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Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1902-11-01 Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages Page range in volume 29–56 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19021101 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Huthor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. XIII.—No. 2. CHANGE OF ADDRESS. NovEMBER 1sT, 1902. [Price SIXPENCE. ROUM e £816 5 6 Wocal Woane: ae 404 10 0 ee Victorian Government 3 % Con- As mistakes still occur with regard to the solidated Inscribed Stock............ 291 19 11 Address of the Society, it has been thought War Loan 3 ee. 201-923 z expedient to continue this Notice, that the Office of the Society is situated at— 39, OLD QUEEN STREET, STOREY’S GATE, 8.W. The Telephone connection has now been estab- lished, and the Society’s number is— 374 VICTORIA. Votel 2 £1714 4 8 There is, in addition, a balance of £30 to £40 in the Bank to cover current expenses and the payment of pensions. The subscriptions and donations from the beginning of the year are as follows. Further sums will be acknowledged from month to month as they come to hand. ae oe DonATIONS. Jan, 24, Church, Prof. R, A. H....... £2 2°90 ae Jan. 29, Toplis, Miss Grace ............ 0 4 0 ees Heb, 1, Perks; Miss lily............... 010 0 e OR the opinions expressed in papers that are eb. 12, Brown, Miss Prince ..... Leese 1 10 . K signed or initialled the Authors alone are Feb. 15, Wilkins, W.H. (2nd donation) 1 responsible. None of the papers or para- Feb. 15, 8: G. oe sees eeeees eee ees tes i 10 graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion Feb. 17, Hawkins, A. Hope..........-. 50 0 8 of the Committee unless such is especially stated Feb. 19, Burrowes, Miss E. ............ @ 10 0 to be the case. Mch. 16, Reynolds, Mrs. ............--. 0 5 0 April 28, Wheelright, Miss Ethel...... 1 0 0 April 29, Sheldon, Mrs. French, Tux Editor begs to inform Members of the WRG 8, 0 5 0 Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author May 5, A Beginner ...............-..+++ 1 10 that the cases which are from time to time quoted May 20, Nemo .........s...esee rere 2 0.9 in The Author are cases that have come before the May 20, Rattray, Dr. A. ..............- 0. 5.0 notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the July 17, Capes, Bernard E............. 0 5 0 Society, and that those members of the Society July 19, Warden, Miss Gertrude ... : 5 0 5 0 who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. oe Jan. 17, Prelooker, J. ..6:....-+-+.----- 0 5 : i : Jan. 20, Nicholls, F.C. ........-..--+- 0 3 eee Jan. 22, Carey, Miss R. Nouchette ... I i 0 Tur Investments of the Pension Fund at Feb., Gidley, Miss E. C. .............- 010 6 present standing in the names of the Trustees are Mch. 20, Beeching, Rev. H.C. .....- 0 5. 0 as follows. Moh. 25, Stroud, F..2..........-----+ 010 6 This is a statement of the actual stock; the May 1, Heatley, Richard F............. 0. 0 0 money value can be easily worked out at the current Oct. 21, Thomson, Miss C. L.......... 0 5 0 price of the market :— Oar, 08, Rabie, Bec. 0 5 0 Vou, XIII. Oct. 23, Evans, Miss May ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS.  30 Sir Walter Besant Memorial Fund. THe amount standing to the credit of this account in the Bank is......... £327 15 0 There are a few promised subscriptions still outstanding. The total of these is, roughly, about £4, The subscriptions received from March to the date of issue are given below :— Anonymous”. : : : ee Champneys, Basil. ; “ Colonia,” Natal, 8. Africa Fife Cookson, Lt.-Col. F.C. Gunter, Lt.-Col. E. A. : Harding, Capt. Claud, R.N. Hurry, A. . : : : : Keary, C. F. (amount not to be men- tioned) Kinns, The Rev. Samuel, D.D. . Millais, J.G. . : ; : Quiller Couch, Miss M. Sterry, J. Ashby ‘ Temple, Lieut.-Col. Sir R. C. Underdown, Miss E. Lockyer, Sir T. Norman Beale, Miss Mary Bolam, Rey. C. E. Egbert, Henry : Eccles, Miss O’Connor Darwin, Francis : : Montgomery-Campbell, Miss Medlecott, Cecil ; Saxby, Mrs... ; ; : : Caine, T: H. Hall . : ; Be Marris, Miss Murrell : 8. B. : ee Bloomfield, J. H. . F. 0. B. (Coventry) . Seton-Karr, H. W. . Heriot, Cheyne : Charley, Sir W. T., K.C. ‘¢ Hsme Stuart ” Charlton, Miss Emily Kroeker, Mrs. . Aflalo, F. G. : Patterson, A. . : Salwey, Reginald E. Gidley, Miss E. C. Nixon, Prof. J. E. CHOHRHH pal — SCOCHRHHEH cococeo HOOCNOHRROFS ro ee ern TUDO DO OL OVS Or BAOMNonnNore rt re NOOR NWO ON SBeocoec ooo ce oso oso oe sooo onooooescs COCHNWOCOCOHOHOROCOOCOHOFRF —_——_—_——_+——_+___——_ FROM THE COMMITTEE. T consequence of the fact that members are returning to work after the holidays, the business at the office of the Society shows a natural tendency to increase. At the October. meeting of the Committee forty- THE AUTHOR. eight new members and associates were elected, making the total for the year 161. A strong argu- ment in support of the sound work of the Society. A list of the elections is published below. It is intended, if it is found possible, to publish the list of members annually or bi-annually, and to incorporate these monthly returns when the next revised edition is issued. The compilation of the list has been carried out in accordance with the statement contained in the article in the July number of the Author. The Committee have decided to print 1,000 copies. Over six hundred answers were received to the circular. Of these between thirty and forty desired that neither their names nor their addresses should be published. The reasons put forward for this course differed, but one reason, constantly recurring, was the fact that the publication of the name and address might subject the member to a flood of circulars from advertisers and others. In the case of those members of the Society whose addresses can be easily obtained from books like “Who’s Who,” “The Red Book,” “The Literary Year Book,” and other Directories, this objection naturally would not stand. The price of the list will be 6d., nett, post free. Only members will be able to purchase copies. An order form is inserted in this month’s issue. Members desiring to obtain a copy of the list are asked to return it (duly signed) with the 6d. to the office. Members will be pleased to hear that Mr. Austin Dobson has been unanimously elected a member of the Committee of Management of the Society, and Sir Henry Bergne, K.C.M.G., C.B., a member of the Copyright Sub-Committee. The Addenda to “ The Methods of Publishing,” since its original issue, has been selling gradually, and is now nearly out of print. Two hundred and fifty more copies have been printed by the desire of the Committee. At this, the first meeting of the Committee since the lamented death of Monsieur Zola, it was decided to send a letter from the Society of Authors to the Sovicté des Gens de Lettres, of which Monsieur Zola was President. The French Society has, on all occasions, extended a helping hand to its sister society, and has given to the Secretary valuable information from time to time on such questions as publishing in France, and legal matters con- nected with French copyright. Other questions discussed, referred to disputes and actions, which it would be indiscreet to make public for the present. i Eleven cases between publishers and authors, arising from the usual divergencies of opinion and method, have been in the hands of the Secretary during the past month. Of these, four deal with  THE AUTHOR. matters of account, three with disputed agreement, two with money due, and the remaining two with general matters, which do not come under the usual headings. Three of the eleven have been finally settled, two have been placed in the hands of the solicitors to carry through by action if necessary, and the balance are still in the course of negotiation. They need no special comment. Of those cases quoted in last month’s Author there are still four unsettled, but negotiations are being carried on between the publisher and the Secretary. One case, however, is hanging fire, owing to the fact that in spite of repeated letter- writing the Secretary can obtain no answer from the member whose work is involved. This position is a very serious one for the Society, and the Committee at all times have impressed upon the members how important it is that those who place their matters in the Secretary’s hands should carry them through with vigour. It has been mentioned that two cases have been placed in the hands of the solicitors of the Society. One other matter has been dealt with by them. A firm of publishers, whose name we do not at present mention, has called a meeting of its creditors. Our solicitors represent those of our members who have claims against the firm. At present it is impossible to state anything definite with regard to the issue of the meeting, but it is hoped that with careful diplomacy the authors’ claims will be paid in full, as a provision has been proposed under the deed of assignment that the trustee shall have power, if he thinks fit, to pay all authors in full. oe as Elections, October, 1902. Elections to the Society, July 14th to October 18th :— Abrahamson, Rev.-A. E. The Rectory, Skilgate, Wiveliscombe R.8.0O., Somerset. 85, Fitzjohns Avenue, Besant, Geoff ao Hampstead, N.W. Bisiken, Wm. : ; Bissett-Smith, George Tullock (George Bizet) Brunskill, The Rev. Francis R. Cayzer, C. W. Clark, Alfred Clive, Alfred 12-14, Long Acre, W.C. 55, Carlton Place, Aber- deen. 19, Raymont . Street, Thetford, Norfolk. Dunsdale, Frodsham, Cheshire. Forest Department, Cey- lon. Heydon Vale, Great Chishall, Near Roy- ston, Cambs. Cockran, Miss Henrietta Cotton, Capt. Frederick Crottie, Miss Julia M. Dallas, Miss H. A. Dollar, John A. W. Errington Cyril Evans, Miss May (A Welsh Spinster). Farmer, R. Geoffrey Fellows, Charles (Cas- situs). Gaskell, Lady Gouldsworthy, Henry C. Harrison, Miss Rose Hollander, Bernard, M.D. Hunt, Miss Violet Hurlock, Sydney . lliffe, Mrs. J. K. M. Ivrea, The Marquis Keyworth, Charles W. (Charles Aver) Lovell, Arthur (D.C. W.) MacDonagh, Michael Mackenzie, W.C. . Masson, Miss Flora Masson, Miss Rosaline . Medley, Miss H. P. Merritt, Mrs. Lea Molyneux, The Honble. Mrs. Oelsner, Herman . Petano, D. K. 31 45, Mecklenburg Square, W.C. Horsham Court, Mort- ley, Worcestershire. Glenbaba House, Near Peel, Isle of Man. 116, King Henry’s Road, N.W. a Bond Street, 91, Lavender Sweep, Clapham Junction, S.W. 10, Lansdowne Crescent, W. Barriew Street, Welsh- pool. Old Bank Chambers, Wolverhampton. The Abbey, Much Wen- lock, Salop. 2, Brompton Square, S.W. 101, Oakley Chelsea, 8. W. 62, Queen Anne Street, Cavendish Square, W. South Lodge, Campden Hill, S.W. College Grove Wakefield. 13, Warnborough Road, Oxford. c/o E. F. Turner & Son, Leadenhall House, E.C. Wesley House, Bisley, Stroud, Glos. 5, Portman Street, Port- man Square, W. 149, Abbeville Road, Clapham Park, 8.W. ‘“* Sutha,” Selborne Road, Sidcup, Kent. 2, Lockharton Gardens, Edinburgh. 2, Lockharton Gardens, Edinburgh. Marlborough Mansions, S.W. Hurstbourne ‘Tarrant, Near Andover. Willoughby, Saxe Wei- mer Road, Southsea. Savage Club, Adelphi Terrace, W.C. 23, Walton Well Road, Oxford. Street, Road,  32 96, Warwick Gardens, Kensington, W. 33, St. Luke’s Road, Notting Hill, W. c/o To-Day, 8 & 9, Essex Street, Strand Seagate House, Little- Pickthall, Rudolf . Reich, Emil . Rutter, Frank Smith, William Herbert hampton. Smith, Mrs. Michael 35, Ailsbury Road, Dublin. Thomson, Miss Clara 11, Talgarth Road, West Linklater. Kensington; or Tem- ple House, Temple Avenue. Lotus, Dorking. Spade House, Sandgate, Kent. 3, Park Terrace, Cross- hill, Glasgow. 54, Bloomsbury Street, W.C. 1, Rue Dain, Faubourg St. Honoré, Paris. Ward, Wilfrid Wells, H. G. Williams, Wynn Llewel- lyn. Yorke, Philip C. . Young, Miss Catherine M. Only one member of those elected does not desire publication. eS BOOK AND PLAY TALK. —->+— ISS R. N. Carey’s new 6s. novel, “The Highway of Fate” (Macmillan), has made an excellent start, and has at once taken its place as one of the twelve best selling books of the month. It was issued early in September, simultaneously in England and America; and arrangements have also been made with Baron Tauchnitz, who will shortly issue the work in his Continental series. Mrs. Alec Tweedie’s memoir of her father, “George Harley, F.R.S., or the Life of a London Physician,” can now he had in a cheaper edition (The Scientific Press). It gives many interesting stories of the Crimea, Napoleon III., and the coup Wétat. There are also stories of student life in Paris and Germany, and of the delightful people he met in London, where he practised as a physician for forty years. Mr. A. Ollivant’s new book “ Danny,” which has been running for some time in the Monthly Magazine here, and in Everybody's Magazine in America, will shortly be complete. It will then be published by Mr. John Murray on this side, and by Messrs. Doubleday, Page & Co. in America. Mr. Ollivant’s previous book, called here “ Owd Bob of Kenmure,” and in America “ Bob, Son of THE AUTHOR. Battle,” met with marked success, the sales in the United States even exceeding those in England. “here is every probability of “ Danny” being equally successful. The author’s power and origin- ality are both quite as strongly exhibited in “Danny” as in his earlier work; and Mr. Ollivant exhibits an advance in the dexterity with which he treats the technique and subsidiary elements of romantic fiction. Miss Rosaline Masson has a new novel in the press. It is called “ Leslie Farquhar,” and Mr. John Murray will publish it. Miss Masson. is favourably known as_ the authoress of “The Pransgressors”” and “ In Our Town,” both novels descriptive of the Edinburgh of to-day (Hodder & Stoughton). Miss Masson, besides publishing a couple of ‘Ag volumes of short stories, wrote the “Lives of Pollock and Aytoun” inthe Famous Scots’ Series. Aytoun, author of the popular “Lays of the Cavaliers,” was the predecessor of Miss Masson’s father in the chair of English Literature in . Edinburgh University. Mr. Herbert Compton has been very busy. Messrs. A. Treherne & Co. are bringing out for him a series of sketches strung together under the title of “ Facts and Phantasies of a Folio Grub,” while Messrs. Everett & Co. will issue his “‘ A Scourge of the Sea,” a story of South Sea adventure. Mr. J. Bloundelle-Burton’s new story, « The Intriguers,” commences in this month’s Leisure Hour. It deals with a Jacobite plot to assassinate George I. before he could reach England from Germany, at the time of his accession in the year 1714. “The Intriguers” will be a stirring story. Allen Raine is engaged upon a new novel which will be entitled “On the Wings of the Wind.” It will be ready for publication in the spring. Mrs. B. M. Croker is busy on a long novel dealing with life in India. She is going out to India to finish it, and will spend the winter there. This popular authoress means to see the Durbar at Delhi. « Johanna,” Mrs. Croker’s story of Trish peasant life now running in Crampton’s Magazine, is to be published in the spring by Messrs. Methuen & Co. Mr. Reginald E. Salwey’s new novel, “A Son of — Mischief,” is a strong sensational story. ‘There is firm character drawing in it, dramatic situations, and a capital plot. The Rossiter family is one worth knowing. Mr. G. 8. Streets’ recently published “ Book of Essays ” (Constable & Co.), demonstrates that the true art of essay-writing is not dead. His style is bright and pleasant. He gives food for thought  THE AUTHOR. 33 without overtaxing the labour-weary brain; and he takes you into his confidence in a way that makes the reader feel at home at once. He writes as to an old friend and rouses a reciprocity of friendship. A most interesting book entitled “Greek Votive Offerings” is just out. (University Press, Cam- bridge; E. J. Clay & Sons, London, 15s. net.) It is an essay on the history of Greek religion, by W. H. Denham Rouse, F.R.G.S., Sc., Headmaster of the Perse School. There are two plates and many illustrations in the text. The main purpose of this scholarly book is to coilect and classify those offerings which are not immediately perishable; and by examining the oceasion of their dedication and the statements made about it, to trace, if possible, the motives of the dedicator and the meaning which the act had for him. “The Problem of Fiorenzo of Perugia,” a work on Fiorenzo di Lorenzo, the reputed master of Perngino, is at present in the press, and will shortly be published. The authoress is Mrs. Jean Carlyle Graham, a Scottish lady, whose previous literary essays have been chiefly in verse. She has been resident in Perugia for some time, and com- pleted the letterpress of this critical study of an old master in 1901. It is the first serious publica- tion on the subject, in any language. : Under Mr. M.H.Spielmann’s able and complete control The Magazine of Art has started into new and vigorous life. Its price is reduced to 1s. net, while the number of its pages is increased ; a new cover will be used ; new paper is specially manu- factured for its pages, and a new fount of type has been obtained. A most important point is that many artists of eminence have undertaken, by means of articles, to address themselves to the public direct in the magazine. But the most novel feature will be the experi- ment of presenting, at least twice a year, a fine picture by a leading artist. The picture can be won by a subscriber to the magazine by means of a simple competition within the capacity of every- one. We heartily wish Mr. Spielmann, who is a prominent and active member of our Society, all the success he desires for his new series of 7he Magazine of Art. Miss Clementina Black’s “Frederick Walker” (Duckworth’s Popular Library of Art), is a well- written, sympathetic, and discriminating lifelet of this artist, who died all too young. We must make room for a quotation or two :— “To see in Walker nothing but the domestic idealist, is as if one should see in Tennyson only the author of the ‘May Queen’ ...I£ a mushroom could have a soul, Walker might be said to have painted its soul... The background of care, sedulously concealed behind an appear- ance of ease, seems to have been typical of Walker’s work on even the slightest of productions, and was, perhaps, a a matter not so much of deliberate intention, as of inborn character.” “He had in a marked degree that clear perception of the actual world around him without which the creative artist, either in words or in pictures, seldom succeeds in striking any widely and deeply human note ... To have lived intimately with Walker’s work is to dwell thenceforward in a universe, whose common sights of daily life are touched with a new light, and informed with a new beauty—a universe in which humanity seems to call for a deeper tenderness, a more tolerant smile, a gentler recognition.” A yaluable and interesting volume is Mr. Lawrence Binyon’s ‘“ Catalogue of Drawings by British artists, and artists of foreign origin work- ing in Great Britain, preserved in the British Museum.” (Henry Frowde, Amen Corner, E.C., 10s. net.) Here is a specimen of one of Mr. Binyon’s miniature biographies :— KEENE, CHARLES SAMUEL (b. 1823, d. 1871). Draughtsman, etcher and caricaturist ; born in London ; apprenticed as a wood engraver; worked in London for periodicals, and about 1851 began to be employed on Punch, for which the chief part of his life work was done, illustrating the daily life of the people for the latter half of the century with a long series of drawings, unsurpassed for character and humour; illustrated books by Charles Reade and others ; one of the greatest of English draughts- men, and a consummate master of black-and-white. Mr. Owen Seaman’s “ Borrowed Plumes” (Con- stable & Co.) is just out. It is dedicated “To the Authors, many of them my friends, whose methods I have here attempted to imitate ; and in particular to Pearl Mary Teresa Cragie.” Among the authors imitated are, Mrs. Humphry Ward, Mr. Henry James, Mr. Maurice Hewlett, Miss E. F. Fowler, Mr. Hall Caine and Mr. G. Bernard Shaw. ‘These imitations are more than amusing: they convey acute but kindly criticism in every page. We master the temptation to quote, and advise our readers to buy and taste for themselves. “Rabbi Shalem on the Shores of the Black Sea,” by Jaakoff Prelooker, just published by Simpkin Marshall (4s. net), is a romantic narrative dealing with the life of Russian Jews and Christian Dissenters, amongst whom the author laboured for a number of years with the object of bringing about their reconciliation, and possible union. Miss Olive Katharine Parr has written a Dart- moor story book for children. It is illustrated by Mr. E. Wheeler, and is to be published by Messrs. Routledge. . The title of this children’s story is “The Voice of the River.” The river is the beautiful Dart, and the scene is laid at Bray farm. The story 1s quite finished and is in the publisher's hands, but it will not be published for some time.  34 THE AUTHOR. “Pilgrims of Love” by Miss Bessie Hatton, isa over and over again in his book ; to will and to act book of original fairy tales following up her “The are what young men must be taught. Village of Youth,” a new and cheap edition of which M. Hanotaux thinks that at the age of fifteen, is promised by Messrs. Treherne. ‘Pilgrims of boys who are to take up commercial or agricultural Love” has a unique cover in Japanese vellum, careers, should put aside their books and commence daintily decorated by the authoress’ brother-in- work in earnest. law, Mr. W. H. Margeston. The seventh volume of “ Empire libéral,” by M. Miss Hatton is the younger of Mr. Joseph Emile Ollivier, is just published. The chief sub- seett ” ‘Mr. Hatton’s first number jects contained in this volume are the Dismember- Huatton’s two daughters. Mr. Hatton s nis’ T ‘nent of Denmark, the Syllabus, Mexico, Bismark’s of his projected reprints of s ecial pages from his . : : ie meena as Caweie Papers” is pabiehed thismonth abed, “Ue with Napoleon Hit. at Biarritz." One of «Cigarette Paper the Boyioad of Sie Henry SPAN are OF rey A livre aooant . 