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Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1898-10-01 Volume 9 Issue 5 Pages Page range in volume 101–124 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18981001 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin tTbe Hutbor, {The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. IX.—No. 5.] OCTOBER i, 1898. [Price Sixpence. For the Opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the collective opinions of the Committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. THE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of poet, 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 sorne years it has been the practice to insert, in every number of The Author, certain "General Con- eiderations," Warnings, Notdoes,&c., for the guidance of the reader. It has been objected as regards these warnings that the tricks or frauds against which they are directed cannot all be guarded against, for obvious reasons. It is, however, well that they should be borne in mind, and if any publisher refuses a clause of precaution he simply reveals his true character, and should be left to carry on his business in his own way. Let us, however, draw up a few of the rules to be observed in an agreement. There are three methods of dealing with literary property:— I. That of selling it outright. This is in some respects the most satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent. II. A profit-sharing agreement. In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements VOL. IX. 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 amonnt of overreaching and trading on the author's ignorance, it is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately and very nearly the truth. From time to time the very important figures oonnected with royalties are published in The Author. Readers oan also work out the figures themselves from the "Cost of Production." Let no one, not even the youngest writer, sign a royalty agreement without finding out what it gives the publisher as well as himself. It has been objected that these precautions presuppose a great success for the book, and that very few books indeed attain to this great success. That is quite true : but there is always this uncertainty of literary property that, although the works of a great many authors carry with them no risk at all, and although of a great many it is known within a few copies what will be their minimum circulation, it is not known what will bo their maximum. Therefore every author, for every book, should arrange on the chanoe of a success which will not, probably, come at all; but which may come. The four points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are:— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a oommon law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) That there shall be no secret profits. (4.) That nothing shall be charged which has not been actually paid—for instance, that there shall be no charge for advertisements in the publisher's own organs and none for exchanged advertisements, and that all discounts shall be duly entered. If these points are carefully looked after, the author mar 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. L 2  ## p. 102 (#114) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. i. "JT^VEBY member has a right to ask for and to receive I'J advice upon his agreements, his choioe 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 Sooiety first—our solicitors are oontinually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of The Author notes of every- thing important to literature that yon 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 Sooiety 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. Communications for The Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Sooiety or not, are invited to- communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The present location of the Authors' Club is at 3, White- hall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Seoretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year? If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker's order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the following warning. It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest? Of oourse they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign themselves into literary bondage for three or five years? "Those who possess the 'Cost of Production' are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent." This 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 oorrect: 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 sums 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 practiwe this method of swelling their own profits call it- NOTICES. THE Editor of The Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make The Author complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write t LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—Personal Experiences. 1. IT occurs to me that some of your readers may be interested in a true story of publication within my own experience. About a quarter of a century ago I entered into an agreement with a well-known London publisher, who undertook to bear the expenses of a small book, and to pay me half the profits. It was a very unpretending book, but there was  ## p. 103 (#115) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. supposed to be a reasonable prospect of selling it. At the end of the year in which it was pub- lished I duly received an account of it, by which it appeared that the number of copies sold was insufficient to produce a profit. Each succeeding year a similar account came in, and each time the debt against the book grew somewhat smaller. A fair number of copies were sold, but the charges for binding and advertisements invariably went near to neutralising the profits made by sales. At last, after about thirteen years, the scale was just turned. All the copies were sold out, and the profits were equally divided. My share .came to about a guinea; and of course the pub- lisher's share came to the same amount. With this result I was prepared to rest satisfied. No harm had come of the experiment; and though the profits, amounting to about is. Sd. a year, were not magnificent, still it was all so much to the good. Much to my astonishment, the publisher took a, very different view. He was quite anxious for a second edition, and represented that the cost of reprinting would be less, and the sale would probably improve. It seemed to me not worth the while, and I gave it as my decided opinion that the result would be much the same as before. However, I was overruled, and consented to repeat the «xperiment. The result showed that I was quite right. The Accounts have come in yearly in the old style, though the expenses, instead of being less, were somewhat greater. At present the book has only been on sale for eleven years, so that some years must still elapse before we can expect to have anything to divide. And, as far as I can calcu- late from the latest accounts, I think that, when the edition comes to an end, we stand to lose the guinea which the first edition so successfully achieved. The conclusion which I feel compelled to draw is this, viz., that some of our publishers really know very little about business. I cannot but think that, in this case, I could have done quite as well myself. To sell two editions of a book in more than a quarter of a century, and to make nothing by it after all, seems a very poor performance. Walter W. Sxeat. ii. Since you have done me the honour of thinking that my experiences with publishers would be of interest and profit to our brothers and sisters " in arms," I shall briefly relate them. First of all let me echo the first half of the letter of the New York paper quoted in the September issue of The Author (p 86, col. 2), and sincerely repeat my own thanks to the founder of the Society and Editor of The Author, as well as to the Secretary, whose kind and prompt assistance have for the last four or five years been a constant guide to me, and whose suggestions I have always endeavoured to realise, though, I must admit, only with partial success. This restriction is necessary, for one of our tenets (with the royalty system) is an examina- tion of accounts by an authorised lawyer; to this condition neither I nor any author-friend of mine have ever found a publisher to consent.* The reasons given are always the same: "Self- respect," "pride," "never done," "suspicion of dishonesty," "no one likes his accounts to be pried into by a lawyer," <fcc. These objections, I need hardly say, are valueless. Has one ever heard of a concern in which one partner has no right to have an audit of the accounts of the joint business? Some publishers make a show of conceding the letter of our demand for an "examination of accounts "; they say that they have no objection to an author seeing their books, that these books are always at his disposal. Of course. Of what use is it to show accounts to a man to whom a simple sum is pain, and whose total yearly arithmetical practice probably con- sists in the addition of marks at the end of each term—when he does not get one of his boys to do it! I know that all authors are not so dull; but even if an author is shown the book concerning his works, of what use is that ?—it is the books concerning the printer of these works, those that will show whether the number of copies printed tallies with that accounted for in the royalty. In fact, I would go further, and say, with due deference to our Secretary, that the whole system of examination of accounts as at present suggested, is nugatory. Why should not a publisher have a livre d serrure, not for secret lost words, but for another pichi mignon? What can prevent his having a book for extra copies or extra editions? Of course, this would be dishonest; but an old, large, and respected firm has been found out paying royalty on zod. instead of 11rf! When an old, large, and respectable firm stoops to this infinitesimal swindling, I think authors may well feel suspicious. Again, an old friend who has had a life-long experience of authorship, a man whose name is well known to all who have been to school, who is an old man, and ought to be rich * I am speaking of the publication of school-books only, which alone haa oome under my observation.  ## p. 104 (#116) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. (but is not), when asked as to the best mode of publishing said to me sadly: "My dear friend, whichever way you publish you will be swindled. It is a remarkable fact, but a fact, that books published on the 'lump sum down ' system run through a large number of editions, whereas those on the royalty system always run very slowly." The conclusion he left to me. To take the case theoretically, is it, humanly speakiDg, likely or even possible that a man who is irresponsible, and absolutely safe against detection, should give over to another a large sum due to him, when, first, he knows the latter to be totally ignorant of the amount, and to be in the impossibility of finding out; when, secondly, a small one does just as well; and when, thirdly, there are sundry excuses such as "office expenses," "advertising," &c., to salve our qualms of conscience? After all, does not a publisher want the money more f He has his wife's carriage to keep up, his retinue of servants, his sons at Eton and Harrow, his yacht; and all these expenses are very heavy. As to the poor author, what does he want the money for? He has no wants; if he is cold, he can wrap his rug round his legs! Seriously speaking, there are in the royalty system only two safeguards possible, to my mind. One is old; it was mentioned as possible last year in The Author. It consists in exacting that every authentic copy bear the signature of both author and publisher. This was actually carried out by my father from 1850 to 1870 for his dictionary, and I can remember piles and piles of books arriving to be stamped by him and his secretary. This labour many authors would now shrink from, but there seems to me to be an alternative. It would consist simply in this, that, in the agree- ment, a clause be added to the effect that the printer should be instructed to print not a single copy without the joint signature of author and publisher. As it is, the printer receives orders from the publisher only; he cannot go behind and inquire whether this order is put down in the publisher's accounts to the author. With this clause he could not print extra editions without breaking the law, and most publishers would not even be tempted to give extra orders; for many a man will sin if sure not to be found out, who will shrink before the remotest chance of detection or of appearing dishonest in the eyes of any one person beside himself. I must now humbly, and—I may add—despon- dently, confess a failure on this point. I was recently speaking to a junior member of a good firm. He was praising the absolute straightfor- wardness of his house, saying that he had been through the drudgery and routine, and knew all the wheels and cog-wheels of the huge machinery, concluding that with his own eyes he had seen the perfect honesty of the firm. 1 now asked how, theoretically speaking, his firm would consider the addition of this clause into their agreement. His answer was, I regret to say, that such a thing would be a " slur," Ac.