henceforth write "ascendent," "dependent," "descendent," &c, no matter whether employed as substantives or adjectives. Is this a change for the better, or does it not rather savour of literary atavism? Surely these, and similar words, come to us immediately from our Norman ancestors, who had adopted them from the Latin. It was they who substituted the " a" for the " e," as we have substituted the "a" in the word "liar," and for a similar and sufficient reason — to prevent ambiguity. The Trench have, of course, both dependent and dependant—the third person plural, aud the present participle; and, as we use the latter as an adjective, it seems a mistake to ignore the source whence we have taken it. Can it be that we desire to forget the Norman Conquest, and remember only the Roman? And, more important inquiry still, is fashion presently going to require us to write "be- havior," "favor," &v.? Absit omen. The very look of them sets one's teeth on edge. S. G. VIII.—Questions and Answers. Ioh will verscbmery.cn diesen schlag, das weiss ich: Uenn was vemchmerze nicbt der Mensch r I have long wanted to know where the above lines come from, and how they came to be written. Could any correspondent of The Author kindly tell me through its pages? I have a faint idea that Goethe wrote them after the appearance of some unfavourable review of one of his early poems. Is there anv foundation for this? References of some kind or another are so often J wanted that perhaps The Author might somejday, with advantage to its readers, start a column of " Questions and Answers." Querist. BOOK TALK. DR. ALEXANDER B. GROSAKT, the author of the volume on Robert Fergus- son in the "Famous Scots" series (Oli- phant, Anderson, and Ferrier) is engaged, with the assistance of a staff of contributors, upon a complete history of Scottish literature from its earliest period. The literary partnership between the late Alphonse Daudet and Mr. R. H. Sherard (says the Academy) yielded a story which is shortly to be published in Mr. Sherard's English transla- tion. The original plan was for Daudet to dictate, and for Mr. Sherard subsequently to elaborate. But the dictated matter was so good and self-sufficient that Mr. Sherard wisely left it as it stood. The story will be called " My First Voyage: My First Lie." It is a reminiscence of the author's boyhood. A book by Mr. H. Z. Darrah, on " Sport in the Highlands of Kashmir," is about to be published by the firm of Rowland Ward, Ltd. Dr. Sven Hedin, the Swedish explorer, is writing the narrative of his travels and adventures in Central Asia. Messrs. Methuen and Co. will publish the book in October. Mr. Trevor Battye's new book, " A Northern Highway," will be out shortly (A. Constable ami Co.). It is dedicated to the Emperor of Russia. One of the events of the past month has been the publication of an English translation of "II Trionfo della Morte" (" The Triumph of Death "), by Gabriele d'Annunzio, the Italian poet and novelist. The author expressed to a Paris correspondent lately his belief in his mission for "the propagation of joy" in the world, but in reviewing the work the Daily Chronicle remarks that he takes a queer way of setting about this. Mr. Henley's now famous essay on Burns, in the Centenary edition, has been reprinted at 1*. by Messrs. Jack, of Edinburgh. The book would have looked better had the pagination for it been done specially, instead of being merely transferred from the larger volume. Dr. Andrew Clark is editing for the delegates of the Clarendon Press the "Brief Lives, chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey between the years 1669 and 1696." There are 400 of these Lives, and they will be published now for the first time in their entirety. Mr. William Bayne has written a volume on James Thomson, the author of " Rule Britannia," for the "Famous Scots" series.  ## p. 248 (#686) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Mr. Michael Davitt is writing a book about his recent visit to Australia (Methueu and Co.). Professor Knapp is bringing to a completion his minute labour of several years upon a biography of George Borrow. The book will be published by Mr. Murray. Mr. Sidney Jeffrey has written the life of Dr. J. E. Taylor, the naturalist, who was curator of Ipswich museum and editor of Science Gossip. Messrs. Chatto and Windus are the publishers. Mr. Kinloeh Cooke is writing a memoir of the late Duchess of Teck. A full biography of the late Mr. Henry George is being written by his son, who is also getting out. "The Science of Political Economy," the work left by the reformer at his death. Mr. John Charles Tarver, author of "Some Observations of a Foster Parent," has written a series of essays on secondary education, which will l>e published bv Messrs. Constable under the title of " The Debatable Land." The author of the biography of the Prince of Wales, which appeared anonymously during the past month, is Miss Marie Belloc (Mrs. Lowndes). Mr. Conan Doyle's novel, "The Tragedy of the Koroski," which has been revised since its appearance in the Strand Magazine, will lie pub- lished to-day, and Mr. Stanley Weyman's latest novel—" Shrewsbury "—on the 4th inst. Mr. W. S. Maugham, the author of " Liza of Lambeth," has written a second novel, dealing with a revolution in an Italian town of the fifteenth century. Miss Rosaline Masson, daughter of Professor Masson, is the author of a volume entitled " A Departure from Tradition, and other Stories," which Messrs. Bliss, Sands, and Co. are about to publish. A new story by Miss Mary Angela Dickens will shortly come from Messrs. Hutchinson, under the style " Against the Tide." Mrs. Cou'son Kernahan has written a story of medical life entitled "Trewinnot of Guy's," which will be published by Mr. John Long. It is reported from Northampton that Sarah Grand's "The Beth Book" has been refused a place in the free library there. The chairman of the committee admitted that he had not read a line of the book he objected to. A novel by Miss Norma Lorimer, entitled "Josiah's Wife," will be published shortly by Messrs. Methuen. Messrs. Bliss, Sands, and Co., will publish immediately Mr. Pereival Pickering's new novel. "The Spirit is Willing "; a volume of sporting reminiscences of Arthur M. Binstead and Ernest Wells, edited by the former; and a book of "Tales of the Klondyke" by Mr. T. Mullett Ellis. Mr. Kipling's new volume of short stories will not appear until the autumn. The author ha< gone to South Africa for a holiday. He has written a long novel called "The Burning of the Sarah Sands." Mr. David Christie Murray is about to publish through Messrs. Chatto and Windus a new story entitled "A Race for Millions." Mr. Owen Rhoscomyl's new story, to be pub- lished by Messrs. Pearson, is of the Elizabethan period, and entitled "The Veiled Man." Mr. E, W. Hornung has written "Young Blood," for early publication by Messrs. Cassell. Another story to apj>ear early from the same house is Mr. E. S. Ellis's " A Strange Craft and Its Wonderful Voyage." Miss Annie Thomas has written a story called "Dick Rivers," which will be published by Messrs. P. V. White and Co. This firm also have nearly ready " For Liberty," by Mr. Hume Nisbet, and "the Induna's'Wife," by Mr. Bertram Mitford. Mrs. Gertrude Atherton's new novel on Anglo- American marriages is to be published by Messrs. Service and Patou. Miss Braddon's new story, " Rough Justice," will be issued in a few days by Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. A volume of devotional verse by Mr. Lawrence Housman will be published shortly by Mr. Grant Richards, the title being "Spikenard: a Book of Devotional Love Poems." The Poet Laureate (says the Globe) who is spending the winter near Florence, is working upon a new book, "a Tuscan sequel" to his charming " Garden That I Love." A full-sized volume of verse by Mr. Henry Newbolt is promised for the autumn, to be pub- lished here by Mr. Elkin Mathews, and in America by Mr. John Lane. Mr, Newbolt s "Admirals All," which will be included in the forthcoming book, lias gone into an eighth edition. The first number of the Outlook, a new three- penny weekly review of political, social, and literary life, which is to be edited by Mr. Percy Hurd and contributed to by many well-known writers, is due on the 5th inst.  ## p. 249 (#687) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 249 An American paper quotes the following un- published verses by Whittier, from the album of Mr. C. F. Adams, the author of " Leedle Yawcob Strauss," and other Anglo-German poems :— "As on wave-washed sand or the window's frost I write, and the reoord will soon be lost; And the Spider, Forgetfulness, weave and wind The paper parcels I leave behind; Yet I sometimes think, though spiders spin, And frost will melt, and the waves wash in. That the thousand albnms whieh hold my rhyme Will baffle even the teeth of time; And that, snngly lodged in some maiden's chamber Or grandame's trunk like a fly in amber, Will evermore somewhere be found in city or Country the name of John G. Whittier.'' Mr. W. P. Ryan deals in a forthcoming work with nearly all the prominent authors and schools of the day, and with such subjects in satire as "The Great Young Man, and the New Style of Literary History," "The New Doom of Nar- cissus," and "The Devil and a Modern Knight- Errant." The book will be published by Mr. Leonard Smithers, and will be called " Literary London: Its Lights and Comedies." Mr. Pinero's recent play, "The Princess and the Butterfly," will be issued shortly in the series Mr. Heinemann publishes. Messrs. W. Thacker and Co. have taken over a number of publications from Messrs. Neville Beeman, Limited, who are giving up business as publishers. Mr. W. Hall White (otherwise " Mark Ruther- ford") who edited the recently published "Description of the Wordsworth and Coleridge MSS. in the possession of Mr. T. Norton Long- man," has written "An Examination of the Charge of Apostacy against Wordsworth," which will be published immediately by Messrs. Long- mans, Green, and Co. Mr. Vernon Blackburn, musical critic of the Pall Mall Gazette, has written "The Fringe of an Art: Appreciation in Music," which will be published by the Unicorn Press on the 15th inst. There will be portraits of Mozart, Berlioz, Gounod, and Tschaikovsky. Lord Archibald Campbell has written " High- land Dress and Ornament," a volume which Messrs. Constable will have ready immediately. The following are among other works to issue from this house:—" The Kingdom of the Yellow Robe," by Mr. E. Young; "Book of Travels and Life in Ashantee," by Mr. R. A. Freeman, illus- trated by the author's drawings; an account of "Andre'e's Balloon Expedition," by two members of the expedition to Spitzbergen in 1896; and "Two Native Narratives of the Mutiny in Delhi," translated from the originals by the late Mr. Charles T. Metcalfe, C.S.I. Mr. Hardy has collected a number of his short stories, which will be published shortly in a volume. "C. K. S.," in the Illustrated London News, states that Mr. Hardy is engaged on another long novel, which will not be on the lines of "Jude the Obscure" and "The Well-Beloved." Mr. Edward A. FitzGerald has arranged with Messrs. Methuen and Co. for the publication of the record of his explorations in South America. The author returned to England a few weeks ago, after an absence of fourteen months. His expedi- tion succeeded in climbing Mount Aconcagua (23,000 feet), the highest ascent ever made, lx'sides lesser peaks. Memliers of the party suffered a great deal of hardship. The book will be enriched with many unique photographs, and ■will contain records of the flora and fauna of Argentina. The publishers expect to have it ready early in the autumn. The Idler has become the property of Messrs. J. M. Dent and Co., publishers. The Ruskin Society of Birmingham has begun the issue of a quarterly magazine, called Saint Georyc. Mr. Elliot Stock is the London pub- lisher. Our contemporary, Nature Notes, goes straight to Wordsworth and Shelley for a case against the eating of larks, thus: Can it be imagined that Wordsworth, after finishing his ode with "Type of the wise who soar, but never roam; True to the kindred points of heaven and home" could sit down to a dish of larks. Or Shelley? Would the author of "Teaoh me half the gladness That my brain must know, Such harmonious madness From my lips would flow. The world should listen then, as I am listening now!" call for lark pudding? There is no more reason for poets to be