7 or 9 . . devimg ; ith some notes fo) 3 Pipers of Napoleon III. throws much light on European Tn “Songs of Peace and War” by A. H. Rowland affairs during the years 1864 and 1865. there is a sonnet to Mr. Joseph Chamberlain ; one “ Aux pays d’Homére » ig the title of a new to Cecil John Rhodes (In Memoriam) and one to book by Baron de Mandat-Grancey, who has the Colonial Premiers. There are verses headed written some interesting works on “the United respectively, “ Magersfontein,” “ Bobs,” “Paar- States, England, and Africa. deberg,” ‘“Eland’s River,” etc. etc., as well as “Une Demi-Carriére ” by the Comte de Com- verses “To the Cuckoo,” “Lucerne,” “The minges, is a military novel which is particularly Rural Exodus ” and others. interesting at the present moment. The plot reminds us of the case of the Lieutenant who has recently been tried by court-martial for refusing to eject the nuns from their convent. “Treg veridique histoire d’une petite fille” by Hannah Lynch, is another translation from English. This story appeared as a serial in the Revue de Paris, and is now published in volume form. “Un séjour i ’ambassade de Constantinople,” by boats and gear destroyed. The loss among coasting Mme. la baronne Durand de Fontmagne, Is a most vessels was terrible. interesting account of life in Turkey, when there Mr. Hall Caine’s stage version of his novel “ The Wet? still some Turks, as the authoress says. She ternal City,” which ss roduced at His Majesty’s went outto Constantinople with Madame Thouvenel, TI a ; : eee: Lace wife of the French Ambassador, and the descriptions jeatre on the evening of October 3rd, is attracting . : ee large audiences. It is splendidly staged. Miss and episedes given are mos) Wea) eS Constance Collier lays Roma item tional “La Demoiselle de Puygarrou,” is the pis = piey 2 otional the novel Madame Henry Gréville had just finished “Buchan’s Birs” is an interesting narrative poem of forgotten heroism by Donal O’Ioci. The tale as it stands was written in Australia over ten years ago. It is a true story of an event which occurred towards the end of the devastating storm of November, 1857, which caused ‘such terrible destruction on the North-east Coast of Scotland. Forty-two fishermen perished, and their force, spontaneity and charm. haters her death In Baron Bonelli Mr. Tree has an effective part, M. André Theuriet’s new novel, “ Sceur de lait,” and he makes the most of it. Mr. Robert Taber is also on the theme 80 much in vogue just now. takes the part of Rossi, and Mr. Lionel Brough ‘The story turns on the conflict between the past, plays Bruno Rocco. Mr. Telbin and Mr. Harker with its traditions, and the present, with its modern the artists have never done -better work; the ideas. mounting is quite remarkable. M. Arthur Bucheron, better known by his Mr. RB. C. Carton will not produce any play pseudonym of Saint-Genest, has just died at the until next year. age of sixty-seven. Of late years very little has been heard of him, but formerly his articles in the ee Figaro were most popular, particularly the one addressed to the Marshal Mac-Mahon, which caused PARIS NOTES. the Government to suspend the Figaro for a fortnight. M. Edmond Haraucourt has just published a HE new book by M. Gabriel Hanotaux, ‘‘ Le volume of stories entitled ‘ Les Nanfragés.” Qhoix d’une Carriere,” comes ata very oppor- M. Haraucourt is better known as a poet and tune moment. The question of education dramatic author than asanovelist. His best known — is being discussed both in France and England. plays are “ Don Juan de Manara,” “Jean Bart,” — To know is not everything, the author: repeats and ‘La Passion.” The stories published in this —  THE AUTHOR. 35 new volume are all dramatic and powerful, but the subjects are, on the whole, gruesome. : “Amériques et Américains,” by M. Victor- Thomas, is interesting, and all the more so as it is not a lengthy volume. The author gives us his notes and impressions as briefly as possible. “La Comédie Francaise et la Revolution,” by A. Pougin, gives an interesting account of the history of the theatre during the Revolution. The author tells the whole story of the arrest of the actors, the tragic death of Mlle. Desgarcins and of Grammont, who died on the scaffold in 1794. ; “La Cité Future—Essai d’une Utopie Scien- tifique,” by Ernest Tarbouriech, is an attempt to trace the programme of the constitution of Collectivism. In a volume by Henri Brémond, “Ames Religieuses,’” we have, among other subjects, a sketch of John Keble, and another of Edouard Thring. An English book, entitled ‘Luke Delmege,” by P. A. Sheehan, has probably had a longer review in France than in England. Ten or eleven pages of the “ Revue des Deux Mondes”’ were taken up with the résumé of this Irish story. The play by M. Henry Bauer, ‘‘ Sa Maitresse,”’ at the Vaudeville, was awaited with great curiosity from the fact that the author has hitherto been a rather severe dramatic critic. In the first scenes there were such lengthy harangues, and so little action, that there seemed very little chance of success for the piece, but fortunately all this was redeemed before the end, and the play is certainly a very strong one. M. Deval has opened his season at the Athénée with “ Madame Flirt” by MM. Gavault and Berr. This play was the great success of last season, and had a run of about 260 performances. It was bought for America a few months ago. The chief réles in “ Paillasses,” by Léoncavallo, have been entrusted to MM. Jean de Reszké and Delmas, and Madame Aino Ackté. M. Bernstein has arranged with Mr. Frohman for the English rights of his play “ Détour.” Madame de Nuovina has had great success at Berlin with Massenet’s “Navarraise.” She was recalled time after time, and she appears to have had as great a triumph as Calvé, in the same role in Paris. Madame Réjane has returned from her long tour, and is now preparing her ré/e in the new play to be given at the Vaudeville. M. Bour, whose creations at the Theatre Antoine were so remarkable, has just scored a great success in the réle of Safi in “Triomphe,” M. Robert Bracco’s play. Auys HAuarp. EMILE ZOLA. poe HE tragic death of Zola has cast a gloom over the commencement of the winter season in Paris. Ever since the famous letter “J’ accuse,” many of Zola’s literary friends had held aloof from him, but at present political quarrels and differences of opinion are buried, and his literary work is being discussed and criticized from every point of view. Emile Zola was born in Paris in 1840. His father, who had been an officer in the army, was, at the time of his son’s birth, a civil engineer, and was engaged in making the canal at Aix. Emile finished his education at the Saint Louis College, and on leaving took a situation at the docks at asalary of about ten shillings a week. He soon left this, and his life for many years was a very hard one. He had an attic in the Latin Quarter, and was often without fire in the winter and almost without bread. He consoled himself by writing poetry and many of his “ Contes 4 Ninon.” In 1861, thanks to Dr. Boudet, he obtained a situation at Hachette’s publishing house, at a salary of about a pound a week, where at first he had the parcels to make, but as time went on he was sent into the office, and after writing his first comedy, “’Amoureuse,” M. Hachette engaged him as his secretary. In 1864 his “Contes a Ninon” were published, and in 1865 his ‘Confession de Claude.” He wrote at this time for several newspapers, and gave up his situation at M. Hachette’s for the post: offered him by M. Villemessant on the Avene- ment. His first article, which was a criticism of the Salon, made a great sensation. He had taken up the cudgels for the painter Manet, and he did not spare the jury. After his famous “ Thérése Raquin” in 1867, and “‘ Madeleine Férat ” in 1868, Zola’s work was seriously discussed. His theory was naturalism, and his views on literary matters were considered “revolutionary.” His most important work is the “ Rougon-Macquart ” series of nineteen volumes, containing the “histoire naturelle et sociale d’une famille sous le second Empire.” The author endeavours to show how a family would act in the midst of a given society. Individuals ap- pear at first absolutely dissimilar, but after analysis it is seen how closely they are in reality connected with each other, and by reading the stories of these different lives we have an idea of the atmosphere of the second Empire. This famous series was finished in 1893, and since then Zola has given us a study of other families in the volumes “ Lourdes,” “ Rome,” and “Paris,” and in the series, ‘‘ Quatre Evangiles : Fécondité, Travail,” and “ Vérité.” The last volume  36 which he had planned for this work, “ Justice,” was not even commenced at the time of his death. M. Huysmans tells us the origin of the volume, “ Soirées de Medan.” Before Zola wrote “ VAssommoir” he lived in a small house in the Rue Saint George. He had just published “ La Curée,” and M. Céard, who admired this work immensely, went to call on the author. Zola received him very cordially, and M. Huysmans accompanied M. Céard on his next visit. M. Hennique also went—and Zola already knew Guy de Maupassant and M. Alexis. This little group of literary men agreed to meet and to spend the evening, once a week, at Zola’s house. ‘They decided to publish a volume of stories together, and as by that time Zola had bought his country house at Médan, and the six friends used to go there on Sundays, the volume was entitled “Soirées de Médan,” and was pub- lished in 1880. Only three of the authors survive, Huysmans, Hennique, and Céard. Zola gave “lAttaque du Moulin,” a story he had written in three days for the Revue de Petersbourg ; Maupassant’s story was “‘ Boule-de- Suif” ; Huysmans gave “Sac au dos” ; Hennique, “PAssaut du Grand Six” ; Céard, “ La Saignée”’ ; and Paul Alexis, “ Aprés la Bataille.” They were all episodes of the war of ’70, and 10,000 copies of the volume were published. They were all men of such totally different temperaments that Zola often used to say “ It will be curious to see later on the way we each take in life.” In the Journal des Débats, M. Henry Bidou sums up in a few words the chief characteristics of Zola’s work. “Zola had that first, great quality— strength. He organized an immense work, and there is scarcely anything finer than the end of ‘Germinal.’ There is, however, @ misunderstand- ing in his genius. He was the chief of realists, and the poorest of romantiques. He wished to be a savant, and was an imaginatif, and not a thorough critic by any means. His terrible mistake was that, trusting to a science which he had acquired too hastily, he misunderstood humanity, and we are unfortunately compelled to believe that his convictions were the outcome of his disposition of mind. He sees nothing which is higher than a certain level, and would thus give the lie to Ovid’s lines on man.” M. Anatole France, who spoke at Zola’s grave in the name of his friends, had a difficult task to perform. Since the Dreyfus affair M. Anatole France has been a great admirer of Zola’s courage at that time, and his speech was most eulogistic. Years ago when criticising Zola’s works, M Anatole France said: “ His work is bad, and he is one of those unhappy beings about whom we can only say it would have been better if he had THE AUTHOR. never been born. Certainly I do not deny his detestable fame. . . . Never has any man so com- pletely failed to comprehend the ideal of mankind, ‘La Terre,’ for instance, is nob so much the work of an exact realist as of a perverted idealist. To see in peasants nothing but sensual beasts, is childish, false, and sickly. Peasants are not like this, in the first place, because they have not the time. Zola gives us peasants who get up at dawn, work like horses, and in spite of this, are given up to perpetual fornication. 'This is not so, and if the author invents he should invent something better.” The opinion of M. Barré is that Zola’s work is “a powerful monument which will remain,” but at _ same time he confesses that it does not interest im. M. Rosny considers that Zola’s role in the school of naturalism was only of the second order. He was not a creator, but just the man who made use of the elements of art with which Balzac, Flaubert, and Goncourt had furnished him. Léon Daudet, who from his earliest childhood had been accustomed to seeing Zola, and hearing him discuss literary questions with Edmond de Goncourt and Alphonse Daudet, tells us that the Zola of that time had scarcely changed at all. He had the same nervous, affable voice, the same peculiar intonation, and the same wide forehead wrinkled with thought and anxiety. “ He was in those days,” says Léon Daudet, **a pessimist as regards the present, all his optimism was in a vague future, in a social Utopia, and this stood to him in the place of all dreams, and of the hope in a life beyond. He often declared that work was a sacred thing in itself, and that it was the only means of forgetting life. He was a slave to each one of his books, setting himself each day his task of pages to write, and refusing to be influenced by fatigue, monotony, or disinclination. ‘This terrible persistency permitted. him to fill the number of pages he had determined to write, but effectually banished from his work all joy and serenity. Even when he speaks of the near dawn, and of to-morrow’s sunshine, he is painting black hori zons, and depicting such utter anguish of soul as admits of no hope whatever. The great faults of Zola are his want of selection, and his exaggeration and abuse of the grosser things he describes.” * Anys HALLARD. ee A CAPE LETTER. eee OREMOST among recent local publications K stand two historical works, both from the ens of well-known authorities—“ The Beginning of South African History,” by Dr. Geo. M‘Call Theal, Colonial Historiographer (simul-  THE AUTHOR. 37 s taneously published by Mr. Unwin in ‘London, and by Mr. T. M. Miller in Cape Town), and a new volume of “ Précis of the Archives of the Cape of Good Hope,” translated by the Rev. H. C. V. Leibbrandt, Keeper of the Archives. The preface to the first-named work describes its somewhat complicated evolution from an earlier but much smaller book, entitled “The Portuguese in South Africa,” which was designed to fill the deficiency in the author’s original “ History of South Africa” with regard to the “ beginning” of South African history, South Africa having since the issue of that work expanded so as to take in (Northern) territory whose history began at an earlier date. Dr. Theal states that, following on the publication of “ The Portuguese in South Africa,” he was com- missioned by the Cape Government to make deeper research on the subject, with the result that he has spent the greater part of the last five years in Europe, translating Portuguese MSS., etc. Most of these translations have already been published under the title of “ Recordsof South-east Africa,” the ninth volume being in preparation ; and the present book is an epitome of their contents. It forms a new Vol. I. to Dr. Theal’s great serial History, whose other volumes are gradually being issued in second editions. There is an introductory chapter on the earliest inhabitants of the country, and the book closes with a couple of added chapters relating to events in Portuguese South-east Africa in the nineteenth century. It contains several interesting old maps and drawings. Mr. Leibbrandt’s new volume of ‘Précis,” a smaller book, covers the years 1671—4 and 1676, and consists of a free translation of the official journals kept under the early Dutch governors of the Cape, with the omission of certain uninterest- ing details. There is no preface, nor are there any other addenda. The simple line “1675 missing” tells the story of the neglect which has allowed several of these valuable old documents to get lost. Like the rest of the series, the volume just issued is of great historical interest, being full of information as to the customs and daily happen- ings of the period. It is often amusing, consciously or unconsciously ; as when one of a marauding party of lions is said to have come “ too near the gun, and was so hit in the brain-pan that he died immediately on the spot,” or in the naive entry, ‘Nothing particular happened!” The matter of a Sunday sermon, the horrible details of a brutal punishment, or a description in unre- strained language of some delinquent’s character, all come within the scope of the record. Under instructions from the Government, Mr. Leibbrandt has edited all the papers connected with “The Rebellion of 1815, generally known as Slachters Nek.” These form a considerable volume, which is in course of publication (Cape Town, J. C. Juta & Co.; London, P. S. King & Co.), a Dutch edition of which will follow immediately. Mr. Leibbrandt has been fortunate in discovering a most complete record of the historic trial. To this he has added many other important documents bearing on the subject. The book (of which the present writer has been privileged to see an advance copy) is provided with a large map of the eastern portion of Cape Colony, showing all places mentioned. In addition to the work already described, Dr. Theal has contributed to the “ Nineteenth Century Series,” published in Toronto, a volume on “ The Progress of South Africa in the Century.” Messrs. J. C. Juta & Co. have republished a number of educational works, the stocks of which were destroyed by fire last year. Among minor publications of the last few months are a large quarter-volume of “Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society” (completing Vol. XI.) ; a Pocket Gazetteer of Cape Colony, and a large number of sectional maps of the Cape and other South African Colonies, issued for the Field Intelligence Department ; “ The City of Grahams- town” (illustrated), by A. Macmillan (J. Slater, Grahamstown) ; a second edition of an elementary phrase-book, etc., of the Secwana language, by A.J. Wookey (Townshend & Son, Vryburg) ; three or four volumes of Law Reports ; numerous leaflets on farming subjects, reprinted from the Agricul- tural Journal; and several Coronation poems in pamphlet form. Mr. T. M. Miller has taken over from Messts. Juta the publication of the Rev. A. Vine Hall’s charming illustrated poem on “Table Mountain,” of which he is shortly bringing out a new and improved edition. The whole stock of this booklet was also destroyed in the fire mentioned above. Two literary items are contained in the Estimates laid before Parliament this Session—viz., payments of £250 to Mr. T. R. Sim for a work on “ Forest Flora,” and of £200 to Mr. A. R. EH. Burton, F.R.G.8., for a handbook of the Colony. The latter volume, which replaces the late Mr. John Noble’s Handbook of 1898, will be published in the near future, but the date of appearance of Mr. Sim’s book is at present indefinite. Mr. Burton, who has for some time past been editor of the Cape of Good Hope Agricultural Journal, has accepted a similar appointment under the Transvaal Government. His place on the local journal is taken by Mr. F. D. McDermott. The “ History of the War ” threatened by General Botha and his two comrades-in-arms should prove interesting if it contains many statements as start- ling as that of the Commander-in-Chief of the late Transvaal forces, to the effect that the British  36 for this work, “ Justice,” d at the time of his death. igin of the volume, which he had planned was not even commence M. Huysmans tells us the or « Soirées de Médan.” Before Zola wrote “ Y’Assommoir” he lived in a small house in the Rue Saint George. He had just published “ La Curée,” and M. Céard, who admired this work immensely, went to call on the Zola received him very cordially, and M. author. : Huysmans accompanied M. Céard on his next visit. M. Hennique also went—and Zola already knew Guy de Maupassant and M. Alexis. This little group of literary men agreed to meet and to spend the evening, once a week, at Zola’s house. ‘They decided to publish a volume of stories together, and as by that time Zola had bought his country house at Médan, and the six friends used to go there on Sundays, the volume was entitled “Soirées de Médan,” and was pub- lished in 1880. Only three of the authors survive, Huysmans, Hennique, and Céard. Zola gave “‘l Attaque du Moulin,” a story he had written in three days for the Revue de Potersbourg ; Maupassant’s story was ‘“ Boule-de- Suif” ; Huysmans gave “ Sac au dos” ; Hennique, “PAssaut du Grand Six” ; Céard, “ La Saignée” ; and Paul Alexis, “ Aprés la Bataille.” They were all episodes of the war of 70, and 10,000 copies of the volume were published. They were all men of such totally different temperaments that Zola often used to say “ It will be curious to see later on the way we each take in life.” In the Journal des Debats, M. Henry Bidou sums up in a few words the chief characteristics of Zola’s work. “Zola had that first, great quality— strength. He organized an immense work, and there is scarcely anything finer than the end of ‘Germinal.’ There is, however, @ misunderstand- ing in his genius. He was the chief of realists, and the poorest of romantiques. He wished to be a savant, and was an imaginatif, and. not a thorough critic by any means. His terrible mistake was that, trusting to a science which he had acquired too hastily, he misunderstood humanity, and we are unfortunately compelled to believe that his convictions were the outcome of his disposition of mind. He sees nothing which is higher than a certain level, and would thus give the lie to Ovid’s lines on man.” M. Anatole France, who spoke at Zola’s grave in the name of his friends, had a difficult task to perform. Since the Dreyfus affair M. Anatole France has been a great admirer of Zola’s courage at that time, and his speech was most eulogistic. Years ago when criticising Zola’s works, M Anatole France said: “ His work is bad, and he is one of those unhappy beings about whom we can only say it would have been better if he had THE AUTHOR. never been born. Certainly I do not deny his detestable fame. . . . Never has any man so com- pletely failed to comprehend the ideal of mankind. ‘La Terre,’ for instance, is nob so much the work of an exact realist as of a perverted idealist. To see in peasants nothing but sensual beasts, is childish, false, and sickly. Peasants are not like this, in the first place, because they have not the time. Zola gives us peasants who get up at dawn, work like horses, and in spite of this, are given up to perpetual fornication. 'This is not so, and if the author invents he should invent something better.” The opinion of M. Barré is that Zola’s work is “a powerful monument which will remain,” but at Le same time he confesses that it does not interest im. M. Rosny considers that Zola’s role in the school of naturalism was only of the second order. He was not a creator, but just the man who made use of the elements of art with which Balzac, Flaubert, and Goncourt had furnished him. Léon Daudet, who from his earliest childhood had been accustomed to seeing Zola, and hearing him discuss literary questions with Edmond de Goncourt and Alphonse Daudet, tells us that the Zola of that time had scarcely changed at all. He had the same nervous, affable voice, the same peculiar intonation, and the same wide forehead wrinkled with thought and anxiety. « He was in those days,” says Léon Daudet, “a pessimist as regards the present, all his optimism was in a vague future, in a social Utopia, and this stood to him in the place of all dreams, and of the hope in a life beyond. He often declared that work was a sacred thing in itself, and that it was the only means of forgetting life. He was a slave to each one of his books, setting himself each day his task of pages to write, and. refusing to be influenced by fatigue, monotony, or disinclination. This terrible persistency permitted him to fill the number of pages he had determined to write, but effectually banished from his work all joy and serenity. Even when he speaks of the near dawn, and of to-morrow’s sunshine, he is painting black hori zons, and depicting such utter anguish of soul as admits of no hope whatever. The great faults of Zola ave his want of selection, and his exaggeration and abuse of the grosser things he describes.” * ~~ Atys HALLARD. a A CAPE LETTER. a OREMOST among recent local publications | { stand two historical works, both from the ens of well-known authorities—“ The Beginning of South African History,” by Dr. Geo. M‘Call Theal, Colonial Historiographer (simul-  ao THE AUTHOR. 37 taneously published by Mr. Unwin in ‘London, and by Mr. T. M. Miller in Cape Town), and a new volume of “ Précis of the Archives of the Cape of Good Hope,” translated by the Rev. H. C. V. Leibbrandt, Keeper of the Archives. The preface to the first-named work describes its somewhat complicated evolution from an earlier but much smaller book, entitled ‘The Portuguese in South Africa,” which was designed to fill the deficiency in the author’s original ‘ History of South Africa ” with regard to the “ beginning” of South African history, South Africa having since the issue of that work expanded so as to take in (Northern) territory whose history began at an earlier date. Dr. Theal states that, following on the publication of “ The Portuguese in South Africa,” he was com- missioned by the Cape Government to make deeper research on the subject, with the result that he has spent the greater part of the last five years in Europe, translating Portuguese MSS., etc. Most of these translations have already been published under the title of “ Recordsof South-east Africa,” the ninth volume being in preparation ; and the present book is an epitome of their contents. It forms a new Vol. I. to Dr. Theal’s great serial History, whose other volumes are gradually being issued in second editions. There is an introductory chapter on the earliest inhabitants of the country, and the book closes with a couple of added chapters relating to events in Portuguese South-east Africa in the nineteenth century. It contains several interesting old maps and drawings. Mr. Leibbrandt’s new volume of “ Précis,” a smaller book, covers the years 1671—4 and 1676, and consists of a free translation of the official journals kept under the early Dutch governors of the Cape, with the omission of certain uninterest- ing details. There is no preface, nor are there any other addenda. The simple line “1675 missing” tells the story of the neglect which has allowed several of these valuable old documents to get lost. Like the rest of the series, the volume just issued is of great historical interest, being full of information as to the customs and daily happen- ings of the period. It is often amusing, consciously or unconsciously ; as when one of a marauding party of lions is said to have come “ too near the gun, and was so hit in the brain-pan that he died immediately on the spot,” or in the naive entry, “Nothing particular happened!” The matter of a Sunday sermon, the horrible details of a brutal punishment, or a description in unre- strained language of some delinquent’s character, all come within the scope of the record. Under instructions from the Government, Mr. Leibbrandt has edited all the papers connected with “The Rebellion of 1815, generally known as Slachters Nek.” These form a considerable volume, which is in course of publication (Cape Town, J. C. Juta & Co.; London, P. 8. King & Co.), a Dutch edition of which will follow immediately. Mr. Leibbrandt has been fortunate in discovering a most complete record of the historic trial. To this he has added many other important documents bearing on the subject. The book (of which the present writer has been privileged to see an advance copy) is provided with a large map of the eastern portion of Cape Colony, showing all places mentioned. In addition to the work already described, Dr. Theal has contributed to the “ Nineteenth Century Series,” published in Toronto, a volume on “The Progress of South Africa in the Century.” Messrs. J. ©. Juta & Co. have republished a number of educational works, the stocks of which were destroyed by fire last year. Among minor publications of the last few months are a large quarter-volume of “Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society” (completing Vol. XI.) ; a Pocket Gazetteer of Cape Colony, and a large number of sectional maps of the Cape and other South African Colonies, issued for the Field Intelligence Department ; “ The City of Grahams- town” (illustrated), by A. Macmillan (J. Slater, Grahamstown) ; a second edition of an elementary phrase-book, etc., of the Secwana language, by A. J. Wookey (Townshend & Son, Vryburg) ; three or four volumes of Law Reports ; numerous leaflets on farming subjects, reprinted from the Agrwui- tural Journal; and several Coronation poems in pamphlet form. Mr. T. M. Miller has taken over from Messrs. Juta the publication of the Rev. A. Vine Hall’s charming illustrated poem on “ Table Mountain,” of which he is shortly bringing out a new and improved edition. ‘The whole stock of this booklet was also destroyed in the fire mentioned above. Two literary items are contained in the Estimates laid before Parliament this Session—viz., payments of £250 to Mr. T. R. Sim for a work on “ Forest Flora,’ and of £200 to Mr. A. R. E. Burton, F.R.G.S., for a handbook of the Colony. The latter volume, which replaces the late Mr. John Noble’s Handbook of 18938, will be published in the near future, but the date of appearance of Mr. Sim’s book is at present indefinite. Mr. Burton, who has for some time past been editor of the Cape of Good Hope Agricultural Journal, has accepted a similar appointment under the Transvaal Government. His place on the local journal is taken by Mr. F. D. McDermott. The “ History of the War ” threatened by General Botha and his two comrades-in-arms should prove interesting if it contains many statements as start- ling as that of the Commander-in-Chief of the late Transvaal forces, to the effect that the British  38 blockhouses never gave him any trouble to pass ! Ex-President Kruger’s promised “ defence-work ” is also looked forward to. Among other effects of the war, is the death of the “South African Illustrated Magazine,” a bright and old-established little monthly which we can ill afford to lose. On the other hand, “The Veld,” a high-class monthly illustrated paper, whose special object is the reproduction of Cape scenery, has resumed publication. Two other new magazines are ‘“ The Examiner,” fortnightly (Beaufort West Printing and Publishing Co.) ; and “ Mademoiselle,” a monthly journal for ladies ; whilst ‘The Boys of Africa,” weekly, is due to make its first appearance this month. All the newspapers which thought it prudent to suspend ublication during the more rigorous application of martial law are again being issued. Very long extracts from Mr. William Morris’s Coronation Ode appeared in the Cape Times, with the usual note to the effect that copyright restrained the paper from printing the whole. This style of cheap morality is over-common in the quarter named. Mr. Wilson Barrett’s visit has marked an epoch in our theatrical world. The Cape Town season —which was postponed for a week on account of Mr. Barrett’s very serious illness—included the author-actor’s own “Sign of the Cross ” and “Manxman” (after Hall Caine), the other plays rendered being “The Silver King,” “ Virginius,” “ Othello,” and “ Hamlet.” The last-named pro- duction occupied the boards on the last night of the season only, when each member of the audience was presented with a copy of Mr. Barrett’s essay on “Hamlet” (reprinted from “ Lippincott’s Magazine” of April, 1890). After the perform- ance the distinguished actor and author delivered a personalspeech. Owing to the bad blood existing between rival theatrical managers here, the Cape Town performances had to be given in a very inferior building ; a circumstance which is much deplored. Mr. Barrett's cable to the Zimes sug- gesting the renaming of South Africa raised a regrettable controversy in the local Press, the originator taking a vigorous part, but apparently failing to convert many South Africans to his way of thinking. A private letter from Rolf Boldrewood, the Australian author, dated Raby, Toorak, April 23rd, 1902, and containing the political creed of a “representative Australian,” appeared in the Cape Times a short while ago. Sypngy YorK Forp. Cape Town, September 10th, 1902. ee THE AUTHOR. LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL PROPERTY. 1 HE celebrated Festus of the late Mr. P. J. Bailey was published in 1839, just three years before the passing of the Copyright Act, 1842. Had it been published after the passing of that Act the copyright would automatically have lasted for seven years after the death of the author—that is, until 1909. That Act, however, made a special provision in favour of the owners of copyright acquired before its passing, and still subsisting ab the time of its passing. The 4th section enacted that in such cases the copyright should be extended and endure for the full term provided by the then new Act (ie. for seven years after the author’s death or forty-two years, whichever should be the longer period), “provided that in all cases in which such copyright shall belong to a publisher or other person who shall have acquired it for other consideration than that of love and affection, such copyright shall not be extended by this Act, but shall endure for the term which shall subsist therein at the time of the passing of this Act, and no longer, unless the author of such book if he shall be living, or the personal representatives if he be dead, and the proprietor of such copyright shall, before the expiration of such term, consent and agree to accept the benefits of this Act in respect of such book.” The further provision was added that a minute of such consent, in a form scheduled to the Act, had to be registered at Stationers’ Hall. In cases where an author had sold his copyright and not entered into this agreement with the purchaser, the copyright endured only for the term fixed in 1814 by 54 Geo. 3. c. 56—i.e., for twenty- eight years certain after the date of publication and the residue of the life of the author ; so that all copyrights acquired before 1842 have probably expired, unless such agreement was made and registered.—Law Times. —— + Old Books for New. Durina the summer holidays several letters have appeared in the papers giving details respecting the republication by Mr. John Long of a book of Mr. Bernard Capes. ‘The cause of complaint from the author and sundry editors is the fact that although the story had appeared. several years ago in book form, no notification was given to the public. The papers have dealt with the matter from the point of view of the public, and have demonstrated with considerable vigour that such publication is likely to cause serious annoyance to the general reader.  THE AUTHOR. ; . From time to time cases of a similar character have been brought to the offices of the Society. Mr. Capes himself consulted the Society with a yiew to taking action if possible. The opinion of the legal advisers of the Society on this and former occasions has unfortunately been against the authors. Otherwise the committee would gladly no doubt have taken a case in hand, and supported the author in an action in the High Court. Sach a method of publication is not only unfair to the author, but it is also unfair to the public. The publisher is the only person who can hope in these circumstances to reap any benefit from placing the book on the market. It is possible, however, that he may lose in prestige what he gains in hard cash. The facts of the cases that have been investi- gated are generally as follows :— The author in the early days of his career produces a book, and—as a young writer—sells the copyright for a sum down, without knowing exactly the danger of the transaction, or the meaning of the contract that he signs. The book not infrequently has no extended sale, and after a short time ceases to interest the author, the pub- lisher, or the public. A subsequent production brings fame. Then the publisher suddenly re- members that he owns the copyright of an early work. He proceeds to market it again, and generally does so at a time most inconvenient to the author—when, for example, he is producing his latest work with one of the larger publishing houses. On one or two occasions the publisher has run very close to the wind, but has never actually rendered himself legally liable. The only method of dealing with these cases is the method employed by Mr. Bernard Capes—a method the Society has always advocated where the publisher persists in producing the work in spite of the author’s remonstrances. A plain statement of fact published in the newspapers will clear himself and help to protect the public. The nearest approach to committal was a case in which the publisher headed his advertisement “Mr. ’s new novels,” the blank containing the publisher’s name. The work in question cer- tainly was a new novel as far as the publishing house was concerned, but not a fresh novel from the author’s pen. Even in this case the legal advisers of the Society came to the conclusion that it would be impossible to obtain a judgment in the author’s fayour. The real moral of the case is that the author should know what he is selling when he makes his original contract, or should ask advice of some person who is well aware of the intricacies and technicalities involved in a literary agreement. Methods of Distribution. I. THE most important point to an author after the creation of his work is surely how to get his book into the hands of the public. In last month’s Author an article appeared on ‘‘ Methods of Distribution,” with some suggestions. A publisher writing on the subject puts forward some of the reasons why he thinks people do not buy books. He says that the two commonest excuses are that books take up too much room, and are so expensive. People prefer to. borrow from the library, and the libraries in their turn take care to manage with as few books as possible. Instead of trying to push their wares like the bookseller they make no effort to oblige, but merely state that the book is out. and suggest another as an alternative. The publisher also thinks that nett books are regarded by many folk as another put-up dodge