—in fact, the old story. However, either of these clauses would be suffi- cient to relieve the present unpleasant strain in the relations between author and publisher. The ideal would be a complete audit of printer's and publisher's accounts; if this be conceded, there is no reason for the partners in literary property ever to quarrel and tight. An author would feel in his publisher the same confidence as in his. banker. It is therefore seen that within my experience no publisher consents in his agreements to a legal examination of accounts—nay, more, to any check upou possible dishonesty. In this suspicion of possible dishonesty lies all the unpleasantness of the relations between author and publisher, and until it is removed, this unpleasantness expressed or understood will subsist. If you are honest, show it. An honest man is glad to do so; in fact, he is grateful that suspicion of his honesty be made impossible. Honesty never shuns the light. How do you expect to be trusted (as you should be) if you purposely and deliberately take the attitude best calculated to rouse suspicion? In these remarks I have only considered the royalty system, because it is undoubtedly the most important; for it is the fairest to both, parties. With a sum down either publisher or author (theoretically, at any rate) loses a legiti- mate part of his profits. In the royalty system the publisher qua capitalist reaps a high profit for his investment and "risk." This is right; but this should be all, and no possible doubt should be left to lurk in the author's mind. Sooner or later, the system of honest royalty will prevail; if the large, old, and respected firms adhere to their high and mighty ways, they will be replaced by new firms whose dealings are above board, and therefore completely satisfactory to the author. But the sooner the older firms alter their ways the better, or they will only be supported by young and untried authors, and left by those who are sure of a certain amount of sale. I now come to the practical conclusion of my tdtonnements. Eighteen months ago I tried to* get a well-known firm to publish a book of mine "on commission." I went; I offered to take all "risks," and, whereas they give a 10 per cent, royalty, / offered them a 15 per cent. royalty on.  ## p. 105 (#117) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. the sales. This proved too much. "What!" exclaimed the head, " / become author aud you publisher! No thank you!" The cat was out of the bag: huge profits or no deal. At last, after much seeking, I heard of a large firm of "distributors" who also take up pub- lishing, and came to the most satisfactory arrange- ment, which, I see in The Author (August, p. 59, col. 2) has been also adopted by Miss Braddon. I send my MS. to the printer and the books to the agent who distributes them to the booksellers, and asks me for supplies. All is here above board; and hitherto I have had nothing but satisfaction. There are three points I would finally men- tion: 1. Choose your publisher or agent in or near Paternoster-row—it will avoid disappoint- ment. Booksellers send there every day, and their profits are so low that they can barely be expected to pay extra fares for their col- lectors to go further away, hence the excuses "out of print" or "binding" that are given to inquirers. 2. The two other points are Nos. 3 and 4 in the scheme agreed upon by the Booksellers' Associa- tion and our Society and named in The Author (Aug. 1898, p. 63, coi. 1, fin.). "Books are to be sent on sale or return." Undoubtedly the plan offers many advantages. Unfortunately, on the one hand, I am told by a large firm of publishers that, after very many years' experience, they find that the system is not to be recommended; they say that many book- sellers strongly object to it, on the ground that books get mislaid in their stock and that they have to pay for goods they did not order and did not want; besides, that too many of the books are returned more or less damaged and require fresh binding. On the other hand, I must confess that book- sellers, for whom I feel the sincerest sympathy, are very remiss. A draper, a hair-dresser, or any other retail house will hardly allow you to leave the shop without making some purchase, however useless to yourself. On the contrary, I have hardly ever in England, save in Oxford, been shown a book that might be useful or agreeable, or urged to buy one;. and I suppose the experience of others coincides with mine. To this supine- ness might be attributed the regrettable depres- sion in the bookselling trade as well as to the cut-throat competition that booksellers have prac- tised against one another. If a member of the Society knew of an issue to this impasse I am sure he would be doing yeoman service to the Society by a communication. 3. My third remark refers to No. 4 of the scheme mentioned above: "the odd copy is to be abolished." As the odd copy is generally given to the bookseller on a whole order, even if it consists of different books, and as the profits of the bookseller are generally so small, it seems that the odd copy is an advantage that should hardly be denied to him. It is an encouragement for him to buy and therefore to place books before the public. I cannot conclude without anticipating a certain amount of misrepresentation to which my condemnatory remarks against some pub- lishers might give rise. I am fully alive to the valuable help given to authors by good publishers, and gladly acknow- ledge the same with a personal feeling of gratitude. How many readers, schoolmasters, and others will take up a book merely because it bears the name of a good firm ?" The book must be good since so-and-so publish it." That name is a sort of hall mark. Besides, a good publisher will give a young author a start which will be the initial point of a brilliant career. Finally, by friendly words of encouragement, pub- lishers often give fresh life and ardour to a despondent and nervous author. In a word, it would require but a very little concession on the part of the publishers to make their relation with authors perfectly pleasant and cordial, as they should be—as pleasant as those between an author and his banker. This long tale of experiences and these many remarks may be of use to other members. I trust they may. I offer them in that hope. At any rate, they will prove conclusively how useful The Author is, and what good work the Society does in a way that it probably never suspects. Many besides myself have doubtless imbibed and thought out the ideas and doctrines propounded in The Author, and have individually and obscurely approached the publishers in the same direction. If, however, there was a little more esprit de corps among authors, publishers would make at once con- cessions which they will have ultimately to make, and which seem to me to be merely a concession to the ordinary principles of honesty. Victor Spiers. II.—The Publishers' Draft Agreements. 1. I would call attention to certain facts in the publishers' draft agreements which deserve to be borne in mind very carefully. 1. There is not a word said as to any means of checking accounts or preventing dishonesty. Alone among all men in the world of any trade or calling whatever, the publisher regards himself as a person whose honour and honesty are  ## p. 106 (#118) ############################################ io6 THE AUTHOR. absolutely beyond the reach of suspicion. He is like Caesar's wife: he is like the French army: he is unlike any other person or any other institu- tion, and this in the face of the scandals and exposures constantly made in these columns. 2. The right of taking—or purloining—as much of the profits as he pleases by advertising in his own organs or by exchanges is carefully reserved by preserving silence on the subject. 3. In second and following editions the cost of production is greatly—very greatly—reduced. There is no composition, no moulding or stereo- typing, no corrections, very little advertising. The cost of an ordinary six shilling book may be reduced to less than od., yet no change is made in the author's royalty and no better terms are offered to the bookseller. n. No criticisms in The Author on the methods of publishers have ever equalled in point and brutal frankness their own recent f ulmination. What do publishers take us for? Do they imagine that because we are authors we are entirely devoid of business capacity, and have returned to our first childhood? With them apparently might is right, and their publishers' agreements are clearly constructed with a cordial recognition of this principle. The insult of the whole thing is, to my mind, the worst feature. Authors are not credited with common sense, to say nothing of ordinary acuteness. They are therefore to be treated with a high hand. I am convinced that publishers have dealt themselves a heavy, if not disastrous, blow. In their blind and reckless policy they would kill the goose that lays the golden egss; for it is quite certain their very existence depends on the author, while the converse is not by any means the case. Do they really think that anyone except the struggling amateur will submit work to them under these new conditions? If so, their credu- lity is on a par with their " agreements." In these proposals publishers have found a short cut to the tether-end of the authors' patience; and those whose work is marketable will, in many instances, rid themselves of this publishers' incubus altogether and follow the excellent examples of Miss Braddon and others —examples which I, for one, will imitate at the earliest opportunity. Spero Melioka. m. Tour invitation in the September Author for an expression of opinion by all your readers on the subject of the publishers' Draft Agree- ments is my excuse for the present communica- tion. I at once confess that in the past I have thought your painting of the picture of the publisher rather on the black side than otherwise. I was grievously mistaken. As you remark, your past statements have fallen far short of the truth. All authors are deeply indebted to the Society for its strenuous fight—in the face of direst ridicule—on behalf of the rights and just dues of literary property. There is but one remedy for the present state of affairs, and now that the matter is laid bare befoi.e all who care to read, it is devoutly to be hoped that that remedy will be applied. It is that the stronger writers make a firm stand for equitable agreements. Beginners—like myself—are as dust in the balance. We can do little. It is for the giants in the literary world to turn the scale. Many of the best known names in literature are on the list of the Authors' Society. If they present their ultimatum much can be accomplished. It seems to me incredible that even the most inexperienced, most eager-to-get-into-print young author would sign the agreements put forth by the publishers; yet if this is not the case, why publish them at all? From a business point of view they are amazing—almost absurd. I have had many business agreements through my hands, but, so far as my experience goes, no business man who prides himself on any commercial acumen whatever, would so give himself away as to propound—even to his employee—such ridiculous conditions as those in question contain. I have always been led to believe that an agreement to be valid must set forth reasonable advantages accruing to both parties. In those under discus- sion where do the author's advantages appear? You ask for brevity; but before concluding may I state two suggestions which have occurred to me that may appeal to you as being worth dis- cussion: 1. Would it not now be advisable for the Society to frame a set of agreements which shall adequately protect the author as pro- ducer, whilst giving the publisher what is his due as distributor? 2. I believe that one or two well-known authors, to their own distinct advantage, have acted as their own distributors. On the same basis could not the Society establish a distributing department? This arrange- ment would, I think, serve a two-fold purpose. (1) To many members of the Society, whose names are a guarantee of good work, it would doubtless be a welcome innovation. (2) It would drive home the lesson the Society wishes to inculcate more forcibly than any other course. J. C. S.  ## p. 107 (#119) ############################################ THE A UTHOR. III.