https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/470/1900-01-01-The-Author-10-8.pdf 4799282bb50e2d4e59fd54f63371b24f PDF Text Text �������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1900-01-01 Volume 10 Issue 8 Pages Page range in volume 165–184 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19000101 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Fluthor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vou. X.—No. 8.] JANUARY 1, Tgoo. 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. Pees HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. eae GENERAL MEMORANDA. ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four 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, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A PROFIT-SHARING AGREEMENT (a bad form of agreement). ; In this case the following rules should be attended to : (1.) Not to sign any agreemeat in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs: or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (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 ! VOL. X. * Til. THE ROYALTY SYSTEM. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately and very nearly the truth. From time to time the very important figures connected with royalties are published in The Author. Readers can also work out the figures themselves from the “Cost of Production.” IV. A COMMISSION AGREEMENT. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. GENERAL. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main 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 common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. oc WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. i. No sign an agreement without submitting it tc the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some competent legal authority. 2. Never negotiate for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract :— (1) SALE OUTRIGHT OF THE PERFORMING RIGHT. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the con- tract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of bis name on the play-bills. (2) SALE OF PERFORMING RIGHT OR OF A LICENCE TO PERFORM ON THE PROFIT-SHARING SYSTEM. This method can only be entered into when a fixed sum is agreed per week for cost of produc- tion. It is not a common method. Q2 156 (3) SALE OF PERFORMING RIGHT OR OF A LICENCE TO PERFORM ON THE BASIS OF PERCENTAGES (i.e., royalties) on gross receipts. Royalties vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts. Sbonld obtain a sum in advance of royalties. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. 4. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited by town, country, and time. This is most important. 5. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 6. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 7. Never send a copy of the play to America unless it is protected by a preliminary performance in the United Kingdom. 8. Never forget that American rights may be exceedingly valuable. They should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. g. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. Never admit a collaborator when once the actual work of writing the play has begun or after it is finished. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. t. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solici- tor, 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 Committee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher’s agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. THE AUTHOR. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles cf 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. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fireproof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as con- fidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers :—(1) To read and advise upon agreements and publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. = THE READING BRANCH. N “EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this 26, branch of their work by informing young writers of Their MSS. can be read and treated The Readers are The fee is one its existence. az a composition is treated by a coach. writers of competence and experience. guinea. NOTICES. HE 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. Communications for The Author should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 4, Portugal-street, Lincoln’s-inn Fields, W.C., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. : All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. The present location of the Authors’ Club is at 3, White- hall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. FROM THE COMMITTEE. Tue IncorporateD Socrery or AUTHORS.— Pension Funp ScHEME. N view of the fact that the Royal Literary Fund is not in the habit of granting pensions, and that its donations are of a purely eleemosynary description, and that the amount available from the Civil List for literary pensions does not as a rule exceed £400 a year, it appears to the Committee that it would be in the interest of literature and of this Society to establish a pension fund for authors to be sup- ported by authors themselves, and not by appeals  THE AUTHOR. 167 to the public at large, and to be administered by a Committee chosen from the Society of Authors as hereinafter appointed. The Committee, therefore, put forward the following points as the basis on which the fund should be worked, and consider that the minor details of its constitution should be settled by Counsel when a sufficient sum of money is placed in the bank to show that the scheme will be fairly supported : 1. That the fund collested shall be utilised for the payment of pensions only, and not of dona- tions. 2. That the fund shall be held in the names of three trustees, any two of whom shall sign cheques for the payment of the pensions and of incidental expenses, such cheques being countersigned by the Secretary, or, in his absence, by a member of the pension Committee. 3. That a Committee consisting of six members and the Chairman of the Managing Committee of the Society for the time being shall be the sole arbiters as to the recipients of the pensions, and the trustees shall sign cheques on the autho- rity of the Committee only. That the Secretary of the Incorporated Society of Authors do act as the secretary of the Committee. 4. That the Committee of six members shall consist of three members of the Society elected by the Committee of the Society, and three members of the Society elected at the general meeting of the Society by the members of the Society. That the candidates elected by the members of the Society shall be nominated in writing to the Secretary at least three weeks prior to the General Meeting, and each candidate shall be supported by the names of at least five members. A list of the names of the candidates so nominated shall be sent to each member of the Society with the report of the Society, and those candidates obtaining the most votes at the General Meeting shall he elected to serve on the Committee, which shall be called the “ Committee of the Pension Fund of the Incorporated Society of Authors.” 5. That one member of those elected by the Managing Committee of the Society of Authors, and one member of those elected by the members of the Society at the General Meeting shall retire annually, but may be re-elected. 6. In default of the election of sufficient candi- dates by the members of the Society the Manag- ing Committee of the Society shall fill the vacan- cies by the election of members of the Society not being members of the Committee. 7. That the pensions given shall not be less than £30 nor more than £100 per annum. 8. That pensions shall not be given to anyone who has not attained the age of sixty years, pro- vided that in the absence of satisfactory candi- dates over sixty years of age, or in the case of total inability to work and during the continuance of such inability, the Committee of the Pension Fund may assign pensions to members of the Society of a less age. g. That no pensions shall be given to anyone who has not been a member of the Society of Authors for ten years at least, or a life member, but that membership to the Society gives no right to a pension. 10. Save as excepted in clause 8, That such pensions shall be tenable for life, but that the Committee of the Pension Fund may in their absolute discretion discontinue any pension for any one or more of the following reasons :— i. In the case of bankruptcy. ii. In the case of a pensioner’s conduct being such as would disqualify him from membership of the Society of Authors. iii. In the case of a pensioner subsequently receiving an independent income sufficient to provide for his support. 11. That the Committee of the Pension Fund in giving pensions to applicants shall consider not only the necessity of each case but also the merits of the writings of the applicant. 12. That ail applications laid before the Com- mittee of the Pension Fund shall be confidential, but the names of the recipients of the pensions and the amount given shall be stated in The Author. 13. That contributions may be made either by a single donation or by a donation spread over three, four, or five years, or by annual subscrip- tions. 14. Subject to the paym-nt of working expenses, not less than two-thirds of all such annual subscriptions shall be added to the capital of the Pension Fund; the other third may, in the discretion of the Committee of the Pension Fund, be devoted to the payments of pensions or in the purchase of anuuities to satisfy pensions granted. 15. That all selections of securities in which the capital may from time to time be invested be subject to the unanimous decision of the trustees, and, after the establishment of the Fund, to the agreement therewith of a majority of at least two-thirds of the Committee of the Pension Fund. 16. That with the consent of two-thirds of the trustees and the Pension Committee sitting together, this scheme may be varied from time to time as need arises, provided always that the Fund shall be administered by a Committee con- sisting of members of the Society of Authors, and  168 for the benefit of the members of such Society for the time being. The Committee hope to start the scheme early in 1900, and now invite sub-criptions from the members of the Society. Immediate contributions are desired to form a nucleus for the fund and to enable the Committee to meet working expenses. A form for subscribers is appended. Opinions, suggestions, and criticism will be cordially welcomed by th+ Committee, and care- fully considered previously to the scheme being submitted to Counsel for final settlement. The following subscriptions have been already promised :— Mr. George Meredith (President of the Society)... £100 Mr. J. M. Barrie (if nine others subscribe the SAMO BMOUDG) coo... 2 eco enters et vere ayeesew anes taerses 100 Mr. A. W. a Beckett (per annum) ..................... 5 Sir Walter Besant ........0..0..0...cccc eee 100 The Rev. T. G. Bonney (for present year, and con- tinue same a3 long as existing circumstances also GONGINUG) sce, ieee eae ce wate gen as 5 Mr. Austin Dobson (as much as possible per BNNUNT) oc a es a nave eee tenes ye namen = Dr. Conan Doyle (per annum, when the scheme assumes a practicai basis)................06..) cesses 10 Mr. Douglas Freshfield (if nine others subscribe the Same AMOUUE) 665.0 ioes sche een sees Gi uesennenes 100 Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins ........................ 200 Mr. Jerome K. Jerome (per annum, and perhaps MORO) 86 ie i ees 5 Mr. J. Scott Keltie (per an: um for five years)...... 