on the part of the trade, but as a matter of fact it would be impossible for any man to make a living out of books sold subject to the usual 25 per cent. He ends up by stating that the death of the three- volume novel was the worst day’s work ever done from the point of view of the young and good novelist. These opinions, coming from the source they do, are of importance, and carry a great deal of weight. They should be carefully considered. It is to be hoped that the bookselling trade is not really at such a low ebb. At any rate, it is stated in a daily paper that the American Booklover’s Library has taken London premises. The American Booklover’s Library is run somewhat on the same lines as Messrs. Mudies’. For a fixed subscription it delivers parcels of books at the subscriber's house, and collects them when done with. This American business may perhaps stir up the sleepy traders in books and at the same time do something to break down the enormous critical powers of Messrs. Mudie and Messrs. Smith, which enable them to determine the literary pabulum to be presented to their readers. Although these two houses, by giving books an enormous distribution which could not be achieved by a series of small booksellers scattered all over the kingdom, are no doubt from some points of view highly beneficial to authors and publishers, yet competition is good in all business, but competition must not be allowed to become so acute as to necessitate the creation of a trust. It is to be hoped, however, that the advent of the American Booklover’s Library will not cause the trade to gravitate in this direction. A trust of the distributing agencies of Great Britain might be a worse evil than the present stagnation. a >  40 Il. Srr,—In the October number of The Author, the writer of the above-named article has hit the mark. We are not all geniuses—‘ talent does what it can”—and gets little help. The ordinary author of to-day, if I may so name the greater proportion of writers who write for profit and the benefit of the community, meets with a brick wall “between publication and purchase. Say his book is published on the royalty system, and well re- viewed. So far good; the publisher is hopeful, the author expectant. In many cases the hopes of both are speedily dashed. There is a limited demand, met by the big libraries, a spasmodic sale, and then—the brick wall. Every year a hundred books are in the same plight. Where reststhe blame ? Not with the publishers, not with the librarians, who cannot be expected to speculate, and in nine cases out of ten not with the book. The method of distribution is at fault. The book is blocked from the general public. There is no buyer because there is no seller. Now, the usual bookseller (?) cum-stationer, cum-newsagent, cum- printer, cum-purveyor of fancy goods, must not be asked to know something personally of the con- tents of the season’s hundred books written by the ordinary author. It is asking too much of a man whose interests are split up, who only rubs shoulders with literature en passant. In every town we want, what the writer of the article justly underlines—the book-seller ; a man who has time to think, who can distinguish, who will take works on commission from the publisher—fiction, bio- graphy, travel, religious, scholastic—classify his own printed list, and distribute such, monthly or quarterly, in his own vicinity, and to likely customers. Then the ordinary author will get his chance. The man who wants a book to read will not have to frequent the railway station. He has it, so to speak, under his nose ; and, under shelter and out of draughts, can turn over the pages of clean copies, digest unmutilated reviews, and make up his mind. I refer to the book of ordinary merit—a whole- some attempt to satisfy the cravings of the ordinary reader. The book of genius makes its way over every obstacle; this is ri ght, and inevit- able; but we cannot all eat peaches—we are content to munch many a pear, provided it is not woolly. So with readers and books. No, sir, the author is not content to see the children of his brain die premature deaths for want of a system; but he is deeply indebted to the writer of “The Methods of Distribution” for bringing this vexed question to the front. Let others speak. Your obedient servant, ‘Tus Orpinary AUTHOR. THE AUTHOR. Nett Books. Srvce the nett book system has been intro- duced, the attention of Authors has been drawn to some of the dangers which may possibly arise. Tt is as well to repeat these warnings, as the evils are constantly recurring, and the possible sufferers do not as yet appear to realise the changes taking place in the book trade. When Authors sign agreements they should be very careful to see that it is clearly stated whether their books are to be published subject to the usual discounts or at a nett price. If the published price is merely a nominal price, the Royalty as set out in the tables put forward im The Author, and in Sir Walter Besant’s work, “The Pen and the Book,” will as a rule hold good, but even then the “thirteen as twelve” must be taken into consideration. The reader is referred to the last number of The Author. But if the book is published as a nett book, them the Author must reconsider his position and must revise his royalty. It should be pointed out in addition, that the Royalty paid on nett books is usually paid on every copy sold, and not on “thirteen as twelve.” The price of a book published at 6s., subject to the usual discounts, is equivalent to 4s. 6d. nett. Ts it fair that the Author should sign an agree- ment on the tacit understanding that the book should be published under the ordinary methods | with the usual deductions, and then suddenly find | when the book is placed on the market that it is marked as a nett book? He receives thereby a smaller share of the profits, and the publisher receives a larger share. The case, however, is still worse when a publisher suddenly produces an edition of a book at a nett price which has already been selling for some years in accordance with the older system, #.¢., subject to the 25 per cent. discount to retail buyers. For example, he sells at 6s. nett instead of 6s, with: discount. The Author gets, say, 6d. a copy, and has been receiving that amount since the first publication of the book. But the publisher, who got, say, 10d. a copy on the discount book, will receive at least 1s. 10d. on the nett book. Secure in the terms of his agreement, he boldly repudiates any liability to the Author. The sales. of the book will no doubt be reduced by the rise in price, but they would have to be reduced more: than 50 per cent. to affect the publisher. The Author is the only one who suffers. Put aside the legal aspect. Is this fair trading? What would the Publishers’ Association think of this transaction ? The older and more responsible firms would surely indignantly repudiate these methods. Have they any power to make their opinions felt? It | } } Baa i ae THE AUTHOR. would be interesting to state a formal case for their consideration. It is faults like these that the Association would do well to correct. —_—_—_———_—_+—>—_+__—_— PHOTOGRAPHIC COPYRIGHT. + OW that the editors of illustrated papers and magazines raise so great a demand for the photographic reproduction of men and women, famous and infamous, illustrious and notorious, it may be useful to say a few words on the question of copyright in photographs, and the law bearing on the subject. Statutory copyright was given to paintings, drawings, and photographs by 25 & 26 Vict. c. 68, the first section of which, the most important, runs as follows :— « The author, being a British subject or resident within the dominions of the Crown, of every original painting, ‘drawing, and photograph which shall be or shall have been made either in the British Dominions, or elsewhere, and which shall not have been sold or disposed of before the commencement of this Act, and his assigns, shall have the sole and exclusive right of copying, engraving, reproducing, and multiplying such painting or drawing, and the design thereof, or such photograph and the negative thereof, by any means and of any size, for the term of the natural life of such author, and seven years after his death ; provided that when any painting or drawing, or the negative of any photograph, shall for the first time after the passing of this ‘Act be sold or disposed of, or shall be made or executed for ‘or on behalf of any other person for a good ora valuable ‘consideration, the person so selling or disposing of or making or executing the same shall not retain the copyright thereof, unless it be expressly reserved to him by agreement in writing, signed at or before the time of such sale or disposition, by the vendee or assignee of such painting or -drawing, or of such negative of a photograph, or by the person for or on whose behalf the same shall be so made or executed, but the copyright shall belong to the vendee or assignee of such painting or drawing, or of such negative -of a photograph, or to the person for or on whose behalf the same shall have been made or executed ; nor shall the vendee or assignee thereof be entitled to any such copy- tight, unless, at or before the time of such sale or disposition, an agreement in writing, signed by the person so selling or -disposing of the same, or by his agent duly authorised, shall have been made to that effect.” The Act, unlike the Literary Copyright Act, does not indulge in definitions. From some points of view this is an advantage ; from others, a disadvantage. A book is carefully defined in the Literary Copy- right Act. The lack of definition in the Artistic Copyright Act leaves the difficult proposition to be solved by the intelligence of the judge, with not infrequently a more satisfactory result than if it was left to the intelligence of the draughtsman. Copyright in paintings, drawings, and photo- graphs, it will be seen from the section, starts from the making of the work, and lasts for the life of the 41 author and seven years after his death. In the case of paintings and drawings the determination of the date gives rise to many difficulties, but with regard to photographs need not be further discussed. It is certainly a pity that the alternative of a fixed number of years has not been given, as is the case with books under the Literary Copyright Act, and that the term should run from the making instead of from the publication. The treatment of the subject, however, is in accordance with the treatment of all questions of copyright. Wherever it has been possible for the Legislature to confuse the copyright-holders it has succeeded in doing so, and diverse methods have been employed where the nature of the property demanded the closest analogy. The duration of copyright having been deter- mined, it will be evident that the two most important points are: (1) Who is the author of the work ? (2) Who is the employer? Upon the first depends the commencement of the copyright term, and upon the second in many cases depends the solution of who is the rightful owner of the property. With regard to No. 1— Who is the author ?”— one or two actions have been brought and the point has been raised ; but the judges, dealing in each special case with “ who was not the author,” by a negative process have shirked giving a positive definition. It may be as well, however, to quote the words of the Master of the Rolls in the case of Nottage v. Jackson, as it is the best dictum so far on the point :— “ The author of a painting is the man who paints it, the author of a drawing is the man who draws it, of a photo- graph the author is the person who effectively is as near as he can be the cause of the picture which is produced, that is, the person who has superintended the arrangement, who has actually formed the picture by putting the people into position, and arranging the place in which the people are to be—the man who is the effective cause of that. Although he may only have done it by standing in the room and giving orders about it, still it is his mind and act, as far as anybody’s mind and act are concerned, which is the effective cause of the picture such as it is when it is produced.” If this is correct the person who actually snaps the photograph or uncovers the camera need not in any sense be the author of the photograph. A point of this kind, however, does not interest: the subject so much as it would interest the photo- grapher. The latter, no doubt, takes good care to protect himself by agreement with his assistant or by some other method. Next comes the question, “ Who is the em- ployer ?” When a person goes to have his photograph taken and pays the ordinary fee asked by the photographer, the position is clear and indisputable. He is the  40 I. Smr,—In the October number of 7’he Author, the writer of the above-named article has hit the mark. We are not all geniuses—“ talent does what it can”—and gets little help. The ordinary author of to-day, if I may so name the greater proportion of writers who write for profit and the benefit of the community, meets with a brick wall “between publication and purchase. Say his book is published on the royalty system, and well re- viewed. So far good; the publisher is hopeful, the author expectant. In many cases the hopes of both are speedily dashed. There is a limited demand, met by the big libraries, a spasmodic sale, and then—the brick wall. Every year a hundred books are in the same plight. Where rests the blame ? Not with the publishers, not with the librarians, who cannot be expected to speculate, and in nine cases out of ten not with the book. The method of distribution is at fault. The book is blocked from the general public. There is no buyer because there is no seller. Now, the usual bookseller (?) cum-stationer, cum-newsagent, cum- printer, cum-purveyor of fancy goods, must not be asked to know something personally of the con- tents of the season’s hundred hooks written by the ordinary author. It is asking too much of a man whose interests are split up, who only rubs shoulders with literature en passant. In every town we want, what the writer of the article justly underlines—the book-seller ; a man who has time to think, who can distinguish, who will take works on commission from the publisher—fiction, bio- graphy, travel, religious, scholastic—classify his own printed list, and distribute such, monthly or quarterly, in his own vicinity, and to likely customers. Then the ordinary author will get his chance. The man who wants a book to read will not have to frequent the railway station. He has it, so to speak, under his nose ; and, under shelter and out of draughts, can turn over the pages of clean copies, digest unmutilated reviews, and make up his mind. I refer to the book of ordinary merit—a whole- some attempt to satisfy the cravings of the ordinary reader. The book of genius makes its way over every obstacle; this is right, and inevit- able; but we cannot all eat peaches—we are content to munch many a pear, provided it is not woolly. So with readers and books. No, sir, the author is not content to see the children of his brain die premature deaths for want of a system; but he is deeply indebted to the writer of ‘“‘ The Methods of Distribution” for bringing this vexed question to the front. Let others speak. Your obedient servant, THE ORDINARY AUTHOR. THE AUTHOR. Nett Books. Since the nett book system has been intro- duced, the attention of Authors has been drawn to some of the dangers which may possibly arise. It is as well to repeat these warnings, as the evils are constantly recurring, and the possible sufferers do not as yet appear to realise the changes taking place in the book trade. When Authors sign agreements they should be very careful to see that it is clearly stated whether their books are to be published subject to the usual discounts or at a nett price. If the published price is merely a nominal price, the Royalty as set out in the tables put forward in The Author, and in Sir Walter Besant’s work, “The Pen and the Book,” will as a rule hold good, but even then the “thirteen as twelve”? must be taken into consideration. The reader is referred to the last number of The Author. But if the book is published as a nett book, then the Author must reconsider his position and must revise his royalty. It should be pointed out in addition, that the Royalty paid on nett books is usually paid on every copy sold, and not on “thirteen as twelve.” The price of a book published at 6s., subject to the usual discounts, is equivalent to 4s. 6d. nett. Is it fair that the Author should sign an agree- ment on the tacit understanding that the book | should be published under the ordinary methods | with the usual deductions, and then suddenly find ; when the book is placed on the market that it is marked as a nett book? He receives thereby a smaller share of the profits, and the publisher receives a larger share. The case, however, is still worse when a publisher suddenly produces an edition of a book at a nett: price which has already been selling for some years. in accordance with the older system, ¢.e., subject to the 25 per cent. discount to retail buyers. For example, he sells at 6s. nett instead of 6s. with discount. The Author gets, say, 6d. a copy, and has been receiving that amount since the first publication of the book. But the publisher, who got, say, 10d. a copy on the discount book, will receive at least 1s. 10d. on the nett book. Secure in the terms of his agreement, he boldly: repudiates any liability to the Author. The sales of the book will no doubt be reduced by the rise in price, but they would have to be reduced more- than 50 per cent. to affect the publisher. The Author is the only one who suffers. Put aside the legal aspect. Is this fair trading > What would the Publishers’ Association think of this transaction ? The older and more responsible firms would surely indignantly repudiate these methods. Have they any power to make their opinions felt? It  THE AUTHOR. would be interesting to state a formal case for their consideration. It is faults like these that the Association would do well to correct. Oe PHOTOGRAPHIC COPYRIGHT. ——>+— OW that the editors of illustrated papers and magazines raise so great a demand for the photographic reproduction of men and women, famous and infamous, illustrious and notorious, it may be useful to say a few words on the question of copyright in photographs, and the law bearing on the subject. Statutory copyright was given to paintings, drawings, and photographs by 25 & 26 Vict. c. 68, the first section of which, the most important, runs as follows :— «“ The author, being a British subject or resident within the dominions of the Crown, of every original painting, drawing, and photograph which shall be or shall have been ' - made either in the British Dominions, or elsewhere, and which shall not have been sold or disposed of before the commencement of this Act, and his assigns, shall have the sole and exclusive right of copying, engraving, reproducing, and multiplying such painting or drawing, and the design thereof, or such photograph and the negative thereof, by any means and of any size, for the term of the natural life of such author, and seven years after his death ; provided that when any painting or drawing, or the negative of any photograph, shall for the first time after the passing of this Act be sold or disposed of, or shall be made or executed for or on behalf of any other person for a good or a valuable ‘consideration, the person so selling or disposing of or making or executing the same shall not retain the copyright thereof, unless it be expressly reserved to him by agreement in writing, signed at or before the time of such sale or ‘disposition, by the vendee or assignee of such painting or -drawing, or of such negative of a photograph, or by the person for or on whose behalf the same shall be so made or executed, but the copyright shall belong to the vendee or assignee of such painting or drawing, or of such negative -of a photograph, or to the person for or on whose behalf the same shall have been made or executed ; nor shall the vendee or assignee thereof be entitled to any such copy- right, unless, at or before the time of such saleor disposition, an agreement in writing, signed by the person so selling or disposing of the same, or by his agent duly authorised, shall have been made to that effect.” The Act, unlike the Literary Copyright Act, does not indulge in definitions. From some points of view this is an advantage ; from others, a disadvantage. A book is carefully defined in the Literary Copy- right Act. The lack of definition in the Artistic Copyright Act leaves the difficult proposition to be solved by the intelligence of the judge, with not infrequently a more satisfactory result than if it was left to the intelligence of the draughtsman. Copyright in paintings, drawings, and photo- graphs, it will be seen from the section, starts from the making of the work, and lasts for the life of the 41 author and seven years after his death. In the case of paintings and drawings the determination of the date gives rise to many difficulties, but with regard to photographs need not be further discussed. It is certainly a pity that the alternative of a fixed number of years has not been given, as is the case with books under the Literary Copyright Act, and that the term should run from the making instead of from the publication. The treatment of the subject, however, is in accordance with the treatment of all questions of copyright. Wherever it has been possible for the Legislature to confuse the copyright-holders it has succeeded in doing so, and diverse methods have been employed where the nature of the property demanded the closest analogy. The duration of copyright having been deter- mined, it will be evident that the two most important points are: (1) Who is the author of the work ? (2) Who is the employer? Upon the first depends the commencement of the copyright term, and upon the second in many cases depends the solution of who is the rightful owner of the property. With regard to No. 1—‘ Who is the author ?”