—The Registration of Titles. There has been some discussion in the papers lately with regard to the question of titles in books and the registration of titles. As it appears from most of the correspondence that the writers are ignorant of the law that bears upon the question relating to the property in titles—as they speak of "Copyright in Titles," whereas no such thing as copyright exists in titles—it may be as well to make a few remarks on the subject. The law referring to the right of property in a title is very clear. The interpretation of that law is exceedingly difficult and complicated. Each ease has to be decided by its own particular evidence. The law bearing on the right of pro- perty in titles comes under, and is in some ways analogous to, Trade Mark law, but titles cannot be registered like trade marks. The main ques- tion to be decided on each case, however, is whether a fraud has been committed on the public. To take an example: Suppose A. pub- lishes a book with a certain title, and the book has an established reputation and a continued and established sale, it would be impossible for B. to produce a book with a similar title, as people might obtain B.'s book when desiring to obtain A.'s, and thus would be defrauded by B.'s conduct; but, to give A. a property, A.'s book must have established itself on the market, and must be in continuous sale. The difficulty of the interpretation of the law is therefore evident, as it can only be decided on the facts of each particular case and by each individual judge as to what will constitute an established position of A.'s book on the market. The most curious case on the subject was a case entitled Maxwell v. Hogg. Messrs. Hogg, in 1863, registered an intended new magazine to be called Belgravia. In 1866, such magazine not having appeared, Mr. Maxwell, in ignorance of what Messrs. Hogg had done, projected a maga- zine with the same name, and incurred con- siderable expense in preparing it, and exten- sively advertising it in August and Sep- tember, as about to appear in October. Messrs. Hogg, knowing of this, made hasty preparations for bringing out their own magazine before that of Mr. Maxwell could appear, and in the mean- time accepted an order from Mr. Maxwell for advertising his (Mr. Maxwell's) magazine on the covers of their own publications, and the first day on which they informed Mr. Maxwell that they objected to his publishing a magazine under that name was Sept. 25, on which day the first number of Messrs. Hogg's magazine appeared. Mr. Maxwell's magazine appeared in October. VOL. IX. Under these circumstances, on a bill filed by Mr. Maxwell, it was held, that Mr. Maxwell's adver- tisements and expenditure "did not give Mm any exclusive right to the use of the name '• Bel- gravia," and that he could not restrain Messrs. Hogg from publishing a magazine under the same name, the first number of which appeared before Mr. Maxwell had published his; and on a bill filed by Messrs. Hogg, that the registration by them of the title of an intended publication could not confer upon them a copyright in that name, and that, in the circumstances of the case, they had not acquired any right to restrain Mr. Maxwell from using the name as being Messrs. Hogg's trade mark. It would appear also that if one person pub- lished a scientific book with the same title as a book of poems by another person, no action would lie, as there would be no fraud on the public, it being impossible that any person in- tending to buy the scientific book would be deceived into buying a book of poems, or the reverse. The clear facts to be remembered with regard to title, then, may be considered as follows: 1. There is no copyright in a title. 2. An author has only property in a title when his book has a reputation on the market, is selling, and when such reputation and sale are prejudiced by the production of any book with the same or similar title. 3. The Courts must be the final arbiters on the facts of each particular case. 4. Though the law is clear, the interpretation of that law is exceedingly difficult. 5. Registration of a title merely gives no pro- perty in that title. 6. From a practical point of view, therefore, it is better for an author as a rule to settle a point on reasonable terms than to go to law. 7. It is better still for an author not to mention his title to anyone until his book is produced. Those who through personal experience have come across the question for the first time con- sider the matter as a difficulty but recently discovered, which needs immediate amendment; they may, however, rest assured that the question of legislating more fully on the point has been deeply and thoroughly discussed and considered by all those who have attempted to legislate on copyright or who are interested in the affairs of authorship. It is not a simple or one-sided question. It is exceedingly complicated, and has many sides. At present no remedy has been devised suffi- ciently satisfactory to embody in any of the draft Copyright Bills. "G. H. Thring. M  ## p. 108 (#120) ############################################ io8 THE AUTHOR. IV.—Two Curious Cases, i. Refusing to Reprint a Book. Some years ago one of the largest publishing firms in England entered into a contract with a young author for the publication of a technical book. The terms of the agreement were roughly as follows: That the publisher should stand all risk of the cost of production, and should pay the author 10 per cent. after the sale of the first 2000 copies: That the copyright should belong to the publisher. The further details of the contract it is un- necessary to enter into, except to state that the publisher had practical control of the book over all the world. The book did not have a rapid sale, but, owing to its rather unique qualities, had a steady and continued one. Eight years after its first publi- cation the 2000 copies were sold out. On the author writing to the publisher and requesting that the book should be reprinted, he received a letter stating that, as there was not sufficient demand for the book amongst their customers, they would not reprint it, but they offered to sell the plates and their rights under the agreement to the author for £6, ending their letter with the fol- lowing statement: "Which is half of our loss to this date on the book." The following particulars may tend to explain the position of the author and publisher: First. The cost of production of 2000 copies of a book of the size and price referred to should be easily covered by the sale of 2000 copies. Secondly. The author should never have sold his copyright. Thirdly. Ten per cent. would have been a small royalty if offered to the author from the beginning. Lastly. After the publishers have reaped all the benefits they possibly can from the sale of the book they refuse to reprint. What their reason may be for this refusal of course it is impossible to know. They had the plates. There would there- fore only be the cost of print and paper. It could not possibly have been the very small re- muneration due to the author. The question, then, must be left an open one, but from the author's point of view the treatment was distinctly bad, and this treatment was from one of the largest firms of publishers in England. As the copyright belongs to the publishers the unfortunate author is practically at their mercy. 2. A Series of Mistakes. 1. The authors undertook to pay for the print- ing, binding—in a word, the manufacture. 2. Accounts were to be made half yearly, pay- ment six months later; so that the publishers gained, and the author lost, the interest on their property for an average of nine months. 3. The author retained the right of sale in Ireland. 4. Published price, 3s. Sales to be accounted for at id. over two-thirds, i.e., at 2s. id.; but 13 as 12, making the return of each book is. 1 i_fed. 5. For printing, binding, and stereotyping the author was to pay is. 1 \d. each for the first 2000, after that j\d. for following orders of 2000 each. That is to say, the book was alleged to cost £.112 10s. for the first edition of 2000, and .£64 iis. Sd. for all subsequent editions of 2000. The publishers were to receive 20 per cent. on all sales in England, and 10 per cent on all sales in Ireland, where the price was to be 2.1. net. The book sold largelv in Ireland. The author does not seem to have questioned the charge for printing, which may therefore be left. 6. When the first account came in a sum of .£5 was charged for moulding, which was actually included in the estimate, being a part of the process of stereotyping. The general charge for moulding is 5*. or 6*. a sheet, so that if the charge for moulding is correct, the book should contain i6| sheets, or 264 pages. 7. A second item in the account showed that the first 3000 copies had been charged at the same rate as that agreed upon for the first 2000. 8. A third item showed that a few pages over and above those of the original estimate had been charged for as printing aDd binding (!) Now, they would certainly make a difference in the printing, but could they make a difference in the binding? 9. On the author representing that the original estimate included stereotyping, the charge for £5 was withdrawn. 10. As to the second mistake, that, too, was withdrawn. 11. Then the publisher began to make delays and to send up accounts complicated and in- volved. Finally, the author placed them in the hands of an actuary, who found out that the publisher owed the author the sum of .£150 (less a small payment made on account), and the author compelled him to pay it. ANOTHER WORD ON ROYALTIES- fl^HKEE months ago we gave in The Author I certain figures which were actual estimates tendered by printers. The example is, as usual, the 6*. book, not necessarily a novel. From these figures the following may be made out.  ## p. 109 (#121) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. A book of 20 sheets of 16 pages to a sheet: or of 10 sheets of 32 pages to a sheet: in small pica type: with 29 lines and about 300 words to a page, costs to produce, on estimates like all those given in these columns, real and not invented: An edition of 1000 copies will cost about Is. 6d. or is. yd. to produce. This is the kind of book which has a limited sale and will not go into a second edition. An edition of 2000 copies, including moulding for a second edition and a moderate amount of advertising, can be produced for thirteen or fourteen pence. An edition of 3000 copies can be produced for a shilling a copy, including moulding, but not stereotyping. But a second edition of 3000 copies, with stereotyping, can be produced for eightpence. In the second edition there is neither composi- tion, nor corrections, nor moulding, and very little advertising. It is quite possible to reduce these figures still lower. Paper was never so cheap, and becomes cheaper. Now any royalty that may be offered must be based upon these figures, or something like them. On the first, or only, edition of 1000 copies the publisher and author begin to divide after 520 copies are sold; they may make more, however, than is apparent, because they need not " mould" a book which is not going into a new edition: they do not bind more than they want: and they do not advertise so much as is set down. On the second supposition if all the copies are sold, a profit is made of about .£230. On the third, of about .£380. On the last, however, and on all following editions, there is a great change. The profit on every copy, if all are sold, may , now actually reach the sum of 2s. l0d. Observe carefully that no further concession is ever made to the bookseller when this improve- ment sets in. It is therefore quite clear that he has been, and is, treated with great injustice. What change is made in the position of the author? As a rule, none. The publisher sweeps all into his own pocket. It is therefore necessary that the whole system of royalties should be altered, and to this point we shall next proceed. Meantime we remark that the huge saving on the cost of production in the second and subsequent editions is not so much as alluded to in the publishers' Draft Agreements. We must imagine the committee agreeing together at their sittings, because they could not possibly ignore the point, in a solemn and heartfelt prayer that authors would never find it out. A bookseller, quoted on another page, writes: "The odd copy is a curse to us. I can get a 6*. book for 3*. gd. by taking seven. But I must sell them all or I lose. For an odd copy I must pay 4*. 2d." He sells it at 4*. 6d. In the latter case, he gets 4rf. profit, in the former gd., out of which he has to pay carriage and his office expenses. The publisher for the same volume—in the second edition which, by our figures, costs Sd. a copy—pockets 2*. l0d. less the sum he gives the author—rarely, until lately, more than 1 s. So we have the scale of profits :— Author, who contributes all the work, is. Bookseller, who takes most of the risk, 4d., or at best gd. Publisher, who takes the rest of the risk, if there is any, has I*, l0d. It hardly seems quite equitable, does it? Let us draw up another table showing what various royalties mean for the second and follow- ing agreements. We must, however, point out that these figures are not final. Every step which we take forward brings us to a clearer under- standing of the facts, i.e., of the enormous profits hitherto made by publishers. That they think themselves absolutely entitled by right to enormous profits, and that they believe book sellers and authors entitled to no profit at all, is clearly shown by their Draft Agreements. Here, however, are the figures for the second edition:— On a 6s. volume gives the A percentage of Publisher Author s. d. ,. d. 5 2 6f ° 3i 10 2 2| 0 7i 15 '"* 0 IOj 20 1 7i I 2f 25 1 4 i 6 3° • of '9s 35 0 8} 40 0 5* 2 4.i 45 0 if 2 8f But, says the publisher, "There are my office expenses." Quite so. Every business has its office expenses. There are also the author's office expenses, and there are the bookseller's expenses. Another way to approach the subject, and perhaps a better way, because all the copies will not perhaps be sold, is to let the royalty begin when the cost of producing the edition is defrayed. This method, however, can only be allowed where the publisher gives proofs of honesty. Thus, if the second edition of 3000 copies costs .