5 Mr. Rudyard Kipling...................:::ceeeeeee tees 100 Mr: Gilbert Parker....... 2.6.0 100 Mrs. Humphry Ward (per annum) ................... 10 G. H. T ee LITERARY PROPERTY. J.—ExcHaNncEe AND THE Contra ACcouUNT. TTENTION has been frequently called in A these pages to the charging, in an account rendered to the author, of advertisements not paidfor. In our last number the case of Mr. Endean and Messrs. Sampson Low and Co. was reported. In this case the sum of £15 was charged, the greater part of which had not been spent. This case, however, was explained on the ground of an error on the part of a clerk. We have to do here with facts that are not errors. There are three ways of charging for advertise- ments which have cost nothing. (We need not consider a clerk’s error in setting down advertise- ments that have not even been inserted.) The first method is tu charge for advertisements which have appeared in the publisher's own organs. It is obvious that any publisher who claims this THE AUTHOR. right claims as well the right to take as much as he pleases of the proceeds, because he can adver- tise a book as often as he pleases, and in any way he pleases, and he can always pretend that the advertisement was for the good of the book. It is also obvious that in a profit-sharmg agreement he is legally bound to charge only money that is actually spent. Another way is to exchange advertisements with other publishers who have magazines, and to charge the author’s account with every such advertisement. A third way is to insert advertisements in other publishers’ magazines; to pay for them, perhaps getting discount; to receive other publishers’ advertisements, aud to send in a“ contra account,” having the receipt for the first payment to prove that payment has been actually made, if ques- tions are asked. In order to ascertain the extent to which publishers advertise in each other’s organs an examina'ion has been made of the principal magazines for the month of December. It will be remembered that in the “ Draft Agreements (Equitable) ” the publishers preserved a profound silence on this subject. Is it too much to infer that their silence, after all that has been urged and pointed out, and after the opinions of counsel had been taken twice, may be con- strued into a determination not to condemn the practice P The magazines have been divided into two groups. ‘The first consists of the older maga- zines and their publishers. Macmillan’s ) Temple Bar \- published by Macmillan and Co. The Century ¢ The Edinburgh Review Longman’s The Quarterly, published by Murrey. The Cornhill, published by Smith, Elder and Co. The Nineteenth Century, published by Samp- son Low and Co. The Contemporary, published by Isbister and Co. The Fortnightly, published by Chapman and Hall. Harper’s, published by Harper and Brothers. Blackwood’s, published by Blackwood. The Gentleman's, published by Chatto and Windus. The Pall Mall Magazine is omitted because it does not belong to a publisher. The table appended gives the names of the following firms and the magazines in which they advertised in the month of December :— ) published by Longman and Co.  AUTHOR. { | | | | | | | > | | | } > } | | } | e = | | | | (ei ais | >| 3 Sit S| | i ae > <= : y = eg tee | KS S Ae ‘ si eae QS a. & ee Se e . & eS ee ae: 4 Oo US | = | Ss 1s Ses | a! § s 3 Z, g Poo = 2 Ss SS) Ses | StS S| eS | Pos = 3 s Ss 3 : s S oS SN . Ree | ro 2 | 1 - | | ~ = | | | | is | ee i oo eee Poe a oe | | | r tela ee [es | is : (eee eo eal ae = Leo 10.1 E Spies as Ss S ) ee 3 = SISIElsisieielais 2|s eS toe S +~ | zg aS = ort os | oot bss Tw; Ss & 2 Pe sl oe ae eS Bel Se | Se | Ble a2 > |4 14 a See eS ls | Se ls Z, a [eia Simlieicibiciaelsi s 4 5 le lel e Si8i8isiSisisi#is2 | as Pet 5 e \ |e l8 Ce | 5 liso is n | | | | | | | Bice itis oe eee ae ee | | | Name oF ADVERTISER. | | | | | BeigckwOOd | 26.6 kiss eee . | a [S | . | | jee ees Chapman and Hall .................... | | & . » | | | eae | | | Chatto and Wimdus....................-| oe. | : | | | | | | | | | | | | | Harper he eee kasi ee ee 33] | x - o | | 95 | | a + | | | | | | peau | sone | - | | | | Sut aud Bier yr ed on 1 |» |» be a a ls Ls : | Posen: Rees fees eau A | | | | | | S Low and Co...........cennsese- 1+ o> ee ee | Pee ee | 8 | —_—— —— ——|—|—_ ||| | | | | VON GMAE 6 cers esc ; wes aa Pa le a a ee | | | | | Ke | Petar ea oe | Pa Ne ee | Da eee eee Ta cacoceceaaneeol Be eee ee ene 1 | ae M Pe | 8 MITA, ....-,-15- | ade | cae | os | a It will be observed by an examination of the table that there are thirteen magazines : advertise in five. , four. Murray Chapman and Hall 9 Macmillan and Co. advertise in twelve. Chatto and Windus > », three. Longmans. y ,, eleven. It will also be observed if we take one of Smith and Elder A ,, eleven. these publishers, the one which seems to adver- Sampson Low and Co. ,, » ten, tise the most in magazines — Macmillan and Harper Brothers n » seven. Co,—that Macmillan advertises in— Longman’s Edinburgh Review .... Harper’s Harper’s .......... Murray’s Quarterly ..... eas ; oe ee Chapman and Hall’s Mortnightly ............... ks And receives a page in an organ of his own from— Longman Murray Chapman and Hall Harper Sampson Low Sampson Low’s Nineteenth Century ieee Smith and Wlder's CormmAill, .. 0... .cce cesses civ cecsewsecues Chatto and Windus’s Gentleman’s ....cc ccc cesnen ccc cen erence ean eeeees Smith and Elder Chatto and Windus.  170 A second group of magazines was then taken. Jt included those published by Newnes, Pearson, Harmsworth, the Religious Tract Society, and many others. The circulation of these magazines ig enormous—ten and twenty times that of some of the older periodicals. Yet there are hardly any publishers’ advertisements in them. Why is this? Is it due to the absence of any arrange- ment about exchanges or “contra accounts ” ? Let us now see how a firm of publishers might work the “contra account” to the ruin of the author. A. B. sends a full-page advertisement of a certain book among others to a dozen maga- zines, paying for each and charging the author his share of the page according to the tariff. He may do this as often as he pleases and whenever he pleases. If the author’s share in each page is 10s., he has £6 charged against him for one month’s advertising in the magazines. If the publisher continues this mode of advertising for six months —all for the good of the book—the account of the book is loaded with £36 for advertising in the magazines. But the other twelve publishers send each a full page advertisement to A. B. and pay for every page. Therefore the “contra account” becomes the mere acknowledgment of an ex- change. The honest A. B. has spent not one farthing of the £36 charged, all of which goes into his own pocket. One would like to see any defence of this practice if it exists. Understand that it is not a question whether certain magazines offer a good medium for adver- tisers: perhaps they do. It is a question whether the author is to be charged where nothing has been paid. It is obviously necessary to guard against a practice in which the opinion of a judge and the verdict of a jury seem to be very much wanted. The methods of safeguarding are (1) to pro- hibit by the agreement any advertising in maga- zines except by the “ contra account” arrange- ment, which costs nothing; (2) to insist on all the details of the charge for advertise- ments; (3) to disallow all such charges, whether provided against by the agreement or not, and to bring the case before the Committee of the Society. These are plain facts: the publishers have a perfect right to make exchanges ; or, if they prefer, to pay for each advertisement, and to send in a “contra account.’ Nor is it suggested that any of these firms do charge their authors for such advertisements. We again refer to the recent case in which Messrs. Sampson Low and Co. explained that such a charge was the error of a clerk — an explanation which involves their THE AUTHOR. denial of the practice. These are facts which, if one month is taken as representing all, go far to prove the custom of exchanges between publishers who own magazines. To prove the custom beyond doubt would involve the analysis of the adver- tisements for a whole year. They do not prove, of course, that authors are charged for these exchanges, but a statement or expression of opinion on the subject from the Publishers’ Association would be welcome. IIl.—Somez Points FoR CONSIDERATION. IL—A PUBLISHING LICENCE. There are one or two points lately brought before the Secretary of the Society which have been commented on in previous numbers of The Author. As, however, the difficulties have arisen again and the dangers have not disappeared, itis worth while bringing them once more to the notice of the members of the Society. The case is as follows: An author goes to one of the most influential houses in England and, after the perusal of his manuscript, is told that the house will publish his book on a fixed royalty basis. The amount paid in royalties does not affect the matter. The publisher further states that he will forward to the author the agreement embodying these terms. In due course the author receives the printed form of agreement, in which the publisher under- takes to publish the work on the terms suggested and settled between them, but with this addition, that the copyright of the work, the translation rights, the dramatic rights, and all other rights that the author can at any future time possess shall be the publisher's. On one or two occasions the author, trusting to the assumed probity of the firm, has signed the agreement, thinking it in accordance with his previous verbal arrangement. On other occasions he has brought the agree- ment to the Society. If the publisher in the first instance had desired to purchase all the rights from the author, he should have then candidly stated to the author that he would produce the book on the royalty basis on the understanding that all these further rights were transferred to him. This he did not do. His arrangement with the author was practically as stated above, a pub- lishing licence subject to a payment of royalties to the author. On one occasion when it was pointed out that the printed agreement was not in accordance with the original arrangement made, the pub-  THE AUTHOR. lisher put forward the excuse that the agreement represented his usual printed form. The real difficulty of the case is apparent. The author, ignorant of his own rights, too often trusts to the publisher. The publisher, on the other hand, ought not to omit the most important items of the contract and afterwards to embody them without comment in his agreement. The agreement should differ from the verbal contract in its minor clauses only. The golden rule is never to part with the copy- right. II.