squeamish about their victuals than other folk of refinement. Oysters, beefsteaks, geese, and so on, are quite fitting as bardic nourishment, at any rate until honoy-dew and the milk of Paradise be brought to market; but if Wordsworth or Shelley ate larks, faith receives a Bhock indeed. We observe that the Shakespearean (6d. monthly), which is just beginning a new volume, is now published by the Roxburghe Press. Miss M. Dormer Harris has now in the press a book dealing with municipal history. The title of the volume, which forms one of the "Social England" series published by Messrs. Swan Sonnenscheiu, and Co., is " Life in an Old English Town: The Story of Mediaeval Coventry." The city in question is very rich in MS. records,  ## p. 250 (#688) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. particularly in those belonging to the fifteenth century, and the volume contains much that has lieen hitherto unpublished. Messrs Bliss, Sands, and Co. will shortly pub- lish a new novel by A. B. Louis, entitled " A Branch of Laurel." The plot is founded on events occurring in the reign of Louis XIII. Messrs. W. Blackwood and Sons are to publish immediately a book on " Millais and his Works," by Mr. M. H. Spielmann, the editor of the Magazine of Art. In addition to a chapter on Sir J. E. Millais' life and an appreciation of his art, Mr. Spielmann has written a picture-by- picture comment of the works of the late president, now being exhibited at the Royal Academy, as well as on the numerous pictures l>y the artist not included in that collection; and there will be a chronological list of Sir J. E. Millais' oil pictures of which trace can be found. Permission has also been granted to include in this volume the important article, reproducing Sir John Millais' opinions on art, written hy the late president for the Magazine of Art, and not hitherto republished. A list will t>e added of those pictures which have been engraved. The book will be fully illustrated from many of the late j (resident's most interesting and important pictures. Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to accept a copy of "The Pink Tulip," by Caroline Stanley. Mr. Bernard Wentworth, author of "The Master of Hullingham Manor," is engaged upon a new novel, to be published serially next year, entitled " Anne Pentargen; or, the Spirit of the Tor," a tale of the Cornish moors. Mr. Went- worth had a short story, entitled " Allerton Farm," in the Christmas number of the Cornish and Devon Post. Mr. Bloundelle-Burton's romance " Across the Salt Seas," which ran last year in the Nary and Army Illustrated, will appear in volume form in the spring, Methuen and Co. being the London publishers, and Stowe and Co., of Chicago, the American ones. At the same time Mr. Bloun- delle-Burton will commence a new historical novel in a London paper, to be followed by another in the autumn, while he has also engaged to furnish two modern novels of adventure to other papers during the year 1899. Raymond Jacberus, author of "Common Chords," has written for the Sunday Heading for the Young Magazine (Wells Gardner, &c), lieginning with the January number, a story e ititled " Ups and Downs." Also, for Sunshine Magazine, beginning with the January number, a school story entitled "The Odd Number." "Common Chords" is now in its second edition. Messrs. Harper and Bros, are publishing " The Story of Hawaii " for J. A. Owen—Mrs. Visger. As Mrs. Owen Visger lived for some years in the Hawaiian Islands, and has kept up a close correspondence with relatives living in Honolulu ever since, she is well informed as to that little republic and its people. Some years ago she published a book on child life in Hawaii called " Our Honolulu Boys," but it has long been out of print. Her new book will be illustrated. Mr. Henry Charles Moore, author of "The Dacoit's Treasure," is writing a historical novel, having for its central figure Alompra, the warrior king of Burma, and founder of the late Burmese dvnasty. Alompra is frequently mentioned in ""The Dacoit's Treasure." The fifth edition, revised throughout and slightly enlarged, of Mr. Rice Holmes's " History of the Indian Mutiny," the appearance