£95, the expense is defrayed by the sale of 544 copies. If it costs a little more or less, because this  ## p. 110 (#122) ############################################ tio THE AUTHOR. estimate is only for a book of a definite size and price, this number can be changed. Since the rest of the edition is pure profit, all that has to be done is to arrange the proporlion. I would suggest: (i.) For the bookseller, better terms in second and following editions: he should claim the right to share in the increased profit; (2.) For the publisher, one-third of what is left when the cost is paid. (3.) For the author, two-thirds. THE CASE OF THE BOOKSELLER, IEARNESTLY invite booksellers to a con- sideration of the figures given in these columns. The question of terms and shares and charges most closely concerns the author, which is my excuse for speaking on the subject. In reference to the figures, my own scheme is something as follows: 1. The present system, by which the bookseller has to take all the risk, should be replaced by a system of sale or return; that is to say, that the bookseller should be free to order, as at present, as many books as he pleases, but that, in order for other books to get a chance of exhibition or sale, the publisher should send him copies on sale or return. The bookseller, however, must be free to refuse or to take these books. It is objected that they sometimes get lost or soiled. Well, if they cannot be sold on the bookseller's shelves, they will certainly not be sold on the publisher's or the bookbinder's shelves. There is, therefore, no real loss. 2. In the choice of books on order, the book- seller is at present guided by the name of the author, his own judgment of a book, and the demand for a book. He wants them to unite advice and information. For this purpose he wants a small and private paper devoted entirely to his own interests. In this paper he should receive every month a brief account of such books as are likely to be popular. He might thus be saved from heavy loss. The cost of this little paper, with the editor or reader, would be covered by a guinea subscription from every member of the Association. Publishers would, of course, have to send copies of books to the office of the paper. This paper need not concern itself with any other ii'.atter than (1) the figures which have proved so useful to ourselves: those, namely, which show the cost of production, the position of the authors, and that of the booksellers; and (2) the advice as to the new books offered. It would be most necessary to find readers of the utmost integrity, who could be relied upon not to take bribes or to recommend friends. With this object it would be desirable to find a person wholly unconnected with London coteries. 3. Armed with a knowledge of these figures, it would be easy for the Booksellers' Association to demand equitable terms. It is ominous that many publishers, when the royalties of authors began to be raised, declared that they would have to raise their terms to the booksellers. 4. I have long thought that the Association might provide itself with editions of non-copy- right works. Such editions would cost them nothing—literally nothing. Consider," The Vicar of Wakefield" is a book that is certain always to sell. If a cheap shilling edition of that work were issued by the Booksellers' Association for themselves, and, if every bookseller took no more than three copies, the whole expense would be defrayed, while, if 10,000 copies were sold, there would be a considerable profit. This is a certain source of income: there would be no loss: the Authors' Society would perhaps advise in the choice of the series. The trade price of the Asso- ciation's own series, instead of being 8|rf. would be 6rf. and still leave a margin. A country bookseller sends a publisher's list of prices. It is as follows. They are nearly all cheap books: Published Price. d. 6 0 o 6 6 o 6 o 6 Trade Price. 8. d. 5 4 2 1 6 9 5 1 41 If seven Copies of each are Ordered. s. d. U Twelve "As- sorted," then as Thirteen. d. o o 4 3i 7 Ti o 7S 4 If, be points out, he takes an "assorted" lot— four at is.: three at 2*. 6rf.: three at 3*. 6d. -. one at 5*.: one at 6*.: one at 7s. 6d.: and receives in addition to the above allowances a discount of 5 per cent. for payment to time; "and if I sell the whole lot I make a handsome profit of 3s. 5<Z., out of which must be deducted the carriage, which amounts to is. or is. 3rf." In a word, out of a margin of 2s. 3c/*., outlay of £1 7*. 3rf., the bookseller takes sale, and has to pay rent, rates and taxes, ants and other expenses. "It is only," he writes, "a question of time for the country bookseller to be driven out of exist- on an risk of assist-  ## p. 111 (#123) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. ence, unless the present arrangements are speedily altered." And so, indeed, it seems to me. How does the publisher stand, therefore, as regards author and bookseller? The following figures show the necessity of understanding the whole case, including the production, the book- seller and the author. We take the "assorted" price and 13 as 12. The cost of production is set do .vn on an average book: < ublished Price. Trade Prloe less 5 per Cost of Production. Author's Rojaltv 10 per ct-nt. Author's Royalty 20 per cent. cent. *. d. *. d f. d. d. ». d. 7 6 4 9 ■ 3 9 1 6 6 0 3 9i I 0 r. 1 1'i 5 0 3 2 0 10 6 I 0 3 6 2 i\ 0 8 4s, 0 8| 2 6 1 6 0 7 3 0 6 Now consider the respective winnings of each of the three in this delightful game: (1.) Author's royalty at 10 per cent.: Price of book. Author at 10 per <*r•nt. d. 9 71 6 41 1 Publisher. «. d. 2 9 2 If 1 10 o 8 Bookseller. d. o ioj o 8.1 o 7 ° 5i o 34 (2.) If the author has 20 per cent. we have the fol.owing figures, cost of production and trade price as before: Price of book. Author at 20 per <,mt. Publisher. Bookseller. ,. d. S. d. s. d. 7 6 1 6 2 0 0 ioi 6 0 I 2* ■ 5! 0 8^ 5 0 I O 1 4 0 7 3 6 O 83 0 7hl 0 si 2 6 0 6 0 5 0 31 These figures are recommended for careful consideration. The cost of production is only approximate, but it is just above the average. For instance, I have before me an estimate for producing a book which may be priced at js. 6d., 6s., or 58., according to the fancy of the publisher. The price for an edition of 3000 copies, composing, printing and paper, is 6d. a copy, and it is every day done more cheaply. The binding will be under 4d. These figures show the position of the book- seller, author, and publisher, on those books only which the bookseller buys of the publisher. But a j;reat part of the business is carried on by m ans of the distributing agents, who get better VOL. IX ti-nns. Therefore we have arrived at 3*. 6d. as the average sum received by the publisher for a 6*. book. As regard the cost, however, it must be remembered that the second and following editions cost a great deal less than the first. W. B. NOTES AND NEWS. IN another column I submit certain figures to the consideration of booksellers. I have long felt that their case demands the atten- tion of all persons interested in literature from the literary as well as the commercial point of view. In getting some relief for them we should be advancing our own interests from both points of view. If literature is to reach the people it must l.e exhibited and offered for sale. If the bookseller cannot do this, who can? I invite readers of The Author to consider this point, and if they have any advice to tender I shall be glad to receive it. Also in that other column will be found a note from a country bookseller about publishers' terms. It shows that if he takes an "assorted" lot, that is, thirteen, from a list, he gets them as twelve. It also shows that if he sells them at the discount price of 25 per cent. off, he makes the handsome profit of 2*-. 3rf. from the whole. It he does not succeed in selling the whole he loses that profit. Do these figures bring home to us the present position of the bookseller? What do the publishers want to do? They would raise the price of books to the public: they would make the bookseller still go on taking most of the risk: they would bind him in chains so that he should not be allowed to do what what he pleased with his own. What do they propose to do with the author: They claim the right to charge what they please in addition to every item of cost: to charge what they p/ease for office expenses. I have shown that they may, if they please, take what share of the profits they please, and call it humorously half profits. I do not think that one point in the recent pro- posal to enslave the bookseller has received quite the attention which it deserves. A 6*. book was to be "reduced" to 5*. That meant increased from 4.V. 6d. to 5s. The booksellers who now pay various sums from 3*. ~\d. to 4*. 2d., but averag- ing 3s. 8rf., were to pay 3s. l0d. The publishers therefore proposed an extra 2d. a volume for themselves under this arrangement. This they called a disinterested Btep in the interests of the  ## p. 112 (#124) ############################################ I I 2 THE A UTHOR. bookseller. At their meeting one gentleman was so ill-advised as to ask what the author would gain —or lose—by the change. Nothing was said. It is easy to understand, however, what would happen to the unfortunate third partner. All his royalties now are calculated on the price being 6s. His friends the publishers would, perhaps, say, "My dear fellow, we sell the book more cheaply, but you shall not lose. You had the magnificent royalty of 10 per cent. before—you shall hare it still.' There! And now go and write to the papers, and say that even a publisher, despite the Society of Authors, can be nobly just!" .And I wonder how many of our members there are who see through the simple trick. Why, it is exactly like that really very pretty trick in which the author is made to agree to " half the royalty" if the publisher sells the book at " half the price." One practitioner, a deeply honourable man— religious, too—played this game, as has already been exposed, with a two volume novel. The "face " price was a guinea: the library price was generally something under half-a-guinea: all the copies, therefore, were sold under half price. And I wonder how many have fallen victims to a trick that is so barefaced and so simple. It would have been just the same with the royalties under the pro- pose'I change, and, as in the famous "half price half royalty " trick, no one would have been more surprised than the publisher himself when the truth was communicated to him. Here are some figures showing the " half price, half royalty" trick. The trade price of a 6s. book is, say, 3s. Sd. The author has a 20 per cent. royalty upon it, i.e., is. 2\d. The cost of production is is. The publisher gets is. 5frf. He sells the book at 3*., which is what lie calls "half price." The author has to take a half royalty, j\d. The publisher now gets is. 4-J-tf., so that if he were to reduce the price of his book he onlv gets *d. less, while the author is reduced b7 7\d. In the other case of a net book reduced to 5s., but the trade priee increased to 3s. i0d., the 10 per cent. royalty would be 6d.: the 20 per cent. royalty is., and soon, compared with 7|rf., i*. 