—THE DEFERRED ROYALTY. Another point has come to the notice of the Secretary, to which it is necessary to draw the attention of authors. A large publishing firm whose half - profit agreements have become famous, has, it is believed, decided to issue agreements on the basis of the deferred royalty. The agreement on the basis of deferred royalty is only one point better than the half-profit agree- ment, but it is not even this point better when the royalty is deferred till the cost of production has been covered, as you not only get all the difficulties of accounts in which the cost of pro- duction, the advertising, and other items are included and tend to complicate matters, but the author gets a considerably less sum in payment of deferred royalty than he would have done by half profits. The deferred royalty agreement is one point better when the royalty is paid after a certain number of copies have been sold. It is better for this reason only, that the accounts are simpler and are more easily checked. The author will not, however, obtain a greater return from the royalty. In case any members of the Society receive offers of agreements on the deferred royalty basis it may be as well to point out the serious diffi- culties that have been known in the past to arise from this form of agreement. It is likely that an author will be offered the same amount of royalty after a certain number of copies are sold as he would have been offered if the royalty had been paid at the beginning. If the publisher has practically repaid the cost of the production owing to the deferred royalty (and this he generally takes care to do), then the author should receive at least 30 per cent. royalty on the published price. Another danger is that it is not to the interests of the publisher in many cases to push the sale of the book beyond the number on which no royalty is paid. VOL, x. 171 The publisher is not really looking to the benefit likely to accrue to the author, but only looking to obtaining a reasonable return on the money expended by himself. This difficulty should be guarded against by a clause inserted in the agreement, stating that the publisher undertakes, in the first instance, to print considerably more copies than the number on which he does not intend to pay royalty. There are other points in this form of agreement; for these the author is referred to the “Methods of Publishing,’ and “The Addenda.” Tt is an agreement full of pitfalls, and must not be entered into without careful advice. One of the worst points is the fact that the publisher’s and the author’s interests are opposed and not at one. G. Hy 7. TII.—Lirerary AGENTS. I have been hitherto under the impression that the literary agent made for the author all possible arrangements for publication, serial and im book form, in the British Empire and abroad, and secured the author better terms than he could get for himself. Last week, however, I was shown an agreement for a work which had been placed in an agent’s hands, containing the following clause: “The publishers shall arrange for the issue of an edition in America, and they shall pay the said [author's name| an amount that shall be equal to ro per cent. of the actual sum received by them for the said edition.” I wish to know—(1) Why, if the work is placed in an agent’s hands, the arrangements for the American edition are to be made by the pub- lisher? (2) Whether it is usual for agents to leave American editions to be arranged by the publisher? (3) Why the publisher is to take go per cent. and the author only to, seeing that an opposite arrangement would have been a fairer division, the publisher having done but very little? And finally (4) whether this is evidence that an author should be as careful in the choice of his agent as in the choice of his publisher ? Se mK IV.—Tur New German Copyrient Bri. The sketch of a new copyright law for the German Empire, officially published in the spring of 1899, continues to occupy much attention, and to evoke not a little criticism on the Continent in all circles devoted to the study of copyright. Our German contemporary, Das Recht der Feder, is by no means satisfied with many of the new provisions, and we may add that we entirely agree with the criticisms of the law which have appeared in its pages, and earnestly hope that R  172 THE AUTHOR. they may assist to bring about some important modifications of the suggested enactment. In its present shape the new law will be little better than a half-measure, by which all the interests of authors will be by no means properly safeguarded. V.—Mvsic ComposERS AND PUBLISHERS. The letter signed ‘“ Musical Publisher” in tha December issue of The Author surprises me and interests me as the Secretary of the Society of Authors. Ihave pointed out in The Author on several occasions that the position of musical composers when contracting with the largest and most responsible musical publishers in London is a very unfortunate one. The general form of contract issued by the big musical publishing houses takes, as a rule, every- thing, leaving the composers nothing, and the composers generally sign these contracts in igno- rance of the value and nature of the property they are handing over on the faith of the name of the house with which they are dealing. A typical contract was published in The Author for July, 1899, with explanations. I should like “‘ Musical Publisher” to refer to that number. If musical publishers, as a rule, accepted leases of the composer’s work for a limited time composers would have a_ better chance of reaping the rewards of their own work and labour. If “Musical Publisher” sees this letter I should be very glad if he would enter into com- munication with me. G. Herserr THrRina, Secretary of the Society. os THE METHOD OF THE FUTURE. NOTE will be found in the correspondence of the month on “The Method of the Future.” This method, which is simply the publishing on commission by means of a commission agent or commission publisher, who publishes in no other way and who takes his commission and nothing more, is a_ widely different thing from publishing by commission, as it is generally understood. A simple comparison between the two methods is shown by a reference to the publishers’ Draft Agreements (Kqutable). Thus the latter claim (1) a preliminary fee: (2) a blank commission on printing, paper, binding, advertising, and other disbursements, wiru the right to take dis- count on every item: (3) to be paid in advance, although the printer, &c., will not be paid for three months or more after publication : (4) to take a blank commission on sales: (5) to account | for the sales not at the actual price realised, but at “customary” trade prices, whatever he may choose to name: and (6) to render accounts annually, but not to pay for a period of blank months afterwards. The commission agent of the future charges a commission and nothing else—no discounts: no percentages : nothing For instance, a book may cost, say, £150 for production and may realise, say, £300. The commission agent will take 10 per cent.—say £30—and send the author, as the money comes in, the remainder, £270, out of which he pays £150 for production. ‘ Tf, on the other hand, the book is sent on commission to a general publisher, it will be obvious, by applying the claims set up as detailed above, that the Cost of Production may be very easily swollen to about £220, while the returns, by making a liberal use of the ‘‘ customary trade price ” clause and of the commission, may easily be reduced to about the same sum; so that the unhappy author would not only pay £70 more than the book cost, but would actually get nothing back of his outlay. This is no fanciful portion. It is actually made possible by the clauses in the Publishers’ Draft Agreements (Equitable). This method is strongly advocated (1)’in the case of successful authors of every kind. It may be that at the outset there might be a little friction with the machinery, but that would soon be eased because it would be entirely and com- pletely the interest of the commission publisher to act for the best advantage of the authors. Perhaps in a few cases, but very few, this general publisher would offer so large a royalty that it would seem to be the advantage of the author to remain with him. What assurance, however, would there be that a true return of the sales would be returned? A very high royalty might, in unscrupulous hands, be reduced by a reduction in the returns. In the second place, the method is strongly advocated in the case.of that large class of books —not novels—written by specialists and designed for a special purpose, addressed to a special audience, where publication would advance the author’s interests apart from any possibility of wide circulation. Surely in such cases this method offers the greatest possible advantages. It must never be forgotten that the committee of the Publishers’ Association have insisted on their right to every one of the additions to the cost and the deductions from the sales which are set forth iets  THE AUTHOR. above : every one, except that of charging adver- tisements not paid, and this is passed over with silence deliberate, which, after all that has been said and written on the subject, can only mean that they approve or allow of the practice. And it must be remembered that these monstrous claims have never been disavowed or withdrawn. The Method of the Future then is a Method of pure Self Defence. Nor must this method be confused with that of paying what is humorously called part of the Cost of Production. The old advice given by the Society over and over again still remains ‘Never pay for what publishers refuse to produce at their own expense.’ The reasons are illustrated by what precedes. The commission agent or publisher may also, on his side, refuse to produce, even upon commission, He simply says: “I publish on commission only, and in no other way. I do not want bad and unsaleable books. Good and saleable books I produce on terms which are better than any profit sharing agreement or royalty or ordinary commission by a general publisher can possibly offer. The business of distribution and collection is done by me, and for that I take a moderate commission and nothing else. All is above board—estimates—vouchers— discounts — everything.” exe PARIS NOTES. 5, rue Chomel, Paris. FYNHE scurrilous tone adopted by several low- class French publications in dealing with the Transvaal War has justly excited the indignation of the Anglo-American colony in Paris. But it is a mistake to imagine that the majority of the better - class French public approve the virulent, personal attacks directed against the noble Woman and aged Empress- Queen, who stands foremost—in virtue, as in age —among the contemporary European sovereigns of the twentieth century. As regards the pre- vailing sentiment respecting these attacks, I venture to quote the following phrases taken from a recent leading article in the Jvgaro, than which no French paper is conducted on higher lines, or offers a better mirror of the general feeling of the cultured upper classes: ‘ Nos facons de polémique,” writes Le Passant, ‘“ n’ont pas ¢té inventées 4 lusage des Anglais. Nous faisons pour eux comme pour nous, et ce ne sont méme que des obus perdus qui passent les frontiéres. Le gros de la canonnade est pour notre propre usage. Cela n’empéche pas que ces attaques inconsidérées ne soient tres regrettables. La reine d’Angleterre, 4 défaut de toute autre 173 considération, aurait du en étre préservée par son erand ige.” Nevertheless, a few lines later we are informed that, if Her Majesty reigned in France, ‘“‘ Les journaux -francais lui en diraient bien d’autres!” Under such circumstances, the lot of a French sovereign is scarcely more to be envied than that of its actual President. THe Osiris PRIZE. The commandant Marchand has received the “Prix Audiffred ” of 15,000 francs. This was a foreseen occurrence, and occasioned much satis- faction but little surprise, since the Audiffred Prize was expressly founded to recompense “ les plus beaux, les plus grands dévouements, de quelque genre quwils soient.” But the ‘“ Prix Audiffred”’ sinks into comparative insignificance beside the magnificent triennial prize of 100,000 francs, founded by M. Daniel Osiris to recom- pense the most remarkable discovery, or work, produced during a period of three years’ dura- tion, whether the said discovery, or