— one or two actions have been brought and the point has been raised ; but the judges, dealing in each special case with “who was not the author,” by a negative process have shirked giving a positive definition. It may be as well, however, to quote the words of the Master of the Rolls in the case of Nottage v. Jackson, as it is the best dictum so far on the point :— “The author of a painting is the man who paints it, the author of a drawing is the man who draws it, of a photo- graph the author is the person who effectively is as near as he can be the cause of the picture which is produced, that is, the person who has superintended the arrangement, who has actually formed the picture by putting the people into position, and arranging the place in which the people are to be—the man who is the effective cause of that. Although he may only have done it by standing in the room and giving orders about it, still it is his mind and act, as far as anybody’s mind and act are concerned, which is the effective cause of the picture such as it is when it is produced.” If this is correct the person who actually snaps the photograph or uncovers the camera need not in any sense be the author of the photograph. A point of this kind, however, does not interest the subject so much as it would interest the photo- grapher. The latter, no doubt, takes good care to protect himself by agreement with his assistant or by some other method. Next comes the question, “ Who is the em- ployer ?” When a person goes to have his photograph taken and pays the ordinary fee asked by the photographer, the position is clear and indisputable. He is the  42 employer, and obtains copyright for the life of the author and seven years afterwards. In most cases, however, unless there is some special contract, the actual negative is the property of the photographer. Nowadays, such is the craze for notoriety, that it has become the custom of the photographer to ask subjects to give him a sitting. (Ja Mr. Macgilli- vray’s book on “The Law of Copyright,” just published, by Mr. John Murray, he states, in an ingenuous way, that the sitter in these cases is probably an actress or an athlete, so little does he appear to have realised the vanity of human beings.) The point then arises, “ What valuable con- sideration, if any, has been given 2” As a general rule, none to the photographer, who, on the con- trary, as often as not presents a few copies of the photograph to the sitter. If the sitter pays for these photographs the matter is more difficult, and it must be considered whether the amount the sitter pays would be merely for the reproductions he has obtained, or would raise the presumption of employment within the meaning of the Act. This must depend in each case upon the special facts. The valuable consideration that the photographer receives need not necessarily be a money one. It may be a licence to publish and sell subject to terms. Here, again, the final decision must depend upon the special facts. There are two further points of importance dealing with the same subject. One is the ques- tion of transfer, and the other the question of registration. On reference to the section of the Act quoted above, it will be seen that, unless the copyright is either specially reserved by the author when making an assignment or specially transferred to the vendee in writing, neither party will obtain it, but it will become public property ; such is the absurd arrangement, statute made, for the transfer of artistic property. This difficulty does not of course arise if there is direct employment for valuable consideration, With regard to the second point, registration is an essential. Here, again, stands out another divergence between the Literary and Artistic Acts. In the Literary Copyright Act registration is only necessary before action is taken, and such registra- tion refers back to the date of publication. In artistic copyright, however, it is impossible to bring an action for infringement of rights before registration. In consequence registration is an essential, and an important essential. Registration takes place at Stationers’ Hall. t is not necessary to discuss in detail the particulars required when filling up the forms. Full explanation of these will be given at the office. It should be noted that a photographer who has taken a photograph on the ordinary terms of THE AUTHOR. employment, and publishes that photograph without leave, can be sued by the employer for infringement of contract, even though the photograph was not registered. International copyright of photographs under the Berne Convention must be left over for another time. Photographs are included in the list of things protected by the International Copyright Act. What photographs are copyright and what are not copyright, the duration of copyright, and other details in foreign countries is a very large and difficult subject. TONNAGE OF BRITISH BOOK EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. — > [From the Publishers’ Circular, and reprinted by the kind. permission of Scott, Greenwood & Co.] . FFICIAL statistics of exports and imports of books for last year compared with four pre- vious years,from which some extracts are given, compel serious consideration. The particulars of exports of British-made goods show that there has been a steady increase since 1897 in the total value of books exported. Turning to the various markets, there has been a steady increase in the value of books exported to Japan, Atlantic ports of the United States, and to Denmark. . The imports show a slight increase in 1901 com- pared with 1900, but a decrease when comparing the former year with 1897 and 1898. The exports to America amount to more than half the total amount exported to foreign countries. Curiously enough, the imports of books from Hol- land almost equal in quantity and value those from the United States. his may be accounted for by the large numbers of English books printed in Holland, but it should not be forgotten that imports from that country often include goods from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, etc., shipped to Great Britain via the Hook of Holland or Flushing. In July, 1902 the value of exports from Great Britain shows an increase of £9,000 compared. with July, 1901, and £29,000 compared with 1900. The weight of these books was 22,806 cwts. in July, 1902, and 22,261 in July, 1901. This increase in the exports is an important sign. It would have been of further interest to know of what volumes these 505 cwts. were composed that. made an increase of £9,000 in value.  THE AUTHOR. 43 Exports to ForEIGN COUNTRIES. Quantities. Value. Ee , | See ae oe 1897 | 1898 1899 1900 1901 | 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 jt ae | Cwts. Cwts. Cwts. Cwts. | Cwts. a £ £ £ £ | 67,655 | 66,864 | 70,665 | 81,258 | 75,107 499,723 506,262 | 537,486 578,779 587,219 | | Exports to British POSSESSIONS. | | | | | 139,697 | 144,911 | 157,015 | 157,522 | 172,591 831,270 | 830,287 | 906,949 890,037 965,558 Z oye el ee a | Total | 207,352 | 211,775 | 227,680 | 238,780 | 247,698 | 1,330,993 | 1,336,549 | 1,444,435 1,468,816 | 1,552,772 . Iuvorts FRomM ForREIGN COUNTRIES. 45,054 | 40,969 | 41,688 | 40,139 | 44,834 | 269,522 245,424 224,073 228,799 244,278 Imports FROM BririsH POSSESSIONS. | | | ' | | 1 | | | 1,430 | 1,879 | 1,810 | 765 1,143 || 7,872 | 9,251} 10,097 | 4,930 | 6,889 ee ee oes _| LE | Total | 46,484 | 45,977 | 277,394 254,675 045,170 | 233,709 | 251,167 } | | ae 43,448 | 40,904 | THE COMPLETE AUTHOR.* —-—— ay practical guide to authorship has yet to be written. Mr. Lacon Watson’s “ Hints to Young Authors ” is an attempt to remove this reproach, and, so far as it goes, it is a well carried out one. Unfortunately, it does not go far enough: nor is it remarkably practical. In- deed, the “ young author’”’—and the old one, too, for that matter—may rise from its perusal with his knowledge on the subject but very little increased thereby. The work of genius, however, is not to be made by instructional manuals, and great circu- : y : S * province of authorship proper. They deal instead lations will ever be achieved without resort to these adventitious aids. Mr. Lacon Watson’s name is familiar on the title-pages of several agreeable novels, while he has also been responsible for some excellent journalism in the better known among the evening papers. He is, accordingly, fully qualified to treat of the important subject of * “Vints to Young Authors,” by E. H. Lacon Watson. (London: Grant Richards.) authorship. The professional writer will probably be of opinion that he takes a rather more opti- mistic view of the craft than hard facts will warrant. He observes, for instance, that while a certain novelist of his acquaintance has no par- ticular difficulty in making from six to eight thousand pounds a year out of pen, paper, and brains, “the few at the apex of the pyramid do even better than this.” Such as these latter are remarkably few, and in all probability they are either dramatists, or, in addition to being novelists, they devote their superfluous energy to other forms of making money. A large proportion of the “hints” in this volume are rather outside the with such bye-ways of the calling as reviewing, cultivating editors, paragraph writing, and free-. lance journalism generally. A whole chapter, too, is devoted to describing a literary club, and the manner in which certain more or less distinguished members of the world of letters unbend when in its precincts. It is all entertainingly and interest- ingly done, however, even if it fails to show the seeker after big circulations how he may best attain his object.  GENERAL MEMORANDA. 1 ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property —: I. 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 pad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- _duction forms a part 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 ! Ill. 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. ——_—__—_- + WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. > EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2, {t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. THE AUTHOR. 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for PLAYS IN THREE OR MORE ACTS :— (a.) 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 his name on. the play-bills. (b.) SALE OF PERFORMING RIGHT OR OF A LICENCE TO PERFORM ON THE BASIS OF PERCENTAGES on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the: play should be performed. (c.) SALE OF PERFORMING RIGHT OR OF A LICENCE TO PERFORM ON THE BASIS OF ROYALTIES (.2., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4. PLAYS IN ONE ACT are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time, This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights ina play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that AMERICAN RIGHTS may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘they should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he rums 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, and that fora novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. 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 INFORMA- TION ARE REFERRED TO THE SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY. <_< ___— HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. ———— 1. VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel's opinion is desirable, the Committee will obtain for him Counsel's opinion, All this without any cost to the member.  8 a it n | 2 4 a THE AUTHOR. 2, Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinarysolicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3..Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book 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 document to the Society for examination, 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the independence of the writer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential 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 to give advice concerning 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. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for inter- pretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. This 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. The must be done within fourteen days of first execution. Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members, 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society ; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 2 —_ ay ao THE READING BRANCH. EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term MSS. includes NOT ONLY WORKS OF FICTION, BUT POETRY AND DRAMATIC WORKS, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea, ——-_+—~_ 6 NOTICES. 1 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 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. 45 Communications for Zhe Author should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., 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. ¢—<>— as COMMUNICATIONS AND LETTERS ARE INVITED BY THE EpITOoR on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. SREY aca eae THE SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. AUTHORITIES. —+ HE Musical Summary Proceedings Copyright Act has now been running for a month, Three points appear to be noticeable. Firstly, the agents who have acted on behalf of the Musical Copyright Association have taken the vendor of pirated copies before the magistrate, and then failed to produce evidence of title. In these circumstances the question has had to beadjourned. The magis- trates in some instances have made remarks about the time of the Court being wasted by such adjournment. In future the agents will no doubt be fully prepared. The second point is one due to the faultiness of the Act, and attention was drawn to it in the last number of Zhe Author. It is impossible to ascertain who are the printers of these pirated copies, as the vendors in every case refuse to give up the names. They know well that if they stick by the printers they will be able to obtain another supply when necessary. The third case is that of a vendor who kept his stock in a sack, or at the nearest publichouse. He held a few copies in his hand ; these the agent secured as they were exposed for sale, the stock was beyond his reach. ‘This, to the lay mind, may seem a curious interpretation of the Act, and may lead to further difficulties and complications, The following interesting story in the history of authorship is taken from the American Author. Can anyone quote an analogous tale, in which an  46 author has had a difficulty in establishing his own identity ? “The autumn announcements of Messrs. Lee and Shepard begin with the autograph edition of Mrs. Elizabeth ‘Akers’s “Sunset Song, and Other V erses,” a volume of poems hitherto unpublished, with a single exception, * Rock Me to Sleep, Mother,” which is printed at the end of the volume with a spirited note from the publisher, giving its history. The Saturday Evening Post originally printed the poem, paying the author five dollars. A firm of music publishers issued it with a setting by Ernest Leslie and paid nothing, but munificently offered the author five dollars apiece for any more songs as good as the first. As their profits during the first six months amounted to many thousands, they could then afford this extravagance, but when Mrs. Akers actually sent them a song they refused it, on the ground that they “could do nothing with it.” A few years after the first appearance of the song Mr. ‘Alexander T. W. Ball, of New Jersey, declared that it was his. Certain newspapers espoused his cause, and had he not published_ what Mr. Rossiter Johnson calls the most absurd pamphlet ever written the real author might have been deprived even of the credit of originating her pseudonym of “Florence Percy.” The pamphlet aroused some able defenders for her, and at last the late William Douglas O’Connor, writing in the New York Times, utterly crushed Mr. Ball’s pretensions to be “ Florence Percy,” or anything but an imitator. In her new volume Mrs. Akers includes a grateful eulogy of her defender.” The editor of a certain literary paper in the United States is in the habit of endeavouring to answer some of the literary conundrums of his readers. ‘A correspondent wrote to him on one occasion stating that after a lengthy debate about a well- known novel by a modern writer it was decided to take the editor’s opinion upon the moral tone of the book. The editor was fearful of a trap. His response was given with the wisdom of a Solomon: “ With regard to the book in question, if you will tell us the things you think about it, I will then tell you whether the things 1 think about it are the same as those things which you think about it.” We trust the contributor was satisfied. The Dumas Centenary has just gone by. To those who are interested in these anniversaries the following list may afford some useful information :— Bulwer Lytton (1903), Beaconsfield (1904), Haw- thorne (1904), Whittier (1907), Longfellow (1907), Tennyson (1909), Holmes (1909), Poe (J 909), Gautier (1911), Thackeray (1911), Dickens (1912), Harriet Beecher Stowe (1912), Henry Ward Beecher (1918). A correspondent sends us the enclosed : « Certain officials of the income tax department, the police court, not to mention census takers, and THE AUTHOR. the registrars of limited companies, demand a description of one’s trade or profession. For myself, I make a humble living from the making of novels, and have persistently written myself down ‘ novelist. This is almost invariably ignored, and for it is substituted ‘ gent.,’ which is vague, ‘ esq.," which is inaccurate, or ‘journalist,’ which J am not. “Can anyone suggest a better term? ‘ Littérateur’ I object to for patriotic reasons. “ Man of letters’ is clumsy and misleading—indeed, it is more suggestive of a compositor or a window-ticket stenciller. ‘Writer’ might be all very well in England, but amongst Scots it would lead to misapprehension. « | should be very much obliged for a suggestion, as I have bought a motor car recently, and am just now being officially asked for a