of which has been delayed by the recent strike in Edin- burgh, will be issued immediately by Messrs. Macmillan and Co., who have taken over the publication of the work. The type has been re-set, and new maps and plans have been prepared. A district fresh to English holiday makers, and reached as easily as the Ardennes, will be opened up in "New Walks by the Rhine," by Percy Lindley, whose "Walks in the Ardennes " and "Walks in Holland " did so much to popularise new Belgian and Dutch touring grounds. Starting from the Rhine mouth at the Hook of Holland, "New Walks by the Rhine" will cover the picturesque wooded and rocky side valleys of Rhineland, from the Ahrthal, near Cologne, to the Neckarthal and the "Blue Alsatian Moun- tains" of the Vosges; and will include the districts of the Tauuus, Eifel, Odenwald, Huns- ruck, and the Palatinate. Living is said to be as inexpensive in some of these districts as in the Ardennes. Mr. J. F. Weedon will sujjply the illustrations. The fourth—new and popular—edition of " The Care of the Sick at Home and in the Hospital: A Handbook for Families and for Nurses," by the late celebrated surgeon-physician, Dr. Th. Bill- roth, is in the press, and will shortly be ready for issue. The translation by J. Bentall Endean was specially authorised by Dr. Billroth, and the new edition has been revised and enlarged. It will be published by Messrs. Sampson Low, Marston, and Co.  ## p. 251 (#689) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 25i OBITUARY- THE Rev. C. L. Dodgson, better known iu literature as "Lewis Carroll," died at Guildford 011 the 14th ult., aged sixty-five. Graduating at Christ Church, Oxford, in 1854, he was appointed in the following year Mathe- matical Lecturer to the College, which post he occupied up to 1881. He held a Senior Student- ship since 1858 to the end of his life, and took orders in 1861. Mr. Dodgson was ambitious of a reputation in mathematical works, of which he published several in the early sixties, and subse- quently, "Symbolic Logic" appearing in 1896. In 1865 the most popular work of "Lewis Carroll," "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," one of the best known of books for the young, was published, with forty illustrations by Tenniel. It has been translated into German and French. Equally a favourite was the sequel, "Through the Looking- Glass, and What Alice Found There" (1871). Among later works of a similar character were "The Hunting of the Snark" (1876), which was republished in the volume, " Rhvme and Reason" (1883); "Sylvie and Bruno"" (1889), and its "Conclusion" (1893). "Lewis Carroll" was very fond of children — poor or rich—and delighted to entertain them in his rooms at Christ Church. A link connecting the present with the days of Lamb, Hunt, and Keats, is severed by the death of Mrs. Mary Cowden Clarke, author of the well known " Concordance to Shakespeare," and many other works. Mrs. Clarke was taught Latin by Mary Lamb, and heard Hunt read Dogberry's charge to the watchmen, and scenes from Sheri- dan's "Rivals." The daughter of Vincent Novello, she married Charles Cowden Clarke in 1828. The Clarkes saw a good deal of Coleridge, Dickens, and Jerrold, among others; and in " My Long Life," her autobiography, published last year (Unwin), Mrs. Clarke recalls these associa- tions. Her husband, with whom she annotated an edition of Shakespeare and did other work, died in 1877 at the age of ninety. Mrs. Clarke died last month at Genoa in her eighty-ninth year. The Very Rev. Henry George Liddell, formerly Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, died at his resi- dence, Ascot, on the 18th ult., in his eighty- seventh year. He was Head-Master of West- minster in 1846, and Vice-Chancellor of his Univer- sity from 1870 to 1874. In 1892 he resigned the position of Dean after thirty-seven years' service, as he felt no longer able for the duties. As an author his name will be identified with the Liddell and Scott Greek Lexicon; and he also wrote a " History of Rome." THE BOOKS OF THE MONTH, [Dkc. 24 to J.^N. 22.—191 Books.] Addleshuw, P. Tho Cath'xii-iil Caurch of Exeter. 