work, come under the heading of science, art, letters, or the medical and industrial professions. In making the Institute of France the trustees of the Prix Osiris, the donor takes the opportunity to intimate his preference for surgical and patho- logical discoveries, on the ground that they are, generally speaking, the most efficacious in alleviating the suffering of humanity at large. On all ordinary occasions only Frenchmen will be allowed to compete for this prize; but when- ever an international exhibition coincides with the date of the adjudgment of the Prix Osiris, all nationalities are invited to enter the lists. Even if the exhibition takes place one or two years later, the awarding of the prize (which, in the latter instance, would amount to 166,000 francs) may be retarded during this period. Should the successful effort prove the combined outcome of several minds, the prize will be divided among the fortunate collaborators. If any would-be competitor desire further details on the subject, M. Georges Picot, Secrétaire Perpétuel de Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques, will undoubtedly be glad to furnish any infor- mation that may be required. A SeLect CoLuecs. In 1881, M. Jules Claretie called attention to the fact that the Paris “de la rive gauche” enjoyed a monopoly of intellectual instruction to the detriment of the wealthy aristocrats of the Faubourg St. Germain, whose means permitted them to dwell in the more luxurious Paris “ de la rive droite.” He suggested the establishment of a national College on the right bank, in order that the élite of society might be kept in touch 174 with the march of modern intellect, without being forced to cross the bridges which separated them from the poorer inhabitants of the Latin Quarter. In 1899 M. Claretie may rejoice in seeing his suggestion become a realised fact. A little Sorbonne was opened on Dee. 5 at the Bodinitre ; it is rendered select by the fact that only paying members are admitted. This small “ Université mondaine” proposes to deal with the masterpieces of the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and French litera- ture; and among the names on its programme we find those of MM. Leo Claretie, Hugene Len- tilhac, Aug. Dorchain, René Doumic, Emile Faguet, and Mme. Jane Dieulafoy. Since the death of Mme. Rosa Bonheur, the latter is the only woman in France who is legally entitled to walk the streets of Paris in man’s attire—a per- mission of which she avails herself to the full, for she is never seen in feminine garb. As a lecturer she possesses a remarkable facility of language, devoid of the picturesque exaggeration so common to her sex. Mme. Dieulafoy is a great traveller. She and her husband have lived many years in Persia, enjoying the precarious favour of the tyrannical Nassr ed Din; and many of the wild scenes she has witnessed, and in which she has played a part, rival in interest the sensational “Mille et une Nuits” of Dr. C. Mardrus, of which the second volume has lately been given to the public. Arounp M. Bourcer. Despite his reputation for dandyism, M. Paul Bourget is one of the most fertile authors of his school. He has just returned to Paris, and is already publishing a new serial—an interesting study of a fin-de-siecle Parisian ménage—entitled “Te Luxe des Autres.’ He has recently averred that his mental attitude towards our race has undergone a complete transformation. The more he appreciates our good qualities, the more keenly is he aware of the invisible barrier, the “ divergences irréductibles” which alienate his sympathies from us. In brief, he no longer feels his former warm admiration for the English race. This change is not to be attributed to any petty “trimming” for popular favour. The ardent disciple of Hippolyte Taine; the enthusiastic hero-worshipper who revered Balzac before Balzac was a fashionable idol, and who carried his imitation of his hero to such an extreme that, for several years, he went to bed at eight o’clock every night and rose at three o'clock every morning, breakfasting on a bowl of black coffee prepared over-night—because, forsooth, Balzac had recorded that such was his own usual méthode; the successful writer and honoured member of the French Academy, who boldly defied current opinion by perseveringly register- THE AUTHOR. ing his vote (the solitary one) in favour of M. Emile Zola’s admission to the charmed circle— is not the man to be influenced by any baser considerations. Once, in speaking of the leader of the realistic school, M. Bourget remarked : “No one here suspects the reputation which Zola enjoys abroad. His books are read every- where—in the smallest American towns. He is considered the chief, the father, of the modern French novel. Nowhere has he met with such severe censors as those of his own country ; and,” added M. Bourget, emphatically, “Vraiment la jeune critique n’a pas assez de respect pour cette gloire!” Ture Brainnines or M. Mevrice. M. Paul Meurice is still busily engaged in superintending the rehearsals of his adaptation of “Les Miscrables” of Victor Hugo, at the Porte-Sainte-Martin Theatre. This play has been much talked of, and is expected to prove one of the greatest hits of the season. M. Meurice is no novice among dramatists, being the author of “ Struensée” and many other suc- cessful plays. He is almost an octogenarian, and to talk with him is to be transported into a bye- gone era. He made his dramatic début by the aid and with the collaboration of Dumas pére. It happened in this wise :— On one occasion the latter deigned to confide to the shy slender student his project of founding a theatre which should alternately mount his own works and those of foreign classics, Calderon, Lope de Vega, Shakespeare. . . . “ Ah!” sighed Dumas, reflectively, “if I had only the time to translate ‘Hamlet’! What a fine spectacle that would be for the opening night!” “T have a translation of ‘Hamlet’ all ready,” murmured the student, blushing at his own temerity. «A translation in verse ?”’ “ Certainly.” Meurice Was dispatched to fetch his work. Dumas read it and was satisfied. ‘Ma foi, mon enfant,” he said complacently, “je deviendrai ton collaborateur, si, du moins, cela te plait?” The offer was eagerly accepted; but Dumas was procrastinating, and a wearisome period inter- vened before “ Hamlet” was finally produced at the Saint-Germain-en-Laye Theatre. At this epoch the great man was living in princely state at Monte Cristo, submerged in debt, conde- scendingly offering champagne to the bailiffs who came to mouut guard over his furniture. All the critics were invited to be present at the first representation of ‘‘Hamlet.” Meurice shamefacedly hid himself in the side-scenes, while  THE Dumas sat enthroned in a “fauteuil de balcon,” his broad breast literally covered with glittering stars, decorations, and orders. He appeared totally to forget that the piece was his, or rather that he had read and signed it, since it was he who led the applause. But modesty was never the prominent characteristic of this great genius and wholesale plagiarist. ‘- Passions Silencieuses ” is the pathetic title of the novel which M. Henri Gaillard, editor of the Journal des Sourds Muets and secretary-general of the Fédération des Sociétés Frangaises de Sourds Muets, is about to publish. M. Gaillard is physically more highly gifted than the afflicted community over which he presides; for though he totally lost the sense of hearing at the early age of eight years, he has preserved almost intact the faculty of speech, and he will occupy a promi- nent position in the three-day international “Congres du Silence des Sourds Muets,” which will be held in Aug. 1900, in the stately white palace now being erected in the vicinity of the Pont de l Alma. And still further @ propos of the Great Exhibi- tion may be mentioned the exquisite bzbelot which M. Christian, director of the Imprimerie Nationale, is preparing to delight the virtuosos and lettrés of the year 1900. The volume in question bears the date MCM, and is a perfect “chef d’ceuvre’’ of the dual arts of engraving and typography, in addition to containing the history of printing in France during the 15th and 16th centuries. M. Christian has already been engaged two years in its compilation. In the preface he states that “en imprimant cet ouvrage notre ¢tablissement national a surtout pour but d’offrir aux bibliophiles les spécimens les plus curieux et les moins connus de Vart typographique essentiellement francais et @’établir la prééminence de nos artistes par influence qwils exerctrent sur les émules des nations vyoisines 4 |’époque de la Renaissance.” He has certainly succeeded admirably in his aim. Mapame Apam’s Successor. M. P. B. Gheusi, who claims kinship with Gambetta, in addition to being one of the most elegant writers of the present day, has succeeded Mme. Juliette Adam in the editorship of the Nouvelle Revue. Indeed, M. Gheusi is the modern French Crichton who has ‘“ touché a tout sans se spécialiser, méme a la diplomatie ’—since he has recently returned from a diplomatic mission in Asia Minor. Although only thirty years of age, he has already made his mark as an archeologist, poet, lecturer, administrator, novelist, and dramatic author. He isa Toulou- sian by birth, but offers the curious anomaly of AUTHOR. we an undemonstrative Toulousian who prefers reflec- tion to exuberance. He possesses a striking per- sonality, being tall, with intensely black hair, eyes, and beard, finely-cut features, and olive complexion. He has embraced the tenets of M. Constans, and it is reported that he intends to metamorphose the Nouvelle Revue. The latter magazine was founded by Mme. J uliette Adam, who is universally acknowledged to be one of the most brilliant and talented French authoresses of the nineteenth century. Tue Enp or PresipENT Favre. “Ta Fin d’une Présidence ” is the title of M. Witness’ new novel, a “roman a clef” reviving one of the popular legends current at the death of M. Felix Faure. The latter is easily recog- nisable under the pseudonym of “ Prosper Puis- sant,” as is also the case in regard to the fair actress denominated Mlle. Agnes, who was reported to be present at the President’s death, but who was, in reality, engaged elsewhere in the exercise of her profession at the moment when this sad event took place. Nevertheless, ‘ La Fin @’une Présidence” is being widely read, and many persons are firmly convinced of the truth of the fictitious narrative therein contained. In case any of our readers should desire to judge its contents for themselves, we would mention that it is published chez Chamuel. Among books of the month we find ‘le Rappel des Ombres,” by M. B. M. de Vogiié (chez Armand Colin et Cie.) ; ‘‘ L’Ennemie des Réves,” by M. Camille Mauclair (chez Ollen- dort); “4 lAube,” by M. Jean Reibrach ; “‘ Les Boers,” by M. Eugene Morel; “En Mémoire dun Enfant,’ by M. Emile Blémont; ‘ Shake- speare,’ by M. E. Legouis ; and “ Emancipées,” by M. Albert Cim. : DarRAcorre Scott. —___—_ecz NOTES AND NEWS. HAVE to invite very earnest attention to the I scheme for establishing a Pension Fund in connection with the Society. There is no pension for literary folk except their share cf the Civil List. This should give literature another £400 every year. Of late years the administra- tion of the fund has greatly improved, although it still leaves something to.be desired. Yet the grants of pensions are capricious and arbitrary : the pension offered is sometimes ridiculously small, at other times it is absurdly large, consider- ing the small sum at the donor’s disposal. Some- times a case, which would seem especially