2}d., and so on. _____ It is announced as a "new departure " that a firm of publishers — Messrs. Macmillan — are going to produce a book "on the instalment system." Is that new? Why, travellers have been going up and down the country getting subscribe s to pay by instalments for many years. The book tout is an old and well-established nuisance. The work is to be sold by the book- sellers, and the paragraph before m*» says, '• Book- sellers will now have an opportunity of showing to what extent they are able and willing to benefit by a departure which is clearly in their interest." How it is more in their interest to sell in this way than in any other is not explained. Clearly it is for the interest of the publishers that the booksellers should sell their wares for them. But, unless better terms than usual are offered the unhappy booksellers, of which the world knows nothing, it is difficult to understand the special interest to the booksellers in "the new departure." Now, when the slavery scheme was to the front the bookseller was admonished that the new departure was to " his intere-t," but nothing was said then, or now, as to the interest of the publishers. From time to time there appears in the papers a correspondence about a title the use of which has been challenged by some publisher or author who had previously used it. The case affords an opportunity for a good deal of loose talk on the difficulty of finding titles which have not been used. Everybody has adventures of his own to relate, and certainly some cases are very hard. A title which seems exactly to suit the book has to be abandoned in a hurry and a new one chosen. Yet the first struck a note: it seemed to prepare the reader for what followed. A few weeks ago I received and was asked to publish a correspondence on the subject. It seemed to me that more would be gained by getting a state- ment of the law upon the subject. Hence the paper by Mr. Thring, in which the reader is instructed as to the kind of protection which the law grants to owners of literary property in this respect. Tbe whole point seems to be this: There is no copyright in a title, but if A. B. brings out a book bearing the same title as one already before the public, and if it can be proved that the sale of the second book is injuring, or likely to injure, that of the first, a court of law would probably restrain A. B. from continuing the sale of his book under that title. Walter Besant. THE NAME OF THE PUBLISHER. 1. IHAVE made inquiries in various directions as to my opinion that the public do not care about the name of the publisher. The reply from the general reader has been mostly to the effect that he cares no more about the name of the publisher than the name of the printer. Two or  ## p. 113 (#125) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. three reply that they know Dent's books to be wonderfully got up, and that they like John Lane's books for the same reason. Otherwise they do not mind. I subjoin two or three opinions. I am glad to publish the opinion of Mr. Alfred Wilson, though he does not agree with me, because his illustration of the importance to an author of getting his books all together shows that in such a case the name of the publisher is a considera- tion. W. B. II. I notice that in your August number the Editor says that "the public care nothing . . . who is the publisher of a book," and that ihey are absolutely indifferent to this. Any bookseller will know, as I do, that the public looks at a new book of travel, if published by Murray, or a new book of belles lettres pub- lished by Macmillan, with a prepossession in its favour. The remark is often made to me, " I don't know the author, but the book is published by , it is likely to be good." A cheap his orical resume has the chances much against it, prima facie, but let it be issued at 5*. in the Story of the Nations series, and it is (•ure of a certain amount of success at least. It is well known to all booksellers that if an author has an odd book or two by a publisher other than his regular one, however well it may sell at the time, it is soon forgotten, and has a comp iratively small sale. When "Romola" could not be had uniform with George Eliot's other works it had a much smaller sale than the others, now it sells quite as well. Certainly a new book by the writer of the moment will sell equally well at first, whoever publishes it, but the after sale will with equal cei tainty be much affected by its omission from the list of the author's other books. In short, I believe it to be to an author's interest to go to a good publisher, and to keep to himself if possible; and if his terms are some- what higher than those of a seconil-rate firm, it will yet be often worth while to accede to them. Perhaps I may claim that my opinions on the subject, whether right or wrong, are at least impartial, as I have not the least pecuniary interest in the matter, one way or another. Alfred Wilson (Bookseller). 18. Grracechurch-street, E.C. in. I am a reader of books, not a writer. I suppose I am one of the public. In answer to your question, I confess that I have never troubled myself with the name of the publisher. I know the names of Longman and Murray, and one or two more, I suppose, but I do not think they have any more to do with the contents of the book than the paper-maker. I suppose there is a paper-maker somewhere, but I am not concerned to know his name. One of the Public. IV. The question is a very simple one, and easily answered. I don't believe one ordinary reader in twenty ever troubles about the name of the publisher; but is not this on account of his modesty? Run your eye along any of your shelves. What strikes you is the title of the book and its author's name. In many cases the publisher's name is not apparent at all:— 4 Tennyson's Works id Sonnete Si i's Garden a tat W .*» Barrie. rCraftsma Q ..0 m a "3 W. Besant. '5 P £ i o < o Poems ai & M Veroniof Alfred Barraok R § & The Littl s TheMaste Still, the publisher has an important function to perform. We cannot certainly have a coat without the weaver of the cloth (author), but we should do very badly without the tailor (pub- lisher). Joseph Parkek. 39, Drvden-streot, Nottingham. Sept. i, 1898. V. Mr. Henry Glaisher, on being asked if the public inquire or care about the publisher of a book, says :—" If a buyer has come for a special book which he desires to possess, he cares nothing about the name of the publisher: it makes no difference to him. If, however, he is looking over the shelves, intending to buy a book and uncertain whether to do so or not, his decision will often be made with reference to the publisher. If he sees a name which he has not learned to associate with rubbish, but the reverse, he will take that book in preference to one issued by a publisher whom he does not know, or whom he knows unfavourably. For this reason it is a decided advantage to have the name of a pub- lisher of repute on the title page. That is to say, one of twenty houses, and it matters little which."  ## p. 114 (#126) ############################################ ii4 THE AUTHOR. THE DRAMATISATION OF NOVELS. [From the Grwloi*.] NOUS recevons de notre correspondant de Londres l'intéressante lettre suivante: Londres, 25 août. L'éloquente et énergique protestation de M. Emile Bergerat, reproduite par le Gaulois dans le courant de ce mois, contre l'usage de drama- tiser les romans français en Angleterre sans l'autorisation des auteurs, et le caractéristique incident survenu ces jours derniers entre MM. Victorien Sardou et Oscar Méténier d'une part, et M. Paul Potter de l'autre, au sujet de la pièce dramatique lirée ou adaptée de la Haine et de Mlle. Fi/r par l'auteur américain, ont attiré à nouveau l'attention du public anglais sur quelques points particulièrement défectueux de la législation actuelle concernant la propriété littéraire. Une de ces imperfections, des plus graves, est sans contredit le droit légal, octroyé parle dixième article de la Convention de Berne, de faire repré- senter sur la scène un roman dramatisé sans le consentement de l'auteur. Cet article inique, M. Emile Bergerat nous l'a fait observer, n'a jamais pu être abrogé malgré les incessants efforts des délégués français aux congres internationaux réunis pour décider des droits artistiques et littéraires. La délégation britannique, seule entre toutes, s'y opposa systématiquement et de toutes ses forces, non sans reconnaître, par manière d'amende honorable, que " c'était là une chose fâcheuse." On ne saurait mieux s'accuser, et à la vérité ce serait se méprendre que de ne pas croire que tel est le sentiment unanime du monde des lettres en Angleterre. Et pour preuves voici deux lettres, que M. Henry Arthur Jones, un des auteurs dramatiques les plus distingués d'outre-Manche, et sir Walter Besant, le romancier bien connu, ont eu la courtoisie de m'adresser sur cette intéressante question. Lisons d'abord la lettre de M. Henry Arthur Jones. A sa mordante franchise, on y reconnaît l'auteur des Masqwraders et du Triomphe des Philistins: "Cher Monsieur,—En réponse a votre lettre, permettez-moi de déclarer qui ma cordiale sym- pathie est acquise aux auteurs français qui se plaignent que leurs œuvres soient mises à con- tribution et en état discrédit pour le théâtre anglais. Parmi les honnêtes gens, il ne saurait exister deux opinions sur cette matière. Que ce soit légal ou non, c'est un vol : un honnête homme ne s'appropriera jamais le mouchoir d'un autre, même s'il sait qu'il ne sera pas traduit devant les tribunaux pour ce fait; il s'appropriera encore moins le produit de la pensée d'autrui. "Je participerai cordialement à toute mesure tendant à protéger en Angleterre les droits légaux des auteurs français. En attendant, je ne saurai exprimer trop fortement mon dégoût pour un usage, qui est, en général, aussi préjudiciable aux intérêts du drame qu'aux intérêts de l'honnêteté internationale. "Veuillez agréer, cher monsieur, etc. "Henry Arthur Jones." La lettre plus détaillée de sir Walter Besant, l'éminent romancier qui, depuis de longues années, s'occupe activement de l'amélioration des lois relatives aux droits d'auteur, est non moins affirmative que celle de M. Henry Arthur Jones. La voici: "Cher Monsieur,—La question de propriété littéraire en ce qui concerne la dramatisation d'un roman est telle que vous l'avez expliquée. L'adaptateur est inattaquable devant la loi, si, en se servant du canevas, il ne se sert en même temps de la partie dialoguée du roman. "La Société des Auteurs *t institué, en plusieurs occasions, des comités à l'effet de preparer un bill sur la propriété littéraire. Une des clauses de ce 6/7/ interdit la dramatisation des romans. Ce bill a été lu déjà, en seconde lecture, par lord Monks- well, â la chambre des lords. Ceux-ci se décidèrent alors, bien inutilement, du reste, à instituer à leur tour une commission d'enquête, chargée de rédiger un rapport sur des faits connus de tout le monde. Croira-t-on en France que cette commission ne tint aucun compte de l'existence des auteurs? Elle se contenta de recueillir les témoignages de quelques éditeurs et ce fut tout. "Après que j'eus signalé dans la presse cette manque d'égards à la littérature, la commission me convoqua incontinent et sans cérémonie devant elle. C'était là un manque de courtoisie auquel je ne m'attendais guère de la part d'une com- mission nommée par les Lords. Comme je m'étais toujours occupé cependant de l'adminis- tration de la propriété littéraire par les éditeurs, et comme je ne faisais pas partie du " copyright committee nommé par la Société des Auteurs, je n'eus pas l'occasion de me plaindre de cette impolitesse. Je refusai néanmoins de paraître comme témoin alléguant que je ne fusais pas partie de te comité. "Le monde littéraire désire profondément re- médier, entre autres injustices, à celle dont il est ici question. Je doute cependant de l'efficacité de nos efforts, du moins pour quelque temps encore. Il se présente, en effet, cette difficulté: la colonie du Canada, et je crois aussi l'Australie,.  ## p. 115 (#127) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. réclament le droit de rédiger leurs propres lois sur la propriété littéraire. La promulgation d'un bill en Angleterre pourrait donc susciter d'acri- monieuses discussions relativement au droit de législation de la mère-patrie, et à celui reven- diqué par ses colonies, et le gouvernement actuel ne se souci guère de soulever de telles discussions. Le cas et des plus intéressants et je vous con- seille d'y donner toute votre attention. Je n'ai pas de doute que notre secrétaire, M. G. H. Thring, serait heureux de vous donner connaissance des point s principaux de la question, laquelle ne peut manquer d'offrir un vif intérêt à vos compatriotes, toujours prêts à marquer aux hommes de lettres le respect que nos Lords ont jugé convenable de transmettre aux éditeurs. "Soyez cependant assuré, cher monsieur, que nous ferons tout ce qui est en notre pouvoir, afin que la loi actuellement en vigueur soit revisée et que les droits d'auteur d'un roman soient respectés. "Veuillez agréer, cher monsieur, etc. "Walter Besant." Il importe de s' arrêter ici sur un des passages les plus instructifs de la lettre de sir Walter Besant. C'est celui qui a trait au bill lu en seconde lecture, par Lord Monkswell, à la Chambre des lords, le 1 1 mai 1891. Ce projet de loi, élaboré, comme nous le dit sir Walter Besant, sous les auspices de la Société des Auteurs de la Grande-Bretagne, contient l'impor- tante clause qui suit: "Comme il n'existe aucune propriété sur les idées, il est facile de s'approprier, sans commettre aucun acte attentatoire au droit d'auteur, la trame entière d'un roman et de la reproduire en fait sous forme dramatique. Nous proposons de déclarer ces actes qui, maintenant ne sont que moralement condamnables, ligalement punis- sables. . . ." Pourquoi, depuis 1891, les législateurs de la Grande-Bretagne ne se sont-ils plus occupés du bill soumis par lord Monkswell 't Sir Walter Besant nous donne la raison, assez convaincante du reste, que le gouvernement actuel ne désire guère soulever des discussions tendant à régler sur une nouvelle base les rapports de la métro- pole avec les colonies. En effet, une des dispositions du projet de loi lu par lord Monkswell accordait aux colonies la liberté de législation relativement à la propriété littéraire, et cela eût éf é, selon l'opinion du comte de Kimberley et du lord-cbancelier, un achemine- ment vers la destruction de l'unité de l'empire britannique, au point de vue de la protection internationale de la propriété littéraire. L'année dernière cependant, lord Monkswell revint de nouveau à l'attaque et la Chambre des lords résolut de se réunir en comité secret afin de discuter le projet de loi, article par article. H est à espérer que les pairs d'Angleterre nous feront bientôt connaître le résultat de leurs débats et que le bill sera renvoyé à la Chambre des com- munes, pour y recevoir force de loi. On ne saurait trop se hâter, car les tripatouiLkws continuent leur besogne. n T. Beatjgeard. Nous recevons la lettre suivante :— "Saint-Lunaire (Ille-et-Vilaine), villa Caliban, 29 août 1898. "Mon cher Nicolet,—Il y a d'honnêtes gens dans les Lettres, et à Londres comme ailleurs. Deux de nos confrères d'outre-Manche, M. Henry Arthur Jones et sir Walter Besant nous en donnent fièrement la preuve. J'ai lu leurs lettres de réponse à la consultation de M. T. Beaugeard, le correspondant du Gaulois en Angleterre; elles me paraissent décisives. Au nom des principes de droiture communs à tous les peuples, et honneur de toutes les races, ces nobles esprits flétrissent la piraterie littéraire, sous quelque drapeau qui la couvre et dans quelques eaux qu'on l'exerce. Le débat est donc clos de ce côté par un arrêt de la simple conscience publique, et, elle aussi, grâce à Dieu, internationale. "Il n'y a plus qu'à en attendre la sanction.