16. Bet], Akerman, W. Eip Van Winkle, and other Poems, 5'- Bell. Allan, James. Under the Dragon Flag. 3/6. Heinemann. Allen, F. II. Nature's Diary. 5/- any and Bird, Amateur Angler, The. "On a Sunshine Holyday."' 1/6. Low. Amours, F. J. (ed.) Scottish Alliterative Poems. Scottish Text Society. Andrews, William (ed.) Bygone Norfolk. 7/6. Andrews. Anonymous ("J. R. C") Leet we Forget. 1/- net. Simpkin. Anonymous (author of Tho Lando' the Leal"). David Lyalla Love Story. 6/- Hodder and Stoughton. Anonymous. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales 19 6. Richards Anonymous ("S. E. B.C.") Stewart Clark 7,6 BiUliere, Anonymous. Judicial Decisions affecting Building Societies. Vol. II. 5/- Building Societies Association Anonymous (author of " Pruo "). A Barren Victory. 16. Steven? Arch, Joseph. Story of His Life, by Himself. VI - Hutchinson. Archbishop and Bishops of Westminster. A Vindication of the BulJ lL ApoBtolica) Curie." 1/- Longmans. Banner. B. Household Sewing, with Home Dresmaking. 2 6 Longman. Barrister, A. The Story of the Beautiful Girl, Ac. \ - Cox. Bell, Mackenzie. Christina Rossetti. 12/- Hurst. Benham, Charles. The Fourth Napoleon. 6/- Heinemann. Bennett, W. H., and Adeney, W. F. Tho Bible Story retold for Young People. 5 - Clarke Be van, A. A. (re-edited with an Eng. trans, by). Hymn of the Suul> contained in Syriac Acts of St Thomas. 2- net. Clay. Binks, Theo., Yeoman Some Account of Churchgolng. 6/- Walts. Bishop, Mrs. (J. L. Bird). Korea and Her Neighbours. 24/- Murray. Boulenger, G. A. The Tailless Batroehlans of Europe. Part 1. Ray Society Brooke, Emma. The Confession of Stephen Whapihare. fi(- Hntchinson Brooks, P. Best Methods of Promoting Spiritual Life. 1/6. Service. Browning, H. Ellen. Beauty Culture. 8/6. Hutchinson, Browning, Oscar. Peter the Great. 6/- Hutchinson. Bulkeley-Owen, Hon. Mrs. History of Selattyn Parish. 21/- net Oswestry: Wooiall, Minthall Burkitt, F. C. (od.) Frugmeuts of the Books of Kings, according to the translation of Aquila. 10/6 net. Clay. Burns, R. The Army, and How to Increase It. Glasgow: Maclehose. Caird. Mona. The Morality of Marriage. 6 - net. Redway. Calder, R. M. (The poems of). A Berwickshire Bard. Ed. by W. S. Crockett. 8,6. Honlston. Cameron. Mrs. Lovett. Devil's Apples. 6 - White. Campbell, I. K. A Girl-Bejant, 16. Digby. Campbell, R., and others. Ruling Cases. Vol. XIII. 25 . Sweet, Castle, Agnes and Egerton. The Pride of Jennico. 6,'- Bentley! Catherwood, M. H. The Days of Jeanne d'Arc 6 - Gay and Bird, Churteris, Professor. A Faithful Churchman (Prof. Robertson;. 1/6. net. Black. Claye, S. The Gospel of Common Sense. 1 - Simpkin. Marshall. Coate, H. E. A. Realities of SeaLife. 3,6. UpcottGill, Cobbett, J. M. Ephemera. Verse. 2 G net, Oxford: Alden. Colomb, Sir J. Army Organisation in relation to Naval Necessities. 1/- King. Corbin, John. Schoolboy Life in England. Harper. Cory. Dr. R. Lectures on Theory and Practice of Vaccination. 12 6. Baillic're. Co well, R. 0. John Wyclif. 1 - Kelly. Croker, B. M. Miss Balmaine's Past. 6 - Chatto. Cunningham, W. Alien Immigrants to England. 4 6. SonnenBchetn. Daniels, J. H. A History of British Postmarks. 2/6. Upcott Gill. Darmesteter, Mme. James (tr. by M. Tomlinson). A Mediaeval Garland. 6/- Lawrence. Darwin, Leonard. Bimetallism. 7/6. Murray. Davis. K. J. Osmanli Proverbs and Qu«int Sayings. 12/6. Low, Davis, E. J. The Invasion of Egypt in k.u. 1249. 6/- Low. D'Annunzio, G. (tr. by G. Harding). Tho Triumph of Death. 6/-. Heinemann. Delf, T. W. H. The Man in the Check Suit. 3/6. Jarrold, D'Orieuns, Prince Henri (tr. by H. Bent). From Tonkin to India, 25'- Methuen. De Polen, Narcisse. Night on the-World s Highway. 1/6. Unwin. Dolan, T. M. Our State Hospitals. 2/6. Leicester: Richardson. Dorman, M. R. P. Ignorance. 9/- net. Kegan Paut. Dredge. J. Thames Bridges from Tower to Source. Part VII. 6- Offlce of EtKjinetYhuj. Dunn S. H. Sunny Memories of an Indian Winter. 6 - Scott. Dziewicki, M. H. Entombed in Flesh. 3,6. Blackwood. Elcum, C C. The Votive Tapestry, 1 - net Liverpool: Young. Ewens, Editha. The Stars in their Courses. 6 - Ward and Downej . Farrar, Dean. Allegories. 6/- Longmans. Finlay, L. L. Philippa's Adventures in Upsidedown Land. Lb. Digby. Fletcher, B. F. Influence of Material on Architecture. 