designed 176 when the annual grant was first proposed, is refused without rhyme or reason: sometimes a person receives a pension while in the full enjoy- ment of his working powers. The pension fund of the Society proposes to grant pensions 1o followers of literature being members of the Society when they grow old or are broken down. The method of raising the necessary income is explained in the paper furnished by the com- mittee. Certain members have led off with promises which, as will be seen,provide a nucleus : others offer a yearly subscription. In publishing the names of the donors it is believed that a great many of our members will follow their example. Besides the donations and the annual subscriptions given for this special purpose it will perhaps be possible, after the number of members has reached a certain figure, to devote a propor- tion of the annual subscriptions to the Pension Fund. Thus, if we begin with a capital sum of £1500 from donations and a promised annual subscrip- tion of £500 for this object: and if we are able to set aside every year, say, another £250 from the annual subscriptions, we should in five years, if we waited for that period before granting any pensions, have a sum of about £5600, producing an annual income of about £150 a year, increasing, if we add £750 a year to our principal, by £20 a year; so that in ten years there would be a sum of £250 a year available in pensions. If, on the other hand, we begin at once by using the interest of our capital for pension purposes, we ought to be able to give for the first year £40: for the second, £60: for the third, £80 a year: and so on. It is quite obvious that even a small pension of £30 a year would be in some cases regarded as avery great help. These figures, however, depend entirely upon the way in which the scheme is taken up. Members will observe that it is not intended to appeal for help—after the manner of the Royal Literary Fund—to the benevolent. The Literary Profession ought to be quite able—it is quite able, if its followers will only think so—to look after those who break down or can work no longer. At the same time I do not suppose that the Com- mittee would refuse to accept gifts from friends and well-wishers. There is another reason for creating a Pension Fund: that of adding stability to the Society. At present, if we admit 200 new members every year, there is sure to be a withdrawal of a certain number, perhaps a hundred or more. ‘These members withdraw because they think that the THE AUTHOR. Society is of no use to themselves personally, for- getting that if it is to be of use to any one there must be a great preponderance of guinea subserip- tions over the number of cases which are taken up, nearly all of which cost the Society a certain amount of law expenses. Now, with a Pension Fund growing every year, it is quite clear that a very strong inducement will be held out to members who might otherwise withdraw to continue. It is not a noble motive: one would far rather find them continuing in the hope of helping those who want help: but we must be thankful that we have our steady supporters— nearly 1500 strong—who do believe in standing by the weaker brethren. In the last number appeared a letter from Mr. Robert Maclehose,of Glasgow. It was prefaced by a few words on the general situation, and followed by a reprint of the report of our sub- committee on the subject. All three documents made quite clear the fact that the majority of booksellers are willing to try the experiment of coercion: we had already recognised that fact, and we proposed that booksellers should have their own way without opposition from our- selves for such a term as would make it possible to decide on the value of the scheme. At present it certainly looks as if the booksellers would get nothing out of it. But we shall see. Mr. Maclehose does not meet two very important points. (1) That the Authors’ Society was not con- sulted on the final adoption of the measure: and the Authors’ Society, representing the original creators and proprietors of the property, is not likely to allow their own interests to be used as a means of increasing the power and importance of the middle man. (2) It does not meet the awkward fact that the agreement binds the bookseller, but does not bind the publisher. Mr. Maclehose says that book- sellers were unwilling to “imply a doubt of the honour of the members of the Publishers’ Asso- ciation.” This is truly wonderful. Not to doubt the honour of the association? Has Mr. Macle- hose read a certain book called ‘“ Methods of Publishing” ? Or, to put it generally, are all men of business to be bound by contracts and conditions except publishers, who alone among mortals are to be held divine and above the reach of temptation? The simplicity of the statement is almost incredible were it not that it is obviously advanced in perfect good faith. We do not, as Mr. Murray was good enough to* say that we did, accuse all publishers of dis- honesty, but one thing may be stated as a law of humanity that, where any body of men have it in  THE AUTHOR. their power to rob, cheat, thieve, and le with ‘impunity, then there will be among them a certain proportion of those who will take advan- tage of this impunity. So that we end as we began: that the book- sellers will have no kind of interference from the Authors’ Society: after a certain time they will probably be asked what advantage they have gained. And meantime the depression of the book trade is growing steadily worse, and the impoverishment of the bookseller is increasing. The extension of the term of copyright con- tinues to be advocated. It is, of course, always advanced as a measure in the interests of the author and his heirs. Nothing could be more absurd. The extension of copyright, if the pre- sent methods are preserved, would be entirely in the interests of the publisher. Those who so confidently talk of the author’s interests are probably unaware that nearly every agreement between author and publisher assigns to the latter the exclusive right of publishing the book in this country, or the copyright, during the legal term. It is, of course, evident that any agreement which might be fair for a limited term might be very much the contrary in the case of a book so fortunate as to be still in demand for an extended term. The extension of the term of copyright would, in fact, affect very few books indeed ; but in the case of those which it did affect the ordinary royalty, or the price given for a sale outright, would be quite inadequate for a book so exceptional, The only way to meet the case is for the author to assign the right of publication, in this country at least, for a short term of years. Thus, if a five years’ term were adopted, the book at the end of that time would be dead and forgotten, or it would be still a property. In the former case, no publisher would want to produce it again ; in the latter case, the author would be able to make new terms for another short period. If sucha plan were adopted, the legal terms of copyright cannot be too much extended. Another advantage would be that it would keep the publisher in check. He would know very well in the case of a valuable book that if he failed in his duty towards the author he would lose that book at the end of the period agreed upon. Also it would make quite clear to his mind that the present view of some publishers, that literary property is theirs by right, to do what they like with, is based upon a strange confusion. ee The Manchester Guardian proposes that after an author’s death his books shall all be thrown 177 open to any publisher who pleases to produce them, subject to some royalty to the author’s heirs—it says the “same” royalty, meaning apparently the same which was paid in the author’s lifetime. But that might be a most unjust and unfair royalty. Moreover, in the case of very popular books, publishers would have the power of underselling each other—we have seen the cut-throat folly of the sixpenny edition—to the loss and detriment of the author's heirs. It is difficult to legislate for the protection of those wao own property or for those who ought to own it. I should rather suggest that the author’s heirs should have the power t) grant the right of publishing to any they please on any terms they please—but for a limited period only. In other words, they would not be allowed to part with the property out of the family. It would be like a landed estate which is not divided among all the heirs but goes as a solid possession to one. How many authors in one century would create a solid possession? In the nineteenth century Scott, Dickens, Marryatt, Thackeray, among novelists, and a few scattered novels besides ; among poets there would be a property large or small in the work of Wordsworth, Scott, Byron, Keats, Tennyson, Browning, Swinburne. Legisla- tion would not be for a class, but for one or two here and there. Will my correspondent who signed a letter in the last number of this paper “ M. St. J.” kindly send me his name and address? I have mislaid both. Water Besant. = THE AUTUMN OUTPUT. ~N the November number of The Author were offered certain comments on the list of publi- cations announced for the autumn and classified by Literature. One would like the phrase “ promised by ” the publisher to be dropped. A pound of tea is not “ promised” by the grocer : and the publisher conducts his business strictly on the same principles. He “offers” the public, through a bookseller, a book which he has reason to believe will be acceptable to a certain circle of readers who will buy it. A “high class jam” is offered in the same spirit. Always we must distinguish between the commercial and the literary side of literature. Among the books—1500 in number—classified and enumerated were 353 novels. Naturally the world regarded this threatened cataract of novels with terror. Some there were, however, who 178 were doubtful. A list has now been made of all the novels actually published between the rst Oct. and the 15th Dec. As was expected by the doubter, the announcements were in a great many cases merely made for the purpose of swelling a list. Out of the whole number of 353 in the first list only 242 have appeared. Perhaps the depressed condition of the book market has had something to do with the Slaughter of the Innocents. This depression was severely felt early in the year—it has become steadily worse. It is now by some attributed to the war, which stimulates rather than depresses the reading public, though at first chiefly in the direction of subjects con- nected with South Africa. Chiefly it 1s due to the same causes which have been pointed out by the sub-committee of this Society—causes which continually aggravate the impoverishment of booksellers. No bookseller, however, if he had the wealth of Lombard-street at his back, could afford to risk his money in subscribing to the great mass of books now produced and offered to him. The fact, however, remains that a third of the novels announced have not appeared. The prudence of this withdrawal is to be commended. Tt is next necessary to consider by whom the new novels are written, and what is their chance of success. A closer examination of the list shows about sixty names which may be presumed to carry weight. That is to say, there are sixty out of all these novels which are tolerably certain to enjoy a remunerative circulation. In many cases the remuneration may be very small. Still, prac- tically there is no risk in producing them. There remain 182. Does this large nuimber represent the speculative spirit of the publishers —the sporting or gambling