description of my- self with much frequency.” YACHTSMAN. ——__—__——_+ <> KN ACADEMY OF LETTERS. ———-—+— 1 O judge by the autumn announcements of certain publishing houses, masterpieces— in one department of literature at least— are being just now showered upon us, thick as the falling leaves. This is inspiriting news ; or would be so, had one the happiness to belong to that con- siderable section of the British public which has kept its first innocence in regard to advertisement, still believing that things printed and things true are necessarily one and the same. Not belonging to that enviable section, one is constrained to admit a doubt of the entire reliability of these announcements, while the simile of the falling leaves takes on @ slightly sinister significance. For to one whose memory carries him back some twenty, thirty, or possibly more years, it too often appears that though the annual output of books has trebled, may be quadrupled, masterpieces have by no means multiplied in proportion during that period. And this is liable to make him reflective, since he is one of a generation which—without vanity—had, in its youth, more than a bowing acquaintance with masterpieces. He grows sad, for, as he reflects, it even occurs to him that English literature, in its higher and more dis- tinguished expression, is sick, almost sick unto death. Then he looks round anxiously, asking whether from any quarter may come some effective remedy, some wise physician capable of giving new life to this moribund creature. Hence it is that some of us hail the idea of an English Academy of Letters, regarding it as a possible remedial agency  SO ASD rregt RD Sees ) SELF THE AUTHOR. AT which, allowed time and patience, may eventually restore to our over-prolific and under-vitalised literature a measure of its earlier dignity, beauty, and strength. After all an Academy of Letters, that is a central authority having practical jurisdiction in technical literary questions, is no such innovation in the history of our literature as its opponents would have us believe. Until recently it has always existed, if not explicitly, yet implicitly ; and its judgments have been obeyed or defied—in either case to the wholesome stimulation of literary effort. Ard that such central authority, whether vested in a single individual—as Dr. Johnson—or a group of persons—such as Pope, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and the wits surrounding them whose quarrels and reconciliations make such diverting reading—to mention but two examples among many—that this central authority did on the whole make for literary righteousness, main- tained a high standard of style and of taste, encouraged intelligence, damned not only dull- ness but vulgarity and folly, supported the dignity of letters, securing to them a solid standing and value in our national life, is, surely, incon- trovertible. That this central authority was in the past, and will most probably be in the future, subject to a few of the unamiable weak- nesses common to mankind, that it may have its moments of envy and jealousy, that it did not in the past, and may not in the future, always acclaim the advent of budding genius with unlimited enthu- siasm, is beside the mark. Genius, especially English genius, which is wont to be of a very sufficiently robust and self-confident sort, may safely be left to take care of itself. Should an Academy of Letters unwisely try to extinguish some twentieth-century Byron, it will fail just as absolutely as the “Scotch Reviewers” failed to extinguish those “English Bards” whom the nineteenth-century Byron so wittily defended. It may seriously be questioned whether genius, worth the name, has ever suffered permanent injury yet from the pressure of adverse criticism brought to bear upon it in its youth. Genius which has not the courage of its convictions, is not really genius at all. It is not, therefore, mainly in the interests of genius—which sooner or later is bound, by right divine, to conquer and control the intellectual and artistic life of its day—but in the interests of the rank and file of writers, who produce the great bulk of contemporary poetry, fiction, drama, criticism, elles lettres, that an English Academy is just now so urgently needed. For the majority of these, indeed, “wander ”—as_ the Psalmist has it—‘‘in the wilderness in a solitary way, and have no city to dwell in.” The right of private judgment has run mad, thanks to a graft- ing of so-called modern ideas upon the old Protestant stock. The result, as Mr. Herbert Trench has admirably pointed out, is anarchy ; and anarchy always has been, and always must be disastrous to art. One cannot but believe that a central authority, composed of the ripest and most gifted minds of our day, would in time evolve order out of thischaos; and, imposing its influence upon the conscience and imagination of the rank and file of writers, convince each literary aspirant that merely to do right in the sight of his own eyes, merely to follow his own immature and unstable opinions, is to court an oblivion even more speedy than is his natural inheritance. As Maxime du Camp has well said—* Les lettres consolent de tout, & la condition que lon y reste, que Von se donne « elles sans esprit de retour et que Von les respecte absolument.” And it is this, the dignity, the consoling efficacy, the high, national, as well as personal, worth of letters, that it is so eminently desirable a central authority should bring home to the writers of the younger generation. For unquestionably one of the main causes of the present poverty—in quality not alas! in quantity—of literary work in England, is the refusal of the younger writers to give them- selves loyally. Their tendency is to regard letters as a means, not as an end. They will have letters lead on, by way of notoriety or hard cash, to quite other forms of activity—to society, to politics, to philanthropy—of the more public sort. Letters have become a form of self-advertisement. Not the book, but he or she who writes it, is too often the main object to him or her self. It may be argued that thisis very human—pathetically, engag- ingly so. Granted. Only let it be remembered literature is a jealous mistress. No art—just as no god—endures a divided allegiance for long. These writers may leave letters for something they reckon more worthy of their attention; but not, in the majority of cases, before letters have rather conspicuously left them. It is easy for the poor to gird at riches. Yet one cannot but fancy that before the millionaire— Trans-Atlantic, Semitic, Colonial—invaded English society and materialised our ambitions and ideals, matters were different in this particular. We know, on the highest authority, it is not easy for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven ; and one ventures to suspect it is equally difficult for him to enter into the Kingdom of Art—except as a purchaser. We can hardly blame him if, confused by the evident power of wealth, he fails to understand that to own a work of art is not necessarily to possess it, and that to pay for a work of art is by no means the same as to produce it. Under this head he suffers strong  AG author has had a difficulty in establishing his own identity ? “The autumn announcements of Messrs. Lee and Shepard begin with the autograph edition of Mrs. Elizabeth Akers’s “Sunset Song, and Other Verses,’ @ volume of poems hitherto unpublished, with a single exception, “ Rock Me to Sleep, Mother,” which is printed at the end of the volume with a spirited note from the publisher, giving its history. The Saturday Evening Post originally printed the poem, paying the author five dollars. A firm of music publishers issued it with a setting by Ernest Leslie and paid nothing, but munificently offered the author five dollars apiece for any more songs as good as the first. AS their profits during the first six months amounted to many thousands, they could then afford this extravagance, but when Mrs. Akers actually sent them a song they refused it, on the ground that they “ could do nothing with it.” A few years after the first appearance of the song Mr. ‘Alexander T. W. Ball, of New Jersey, declared that it was his. Certain newspapers espoused his cause, and had he not published what Mr. Rossiter Johnson calls the most absurd pamphlet ever written the real author might have been deprived even of the credit of originating her pseudonym of ‘“ Florence Percy.” The pamphlet aroused some able defenders for her, and at last the late William Douglas O’Connor, writing in the New York Times, utterly crushed Mr. Ball’s pretensions to be “ Florence Perey,” or anything but an imitator. In her new volume Mrs. Akers includes a grateful eulogy of her defender.” The editor of a certain literary paper in the United States is in the habit of endeavouring to answer some of the literary conundrums of his readers. ‘A correspondent wrote to him on one occasion stating that after a lengthy debate about a well- known novel by a modern writer it was decided to take the editor’s opinion upon the moral tone of the book. The editor was fearful of a trap. His response was given with the wisdom of a Solomon: “ With regard to the book in question, if you will tell us the things you think about it, J will then tell you whether the things I think about it are the same as those things which you think about it.” We trust the contributor was satisfied. The Dumas Centenary has just gone by. To those who are interested in these anniversaries the following list may afford some useful information :— Bulwer Lytton (1903), Beaconsfield (1904), Haw- thorne (1904), Whittier (1907), Longfellow (1907), Tennyson (1909), Holmes (1909), Poe (1909), Gautier (1911), Thackeray (1911), Dickens (1912), Harriet Beecher Stowe (1912), Henry Ward Beecher (1918). A correspondent sends us the enclosed : “ Gertain officials of the income tax department, the police court, not to mention census takers, and THE AUTHOR. the registrars of limited companies, demand a description of one’s trade or profession. For myself, I make a humble living from the making of novels, and have persistently written myself down ‘ novelist. This is almost invariably ignored, and for it is substituted ‘ gent.,’ which is vague, ‘esq.,’ which is inaccurate, or ‘journalist,’ which I am not. “(an anyone suggest a better term? ‘ Littérateur’ I object to for patriotic reasons. ‘ Man of letters ’ is clumsy and misleading—indeed, it is more suggestive of a compositor or a window-ticket stenciller. ‘Writer’ might be all very well in England, but amongst Scots it would lead to misapprehension. «J should be very much obliged for a suggestion, as I have bought a motor car recently, and am just now being officially asked for a description of my- self with much frequency.” YACHTSMAN. —_—_———__1+—>—_ > AN ACADEMY OF LETTERS. ——-— + iT O judge by the autumn announcements of certain publishing houses, masterpleces— in one department of literature at least— are being just now showered upon us, thick as the falling leaves. This is inspiriting news ; or would be so, had one the happiness to belong to that con- siderable section of the British public which has kept its first innocence in regard to advertisement, still believing that things printed and things true are necessarily one and the same. Not belonging to that enviable section, one is constrained to admit a doubt of the entire reliability of these announcements, while the simile of the falling leaves takes on a slightly sinister significance. For to one whose memory carries him back some twenty, thirty, or possibly more years, it too often appears that though the annual output of books has trebled, may be quadrupled, masterpieces have by no means multiplied in proportion during that period. And this is liable to make him reflective, since he is one of a generation which —without vanity—had, in its youth, more than a bowing acquaintance with masterpieces. He grows sad, for, as he reflects, it even occurs to him that English literature, in its higher and more dis- tinguished expression, is sick, almost sick unto death. Then he looks round anxiously, asking whether from any quarter may come some effective remedy, some wise physician capable of giving new life to this moribund creature. Hence it is that some of us hail the idea of an English Academy of Letters, regarding it as a possible remedial agency  THE AUTHOR. AT which, allowed time and patience, may eventually restore to our over-prolific and under-vitalised literature a measure of its earlier dignity, beauty, and strength. After all an Academy of Letters, that is a central authority having practical jurisdiction in technical literary questions, is no such innovation in the history of our literature as its opponents would have us believe. Until recently it has always existed, if not explicitly, yet implicitly ; and its judgments have been obeyed or defied—in either case to the wholesome stimulation of literary effort. And that such central authority, whether vested in a single individual—as ))r. Johnson—or a group of persons—such as Pope, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and the wits surrounding them whose quarrels and reconciliations make such diverting reading—to mention but two examples among many—that this central authority did on the whole make for literary righteousness, main- tained a high standard of style and of taste, encouraged intelligence, damned not only daull- ness but vulgarity and folly, supported the dignity of letters, securing to them a solid standing and value in our national life, is, surely, incon- trovertible. That this central authority was in the past, and will most probably be in the future, subject to a few of the unamiable weak- nesses common to mankind, that it may have its moments of envy and jealousy, that it did not in the past, and may not in the future, always acclaim the advent of budding genius with unlimited enthu- siasm, is beside the mark. Genius, especially English genius, which is wont to be of a very sufficiently robust and self-confident sort, may safely be left to take care of itself. Should an Academy of Letters unwisely try to extinguish some twentieth-century Byron, it will fail just as absolutely as the ‘Scotch Reviewers” failed to extinguish those “English Bards” whom the nineteenth-century Byron so wittily defended. It may seriously be questioned whether genius, worth the name, has ever suffered permanent injury yet from the pressure of adverse criticism brought to bear upon it in its youth. Genius which has not the courage of its convictions, is not really genius at all. It is not, therefore, mainly in the interests of genius—which sooner or later is bound, by right divine, to conquer and control the intellectual and artistic life of its day—but in the interests of the rank and file of writers, who produce the great bulk of contemporary poetry, fiction, drama, criticism, belles /ettres, that an English Academy is just now so urgently needed. For the majority of these, indeed, “ wander ”—as_ the Psalmist has it—‘in the wilderness in a solitary way, and have no city to dwell in.” The right of private judgment has run mad, thanks to a graft- ing of so-called modern ideas upon the old Protestant stock. The result, as Mr. Herbert Trench has admirably pointed out, is anarchy ; and anarchy always has been, and always must be disastrous to art. One cannot but believe that a central authority, composed of the ripest and most gifted minds of our day, would in time evolve order out of this chaos ; and, imposing its influence upon the conscience and imagination of the rank and file of writers, convince each literary aspirant that merely to do right in the sight of his own eyes, merely to follow his own immature and unstable opinions, is to court an oblivion even more speedy than is his natural inheritance. As Maxime du Camp has well said—* Les lettres consolent de tout, & la condition que Pon y reste, que Von se donne a elles sans esprit de retour et que Von les respecte absolument.” And it is this, the dignity, the consoling efficacy, the high, national, as well as personal, worth of letters, that it is so eminently desirable a central authority should bring home to the writers of the younger generation. For unquestionably one of the main causes of the present poverty—in quality not alas! in quantity—of literary work in England, is the refusal of the younger writers to give them- selves loyally. Their tendency is to regard letters as a means, not as an end. They will have letters lead on, by way of notoriety or hard cash, to quite other forms of activity—to society, to politics, to philanthropy—of the more public sort. Letters have become a form of self-advertisement. Not the book, but he or she who writes it, is too often the main object to him or her self. It may be argued that thisis very haman—pathetically, engag- ingly so. Granted. Only let it be remembered literature is a jealous mistress. No art—just as no god—endures a divided allegiance for long. These writers may leave letters for something they reckon more worthy of their attention; but not, in the majority of cases, before letters have rather conspicuously left them. It is easy for the poor to gird at riches. Yet one cannot but fancy that before the millionaire— Trans-Atlantic, Semitic, Colonial—invaded English society and materialised our ambitions and ideals, matters were different in this particular. We know, on the highest authority, it is not easy for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven ; and one ventures to suspect it is equally difficult for him to enter into the Kingdom of Art—except as a purchaser. We can hardly blame him if, confused by the evident power of wealth, he fails to understand that to own a work of art is not necessarily to possess it, and that to pay for a work of art is by no means the same as to produce it. Under this head he suffers strong  48 delusion, and, the worst of it is, a rich man’s delusions are rather violently infectious. Thanks mainly to him, money has become the measure of suecess in literature—the having made money enough to be practically free of literature, able to go away and play at something else—almost any- thing will serve—is the most triumphant success of all. And to make money in any consider- able quantity the modern author must conciliate the “popular shilling.” He must write down. to the understanding of the vast semi-educated public, English and American, which has next to no power of discrimination or sense of values— how should it have them ?