— Cette sanction, écrit sir Walter Besant, ne dépend plus que de la Chambre des lords, déjà saisie par lord Monkswell de la question d'ensemble de la propriété littéraire, question, ajoute-t-il, qui serait depuis longtemps résolue au gré des intérêts lésés, s'il ne s'y entremêlait point . . . de la politique !—Oh! cette politique que l'on recontre partout où l'on ne cherche que de la justice, quelle vie elle nous fait, et dans quelle Europe! "Ici, le plus simple et le plus modeste droit des gens, id est: le droit au revenu de la propagation des fruits du talent et du travail, ne se heurterait plus, paraît-il, qu'aux prétentions autonomiques de l'Australie et du Canada, qui pourraient refuser le bénéfice même d'une telle réforme parce qu'elle émanerait de la jurisprudence anglaise et lui viendrait de la mère-patrie. Ces colonies, en effet, ne souffrent plus d'autre législation que la leur, et la communauté de la langue ne leur impose pas la solidarité philo- logique. "Si j'entends bien sir Walter Besant, là serait le motif de la réserve des Lords et de leur retard à proposer aux communes les tables de la pro- priété littéraire garantie. Car, en effet, si l'Australie et le Canada nous leurrent au moment où l'Angleterre renonce à nous leurrer, si nos ouvrages paraissent, démarqués, non ré- munérés, volés enfin, à Sydney ou à Québec, en langue anglaise, au lieu d'être publiés à Londres,  ## p. 116 (#128) ############################################ n6 THE AUTHOR. la mere-patrie est dupe du marche, et son honneur lui reste pour compte. Mylords, le propre de l'honneur est de rester pour compte. II me semble, d'ailleurs, que l'Angleterre est assez riche pour s'en payer de gratuit, de l'honneur qui demeure en fricbe et ne rapporte rien a ses seigneurs. "Au resume, mon cher Nicolet, attendons un peu, puisque ce tres loyal et brave homme de Walter Besant nous convie a la patience, et fions-nous a lord Monkswell, qui travaille pour nous la probite anglo-saxonne. II est vrai que, d'autre part, l'avise correspondant du Gaulois nous presse de nous defendre contre le dd- bordement grandissant de ce qu'il veut bien appeler, pour me flatter, le tripatouillage, de telle sorte que nous voila entre les deux conseils comme l'ane de Buridan entre les deux picotins d'avoine. "Le plus sage serait, je crois, de provoquer un nouveau congres de Berne et de renouveler l'essai d'entente professionnelle de septembre 1887. Un grand poete, Charles Algernon Swinburne, universellement admire, pour l'Angle- terre; le comte Leon Tolstoi, pour la Russie, et notre Victorien Sardou, ne refuseraient pas d'en presider les seances, et les autres pays de l'Tlnion s'y feraient representer par des maitres nationaux non moins illustres et autorises, car il faut en finir peut-etre. J'y invite de la part de sir Walter Besant le Canada et l'Australie, et au nom de la presse francaise j'y reinvite la Belgique, qui a adhere a la convention de Berne, mais dont un citoyen m'ecrit, ce matin meme, de Bruxelles, 'En sept supplements de dimanche, cinq journaux bruxellois ont reproduit, sans en indiqu < la source, souvent meme sans designation d'aut . , cent vingt-neuf articles, nouvelles ou chroniques du Journal, Gaulois, etc., etc' "Et ceci, ami Nicolet, est memorable "Cordiales poignees de mains. "Emile Bergerat." .?»•«*— THE DEMAND FOR CHEAP BOOKS IN AMERICA. THE article in a recent number of the New York Tribune on the subject of cheap books attracted much attention, and many people who read it believed (says that journal) that by placing wholesome literature on the market at reasonable prices the unclean books of the United States would be driven out of the market and would follow the "penny dreadfuls" of England. Mr. John Elderkin said that he agreed with Sir Walter Besant, and saw only good in cheap books of a superior kind. He said: "It is now over twenty-five years since Donnelly, Lloyd, and Co., of Chicago, began the reprinting of standard novels in cheap paper quartos under the name of 'The Lakeside Library,' in order to fill in the time in dull seasons, when their presses were unoccupied by commercial printing, which was the business carried on by the firm. It was fully a year before this enterprise attracted any attention, although the circulation of novels in this cheap form was constantly increasing and the New York people were growing restive at the probable results. I remember riding uptown in the street- car with J. W. Harper, jun., a noble man, who was at that time the head of the firm of Harper and Bros., and urging him to protect his library of select novels by beginning their reissue at once in similar form. Mr. Harper did not realise fully at that time the gravity of the situation, and it was not until after the 'Seaside Library' had achieved a great success that the Harpers entered the field with their ' Franklin Square Library.' "The magnitude of the issue in cheap form of the standard novels is not realised by the pub- lishers of books in good bindings, or by the public generally. In the ' Seaside Library ' alone there were half a million copies sold of every one of Dickens's books during the first five years of their publication in that form. The novels of Sir Walter Scott, Amelia B. Edwards, Mrs. Henry Wood, "Ouida," William M. Thacke- ray, Fenimore Cooper, W. Clark Russell, and all the popular novelists who have come on the stage since have enjoyed an enormous popu- larity through the facility and cheapness of manufacture and the low rate of postage, not to speak of the competition among publishers, which have combined to send their works over the country in almost incredible quantities, bringing them within the reach of rich and poor. Later have come the 10 cent magazines, which have had such great success, and which are a direct offshoot of the cheap library serials. "I believe that the habit of reading and the number of readers of books in this country have been increased many fold by this good literature issued in cheap form. Now everybody reads books, and not even the daily newspapers, with their war extras and all the stimulating attrac- tions of pictures and coloured inks and blanket sheets, are able to counteract the strong desire on the part of the public for good fiction, which continues to sell in rather better form of paper and binding in enormous quantities. I think we have the greatest reading public in America  ## p. 117 (#129) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. n7 which has ever existed in the history of the world, and that the taste of this public is improv- ing and demands a higher quality of literary work and illustration. In the old library serials it was the really good novels that had the largest sale. "That the better class of books has decreased the demand for all the class of literature which was formerly published in the dime novel series and in the weekly story papers is well known to all publishers of such matter. The dime novel business has absolutely passed out of existence. All the cheap weekly papers that have not materially changed their form and improved their literary contents and their illustrations have lost greatly in circulation. I could name a dozen authors who supplied the weekly press with the popular serials whose names were kuown from one end of the country to the other who are now almost forgotten and who have left no successors. Some of these writers had incomes of 10,000 dollars a year. I once offered the late Mrs. May Agnes Fleming 75,000 dollars for ten stories, which offer was declined. There is no such demand for stories by writers of Mrs. Fleming's quality as would justify any publisher of a cheap weekly paper in paying more than 500 dollars for a serial by one of them. The indications ef the improvement in the taste of the public in reading matter crop out on every side, and, prices being equal, the majority of readers will take the better book. My experience of twenty-five years as an editor justifies me in saying that the average quality of literary matter offered in the weekly papers is higher, showing that literary cultiva- tion of aspirants has improved, and that the average intelligence and faculty of writing are advancing. "I believe that books and libraries in this country are to enjoy still greater appreciation, and that we have been sowing seed in the last twenty- five years which will give to our publishers during the twentieth century an immensely remunerative business." Stephen F. Farrelly, manager of the American News Company, did not agree wholly with Mr. Elderkin as to the dislodgement of the low grade literature. "Cheap books," he said, " have stimulated the business and have made the sales larger every year, and have surely given those people who had the inclination an opportunity to read good books; but they have not driven the blood-and-thunder novels from the market. There is still a great demand for them, and I think it will continue for some time. There can be no doubt as to the improvement of the public taste through cheap books. This is shown by the great demand for the popular modern novels, somo of which have sold in phenomenal quantities." Mr. Farrelly said that standard works in cheap form could not be sold, and were really out of the market. People who want sets of Dickens, Scott, Thackeray, or other standard writers buy them for their libraries and want good and expen- sive editions; but new English novels and popular translations are wanted in cheap form. CORRESPONDENCE. I.—His First Play. I'VE been for some years the at once happy and unhappy author of a first play. You'll have guessed rightly that my happiness arises from my appreciation of the merits of that play, but you'll have guessed wrongly that my unhappiness arises from want of equal apprecia- tion on the part of managers. "It's wus nor that": I'm unhappy because it seems to me use- less to offer the piece to a manager at all—and I've never yet done so. It's in two acts, contains nine scenes, and—as far as I can judge from reading it aloud, and allowing time for "business" and scene-shifting —would take about an hour and a quarter, certainly not over an hour and a half. Now, it used to be common for a manager to give three pieces in an evening, and usually one of them, often two, would be of middle length. But the middle-length piece seems to have disappeared altogether. The entire performance now consists either of a single play taking three hours, or of two plays, of which the first takes only from half to three-quarters of an hour, while the second takes from two and a quarter to two and a half hours. I can't either shorten or lengthen the play without injuring it. And, rather than do that, I'd print it as a piece of literature, and never try to get it acted at all. But, if I wait ten years, is there any chance that the middle-length piece will have its day again? Or is there possibly even now a manager here and there in this country, or in America, who'd take such plays if he could get them to his mind? If so, where or how may he be found? I've been asked "Why don't you print it? That wouldn't prevent its being played after- wards." But wouldn't it? Wouldn't a manager think its freshness lost? Of course, if I did print it, probably only a few dozen people would ever see it; but the manager wouldn't know that —or, if he did know it, he might be so unac- quainted with the habits of the reading public as  ## p. 118 (#130) ############################################ n8 THE AUTHOR. to suppose that the number of its readers must bear some relation to its interest. But is there any objection to printing "for private circulation only," and sending in that form to managers for their consideration? And would there be any harm in sending to reviews as well, for the purpose of obtaining press opinions which might help to get the piece pro- duced? Van Drusen. II.