side? Not quite. We may divide them into three classes : (1.) Books written by new writers which have been strongly recommended by the reader, and are taken on their merits on the strength of that opinion. This class is very small. (2.) Books in which the authors pay part of the cost of production. This is a very consider- able class. Judging from the number of offers to publish on these terms it is a much larger class than would be generally believed. (3.) Books which the better publishers have unanimously refused, and which are published by the miserable shops where the author is misled, by promises of large profits and no “further risk,” to undertake the whole cost himself. As regards the first: class, all that is to be said is that there is hope for them. The opinions of an experienced reader are generally cautious. He does not recommend a risk unless he clearly per- THE AUTHOR. ceives that the chances of success are greater than the chances of failure. We may confidently expect that out of the autumn list one or two new names will emerge, to be added to the list of those which command a certain clientéle. It is, of course, impossible to say how many of the 182 belong to this class. It is, however, quite possible to point to a good many books which have no chance at all of success. Among these are the books issued—one cannot say published—by the worthy gentlemen whose reader is always so favourably impressed,—and so quickly—that by return post after the MS. has been received, they offer the “ following most advantageous terms,” viz., three-fourths, or two- thirds, or nine-tenths of the profits: an edition of 750 copies: no risk to the author beyond a little preliminary cheque of £75—or anything else— all future editions to be the care of the firm, and cheques every half-year. It is amazing to note how this bait catches the unwary and the credu- lous. There are never any profits; no bookseller will subscribe a copy; the Stoke Pogis Gazette is the only paper which notices the production. Another class of unfortunates is that of those who agree to guarantee a certain number of copies and omit to notice that nothing is said about advertising, and nothing about any share of profits if the book succeeds. It never does succeed. The profits are less than those made by Bob Sawyer in his general practice at Bristol. There is the class, again, of those who pay part of the vost, and are humorously informed that they are to share the profits. A perusal of the publishers’ “Draft Agreements” (Equitable) should enlighten these unhappy ones as to the nature of the share. “Half the risk and half the profits.” Admirable! Equitable indeed! Lastly, there is a small class of those who boldly undertake the publishing of their books by means of a commission publisher who charges no unpaid advertisements, no “ office expenses,” and takes his commission only. Let us encourage this class by any means in our power. =P OKs CORRESPONDENCE. L—<Tur Mernop or THE FUTURE.” ° HE method of the future” is with us— |" has been for, at least, mouths. Time will soon arrive to inquire if it is to justify its description. To the editor of this paper literature is largely indebted for its genesis ; to him all those who write owe it to see that the description he has given it shall be justified. It is of tremendous importance to  THE letters that it should be adequately supported. Yet it would not appear that any work of first- rate importance, appealing to the general public, and commanding a large sale, has been thus pub- lished. Is it not permissible to call the attention of the lords of the literary world to the position, and to ask if even one is willing to demonstrate his confidence in the system, and give it the powerful impetus which a work of assured success would command for it? Will Mr. Hall Caine, Mr. Anthony Hope, Mr. Zangwill, Mr. Gilbert Parker, Mrs. Humphry Ward, or another of the Upper Ten bring up one of their 4.7in. guns? Now is the time to strike for freedom. OBSERVER. Il.—On Weritine ror THE MAGAZINES. Your note about magazine writing seems to me a little misleading. You say that only four writers contribute as many as five articles in the course of a year to any single magazine or review. That must surely be only true with a reservation. Besides Mr. Lang in Longman’s there is the “Tooker On” in Blackwood, and the writer of “ Conferences ” in the Cornhill. Also you do not allow for the fact that the regular magazine writer sometimes, for one reason or another, does not sign. I have myself published unsigned articles in magazines three or four times in the last two years. Also your purview omits the quarterlies. But the essential point is that a writer in any demand can easily dispose of a dozen articles in the year among the different periodicals, 1.€., can add from £150 to £200 or more to his income. That is sufficiently proved by the fact that I, with no particular reputation to assist me, have had well over a score of articles published in what I should call the best periodicals between the years 1898 and 1899. The Author, I think, might very properly recog- nise the service done to literature, or at least to the literary men and women who wish to write other things than fiction, by those publishers who issue quarterlies and monthlies which either make a loss at the year’s end or a very small profit, but pay handsomely a large number of people for writing about subjects on which they speak with special knowledge or special compe- tence. It is in fact the magazines which enable the critic to exist and to write without hurry and with a reasonable space at his command. Ss. (‘The “ serials,’’ which include running “ Confer- ences,” were expressly excluded. As regards the service done to literature by the existence of magazines, that is undoubted—but it is not the point. As for the “loss or the very small AUTHOR. 179 profit,” if the magazines did not pay they would be soon dropped. But they pay in many ways, even though they may show some loss at the year’s end: they pay m getting the publishers’ name known and advertised ; in attracting good writers to a firm; and (see p. 168) perhaps by exchange and the contra account.—ED. | I1].—Tue Same Otp Srory—Ever New. The story is the same, ’tis only the case that is new. The invalid daughter of a literary man tries to support herself by literature and fails. Not because she has not the essential qualifica- tions for success, but because the editors who accept her MSS. defer payment for two years. Kt she ventures to remind them of the guineas over- due, back comes the MS. We know that this is no new thing in literary life, but Zhe Author, by creating a reasonable public opinion on the subject, will make such unbusiness-like ways an old evil memory. E. L. WriLiraMs. TV.—TuHe UnproressionaL JOURNALIST. I wish to indorse what has been repeatedly stated in The Author, that journalism, magazine and review writing, does not as a rule provide an income. I am one of the writers qaoted in your November number, who had one article in a big review in the course of one year. In lesser magazines I had two or three within the same period, besides weekly articles in sixpenny papers. L otten receive as little as half-a-guinea for a short article, and sums of a guinea or less for paragraphs, notes, and short reviews of books. However, I get the books and keep them, and these are to me valuable assets. I can’t say that I am very disappointed if IL find at the end of the year that I have only earned £100. This year I fancy that I shall exceed that sum by a good margin. I have now launched a novel at no risk to myself, and I am to have a royalty when it passes out of serial into book form. You will, of course, be shocked to learn that I have condescended to aceept as little as one guinea for each of my short stories. But my idea is that if my stories over a pseudonym win a little favour from the public, i shall thus have advertised my wares and shall be able perhaps to ask higher terms. But I have wasted space in your columns if in the end Ido not disclose my object in writing. This is to ask your readers if introductions to other writers could not be effected by means of the Society. For instance, if only I knew who are the authors who live in my locality and are 180 members of the Society, I could in the usual manner procure personal introductions through neighbours, without breach of etiquette or of the «“ convenances” of society. This at least would assist the interchange of experience, and authors of my calibre not too overburdened with work would find a pleasant and perhaps profitable connection with others able to advise and assist in literary matters. Di ett V.—Epiror1AL PROMPTNESS. Would you allow me to call attention to a general grievance amongst “ scientific’? writers, and at the same time as an example to refer to an error that has probably disappointed some of the public, and which appeared in an article in a certain magazine for October, entitled “ The Great Meteor Shower of 1899.” In thisitis stated “ that the culmination of the shower is expected in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Nov. 14. 3 There will be a thin crescent moon.” This descrip- tion of the age of the moon, however, must have been written for last year, as it did not correspond to its condition on that date for 1899. More- over, the very date was wrong; for reliable calcu- lations for this year made it the 15th-16th. The error is interesting, particularly to specialist writers on any subject whatever, as exhibiting what is probably due to a magazine editor’s usual want of promptness and his frequent in- difference to appropriateness. The probability in this case was that the article was written in 1898 and held over till 1899. This fault is common to most European magazines, and is frequently occasioned by changes in the editorial staff. The fact, however, remains that the moon this year on Nov. 14 was three days from being full moon, and that the Leonid shower, or what remained of it, ought to have been at its grandest about 6 a.m. on the 16th, twenty-eight hours only before full moon. I recall several provoking yet amusing instances of editorial (magazine) indifference to fact. A few years ago an article of mine appeared with a plan of an ancient house that I had carefully drawn to a scale of 1-200th; the plan, however, without my being consulted, was reduced in size without any alteration of the scale index, which must have been between 1-400th and 1-52oth, thus implying that the original house was less than half the size I indicated. A German friend of mine, a Government architect, sent an important archeological paper to an editor in his own country, who held it over for a year before pub- lishing it, thus giving someone else the chance to pose as the first exponent of the subject. This indifference does not affect the daily Press to such THE AUTHOR. a degree, but in Italy an amusing case occurred which was told me, as far as I remember, by my friend Signor G. Grahlovitz, the learned director of the two seismic observatories in Ischia. It seems that Professor Palmieri of the Vesuvian Observatory had been misquoted in a Neapolitan daily paper about some seismic matter, and that he wrote to the editor to protest; the only consolation which he received was a com- munication from the editor to the effect that “We have made you say it, and you must now stick to it!” As for the advantages to be gained by publish. ing an article in time, I suppose that the average busy office-bound magazine editor, unless a man | of the world, cannot see across the Channel so easily as the more free public and also those specialists who watch their subjects from a wider, European, or even more extended, area of view. Dec., 1899. H. P. FitzGreratp Marriorr, ViI.