3 - net. Batsford.  ## p. 252 (#690) ############################################ 252 THE AUTHOR. Forbes, Archibald. The Lit' of Napoleon III. 12;- Chatto. Forbes, H. O. and others. British Birds with their Nests and Eggs. Vol. IV. Brumby and Clarke. Forsyth, P. T. The Holy Father and the Living Christ 1/6. Hodder and Stn. FoBter, V. (ed.) The Two Duchesses [of Devonshire] Correspondence, 1777-1859. 16/- Blackie. Fournet. A. A Manuscript Document constituting real Evidence against Irresponsibility in Intoxication. 3/6. Sonnenschein. Francis, Ilenry. The Rajah of Putmandri. 4s. Reeves. Fraser, Mrs. H. A Chapter of Accidents 6 - Macmillan. Gardner, E. A. A Catalogue of the Greek Vases in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge 12/fi net. Clay. Garrett, Edward. A Nine Days' Wonder. 1 6. Home Wonts Office. Gent, F. J. The Latest Fruit is the Ripest. 1 ti. Digby. Gibbons, A. St. H. Exploration and Hunting in Central Africa. 181*5- 96. 15.'- Methuen. (ioadby, L. The Wrath of Achilles. 8/G. Edwin Vaughan. Qoldney, MrB. S. (ed.) The Royal Gardens, Kew. 2 -net. Dawbarn. Gore, Canon. St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. 3/6. Murray. Gough, E. The Bible Truo from the Beginning. Vol VI. 16,'- Kegan Paul. Green. W. T. Birds of the British Empire. */- Imperial Press. Greg, T. T. Through a GUsb Lightly. 3/6. Dent. Gregorovius's History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages (tr. by Mre. Hamilton). Vol. V. 9/- Bell. Grosart. A. B, Robert Fergusson. 1 6. Oliphant. Gross, C Bibliography of British Municipal History. 1*2 - Longmans. Guerber, H. A. The Story of the Greeks. 3/6. Heineinann. Uaddon, J. C. George Thomson, the Friend of Burns. 10-6 net. Nimmo. Hall, Harriet M. M. Voices in Verso. 2 6 net. Allenson. Halperine-Kaminsky, E. ed. (tr. by E. M. Arnold). Tourgucneff and His French Circle. 7/6. L'nwin. Harman, E. G. Poems from Horace, Catullus, and Sappho, and other pieces. 3/- net. Dent. Haverly, C. E. (ed.) Klondyke and Fortune. fid. Southward. Hendry, H. Burns from Heaven; with other Poems. Glasgow: Bryce. Hepworth, C. M. Animated Photography. 1 - Hazell, Watson. Heron-Allen, E. The Ruba'fyat of Omar Khayyam. IDS ne*. Nichols. 'Hillier, A. P. Raid and Reform, 6 - net. Macmillan. Hon. Society of Lincoln's Inn, Records of the. The Black Rooks. Vol. L, 1422-1586. The Society. Howard, H. N. Footsteps of Proflperine, and other Verses. 5 - Stock. Inman, Col. Henry. The Old Santa Fe* Trail. 14 - Macmillan. Jenks, E. 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Micklethwaite, J. T. The Ornaments of the Rubric. 5 - Longmans. Miller's (Joaquin) Romantic Life amongst the Red Indians. Auto- biography. 1- Saxon. Mitton, H. E. Klondyke: How to Get There, Ac. Deacon. Monkhouse, C, and Others. Presidents of the Royal Academy. 10 6. Art Journal Office. Mozley, J. R. A Vision of England, and other Poems. 8/6. Bentley. Muir.John. Carlyle on Burns. Glasgow: Hodge. Mundell, F. Heroines of History. 1/6. Sunday School Union. Mundell. F. Stories of Balloon Adventures. 1/6. S. School Union. Murray, D. C. Tales in Prose and Verso. 3/6. Chatto. Murray, D. C. The Cockney Columbus. 6/- Downey. Nash, Cella. Queens and Knaves. 8 6. Digby. Neale, C. M. An Index to 11 Pickwick." Streatham : J. Hitchcock. Neumann, A. U Elephant Hunting in East Equatorial Africa. 21.- net. Ward. Nicholson, A. The Adoration of Christ. 5 - Black friars Printers. Nicholson, J. S. Principles of Political Economy—II. 15 - Black. Orion. H. Through One Man's Sin. 3 6. Digby. Palmer. E D. 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London: Horace Cox, Windsor House, BreamVb^ildjngs, E.C. Printed and Published by Horace Cox, Windsor House, Bream's-buildinga, London, E.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author, Vol. 08 Issue 09 (February 1898) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 08 Issue 09 (February 1898) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049239455" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049239455</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1898-02-01-The-Author-8-9 publications The Author