—Cheap Literature—An Echo from a Bookseller. Do not worry about the man who win sell a magazine at $d. Some people were alarmed when Mr. Stead supplied the best of all litera- ture at one penny per volume. He sold them, I suppose, in millions. We stocked them, and sold hundreds of some numbers for the first dozen or so; then we had less call for them, the novelty had worn off. Lawyers could have plenty of work at a penny a letter, but their fee is 3*. \d. Authors, don't worry! Get as much as you can for your work. If you give men your brains they won't appreciate it, and if Harmsworth was to give his magazine away he would not get all the custom; and if the Nineteenth Century was a penny a time very few more people would read it. There must be people to provide "all sorts and conditions of men" with the literature they want, and it is the lucky man who can read what the public really want, and can afford to do it at a price that will suit the pocket s of those he caters for. Get a shilling magazine as much worth is. as Harmsworth's, and it will sell pro- portionately well. nii J. P. III.—Typewritten Manuscripts (?). As a new member, may I ask if any notice of what would appear a contradiction in terms, has up to now been taken in your columns? I refer to the term used by editors " type-written manu- script*." Now, if a MS. be type-written it is quite evident that it cannot claim to being manuscript. Perhaps it seems a small matter, but surely our langua.e is not so poor, as be obliged to keep to the old term, when such an order of things has almost passed away. Permit me to make clearer my meaning. Pub- lishers advertise sometimes after this manner, as do also editors— 1. Type-written manuscripts (?) will receive careful attention," or 2. "Manuscripts of all kinds will receive con- sideration, &c." Alas! for the writer who knows no better, his beautifully Aanrf-written MS. receives but a passing glance—unless his writing is already well-known to the reader—many publishers not troubling to read books or articles unless type- written. Now, beginners are not all aware of this fact. Would not it be to the credit of the Society of Authors to put right this little matter? Auden Amyand. IV.—Amateur Journals. I have read with interest the correspondence on this subject, and while I believe that amateur journalism is no occupation for adults, I am assured from my own experience of it that very many writers of eminence have made their first bows to a reading public (small, but enthusiastic perhaps) by its means. As a child's toys predict the future tastes of the man, so does association with amateur journalism—in the youthful— indicate a natural inborn love of literature. The mature amateur journalist avows incom- petency and vanity since he would gladly join the ranks of paid writers had he talent enough for the purpose, but not being able to encompass this object, gratifies his conceit by gratuitous con- tributions to whatsoever publications will accept them. "No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money," observed Dr. Johnson. Amateur writers of years of discretion should ponder upon it awhile. The inclosed little production I venture to send for your inspection, in which I am un- certain whether to take pride or shame after the lapse of intervening years, but over which I was at the time greatly busied, sufficed to introduce at least one young scribbler to print, whose book- lets are now familiar in our mouths as household words, and whose personality is pronounced in the London world of letters. The list of contributors will, I am sure, prove very interesting as years roll on. Meanwhile the editor is striving to emulate the successes of one or two of his staff. As Miss M. L. Pendered says, a magazine for young—necessarily amateur—writers, conducted by a professional editor, sympathetic and dis- criminating, might act with wholesome effect on the rising generation of writers; but its circula- tion would be restricted to the contributors and those interested in their work. To the general public their names would still remain unknown. Herbert W. Smith.  ## p. 119 (#131) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. n9 BOOK TALE. DEAN STUBBS has written for the Vic- torian Era series a work entitled" Charles Kingsley and the Christian Social Move- ment." The book will contain two poems by Kingsley, which were originally published anony- mously in the group of tracts called " Politics for the People," and which have not appeared in the .collected edition of Kingsley. Messrs. Blackie will publish the book next month. A series of twelve books, furnishing a view of the world in 1900, is projected by Mr. Heine- oiann, under the editorship of Professor H. J. Mackinder. The first will be published at the beginning of next year, and the whole series will be completed early in 1900. Among the volumes and their authors are the following: "Britain and the North Atlantic," by Professor Mackinder; "Scandinavia and the Arctic Ocean," by Sir Clement R. Markham; "France and the Mediter- ranean," by M. Elisce Eeclus; "Central Europe," by Professor Joseph Partsch; "Africa," by Dr. J. Scott Keltie; "The Near East," by Mr . D. G. Hogarth; "The Far East," by Mr. Archibald Little; "The Russian Empire," by Prince Kro- potkin; "India," by Colonel Sir Thomas Holdich; and " Australasia and Antarctics," by Dr. H. 0. Forbes. Mr. Harry Quilter is about to start business as publisher, with a view of filling the place left vacant by the death of William Morris and the closing of the Kelmscott Press. Fine art works will be his chief mitier, but he will also publish novels and general works, in which the printing, design, decoration, and binding will be made a feature. The first book from Mr. Quilter will appear next month. Mr. John Davidson's long-expected new lite- rary play will be published by Mr. Lane this month. "The New Rorne " is the title of a volume of verse by Mr. Robert Buchanan, which is to appear shortly. Miss Helen Hay, daughter of the American Ambassador, will bring out in London this autumn, through Messrs. Duckworth, a volume of poems, with the title " Some Verses." A new volume of stories, by Ian Maclaren, will appear during the autumn from Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton. Mr. Crockett's Graphic serial, " The Red Axe," will be published shortly by Messrs. Smith, Elder, and Co. A new serial by him will begin in the Cornhill for 1899. A new edition of the works of Whyte-Melville is being edited by Sir Herbert Maxwell, for pub- lication by Messrs. Thacker. Mr. J. W. Headlam, of Cambridge, is preparing a volume on Bismarck and the new German Empire, which Messrs. Putnam will publish. Mr. William Jacks, formerly M. P. for Stirling- shire, who published a translation of Lessing's "Nathan " four years ago, has for some time been engaged upon a life of Bismarck, which will appear shortly. Two forthcoming biographies which will appeal to ecclesiastical readers are the Life and Letters of Dr. Henry Robert Eeynolds, by his sisters, and an account of the late Dr. Stoughton's career, by his daughter. Both will be brought out by Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton. A third work of similar interest is the Life of the Master of Uppingham, the Bev. Edward Thring, which has been written by his friend, Mr. George B. Parkin, Headmaster of the Collegiate School, Frederiekton, New Brunswick, and will be published shortly by Messrs. Macmillan. The life of Professor Henry Drummond, by Professor George Adam Smith, and that of the Rev. Dr. Dale, by his son, Mr. A. W. Dale, both to be published also by Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton, are other interesting contributions to the leligious bio- graphies of the year. For the art interest, the book of this autumn will be the memoir of Sir John Millais, which has been done by his son, Mr. J. G. Millais, assisted by the copious diaries and notes kept methodically by the late President of the Royal Academy. Mr. Justin McCarthy has written a short history of the United States, designed for Eng- lish readers. It will come shortly from Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton. Mr. George Gissing is editing an issue of Dickens's works for Messrs. Methuen. The last story written by the late Mr. James Payn is believed to be that which a " Christmas Tree," to be published by Messrs. Downey, will contain. It will be side by side in the volume with contributions by Miss Braddon, Mr. Frankfort Moore, Mr. Christie Murray, Mr. Baring Gould, Mr. G. Manville Fenn, and others. A new novel by Mr. Anthony Hope is to begin its serial appearance after Christmas, the title being " The King's Mirror," and the hero a royal lad, whose nurse not only imparts to him an idea of his greatness as a born king, but spanks him. Sportswomen are about to have a library for themselves. Miss Frances Slaughter is editing a series of volumes in which Mrs. Burn, daughter of Colonel Anstruther Thomson, writes on fox- hunting, Mrs. Penn Curzon, whose father was formerly master of the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, on stag hunting, and Susan, Countess  ## p. 120 (#132) ############################################ 120 THE AUTHOR. of Malmesbury, on angling, while other noted sportswomen deal with various fields. There are to be two volumes at present, and possibly a third afterwards in this Sportswoman's Library, which Messrs. Constable are to publish, and which will be dedicated to the Countess of Worcester. One of the most popular books of this year is likely to be the biography of the late "Lewis Carroll," the children's favourite, which has been written by his nephew, Mr. S. D. Collingwood, and will be published at a moderate price by Mr. Fisher Unwin. It will be illustrated by many of his own sketches. Mr. Dodgson in his early years compiled three magazines, in manuscript, in which the genius which was afterwards to be shown in " Alice in Wonderland," is exhibited in little. There is also the record of a Russian tour with Canon Liddon, and new portraits of Mr. Ruskin, Tennyson, the Rossettis, Mr. Holman Hunt, Mr. George Macdonald, and others. Official people will be interested in the life of the late Mr. Henry Cecil Baikes, Postmaster- General, which is written by Mr. St. John Raikes and will be published this autumn. The new novel by Mrs. Edna Lyall, which is to appear this month, is laid in Keswick and London during the seventeenth century. "Hope the Hermit" is its title, and among the real characters who are introduced are George Fox and Archbishop Tillotson. A volume of essays on the philosophy of religion, by Mr. T. Bailey Saunders, will appear shortly. An interesting contribution to the literature on the pre-Baphaelite movement is about to be published. It will be Mr. Ruskin's letters to Rossetti between the years 1852 and 1867, which relate to various subjects, but are mainly con- nected with art. The volume, which is edited by Mr. William Rossetti and published by Mr. George Allen, will also contain letters by Brown- ing, Bell Scott, Coventry Patmore, and others. Mr. Euskin enjoys good health. "The Life of William Morris," by Mr. J. W. Mackail, will appear this autumn from Messrs. Longmans. A study by Mr. Sheridan Pureell, of Cardinal Newman as Anglican and as Catholic, will be published by Messrs. Macmillan. A novel by Mr. A. J. Dawson, dealing with Moorish life in the Riff country, and in Tangier, and entitled " Bismillah," is to be published in a few days by Messrs. Macmillan. Miss Charlotte M. Yonge has written a history of the parishes of Hursley and Otterbourne, which Messrs. Macmillan will publish. A biography of Sir Astley Cooper Key, by Admiral Colomb, is among Messrs. Methuen's forthcoming books. A new threepenny magazine is to follows fast on the appearance of the Harmsworth, and in the same field. A million copies of the Royal Magazine, as it is to be called, will be printed and out by Oct. 14. Messrs. Pearson are the firm to publish it. It is eloquent of the scale upon which such things are done, that Messrs. Pearson pro- pose to spend .