—Tue Question oF REVIEWS. Undoubtedly reviews advertise a book, and it is equally without doubt that there is not sufficient space in our papers for the adequate reviewing of all the books that appear. But can anyone tell me why so much space is always devoted to those authors who, having “arrived,” need no adver- tising save the announcement that a new work of theirs has come out; while the new-comers, the “ unarrived,”’ are hastily dismissed with a few lines, half a column at the most, of careless, indiscriminate, useless praise or blame ? Now I submit that if a practically unknown writer produce a work of any merit at all, there is no reason why he should be docked of a fairly exhaustive review in order that the refined gold of the popular author may have an extra gilding. For to the beginner, advertisement, encourage- ment, and criticism are of the utmost value: he may be able by their aid to take his proper place in the field of literature, to learn his strength — and his weakness; while the celebrity, who has probably half-a-dozen more books sketched out, or perhaps appearing in magazines, requires no such assistance. Of course critics and editors are naturally more interested in their tried favourites than in new men, but the question is—have they any right to consult personal taste at all? Is criticism to be a mere matter of what I like or you like ? [ feel sure most persons will agree with me that the columns, and even pages, of flattery 80 lavishly bestowed upon the successful—together — with the lengthy abuse often directed against bad work—take up at least two-thirds of the space allotted to the reviewing of books in our papers,  THE AUTHOR. and that there might well be reform in this direc- tion. If an author be already famous, why “boom” him? If a book be undeniably feeble, why not let it die in peace’ QUERIST. VII.—On Tryinc More tHan One Epiror. i T’m rather afraid that I could not have made my meaning very clear, for the editor misunder- stands me. It is quite certain that weeklies sometimes publish without sending the author a proof or an acceptance notice. For the editor himself tells us, in “ My First Book,” that this occurred with an article which he sent to Once a Week. “ The first notice that I received,” he says, “ that the paper was accepted was when I saw it in the magazine, bristling with printer's errors.” And the same thing has occurred within my own experience. Manifestly, therefore, the sending of copies of the same article to more than one weekly is a somewhat dangerous device; and I, for one, should never employ it with weeklies. But with monthlies there ought, one would think, to be no danger at all. Has any contributor ever had an article published in a monthly magazine without first receiving either a proof or a simple notification that the “copy”? had been sent to press ? Perry Barr. [Note.—The incident is true, but the cause of it was an accident. The paper had just changed hands; the new editor found my article in proof, but could not find the name of the author. He published it, and on my calling to expostulate explained the matter with apologies. Such a thing has never again happened to me in more than thirty years of writing for magazines.— Eprror. | II. The question revived by Perry Barr as to the expediency (for it is only one of expediency) of sending the same work to several editors is one on which I should say that the wiser course was not to do it. If I were the editor, and a writer asked me to send back an article sub- mitted to me, as it had been already accepted by another editor, I should certainly send back every article sent me by that writer without examina- tion. Asa writer of magazine articles of many years’ experience (I have contributed to the Atlantic from the month in which it was founded by James Russell Lowell, and to most of the older magazines, English and American), I have made it my rule never to send an article without first asking the editor if he would read it, and if I broke the rule, it would be with the expectation of having it sent back to me. I have rarely had 181 an article rejected, and I think that of those which on second reading I thought it worth while to keep in MS. there are not in my drawer more than two or three serious essays and two stories. Tf Mr. Barr had had a little editorial experience of the enormous quantity of articles some editors have to look at, for of reading all of them there can be no question, he would hardly expect a prompt answer except in the case of the rejection of the article from sheer want of literary interest. In such cases as that of the magazine instanced in the communication of “A member of the Society of Authors,” I think the publication of the name of the magazine in the pages of The Author would be a proper service to be rendered the body of writers, of whom only the weak members would be likely to trouble that editor thereafter. Personally I have always found the editors of those magazines to which I have had the privilege of contributing of unexceptionable politeness, and have in only one case met with discourtesy, even in the form of the refusal, from the editor of a magazine to which I had never before contributed, and to which I never offered another article. But if I offered my articles to two or three editors simultaneously, I should expect after a short experience to be treated very curtly. My experience with both English and American magazines is that the articles which, after the preliminary demand as to the desire for an article on the subject proposed, are accepted, are sent to me in proof as the sole intimation of acceptance. A writer who sends an article to an editor, not knowing if the subject is one on which the maga- zine is not already loaded with one or more on the same theme, risks very uselessly a rejection with- out any reference to the quality of his article. If my memory serves me rightly the Century has had 3000 essays sent in in the course of a year. T have had articles accepted by it and not pub- lished for years, which is easily understood when we know that it has had on hand in the form of articles accepted (and generally paid for on acceptance), with illustrations appertaining, to the value of £200,000. Of these many, accepted and paid for, have to go overboard. Inexperienced magazine writers have no conception of the amount of matter the leading magazine editors have to do with, and the least they can do is to ascertain if there is a market for the article they have to dispose of. W. J. STILLMAN. Ill. Tf one has sent copies of the same article to more than one magazine, two editors might publish it simultaneously, neither of them having communicated with the author, who in that case  182 will probably never approach either of them with success again. I may say that I have had an article published in a monthly (a new and struggling one, without having received any proofs, though not without previous communica- tion from the editor. Another point has occurred to me. Suppose an author has sent duplicates of an article to two monthlies, one of which pays better than the other, and that the editor of the one which pays at the lower rate accepts his article before the other editor has read it. He will then have to write and withdraw his article from the better paying magazine, and that, pos- sibly, just as the editor was about to send him a proof. This would be disastrous ; though, on the other hand, in the case of an article dealing with some topic of the moment, which must be pub- lished at once or not at all, it might be a less risk than the likelihood that the contribution will be kept until valueless by the first magazine to which it is sent, and then rejected M. C. A. > 0<——_____—_ BOOK AND PLAY TALK. \ | R. EDWARD CLODD is writing a memoir of the late Mr. Grant Allen, but according to present intentions it will not be a book by itself. It will, that is to say, be incorporated with some one of Grant Allen’s volumes of scientific essays. This is following the precedent Mr. Clodd set im the case of another personal friend, Henry Walter Bates, to whose “ Naturalist on the Amazons” he pre- fixed a memoir in 1892. Mr. Leslie Stephen is busily occupied upon his new work, “The English Utilitarians,” and it will probably appear in the spring. It is in three volumes, and deals especially with Bentham, and James and John Stuart Mill. Mr. Barrie’s story, “Tommy and Grizel,” begins in Scribner’s Magazine this month. It is a sequel to “ Sentimental Tommy,” who, of course, is said to have been sketched from R. L. Stevenson. Among other notable contributions to Seribner’s during the year will be a series of articles on present-day Russia by Mr. Henry Norman, who has recently made an extensive journey through that country. A new racing story by Mr. Edward H. Cooper, entitled ‘The Monk Wins,” will be published this month by Messrs. Duckworth. Stories by Mr. G. R. Sims (“In London’s Heart ”) and Mr. Algernon Gissing (“A Secret THE AUTHOR. of the North Sea”) will be published shortly by Messrs. Chatto and Windus. “Folly Corner” is the title of a new story by Mrs. Henry Dudeney, which Mr. Hememann will publish in a week or two. Among the books of the spring season will be a volume of stories by Mr. Robert Barr, entitled «The Strong Arm,” and a volume of war stories by Mr. Stephen Crane. New volumes to appear in Messrs. Blackie’s “Victorian Era Series” include a monograph on Beaconsfield, by Mr. Harold Gorst ; an account of Ireland in the Queen’s reign, by Mr. J. A. BR. Marriott; and a volume on India since the Mutiny, by Mr. R. P. Karkaria. The Argosy will henceforth be published by Mr. George Allen instead of Messrs. Macmillan. Tts new editor is Mr. Herbert Morrah, who iutends to develop the magazine and mtroduce new features. Another change of the kind is that the Badminton Magazine, hitherto published by Messrs. Longmans, will now be published by Mr. Heinemann. Mr. Charles Lowe is the author of “ Our Greatest Living Soldiers,” which Messrs. Chatto and Windus are about tc publish. It consists of biographical sketches of Lord Wolseley, Lord Roberts, Sir Evelyn Wood, Lord Kitchener, Sir Donald Stewart, and other famous soldiers. Professor Skeat has just been made the re- cipient of his portrait, subscribed for by many friends and admirers. The presentation took place at the annual meeting of the Modern Lan- guages Association, of which the Professor was president this year. Another distinguished scholar who has been honoured is Professor Pasquale Villari. ‘To mark Professor Villari’s. completion of forty years as a teacher, his friends have established a ‘Fondazione Villari,’ for historical studies, in connection with the Instituto Superiore of Florence. “The Semitic Series ” is the latest collection of books to be announced. Its object is to present in popular scientific form an account of the Babylonians, Assyrians, and other ancient Semitic races. Professor Sayce is to edit the handbooks, each of which will be written by a specialist. The first is by himself — “ Baby- lonians and Assyrians.” Mr. John Nimmo is the publisher. Mr. T. F'. Dale is writing the life of the late Duke of Beaufort, which Messrs. Constable will publish. The recent vicissitudes in the affairs of Messrs. Harper and Brothers have culminated, says the Chicago Dial, in the formal transfer of the busi-  THE ness to a trustee, under the conditions of a mort- gage for a large sum held by Messrs. J. Pierpoint Morganand Co., bankers. The trustee has appointed as agent Mr. G. B. M. Harvey, proprietor of the North American Review, who has thus become the legal and actual manager of the Harper estab- lishment. It is stated that this step was taken by mutual agreement, and with the full approval of the Messrs. Harper, as being the best method of effecting a permauent readjustment of their affairs. Although the amount of their indebted- ness is given as over a million sterling, the assets are believed to exceed that sum considerably, and with the fresh assistance, financial and adminis- trative, which the house will receive, there will, adds the Dial, be no impairment of its credit or efficiency. The house of Harper and Brothers was founded nearly a century age. New stories by Mrs. Humphry Ward and Mr. Zangwill will appear in Harper's Magazine this year. “Managers are literally at their wits’ end to know where to get plays,” says a recent article in Literature. A performance of John Oliver Hobbes’s new play, ‘“‘Osbern and Ursyne,” has been given in New York by Mr. Charles Frohman. The author has two other plays in hand, one on behalf of Mr. George Alexander and the other with parts for Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Maude. Mr. Kinsey Peile is dramatising “ Red Pottage x in collaboration with the author of the novel, Miss Cholmondeley. Mr. Kyrle Bellew has secured a new play on the subject of modern life in London, by Mr. Louis Parker and Mr. Addison Bright, as well as the rights of Mr Henry Hamilton’s adaptation of Dumas’ “ Count of Monte Cristo.’’ The former will be produced first when Mr. Bellew fixes upon a theatre. Mr. Wyndham intends to revive “ Dandy Dick” about the end of January. After that, “ Cyrano.” Mr. Tree will produce “ A Midsummer Night's Dream” at Her Majesty’s on the roth inst. In the event of its not running until the end of the season, he will revive “ Rip Van Winkle,” but in a new version. A copyright performance of General Wallace’s “Ben Hur” has been given by Mr. Frohman’s company at the Duke of York’s. The play will shortly be produced in London. The Actors’ Association discussed on Dec. 15, under Mr. Tree’s presidency, and in his theatre, a scheme brought forward by the committee with a view to providing for the election, training, and AUTHOR. 183 registration of actors. The scheme proposed that teachers of acting and elocution with ten years’ experience of the stage should be entitled to apply for a diploma enabling them to select and train recruits for presentation to a Central Board for examination. Another clause provided that three years’ work and a diploma from the Central Board should entitle members to write F.A.A. (Fellow of the Actors’ Association) after their names. Mr. Tree said there was a widespread feeling that those who set out to be actors should be capable of acquiring a rudimentary knowledge of the practice of the art in its initial stages. Mr. Forbes Robertson and Mr. J. D. Beveridge moved, and Mr. Wilson Barrett and Mr. Acton Bond supported, the adoption of the scheme. Mr. Hare, Mr. Edward Terry, Mr. Henry Neville, and Mr. Cecil Raleigh were amongst the majority who opposed it, however, and on a show of hands being taken it was decided to refer the scheme back to the committee for further consideration. Mr. Hare spoke of the attempt of a few years ago to form an Academy of Acting, and said that he himself threw up the sponge in the face of evidence that the right men to do the teaching would not become teachers. Mr. John Hollingshead’s benefit performance will take place at the Empire on Tuesday after- noon, Jan. 30. Among those who will take part in the entertainment is Miss Nellie Farren, who will be seen with Kate Vaughan, Edward Royce, and Edward Terry in a “ Gaiety Quartette.” BOOKS AND REVIEWS. (In these colwmns notes on books are given from reviews which carry weight, and are not, so far as can be learned, logrollers.) PAoLo AND FRANCESCA, by Stephen Phillips (Lane, 4s. 6d. net), a poetic drama, presents ** the story of the tragedy of Malatesta in its simplest form, without the accessories which various commentators of the sixteenth century have added to the story as told by Dante.” The Times adds that it is “a very beautifnl and original rendering.” The Daily Telegraph says that no one who reads the book ‘“ can have any doubt that we possess in Mr. Stephen Phillips one who redeems our age from its comparative barrenness in the higher realms of poetry.” The Daily News says that Mr. Phillips “is indeed a capable and conscientious workman ” ; and the Spectator says that Mr. Phillips ‘‘ has touched the story with a master’s hand, and in the noblest spirit of tragedy.” TeNNYSON, RusKIN, MrILx, and Other Literary Estimates, by Frederic Harrison (Macmillan, 8s. 6d.), are studies, says the Daily Chronicle, “ for all to read who desire in historical literature some golden mean between partisan romance and minute erudition.” Besides the writers named above, the volume deals with Arnold, Symonds, Froude, Freeman, and also with Gibbon, Lamb, and Keats. In the opinion of the Chronicle, the most valuable portion of the book is that 184 devoted to Mr. Ruskin as “ Master of Prose” and as “ Prophet.” Srupy AND STaGcz, by William Archer (Richards, 5s.), and Framers oF Minp, by A. B. Walkley (Richards, 53.), are reviewed together in Literature and the Daily Chronicle. The books contain the views of the writers “on literature, the stage, and, implicitly, on life. Their methods entirely differ.’ Mr. Archer, says Literature, “ gives us the skirl of Highland music, the note of war. His criticism kills with cut and thrust,” and his book “‘is valuable both asa record and on account of its intrinsic interest.” Mr. Walkley’s taste is for the French manner of wounding; he does his business with equal effect to “the lascivious pleasing of a lute,” and his book is “ extremely welcome.” The Daily Chronicle also discusses the “two tempera- ments,” and describes both books as containing “ brilliant work.” On Books anv Arts, by Frederick Wedmore (Hodder and Stoughton, 6s.), “ is a little book of short and lively essays,” says Literature, ‘pleasant to look at and to look into.” The greater number deal with questions of art, “ but to see the writer at his best one should turn to his dramatic notes, such as that in which he compares Joe Jeffer- gon’s pathos with that of Elia, or to his discourse on the short story, or to where he runs on engagingly about his curios, deprecatingly labelled as ‘My Few Things.’ In all these we find examples of a well-cultivated taste in irony.” Tue Decay oF SENSIBILITY, by Stephen Gwynn (Lane, 6s.), consists of literary essays. The first, from which the book takes its name, “is a clever piece of criti- cism on Miss Austen,” and the Spectator adds of the book -as a whole that it ‘“ will be read with great pleasure, but the reader will lay it down with the slightly ruffled sense of having been a good deal contradicted.” Tur BACKWATER OF LiFE; or, Essays of a Literary Veteran, by James Payn (Smith, Elder and Co., 6s.), “is probably destined,” says the Daily News, “to close the long list of the productions of that prolific and delightful writer. ‘The twelve papers which are comprised within its covers are eminently characteristic of the author, above all in the subtle blend of humour and pathos—the vein of wise reflection, the cheerful views of life which have so often given pleasure to his readers.” Literature, in welcoming the volume, describes Mr. Leslie Stephen’s introduction to it as “warmly sympathetic, but, at the same time, finely critical.” The Daily Telegraph remarks that the book is “written with conspicuous charm and grace.” Pre-RAPHAELITE DraRizgs AND LuetTrTers, edited by William Michael Rossetti (Hurst and Blackett, 6s.) ‘‘is a book of odds and ends about Rossetti and his circle, very trivial and pointless sometimes, but containing many interesting things by the way; and full of humour.” That is the Daily News verdict. How Souprers Fiaut, by F. Norreys Connell (Bowden, 3s. 6d.), ‘‘ will do something,” says the Daily Chronicle, “to give the non-military reader an idea of what modern war is like.” The illustrations are ‘‘largely the work of well- known military artists, and they help the reader to realise what fighting looks like.” TEMPERATE CHILE; A PROGRESSIVE SPAIN, by W. Anderson Smith (Black, 10s. 6d.) is a book “‘ not only charm- ing and amusing to read,” says the Daily Chronicle, ‘* but of sterling value to the naturalist.” Mr. Smith is a member of the Scottish Fisheries Board, who was deputed by the Government to report upon the fish and sea-birds of “ this land of myriads of islands and creeks, with its marvellous vegetation, with its incredible wealth of fin and feather, and its rainfall of 160in. per annum.” THE AUTHOR. THe CHRISTOLOGY oF JESUS, by the Rev. James Stalker (Hodder and Stoughton, 6s.), consists of six lectures, treating of the various titles of our Lord. “ Dr. Stalker has handled the subject,” says the Spectator, “not only with learning, but (what is rarer) with judgment; steering his way with a fine critical and religious tact among the numberless ingenious theories that are so freely produced in Germany.” In CoNNECTION WITH THE Dr WILLOUGHBY CLAIM, by Frances Hodgson Burnett (Warne, 6s.), is a story of rural life in the Southern States, before and after the war, and, says the Spectator, “is excellent both in matter and manner. The plot may best be described as a variant on : the story of the Ugly Duckling.” Tom de Willoughby, — — although belonging to a “ first family,’ was a “ sport,” for : his figure was ungainly, his address awkward, and his intellectual outfit sadly to lack. It is with the expansion of his nature that the book deals. The Daily Chronicle says that the author’s pathos has never been truer, her humour : never more engaging, than in this new work. The Daily Teles ae graph calls it “one of the most moving novels of the : year.” Tus STtoRY OF THE TREASURE SEEKERS, by E. Nesbit (Unwin, 6s.), sets forth the adventures of a family of six motherless children living in a London suburb, and is “‘ one of those rare books,” says the Spectator, ‘‘ which enable a reviewer to earn the gratitude of the public by the simple f act of cordial recommendation.” “It will entertain and T touch any adult reader who is not destitute of natural affec- tions.” Some ExpERIENCES oF AN Ir1sH R.M., by E. Gi. Somer- ville and Martin Ross (Longmans, 6s.) leads the Spectator to remark that “if there were many women writers like iste Miss Martin and Miss Somerville, the discussion whether their sex is deficient in the sense of humour would be not merely otiose but impertinent.” “ But it must not be thought that these stories are mere pieces of caricature”: the various typical personages introduced are all drawn from the life of modern Galway and Cork. “THE AUTHOR.” SCALE FOR ADVERTISEMENTS. Front Page ave oe £4 0 0 Other Pages 8 ee Half of a Page ... - 110 0 Quarter of a Page . 015 0 Eighth of a Page eA oye aay wee OE Single Column Advertisements perinch 0 6 0 Bills for Insertion... aay per 2000 3 0 0 Reductions made for a Series of Six or Twelve Insertions. & All letters respecting Advertisements should be addressed to the fb ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER, The Author Office, 4, Portugal-street, : London, W.O, Mr. J Eveleigh Nash, LITERARY AGENT, AMBERLEY HOUSE, NORFOLK STREET, STRAND, W.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author, Vol. 10 Issue 08 (January 1900) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 10 Issue 08 (January 1900) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1900-01-01-The-Author-10-8 publications The Author