—which demands that which is at once superficial and extravagant, that which at once flatters and emboldens its own cheap opinions and tastes. Thus, from above and from below alike, the best literature, in every department, is in risk of being strangled. Individually the inordinately rich—from the social atmosphere they create—collectively the compara- tively poor—from the necessity the writer is under to secure their suffrages—are alike its enemies. Time was when one feared to meet a renowned author lest his personality should prove less interesting than his books. Now it is all the other way. One fears to read the books lest they should fall short of the charm and ability of their author. To invert a famous saying, these gentlemen talk like angels while, too often, they write like poor Poll. For it seems incredible that such very well- equipped persons could not give us worthier books if they really tried. Then one begins to entertain an unpleasant suspicion that they are a little ungenerous, that they are saving themselves, only putting so much strength into their work as will just make it pay, while carefully husbanding the rest for something quite other than letters. Ts it too much to hope that a recognised central authority—to which the elect among themselves may presently belong—an association of the most distinguished and enlightened minds of our day, might provoke in the rank and file a finer ambition and higher conception of the dignity of their calling, a sounder scholarship, a greater humanity and love of beauty, a greater self-forgetfulness in work ? Only to do this, our Academy must itself be broadly based, be fearless and impartial, liberal in sympathy and in thought. It must have—if one dare say so—no conscience save the literary one. For the last thing we want just now is a multi- plied censorship, a Vigilance Committee, or Church Congress, or Conference of Head-Masters, or Prim- rose League, least of all a Social Bureau under another name. In England pedants too often render learning odious, and purists render art ridiculous, and little schools with their little shibboleths are a weariness to humour and to ‘speak—of all this. THE AUTHOR. common sense. We want no legalising—so to Our Academy is designed to combat prejudice, not to stereotype it. If it is to be truly efficacious it must not narrow, but widen the literary outlook. It must exist not for itself, but for others; not for the glorification of the past even, but for the redemption of the present and inspiration of the future. Its func- tion, to put it briefly, is not the laudation either of itself or of dead lions; but—far humbler one— the salvation of live dogs. Upon the practical organisation of an English Academy of Letters, the present writer is not qualified to speak. Still he would venture to add two names to those already suggested by Mr. Herbert Trench as members of a possible -central. committee— namely, that of Algernon Charles Swinburne, our greatest living poet, and that of Thomas Hardy, one of our two greatest living novelists. Lucas Maer. ——— II. I have no sympathy whatever for the proposal to form any such body as a British Academy of Letters, although I have every sympathy for the spirit in which Mr. Herbert Trench pro- poses it. And, as Mr. Trench argues in general principles, it may be permitted to condemn his scheme upon them. Viewed through the colour of his bright spirit no doubt the Academy shines like a temple on Olympus: without his glasses it would show in a generation as a clique in St. James’s. An academy is nothing if not academic : its republicanism degenerates into oligarchy : its principles become rigid: it ends in unimposing senility. However its members are chosen there must inevitably be a tail of medio- crities, and this tail by the mere efflux of time will wag the dog. The newer members will be choked by the fetid atmosphere which their elders breathe with placid enjoyment ; the whole body will be a corporation without a soul and nothing to kick. _No academy or academic body has ever encouraged originality ; and by the very nature of academies none ever will. But they have often crushed it, often swallowed it. Mr. Trench’s notions of criticism are in themselves conserva- tive: indeed, the very notion of a formal judg- ment is conservative, and the spirit of conservatism is the one thing which it is desirable to avoid in literature. For conservatism can always take care of itself: the traditions in a.writer’s mind, without any external reinforcement, are, as most men can recognise on analysis of their moods, the great enemy of their progress and originality. What makes Mr. Trench imagine that the  THE AUTHOR. 49 endorsement of Matthew Arnold by Messrs. Lecky and Bryce would help other spirits than those now in touch with that poet? At the best they might make him fashionable; at the worst they would make themselves ridiculous. It is ‘sufficient that Arnold and Tourgueniev should be on the way to immortality by the slow decay of their more futile rivals. An academy, inevitably destined by its nature to worship form, is more likely to renew Tennyson’s hold upon the bourgeois than to attach him to any greater poet. Mr. Trench is a poet : his notion of an academy is poetical: it is a dream. To translate such a vision into a body of men is as futile a task as to stage the Keltic imagination. The appeal of pure literature is by its very nature personal, and an academy is a crowd, a lower organism, a thing of averages, make-shifts, mutual concessions, mass prejudices. We are better without it. a Morey ROBERTS. —_+—+— III. I don’t think an Academy of Letters can possibly ‘be invented to do what those who advocate the estab- lishment of one desire. It would be admirable if we could have a body to “hall-mark,” as Mr. Trench puts it, what is really of fine quality so soon as it appears, but the nearest approach we can ever get to such a body is a large well-educated reading public, keenly interested in criticism; and even then there will be winds and currents of favour. The chief objection to Mr. Trench that occurs to me is the fact that a man may bea quite splendid figure in contemporary literature, and yet spend remarkably little time in the research after con- temporary merit, much less contemporary promise. Consider three names Mr. Trench has given. What good would Mr. George Meredith be in the capacity of a hall-marker if—as I have heard asserted—he confines his reading to the literature of France, or Mr. John Morley (who is engrossed — in politics), or Mr. Frazer, whose rich work in anthropology is no guarantee that he has the slightest qualification for what would be one of the most difficult and unavoidable tasks of this hall-marking Academy, the sifting of contemporary fiction? There are men to whom no one would deny the crowns and glories of literature, but it is another matter to ask them to control its des- tinies. Mr. Trench, like most Academy projectors, overlooks the fact that a new addition to literature is almost invariably a breach of the established boundaries, a variation of style, matter, treatment, a revelation of new aspects and new thoughts. I do not see that it is reasonable to expect the Old Men, resting gloriously amidst their accomplished work, to bother about the New Men, or to assimi- late the new views. They are far more likely to fill their gaps with the Scholarly Gentleman, the Able Imitator—quite apart from wire-pulling and intrigue and the natural desire of those who have arrived and are accepted to lead a pleasant life. Far more efficient to the end Mr. Trench desires would be an Academy of lively and contemporary critics —Messrs. Gosse, Edward Garnett, Waugh, Bennett, William Archer, Street, Chesterton, for example— but even then. . . . Probably they would never be sufficiently agreed to elect anybody. And before ever you come to the question of replacement you have to consider that you will never get a really literary Academy as things are at present. You will get a few indisputable literary figures, the conscience members one might call them, and the rest will be men who are really only well-bred, influential amateurs, men no one would dream of putting into an Academy if they had done just exactly what they have done now from the starting point of a lower class home. There are Mr. Balfour, for example, and Lord Rosebery. You will never be able to float an Academy without this element unless you have that educated public we need— and then your Academy, I submit, will be totally unnecessary. The Good Outsider, that Intrusive Bounder, who is the living soul of literature, will be left outside anything Mr. Trench and his fellow workers can possibly invent, and the Uninspired Respectability will be in—from the very beginning. It is inherent in the nature of Academies and unavoidable. You don’t get “hall-marked”’ till you are dead and a little obsolete. This is sad for the innumerable authors now palpitatingly con- scious of superlative merit, but it is one of the things you have to make your peace with in the literary life. H. G. WELLs. See gs IV. In The Author of October, p. 23, I read that a recent writer thinks “that an incorporated society might snuff out Wordsworths, Coleridges, Blakes, and Shelleys.” It seems worth while to note that Coleridge was not “snuffed out,” though he was one of the earliest members of the Royal Society of Litera- ture, to which a charter was granted by King George the Fourth, seventy-six years ago, accord- ing to Haydn’s Book of Dates. Lirr. 1. ee Vv. The Editor has received a letter from Mr. William Romaine Patterson (“Benjamin Swift”), in which he regrets that he is unable, through  50 pressure of business, to write an article for the columns of the Author, but states that he is in sympathy with Mr. Herbert Trench’s views. ' “ It seems to me,” so runs the letter, ‘high time that those for whom English literature is a great inheritance should unite against the vulgar mob of writers and readers who are at the present moment degrading its traditions. ———— — VI. Dear Srr,—The evils which Mr. Trench justly deplores are due, not to the absence of an Academy of Letters, but to the absence of men, and to the vulgarity of the epoch. It is a pity that this question was not agitated in the mid-Victorian era, when a galaxy of genius almost as bright as the Elizabethan would have given dignity to the first Academy. Now we are in the trough of reaction, and must wait till there exists a body of men sufficiently weighty to overbear all cavil. Yours faithfully, J. ZANGWILL. —_—_——_1—>—_+—___—_—__ THE DICKENS FELLOWSHIP. Sdn ane HE Dickens Fellowship had a splendid send- off at its first meeting at Anderton’s Hotel last Monday evening. The hall was crowded, and the meeting of the most enthusiastic kind. Mr. Percy Fitzgerald, an old friend of Charles Dickens, was in the chair, and among those present were Mr. and Mrs. Hall Caine, Mr. F. G. Kitton, Mr. Francesco Berger, Mr. Arthur Waugh, and Mr. Harry Furniss. Sympathetic messages were read from the veteran actor, Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. M. H. Spielmann, and others. A very charming telegram was received from Sir Henry Irving just as the meeting commenced. It was as follows :— “Love and greetings to all. I wish I could be with you to-night. Hope I may at some future time.” Mr. Fitzgerald, in opening the proceedings, thanked the meeting for having invited him to occupy the chair, as it was always a delight to him to take a part in anything that was done to honour the memory of Charles Dickens. He was one of the few left who had known Dickens personally. He had walked with him, talked with him, and had travelled with him. He thought that outside Dickens’s own family there were only two men left who had been in close intimacy with him, and those were Mr. Marcus Stone and himself. They might congratulate themselves sincerely THE AUTHOR. upon the numerous attendance at the meeting, and! also upon the way in which the idea of the Fellow- ship had been taken up. Already there had been no less than 600 applications for membership, and there were proposals for the affiliation of the clubs in different parts of the country with the society. Then, again, only the other day two American ladies called upon the Secretary and said that it would give them great pleasure to act as mission- aries on behalf of the society in their own country. Then there was the telegram from Sir Henry Irving. Having spoken of the gentlemen whom it was pro- posed to elect as vice-presidents, a list of whom is given later on, Mr. Fitzgerald proceeded to say that it was proposed to have monthly meetings in connection with the society, on which occasions there would be papers read on some subjects connected with Dickens. . In this connection he would deprecate panegyric, and hoped that they would devote themselves more to a critical study of Dickens and what scholars called the exegesis of his works. A great deal of amusement was to be derived from the study of any author’s writings, because most authors were very fond of putting their own experiences into their books. It was well known that a great deal of Dickens’s biography was to be found in his writings, which were so sympathetic and so emotional. Mr. Fitzgerald proceeded, by reference to the “ Pickwick Papers” and to other writings of Dickens, to give instances of the author’s incorporation of his own experiences in his books. Speaking of “Pickwick,” he said it was a most marvellous book. It was written by a young man of twenty-three or twenty- four, and yet it contained the observations and experience which would guide a man through life. It was usually supposed that ‘‘ David Copperfield ” contained the real autobiography of Dickens, but he was almost inclined to think that “ Pickwick,” especially the earlier portion, contained a great deal more of his early history, and he would go so far as to say that it was entirely made up of reminiscences and recollections of what had occurred to himself. Mr. Fitzgerald proceeded to speak of the association of Dickens with Rochester, and how this locality figured in his books. His first book was about Rochester, and his last, when the pen fell from his hand, was about the same lace. : It was very commonly thought that Dickens was a town man, but the fact was that his writings showed an extraordinary knowledge of country life, and nothing was better than his descriptions of that life. Dickens enjoyed country walks, and from personal experience he (Mr. Fitzgerald) could say that he was a splendid walker. He thought nothing of a twenty miles’ daily walk. Mr. Fitz- gerald proceeded to explain how a number of  THE AUTHOR. localities which had been sketched in Dickens’s different works had been identified, and spoke in particular of how he had secured the material for the Eatanswill election from an electoral contest at Ipswich which he had reported for the Morning Chronicle. Mr. Hall Caine, who next addressed the meeting, said he was delighted to take his part in the establishment of the Fellowship. He had con- tributed in some degree to history, dictionaries, and biographies, and he had even written reviews of novels. None of these had exhausted all his faculties, but he could. honestly say that in the creation of the novel the author had to exert all his strength. He rejoiced in assisting in the establishment of a Dickens Fellowship, because he realised that Dickens was a leader of his craft. In his opinion Dickens was the greatest novelist of the Victorian or of any era, and he might ven- ture the further opinion that he was the greatest novelist of England or any other country. His influence was even now wider than that of any other. He rejoiced, too, because Dickens was in everything a man of principles. He loved truth, and he loved justice, and he was the exponent of the whole science of humanity. In an eminent ‘degree he was a friend of the poor, and he was ever ready to say the strong word on behalf of the down-trodden. Then Dickens stood for the love of morality. He never hesitated to present things in their nakedness, but the virtue in him was that vice was always given its true picture. Dickens loved humanity, and that was the reason that humanity loved Dickens. Then Dickens stood for the love of God. Therefore, by establishing a Dickens Fellowship, they were encouraging truth, justice, morality, and the love of humanity, and thus they would be breaking down the barriers between man and man, and between nation and nation. For these reasons he wished the Dickens Fellowship every possible success. Mr. Arthur Waugh said that it had been suggested to him by a very able critic and editor that there was no particular “use” for such a Fellowship as this. Well, if it came to that, in the words of that stern moralist, Mr. Albert ‘Chevalier, ‘‘ What’s the use of anythink? Why, nothink !” But if anything that appealed to the cause of intellectual progress was of “use” in the world, then there would be abundant use and value in this commemoration of the greatest novelist of his time, who taught men so much sympathy and humanity, and who was.as much alive now as ever when he was writing, and would continne to live long after his critics and detractors were forgotten. Mr. Harry Furniss, in a very humorous speech, 51 which provoked much laughter, spoke particularly of the illustrators of Dickens, and expressed the opinion that he had never yet been properly illustrated. His fat women were made thin, and some like fault could be found in many of the illustrations of his characters. The difficulty was that Dickens was so great an artist himself, that one could see the characters standing out in his pages better than any artist could drawthem. He was so fond of Dickens that he employed his spare time in illustrating him, but whether his work would ever see the light he did not know. He added that he had been brought up on Dickens since he was a small boy, and he was bringing up his children on Dickens too. Mr. Kitton and Mr. Francesco Berger briefly addressed the meeting. The election of officers then took place, Mr. Percy Fitzgerald being unanimously elected as President for the year, then Mr. Hall Caine, Mr. F. G. Kitton, Mr. Harry Furniss, Mr. Francesco Berger, Mr. W. Moy Thomas, Mr. M. H. Spiel- mann, Mr. Arthur Waugh, Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. Hammond Hall, and Sir Henry Irving were elected as Vice-Presidents, and Mr. B. W. Matz as Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. “Household Words,” founded by Charles Dickens over 50 years ago, was declared the official organ of the Dickens Fellowship. At the conclusion of the meeting a very hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Percy Fitzgerald was moved by Mr. Harry Furniss, seconded by Mr. Hall Caine, and carried unanimously. —_—_——_1—<>—__+___—_—_- “THE EDINBURGH REVIEW.” October, 1802—October, 1902. HE centenary of The Edinburgh Review is an co historical event which cannot be passed over by any literary paper, and it is fitting that we should offer a special word of congratula- tion upon it to Messrs. Longmans, Green & Co., who are in 1902, as they were in 1802, the publishers of what is still a leading enterprise in periodical literature. It is a very easy matter to criticise adversely the early numbers of the Review, and to express some tolerant surprise at the amazing popular success it immediately achieved ; but to do this is to miss part, if not indeed the major part, of its original purpose. That it was not primarily in- tended to deal with literary matters is evident from the fact that the words “and Critical Journal” form only its sub-title. Jeffrey himself wrote as follows to a friend who raised the point :— 52 “The Review has but two legs to stand on— Literature is one of them, but the right leg is Politics.” It would be more fair, therefore, for those who would seek to deprecate the worth of the Review, as originally issued, to devote their energies to riddling its political front instead of focussing their attention upon its critical articles. Yet, so far as we are aware, this has not been seriously attempted. Omitting, as outside our province, any discussion of the many political questions dealt with as they arose by the Edinburgh Reviewers, and of the treatment they received at their hands, it is yet proper to observe that the function of a great review is to anticipate the trend of thought upon subjects of the most diverse interest, to concen- trate the general attention within practicable Vimits, and to divert public opinion into that channel which it believes will lead to the happy issue. This 7he Edinburgh Review most certainly did. It stood for Whiggery first of all, and how- ever it may have blundered in its critical articles, it became a political force. Its politics may have been damnable, but its policy was soundly laid and has endured for a century. : It is possible that the explanation of its resisting power may be found in its consistency. Jeffrey’s instructions to Macvey Napier as to the responsi- bilities incidental to the editorial management of anonymous journalism have been preserved, and they have always ruled the conduct of the Review :— “There are three legitimate considerations,” he says, “by which you should be guided in your conduct as Editor generally ; and particularly as to the admission or rejection of articles of a political sort :—1. The effect of your decision on the other contributors upon whom you mainly rely ; 2. Its effect on the sale and circulation, and on the just authority of the work with the great body of its readers ; and 3. Your own deliberate opinion as to the safety or danger of the doctrines maintained in the article under consideration, and its tendency either to promote or retard the practical