£20,000 in advertising the maga- zine, and to put aside £50,000 which they are pre- pared to exhaust to run it. The Harmsworth last month, by the way, raises its price to $\d. in order to give the booksellers a working profit. A sixpenny magazine for girls is also being started this month. It will be called the GrirVs Realm, and the publishers are Messrs. Hutchin- son. "Paterson's Parish, a Lifetime Amongst the Dissenters," by the Rev. Dr. Joseph Parker, of the City Temple, will be published in October by Mr. Thomas Burleigh. A story of peasant life in the Ardennes entitled "God is Love," by Mr. T. Mullett Ellis, author of " Tales of the Klondyke," will be published very shortly by Mr. Thomas Burleigh. An unconventional novel, entitled "A Social Upheaval," by Isidore G. Ascher, will be pub- lished in the early autumn by Messrs. Lawrence Greening and Co. The book will present certain aspects of socialism in a novel and humorous manner, with a background of strong sensational incidents. "The Main Chance," by Miss Christabel Cole- ridge, which has been running through the Monthly Packet for 1898, will be brought out in one volume form by Messrs. Hurst and Blackett. during the autumn. Messrs. Chapman and Hall have in the press a work by Mr. A. Eedcote Dewar on "From Matter to Man : a New Theory of the Universe." The work demonstrates in detail the natural evolution of man, life and mind; the arguments, being backed by a wealth of illustration from every department of science. Mr. Herbert Morrah, author of " The Faithful City," published last year by Messrs. Methuen„ has a new novel ready. The book is entitled "The Optimist," and will appear during the present month. Messrs. Pearson are the pub- lishers. Professor Skeat has nearly completed his edition of "jElfric's Saints' Lives," printed for the Early English Text Society. This edition,, begun nearly seventeen years ago, is founded on MS. Julius E. 7, in the British Museum, and con- tains about thirty-seven Homilies, most of which  ## p. 121 (#133) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 121 are here printed for the first time. -SUlfric's Homilies, originally written at the close of the tenth century, were re-transcribed and imitate 1 during nearly two centuries, and he is therefore justly regarded as the father of early English prose, for which reason his name is worthy of being held in honour by students of pure English. A new book by the Poet Laureate will appear shortly. The title is " Lamia's Winter Quarters." Mr. Wasey Sterry leads off, with a volume on Eton, a series of histories of our great public schools by various writers, which Messrs. Methuen have projected. We summarise as follows a number of works of fiction which are announced: "Windy Haugh," by Graham Travers (Blackwood); "The Phan- tom Army," by Mr. Max Pemberton; and "Despair's Last Journey," by Mr. David Christie Murray (Pearson); "Rodman, the Boat-Steerer," by Mr. Louis Becke, and "The Romance of a Midshipman," by Mr. Clark Russell (Unwin); "The Battle of the Strong," a romance of 1798, by Mr. Gilbert Parker. Mrs. Gertrude Atherton is just publishing, through Mr. Lane, a story entitled "The Cali- fornians," and in the spring a short novel called "A Daughter of the Vine" will be published from her pen. Mr. George Laurence Gomme is extending his studies in the way of illustrating periods of history by the means of romantic literature. A year ago he edited some specimens of this kind in English history, calling the volume " The King's Story Book." He is editing Constable's Library of Historical Novels and Romances (which has been coming out at somewhat long intervals) in which are Lord Lytton's "Harold, the Last of the Saxon Bangs," Charles Macfarlane's "The Camp of Refuge," and Kingsley's "Westward Ho! Mr. Gomme is now editing a Tolume to be called "The Queen's Story Book," which will begin with the Battle of Hastings, and end with the Chartist riots, and contain examples selected from Scott, Thackeray, Lytton, Galt, Ainsworth, Defoe, Peacock, Beaeonsfield, and other writers. The International Press Congress at Lisbon has just finished its work, and we hope to give some account of its sittings in our November issue from the pen of Mr. James Baker. This writer, who was in September acting as special corre- spondent in Holland at Queen Wilhelmina's installation, his articles appearing in the Pall Mall Gazette and the Queen, is now in Lisbon. He has just seen the last sheets of his new novel through the press. This is of the same period as his last work, " The Gleaming Dawn," but does not deal with the religious struggles of the 15th century; it is a story of adventure. Mr. Michael MacDonagh proposes t:i do for Irish wit and humour in his book, " Irish Life and Character," which Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton will shortly publish, what Dean Ramsay in his popular work "Reminiscences of Scottish Life and Character" has done for Scotland. It will be the first attempt which has been made to give a complete picture of the manners, customs, and ways of thought of the Irish people, illustrated by copious anecdote and the personal experiences of the author. Among forthcoming novels is one by Mr. James M. Graham, whose historical romance, "The Son of the Czar," took a conspicuous place among the successful books of last year. Mr. Graham's new story is called "A World Bewitched." As the title indicates, the subject dealt with is that most painful of superstitions which was almost universal among Christians a few centuries ago. There were men of commanding genius, men. like Rabelais, Montaigne, Shakespeare, who heartily despised the prevailing belief in witchcraft. There were sceptics of a more sinister kiud, who, from motives of gain, vengeance, or delight in human wretchedness, took advantage of the general credulity to keep the fires of the stake in constant activity; and the sceptics last referred to figure prominently in Mr. Graham's tale. The period chosen is the early part of the 17th century. The scene is laid in the neighbourhood of the Pyrenees. The publishers will be Messrs. Harper and Brothers. PUBLICATIONS OF THE YEAR 1397. LE DROIT D'AUTEUR " gives the follow- ing statistics for the year 1897 in an extremely interesting article containing a mass of information, for which we must refer our readers to the pages of our valuable con- temporary: Great Britain— New books New edition,.. Total United Sea tea France Germany Italy Holland Denmark Norway Sweden . 1896. 1897. 1 5234 6244 1339 1682 6573 7926 5703 4928 12,738 13.799 23,861 23.339 9778 9732 2880 1128 1167 S77 529 1506 1642.  ## p. 122 (#134) ############################################ I 22 THE AUTHOR. It will be remarked that the United States «hows a diminution. Austria and Russia have made no returns. Those for Hungary have not advanced beyond 1895 (1407). The analyst of the publications of the United States presents several interesting features:— Works by authors of other nationalities printed iu the United S a'es. New Publications. Works by American authors. s ■ n 11 0 3d O 0 m ■ k 0 K >5 713 156 358 352 «59 474 35 491 — 18 447 45 376 23 93 Educational 395 36 385 4 42 Literary history and 261 '54 313 ■5 87 3'9 50 299 9 61 175 21 155 2 39 180 67 ■34 29 84 166 22 116 7 65 History 189 49 180 11 47 Biography 193 12 71 22 112 129 24 132 3 18 Travels 149 20 99 9 61 Fine arts and illus- trated works 108 3« 11 4 124 Mechanical arts ... 96 H 82 28 Philosophy 70 6 47 4 25 Domestic and rural economy 52 5 35 — 22 Comic and satirical 33 5 19 — 24 17 5 15 1 6 Total 4171 757 3?i8 495 i"5 OBITUARY. WE regret to announce the death of the Earl of Desart. His lordship caught a cold while on board his yacht at Wendur, and died a few days later—on September 15— from internal inflammation. He had been an invalid for many years, and was fifty-three years of age. William Ulick O'Connor Cuffe, the late Earl of Desart, was the fourth Earl, and was a son of the third Earl and of a daughter of the first Earl Cawdor. He succeeded his father in 1865, and married Ellen, daughter of H. L. Bischoffsheim, of Bute House, South Audley- street, London. He was the author of numerous novels, including "Children of Nature," "Kelver- .dale," "Helen's View," "Lord and Lady Piccadilly," "Love and Pride on an Iceberg," and others, his last work being "The Raid of the Detrimental," which was published by Messrs. Pearson last year. He also did a little in journalism. His death makes the second loss within a few months to the Council of the Society of Authors, of which the late Earl was a member for ten years. The remains were interred on Monday, the 19th ult., at Lord Falmouth's picturesquely situated little cemetery. The coffin was borne to the graveside by eight y a chtsmen. The chief mourners were the Countess of Desart, the Hon. Sir J. Hamilton, and Lady Margaret Cuffe, Major and Lady Kathleen Pilkington, Captain the Hon. Otway Cuffe, the Hon. A. E. Henniker, and Mrs. Wemyss. THE BOOKS OF THE MONTH. [August 24 to Sept. 23.—304 Books.] Adcock, A. St. J. In the Image of God 3/6. Skefflngton. Alexander, A. Physical Training at Home. 2/- net. Cox. Anderson. R. J. Hereiity. 1/2. Galway: M. Claytosu Andom, R. Martha and I. 3/6. Jarrold. Andrews, S. J. Christianity and anil-Christianity in their Final Con- Iliet. 0- Putnam. Andrews, William. Bygone Punishments. 7/6. Andrews. Anonymous. A Bitter Penitence. 1/6. Stevens. Anonymous. Booke of Sundry Draughtes, principalv serving for Glasiers, and not impertinent for Plasterers and Gardiners, Ac. 10,6. Reprint of original 1615 edition. Leadenhall Press. Anonymous (Author of "Bertha's Fate"). Knight or Knave? 1/6. Stevens. Anonymous (E. A. D.). Gift of Best. 1/- Frowde. Anonymous (An Expert Oil Refiner). Oils, Tallow, and Grease, for Lubricatira, Ac. 7/6 net. Scott and Greenwood. Anonymous (E. E H.). Allie. or The Little Irish Girl. 1/6. Gall. Anonymous (A German Staff Officer). Greco-Turkish War of 1897. Tr. by Frederica Bolton. 5/- Sonnenschein. Anonymous (Auth ir of " Laddie "). Belle. 3/6. Chambers. Anonymous. Elizabeth and her German Garden. 6/- Macmillan. Arnold, D Tales and Rhymes for Happy Times. 2/6. Bel. Tract Soc. Arnold, T. Notes on Beowulf. 3/6. Longmans. Asplen, L O. A Thousand Years of English Church History. *7- net. Bell. Avery, H. The Triple Alliance. A Tale 3/6. Nelson. Bslfour, Andrew. To Arms! 6/- Methuen. Ballard, S (tr.) Fairy Tales from Far Japan. 2/6. Bel. Tract Soc. 1'ankea, A. Essays and Enigmas. 2/6. Partridge. Barlow, Jane. From the East unto the West. A Novel. 6/- Methuen. Barnby, L. H. Some Elementary Remarks on Musical Theory. 1/- Weekes. Barrett, G. S. Musings for Quiet Hours. 1/6. Rel. Tract Soc ^arrows, S. J. The Isles and Shrines of Greece. 8/6. Low. Bedford, H. L. The Twins that did not Pair. 2/- Bel. Tract 8oc. Bell, Mackenzie. Pictures of Travel, and other Pi 7/6. 3/6. Hurst. Cath. Truth Soc White. Banks. 7/6. Cox. Ward and L. Oliphant. Low. Bellord. Meditations on Christian Dogma. Bentley, H. C. A Near Thing, Ac. 1/- Berry, G. J. Iscah: A Tale for the Times. 3/6. Bickerdyke, John. Practical Letters to Young Se Bird. M. The Seeker. 1/- Black, M. M. Robert Louis Stevenson. 1/6. Black, William. Wild Eelin. 6/- Blake, E. On the Study of the Hand for Indications of General Disease 2/6 net. H. J. Glaisher. Block, Louis J. Oapriccios. 5/- Putnam. Blunt, Wilfrid. The Poetry of. Selected and arranged by W. E. Henley and George Wyndham. 6/- Heinemann. Bosanquet, Mrs. B. The Standard of Life, and Other Studies. 3/6 net Macmillan. Brassey. T. A. The Royal Naval Reserve, the Mercantile Marine, and the Colonies. 1/- Stanford. Rrocklehurst, F. I was in Prison. 2/6 net. Cnwin. Brodrick, Hon. Mrs. A. Ananias: A Novel. 6/- Methuen. Brooke, Emma. Factory Laws of European Countries in so far as they relate to Women and Children. 2/6 net Richards. Biuce, C. Birthday Book of Proverbs. 1/- W. P. Nimmo. Bryant, Sophie. The Teaching of Christ. 2/6. Sonnenschein. Burchard, H. H. A Text.Book of Dental Pathology and Therapeutics. 22/- net. H. Kimpton. Burns, D. Temperance in the Victorian Age. 1/- Ideal Publishing Union.  ## p. 123 (#135) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 123- Barrel 1, A. He*r Speaking and Good Beading. 2/6. Longmans. Batch, Dr. M. Bismarck: Some Secret Pages of his Hhvory. 30/- net. Macmillan Butler, W, C. Modern Practical Confectioner. 1/- net. Caine, O. V. Face to Face with Napoleon. 5/- Caird. Mona. The Pathway of the Hods. 6/- Campion. H. The Secret of the Poles. 1/- net Simpkin. Niabet. Skjfflngton. Birmingham: tVhite and Price. Constable. Arrowsmitb. Hutchfnson. Hodges. Rivington. Putnam. Cassell. Tract Soc. Wesley. Unwin. The Rights Longmans. From the Quaritch. Wesley. Campbell, W. D Beyond the Border. 6/- Capes, Bernard. The Mysterious Singer. I/- Carey. RosaN MolhVs Prince. 6/- Carv. U. H. Key to Elementary Book-keeping by Double Entry. 3/6. S mpkln. 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Digby. Nisbet. Nelson Jarrold. Clivc. Chambers. Cur wen. Greening. 5/- 24, - net. Dunbar, P. L. Folks from Dixie 3/ Duncan, J. G. Trumps and Troubadours. Everard. G. Merry and Wise. 1 - Everett-Green, E. Tom Tufton's Toll. 3/6. Evershed. H Practical Sheep Farming. 1/- Feaienside. C. S. The Reign of Elizabeth, 1558-1603. 1/- Fenn. G. M. Nic Revel. 3/6. Fisher. Henry. The Pianist's Mentor. 2, 6. Fitz 4orald, S. J. A That Fascinating Widow, Ac. 1/ Fitzm*urice-KHliy, J. A History of Spanish Literature. 6/- Heinemann. Foster. B. S. A Guide to the Law of Licensing. 10/- net. Waterlow. Fowler, T. History of Corpus Christi College, Oxford 5/- net. Robinson. Francis, M. E. The Duenna of a Genius. 6/- Harper. Froane, A. The Guitar. 1/- Bournemouth; Barnes and Mullina. 6 - Gale, J. S. Korean Sketche Gauht, Mary. Dead man's. An Australian Story. Gissing, George. The Town Traveller. A Novel. < Glasgow. Ellen. Phases nf an Inferior Planet. 6/- Gordon. W. J. Midland Sketches. 1/6. Gould. Nat. 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