adoption of those liberal principles to which, and ¢heir prac- tical advancement, you must always consider the journal as devoted.” .. . The Edinburgh Review has at any rate been con- scientious and consistent, and it preserves vitality at the expiration of a hundred years. People who are interested in tracing the practical operation of principles in the trivial affairs of life may find some food for reflection in the fact. Sydney Smith and his friends not only correctly estimated the proper functions of their Review, but they seized the proper moment for its estab- lishment. By the mere fact of doing the right thing at the right time they justified their pre- THE AUTHOR. tensions to occupy the pulpit, and on the whole acquitted themselves remarkably well. Journalistic conditions are so different now from what they were then that it is impossible to realise the effect the Review had upon the intelligent community. The French Revolution had lately upset the mental equilibrium of the world, and thinking men were eager to keep abreast of the wave of intellectual activity that was sweeping over Europe. The founders of The Edinburgh Review perceived this. and leaped forward. They had enthusiasm. They were on the side of the angels, and were at pains to let everybody know it. If they sometimes used exaggerated language, they did so with the utmost purity of motive. They thought it better to cry “Havoc” when they scented battle, than to cry “Peace”? when there was no peace. And, humanly speaking, they were right. That the Review should be shorn of much of its political power in these later days is no reproach to it. History is made so rapidly that men cannot wait for quarterlies to shape their opinions on affairs. But The Edinburgh Review stands for Whiggery to-day as it stood a hundred years ago, and still enjoys the closest personal relations with the leaders of that great historical party. To make any adequate comment on its services. as a critica] journal in the space at our disposal is manifestly impossible. It established a precedent for criticism in the grand manner in periodical literature, and if it sometimes blundered, this was. the exception, not the rule. To look over the volumes of the Review is to peep into a vast mine of erudition, and its articles summarising the known facts of any given subject dealt with in books, or groups of books, remain models of what such literary essays should be. The art brought to such polished perfection by Macaulay, and first displayed to a delighted world through the medium of The Edinburgh Review, still has many able exponents. That the daily, or even the weekly, newspapers can cope with a tithe of the books poured upon the market is out of the question ; they must either ignore them or spare them space for a wholly inadequate “notice.” As the writer of the historical survey in the centenary number of The Edinburgh Review remarks: ‘ Books that. have taken able and learned men years to write deserve to be pondered, not merely to be read, by those who would give a really adequate account of them, and would criticise them in the old and true sense of the word. It is one advantage of the quarterlies that even in these days of electricity they have time to think.” It is probable, therefore, that it is as a critical journal rather than as a political review that The Edinburgh will continue its long and honourable career, and, as such, the twentieth century will  THE AUTHOR. 53 have use for it. That it will maintain its old tradition of anonymity is devoutly to be wished, for so long as it preserves its characteristics, only advantage can be derived from its articles carrying the full weight of the journal’s prestige, instead of the mere weight given them by the qualifications of the individual writers. These characteristics are erudition without dulness, scholarship without pedantry, and dignity with restraint. We need them sorely in this age of flamboyant politics, hysterical journalism, and superficial cleverness, and we are confident that we shall continue to find them in The Edinburgh Review. So shall the judge not be condemned, even though the guilty sometimes go scot free. —____—___e——__. AN AUTUMN SALE. + soap first crisp breath of autumn in the air felt pleasant after the heat and closeness of an unusually dry summer. I paused for a moment outside an A.B.C. shop, undecided whether to have a cup of tea there, or wait till I got home ; as I did so a bill fastened to the swing doors of the adjacent building attracted my attention. It was worded as follows :— Sate. THs Day. END OF SEASON. In order to make room for an entirely new stock of Sea-side novel plots, and Summer Number novelties, the following Lots of valuable material for the manu- facture of Christmas Stories will be sold by auction. Sale at 2.45 for 3 to the minute. Then followed a lengthy catalogue, which at first T could not understand. It being then a quarter past three, and having rather a weakness for attending sales, I opened the swing doors, and walked inside. A crowd of persons of both sexes filled the reom, the faces of some seeming to bear striking resemblance to portraits [ had seen in the illus- trated magazines. The auctioneer was at his desk, hammer in hand ; but I saw no signs of the property which was to be sold. The assistant, who on these occasions exhibits the lots by holding them up, or handing them round, sat, in his shirt-sleeves, at a side table, having before him a list, and a pile of envelopes, each of which was numbered. “Two shillings I’m bid,” the auctioneer was chanting. ‘Two shillings, two and three, two and six. Two and six for the haunted room, with wood fire, and four-post bed; two and six ; why the room itself is worth the money, nothing ever seen, but people die of fright, and are found with petrified look of horror on their faces in the morning. No advance on two and six? Come, we must get on. Going at two and siz—at two and six!” Rap. I did not see who had secured the bargain, but the price seemed ridiculously small for a haunted room, four-post bed, and wood fire ; and I expressed this opinion to a seedy, elderly-looking man who stood by my side. “Small! Pooh—nonsense,” he replied. “ Quite out of date now. I know that bed; slept in it myself a dozen times—at least my characters have. You wouldn’t get ten shillings a thousand for it now.” “Not ten shillings for a thousand bedsteads ?”’ I repeated, astonished. “No, words,’ he snapped. “ Don’t you under- stand this is an end-of-the-season clearance sale of material for Christmas stories.” “ But it still wants three months to Christmas.” ‘© Of course, but the Christmas stories have all been written long ago; most of them finished before Midsummer Day. Buyers are acquiring stuff now with an eye to publication in fifteen months’ time.” “Less talking, please,” cried the auctioneer. “We've got to the end of the Haunted Houses, and now we come to Lot 15. A ship’s captain and a plum-pudding. By the way, Sam, isn’t there a storm at sea goes with this lot ?” “It’s put along of the other storms,” answered Sam, referring to his list. “There y’are : Lot 43, a storm at sea; two snowstorms; and some wind, rain, and hinky darkness.” “It ought by rights to have gone with this lot,” said the Knight of the Hammer. “Still, we'd better keep to the catalogue. What shall we say for the sea captain and his plum-pudding?” Will someone start the bidding ?” “Old as the hills,’ grumbled my companion. “Done to death, both in letterpress and illustration.” An elderly lady with spectacles eventually bought the captain and pudding, though at a price which the auctioneer declared was “ giving the things away.” «Tot 16” was the next announcement. “ 7'wo starving children; one drunken father ; and an angel, slightly damaged. What's the matter with the angel, Sam?” “ Hold age, I suppose,” mumbled Sam. “The feathers is a-coming out of its wings.” ’ %  bd THE AUTHOR. “ Perhaps it’s moulting, sir,” suggested a wag in the crowd. “Jn that case we may hope the feathers will come again ; at all events there’s no doubt about the children and drunken father. Now, what shall we say for Lot 16?” The spectacled lady was again a bidder, but this time she was not going to have it all her own way, for the lot seemed to have taken the fancy of a rotund, benevolent-looking gentleman, dressed in clerical clothes. Neither, however, seemed. inclined to pay a long price, and the hammer fell on the lady’s bid. : «“ That’s Miss Selina Simmonds,” muttered my companion. “ She’s prepared to buy up any amount of cheap stuff. Writes Children’s Columns and that sort of thing.” ° “4 mad engine-driver; an armed commercial traveller ; a night express ; and a@ broken viaduct,” read out the auctioneer. “ That lot’s withdrawn,” remarked Sam. “ How’s that ?” “J dunno; it ain’t here. Better take the next.” “ Lot 18,” went on the auctioneer, brightening up. ‘“ Here’s something quite novel and up to date. Society lady, with smirched reputation ; and a double suicide. Just the thing for a Christmas number. Wait a moment; we'll take Lot 19 with it, and try them together. Lof 19, @ phial con- taining a narcotic drug.” To my surprise the bidding for this property was quite brisk, the best-dressed portion of the audience seeming to vie with each other for its possession. At length a fashionably-attired lady secured it with evident satisfaction. “Next we come to Lot 20,” proceeded the auctioneer. “An Assortment of Suggestive Titles. Read ’em out, Sam.” “ The Crack of Doom; Christmas with a Corpse ; By Midnight Mail; The Grave-Digger’s Story ; A Ghastly Secret,’ intoned the assistant. Once more the flagging interest of the assembly seemed quickened, and there was no lack of offers. “ Now, we’ve got a number of miscellaneous lots to deal with. Lot 21, five nine-gallon casks of blood. What am I offered for Lot 21?” There was no response. “Tt’s all ’uman blood,” prompted Sam from his table. “Come,” cried the salesman, “won’t anyone make a start? Nothing like plenty of blood in a Christmas story.” “Five casks is rather a large quantity for a single buyer,” suggested a gentleman. “Well, let’s divide the lot,” replied the auctioneer, making a pencil memo, on his catalogue. ‘ Lot 21a, three casks of blood; and Lot 210, the remaining two casks.” Under the new conditions the lot was soon disposed of ; everyone present seemed to have a use for blood, and bids were fired at the auctioneer from all quarters. The man by my side made an impatient movement. “I thought I’d wait and see how that went,” he remarked, pointing to a cross against one of the numbers on his catalogue. “ It’s sure to come in useful; but no, I shan’t stop any longer.” Lot 42, four unspeakable horrors. This was the line he indicated. We left the room, and passed through the swing doors together. “Christmas story writing must be rather a morbid and depressing sort of business,” I ventured to suggest. “Well, yes,” he answered, “if you keep abreast. of the times, and go in for good prices. Tt used not to be so,” he added, a trifle sadly, speaking as one who realises that his own day is past. «y remember the time when we used to go in for holly and good-cheer, warm firesides, and happy endings ; but bless you, that’s all altered now.” With a parting wave of his hand he turned abruptly, and went his way. The autumn chill, had strengthened in the air; I almost wished I had worn an overcoat. ee THE “YOUNG IDEA’S” VIEWS ON POETRY. — > [Reprinted by kind permission of the Editor from: the American Critic. ] A TEACHER in a public school in one of our larger cities thought to teach the Young Idea something about the beauty and meaning of poetry. Her class consisted of boys and girls from fourteen to eighteen years of age and of fair average intelligence. She read them Browning’s “ Meeting at Night,” and asked them to write out their opinions of the subject and its treatment.. This they did with the unhesitating confidence of youth. Here is the poem: 1, The grey sea and the long plack land ; And the yellow half-moon large and low ; ‘And the startled little waves that leap In fiery ringlets from their sleep, As I gain the cove with pushing prow, And quench its speed i the slushy sand.  wes Ie THE AUTHOR. 55. Il. Then a mile of sea-scented beach ; Three fields to cross till a farm appears ; A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch And blue spurt of a lighted match, And a voice less loud, through joys and fears, Then two hearts beating each to each ! Some of the more candid criticisms are here ae 7 as they were wrote,” spelling, punctuation, and all :— “J think it presents a fine moonlight picture. it tell how far he has to travel and the greeting when he arrives, at the farm house, I think it is a sailor coming home from a voyage. ‘I'he peace is wrote in Irvings style being compact and expresses a clear idea in a very few lines.” “ T do not like it because it is not closely enough connected. The description of the sea or land is not very good. It isa very hurried description.” “J think it is too dark because It would take longer that the time it took in the poetry and it show how scared a woman gets because when she heard him she could hardly talk between fear.” «This short piece of poetry in my opinion is a nice opening for a story because Brown illustrates it so finely as the moonlight on the lake.” “J think this little poetry is nice because it tells the nice route of the lover and would be much more beautiful if it was longer and contained many more interesting facts.” “Poor. Because it starts to quickly and because it tells nothing of where he was or how he came to be in the book and he skipped from the ocean to the moon & then back to the water.” “1 think It is a nice poem it explains about a man walking up the sea shore in dark he is just going home from work and as he reaches the house he tapps at the window to let his wife or friend know that it is no stranger or no body that will hurt her.” “TI think it is pretty good because it is taken from life and that when a man goes home he always kisses his wife.” “T don’t like it because it is not natural and I don’t think it is a piece of poetry.” “It is very pretty for the reason that is shows affection and because of the beautiful description of the road which the gentleman takes at sunset.” “The man came down the lake in a boat and was much excited and hurried to the land. The tide was coming in and he was obliged to walk along the beach and long distance and hurried across the fields and came to the farm house and rapped on the window and his lover lit a match and appeared at the window.” “Tts good. Because he has a good choice of words and has a good ending and describes the anxiety of the husband.” “Tt is no good. Because I think it is foolish.” “JT think it is good because it tells the hard time a man has in coming home sometimes.” “Tt is fairly good but I can see but little sence. It is well worded and the words are well connected.” “Good, because as a short passage it gives a good description from being to end of a Lovers course to his most Beloved.” “T think it is the description of a lover going to sce his sweetheart. But I believe it would be better if the sweetheart had had the light burning pre- vious to his arrival. The description of the waves as they beat against the boat is very good.” “TJ think it has very good descriptions, but I don’t fancy sentimental things, and that closes in that way.” “T think it is no good for a description of a lonely walk for there is not enough description of the walk to give you an idea of the beauty of the scenery. It isnot as good as the description of the moonlight on the snow in Snow Bound. The poem does not give enough time to the subject.”  56 «J think this is a very beautiful piece of poetry. For one reason I think it must have tickled the young girl to see her lover coming to see her and how happy she must have felt to be in his com- pany for the remainder of the evening. As I am not interested in love and no but very little about it I can give no further explanation in regard to it.” “Pretty Bum because its to wishy-washy and because 1 don’t think it likely also because I dont like rhythm.” — CORRESPONDENCE. Se “AUTHOR AND EDITOR.” Srr,—I think your correspondent is rather hard on the editor of the Westminster Gazette. These are bookmaking days, and it is quite impossible for editors to find space to review anything like every book published. Hence there must always be a good many minor works which only have the good fortune to be reviewed in papers of secondary importance. New volumes of verse, even by the most cele- brated writers, are not much read by the British public nowadays, and the editor is bound to use his valuable space for popular novels and standard works. But even so, books of real merit often get passed over. It is the custom, I believe, for the editor to hand the books sent to him for criticism to his reviewer. The latter makes a selection of the books he intends to notice, and puts the remainder aside. Thus an excellent work by an unknown author might only be rewarded by having its title-page read! How much chance, for instance, would “Paradise Lost” have of being widely reviewed, were Mr. John Milton an obscure poet of to-day ? Yours faithfully, F. J. WINBOLT. October 6th, 1902. 1 — STANDARD RULES FOR PRINTING. Srr,—If any improvement is to be effected in our spelling rules and customs, it must be by means of free discussion in the first place. So I gladly welcome the criticism of “W. W.S.” on my note, and equally gladly defer to him on any point which he can fairly establish against me. But let THE AUTHOR. me explain further about words in -able, full in composition, and the spelling of such words as connection and inflection. 1. The object of my note was to gain a hearing for the simplification of our recognised spelling rules, and to make them less difficult by minimising the useless exceptions. My critic would apparently keep a number of these trying exceptions, because of the manner in which the words have come inte our language. For instance, he would keep -iae because it is Greek and phonetic. The obvious reply is that -ise is equally phonetic. Ours has two sounds, and it is no use pretending that we cannot make z sounds with it—try “nose,” ‘‘eyes,” “flies,” etc.; or again, he would keep the # in “ connection ” and “inflection,” because it is etymological and phonetic. But to spell these words with a c¢ equally preserves the etymology and the sound, and so there is no need for the . 2. I considered myself under the necessity of brevity, as I do now; and it was under this dis- advantage that I only partially and awkwardly explained myself about Latin words in -<b/e. My idea was to make as many words as possible take the ending -able, and only to accept -2ble and -wble when absolutely necessary, on account of long use through direct derivation from Latin words in -ibilis. Possibly “W. W. 8.” and I together could draw up an acceptable list of such words. 3. For the sake of making some definite rule which will hold in all cases, I still consider my suggestion regarding the spelling of fu/? in com- position worthy of consideration. It is impractic- able to spell by stress, for pronunciation throughout England is largely a matter of taste, locality, and education. For a fixed standard there must be a fixed rule. 4. I shall be glad of criticisms on the other points, e.g., the adding of -ed, ~ing, -er, and other syllables; the spelling of “ attendance ” and “dependant,” etc. ; the use of a and an before the letter A. FUR: —— TYPEWRITING. To the Editor of THR AUTHOR. Srr,—Should any of your readers know of an intelligent type-writing lady, will they be so kind as to communicate to me her name and address. -GHORGE CECIL. Pall Mall Club, 12, St. James’s Square, 8.W. September 1st, 1902. Che Hutbhor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. FOUNDED BY SIR Monthly.) WALTER BESANT. 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. 13 Issue 02 (November 1902) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 13 Issue 02 (November 1902) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1902-11-01-The-Author-13-2 publications The Author